Hobby versus 'real life'

Heh! Our stabilisation system was the same. Whenever we made a trip from the old house to the new one, I held one of the fragile models in my hands while my wife drove very carefully.

ki

I’m always very open about my collection and generally most people are fairly accepting of it, and tbh if anyone gives me grief about it they’re probably not the kind of people I’d want to befriend. I have had a few quizzical looks from dog walkers when I’m taking photos outside, but nobody’s ever actually said anything to me yet. At the end of the day it’s no different to those who collect stamps, or go birdwatching - it’s a hobby like any other!

I used, more fool me, to display finished kits in my retailer's window, so I learned how to pack fragile stuff very well. I have no idea what he did with them after the devious git buggered off with them when he hit financial trouble though. Rule of thumb, never, I repeat NEVER entrust your most prized collection to someone else!!

Unless you're selling it, keep it with you, even if they have to bury it with you!

CHEERS!

that last part i agree absolutely, though i might have a problem with the bury stuff with me section. either i start putting money on the side now for a proper crypt with hidden traps and all or i should reduce the definition of most prized, since i can't part with anything. even if it ain't a topic i'm into anymore. sold a couple of ww2 paratroopers on ebay once and regret it ever since, while my ww2 collection(figures and 1 1/2 tiger tank) is catching dust in the basement.
might settle for a big coffing with my 1/6 power armor figures left and right and me in the middle, flipping the bird to whoever might be after my treasure
cheers
tjolnir

/:\

LOL! I was joking a little, but, it does bring up what you do if there's nobody to pass it down to. I suppose you could organise a sale where collectors could buy it and donate the proceeds to charity. At least someone would get something out of it that way.

CHEERS!

Hobbys.... can be dangerous to health, like to ski or many other Hobbys. Hobbys can be these days perverted. Many Hobbys are to swagger...
To make photos of figures, show them to others to make them smile... that´s a good hobby i think

I agree, though some of the prices might kill you!

CHEERS!

Rogerbee wrote:LOL! I was joking a little, but, it does bring up what you do if there's nobody to pass it down to. I suppose you could organise a sale where collectors could buy it and donate the proceeds to charity. At least someone would get something out of it that way.

CHEERS!

My wife said she’s going to douse all my crap in gasoline and throw a match when I’m gone. I guess it’s only fitting, as I requested I wanted to be made into chum, and feed the sharks (I’m terrified of sharks, so I thought it appropriate to feed my fears — AFTER I’m dead, of course).

Stryker2011 wrote:My wife said she’s going to douse all my crap in gasoline and throw a match when I’m gone.

Ask her whether it is ok for you to do that to all her stuff if she goes first.

**

For me, I taught myself to let go with some of my figures if they become overwhelming. Right now I am starting late in the HotToys Star Wars Force Awakens. Slowly I'll get Solo characters and others. Since most of my Triad Toys and SoldierStory are in plastic boxes, I need to sell them somewhere.

Your friend tried to mean well, I think it came out wrong. She at least took time to assist in your move.

This hobby could be viewed as relaxing akin to painting, or as a form of therapy, similar to the documentary Marwencol

In college, in order to teach robotics, they practice using the LEGOS Mindstorm set.

In regards to men viewing the hobby, just remember Lee Byung-hun geeked out over the HT Storm Shadow and posed with it.  John Boyega collects various HotToys figures.

Everyone has a unique collection. My boss collects Betty Boop. The finance lead collects anything Wonder Woman. Her husband is getting her a HT. The tech collects porcelain tea pots. The marketing guy loves Star Wars and Muppets.

As for name calling, I usually got derogatory comments from strangers. My friends, however regard my hobby as a toy designer.

The 40 Year Old Virgin didn't help our cause much. In my book, you like what you like. If they can't appreciate that, sod 'em!

CHEERS!

I'd be lying if I said I never encountered or considered the stigma of collecting as an adult.  There's always the 40 Year Old Virgin stereotype or worse.  But, it's the kind of thing that is a good barometer about whether someone is a true friend or loved one.  They accept you for who you are, maybe with the occasional joke or piss take, but it's all about context.  I give back as good as I get.  I've been in a relationship a long time, so that's not an issue.  If I were looking, I figure it would be a good way to weed out quickly. If someone is intolerant about a hobby, that's the tip of the iceberg.  

Anyone who knows me, knows I have collected figures of all kinds since childhood.  It all started with Little People, Big Jim, GI Joe, Six Million Dollar Man, Star Wars figures, Smurfs, Schleich and yes, even Barbie and Ken. I love life in small scale.  ;-)  Love me love my figures/dolls.  

