BrandontheWrestlingGuy
Mid-Carder
Remember: Looks are deceiving, everything We know may not be true, We are only beginning to learn.
Joined on: Jun 6, 2011 5:05:54 GMT -5
Posts: 374
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Post by BrandontheWrestlingGuy on Jul 10, 2011 7:39:13 GMT -5
Hey this is my first post As a avid collector of wwe figures. I often get asked an annoying and sometimes intimidating question by family relatives and friends That question is "why are you still buying toys" I have tried different replies like I dont play with them i just like collecting them but they still do not understand and I get labeled as a geek or immature Well does this happen to anyone else and if so, how do you deal with it Well dude, there was a thread about this weeks ago. Let Me tell ya what I said in that topic in BOLD. When I was 11 of 12 I thought I was too old to be getting X-Men & G.I. Joes back during the vintage days but I never stopped because My Grandma convince Me I'm never too old. Later on when I was twenty or something I saw guys much older than Me getting Star Wars figures at a store and that was like WOW, I'm really not taht old, look at them and then of course other guys like Michale Crawford & Pixel Dan collect figure too and their older guys as well.
Thank goodness that hasn't happen to Me all that much but i did get some $&!# from some know-it-all friend of My Mom's in early 2010 that said things like why do I need it, where are you gonna put it, I better stop now because your hoarding and there's always going to be more figures for you to buy. I don't give a rat's f'n crap. It was none of her freggin' business, I know what I like and how much I want and when I want to get it & how I want to get and what it means to Me. She didn't care how much I love the MOTUC & the GBC from MattyCollector means to Me (wasn't collecting WWE Legends yet, the line was just starting to hit) or the stuff from Sideshow . She didn't use her super smart head and think about what it means to Me. These people like her absolutely suck, they know this and that and are so damn inconsiderate about other people and not respecting things about them and they wonder why they're hated. I feel you guys.
I was thinking, If you guys have a girlfriend or a wife and she totally accepts your hobby at collecting wrestling figures and other stuff and completely understands why you do it and what it means to you and doesn't complain at all and even helps you out with them like getting you them or surprising you with some or even digs them herself then you got a good woman, believe MeI hope that helps you dude!
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Post by naparo01 on Jul 10, 2011 9:01:33 GMT -5
What it all comes down to is you need to be comfortable in your own skin. I am 28, well educated man and I openly collect and play with my toys. Why I enjoy it, it's fun, relaxing, mentally stimulating ect. If people want to call me a geek, okay. I'm not going stop doing something I like cause you called me a name. I may have done that when i was 10 but I am mature and comfortable being me now so I will not. People that want to label you as immature for playing with toys, fine. But if you ask me it is much more immature to spend so much time and energy tearing others down and making fun of their hobbies that harm no one than playing with a toy.
Video games are toys that adults have embraced. There is nothing wrong with play. Adults play in various ways. Gambling, video games, board games, and dare i say sports (the most manly most embraced type of play of all time). The sooner you start really coming out and having pride for what you do is the moment they won't be able to use it as fuel against you.
As DDP once said "for those who don't believe no explanation will ever be good enough, for those who believe, no explanation will ever be needed."
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Blackbird 13
Main Eventer
Joined on: Sept 6, 2005 3:32:41 GMT -5
Posts: 3,242
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Post by Blackbird 13 on Jul 10, 2011 11:43:07 GMT -5
What it all comes down to is you need to be comfortable in your own skin. I am 28, well educated man and I openly collect and play with my toys. Why I enjoy it, it's fun, relaxing, mentally stimulating ect. If people want to call me a geek, okay. I'm not going stop doing something I like cause you called me a name. I may have done that when i was 10 but I am mature and comfortable being me now so I will not. People that want to label you as immature for playing with toys, fine. But if you ask me it is much more immature to spend so much time and energy tearing others down and making fun of their hobbies that harm no one than playing with a toy. Video games are toys that adults have embraced. There is nothing wrong with play. Adults play in various ways. Gambling, video games, board games, and dare i say sports (the most manly most embraced type of play of all time). The sooner you start really coming out and having pride for what you do is the moment they won't be able to use it as fuel against you. As DDP once said "for those who don't believe no explanation will ever be good enough, for those who believe, no explanation will ever be needed." You've pretty much hit the nail on the head. I'm 28 as well, and also both collect and play with my figures. I will occasionally get good natured heckling about my wrestling fandom and figure collecting from my bandmates (I play in a band for a living, so it's my co-workers in this case), but it's always done in a friendly manner.. and one of the guys has actually picked up a figure or two for me when he was out at Walmart or wherever. For me.. why hide who I am? If you don't like it, then f**k you, plain and simple. I guess I'm comfortable enough in my own skin, and confident enough in who I am, that I don't need someone's phony reassurance in the first place. Sure, I like making new friends and knowing new people... but if those people are going to be judgmental over me watching wrestling or collecting action figures... well... they aren't worth knowing, to be honest. Everything I do in life.. from the shows I watch, to the music I listen to.. I am who I am, all the time. I've even ended up with some of the friends around me knowing about some of my likes "behind closed doors"... and that's fine too. All of that stuff makes me who I am, and who really cares if it's "cool" or not? Besides that, I'm generally somewhat quick witted. Anyone who heckles me about collecting action figures kinda automatically opens themselves up for me to come back with a sarcastic, and possibly scathing, reply.. and that seems fair to me. Can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen, as the saying goes.
