Anyone else ashamed of this hobby???

[dos_acoustic]

I have been collecting figures for some time now. I enjoy it but at the same time it causes alot of distress. I feell very akward strolling throught the toy aisle being a grown man. So, most of the time i wait to very late at night to check the aisles. When i bring a girl home or any of my friends come to visit i make sure to hide any figures that i had displayed. Like right now i have all of my street fighters figs displayed. I love the way it looks but at the same time i know I will ends up taking them all down. I know it sounds very weird. Its as if collecting figures is my dirty little secret. I guess im a little selfconsious about it. I just wanted to see if any of you guys have the same problem.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

I have been collecting figures for some time now. I enjoy it but at the same time it causes alot of distress. I feell very akward strolling throught the toy aisle being a grown man. So, most of the time i wait to very late at night to check the aisles. When i bring a girl home or any of my friends come to visit i make sure to hide any figures that i had displayed. Like right now i have all of my street fighters figs displayed. I love the way it looks but at the same time i know I will ends up taking them all down. I know it sounds very weird. Its as if collecting figures is my dirty little secret. I guess im a little selfconsious about it. I just wanted to see if any of you guys have the same problem.

Meh, dont worry about it, man. Im 42 and im proud of my comics/figure collecting...

Some advice;

1) Dont hide it. I've been married 18 years, and my wife knew about my hobby from the get-go. You're GONNA meet people who will scoff, but you'd be surprised at the amount of people my age (and older) who strike up conversations with me when they see my Spidey T-shirts, and whatnot. Just last week, the exterminator came by for our annual termite inspection and completely freaked out over my collection...I dont know if its all the comic movies or what, but it seems collecting has become slightly more respectful in recent years...


2) Surround yourself with like-minded individuals.You can meet them at cons and your local comic shop. Furthermore; there are WAY more hot chicks into our genre now then there were when i was in high school, so the younger fan already has a head start compared to us 20 years ago...you're on the internet, man. Finding fellow fans should be a cinch.

3) No one has EVER questioned or made fun of me in the toy aisle (at least not to my face, lol)...for all THEY know, you're shopping for your kids. I actually had that excuse, for awhile, but now my daughter is in the process of discovering "boys", so im on my own, and i couldnt give a rat's ass what a bunch of stangers think. Be proud. At lest you're not blowing all your money on booze and strippers, lol...t:

 

[dos_acoustic]

thanks for the advice man. where i work there are hundreds of collectors and their desks are filled with figures. Most of them do not see it as i do. I havent really had anyone say anything negative about it ( girlfriends of firends). I guess its just because i know its not part of the norm where i live. I have told myself how stupid it is to fell so weird about it but i still do. I guess its just a personal problem lol

 

[HCpride]

and i couldnt give a rat's ass what a bunch of stangers think.

this is my logic on life, but it works equally as well on this hobby
im 20 and i have no shame in it, its what makes me happy
i skateboard and collect toys, they dont really seem to go hand in hand, but its really the only 2 passions i have in life
my girl has never had a problem with it, i remember before i really even knew her, she came over to my friends house and was playing with them with me (granted we were putting them in sex positions)
and now that we have a child on the way, i said i wanted to sell them so we have more money, and she said she didnt want me to because she knows how much they mean to me

 

[lars573]

3) No one has EVER questioned or made fun of me in the toy aisle (at least not to my face, lol)...for all THEY know, you're shopping for your kids. I actually had that excuse, for awhile, but now my daughter is in the process of discovering "boys", so im on my own, and i couldnt give a rat's ass what a bunch of stangers think. Be proud. At lest you're not blowing all your money on booze and strippers, lol...t:

I have. But he was old. So I chalked it up to senility. t:

Anyway. I refuse to be ashemed of being a nerd-rejuvinile. I look at it as it's my money, and they make me happy. What anyone else thinks is secondary. I know my mom doesn't like it. And any girl who thinks less of you for collecting action figures isn't worth your time. I know that women who can accept a toy collecting man do exist. After all my sister exists (I even asked her to buy me a couple Transformers for my B-day). Many who hang out here are married.

 

[Roughneck]

I've never been ashamed over it, and I don't have a single friend that is into this stuff, but I have a lot of them who like to come over and play with or just see my stuff....a lot of them love my muppet stuff.

I also have a buddy that likes to constantly give me a hard time about it but he's a tool.

And I have no way to hide them all, I have way way way to many to do that......So I say if you like it, be proud of it.....I have a friend who is 35 and only owns about 7 DVDs and three of them are the Ninja Turtle Movies.....everyone has stuff to be ashamed of, you just don't need to be ashamed

 

[Telekinetic]

i felt the same way too.

but im proud of it now

 

[Benstamania]

I have no friends who collect, but they LOVE my collection. My best friend says "Man, I wish my wife would let me collect like yours does!" I'm very proud of my collection.

 

[SsM]

there are some things people should be ashamed of... but not this :/ this is a lucrative(sp) hobby nowadays :/

 

[newavengers12]

I have been collecting figures for some time now. I enjoy it but at the same time it causes alot of distress. I feell very akward strolling throught the toy aisle being a grown man. So, most of the time i wait to very late at night to check the aisles. When i bring a girl home or any of my friends come to visit i make sure to hide any figures that i had displayed. Like right now i have all of my street fighters figs displayed. I love the way it looks but at the same time i know I will ends up taking them all down. I know it sounds very weird. Its as if collecting figures is my dirty little secret. I guess im a little selfconsious about it. I just wanted to see if any of you guys have the same problem.

just one thing dude.... Never be ashemed of who you are and what you like. This is a one time chance in your life to do what you want...... Im married with kids, my collegues come to my home and they actually like my stuff, they start asking me about them and stuff.... Just be yourself!!!

