Murder he screamed!!!!

[supervike]

I have held onto my hobby like a dirty little secret in the past. I have shared it extensively with all of you, but that still has a high degree of anonimity. But as I am getting older and wiser, I am finally (correctly) thinking that I don\'t give a shit about what others think of it. Its really part of who I am.

Not long ago, my daughter, while staying the night at her friends, told the parents that I paint little miniatures...I was a bit miffed when she revealed that fact to me....She didn\'t understand why it would bother me. And in reflection I guess I don\'t know either.

I also have a few work buddies that know about it, and they like to tease me about it. They refer to it as \"Jim\'s off to paint his wooly mammoth\"...

As I \'come out of the closet\' (that is only a euphamism...its the MINIATURE closet) I am started to come to terms that people aren\'t as judgemental as I thought they would be about it. Of course, sometimes they joke about it at my expense, but that only humors me more.

For instance, when my youngest brother went to see \'The 40 year old Virgin\' in the theater, he laughed himself silly when the scene of him painting miniatures played. His friends couldn\'t figure out why he thought it was so hilarious.

There are still plenty of people that I would never admit it my participation of the hobby to, or would downplay it if it came up, but I\'m working on that.


All in all. This IS a goofy little hobby. Downright silly. I can accept that. It also makes me immensely happy at times. Thats a pretty good trade off.

 

[EricJ]

I\'ve had quite a bit of trouble with this over the years and had big drama at times due to it. I wish I had a good answer, but I just kept doing what I enjoy, tried to keep my life balanced (not get too wrapped up in miniatures), and started being very up front to people I meet about it, so there are no surprises.

I\'ve discovered that since I\'ve stopped feeling insecure about it when I tell people, that people realize it\'s not something they can pick fun at me about, the confidence in the hobby comes across.

 

[matty1001]

This is what my mate said when he came to a GW store with me; (in a typical geordie accent) \"Are well aye, all the freaks, geet looking at is, i fort i was ganna get dun in!\"
You have to love those narrow minded Geordies!

 

[Ebonbuddha]

You guys are assuming I haven’t talked to my wife or that I am not attentive. I am more than attentive to my wife. I paint when she is engrossed in TV, asleep, or out.

To give you an idea; remember how I told you Koreans treat me and think of me? Our Korean friends and other Korean co-workers tell her how lucky she is to have me. Yes. She hates when they tell her that.

This past Valentine’s Day came with her desk COVERED in chocolates and roses. Every woman in her office, and mine, gushed when they heard what I had done for her. I will get her a slice of cheesecake if I go out to lunch and TGI Friday, or Outback. I will go and get coffee from Starbucks for her and the people at her office.

It’s all about he friends and what they think. To give you an idea of what I am dealing with; the guy who is her best friend, his boyfriend, another friend of my wife, and another friend of ours went to Thailand with us last year. There was this really nice beach resort we went to and we wanted to spend it with our friends. We went up a day ahead, and then they joined us the next day. When they arrived and got off the van, they were all laughing. It seems that this best friend had been telling everyone about an argument (bicker) he witnessed between me and my wife. Evidently, he told a lot of her friends and co-workers too. So for four days of a seven day vacation in paradise we randomly relived a fight we both had forgotten. It finally ended when my wife got out of the van on a tour. I let her go a few feet and then I cornered the other four and said through clenched teeth, “Stop it now. It ends here.” They didn’t do it again. At least where I could hear it.

Anyway, it seems to be solved. I don\'t see anymore dirty dishes on my stuff in the future.

 

[Ebonbuddha]

Where is Dragonreach?

Originally posted by matty1001
You have to love those narrow minded Geordies!

 

[wiccanpony]

I’ve “never” had any bad feedback about the hobby. Parents, friends, past boyfriends etc., were very supportive.

I have fond memories of my father using a magnifying glass to see what new ones came in the mail.

The kidlets like to show their friends the painting desk and the latest minis I’m working on.

I guess everyone knows that this is what makes me happy.

Today the only opinion I need to worry about is my dogs...........and as long as she can sleep on my feet while I paint, she’s happy too. :beer:

 

[mistamick]

At least you have a desk full of sharpy pointy sculpting stuff to ward people off.

 

[vincegamer]

Does your wife have a hobby?
My wife has no interest in painting miniatures and is in fact irritated by all the violence, blood, gore etc. depicted by most miniatures.
However, she gives me positive feedback and as a result my style has evolved to the more passive way I now paint.

Now, there have been times when I\'ve thought she was jealous of my hobby, but she has her own hobby. She collects Breyer model horses. She can\'t say anything to me spending $30 on minis now and then when she drops $250 for a horse model.

I suggest 3 things.
1 - stop having arguments in front of your friends.
2 - get new friends
3 - encourage her in any hobby she has as though it\'s the best thing in the world.

I\'ve spent many days shlepping boxes of horses to shows and sitting dumbly in a corner for hours while gaggles of women (Breyer collectors are 98% female) discuss the latest variation of the original Proud Arabian Mare mold.
Oh, and I\'ve also combined our hobbies as can be seen by a couple of the horses I\'ve painted in my gallery.

