BJDS: A hobby... or *way of life*?

One of my several very involved hobbies, currently - the favorite one.

 

On the "fandom" point, I have to say that I don't feel part of any BJD "fandom" any more than I feel that they are my "way of life". I have just about zero interest in the "community" aspect of the BJD hobby other than browsing this board to find things on sale, to get tips or info on things like how to do a faceup, how to place an order at a certain company, etc. and occasionally to kill time on these threads. I have other hobbies completely unrelated to dolls, BJDs, Asia or any of that stuff where I would happily call myself a "fan" and part of a "fan community", but just because you like having a doll because it's pretty or because you like to play with dolls in some respect from time to time, doesn't mean you're automatically signing on for being in the dollie "fandom" (or having them as a "way of life").

This has nothing to do with being ashamed of being a "fan" or worrying about being thought "obsessive", and everything to do with the fact that some people are just way more into BJDs than others. I personally find the "fandom"-type stuff one of the less attractive aspects of having BJDs, for me, although I appreciate and accept that others might enjoy it.

 

Hobby. I'm trying to think of how BJDs could be a "way of life" and I only come up with Monty Python type scenarios.

 

Is breathing a hobby or a lifestyle? How about eating or drinking? I favor the opinion that BJDs are essential to my existence. Just like I could not live without breathing, eating, or drinking, I don't think I could live without my BJDs. My soul would spontaneously combust if I had to get rid of them.

of course, realistically speaking, I can live without my dolls, I just don't want to. Er, well, yeah, you know how it goes. To honestly answer the question, I say it's a "way of life" or lifestyle thing for me. A hobby is something you have and that you look in on every now and then (or maybe more often if you are dedicated). Lifestyle implies that in some way (whether for enjoyment or profit) your life revolves around dolls. (Then you get into really creepy areas of hobby/lifestyle/obsessions of people living in their mom's basement reenacting Star Trek episodes. I mean, there's fandom and then there's just.... well.... sad.) I plan my day around my dolls so I see it as more of a lifestyle kind of thing. I don't currently make any profits from my dolls but I'm also working on getting into modding dolls and doing face-ups which would further cement what I do as a lifestyle and not a hobby.

 

Way of life, definitely.

Because i can't see myself exiting and never coming back into the BJD world. It brings me a great sense of joy and achievement to save up for and customize each doll. Yes some people perceive this as cray but to be honest, who cares? xD Y'know? Someone, somewhere will ALWAYS think you're crazy for doing what you love. So why should it matter whether its dolls, warhammer, role-playing, photography etc?

I'm an animation student so my dolls are a huge help there, but they aren't just tools. I'm not afraid to admit they are like children to me xD; they are something i can put a hell of a lot of love into and feel like i get that love back when i see them complete or i get a few good photos here and there. I think a part of my life WOULD be incomplete without the BJD world. Because take that away and all i have left is College-work-computer-sleep. What a boring life is that!

 

This is how I see it, too. It's not as though BJD owners have the option to 'live the life' by carrying pretend weapons, using odd hand gestures, and saying things like, "Live long and prosper," or "May the force be with you," to bewildered passersby. So, yeah - even if it's a passion that takes up a lot of time, it's still a part of life, rather than a way of life...i.e., a hobby.

 

I dont think its a way of live, I have several things and persons I feel that way about, then I would have many ways of life.

I could see that if all of your actions pointed towards some big doll related goal or something like that, it could be a way of life, but I dont think many people feel like that, if any.

 

I would have to say that for me, they're primarily a hobby in that my brain doesn't tend to concern itself with doll-related business, whether consciously or unconsciously, on a particularly regular basis.

My mind tends to occupy itself with writing about the characters the dolls are based on more frequently and in higher volume than dolls themselves, and I consider writing to be a back-burner hobby of mine at best, and so BJDs would fall into the same category.

I believe though, that's because I haven't actually gotten a doll into my possession that I feel absolute and undying love for. In the near future, this opinin may change, but who knows.

 

it's a hobby that little by little becames the way of life XD

 

I think you can be deeply affected by something, without it being a lifestyle. If you see a beautiful waterfall, or are moved by a painting, it leaves a small imprint on your psyche. All these experiences become a part of you. This has been my experience with BJD.

 

hmmm... can't it be both? Because for me one's way of life can be seen in one's hobbies. a reflection of one's feelings, likes and dislikes.

 

Hobby. A hobby I'd like to be more active in socially, but definately not a way of life.

