Explaining the hobby to friends and family

[ivo610]

Explaining the hobby to friends and family

Just wondering how peoples friends and family react to your passion for collecting GW items?

Today I showed a good friend part of my collection. He had a hard time grasping the whole video/photo matching part of it. Being a non collector he was interested in what kind of authenticity the item had. Trying to explain to someone why authenticity isnt really a good thing to lean on was trying.

[Number13]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

For me, it is easy to explain to people. I am a history nut and love the connection it has with the past. When I put that spin on it, most people can make a connection to their childhood. I enjoy it more when people think I am either crazy or weird because of what I collect

[brewcrew]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

Eh, my friends and family don't really get it. My husband tolerates it, though. They all know how "into" history I am and know how much I love sports, but it's just an unusual hobby for them to understand. It doesn't much bother me, because I think the stuff I have is pretty cool.

Besides, I think the main thing they're concerned about is when they'll have to make that call to A&E to put me on "Hoarders." I keep telling them my collection is really, really small compared to a lot of the guys on here.

[zookerman182]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

Everyone i try and explain it to doesnt get it.

And if they do get it, they really dont understand the significance of everything.

Then there are the friends who are afraid to touch the items, that cracks me up.

My wife actually understands i think more than anyone else, because she knows how much i like the brewers.

[mad87man]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

No matter what i collect people never really understood it. I have collected wrestling figures, diecast cars, and now game used. Some people think its cool while others thing its weird. I don't see what the difference is if i have a 5 game used helmets or a girl has 40 pairs of shoes. I really understood that but never really questioned it so i guess its a mutual understand of sorts.

[David]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I'm an art historian by trade, specializing in the identification and dating and dealing with forgeries of art and artifacts. With friends and other art historians who know my trade, I've explained that people collect equipment used in old sports events and this material is sometimes faked for material game, and they seem to appreciate the concept. They usually think it odd that people would spend so much for an older jersey, but they they can understand the concept of collecting items. They already understand the idea of collecting.

[David]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I think if you showed about any adult American a bat used by Babe Ruth in a game, they'd appreciate it. It would be on the order of showing them General Patton's helmet.

I think when you have a closet full of game used pants from last month's Brewers' game, they'll think you're weird.

[David]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I do think a majority of people appreciate some significance or interestingness of a jersey worn in a game by a famous baseball or football player. They might not be willing to pay $10 for it or have an interest in owning it themselves, but they can understand the jersey as an interesting artifact.

[David]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I should add if someone showed my his Michael Jackson sparkly concert worn jacket that cost $100,000 I'd think him weird. I mean, I guess I can understand purchasing a concert worn item, but spending $100,0000 would make me question his priorities in life.

So it's not so much what you collect, but how much you spend, how much you own and how much time you put into it is what lay people find strange.

If I have an one of those little rubber ugly troll thingies on my desk, people might chuckle or think it cute or say "I have one of those." On the other hand, if they find out my home is lined with hundreds of them, they might question my mental health. So it's degree and amount that often is the key to how people view you.

[David]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

A Topps executive once said when asked about baseball card collecting, "Collecting is like a disease. And if you don't have the disease, you don't understand it."

A lot of people won't understand collecting anything.

[Shipp_96]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

Everyone i try and explain it to doesnt get it.

And if they do get it, they really dont understand the significance of everything.

Then there are the friends who are afraid to touch the items, that cracks me up.

My wife actually understands i think more than anyone else, because she knows how much i like the brewers.

Same goes for me. My wife is the only one that "gets" it, but even then she is always asking "Really? $300 for that so it can hang in a closet, and no one but you will ever see it again or even know you own it?" But she understands the significance, and when I have sold old pieces to get new ones she also sees there is a value to it. My opinion is she knows I love sports and get joy out of it, so that is all that matters to her. Plus, she used to go to autograph shows with me even when we dated. So the collecting sports memorabilia thing is not new to her.

My co-workers think I'm "odd", and just don't get it. I would venture to say even fellow Penn State alums really do not "get" my collection, even if they think it's cool I own Tambi Hali's worn cleats. I had two co-workers when I worked in DC that got it, and loved my collection and how I had it displayed. They thought it was very cool, but of course were themselves collectors. If my parents or Aunts and Uncles ever knew what I spend on this stuff they would think I was just crazy. Or weird, but they have always thought I was the "different" one.

[flota89]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I don't really talk about it with any of my friends of family. Those who do know don't really get it though. That seems weird to me. I don't get how people can spend $50 a week for cigarettes or go shopping every other weekend and it be "normal" but it is. But when you spend $200 on a bat that you could resell for the same value if needed it's just weird.

In my opinion, some people just don't really get the whole having a hobby thing.

[masp3392]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I got hit with the "why are you buying something your never going to wear or use" question from my girlfriend the other day. She's never collected anything throughout her life so far so she doesn't understand the concept of "collecting".

Even through all that she knows im a die hard hurricanes fan and understands that It's my hobby but can't understand why these items are so darn expensive. ( I cant either )

[MLB~NUT]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I usually get most friends and family who think its cool when I get a new game jersey or bat, even a ball most get it, the ones that don't I don't bother trying to explain it to....

Todd Vernon

toddman26@sbcglobal.net

[Dach0sen0ne]

Re: Explaining the hobby to friends and family

I normally get the following responses;

1. You collect what?

2. Who the hell is Austin Jackson?

3. Are you joking about having a website for your Austin Jackson crap?

NOBODY understands me.