 

[spideyboy_1111]

I make collecting look cool, plain and simple... sorry but when people walk into a room see a "40 year old virgin" room with everything in mint packaging.. then you bet.. most people will find that a bit neurotic.

but opening things shows your not uptight...

I also incorporate my figs and posters and other things into a "fun" display most people find my stuff actually fun to look at, ive had roomates bring friends in my room, just to show it off. be proud, and show it. but i do recomend showing it in a "cool way"

 

[Ryo Jin]

Everyone I know has either seen or known about mine. I answer the door with my room a mess with crap littered everywhere, bedhead, half-dressed and the figs. All my friends, best friends, casual friends, girlfriends, and even people I work with know [Room Inspection in the dorm]. Hell, I UNINTENTIONALLY got a 23 AND 27 year old, both higher ranking [Military] than I, into collecting. I don't give a damn what anyone thinks, I'm me and I ain't changin' less I wanna change.

Besides, some of the people I work with who inspected my room say there's another in my dorm who puts me to shame.

 

[Ryo Jin]

I have. But he was old. So I chalked it up to senility. t:

Anyway. I refuse to be ashemed of being a nerd-rejuvinile. I look at it as it's my money, and they make me happy. What anyone else thinks is secondary. I know my mom doesn't like it. And any girl who thinks less of you for collecting action figures isn't worth your time. I know that women who can accept a toy collecting man do exist. After all my sister exists (I even asked her to buy me a couple Transformers for my B-day). Many who hang out here are married.

My mom is the only one that tells me to grow up. But then, who's mom doesn't? Many a people would be rich if their moms didn't throw out their comics back in the day.

The girlfriend thing is true. All my girlfriends didn't mind, and one of them does so herself. Hell, even girls on my LJ who found me and added me know and some collect themselves.

I had my sis and her boyfriend get me Adon and Gen back when I lived in Texas...and on a side note, I loved Texas t:

 

[webhead731]

My mom calls me a dork but that's about it. My best friend doesn't mind that much at all. We make movies with the figures lol.

I don't know what a girl would think, hopefully not much though. It does feel just a bit weird being in the toy section of a store, I'm only 15 but still. If someone asks and snickers at the fact I'm there (which hasn't happened yet) I can either go "because I'm a collector b----!" or "These are for my cousin, he loves this Spider-Man crap".

Try not to be so ashamed of it though. But I know how you feel. If you're hiding it from friends and girlfriends etc, just let them know who you are. Don't let them make fun of you. If they do, well, great friends huh?

 

[uchiha_itachi]

not at all, anyone who says figs suck and are for kids are just jealous lol

 

[Sugarculted]

I remember going through the early teen years, and throwing out a bunch of collected TF stuff...due to wanting to be 'cool' for the girls I would meet.

Why the hell did I do that?!

That was many, many years ago...but I wish I never did that.

When I met my girlfriend last year, I hesitated in bringing her to my/rent's house due to the mass of figures. Took about a week to get over that, and nowadays she constantly messes around with a few.

I'm not fond of buying figs on my own, in large supermarkets though. I remember a few months back, feeling a bit odd whilst I purchased a Spidey fig. When I'm with my girlfriend, it doesn't bother me. I take her to tons of geeky places, and look at anything...because I can be geeky, whilst showing off what kind of a great woman I have at the same time. She especially likes looking at the gimmicks which come with some figures. She'd pick up a 'light up eye' feature on Ult.Nightcrawler, whilst yelling out 'my eyeeees are burning!'. Yeah, she's a bit weird.

I feel like I'm breaking some geek rule though, with the 600+ comics, action figures etc...due to the fact I have someone like her t:

 

[Venom_uk]

What's to be ashamed of? It's just a hobby after all & doesn't do anyone any harm. & anyway, if someone doesn't like it, or you 'cos of it...f*** 'em! That's their problem, not yours.

I am lucky in the fact that my family, friends & girlfriend don't mind my figure collection. Or my comics. Infact, my girlfriend quite likes my geekiness. Thinks it's cute. & who am I to argue? lol

 

[MrMidnite]

I have never been ashamed and never will be ashamed of my hobby. My wife at first wondered why i collected them, but once she got to know me she saw it was just a part of who I am and she's bought quite a few of my collection for me. Also my friends think its ok and i have even got a few of them into collecting.

 

[Roughneck]

My mom actually likes my figs....from time to time she comes over to seemy new stuff and she hs a good time looking over the shelves and trying to pick out what stuff is new.

 

[The Geek Vault]

I have a lot of the Marvel Legends on my dresser and my friends usually come in and put them in sexual positions. I'm not really ashamed... then again I probably don't buy as much as some pepole on here I don't consider myself a collector. I also have a green lantern hat signed by the writer of Green Lantern. and it has all the pins from Comic Con on it!

 

[webhead731]

Yeah it is just a hobby like someone said. Nothing harmful at all.

lol, Here's another question, anyone feel REALLY nerdy or ashamed for being here?

 

[The Geek Vault]

No, I see some other people on these boards and it makes me feel a lot LESS nerdy!

 

[Roughneck]

Here on the Hype?

No I have no problems with it....I am in the top 25 posters and I rarely leave the Products section....I've been here for over three years almost 4 now actually, and I am not ashamed of it nor do I regret the time I spend here.

Some of my fellow posters here on the hype have become close to me and I consider them true friends. Sometimes we get pretty hardcore in the New Figs thread.....we truly are a brotherhood in here.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

rough is the slightly girly brother... im just the gay one

 

[Roughneck]

I'm not that Girly.....in person anyway.