My way of life is: Be responsible. Enjoy yourself. Don't hold on to negativity.

 

Don't most people incorporate their hobbies into their lives? How does one have a hobby and not incorporate it into their life? Of course people are proud of their collections and want to show them off. This is seen with other hobbies as well.
All of my hobbies are part of my life in that they take up a great deal of my time and money, and they bring me enjoyment. However, I would not call BJDs or any other of my hobbies a "way of life."

 

I do not have "hobbies". There are two things that I live for and they are creativity and joy. Things that let me be creative and also give me joy are bjds, anime, manga, painting, astrology, tarot, Abraham Hicks, reading, writing and so on and on.
So my bjds are a part of me. They are not something I could ever imagine myself without just as I could never imagine myself without anime.
In fifty years I will sit in my art studio an old, batshit crazy, perverted man (probably looking somewhat like Terrence McKenna wearing an anime T-shirt) with bishounen characters on my wall talking to my bjds. And I will be very, very happy.
My bjds are a part of me now and a part of my future.

 

I was going to say that it was just a hobby, but on second thought, it might be a happy medium of the two. Dolls don't really represent my life, per say, but in the past year, most of the people I've met and talk to on a frequent basis are those I met in this hobby. During a busy semester, most of the time that I would go out would be to meet-ups. That's the only reason why it's a little more than a hobby, because I do have friends through it. It's definitely not a full-on way of life, and I agree with others who say that if you sculpted dolls/made a living off of them fits that definition a little better.

 

Hmm... interesting question. I would say that art and craft - creativity and imagination - is a way of life for me, and my BJDs have been incorporated into that. I got my first doll just after I quit my full-time job at Christmas, and got two more since (yay for lovely family and friends on my birthday!) so I think I've been spending a lot more time with my dolls and planning and making things for them that I would have otherwise. I am also planning to continue making BJD clothes for sale, and if I can do this to supplement my income while I work part-time, then I guess BJDs will indeed be part of my lifestyle! I make plush dolls too (for a LOT longer than I've had BJDs), and I think being known as 'the doll girl' is a fairly big part of who I am

 

I think of it as a very expensive hobby x3
I don't really think that putting dolls into a wedding somehow is "weird", it's just something that is out of the ordinary.
I could see a lot of people considering it a way of life kind of thing, though, as they do take up a lot of cash and a lot of time.

 

For me this is a hobby - all my hobbies are somehow artistic and I get lot of joy of them, the doll hobby including it. But I can´t say my life would change significantly if somehow I stopped this hobby. The dolls are fun and cute part of my life but they aren´t "my life" in that way I could call it a way of life. At the moment I´m very interested on these and do lots of doll clothing, face-ups and take photos, go doll meets, but they are just tiny part of the whole picture of my life and all hobbies I have.

Though, the way of my life is to do fun things, enjoy the beauty in everything, use my hands for crafting things and meet nice people. In doll hobby many things match to these.

 

Personally, I do not know how I will fend with a doll. My first doll is currently on his way, I am really excited about it and I am already planning to buy more dolls, I have 4 or 5 I want to buy from companies, and there are a handful of ones that need to sell that I would enjoy having. I personally have a nature that is odd but common. The way I am is that I drift, from hobby to hobby from interest to interest. I don;t usually stick with a hobby for too long, sure there are a few hobbies I am constantly doing, for example I am a Manga collector, I collect and read manga also I am a compulsive poster buy-er. But here is the problem with me, I am a passionate drifter, after I get bored of the hobby I will move on, but I almost ALWAYS come back to the hobby with more passion for it than before. For example the BJD collecting idea. Half a year ago I was so into BJDs, I was close to ordering one and I was ready to commit, but something changed and I drifted away from it, now here I am a BJD fan again with my first doll on the way and willing and eager to buy more dolls.

I guess this whole idea of hobby or way of life depends on personality.. I think the BJD 'hobby' for me won't just be a hobby, Like Manga collecting, BJDs will probably consume my life and living space, except manga is easier to keep in storage, like on a bookshelf.

 

For me it's something in between... It's a hobby, but one that influences my way of life a lot.
It starts with a doll, then you start a second life on forums xD and then the meetings. I wouldn't be able to see myself without these dolls and how they changed me. It's just scary to think about all the things I would miss and all the nice people I would never have met.

I don't say that everything in my life I do is for the sake of the dolls, but they have their fair share of influence on me ^^