The Little World

I can never free myself from the image of Michael Keaton in ” Beetlejuice ” delivering that line.

I use it whenever something is about to start – whether it is a big local scale modelling exhibition or a simple autopsy. Hand me the saw and stand back.

This year’s BLSME in Perth was announced as the last one – the knell of doom being sounded by the head of the organising committee. He said that he and the other organisers were resigning and no-one had come forward to take their place.

Whether this state of affairs does come about is to be seen. Some people have suggested that it may continue in altered form in other premises. Some have said that new organisers will come forward and it will go at the accustomed venue. We can only wait and see. As it has been a viable venture for decades, it is hard to see why it should die with the departure of a committee.

However, that is just mechanics and organisation. The actual exhibition was fine, and all the groups that participated did a splendid job. There were some displays that were old – some that were new, and a number of commercial traders that seemed to do a pretty good business. There were no obvious bare spots in the trading hall, though it was a bit touch and go in the competition room on the first day…

Displaying yourself for the admiration of others is always a nervous thing – unless the spectators are tucking $ 5.00 bills in your underwear, you never really know if you are a winner. There is a public popularity contest for the trade hall displays, and a people’s favourite for the competition entries, but unless you’re selling, you have little upon which to gauge success.

And you can sometimes throw out an idea like a parachute assault – a bridge too far.