Whenever I've sold a property, I've always removed all my personal stuff from collectibles to photographs to anything valuable sitting around that can be carried off.  De-cluttering across the board helps sell a place faster.  Some people have a really hard time looking beyond someone's personal taste or decorating and need to see a blank slate.   It's more secure as well.  Good luck with your sale!

Well said!

CHEERS!

Fascinating subject, And Delanie, I'm glad you started this thread.

There's that amazing quote (Allotropos has part of it in his signature) “The creative adult is the child who survived after the world tried killing them, making them grown up. The creative adult is the child who survived the blandness of schooling, the unhelpful words of bad teachers, and the nay-saying ways of the world. The creative adult is in essence simply that, a child.”

Some of the most successful people in life are just that, a bunch of kids that never grew up.  Neil Gaiman, Stephen King and George R R Martin have been very successful at sitting around an making stuff up.  If Michelangelo were alive today, I wonder if he'd have started Phicen...

It's funny, I think I've spent so much of my life on the "weird" side of things, that I forget that there's a whole world out there where this isn't considered "normal".  When I was little, my father owned a motorcycle shop, so most of the adults I knew had long hair and tattoos.  Most of my life I've had brightly colored hair, tattoos and piercings, and my toy collection was probably the least out-there part of my lifestyle.  I had friends who played in hardcore bands and collected Star Wars figures, and everyone I associated with had a lot of geek hobbies.  My partner has a HUGE Living Dead Doll collection, along with all sorts of other oddities she collects (technically all the taxidermy in the house is "ours" but she's the one either buying it or asking for it for birthdays and Christmas).  I've worked in the toy industry for 10 years, so even professionally, this world is kinda the norm for me.  We recently hired a young guy in our accounting department, completely new to any of this, and I've watched him get hooked collecting the ThreeZero Game of Thrones figures.  Anyone that I know who is a bit more straight laced seems to get sucked into this world sooner or later.  My question is, why would you want to bring someone back to your place who wasn't in to some of the same stuff you were (or at least totally "gets" the things you are passionate about)?  The things you love are a big part of who you are.  Life is way to short too surround yourself with people who don't know you and love you for all of it.  

As far as selling your place though, I get it.  It's not even a toy thing.  My friend was selling her condo, and her realtor told her to pack away her cookbooks.  They want places to be as bare-bones and devoid of personality as possible.

If Michaelangelo had started Phicen, the anatomy would be a lot better! The Living Dead Dolls creeped me out, particularly when they started putting glass eyes in them, they looked right through you! That said, when I move, most of my collection will be in the front room. My Regan bust looking out of the window ought to be enough to deter nosy neighbours and Jehovah's Witnesses! Take me as you find me, or don't bother!

CHEERS!

Rogerbee wrote:My Regan bust looking out of the window ought to be enough to deter nosy neighbours and Jehovah's Witnesses!

CHEERS!

That’s funny. My Dads way of dealing with the Jehovah’s Witnesses was much crueler, but I always thought funnier. Is thing: he was a lifelong Playboy subscriber (since the very first issue), and me and my brothers knew where he kept his stash (well... they weren’t really hidden from us, they were sort of scattered). Whenever they started coming around, he’d tell us boys to go get handfuls of them, spread them around the living room on all the end tables, coffee table, etc. and we’d have them open to the centerfolds. Then he’d invite them in, and us boys would be sitting there scanning through the magazines and critiquing the hotness of all the girls while we held the centerfold up for the guests to see. Needless to say, they’d bolt from the house rather quickly, leaving us all laughing and giggling like idiots. One time, my old man even answered the door stark naked when a couple of women came to the door. He was a weird dude...

Your Dad was a top guy!

CHEERS!

Rogerbee wrote:If Michaelangelo had started Phicen, the anatomy would be a lot better!

 Yeah, probably true.  But I think a lot of really iconic artists from back in the day would probably be into the toy world if they were around now.

Rogerbee wrote:The Living Dead Dolls creeped me out, particularly when they started putting glass eyes in them, they looked right through you!

That's the best part!  There's a lot of random weirdness around the house, and they fit right in.  Her collection takes up 1 full wall of a room, and it's an eerily impressive sight when they're all staring out at you in unison.  

Rogerbee wrote:That said, when I move, most of my collection will be in the front room. My Regan bust looking out of the window ought to be enough to deter nosy neighbours and Jehovah's Witnesses! Take me as you find me, or don't bother!

Hell yes!  Respect!

