The year is 1998 and I get a royal bug up my craw to buy a pinball machine because I had just bought a copy of "Microsoft Pinball" I had played several EM's in people's basements, rec rooms and spare bedrooms growing up in Ohio during cold winters.
I buy a collectors quality 1965 Bank-A-Ball and I set it up in my parents house in one of the spare bedrooms not being used. At this time I am 26 years old and had moved back in with my parents temporarily. My Dad flips out and gets all pissed off about it. For 3 or 4 months all I hear is "Why the F&*$# is there a pinball machine in my spare bedroom" Keep in mind this is a rather large 5000 sq ft home that my Dad never ever went upstairs anyways. Finally I am moving into my new apartment and I am moving down the stairs my Dad then says "Wow son that machine looks beautiful is that a machine from the '60s?" It turns out my Dad played a ton of pinball during the late 60's and early 70's while my parents went on dates and my Mom would just sit there and watch.
Fast forward to current day....
My wife says the following things like "What a waste of money" "I am going to bash these machines up and throw them in a landfill when you die".
Most of my friends either have a mild interest or no interest. My youngest of friends (born in 1989) told me "Why don't you buy a more current pinball machine like these ones" He points to all the latest Stern machines. I turn and tell him "It is because I enjoy these old EM's the most and it is a bonus to me that they don't cost me 5-8k each"
Other hobbies I have....
European Board games.... "Nerd" or "You mean you guys don't play Risk or Stratego" I give them a big eye roll. Then I break out a game of "Settlers of Catan" so I can break the mold and get them liking board games.
Computers....1980's "Nerd" "Geek" "Can you fix my computer"
1990-1994 "Nerd "Geek" "Can you fix my computer" "What is the internet" "You are doing what? talking to someone in Australia or someone international? That must cost a ton of money!"
1995-Present..."Can you fix my computer" or "Wow did you build that??! "You spent 2 grand on that! Awesome! Can you build me one?" or the other computer enthusiast "Oh you don't have this part or that part so mine is better than yours" (almost like who has a bigger penis contest)
Movie collection... Late 80's-1997 "You spent how much on a Laser Disc" You spent 40-50 dollars for each one of these movies?? Are you Crazy??" (I had 1200 of them between the wife and I)
1997-present I get zero comments on my vast collection of movies mostly on Blu Ray. DVDs and Blu Rays are so mainstream now.
My huge collection of Classic Rock CDs... "Why don't you just buy them in MP3 format?" "Why don't you own the original records?" "You mean you don't like (insert new band here) that (insert Classic Rock group here) are a bunch of dinosaurs" "That's nice my Grandpa / Dad likes those songs"
Nobody will understand my hobbies but I did not get into the hobbies I am into to please others. I am in the age group (early 40's) where I am not old enough to have gone to Woodstock to have enjoyed Classic Rock concerts when these bands were in their prime. So I get tired of people born 1959 and before telling me that I am a young whipper snapper or just a baby. On the other side of the coin I don't understand the generation born in the 1980's to present. I don't get into the fancy video games, gadgets and having the latest and greatest cell phone. I don't like most of the current crap they call music. I typically have nothing in common with people in their 20's and 30's. People in their 40's are a mixed bag because they all have kids and are married and have no time for friends outside of their family members or the close circle of friends they have known since Kindergarten.
sorry for the long post...