Are you ever embarrassed by your hobby?

[Creepy]

This topic actually started in a thread over in Masks and Busts but I thought it was worth bringing it to a wider audience.

Here's the link to the original thread.

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=31225.45

So here's my story.  I have been a Monster Kid all my life. I grew up in the sweet spot years of the late 60'-the 70's. I watched horror hosts, saw Star Wars 13 times in the theater, grew up on a steady diet of classic monster mags... you name it.

I started collecting when my first wife was alive. I focused mainly on movie posters, but added a piece here or there. When Sue passed away, I started collecting heavier. I really dug Monster masks and had a really great collection.

I met a new woman who hated my stuff, so I regretfully, sold it all. She left me after 10 years, and I went right back in to replacing my collection (see the beginning of the thread above).

I was forced to have a party for family. I felt very self-conscious of my collection, and was afraid that people would think that I was "odd", so I sold it AGAIN .

My kids (one in the Navy, one college grad, and a High School Junior), were the ones to finally point out that I need to be who I am. I love this stuff and I love collecting it!

Society is weird. If I collected Sports memorabilia and had jerseys on the wall, and helmets on shelves, that's normal. Display a monster mask, and I'm a freak.

Thoughts?

[Anton Phibes]

I feel your pain. Yes, we are viewed as loons. Used to be that way with comics as well....but now they are owned by the Greta and Powerful Mouse....so they are considered "ok". I am very cautious who I share my interests with,lol.

[Mike Scott]

I was forced to have a party for family. I felt very self-conscious of my collection, and was afraid that people would think that I was "odd", so I sold it AGAIN .

Noooo!!!! You sold everything for a one day event!? Why didn't you rent a hall, or put your stuff in the garage for the day!?

[Hepcat]

Are you ever embarrassed by your hobby?

No, never. It would be a cold day in hell before I'd be embarrassed about anything I collect/accumulate.

I started collecting when my first wife was alive. I focused mainly on movie posters, but added a piece here or there. When Sue passed away, I started collecting heavier. I really dug Monster masks and had a really great collection.

I met a new woman who hated my stuff, so I regretfully, sold it all. She left me after 10 years, and I went right back in to replacing my collection (see the beginning of the thread above)

Unbelievable! Why would you play to the Hollywood script for some chick flick? E.g. "Man has interests in life that don't involve relationships. Man meets woman. Man realizes that all his other interests are "shallow and inconsequential". Man gives up these other interests. Now I understand that your ex-wife would have had no problem playing to this script, but why would YOU? What were you thinking?

I was forced to have a party for family. I felt very self-conscious of my collection, and was afraid that people would think that I was "odd", so I sold it AGAIN .

Thoughts?

Your kids are right. You should have grown far beyond the need to impress anyone else years ago.

We had a monumental thread on this exact same topic several years ago:

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=18663.0

[Hepcat]

Noooo!!!! You sold everything for a one day event!? Why didn't you rent a hall, or put your stuff in the garage for the day!?

I can understand making sure party goers don't see your collection. I wouldn't want any uncomprehending and thus careless hands handling and perhaps damaging my treasures either. Not to mention that I don't need to advertise what I have to everyone and his brother-in-law because there's no shortage of thieves out there these days.

I would merely have installed a lock to my collectibles room and then locked the door.

[Creepy]

Noooo!!!! You sold everything for a one day event!? Why didn't you rent a hall, or put your stuff in the garage for the day!?

A one day event that had ongoing repercussions.

[Hepcat]

Society is weird. If I collected Sports memorabilia and had jerseys on the wall, and helmets on shelves, that's normal. Display a monster mask, and I'm a freak.

I feel your pain. Yes, we are viewed as loons. Used to be that way with comics as well....but now they are owned by the Greta and Powerful Mouse....so they are considered "ok".

The explanation is "Money". Sport card and sundry other sports memorabilia and then comic collecting didn't become "mainstream" in society until the financial aspect garnered widespread publicity. The big money certain specimens were fetching brought a tidal wave of "investors" i.e. speculators, into the hobby thus making it "mainstream". Quite simply we collectors all know that the first question we always get from disinterested non-collectors is "How much is all this stuff worth?" If the answer is "A lot!", their interest perks up immediately.

[Mike Scott]

A one day event that had ongoing repercussions.

Well, it was a sad thing, if it had to be. 

