(Topic ID: 76539)

Odd reactions to "I bought a pinball machine."

By digitalbytes

10 years ago


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    There are 221 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 5.
    #1 10 years ago

    While catching up with some acquaintances over the holidays I mentioned my recent plunge into the pinball hobby and my purchase of my first pinball machine. One of the people there commented "I have done some stupid things, but nothing that stupid." and I had no response for him. I was dumbfounded by his reaction.

    Anyone else have odd reactions from people finding out you own a pinball machine or have a games room full of them in your basement?

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    #2 10 years ago

    Wow, what a jackass

    #3 10 years ago

    "What the %^&* " is the usual answer . And if there over 50 "when can I come over and play "

    #4 10 years ago

    yes...but mostly from my wife, when I tell what I paid for it.

    first its the look, then its, "Have you lost leave of your senses?"

    #5 10 years ago

    What a jerk....you should have thrown a comeback at him

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    #6 10 years ago

    Yes. Most people look at me like I'm insane when I tell them we have 7 at my house and 3 at my parents' house. My mom told her coworkers about her collection and they gave her a really hard time about having a mid-life crisis and buying stupid games. My husband's family won't touch them, changes the subject if we mention them. It seems people either love them or just don't get it, one extreme or the other.

    I'm actually having a little pinball party this weekend for some friends, and out of my friends list could only find 5 that were excited about it and thrilled to come over. The rest were like "Um, no thanks. I have better things to do than play silly games." I'm sure they are sitting at home on their XBoxOnes and PS4s.

    Luckily my parents, husband, sister, and grandmother all love them. We have family tournaments just about every holiday that is at my house, and my mom's fridge is covered in her tournament certificates I made up. We may be insane, but we're happy about it.

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    #7 10 years ago

    Some people were never young.

    #8 10 years ago

    nice to know we all here share the same "sickness". I get those reactions as well...just move on, they just dont get it.

    #9 10 years ago

    I think my only retort would've been. "Apparently, I made a stupid mistake as well...I called you."

    #10 10 years ago

    Weird reactions, but nothing like those from my last hobby.
    (Thorobred racehorses)

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    #11 10 years ago
    Quoted from Pinballer22:

    What a jerk....you should have thrown a comeback at him

    Wear this T Shirt the next time you see him!

    seinfeld-tee-shirt.pngseinfeld-tee-shirt.png

    #12 10 years ago
    Quoted from btw75:

    Weird reactions, but nothing like those from my last hobby.(Thorobred racehorses)

    I used to have horses. I realized that by time I paid for boarding ($425/horse/month,) shoes, vet bills, food, hay, etc... my pinball machines are very cheap by comparison. Initial cost and maybe some LEDs or upgrades, but no ongoing monthly expenses.

    #13 10 years ago

    Nothing odder to the reaction I get when I tell people I'm a Brony.

    Hahahahahaha! Kidding.

    #14 10 years ago

    I get the same reaction from some people, especially when they find out how much I paid for them (I don't tell them unless they ask). This reaction seems to come from people that are struggling financially or living paycheck to paycheck. I guess they see this hobby as "frivolous" and feel that I'm just wasting my money.

    #15 10 years ago

    Well, yeah, when you tell someone you paid $7000 for a GAME, the average person would tend to raise an eyebrow. Heck, I'm in the hobby and think that anyone paying more than $2000 for a game is odd.

    #16 10 years ago

    If my friends talked to me like that, they wouldn't be my friends.

    Quoted from blondetall:

    The rest were like "Um, no thanks. I have better things to do than play silly games."

    #17 10 years ago

    The reason I bought my first machine was so that people would have something to play in my game room once they were eliminated from the poker game. Everyone seemed to think it was cool and actually thought it was a fun idea.

    The strange reactions started to come after I bought seven more.

    Edit: Although OP, I don't think what your friends said was odd, I think what he said was dickish.