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Post by Kyle - legendkilla2k9 on Jul 10, 2011 12:33:25 GMT -5
None of my friends really know.
I would be comfortable telling my best friend because he collects F1 cars but I haven't yet.
My friends know i'm a wrestling fan (some of them watch it) but I couldn't tell them I collect figures, mostly because I remember everyone bringing in there figures to school at the age of like 8:P. I dont want to be the one that continued.
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Post by tnawrestlingfan77 on Jul 10, 2011 13:04:42 GMT -5
If your friends think you're immature for doing something you love then they're not really your friends. All my close friends know I collect and don't care. It doesn't change me as a person, it's just something I enjoy doing. If people can't respect/understand that then screw them. Don't let them get to you. They're the ones who are immature.
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Deleted
Joined on: Jun 10, 2024 4:49:15 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2011 13:57:23 GMT -5
I only let my mum, brother and VERY close friends know, I keep everyone else in the dark about it. Keeps the questions at bay. I've watched wrestling and collected all my life (I'm 27) and life wouldn't be the same without it. I stopped collecting all action figures for about 2 years and thought I could "grow up" and leave it in the past but there is no growing up needed - it's a hobbie and I don't have any others. I'd rather pick up the latest wrestling figure I want than go out drinking and waste the money renting beer as it all goes down the toilet in the end whereas I have something to show for action figure collecting. When I get a bigger house in the future I'm planning on dedicating a room to it.
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Post by Chewdeezy on Jul 10, 2011 14:16:27 GMT -5
All of my friends know I'm a geek/nerd at heart and loves toys. For heaven's sake, my first job was at TRU. I see both sides of the argument.
The only way collecting figures is bad is if you are spending all your money on it. I hate to say it but if you are over 40, living at home, no rent, no car, no job, no wife or kids and just buying wrestling figures, then that's bad.
I'm almost 30, I got a very good job, I bought a townhouse last year, still going to school, got done paying off my car and about to buy another one, have a really good girlfriend that tolerates my hobby and working on getting married within 5 years. And with the extra money I have leftover from bills, savings, girlfriend, etc., I buy wrestling figures because it makes me happy and feel like a kid in today's messed up economy.
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Rob7274
Main Eventer
Joined on: Sept 3, 2010 5:46:16 GMT -5
Posts: 3,821
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Post by Rob7274 on Jul 10, 2011 15:19:49 GMT -5
I cared at first but then I got cancer and didnt give a S***
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Post by Scott! on Jul 10, 2011 15:30:56 GMT -5
i don't give a
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The Elitist
Superstar
Proudest Member of the Fightin' Texas A&M Aggie Class of 2006! WHOOP!
Joined on: May 23, 2008 19:59:35 GMT -5
Posts: 915
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Post by The Elitist on Jul 10, 2011 15:39:42 GMT -5
I use to get crap, from co-workers and family. My wife, who is the most important to me, doesn't mind at all and actually helps me out. In fact she started collecting herself, even though she only collects Cena's & Rock's. The same people who give me hell, once they see all those figs displayed, they are just left in awe. Best sight in the world is watching someone admiring your collection!
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hulksox
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Sept 10, 2010 22:04:35 GMT -5
Posts: 274
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Post by hulksox on Jul 10, 2011 15:42:34 GMT -5
I was heavy into collecting when I was 8, 9, 10, 11, 12ish (I'll never forget the first ad I saw for the WWF Superstars line from LJN), but then girls, music, and sports took all my time. I stopped watching wrestling when I went away to college (no TV) and shifted my collecting interests to baseball memorabilia. But now that I have two sons (3 and 5), I love buying figs for them (along with the occasional Hogan for myself). Words can't describe the bond I've formed with my boys through love of WWE figs. I think part of every man wants to act like a boy every once in a while. If it's something you truly love, keep doing it and enjoy it. Something you have such a passion for (as long as it's not harmful to anyone) need not be justified.
