Question from the wife

[wwattles]

My wife was asking how many of you guys have ANY women at all in your clubs. I know that in mine, we don't have any who regularly attend the launches and actually build or launch. There are a few who come out with their husbands, but for the most part, they just hang out and watch. There are a also few youngsters (under age 10) who sometimes build with their dads, but none who build on their own. Is this as truly a male-dominated hobby as it seems?

WW

 

[SecretSquirrel]

I know DARS has at least 4 female members.

 

[rstaff3]

I think the short answer is 'yes', it is very male dominated. That is not to say that there are not women who are accomplished rocketeers nor that more women rocketeers won't be welcome. My high power club has a couple of women, one is L3. My NAR club's president is female.

 

[Elbmod]

Reply from my wife

"We're too busy doing laundry!"


Oops!

 

[eugenefl]

My girlfriend (of 6 years) typically asks me if any one else's girlfriend or wife is going to be coming out. Otherwise it's a real sacrifice for her to be out there all day.

 

[Rocketmaniac]

My wife has gone with me several times including the day I got my L2........ We had one couple that both fly rockets and we have a growing number of families that come out......... But still there is a majority of men vs women.......

 

[edwardw]

My fiance loves the rockets and watching me build them, but flying is another issue. She will come out to watch but doesn't like to be there all day (too much scrapbooking to do) She also comes along and does great videos and pictures. Now that I got her an RTF airplane she loves coming out now. She flies her plane and I fly my rockets. We both have a good time.

 

[astronboy]

We have family memberships in ASTRE, but no female primary members.

My wife says 'Girls are not nerdy enough' for rockets....

Well, you can just imagine. I waved my arms getting ready for a heated reply, when I knocked my safety glasses off. Thank goodness they are OK, they hooked onto my pocket protector!!

 

[astrowolf67]

My wife goes with me when she can. She doesn't care to build or fly rockets, but she loves to watch. She's made quite a few friends at the launches, and just the other day, made the comment that she was glad the launch season was getting ready to hit full swing. The clubs I launch with, have a few females members, but as everyone else has stated, it's mostly male dominated.

 

[rbeckey]

I am not a member of a club, so I don't have an answer for that question. My wife is not a builder, but she loves the launches. Her favorite is a 10 inch saucer on a G64. She takes lots of photos of the boys on launch day too.

 

[Papa Elf]

The regular flyers at CMASS are all males... occationally you see a female flyer. Like Mouser William's Girlfriend... to bad they moved to New Mexico...

 

[sandman]

Conclusion!

Don't go into rocketry to pick up girls!

sandman

 

[Mike]

Originally posted by sandman
Don't go into rocketry to pick up girls!

Dammit, I'm in the wrong hobby!

 

[Bobrogg]

Darn! I joined the local club to meet girls! They (girls) don't build rockets? At this rate, I'll be single for a long time- hummmm.... More time for rockets, more money for rockets, I know there is a down side here somewhere.

 

[Papa Elf]

Bummer! Maybe that's my problem .

Ok then... How Do We Meet Girls!?

 

[gothique_97]

Originally posted by n3tjm
Ok then... How Do We Meet Girls!?

Take up knitting

disclaimer: the opinions expressed here do not actually reflect those of March A Briner; he's not as sexist nor as chauvinistic as others will tell you he is.

 

[Neil]

LOL... My dad says that if you walk a puppy past a woman, that ups your chances... I dont think I will try it out, but if you do, tell me how it goes!



Howbout weight lifting?

 

[sandman]

Neil,

I have two dogs. If I take my Yellow Lab to the beach and throw the frisby for her it never fails...good looking girls in bikinis come from everywhere to talk to my dog...not me...

If I bring my Jack Russel Terrier for a walk...old ladies come from everywhere to talk to my dog...fortunately NOT ME!

Rockets and small dogs seem to repel young girls.

Yellow Labs and probably Goldens are babe magnets!