    #18 10 years ago
    Quoted from digitalbytes:

    While catching up with some acquaintances over the holidays I mentioned my recent plunge into the pinball hobby and my purchase of my first pinball machine. One of the people there commented "I have done some stupid things, but nothing that stupid." and I had no response for him. I was dumbfounded by his reaction.
    Anyone else have odd reactions from people finding out you own a pinball machine or have a games room full of them in your basement?

    I would "unfriend" that friend. There's nothing like other people telling YOU how to spend YOUR money. I've been a Mustang guy since 1970 and I still hear about how much money I spend on it and what a "waste" it is. When you ask what these people do for a hobby they say gardening or coin collecting.

    #19 10 years ago

    For the last three years or so, we have had home parties for my childrens' birthdays. When the parents come over, the most common comment is "Wow!". Some have asked to play. I have 15 tastefully set up and it really makes the basement.

    Never had a negative comment said to my face. Worst I ever heard about was a few years ago. I had a party and invited about 18 or so people over. Everyone had a GREAT time. At the time, I had an IJ and ToM among others. The ladies seemed to love those games while the guys loved BSD. I had about 8 set up and playing. The party was a great success. Everyone had a blast or so I thought....

    The next day, one of the guys comes over. He thanks me for inviting him. Said he loved the basement. When he and his fiancé left, I saw them to the door. He said on the way to their car, she said, "Never in our house!". I was shocked that she would say that given how much fun everyone was having. I just shook my head and thought to myself, "You have choosen poorly" LOL If she is telling him what he can and cann't do before marriage, well good luck to him!

    Cheers,
    Duane

    #20 10 years ago
    Quoted from blondetall:

    I used to have horses. I realized that by time I paid for boarding ($425/horse/month,) shoes, vet bills, food, hay, etc... my pinball machines are very cheap by comparison. Initial cost and maybe some LEDs or upgrades, but no ongoing monthly expenses.

    Yeah - at our local tracks its about 2k/month/horse and since we don't have slot machines and gambling is low, the purses are too low to sustain. We tried racing at other tracks in La and Ky but that wasn't very fun. I have a bunch of win pics on my wall, and a reasonably sized hole in my pocket.

    No (meaningful) ongoing expenses is a really, really, nice thing about pinball.

    #21 10 years ago

    Most of my friends give me the evil eye when I tell them what I pay for some pinballs...but then these are the friends that will splurge over $800 for a single fishing rod.... and I'm the crazy one..... go figure...

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    #22 10 years ago

    My problem is that I always expect others to have the same enthusiasm about the pins as I do. I have to keep reminding myself that almost nobody outside of the hobby can relate to us. I guess that's why a majority of the new friends I've made over the past several years have been pinheads.

    #23 10 years ago

    Whats his hobby? Going to the casino, or even better playing the lottery?

    #24 10 years ago

    The guy that made that comment is a complete jerk! Hey, its
    a hobby. It doesn't need to be practical or realistic. Just needs to be something
    you enjoy. I've certainly had some negative reactions when I tell people I collect
    pinball machines. The one I hate most is "why are you wasting your
    time doing THAT?". However many others want to see what I've got,
    enjoy playing my games and have even gotten into the hobby.
    In the past I'd tell everyone I meet I collect pins, and have gotten
    a few machines that way. Don't do that as much anymore.
    Steve

    #25 10 years ago

    Yeah
    You can have a room full of sports memoabliia, no problems
    You can own six classic cars, no problem
    But own a few pinball machines, and it is WTF?

    #26 10 years ago

    It's great to be involved in a hobby where what you enjoy typically raises in value.

    Who cares what others think . . .

    #27 10 years ago

    I've gotten (and not just in regards to pinball, but definitely in reference to pinball and other hobbies) "When do you think you will ever grow up?". Honestly this bothers me very little and my response is usually some form of "God.... I hope never!"

    #28 10 years ago

    I was really confused by his reaction because I had never heard anything like that from him. It's funny to see the horse discussion come up because he and his wife own a couple riding horses. I did not think of that rebuttal at the time because I was just shocked by his statement.