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cyantist
Superstar
Joined on: May 9, 2010 6:47:56 GMT -5
Posts: 950
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Post by cyantist on Jul 10, 2011 15:57:46 GMT -5
One time buying figures from asda this fatass (easily 300lb +) guy asked me ''Why I was buying kids figure'' And started being a total douche (Gay jokes were dropped towards me) I normally don't give people like this the time of day but having a bad day right after I finished paying him I asked him why he kept buying more food than he needed and something about buying gym equipment instead. Not my proudest moment but If somebody is going to be a bigot they deserve everything they get.
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Post by James St. James on Jul 10, 2011 16:11:41 GMT -5
Figures make the worlds of wrestling, comic books, movies and television tangible. Its what I found appealing about them as a child and what I still find appealing. As long as my interest remains in all of those things so will my interest in figures.
I've always been interested in the design and marketing aspects of the business too. As I grew older it became less about playing and more about new parts, customizing possibilities and market analysis for me.
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Post by wccwmaster on Jul 13, 2011 0:40:58 GMT -5
My mom gives me abunch of crap about liking Wrestling. (Remember I'm a teenager) I told her about how Randy Savage died and stuff. She shrugged her shoulders and said "No he didn't, it's all staged." LAter on that night I showed her the Yahoo story, and stood their and said "Who cares? It's not like you knew him."
No my Dad on the other hand is amazing, as he has been watching wrestling since the late 1960's.
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wrestlingfan2011
Main Eventer
Lucky lucky
Joined on: Apr 5, 2011 13:21:19 GMT -5
Posts: 2,465
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Post by wrestlingfan2011 on Jul 13, 2011 0:46:56 GMT -5
well i get the same reaction from my big brother, i ignore it, i say "so is my money not urs" anything i get into mind but still he doesnt understand.
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fernadogwang
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Jul 19, 2009 19:11:27 GMT -5
Posts: 204
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Post by fernadogwang on Jul 13, 2011 1:03:14 GMT -5
In Vegas, it's either smoking or buying WWE figures; and being straight edge, I decide to buy the figures. I just love things that represents somthing I love too a small 6 inch form. Hell, I brought my Elite 6 CM Punk to school to talk about me, and I am in high school!
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Post by facefullafist on Jul 13, 2011 1:06:14 GMT -5
my friends gave me my fare share of crap, always giving me the stink eye when i pulled out my new figure. after awhile, they started appreciating how good the figures were made (Mattel Elites) and actually started their own collections. they both have around 30 now and there is no sign of slowing down.
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Post by "Original Broski" jonjon535353 on Jul 13, 2011 2:37:11 GMT -5
My mom has said before that she likes buying me wrestling figures as gift, even though I'm 16 now. My dad has said that my figures is a necessity for me, in a way, because it gives me a goal in life and something to work for rather than being out doing drugs and getting in trouble with the law every day of my life. He also loves wrestling just like me. My sister, who's 12, just got into collecting Divas after I bought her a WMH Melina for her birthday to keep MOC. She says she's gonna try and get any Divas that she can find, now.
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Deleted
Joined on: Jun 10, 2024 4:49:15 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2011 0:47:26 GMT -5
[ yeah theres a guy at my work that always rags on me for liking it, with the same tired argument "you know its fake right?" but i enjoy it so nothing that **** says bothers me. I always found the "You know its fake, right?" arguement to be so stupid. This is how I usually reply to those numbskulls: NUMBSKULL: So you like wrestlling. You know it's fake right? ME: Yeah I know its fake. NUMBSKULL: Then why do you care? ME: Do you like action movies? NUMBSKULL: Yeah. ME: You do know those are fake right? It's only actors pretending to go around killing each other. NUMBSKULL: Uh... It's called suspension of belief, people are ok doing it with TV, Film and theater but seem to have trouble comprehending this concept when it comes to wrestling. Maybe because once upon a time Wrestling actually claimed to be legit, but that was decades ago, seriously, it's time people got over that.
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Post by KrimV on Jul 14, 2011 4:21:03 GMT -5
No one really cares about whether I collect action figures or not. I buy what I like and don't worry about what others do or don't think. I like collecting cool figures, always have. Couldn't always afford some of the coolest figures when I was growing up, but I can now. Action figures to me are something I can always have around. I don't spend $XX on them and then use them up in a few minutes like alcohol, drugs, or cigs would be (and besides the money aspect, collecting figures won't hurt you unless they like all fall on you or something haha).
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