Do people understand your collecting?
craig44
Posts: 11,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
With fewer and fewer BM card shops around anymore, the only real collecting "community" at least in my neck of the woods is online. Card collecting is not as "in" as it was 30 years ago it seems. Do you talk about collecting with family, friends and co-workers? Do they "get it"? Or do you get a lot of: you paid what for that, isn't that a kids thing, why don't you open that type reactions?
Are you a closet collector or have you come out?
For me, my family knows, but not many friends and no co workers know about "this thing of ours"
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
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When I was younger, before I took a long hobby sabbatical, everyone that I knew of knew that I collected. As you stated above, it was the "in thing" to do back in the early-mid 90's. It was socially excepted and most of my friends had some sort of a collection where we would trade and work on our collections together on weekends.
Fast forward to 2009 when I reentered the hobby, and keep in mind I didn't keep tabs on hobby popularity and changes for the 10 years I was away. I was taken aback at the lack of BM's and interest in my area. Growing up, there was a mall show usually every weekend and BM's around to choose from. It wasn't like that anymore and eBay was the only game in town seemingly. My wife, who in 2009 I was still dating always expressed interest and she was supportive. My parents didn't really know what to think. They never collected anything and are not sports fans, so I think it was one of those deals where they were happy I was into something positive, and not wasting my money on gambling or in the bars lol.
As far as friends are concerned that I see in everyday life, none of them collect and they don't understand the hobby. I have gotten weird looks in the past and people have kind of thought it was silly. Because of this, I don't mention it anymore unless someone out right asks me what I'm into. I will say though that through the message boards, I've made good friends and contacts that I talk to away from the boards almost every day. It's that kind of support system that keeps me engaged and interested. Sometimes, it gets boring just collecting by yourself. In talking with other friends who collect that I've met on the boards, it keeps it fresh for me. Viewing their collections through pictures, like the unopened thread that is active right now, also gets me motivated. Who wouldn't want a collection like CPAMike or Grote15 has? It's a lifelong journey and it's something where I've just grown not to care what people who don't understand the hobby think.
With large purchases, of anything say 500.00 or more, I just sit down with the wife and talk about it. Thats the least I can do especially as she's been supportive throughout my entire journey. I will show her VCP history and eBay completed sales so she'll know that it's not a waste of money etc.
I've rambled enough...
All of my family and friends know about my addiction
And can we please stop using BM as an abbreviation for Brick and Mortar?!?!?! 
Get off my lawn!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I've collected since I was a kid (in my 60's now), stopped when I discovered cars, wine, women, & song in high school, started up again in 1978 & bought a couple collections with a friend of mine. I then stopped agin in 1983 when my wife & I were on the slide to a divorce. In late 1987 another friend & I started a partnership to sell at card shows, in SCD (remember that ?) and privately. We did a ton of this until 1991 then the hobby was losing steam because of all the overproduced years. WE still sold off inventory in subsequent years to private collectors and are sitting on inventory even now. I didn't start collecting again until 2002 but have stayed with it since.
To answer the original question: I live in a small village in a mostly rural area so most of my friends & their children know I collect. There has never been to much scoffing at my choice of hobby.
Now collecting:
Topps Heritage
1957 Topps BB Ex+-NM
All Yaz Items 7+
Various Red Sox
Did I leave anything out?
I had a BM in my BM while reading the Beckett
The only collecting " Friends" ive had as an adult, I'm talking since I was over 18 has been the faceless but great people here. Publius, Big DaddyBowman really stick out as fellow football guys here back in the day that I shared a lot of conversations with. Sadly those days are long over, I do still enjoy seeing and reading about everyone's collecting adventures here on PSA though.
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you know what they say about opinions....................they don't matter when you get a lot of hot chicks
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Everything is great until you mention that you are particularly fond of guys named Cookie and Mookie.
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