Is this normal?

[Hellbore]

I just gotta get something off my chest, does anyone else do this?

Whenever I get a new LED light, I shine it around for no reason, especially if the new light is brighter than my other lights. I compare the beams to my other lights, over and over, as if to remind myself that the new one is brighter. It gets wierder. I'll sometimes take the light to bed with me and turn off all the lights and just shine it around, looking at how it lights up the room or the walls etc. I keep my flashlight collection near my bed so I can look at my lights with the lights off and compare how each lights up the room via cieling bounce. I seem to feel the need to do this more when I'm stressed out from school and stuff. I'll sometimes lie there shining the light around until I fall asleep. It's like the light is comforting or soothing or something. Sometimes when I'm stressed or scared about the future it feels like the cool brilliant light of my LED flashlights is the only thing that can make me feel better. It's like a light in dark times, literally. For some reason it helps, it's like therapy.

Anyway just wanted to see if anyone else is as crazy as I am.

 

[1pt21]

I will admit that I partake in all of the above mentioned practices, with the exception of playing with them in bed (I'd never fall asleep, have enough trouble without bringing toys with me :shakehead).

I see nothing wrong with this practice at all, though at first it often resulted in the "crooked eye" look from the wife :nana:. She is now accustomed to all my weird flashlight practices and often chimes in about which light she likes better and why, I then toss them over to her to play with and comment on. It makes me smile!


--Paul

 

[Hellbore]

Hehe, well that's different I suppose, sharing a bed and all. I suppose if I was married I couldn't get away with sone of my shenanigans...

 

[CostcoAAcells]

No, it's not normal. But I do it too.

 

[1pt21]

Well in a way I do kind of the same thing I suppose; she sleeps like a rock and goes to bed WAAY before I do. So with all the lights out, while she's sleeping, from my computer chair is when the ceiling bounce tests commence :candle:

I know exactly what you're talking about in the theraputic sense as well, sometimes hours will pass just messing around with some new toys. We all have our quirks dont we???

 

[tygger]

I would take time to write a long post about how wierd you guys are but its late and I've got 15 min. of white wall hunting, candle-mode-in-the-bathroom while tooth brushing/face washing, low-mode comparison testing, and in-bed-ceiling-bounce-tests to do before I can get to sleep.

 

[Black Rose]

Well in a way I do kind of the same thing I suppose; she sleeps like a rock and goes to bed WAAY before I do. So with all the lights out, while she's sleeping, from my computer chair is when the ceiling bounce tests commence :candle:

Similar situation with me.

Sometimes my wife will ask me in the morning if I was playing with my lights in the dark the night before

 

[Oddjob]

I see nothing wrong with your behaviour, I do that stuff too. If my wife is away for the weekend, the lights in my house never get turned on.

 

[Turbo DV8]

I just gotta get something off my chest... I seem to feel the need to do this more when I'm stressed out from school and stuff... It's like the light is comforting or soothing or something... Sometimes when I'm stressed or scared about the future it makes me feel better... For some reason it helps, it's like therapy... Anyway just wanted to see if anyone else is as crazy as I am.

May I introduce you to Dr. Phil?

 

[toolpig1]

:thinking::mecry::thinking:

 

[bluecrow76]

Its definitely a symptom, and flashoholism is the diagnosis!

Some of use the excuse of walking the dog so the wife doesn't have to be witness to the madness as often... the trick is not getting the cops called on you while you're out.

 

[sweetlight]

I would think not only is it normal but its probably expected behavior for any regular in this forum. If you spend alot of time and money on your lights like many of us do then you are going to want to get your monies worth out of them. I'm thinking that most of us do this in part out of need but in bigger part out of hobby so doing the things you mentioned sound like a normal part of the hobby to me.

 

[Guy's Dropper]

Honestly, I've been doing that since I was 3, and I have not stopped. Obviously It's not "normal", but "normal" is not necessarily better, or even good.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Totally normal.

Ask any real flashaholic!

 

[allburger]

I guess its a Man thing!

 

[bullfrog]

It's like the light is comforting or soothing or something. Sometimes when I'm stressed or scared about the future it feels like the cool brilliant light of my LED flashlights is the only thing that can make me feel better. It's like a light in dark times, literally. For some reason it helps, it's like therapy.

Anyway just wanted to see if anyone else is as crazy as I am.

+1 I'm the exact same way and (thank god!) my family has come to accept it :twothumbs

But honestly, about it being almost compulsive and soothing: I'm pretty convinced this is tied into our human instinct that light = safety and comfort, stemming back to our hominid beginnings. I'd argue that its hardwired into our brain. Why else would children be afraid of the dark or babies need night-lights? I'm the same way with our fireplace or campfire - I'm drawn to it and soothed by it...

 

[russthetoolman]

of white wall hunting, candle-mode-in-the-bathroom while tooth brushing/face washing, low-mode comparison testing, and in-bed-ceiling-bounce-tests to do before I can get to sleep


Whenever I get a new LED light, I shine it around for no reason, especially if the new light is brighter than my other lights. I compare the beams to my other lights, over and over, as if to remind myself that the new one is brighter. It gets wierder. I'll sometimes take the light to bed with me and turn off all the lights and just shine it around, looking at how it lights up the room or the walls etc. I keep my flashlight collection near my bed so I can look at my lights with the lights off and compare how each lights up the room via cieling bounce. I seem to feel the need to do this more when I'm stressed out from school and stuff. I'll sometimes lie there shining the light around until I fall asleep. It's like the light is comforting or soothing or something. Sometimes when I'm stressed or scared about the future it feels like the cool brilliant light of my LED flashlights is the only thing that can make me feel better. It's like a light in dark times, literally. For some reason it helps, it's like therapy.


Dang, I was reading this and thought I wrote it!!!!
I am doing these same things and I cut the electic bill $5 last month using my lights!!
It's nice to know we are not alone in this
Russ

 

[Marlinaholic]

Don't do it much in bed but I do work at night outside sometimes and instead of turning on my yard light, I leave it dark on purpose so I can test my lights as I walk to my shop. I figured I spent way more than a "normal" person on my nitecore, Fenix, ect. lights and its just fun comparing them and still being amazed by how much light they can put out. Thank god for rechargeable batteries though

 

[e2x2e]

Haha anybody who joins a flashlight forum is a little nuts. Just go with the flow, and don't feel bad...there are over 7,000 of us!!

 

[nitesky]

Define normal. Could be worse, such as drugs or alcoholism. This has some utility and sometimes I can research ideas for work.

I suppose any collection group has similar patterns whether it is comparing cars, cameras, guns, antique furniture, or whatnot. Just check other forums.