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Social Benefits of owning a BJD?

Mar 17, 2010

    1. I think that owning a BJD has made me a bit more talkative and outgoing. Now I'll go up to someone who also has one and start chatting them up.
      Never would have tried that before I got mine.
      And I have something I can slowly turn my friends onto. They've done that to me enough...
      So, I think that collecting BJDs has had benefits for me! :)
       
    2. I think there's a benefit in how global the hobby is. It's nice that you have something to chat about with somewhere on the other side of the world since the world is getting smaller and yada yada.
       
    3. It's definitely giving me some social benefits-- I don't really meet or talk to people outside of having shared interests like fandom or hobbies (usually incredibly geeky, I must admit), and I've really enjoyed getting involved in such a nice community.

      Also, growing up as a girl who wasn't girly and for the most part just didn't really do dolls, getting into the doll world through BJDs gives me something new to have in common with the doll collectors in my family, which I really treasure.

      =^__^=
      Anneko
       
    4. The greatest thing to me is that through DoA, everyone kinda "knows eachother" even though we don't REALLY, and even if we've never actually crossed paths on DoA before, I can go to a completely different STATE, go to a bjd meet, and feel like I know the people. And especially because I often post in the meetup forum before going, then I get to know the people before I meet them, and it all just goes so well! Instant casual friends, no awkward introductions, it's SO AWESOME! I love feeling like I could go anywhere in the world (well within reason xD) and have a group I already belong to.
       
    5. With BJD's being a sort of unusial hobby it gives me a great conversation topic, not just while talking with doll owners but withother people as well. Also ever since I got Sai he has helped me improve with my drawing's poseing.
       
    6. I wouldn't say that my BJDs have made me a more social person, but they've certainly opened up a new circle of friends I wouldn't have met if not for the shared hobby.
       
    7. What do you think are the benefits of owning a BJD?
      I am painfully shy to the point where most people think I am a snob or something, because I don't talk to them. The thing is I come across as confident, I can carry myself confidently, but I have no trust that anyone wants to hear what I have to say , so I just don't approach people until they approach me. This means I find meeting people or having any social life very difficult. On top of that I (like a LOT of other people) suffer from social phobia, where I actually sometimes have panic attacks when I am forced into social situations. BJD help me overcome that. On the forums I find I can "speak out" and be opinionated (some of you may have noticed) in a way I can't in my normal life, and on top of that, at meetups and such the dolls break the ice. I don't have to start the conversation, I just have to be there with Corpse and conversations sooner or later start. Over time this has helped me to deal with a lot of my issues and make new friends, I am stronger for it, honestly. Oh and just in case Oziys or any of the others out there who have met me and put me in the "not shy" basket I will say one thing: Ribbit

      Do you think that collecting them has made you a more social person?
      Deffinitely. The highlight of my month is taking a Saturday off work and going out to a meet, I always have a great time, and my "family" have gotten to realise I may not be back till after midnight when I go to meets. It is the one and only time I really relax (unless I go to a dance club, there I go to dance, not socialise, so no drama)

      Have they opened your eyes to new things?
      It has opened my eyes to new things, both positive and negative. I see and have gained understanding of a lot of different subcultures I was unfamiliar with before, as well as some other cultures. It has enabled me to move internationally (yes, Dolls led me to the USA, allbeit indirectly) it has shown me new ways I can be creative and revealed some of my own abilities. It has also led me to see how much of reality is at times misunderstood, the most specific sadness is watching the Yaoi content that is often present, and becoming more familiar with the Yaoi genre, and how truly removed it is from any similarity to gay relationships (or any relationships for that matter) to a point where it can actually make things harder for gay men
       
    8. Since joining 2 forums both local I have been able to not only see dolls in person to help me better decide if I wish to buy from company and if a certain doll would be added as well. But also make actual physical friends. I haven't had a best friend since HS, and the one I had as an adult has had issues so we don't see each other like we used to. So I am hoping although not at BF level with any one person, I can say I do have at least friends I can call upon and get together with. It's a process, but I am happier then I have been in years and it's all due to these jointed resin kids.
       
    9. This is ridiculously short notice, but:

      The movie Marwencol - which is highly recommended (...by me, too!) - is getting its U.S. television debut on PBS (on the documentary series, "The Independent Lens") later tonight.
       
