"You Have A Problem" - Friends Who Think Your Hobby Is Wank

This was kind of occurring in a way, in my life. I was trying to decide which doll to finally buy.

The bf, who is a huge nerd and usually is totally into the weird things I like, wanted nothing to do with it. He thinks it is entirely weird, and actually told me to just keep it in my room and don't bring it out of the house when I get it. This actually made me decide against my purchase for a while. =/ My other friends either think they are too expensive to be worth it, or entirely hate them. My mom on the other hand is all for it! I decided, you like what you like and don't let anyone else change that.

As a side note: gothic_hippie_420, in light of what your mom said... I'm not grown up and I'm damn proud of that. Everyone needs a little bit of immaturity in them or they get boring XP

 

It's nice to be an adult. most peoples opinions do not matter, and the rest know better to keep their crap to themselves. ^^ So actually I do not deal with any kind of negative reactions to my hobby, because there are none. ^^

 

Lol, I usually don't let it get to me and just don't tell them so I can avoid the whole situation. My best friend collects dolls too and she's the only one that doesn't throw a fit when I get a new one.
Rofl, I'll be sure to do that if they something when I tell them about phyllo and cello

 

People assume that now that I'm out of the doll closet, I'm rabidly obsessed with them all of a sudden, but in truth I've liked them since I first saw BJDs. They think I have a problem, but this is a rather gradual love. I want to buy them, so I will spend my money on them. I can't have kids anyway (and would rather not) so, why not have resin-children to dote upon? :3
I say, go for what makes you happy.

 

They are worth the prices its not like your blowing $300 on shoes that are going to get used and wrecked so i just ignore what people say. My boyfriend bought a harry potter broom for $200 so he cant really say anything lol.

 

Every time I even say the word doll my parents give me this look like I'm crazy or something.
Or they tell me I'm not going to get a doll. I'm pretty sure they're convinced that I won't save the money myself, but they're WRONG. ^_^

In any case, I would LOVE to point out the amount of money my dad spends on electronics (52" lcd tv, computer parts when we have more computers than people in our house XD) but I can't, because I enjoy them, too, and also because he buys absolutely NOTHING else. My mum doesn't have any crazy hobbies so I have no way to explain it to her, either.

So, basically, if they say anything about my interest in dolls, I ignore them, and think about the money I'll get for Christmas...

 

I've gotten my fair share of negative comments about my dolls over the years I've owned them, and I've learned to not really put any real weight into people's comments about how if I own X number of dolls that makes me a crazy, or how my dolls look like Chucky, because really...

They don't really matter to me.

It's not a matter of me not getting hurt by their comments - I was definitely hurt the first time someone called Shin creepy, but other people's comments aren't my dolls. They're not how I feel about them, so why should I let them control my own emotional response to what I like about doll collecting?

There are other hobbies in which people pour thousands of dollars into - home improvement, building cars, etc., and I'll admit, doll-collecting is probably one of the more esoteric ones out there, so it's not surprising that people are shocked or even confused about some girl collecting dolls. :p But even though it's a weird hobby, etc. it's a source of joy to me, and it delivers the same amount of joy that a car aficionado has when he's built his dream car. Obviously, the roads to get there are different, but...

Anyway, I'm rambling. The gist of the matter is that it's true that people make rude comments, but it's my own choice to take them to heart or to have them affect how I feel about my hobbies.

 

I only have one friend who really just doesn't get why I'd even want to buy dolls at all and thinks it's an utter waste of money. My family and other friends are either pleasantly indifferent or think they are mildly interesting. My only personal obstacle is trying to figure out just how to explain to a potential future girlfriend why a guy would want dolls like these in the first place (definitely not a first date topic I think!). In the end though, it's my money being spent on these dolls though so what anyone else thinks kind of becomes irrelevant once I click the order button.

 

i am in a unique situation because i am an older woman (eh-hmm-62, but don't tell anyone) and 2 of my 3 daughters are into the bjd hobby as well. i am a stay-at-home mom but my eldest works and spends a lot of money on dolls. but she makes a good salary and i don't get on her case much. i would like to see her move out eventually but housing in our area is really expensive.
my husband really can't see the sense of spending so much money on dolls because, he says, they are not useful, like a tool. hmmmmmm.
he is really upset at my daughter but mostly bemused by my doll spending. it is hard for him to ignore however because there are dolls here wherever one looks, even in the laundry baskets. but i tell him the dolls give us pleasure and life is too short to quibble.

 

I hate it when my friends say horrible things about my dolls to me. I get quite upset about it really. I love my dolls, and I've spent forever saving up for each and every one of them. I don't appreciate it when people say it's stupid.