 

[vincenti]

At the end of the day what we do may seem geeky to some but at least were using our creatorial gifts which is a lot more than some women-hating, beer-swilling,tatoo-covered,sport-loving,armpit-smelling,shallow-minded,comittment-avoiding,insensitive MEN do !........ GOD bless .............VINCENTI
P.S. Love the new Avatar E.B. and any man who makes that kind of effort for his lady is alright by me, ..Do you really look like Mr T ?

 

[Thecadian]

my parents arent keen on me doing the hobby.

they say its to expencive nd all about war and fighting.

bu they let me do it
to a point...

 

[krom1415]

If my son, when he is a teenager, was keen on doing this hobby as he is now, I\'d be far happier, than if he was out getting beaten up down the local pub.

My wife is Arty minded so that helps, but I should spend more time with her, in between the soaps and reality programmes

 

[DrEvilmonki]

Originally posted by krom1415
If my son, when he is a teenager, was keen on doing this hobby as he is now, I\'d be far happier, than if he was out getting beaten up down the local pub.

My wife is Arty minded so that helps, but I should spend more time with her, in between the soaps and reality programmes

Yes that\'s correct. My oldest brother was a drug addict by the age of 14! My middle brother was a punk with bright orange mohawk who would get into fights and crash our parents car. Somehow I never had to many complaints about how I spent my time!

 

[wiccanpony]

???I don’t understand why parents would “not” like this hobby for their children..............

Keeps them busy and off the streets

away from drugs

you know where they are, hunched over with their multi colored tongue stuck out.

on the other side

they won’t have much of a tan

lollollollol

 

[treide]

I got into this hobby because I felt that I needed a creative outlet. I find that it is great for blowing off steam when I am stressed. I think it annoys my wife a bit at times, but then I remind her of my old hobby - hours and hours of computer rpgs, with subsequent sleep deprivation. She prefers the painting.

 

[EricJ]

I think Vincenti hit the nail on the head, compaired to 90% of what we could be doing with our time, our hobby is FAR more productive. And it\'s one where as you get better you can even get to the point where you could get paid for doing what you enjoy, as opposed to drinking/TV/video games/etc... which are pretty much time and money sinks, which result in nothing coming from it (that\'s possitive at least)

 

[mistamick]

My parents disapprove of my hobby.:flame:

 

[supervike]

Originally posted by Thecadian
my parents arent keen on me doing the hobby.

they say its to expencive nd all about war and fighting.

bu they let me do it
to a point...

maybe they are more worried about what it is doing to your education and ability to form cohesive thoughts.:beer:

 

[funnymouth]

vince is the man (as usual). i foster my girlfriends (soon to be fiance!) dorkey hobbies - i got her in to knitting. i also try to involve her in my work, ask her about color combos and all that (she IS better at that sort of thing than i am). she does think im obsessed, but i am, so thats ok .
my advice: dont make enemies with your wifes friends. kill him...with kindness lol. i suggest painting a mini and giving it to him as a gift...make it a good one too...i suggest something, male, well toned, and naked...perhaps somthing from the greek range at foundry. in any case, minis make great gifts, and anyone who doesnt appreciate a gift is a real bastard.

 

[Torn blue sky]

If someone (or a group of people) were stiring sh!t to amuse thmselves at the expense of a relationship i was in, i\'m sorry, but i\'d have to kick their asses. Or at least give them a very stern telling!
EB that sucks man, sorry to hear that.
Vikey\'s 100% on the money with this one. if someones dogging you or frowns upon what you do, offer them a nice warm cup of shut the f**k up. All told it\'s a part of who you are as Vikey said. If you feel like you have to Kowtow to other peoples expectations, then you\'re really not doing yourself any favours.
Personally, iv\'e never tried to hide what I do in my spare time. In fact my Ex thought it was great (She turned out to be a real bitch, but I loved her anyway lol).
Your wifes a real lucky gal EB. How many guys do you know that would honestly do what you do?
Hell, If I was a chick (I\'d make a foxy chick!) I\'d marry you :kiss: lol

 

[Ebonbuddha]

Originally posted by vincegamer
I suggest 3 things.
1 - stop having arguments in front of your friends.

It happened one time. And sometimes arguments (bickering) happens in front of other people. Even when you say, \"We will talk about it later\". The story will be you had an argument in front of them or \"someone is in trouble\". And if you are married, or a couple, you know that your wife, or whatever, talks with her friend. And all of the tings you think are secret will be known to them.

2 - get new friends

[/quote]If only you knew how many times I have said that she should lose them. They aren\'t worth the trouble. She is friends with them and she has no intention of ever stopping.

3 - encourage her in any hobby she has as though it\'s the best thing in the world.

[/quote] As I have said before. I think this is the third time too. It has nothing to do with jealousy or a lack of a hobby. Its all about her friends. The miniature haters. They constantly ask why do I do it over, and over, and over, and over again. And then when you tell them. They only say, \"I don\'t understand\".

Friend: Why do you paint them?

Ebon: I collect them and I also play miniature wargames with them (explains the war gaming).

Friend: I don\'t understand.

I don\'t know why its such a difficult concept to grasp. But I told my wife her friends here are damn idiots.