Well, for the dogs anyway.

sandman

 

[DPatell]

I dunno...I've brought the girls into the hobby, I got one of my "ex" girlfriends to go to a launch, and it appeared like she was enjoying herself...I dunno...they can be dodgy...

I gotta get the current girl to a launch when the season rolls around

My nickname on the hockey team is "Paddle the Pimp," Paddle taken from the appearence of my last name (Patell) and The Pimp because I always have a girl on the left and a girl on the right in the halls at school And I think they all know about the rockets, so rocketry isn't a chick deterrent...

(The above statement regarding "Paddle The Pimp" may not in fact be true, they are probably just poking fun at Dan)

 

[Mike]

Neil, can I borrow your dog? See there's this girl I know...

 

[Ryan S.]

Originally posted by Neil
Well, Id rather my dog have thier attention than have that attention directed at me...

[/B]

I hope you are saying you would rather your dog have the attention of other Dogs.

 

[shockwaveriderz]

u would think rockets being "phallic " symbols would attract females......guess not.....

 

[rbeckey]

You got the right idea Neil. Stay away from them. Nothing but trouble. They'll have you spending motor budget on THEM!

 

[Neil]

Priorities priorities!

Do I want to spend my money on a high school relationship that wont last 5 weeks, or a motor that only burns for 1.5 seconds....

Ill take the motor, thanx!

 

[Micromeister]

My Great better 2/3rds wife has been attending club meetings, launches, competitions and every kind of activity our club does for more than 14 years. She is a willing recovery crew member, does loads of outreach building sessions with the club and on her own, adopted Model rockety as part of her former Girl
Scout troop program and talks up rocketry to anyone who will listen, on the street or at her job with Toy's R Us. She has built several models but does not normally fly. She likes to watch others fly.. I can only say.. I am one Very lucky guy!
Funny thing is she isn't even a member of the club she supports so strongly because of the clubs ancient NAR membership requirement to be a voting Club member.

 

[Mrs.Bowhunter]

I love going to launches and i have built my first rocket .. im just starting my second one. So it may be male oriented but its not all men. Im really excited about getting involved instead of just watching .. which i also enjoy sometimes. Its much more fun when your a part of it!

So tell her to give it a try! She might like it!

Deb

 

[loopy]

My wife likes going to the launches - she likes the people and the rockets. She loves watching my boys and me with our rockets.

That being said - I've learned that buying your wife a rocket for your anniversary as a way to try to get her to participate in the hobby more fully is a bad idea. A very bad idea. A very bad idea...even if it is cute and has pink in it. A bad idea.

Loopy

 

[sandman]

Not all rocket "presents" are bad.

For Christmas two years ago I made my daughte clones of her first two rockets.

A Mini-Mean Machine and a Falcon Commander.

She loved 'em but then again she is into this nostalgia thing.

I also made a clone of the Evil Knevil Sky Cycle for her husband 'cause he collects Evil Knevil stuff.

sandman

 

[powderburner]

Originally posted by n3tjm
How Do We Meet Girls!?

I was faced with a period after my first wife where it felt like I couldn't find anyone decent to date. I started filling my spare time with other activities: rocketry, cycling, soccer, after-soccer-beer, etc.

Just as soon as your schedule fills up is when you meet THE BABE and have to put some toys back in the closet to make time for her.

 

[loopy]

Originally posted by Neil

SOunds like your would-be happy anniversary didnt go so well....

She walked around for 10 minutes saying, "you got me a ... rocket...for our anniversary...you got me a ... rocket... for our anniversary." She then called her best friend and said, "he got me a ... rocket...for our anniversary...he got me a ... rocket... for our anniversary. It's not even a big rocket - it's a small rocket....for our anniversary." All in all, she said that, or some form of it about 8 trillion times. I told her it was time to drop the kids off at our friends house so we could go out, and she found her real present - a pair of diamond earrings - on the front seat of the car. That made up for it...lol