GazzaS

Hi Gary,

except bad manuals, nothing written kept me ever from modelling. Quite the opposite is the case, I often read books connected to actual builds and it fires me up a bit, like in the case of the Duchess of Kingston.

I can't really grab the reason, for your loss of mojo considering ship builds. Glory, a difficult subject, specially for many Germans, me included, when it comes to times of Nazism. It's not only modeling for me, but it's part of family history as well. I was born in West Berlin and had history surrounding me.
My families roots go back to some Hugenotte lower nobility, who had to flee from France and settled in Prussia, where they were welcomed. 
I have a deep fondness to the Prussian humanitarian education and partly for the Prussian politics and military orientation.
The time you refer to was, when things got complicated and I can only guess, that had a huge effect onto Stumpf. Like many others, he was changing political views and positions often.
I haven't read his diary, but I've read a lot about the time of the revolution and what lead to the situation. There also was a good four part documentary in German TV about this time, often referencing to Stumpfs diary.
His way is so typical, partly sympathizing with the revolution, later being a member of a right wing Freikorps and regretting being a member, after seeing what was done by this Freikorps.
It was a time of infinite uncertainty in Germany and besides hunger and unemployment for many, not to name inflation and decline in old values. It was an atmosphere, which was prone to create radical mindsets.

I will not go too deep into it, but my own approach is shaky in times. I'm for example absolutely fascinated by an Arado 234 or Horten 229 from a technical standpoint, being ahead of their time at least a decade, but when I build one, I can't really forget for what they stand, that prisoners laboured to death, building these, only to name one aspect.
It doesn't put me off, building these, but it's always in my mind, there are other aspects.
I'm plainly no militarist, but as an ex engineer, I have a deep love for advancing technologies and their effect on the society.
I guess, being a German doesn't make things easy sometimes, being always a bit ambivalent .

I guess, this all will not help you, restoring your mojo, but it shows, how different our approach to the same hobby is. 
My main trigger in modelling is fascination for an object. Without, I wouldn't do modeling. The reasons for the fascination can be based on literature, technology, science and of course history.

All the best

Robert

Hi Rob,

    Thanks for the quick response.  I'm sure there is more to it than just reading the book.  Maybe getting older...   slower.  Lazier.  Eyesight going to hell.  Anyway...   I won't pester you with too many of my personal insights.  I look forward to more of your Arizona.

Best Wishes,

Gary