    10. Well, without them, I wouldn't have been friends with an amazing girl, who wanted me to be a bridemaid in her wedding last year. I wouldn't have the friends I have now. I'd be stuck at home mostly with nothing much to look forward too on weekends cause without her and the meetup group, I'd be home every weekend just being lazy and watching TV.
       
    11. I haven't actually had any 'social' benefits from BJDs personally (my friends find them creepy, and I'm actually shyer on the forum then I am in real life because it's much harder to defend a point when you can't express tone/expression etc. =__=)

      However, bjds have been an amazing artistic outlet for me. I'm learning to be as confident in what I make and create, and that's had a wonderful effect on the things I've done lately.
       
    12. What do you think are the benefits of owning a BJD?
      teaches you things like sewing and whatnot (though any skills like that, I already knew before collecting BJD's)

      Do you think that collecting them has made you a more social person?
      Not really, its not exactly seen as normal for a straight male to have dolls so I never talk about them except around doll people (nor do I bring them out and about). I was never social to begin with though

      Have they opened your eyes to new things?
      Not really, I am still me, just with dolls. Don't see much it could open my eyes too, I always had weird interests I never told people about (Warhammer, Yugioh) though those 2 were very male-only (yes of course women play those games, but I have yet to see a woman at a warhammer tournament in all my 10+ years playing) Yugioh...really depends, but large gatherings, say at stores, its mostly men
       
    13. A good chunk of my social life is doll-meets these days! It's a lot of fun. I get out, see different things and place... and interact with lots of different people who happen to like dolls! :D
       
    14. I haven't even gotten my first BJD yet, but I'm already starting to talk more to people who I normally don't talk to much about BJDs. ^^

      And, I'm sewing and making little crafts a lot more now.
       
    15. What do you think are the benefits of owning a BJD?
      Well, I don't have any dolls yet (only been in the hobby for a month), but this is the first time EVER that I've physically put money aside for something I really wanted. It's also the first time I've ever had a real hobby.

      Do you think that collecting them has made you a more social person?
      More or less. I've already met someone near me that collects as well (which are very good odds considering bjd's are rare where I live), and I'm interacting with people all over the world daily on different forums.

      Have they opened your eyes to new things?
      Definitely! I LOVE having a hobby I'm so passionate about. It also helps feed my love for crafting, sewing, knitting, and crocheting. There are endless things you can make doll size.
       
    16. What do you think are the benefits of owning a BJD?
      The people I have met and the good friends I have made by sharing this hobby at meeting ups, forums,... One of the best and most special social benefits of it for me is sharing it with my mother, who has her own BJD.

      Do you think that collecting them has made you a more social person?
      Even more? Not really.

      Have they opened your eyes to new things?
      They have since the first beginning as many other hobbies are/may be usually related to the development of this one and also mean a social share.
       
    17. I haven't been to any doll meets yet, but I know that I will in the future when the opportunity comes up. I'm a very shy person and I tend to stick to being alone, or just with a small group of friends. I think that I will be confident and able to attend doll meets with people if I have my doll with me, and being around other people who love dolls as much as I do. I think it will introduce me many new people in the future, and it has already introduced me to new people online.
       
    18. I don't have a BJD yet and I've already reaped some social benefits from the hobby.
      I have lived in this city for 10 years and I haven't seen most of it. I get lost going to the cinema!
      Our meets here always take part in interesting cultural places of the city which I have either never seen or was too young to remember.

      I really hope I won't be too shy to take my BJDs with me out to public places and do some great shoots while getting to know this city better :3

      Note: It's not that I choose to stay at home all the time, I live in a little town outside the city that is accessed either by car (and I don't drive - darn those expensive mandatory driving lessons) or train (which takes so long I have to leave the house 1.5-2 hours earlier to make it). So with lack of time - class work and four jobs, and lack of interested people, it's very hard to get the motivation to explore the city.
      Also my parents are scared of letting me go anywhere on my own (previously I would have said "They think I'm a porcelain doll or something!" but I can now change that to "They think I'm a resin doll or something!" XDD)
       
    19. I definitely met a lot of new friends ever since I got my first BJD. I'm now part of a doll group here in our country. We get to share ideas and tips on how to care for our dolls.