Hope you sent one to Michael

Hope you sent one to Michael Rose.

Don

Insurance job?

Dear Rick,

For modellers here in Aust, a slip-of-the-tongue much like you're suggesting tends to end up with one buying some extra home insurance (to cover the model collection?)

https://www.nrma.com.au/

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

I think this is great!

Rick, thanks for creating this. It's the little things some people do that make the hobby fun! 

Neal

Don, I believe that Michael

Don, I believe that Michael Rose has one of his own in German!  He is in a class by himself.

Prof. K. - the great thing

Prof. K. - the great thing about being a MRM is that you don’t even need to have ANYTHING that is Model railroad including skill.

Neal M - you are welcome!

It’s fun to share the fun!

I highly recommend it

As MRNA #456 I'm here to encourage all skill challenged modelers to to join this worthwhile organization. Those with actual skills are welcome too but must submit proof that at one time they too were challenged. That shouldn't be difficult as the requirements are very liberal and inclusive.

 Although I've only been honored for a short period the benefits have become obvious. I stand a little straighter and the sun shines a little brighter. I am a little confused as to the aim of the organization but Sir Richard the first has a firm hand on the tiller and can be trusted to lead us into the future.

Personally, I look forward to the national convention and self help confab.

Best to all,

 Sir Richard the second

Rick S. - LOL!!!  You, Sir,

Rick S. - LOL!!!  You, Sir, have truly embraced the spirit of the MRM and do the organization proud!

LOL!

I know a couple of guys I'd like to give this to!

I'm all for silliness

Being silly is good. And this is funny. However, I don't want to disrespect those who have put the effort into improving their skills to attain the MMR in the NMRA. I am not but I aspire to be one of them someday. Not to be in competion with anyone except myself. I want to improve my skills.

For instance, hand laid turnouts. I have built a few and I'll build a few more before I'm done. That's because I am improving my skill at building them and won't stop until I have it perfected. Not until I have mastered the skill of building a turnout. That doesn't make me better than someone who uses Atlas turnouts, it just means I've worked to make myself better.

I have a Master's degree. I need one to do the job I am called to do. As one of my professors pointed out, I am no better than anyone else. I have no more wisdom or knowledge than someone who studies and doesn't go to school. But we have decided that there is a base level of study needed to do the work I do. It's an agreed upon standard. It simply means I have mastered the material I have been taught. When in class I wasn't trying to beat anyone elses grade, just attain my own grade high enough so that others who have attained that level and look and my work and agree it meets the standard. 

In that way attaining the MMR is similar to attaining an advanced degree. It makes no one a better person, not even better than someone else who hasn't bothered to apply the standard. 

My 2 cents, I hope I haven't taken from the silliness. 

Point taken

 But it basically is borrowing the NMRA idea and enhancing it. This is for those of us that DO NOT have the skills for the real deal so we get up at the meeting and admit our shortcomings. Speaking for the head man, SR#1, as assumptive as that might be, we respect the real deal NMRA certificated modelers but instead of honoring the highly skilled few we speak for the poor, tired, huddled masses of the common man/woman/youngster that deserves recognition for at least "sticking with it" (the hobby, furthermore to be referred to as "it") regardless of the slings and arrows of cruel fortune.

Even though we may leave glue fingerprints on our masterpieces (which obviously would eliminate us from any NMRA program) we still believe our aim is true and beautiful and worthy of NRMA certification.

We stand in unison with ALL MODEL RAILROADERS and look towards a bright future of cooperation amongst the various fraternal/ maternal and non decided hobby (it) organizations.

With respect and exceedingly warm regards,

SR#2        

 Unofficial op-ed editor for the NRMA and NY Times political section, anonymous division.

                    Currently un-employed but proud of it so if you need an op-ed editor for your (the editorial your) organization please contact me at 555-555-5555 and ask for Muggsy. After my recent job at NY Times I have taken a long deserved "vacation".

What Rick S. said....

I couldn't agree more with what Mr. Sutton said on the subject.  The intention is NOT to make fun of MMRs or the program!  If anything, it makes fun of the "everybody gets a trophy" crowd.  In fact, everyone can be a MRM if they so choose - just download the certificate, fill it out, and PRESTO! you are a MRM.  Just like those who think that you shouldn't keep score at Little League baseball games because it can hurt some of the children's feelings we at the NRMA don't "score" anyone's modeling because we don't want to hurt their feelings.  As an example, please see my first scratch built structure below.  The NRMA wouldn't rate it at all, so would that be a zero, or infinity?  It just doesn't matter! 

Definatly not Zero

I am one of those MMR's and I have been a judge.

Zero, not if I was judging, low, yes.

But I see at least 4 points, and maybe a few more.

Howard Garner

Howard, you are a generous

Howard, you are a generous man!  That’s three more points than I would have awarded for it!

More Silliness

Great or not great minds think alike. I had this spoof published in the Mid-Eastern Region newsletter.

Enjoy.

Kurt

http://www.mer-nmra.com/MEReLocal_Files/2018/elocal-v73i02-2018MarApr.pdf

Kurt

Absolutely brilliant! You, sir, are a master of satire. Great read and the newsletter that accompanied it was very impressive. Kudos to all involved.

 It appears that even I would have a chance at a MMuR certification.

"One in a million? So I DO have a chance!"

Double post

which just reinforces my expertise in incompetence. 

Kurt T, you're the man to be!

What a great program an article!  The MMuR is certainly a must for any silly model railroaders!

Someone has too much time on

Someone has too much time on his hands!      Idle mind is the devils workshop!     Retired?

I like, but...

But seriously, folks, has anyone thought of the real NMRA coming down on this for trademark violations? It's the same logo with just a couple of letters transposed.

This was inevitable, I suppose, and no slam on Greg for posting it. It needed to be said.

People who've jumped through all those hoops to get their real MMR are going to not be terribly happy when they find out about this. Just be ready for that. It will happen eventually.

I'm a big fan of not liking stuffed shirts all that much, so [bleep] them if they can't take a joke, right?

I will be printing my own up, so I can make myself #337 (my first name upside down)!

Lee,  Good point!  We’re

Lee,  Good point!  We’re hoping that people’s sense of humor will take it for what it is - harmless fun.

jimfitch

yup

Sounds good

Just wait until I put this as a certification on my website...

I am a big fan of silly...

I mean, come on... just LOOK at me! JUST LOOK!

I am all about the silly!