If you use the words, "this hobby allows me to relive the moments of childhood", or "provides an understanding of the developments of history regarding electronic entertainment" diminishes the aspects of trying to explain costs or value to another non pinhead directly, which is a common problem and some of the first questions asked.

The other keywords are "not all games cost thousands of dollars", as there is no need to detail expenditures or show off game rooms.
Why?
The best way to avoid being burned out by others is donate a game project to an aspiring protege and get them involved restoring the game themselves.
The rest of the magic will work itself in the journey.
It works well.

The process is not about ownership, but restoration and pride in work.
A fellow senior technician today (who is quickly becoming the last of few who regularly refurbishes CRTs of all makes and models for many classic games) said something interesting to me.

"There are many hobbyists, but few experts in specific areas of coin amusement, and being one of the few who knows a direct system, makes a person extremely invaluable to the industry even for consignment work, and they are sought out."
A very true statement.

A purpose beyond simple collecting.
Be that person, and leave your mark on the world.

The fact that you had any shits to give in the first place is amazing.

Well that's a shame Pete, because I'm really going to miss the unsolicited messages you send me complaining about the local pinball scene and expecting me to provide you with some miracle solution. It was always such a refreshing change from the public persona you put on display here on pinside because of who might be reading in the shadows.

If you want change at a grassroots level then you need to be proactive like I am and interact with those outside of the local clique rather than putting the purple circle up on pedestals and never questioning their underlying self serving motives.

That's why you don't have a WOZLE and I do and why you are only now trying to recover $5432.10 of most likely squandered deposit money whilst I'm planning the logistics of my next container load import.

100_1981 (resized).JPG

Quite the cynical statement!

He said load.

If anyone questions the price, I ask if they own a pet. And to calculate how much that pet costs over 10 years.
At least pinball machines still have resale value 10 years later.
It's a lot like wearing expensive watches: some people get it, others don't.

...then you really outta think about getting a life you enjoy more now.

There may have been a time.

What’s wrong with wearing your Pin like a watch? My Pin came thru drippin

All 40ft of it. Priors have been 20's.

Going to be a job in itself making storage space once it lands.

DILLIGAF.

Learn it. Live it. Thank me.

I usually explain a little about the hobby beyond just the price range of games.

The thrill of the hunt for a game, meeting other people in the hobby, scavenging for parts, attending shows, doing repairs and making dead games live again, doing research on games, documenting repairs and information, appreciating the artwork, participating in tournaments...most people tend to perk up and ask a lot more questions when I open that door and they find out there's a lot more to it than just buying, selling, or playing.

Well said.

Forceflow's a man living in the now, and reflects a lot of the reasons I do this.

Family and friends can be a pain. I think everyone on here gets the right idea. If they're showing concern, be kind. If they're being a jerk, time to take a pot shot back (like my mother in law - never gets why I keep buying them and loves to make comments on how I should be spending my money, but threw $2,200 at a paint job on her 10 year old Civic cause 'it looked crappy'... yeah ok... mother in laws are the best). If they really want to get sassy about Pins and Prices - I'll show em the escalera in the garage I bought just to move them.

For every time I get a person who doesn't get it or thinks it's a silly hobby - I find someone that makes it totally worthwhile. I wear my nerd badge with pride, and sometimes that works out and sometimes it doesn't. Most people are friendly enough and don't really give me too much grief. Occasionally you get a lead on a new machine that someone has had sitting in their basement. The payoff is making a new pinball friend completely out of the blue. I have an office job, and I sit next to a large strapping dude who lives on acreage and played college football - what you'd probably (and largely accurately) classify as a giant meathead. After a few conversations he tells me he grew up with a Fireball Classic in his parents basement. So after a few more conversations - he tagged along with me to the local downtown arcade. After a few trips there, it's a regular thing that we eat our lunch at our desks and hit the arcade for 'lunch 3-4 days a week. Out of the blue - I have a new playing buddy that wants to get one for his basement.

