Do you hide your hobby from certain people?

I keep my hobby under wraps from my family. They probably don't care, but I'm still paranoid of what they would think if they knew.

 

Yeah, from my mom the most lol

 

My SO is actually super encouraging about the hobby, and even wants me to design a doll for her. As for everyone else, meh, they can suck it. If my friends judge me then they're no friends of mine.

 

For me it depends on the person, for example I told a person I like about it and found out she likes these dolls as well and is currently looking for a new doll for her, so I think it’s great to tell certain people about it but I definitely don’t talk to a lot of people about this hobby

 

My goal is to peacefully enjoy this hobby. So I take steps to ensure that peace.
You might be very quiet about this hobby or very public - you get to decide what feels right for you. I wish everyone could get the encouragement they need in this hobby.

 

Actually, my family knows all about my dolls LOL as I never hide them (except for the prices!). Sometimes my friends ask why did I spend so much on them but I just ignore as I know they are not meant that.

Idk but I think it's hard for me to hide my hobby from whom I love the most.

 

I open my hobby to everybody who knows me. I got positive and negative feedback from them. Sometimes, I change some of them to understand my hobby with the reason as “women collect brand name shoes and/or bag “ or “ guys collect cars and/or Motorbikes plus and/or girls, so I chose collect dolls and I think all of my dolls have value in my mind .After that I show the price and value of antique dolls and vintage Barbie. That is my technique to explain them.

Some of them is stubborn and give negative feedback when they knows about my hobby. If they respect and be peaceful with me, I am peaceful and respect his opinions.If they try to attack me or gossip, I recently charge them and say “ Hey, it’s my hobby. I respect your opinions and attitude. All of them is my money and I am happy to spend money for them and I have never ever used your money and your boyfriend/girlfriend. Please , be manner and shut your mouth “ and ignore him after that.

Sorry, I am always gentle.

 

@rioinbangkok I understand your feelings, but please edit your post. Your b-word (and other swear words) aren't acceptable on DoA, given it's for age 13 and up. Just a heads up.

 

No, why would I ?

 

I never think about hiding my doll hobby from anyone ... but it' not someone I can talk to people who has zero interest in it. But never thought of hiding th fact I collect these dolls xD

 

I don't actively hide it, but I don't necessarily show it off, I guess? Like, if someone asked asked me about my hobbies, I'd rattle off a quick list of my main interests, which would include dolls. But I wouldn't bring it up in a conversation unless it somehow led in that direction.
I also might not mention my doll hobby when introducing myself in a group setting, like those dreaded first-day-of-class icebreaker activities. I'd just stick to some more "generic" hobbies in that case. I don't like to abruptly reveal everything about myself to a bunch of people I just met. xD

With all that said, I don't think you should ever have to feel ashamed of something you love to do, and it's wrong for others to try and put you down just because they don't like the same things that you do. It's fine to be open about your hobbies, but it's also fine to keep them to yourself if you prefer. It's nice sometimes to have something private and personal to enjoy.

 

I kept it a secret from my dad and his girlfriend for 6months and when they found out she said i "sould make one for her friend".

I guess its just anoying explaining the hobby all the time. Especially to people I dont like.

 

Most close friends no I clicked dolls but have no interest in knowing what I collect, why I collect, the thrill of finding a new doll artist or just how wide this area collection can be. That is what I sought out local doll clubs but at least here they are not interested in bjd dolls. That's why I've gone to a couple of forms to at least get some new knowledge, hopefully meet someone within driving distance so that we can meet in person and share our dolls and ideas couple times a year. I am not ashamed of liking dolls but people look at you kind of odd if you say you like them. But I don't back down from liking dolls. What I'm a do however is not tell them how expensive they are because then they probably have me committed!

 

Yes, because in the dutch society it is not considered normal that a male do something with dolls. So i am very careful who i tell and bring the dolls upstairs if people visit me. Only a very, very, limited, super small number of people outside the BJD world knows about it.

But sometimes you get accidentally unmasked. This happen with me shooting test pictures with Saito, my IMPLdoll Iris at sea. A 38 years old male showed up and would learn me a lesson about being a real man. And that cant be done with out the destruction of the doll. Saito was sitting on the grass and i was standing up. And kept standing up because even for dutch circumstances, i am quite big. And i made myself quite small when taking Saito's pictures when he "caught" me doing unmanly things. I grabbed my little resin girl and we ran of to his manly car.

I confronted him with his car. 38 years old, lowered suspension to the point the wheels only made contact with the road at the far inside of the tires and hardly had more rubber on the tarmac as an bicycle. A fake big exhaust pipe with device in it which mimic the sound of a turbo. A device under the hood that mimic the sound of a turbo over pressure valve as can be seen on real racing cars like Nascar cars. A enormous 2 stage spoiler on the back, probably cost him 20% more fuel consumption by the drag it create. Side spoilers and front spoiler for even more fuel consumption. And of coarse the extra head lights, the "Knight Rider Eye" the sports mirrors, illegal dark window foil, racing seats, racing seatbelts, racing screw-on pedals, racing steering wheel with fur, skull gear shift knob and i didn't know racing cars had a MASSIVE LOUD audio set in it. A DIY badly welded roll-bar inside, blue led lights under the car. Very broad rims with those thin racing tires on it. Oh dont forget the self painted red brake calipers for another 10 extra horse power per caliper.

I mentioned them all and he got more and more silent. I still carried Saito in my right arm like you do with a toddler. If she would be alive, she would pee her pants of laughter. I look him straight in the eyes and said "apparently we are both kids in our own way". And i told him that i had 3 reasons to call the police on the spot. 1: he threaten to damage property of mine, 2: he threaten to beat me up and 3: he has done modifications on his car which make it unsafe and thus illegal to use in traffic.

This sound though, but inside me, i was not afraid, i have combined 30 years of martial arts experience in Kyokushin Karate and Krav Maga. But if he attacked me, how to defend and keep Saito unharmed? She was his goal. Secondary, what do i buy for all this s-word ending with an t? Since then my dolls never been outside anymore and i use green-screen techniques.

 

@HunYi I am sorry for this intense drama. I am grateful you were unharmed.

 

Depends on the person. When I started the hobby I had talked about it to friends at Woods of Terror (a very popular haunted trail in NC), they were very supportive, they thought it was a bit strange, but was okay with it, some even thought it was interesting. Now, my mom on the other hand, isn't as supportive about it and shuts me down real quick. My dad, it just depends since he doesn't understand, but he's pretty chill about it if I talk about it to him, even if he doesn't understand a thing I just said.

 

My daughter knows that I have dolls at Grandma's house, and she wants one really really bad. What she doesn't know is that I've got one in my closet, and I'm trying very hard to keep it that way, because the moment she finds it it won't be my doll anymore, lol.

So right now, I'm hiding part of this hobby from my child. Other than that, I think my family and close friends know.

 

I do put my dolls up if my kids are using my bedroom, at least some of them. So they feel more comfortable.

 

I'm very shy about my dolls. My family and close friends know about them... but strangers or people I hardly know I never bring them up. I'm also too shy to even bring them out in public unless it's a specific doll related thing like a doll meet-up... but animecons and what not I never bring them out. @_@

 

i tell my closest friends about it