    Thanks to everyone for your comments.

    #29 10 years ago
    Quoted from zarco:

    In the past I'd tell everyone I meet I collect pins, and have gotten
    a few machines that way. Don't do that as much anymore.

    I have the same fear of sharing my board game hobby or my LEGO hobby. It's a shame because they are both very interesting hobbies. I am thinking tho that the risk of someone slagging you for them is worth the chance to find someone else who may share your interests.

    #30 10 years ago

    My wife's friends comments have all been positive. They have been all along the line of "I also wanted one" or that is "cool" or "you would probably have to pull me off it if I came over". The only negative comment was a condescending "psshhh" from a relative who's from a former communist country and always chastises anybody that has a hobby that cost money. She also reads my graphics novels and says that they are good but not worth spending $xxxxx so I don't think it really has anything to do with pinball.

    #31 10 years ago

    Needless to say I've gotten surprised reactions, but more often a 'wow' then a 'wtf'. In some cases I will jokingly throw out they are better investment then a Bank CD (well since many of my games were DOA when I got them, they are worth more then what I paid, even without pinflation). I will also explain it is an addiction, one becomes two, two becomes four, then you blink and it is a dozen (and you are out of space), and then I'll comment, 'this is nothing, I know guys with over 50' -- which then really floors them and makes me almost look sane (I said almost). Of course then I show them my custom game built from scratch, and they really think I'm crazy.

    I should get a recording of 'I won't grow up' from Peter Pan, and play that in my game room when guests come over.

    Life is short, do what you love.

    #32 10 years ago
    Quoted from PoMC:

    Nothing odder to the reaction I get when I tell people I'm a Brony.

    Hahahahahaha! Kidding.

    Sure....

    #33 10 years ago

    My brother said the same thing, then I bought him one for Christmas one year. It was like when Chris Kringle gave BMMB the toy train...

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    #34 10 years ago
    Quoted from flashinstinct:

    Most of my friends give me the evil eye when I tell them what I pay for some pinballs...but then these are the friends that will splurge over $800 for a single fishing rod.... and I'm the crazy one..... go figure...

    I had a friend that broke my Winston fly rod and he said don't worry I will pay for it.
    Sent it back to the factory and he about shit himself when he got the bill.
    Most of my friends don't get pinball and the couple that do come over to play want one but their wives won't let them buy any.

    #35 10 years ago

    It should be expected. It's such a niche hobby. The more mainstream something is, the more accepted it is. That I own pinball machines is not the first thing I tell people about myself if I want to have the conversation last longer than 30 seconds as there is a 50/50 chance they won't know how to respond to that bit of info.

    #36 10 years ago

    "You paid what for that pinball machine?!?!?"

    #37 10 years ago

    This topic makes me wonder, has any pinhead been buried in a game cabinet instead of a casket (or at least a casket with side art ? I'm sure by the end of the month someone will be offering them (I get 15% of the revenue).

    #38 10 years ago
    Quoted from jalpert:

    If my friends talked to me like that, they wouldn't be my friends.

    Yeah, I meant "friends list" as in "the list of people on Facebook that I mostly do nothing with and have nothing in common with, but somehow got a friend request from because we work together or have had business transactions in the past." Husband and I are mostly antisocial. The only true/good friends are the ones coming over this weekend, and that's all I really wanted to come anyway.

    Digitalbytes- if they ever say anything about it again, if you are even talking to them now, ask them how much their horses cost per month. That should shut them up fast. lol

    #39 10 years ago
    Quoted from rosh:

    This topic makes me wonder, has any pinhead been buried in a game cabinet instead of a casket (or at least a casket with side art ? I'm sure by the end of the month someone will be offering them (I get 15% of the revenue).

    Don't forget the market for incandescent/LED/mods for the headstones too...

    #40 10 years ago
    Quoted from mwong168:

    "You paid what for that pinball machine?!?!?"

