Ridiculed By Non-Flashlight Lovers

[INRETECH]

Very good point "Make a business out of it and then all the flashlights you buy all of sudden become market research That's what I say"

Now, I can "play" all I want with flashlights and tell my family/friends its Research - never thought of it that way

My gradeschool teacher wrote in my 8th grade yearbook "Mike - the inventor of the next electric light bulb" - I didn't think much back then about it, but I guess he knew something that I didn't know

I don't consider it a hobby, I consider having a flashlight one of things you carry with you - BE PREPARED

You never know when you are going to be in a building that suddenly loses power, or in a theature and have to walk out without tripping over someone or something

How many times have you picked up a flashlight that you really needed and it didn't work because of poor-construction, dead batteries - or a burned out bulb; I know that I can trust my LED MagLite flashlight and depend on it; just like I can always trust RPN "ENTER > ="

 

[darkgear.com]

Heh, try lighting up a 5W Royal Blue in a theatre. The look on peoples' faces are priceless. They think an alien invasion is coming. Flashlight antics in a crowded theatre deserves its own thread...

 

[Joe Talmadge]

If only she were more logical. I tried the line about, "I could be spending all this money on booze and floozies, aren't you glad I'm just buying flashlights instead?" You will be shocked -- shocked -- to find out that that line didn't work at all. I don't think she appreciates the elegance of my argument.

Last night, she walked in on me while I was on the internet looking at pictures of flashlights (McGizmo's page, if you must pry). I snapped my head around with a guilty expression on my face, to see her giving me that look. I say, "you wish I just surfed the internet for porn, like a normal guy, don't you?" "Well, you're not normal, that's for sure."

Joe

 

[BuddTX]

Originally posted by Albany Tom:
Excellent suggestions.

Another is to do a critical look up and down at her next time she mentions the flashlights, and ask, in a sweet concerned voice, "Honey, are you feeling ok, you look a little heavier".

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">OR, how about the classic:

"Gee honey, you sure looked pretty yesterday!"

 

[BuddTX]

Originally posted by INRETECH:
All those people that ridicule us, are in the "dark side"

Why is duct-tape like the force ?

It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the universe together

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">WOW! The mysteries of life explained, and so simply!

As they say, "if you can't fix it, DUCK IT!"

 

[Kiessling]

hey, never noticed that all people having some not-too-usual hobby are sort of "outlaws"?
and find each other forming groups such as the CPF or R/C-clubs? to feel at home ...
are looked upon as weird? or maybe they are, considering the existing difference between a flashaholic and the standard human being?
are mostly male? (do not laugh and think it over: gun collectors, stamp collectos, R/C-freaks, flashaholics, online-gamers, car-lovers,fantasy-gamers, ... you name it.)
often have difficulties in finding women due to their sticking-together and absorption in their hobbies? and there we flashaholics are lucky, because I consider our passion a mild one, we can alway claim it is a useful hobby, at least to a certain degree ...

no, offense to anyone, just posting thoughts that were there a long time now, and this is JUST the right moment and place to cry it out !!!

bernhard

 

[Bmccue1964]

So, I'm not the only one secretly wishing for extended power outages (with not property damage or injury of course)!

 

[BuddTX]

Originally posted by kiessling:
hey, never noticed that all people having some not-too-usual hobby are sort of "outlaws"?
and find each other forming groups such as the CPF or R/C-clubs? to feel at home ...
are looked upon as weird? or maybe they are, considering the existing difference between a flashaholic and the standard human being?
are mostly male? (do not laugh and think it over: gun collectors, stamp collectos, R/C-freaks, flashaholics, online-gamers, car-lovers,fantasy-gamers, ... you name it.)
often have difficulties in finding women due to their sticking-together and absorption in their hobbies? and there we flashaholics are lucky, because I consider our passion a mild one, we can alway claim it is a useful hobby, at least to a certain degree ...

no, offense to anyone, just posting thoughts that were there a long time now, and this is JUST the right moment and place to cry it out !!!

bernhard

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Women have their own unique hobbies too. Quilting! Tubberware. Soap Operas. Shopping. Cooking (I very much indulge in this one too, not just a female hobby!)

