The one hit wonder

Following on from the post two days ago about resolutions, a series of thoughts dropped through my shrinking brain. The first as mentioned was the pile(s) of unbuilt kits. Now I know that all who read this will be in the same position - we just can't resist that shiny new kit or the 'that's a bargain, I won't see that again' scenario. But the truth of it is most of these will outlive us; witness the kits on club s/h stalls. We just don't get around to building the project they are destined for, and we die before opening the boxes. Sad? Yes. True? Yes.
The problem is often that production techniques move and the kit we have becomes 'old'; something better replaces it... now we have two kits, and so on.
Over the panto period I picked up Phil Parkers 'Guide' (this is out of the shops , but young Phil can probably supply) This is mainly reprints from his column in the Hornby mag, a lot of which are straight kit builds. This got me thinking...

Why do we need to have a 'project'? By that I mean a layout. The plastic modelling bunch can change tack on everything they build - a 1:76 tank to a 1:32 MG. Why do we as railway modellers tie ourselves to one thing a lot of the time? Answer: because of the layout. Phil's book started a train of thought which terminated with: why don't I treat every thing in the boxes in the loft as a stand alone project? Just because it doesn't fit with the layout doesn't really matter. They can be as it were, one hit wonders.

Note for the above photo: I am at present car-sharing with the wrinkly bass player. He's a Southampton boy (or Scummer as Mrs. F who is from Pompey shipwright stock would say) Naturally a lot of the conversation is sea based and Victory came up. I mentioned that I'd seen kits for same in The Works that week. Yesterday said wrinkly bass player presents me with the kit.
Even if I buy nothing the bloody things breed...