    You will certainly get that one. That's the main reason I usually avoid discussing what they actually cost.

    #41 10 years ago
    Quoted from digitalbytes:

    I was really confused by his reaction because I had never heard anything like that from him. It's funny to see the horse discussion come up because he and his wife own a couple riding horses. I did not think of that rebuttal at the time because I was just shocked by his statement.
    Thanks to everyone for your comments.

    To me, his statement makes a lot more sense now. I know a number of people who own horses and I find them to be the most arrogant, self centered assholes I know. I also went to college at a school that offered Degrees in equine science. The program was mostly made up of women and they were just complete bitches. To the point that most guys avoided the "nags".

    #42 10 years ago
    Quoted from digitalbytes:

    I have the same fear of sharing my board game hobby or my LEGO hobby. It's a shame because they are both very interesting hobbies. I am thinking tho that the risk of someone slagging you for them is worth the chance to find someone else who may share your interests.

    So you like my avatar?

    #43 10 years ago

    I was told by somebody that I need to grow up? I guess they thought pinball is just for kids. They are missing out, I guess I'm still a kid at heart.

    #44 10 years ago

    People who tell you to "grow up" because of a hobby you have are fools. Work hard and play hard! My friends are all gamers/programmers/SciFi peeps, so they're very cool with my arcade/pinball hobby. My mother hates the fact that I may sell my ToM someday so I can mix up the gameroom. My wife likes the games too. She doesn't really play much, but there are some games (vids and pins) I mention to her and SHE convinces me we should get them.

    I do, however, get the face when I tell my friends prices of some games.

    #45 10 years ago

    Friends also bust balls with each other. At least I do with my friends. Haven't had any of my friends make any comments other than "cool!"....yet. But I'm sure some ball busting will come, and when it does I'll bust their balls about something right back. Certainly wouldn't unfriend them, throw something at them or be insulted like some of the commenters here have said to do.

    I'm sure I would have some ball busting done already if I had been paying thousands of $$$ though, instead of trading for pins or buying cheap and fixing them up. The fact that I've hustled for and work on my games probably accounts for that instead of just ordering up a pin from the factory and having it delivered. DIY does get a little more respect from outsiders in any hobby.

    #46 10 years ago
    Quoted from rosh:

    This topic makes me wonder, has any pinhead been buried in a game cabinet instead of a casket (or at least a casket with side art ? I'm sure by the end of the month someone will be offering them (I get 15% of the revenue).

    Don't know about that, but there have been crib discussions in my house involving a converted cabinet.

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    #47 10 years ago

    Im amazed at all the parents of my kids friends who pop over to my house that say they have no hobbies whatsoever. Their reactions to my pins is generally positive though. All the little monkeys that visit my house sure enjoy them!

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    #48 10 years ago
    Quoted from digitalbytes:

    One of the people there commented "I have done some stupid things, but nothing that stupid.

    and I had no response for him. I was dumbfounded by his reaction."

    It sounds like your friend is a funny guy, and I give him credit coming up with some good material on the spot.

    I think you are oversensitive because you indeed feel some guilt in your subconscious about what you have spent on a bunch of toys.

    Like they always say: " If you can't take a joke, keep your pants on in the locker room".

    #49 10 years ago

    Dislike - ok. Lack of interest - ok. But "stupid"?
    Friends have lots of hobbies I don't care about (like horses that were already mentioned). But that's just "Oh. Ok, horses. Let's talk some more about pinball..." to me. I wouldn't judge them as stupid just because they love something I feel indifferent about.

    #50 10 years ago

    most of the people I tell, their reaction is a combination of surprise and curiosity. like, they are aware of pinball as a thing people used to play before video games, but never realized people still play it or could have them in their home.

    the rudest reaction I had was from my brother. after telling him I bought a pinball machine, his immediate response was "why? pinball is lame."

    he has since told me when he told his friends, though, they all immediately got excited and said they wanted to come over sometime and play.

    There are 221 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 5.

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