 

[Kiessling]

you have Tupperware / Tubberware too in the USA? oh my god! and I thought this demon is only haunting the Germans.
But on the other hand: you're supposed to have your little part of the nine hells too, shouldn't you?

but in general I think women are much less obsessive with thir hobbies than we men are (if you leave out shoes, hehe). I didn't want this to turn in a battle of the sexes though ... hope no one feels offended by my (personal) thoughts.

bernhard

 

[Rothrandir]

most of us are males...and even more of us are humans...

someone should start a post in the cafe "are you female?" seriously...i am curious to know.

 

[Albany Tom]

Originally posted by Joe Talmadge:
If only she were more logical. I tried the line about, "I could be spending all this money on booze and floozies, aren't you glad I'm just buying flashlights instead?" You will be shocked -- shocked -- to find out that that line didn't work at all. I don't think she appreciates the elegance of my argument.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Guys,

You cannot use a logical argument to defeat an emotional response. Come on. Did you not learn anything in "guy vs woman 101"?? The reason you want a flashlight is because you want one. You like them. That's it. It's a feeling you have about them. They're enjoyable to have and play with. "Don't you want me to be happy?"

Then, the second time around, ask if she's mad at you, or upset. If she's bothering you about something you really enjoy, it must be that she is upset about something. Why else would she make negative comments about something you like so much?

 

[txwest]

My situation is much like Tombeis. My wife died in 1990. Had kids 5 & 7. Gave up most of my life the next 12 years, & now they're both out of the house, & I intend to do & spend what I want on whatever interest I have at the time. I have probably 100+ lights. If I'm with someone or in a group & can spur any interest in my light hobby, I'll be glad to show my collection. If I get the "I have a 2D Maglight that fits my needs", I put the lights away, as there can be no technical appreciation in this enviornment. Their loss, not mine. TX

 

[INRETECH]

From the comment:

As they say, "if you can't fix it, DUCK IT!"

Red Green would say "If women don't find you handsome, they can find you handy"

When I was married, my wife didn't undestand why I had a $2500 flashlight either (on loan from www.peakbeam.com)

 

[Lux Luthor]

Originally posted by txwest:
...If I get the "I have a 2D Maglight that fits my needs", I put the lights away, as there can be no technical appreciation in this enviornment. Their loss, not mine. TX

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I agree. Never again will I cast my pearls before swine. I even got that kind of reaction showing someone an Arc AAA one time. The fool!

 

[brightnorm]

Originally posted by Lux Luthor:

...I agree. Never again will I cast my pearls before swine....... I even got that kind of reaction showing someone an Arc AAA one time. The fool!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I actually used that "Pearls befor Swine" term with some unappreciative friends after demonstrating my E2e/KL1.

I say "Long live the swine, who make us treasure our pearls even more!"

Brightnorm

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I showed my cousin, who is a freak about some things (right now Radio Scanners) my ARC AAA.

He didn't even bat an eye. I mentioned that it lives a long time, is very well built and that I have it hanging on a bead chain around my neck so it is ALWAYS available. Some folks you just can't reach.

 

[Kiessling]

now listen to this:
today I received my McGizmo 5W Cyan C2/M2 and showed it to my love, and ... she liked it!! she was even impressed when she saw it destroying my Arc LS. and no bad remarks on the price ...

... a sign, this is a sign!

bernhard

 

[Slick]

I must be lucky.. I'm pretty sure that my little lady owns more flashlights than some CPF members here..

Every once in a while, she even brings me home a new flashlight if it's something that she thinks I can use that she know's I don't already have.

While some of the lights she has bought for me are very limited in their use, it really warms my heart that she takes time thinking about what I like.

 

[ygbsm]

Have any of you been in this situation? You see a new product that looks useful, e.g. a Leatherman Tool. You buy it long before its popular and you show it to people who look at you like you're nuts for being interested in such a thing and rave about their Swiss Army Knife. Then some years later you see that they now have bought the very same thing. These are the same people who thought you were nuts to pay $15 to buy a Maglite and now have one of their feeble keychain lights. So you try one last time. You tell them about this new flashlight that makes the Maglite look like a joke. Why do you need that bright a light? They say. And the batteries cost what? And now the same people come to you and say "I saw this great looking flashlight in the Sharper Image/Cabelas catalog or some magazine, I think I'll get one. AARGH!

 

[INRETECH]

I don't understand why they complain, other hobbies are FAR more expensive and dangerous

My friend has about $20k wrapped up in his scubagear and camera; no one seems to seem to question that