It has put me off the dolls a few times, and I have thought to myself "I should just sell them and be normal" or things to that effect. But I can't go through with it, because every time I look at my dolls I just can't get rid of them.
My Iplhouse Barron introduced me to this community and he's my first. I took him everywhere with me and I've hugged him so many times! He's been there through all my bad times (believe me, it's been somewhat of a rough few months) and always listens to me when I'm bawling my eyes out over something. He's always there for me when I need someone to hug and talk to.

 

It used to bother me but not anymore. It makes me happy and I think I deserve to be happy doing something I love. I do ALOT for other people every day, my dolls are something I do for me. I'm never in debt, I save til I have enough and then I buy. Never went without or neglected my bills to buy a doll. I don't think I have a probem, I have a wonderful hobby that I really enjoy and I see nothing wrong in that.

 

I don't see why people make such a big deal out of it. Its our hobby/collection/current obsession and as long as we're not using important bill money and going into debt there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. We're not hurting anyone buy buying our dolls and accessories. And anyway, what do they care? Its our own money and we can do what we want with it.

I think its completely rotten that people can spend hundreds of dollars a month on beer and cigarettes, but when we drop hundreds of dollars one time on a doll its a sin.

 

And such people further forget that used alcohol and cigarettes have no resale value.

 

I think that's the main problem. Because people just don't think beyond the stereotypical idea of a doll, barbies and such plastics that they wouldn't spend $10 on.

 

To me it's no different to people like Jay Leno who spend millions of dollars on classic cars. Everyone's entitled to own something they think is beautiful- no matter how much that something costs. There are people who collect antiques, and people who drop thousands on expensive electronics- I just choose to buy dolls. And just like those people, I fully enjoy my purchases.

In terms of negative responses, my friends either find them 'creepy' (which we all laugh about) or, they like them, but could personally never justify spending that much on one. So it's like, well.... that's cool- I totally could. With my one friend, I think she likes them- and might even want one, but I try really hard not to talk about them too much around her because she'll think I'm an even bigger weirdo. It's really hard sometimes because she's my closest friend here, but I respect that she has a hard time with them.

My other friend totally flips out if he sees them- recently we went to AWA and I of course brought mine along- and he totally shrieked and like dashed across the room when he saw them laying on a pillow. We all cracked up- it was funny, and I wasn't offended because he's pretty chill about how they just make him feel uncomfortable.

I guess in the end, friends can either be supportive or not- but as BJDs is just one of my many hobbies (some that are also expensive TT___TT although not as much) I just keep my bjd related chatter to a minimum around them. We have plenty of other things to talk about.

 

I buy when I can afford it, and alot of thinking goes into buying one, still one of my best friends still decides to tell me it's a mistake, that I shouldn't be buying them.
I've tried to tell her what I've got out of it, and that it makes me happy, and she hasn't voiced her opinion in a while.

Most of the people who have told me I shouldn't be buying them, spend hundreds on hobbies as well. I don't understand why they should tell me not to, and then they turn round and spend loads on something.

 

As a male collecting dolls always leaves a thought that I might be a little weird. I don't no anyone that collects dolls so I am often subject to humiliation especially for the male dolls I own. So, I don't really care what others say. It is a hobby and yes, I do love my dolls. My BJD are my true friends.

 

I ignore them.

My mom does not like me spending so much on Dolls, but she actually does not like me spending too much at the same time.... If I buy a book once in a while she doesn't care, but if I ever save my money to buy more then just one, then she starts talking to me about spending too much.... think about what she told me when I bout a 300$ doll XD

My Stefather laugh about it. Like my mom he does not understand the doll thing and cant do anything about it except laugh about it... ion a bad way =P

For others... well... I did not show them off to any of my friends yet XD
And I dont think I will..... I just dont see the point of showing something I know they will not understand xP

I also know this is a hobby thats not that known around here.... Just reading Manga is still considered weird and I've been doing it for years xD

I've learn to care about comments that were said when the person really knew what she was talking about, and not just taking me down because they are ignorants.

 

i will normally say that its MY BUSINESS lol if i still can pay all my bills and didnt cause you any troble then why dont you just get over it ^_^.

my BF dont have any promblem when i told him that im gonna buy my first doll soon, he just dont like the fact that im gonna get a boy o_O lol

 

i blow ALL my money on my dolls, i charge any room on a credit card for dolls, any money anyone gives me goes to dolls..... i'd say i have a problem. Do i care? Nope, I would sell all my clothes, shoes, cars for dolls.