Do you feel alone in the hobby? (even with the forum)

I have a few people that make me feel less alone, however, whenever I try to talk about my hobby at school, when everyone else is talking about theirs, they call it funny, and weird, and it makes me want to just never talk about it. I wish I could make or find a group to join in close to my home area, so Im not so alone.

 

I know how you feel, even with the forums and facebook groups I still feel quite alone in the hobby. I mean, I know there must be some other bjd lovers in Belgium but so far I haven't met one.
I have a friend from the netherlands that talks to me about the hobby but other than that I don't really get in touch with others. My friends know that I'm in the hobby but they mainly just think it's weird. I mean, they're interested in seeing my dolls and are nice about it but other than that I can't really talk to them about it.
I wish I knew some people here in Belgium that I could go to and talk to about the hobby and just hang out with.
I've looked for some groups from Belgium but I can't really find one. So yeah..

 

Well, I'm getting lonely too since I don't have any sister, and my mom against me having more dolls more than now -_- I don't really had the place to tell stories about them, and I'm just playing with them in my room alone well, getting a new doll and waiting for them to come home is the most enjoyable and torturing time for me lol, maybe I'll attend some sewing class to spent my time with my dolls and make the clothes for them so I won't get too lonely

 

I do, but I no longer really mind it. I find that when I tend to get too immersed into the community aspect I tend to have a really judgmental attitude toward my own dolls and constantly pick at their faults. Once I took a step back and stopped checking the forum every day it was easier for me to appreciate them for what they mean to me, instead of how they may or may not measure up to someone else's collection. Admittedly, it is still easy for me to miss knowing folks who understand the hobby the same way I do, and it's made it easier for me to drift away from the hobby for a few years, but ultimately I find I gain the most enjoyment in this hobby alone, or with people like my sister or fiance who like the dolls and will listen to me talk about them, but aren't as emotionally invested in them as other collectors tend to be.

 

I lurk the forums and lots of dollie blogs, but I don't really participate much. I'm still new and my dolls don't have faceups yet, or any clothes or accessories or even eyes. So there's not much I can really share with people about my stuff. Hopefully soon I won't feel as alone, once my dolls start coming together.

 

Yes, I would say that I'm lonely when it comes to my dolls. None of my friends know about my hobby and when I post photos in flickr I get few comments - my photos aren't great! I'd love to be able to share my excitement with new dolls with someone. I am on this forum almost daily and enjoy the smaller chat threads where you get to know people a tiny bit more. I have considered trying to find a penpal so I had someone to chat with about dolly stuff.

 

I absolutely feel alone! There is a BJD group in my town, but I have never made a meeting as they usually have it on Saturdays. I am a professional artist by trade and a Biotechnology graduate student, it would take an act of Congress to allow me a Saturday off, and Congress can't get anything passed unless it benefits themselves haha. YouTube is my friend!

 

I had one friend who I got into the hobby, but she since left it. So it can be kind of lonely... I try not to tell people about the hobby too, not so much because I'm ashamed but because of their judgement, something being labeled a 'doll' seem to imply that it is a child's thing!

 

I do honestly. I have a friend who helps me character design which is nice but it'd be nice to have someone to compare dolls with and have them interact! As for online, I'm okay with making posts but really am to shy to reach out to a specific person and just start a conversation. I'm very alone in this hobby. But! Maybe I'll try DA again or look for a local group? I'd love to have like, a mentoring friend who could help me out and be as passionate as I am

 

I'm afraid I know this feeling all too well. Being shy makes it hard to motivate myself to reach out to others. That, and I've really only had bad experiences with meet-ups, so I just avoid them all together. I did have a friend who was also in the hobby, but we've been out of touch for a few years now, and I'm not even sure if she's still into dolls. As of right now, I think only one friend knows about my hobby. I'd be too afraid of creeping anyone out, because I know some people are scared of dolls (I even had one person threaten to destroy my doll if they ever saw it again).

 

I live in harrisonburg, va. and going to a doll meet up in washington dc or maryland is not something I really want to do because of traffic in the area and the almost 2 hour drive.
I used to be lonely ..my children are all grown up with families of their own.
they dont think much of my dolls and I get very worried what might happen to them if anything ever happened to me...im only 54 so god forbid im on my way out anytime soon but it does weigh on my mind ...my dolls ending up donated to the goodwill...what a nightmare.
I am not an internet person..no interest in public sites like facebook and such so my dolls are almost everything to me...animes in their with them too..I would love to go to a big convention with ball joint dolls and anime mixed...oh that would be heaven

 

Sometimes I feel not necessarily alone but under appreciated in my hobby at home. I feel like I make some cool stuff, but none of my friends really appreciate the artistic side of things.... And living in the middle of nowhere with no other dolly loves does stink

 

I do feel alone. Especially that the dolls I love are all not that "hot"...
For example, my favorite Volks dolls are Kamimura Minoru and Saito Hajime and Kataoka Ryotaro.
But most other Volks-holics value Williams and Reisner etc. as much more pretty compared with my favorite.
Some times it is really hard to get involved in discussions because all the dolls people are crazy about just do not touch me...

 

I feel very lucky in that once I started getting into dolls, my sibling did as well. As neither of us are outgoing or really have friends, it would be incredibly lonely if the other was not also interested. Now it's something we share and bond over.

 

New to BJD here. I have a few online friends who understand or are into BJD, but IRL, I get a lot of looks when I explain it. Luckily, my husband understands and appreciates the art of sculpt, face up, wig making, etc. My sister outwardly tells me that it is weird and creepy. So rude lol

 

I feel alone, but for a different reason... I'm not really "in the hobby", I just happen to own a couple of dolls, I'm not really into buying clothes, taking pictures and making films, so I don't really belong in the doll lovers category. Still, because I absolutely love my two dolls, I don't belong to the "dolls are creepy" category either... I'm sort of stuck in the middle, and I do feel like I'm the only one, especially here ^^;

 

I feel alone for sure, though it's not totally a bad thing for me. Once I have a nice and finished doll, I fully plan on attending some Boston meet-ups, either at Anime Boston or some other con, so I have plans to branch out.

 

I replied to this before but I am actually feeling quite a bit less alone! I feel pretty immersed in the youtube community and flickr community now It's wonderful that the internet has allowed people from around the world to share our dollies. It's amazing to me the friends you can make that you never would have met otherwise!

 

Actually no. I have been following people who have the same interest on internet. They are more of a doll lover then I am. I need to do more for my interest in dolls.

 

I feel super alone. But then again i'm not very good at making friends.