Stryker2011 wrote:That’s funny. My Dads way of dealing with the Jehovah’s Witnesses was much crueler, but I always thought funnier. Is thing: he was a lifelong Playboy subscriber (since the very first issue), and me and my brothers knew where he kept his stash (well... they weren’t really hidden from us, they were sort of scattered). Whenever they started coming around, he’d tell us boys to go get handfuls of them, spread them around the living room on all the end tables, coffee table, etc. and we’d have them open to the centerfolds. Then he’d invite them in, and us boys would be sitting there scanning through the magazines and critiquing the hotness of all the girls while we held the centerfold up for the guests to see. Needless to say, they’d bolt from the house rather quickly, leaving us all laughing and giggling like idiots. One time, my old man even answered the door stark naked when a couple of women came to the door. He was a weird dude...

Damn man, that's freakin sublime!  Definitely the best handling of unwanted guests.

MerylAkiba wrote:In regards to men viewing the hobby, just remember Lee Byung-hun geeked out over the HT Storm Shadow and posed with it.  John Boyega collects various HotToys figures.

Titus Welliver is actually a huge toy collector, especially 1/6 stuff.  There's this cool video Sideshow did with him where you get to see a bit of his collection and it's legit.

Leonardo Da Vinci would be making Transformers!

I couldn't even have my Regan bust looking right at me, it just got too creepy!

CHEERS!

When I was in high school, the Jehovah’s Witnesses must have targeted our neighborhood. They came by at least once a month. Usually, my dad was gone and Mom would politely tell them we weren't interested or she'd have one of us do the same.

One Saturday morning, I was out mowing grass when I spotted them coming up the block. I went in and reported they'd be here in about 10 minutes and went back to the lawn.

When they arrived at our house, I half expected my mom to toss her usual charming "thanks, but no thanks" at them. Instead, they disappeared into the house.

Finishing the lawn, I went inside and asked what was going on with the JWs.

Dad was in the living room with them discussing theology, the bible and their beliefs. Apparently knowing scriptures better than they did, he finally tripped one of them up by using his own words against him. One of the older guys was clearly dejected.

They never came back.


Oh, and I remember reading somewhere that the late Robin Williams was a serious action figure collector, too.

Good for him,

We just said no.

CHEERS!

I think we received a small boost from the latest Honda commercial with The Six Million Dollar
Man action figure reminding us how much we enjoyed getting him for Christmas. If we are old enough to remember that Toy AND buy a Honda, I don't think people should make fun of us.

Not seen that, I'll look it up on YouTube.

CHEERS!

Pontiacivan wrote:I think we received a small boost from the latest Honda commercial with The Six Million Dollar
Man action figure reminding us how much we enjoyed getting him for Christmas. If we are old enough to remember that Toy AND buy a Honda, I don't think people should make fun of us.

I still have that original Steve Austin (and his space capsule/rebuild accessory).

I'm 57. I'm building a model railroad, and I'm starting a 1/6th scale collection, which I'm going to use primarily to shoot photos. (I'm was also trained to be a commercial photographer and have all the equipment though I don't earn my primary living that way.) I know guys my own age who still build plastic model kits. Collecting toy soldiers is also considered an adult thing, if they are the right kind of toy soldiers.

What do all these things; model trains, plastic models,toy soldiers and 1/6th scale figures have in common? They are all miniature versions of real life things and human beings seem to love recreating the world in miniature and bringing it into their homes. You wouldn't deride anyone who had a collection of Fabergé eggs and the miniatures that went inside them would you? Well, aside from the monetary value, what exactly is the difference?

Nothing, I say. If you enjoy collecting 1/6th figures, then go ahead and collect them. If I had been the guy you brought back to your apartment I would probably have been impressed and told you about my own miniature collections.

ThePhotogsBlog wrote:You wouldn't deride anyone who had a collection of Fabergé eggs and the miniatures that went inside them would you?  Well, aside from the monetary value, what exactly is the difference? 

Sometimes I think that collecting Faberge might ultimately be less costly...  


Dear Delaney, I dare say that your friend seems rather immature - and / or perhaps somewhat insecure - whereas, you do not...  

Being judgmental is merely the sad defense mechanism of those who deeply fear rejection (I might even go out on a limb and speculate that your friend wears too much make-up, as well).  

Furthermore, any man that would write you off for your personal interests without consideration and honest understanding is not worth bringing home - at least, certainly not a second time.  


Be who you are…  Passionately…  

Love what you will love...  Passionately…  

Live as you want to live…  Indeed, passionately…