The Len Bias story scared me enough to NEVER try it. Was offered cocaine at parties in the 80's and I wasn't even tempted.

just read the Len Bias story never heard of him in Australia SHAME now we have ICE -- WORSE

It’s usually more fun to say something arrogant & cocky in return like “cause I’m Rick James & rich bitch” Just pisses off the haters even more.

All I learned from that was don't do blow and play basketball at the same time.

I am glad for you. Some people cannot enjoy anything no matter what it is. The fact that you enjoy your job is a rarity. Now go give those little shits hell, make them behave like civilized humans.

What do you have left? I'm a little too close to you to not ask?

Excellent way to explain why we enjoy pinball so much to non-pinheads. (Non-pinheads think we are adults still playing with kid toys (pinball machines) where yachts, cars etc are "respectable adult toys")

We need more silliness in our lives. It's what keeps us going.

Take up golf,and you'll have enough silliness for ten people.

Truer words have never been spoken.
Example:
My last Jekyll and Hyde round.

35D86605-B2EA-43A5-968D-D5DBDAD4A8F1 (resized).jpeg

That looks like one of my "18 holes is a few too many" rounds.

Most "adults" are just pretending. They secretly envy those who don't play that peer pressure game. They think "silly" wouldn't be "socially acceptable" to their peer group. They're trapped in an image/life and jealous of those who don't care what people think about how someone enjoys his/her adult life. So they have to snipe and criticize.

When cornered by the price questions, I'll say modern games are $5k to $10k. I always add that I know plenty of people with 50 or 100 or 200 game collections. It keeps them busy doing the mental gymnastics, while I slip away fell satisfied and glad that I'm nothing like those other sicko bastards.

I think what Golfingdad1 really needs is a trip to the Pinside Pinvitational. Where golf, Pinsiders, beer and Pinball go hand in hand...in hand...in hand.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-pinvataional-is-up-and-running-1

We just need The Gorilla and some other passionate Pinsiders to make it happen a second time!
Man, has it already been 6 years?!?

I am a very dedicated golfer and now pinballer.... you sayin' i'm screwed?

I don't usually tell people how much pinball machines cost, most people don't ask. However, I can say, nobody is jealous of your pinball machine Most people don't care at all, people hate for all kinds of reasons, but nobody wakes up angry someone else has a pinball machine that they don't. (unless maybe that person belongs to this site.)

Its not about being jealous of your pinball machine. Its about being jealous of you having that kind of disposable income that you can buy toys with. When someone makes a comment about how “they cant believe you would waste money on a pinball machine like that” or maybe “why does he need so many pinball machines for, what a dumb thing to do”, then chances are that person is jealous of your success, your financial situation, or your happiness etc. Alot of people cant stand to see people doing well and enjoying their lives for some reason. I don’t understand it but its the truth. I wish everyone could do well and have the things that they want in life. I am not a jealous or greedy person at all, maybe a little envious sometimes but not jealous at all.

This is a great thread. Keep it going.

We need silliness. It's what keeps us going.

I must be in the wrong place then.

As long as it's not the West Hollywood parade, I can hang with that.

Ooh, I have some pants he could borrow!
Much better than cut-off denim.

672F1E79-CFBE-4D5A-98DC-663BB7AE9222 (resized).jpeg

Nah, that’s got a more Guy Fieri golf vibe going.

You need to be waAAAYYyy drunker than that pic leads on and probably four times corpse-ashore-bloated to pull a true JD.

Just had a friend of a friend message me about a williams grand prix that want to get rid of for free. This is where talking about pins to people pays off.

No,you're not screwed,because they're both great hobbies,even though they both hurt our feelings a lot.

That's a good point. Benefits of sharing your hobby with non pinheads.

Some people specifically said people were jealous of their pinball machines, which is not the case. It's good that you don't believe that. Pinball is probably the 100th thing I'll talk to someone about. Mainly because nobody cares, but if people are saying those types of things, you are telling too many people you have pinball machines. I think people will judge a lot more about their perception about how the games are childish or juvenile, 99 times out of 100, nobody assumes they are as expensive as they are, and people don't ask. I just doesn't dawn on them to. You just can't say anything that leads them down that path.