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

May 7, 2010

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    1. BJD collecting is definitely my hobby. I love my dolls very much, but I don't like to flaunt them all over the place or anything like that. I used to be ashamed to even take them outside, but over time I've stated to relax about it and I even went out with a few of them on my first outdoor doll meet. :)
       
      #121 Talolili, Sep 25, 2011
    2. I'm not, well educated on everything about it enough to call it a way of life, but my doll is more like a caughter to me in a way, or even moreso like.... like a physical component of my personality. So I'm guessing in a couple years it will be much more to me. I know I definitely wouldn't call it a hobby.
       
      #122 Mystck, Sep 25, 2011
    3. Dolls are not a way of life, that's for sure, but i wouldn't call them a hobby too. It's better to say that they make my life better, give me tones of positive feelings, take a part in such important things as creativity, making new friends, or just having a funny birthday party and so on, but my life doesn't revolve around them.
       
      #123 eshi, Sep 25, 2011
    4. I feel like I kind of...sit on the fence with this (as far as labeling myself one or the other goes)? I don't have 20+ dolls, and I don't make it known to every living soul I meet that I collect BJDs--but, I do feel like it's more than just a hobby for me. BJDs have changed the way I see my life, and the tasks involved with them (restringing/faceups/sewing) remind me to slow down (despite the heckling of the world to go faster/faster/faster!) and really examine and enjoy the smaller, slower, simpler things in life.

      So in that sense, yes, I consider my dolls a way of life--not a SINGULAR one, though. They're a way of life for me the way making time for writing/poetry is a way of life for me, the way stopping in my day to have a cup of tea is a way of life for me. I may sound like a wacko saying this, but--I'm by no means religious, so it's in these quiet, calm moments that I find my own type of spirituality.
       
      #124 little_sapling, Sep 26, 2011
    5. Hmm..For me it's a hobby. I love my dollies, but I have to face the truth : they are objects, only. And I just can't build my life arroung those objects.
      Of course they make me happy, help me develop artsy skills; but those were pre existing, the dolls help me to enhance them. They are not completing me, they are..a bonus for me: I do things I stopped to do because of school, they help me find some time for myself.

      ..Maybe they complete the way of life I chose, they become part of it (: But as a part of this, I guess I could let them go if I had/needed to. I suppose that in a way of life, you can't let go the things you're life is based on? Or else you have to find a new one? (this is confusing lol) I don't know if what I'm saying is clear, so I'll just conclude by : this is a hobby for me, andn this is an interesting question!
       
      #125 Paillette, Sep 26, 2011
    6. ^ this goes for me too :)
       
      #126 jennspeaks, Sep 26, 2011
    7. For me it is a hobby and at the same time a way of life. I cosplay and my dollies cosplay with me too so I work on clothes for them a lot of the time and I have to think about what to pack for them and stuff. I see way of life to be more of a bjd maker's thing though because it's what they do for a living.
       
      #127 Madds, Dec 21, 2011
    8. So what does hobby mean? I think the word itself is very problematical & used by 'practical' people to (often) belittle the things most people do when they don't have to work. I've heard the word used to describe amateur athletes, for writers & other creative artists, for amateur theatrics, on & on. I'm a beledi dancer, for instance. I did it professionally (ie got paid some) but not enough to make a career out of (career meaning the way you manage to pay your bills...). Was this a 'hobby'? Whatever.
      I am very excited about BJDs because it allows me to combine all the things that make my life worth living (except for family & friends of course) - all my creative outlets (I still dance & sing so maybe not quite all) & my geek things. Writing, photography, costuming/cosplay, SF/Fantasy stuff, conventions (I can show off my dolls now!), etc etc etc. All of this is SOOOOO much more important to me than a 'job'.
      Now some people are lucky enough to be able to make money (enough to live on) by following their passion. That's wonderful. But most of us, even those like me who do a job that's important & meaningful, do NOT consider their career their passion - they work to FULFILL their passion(s). Sorry for you youngsters out there all dreamy eyed - I remember thinking that way. But then life happened.
      So no, I do not consider these dolls - what I DO w/these dolls - as merely a 'hobby'. Not at all.
      It kind of exemplifies my way of life (geek witch Tolkien freak whatever) LOL
       
      #128 Teleri, Dec 21, 2011
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