[Mike Scott]

I wouldn't want any uncomprehending and thus careless hands handling and perhaps damaging my treasures either.

I love having the little tykes over, but it's nerve wracking at the same time!

[Monsters For Sale]

Nope.

But I'm not a good barometer.  I never cared all that much for other peoples' opinions - or other people, for that matter.

I'll not go so far as to echo Quinton Crisp's statement that "Other people are a mistake."  (Even he modified it to "Concern with other people is a mistake.")  But they certainly are a nuisance.

Hence, my circle of friends doesn't contain enough people to actually form a circle.

I've lived my life pretty much alone.  The Universal Monster Army is my one and only venture into Internet "social media".  (I joined one other board long enough to share some pictures with another member for him to post - but have never gone back or participated on my own.)

Nor do I entertain any illusions of how largely my opinions and preferences figure in other peoples' lives. 

In my youth, I was a voracious reader.  I would pick an author, subject or library shelf and read everything available.  Reading my way through the works of John Steinbeck, I found this quote in "The Winter of Our Discontent":

              "Ye wouldna be sae worrit wi' what folk think about ye if ye kenned how seldom they do."

I've never forgotten it.

Many years later, the wisdom of that maxim was brought home with a funny experience.  I had been working on one of my very first jobs for about 2 years.  The whole time, I had a full beard.  One morning I went in clean-shaven.  About 2 and a half hours into my shift, a fellow worker walked up to me and we stood face to face like two boxers.  He had a puzzled look on his face and cocked his head to one side like a curious beagle.  He spoke, "I don't know what it is about you, but something is different."  Then he walked away, still shaking his head.

I don't know how long it took him to finally figure it out.  I never told him.

[Creepy]

Well, it was a sad thing, if it had to be. 

That's the sad part, it didn't have to be. I did it to myself. I guess the consultation is that I get the fun of the hunt again .

[Hepcat]

I never cared all that much for other peoples' opinions - or other people, for that matter.

I'll not go so far as to echo Quinton Crisp's statement that "Other people are a mistake."  (Even he modified it to "Concern with other people is a mistake.")  But they certainly are a nuisance.

Wise!

Many years later, the wisdom of that maxim was brought home with a funny experience.  I had been working on one of my very first jobs for about 2 years.  The whole time, I had a full beard.  One morning I went in clean-shaven.  About 2 and a half hours into my shift, a fellow worker walked up to me and we stood face to face like two boxers.  He had a puzzled look on his face and cocked his head to one side like a curious beagle.  He spoke, "I don't know what it is about you, but something is different."  Then he walked away, still shaking his head.

Whenever/if I notice that someone has shaved off a beard, my typical remark is "Oh, you took a bath!"

[the_horror_man]

My horror room means everything to me. It is my passion, my life. Just knowing it's there and I can go and see all the things I collected over the years is one of the few great pleasures I have in life. It is a passion that many might not understand in both the content and the level.

Ever since I can remember, Halloween, Monsters and Horror have been my life. It is more than an interest, it literally feels like a part of me. I think it might be nature and nurture. My mom is a huge horror fan, even into her late 70's. When I was a kid, I saw many classic horror movies in the theater when they came out because my parents brought me to see them.

One of my first introductions to Horror was The Shining. I saw it in the theater. I remember being a terrified and later that night, thinking Jack Nicholson was behind my bed with an ax.  However, as terrified as I was, I wanted to go back and see it again in the theater and I did. It was from that point on, that I was hooked on horror.

Also, let us not forget Creature Double Feature in the 70's/early 80's. That was must see Saturday afternoon tv for monster kids.

thm

[Paul L]

An introvert I'm not, but my monster stuff occupies most of my free thoughts & time. I was often misunderstood for enjoying horror/sci-fi/fantasy, mostly by a$*h*l** relatives who thought I liked "violence" & "witchcraft", or who simply thought I'd outgrow it. Fortunately my parents at least, see me as a legit collector these days. 

I tried to change once & threw out a handful of Famous Monsters, but it didn't take.  Never again. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, "Those that mind don't matter, & those that matter don't mind". I am still a very private person in regards to my magical obsession though, until I really get to know & trust someone.

[Mike Scott]

I am still a very private person in regards to my magical obsession though.

What's wrong with magic? Everybody likes magic! I'm a big Penn & Teller fan, myself.