A Question

[ddyke]

I am a Slot car collector and when I get a chance I will race them. My track is currently down.

Here is the question. I have a friend who wants to do an intervention on me. She says that slot cars are an addiction that will destroy my family. OK, she is a control freak. I have said to her what most of you would say. She is crazy enough to try it. Proof? She has a degree in marriage counseling. My wife thinks the woman is crazy. Every time we see her and her husband they always bring it up. We refuse to go out with them. Would it be justifiable to ___________________ them? ;-) My real question is if you know people this obsessed against hobbies.

[dreinecke]

First question: why is this crazy person a friend?
Second question: why would you listen to someone who is against slot cars?
Third question: how big a hole do you need? Is this a single wide or a double?

I have had people tell me that they can't have hobbies because it is seen as selfish on their part against their spouse. However, they play softball, golf, bowling, drinking <INSERT ACTIVITY HERE>. My argument with this is that:

1) I'm home. My wife can find me
2) I don't play with them every night. Family first
3) My hobby pays for itself, so I'm not taking money out of the family coffers
4) Bite me!

[goosenapper]

My wife has in the past jokingly referred to me as "crazy paint man," primarily because I find myself drawn to the spraypaint racks at the hobby shop and generally leave with an armful. I mentioned this to my local hobby shop proprietor who said something along the lines of, "spending money on paint sure beats spending it on crack."

This falls in line with what David said. Your hobby keeps you home. You're (presumably) not out drinking in the bars ever night. As long as you are not lying and/or spending rent/mortgage money on slot cars, then you aren't harming anyone.

But I do agree with one aspect of your quasi-friend's argument. Almost anything in excess can be destructive. So while her concern may be genuine, it sounds in your case misdirected. If you do wish to remain friends with them, tell them how it makes you feel when they bring it up. They'll either understand or she'll end up writing a book about how messed up she thinks you are! :lol:

[ddyke]

Double wide.

As long as I get proceeds from the book.

1, 2 &4 are true of me.
3 is in part and I do other things to get money for slots. I made $2000 this past year out of scrap metal. A little less than half goes to slots. About 20% to tools. About 30% goes to other people. I am going to talk to them the next time about the man's obsession with tennis.

They asked us to go out recently and my wife said no because she does not like them going after me on my hobbies (slots and tools). The lady also went crazy on my lathe and mill.

I am using this list if the topic ever comes up again.

[racer6583]

First question are you and your family having any trouble with your hobby?
Second question dose your family take part in your hobby and have fun when they do?
Third then why dose someone else want to stop you and your family from having fun?

As long as you and your family are together and you all are having more good times than bad tell the over educated friend to go and find herself someone who really needs help or tell her and husband they need a hobby to have a good marriage too.

Just one question for her dose your hubby play golf if so how many times a week and what brand of clubs dose he have I've seen people throw away clubs that cost thousands when I worked as lawn crew for a few place's just cause they got mad at them self.
And if she say's he dose then just give her that look you are ok with that but my slot car hobby bugs you.
Then say BITE ME like Bibb' and Dave said then take three hundred laps and call me in the morn.

[ddyke]

Consensus: Bite me!

My wife does not race BUT we do things together. She just bought me a gun (another hobby) but she does not shoot. This Saturday we will see the Hobbit. She also knows that when I die that tools, guns, and slots can be sold.

[padirtfan]

I'm fortunate enough to have a wife that likes the fact that, at 58, I still have that little kid mentality and play with my toys.

[RazorJon]

Next time you are with that couple, tell them you have given up slot cars and tools, then strip your clothes off and tell them you are going to be a nudist :laughing-rolling:

[waaytoomuchintothis]

1.) I like Jon's idea. But then I have the body for it.

2.) I ran into a nutter in seminary years ago who was completely convinced that any alcohol at all, any time, made you an alcoholic forever. Nothing could make him straighten up. No amount of medical info, biochemical info, or studies about alcoholism done for 100 years or more could shake him. After seeing people reach out to this twit for a couple of years, seeing him stand like a mindless stone wall against everything said to him by wonderful, sincere people, I took him aside and bluntly asked him who the alcoholic had been in his family that made him adopt this silliness. He was shocked enough to tell the truth. From what he told me, I am sure your couple is in serious trouble of their own, in denial the same way he was. Maybe its time for a blunt question... Ask it. Whether you help them or not, I bet they leave you alone. Edna St. Vincent Millay said she had an aunt who "mercilessly, understood me". Seems like a good tactic to me.

[Ember]

Hmmm.... Sounds like she's the one who needs the intervention. "Your insistence on criticizing my hobbies and the state of the relationship between my wife and I will destroy our friendship. If you don't cease immediately I will have to intervene."

I would like to add further to the recommendations of 4) BITE ME and with a 5) SOD OFF!

[LAMing]

And who, exactly, invited her into your marriage?

Be polite about if you want... but I'd tell her to kiss-off and have one less set of goofballs as "friends".

Some people need to get over themselves: They do NOT have all the answers for "others".

[whitworthnut]

Have to agree with Rob on this. Her marriage is in trouble. If its not, its just that neither one of them knows it yet.

[Cjent]

Agree with all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[2FER SLOTS]

I am afraid I may be having a similar problem :oops:
I do the same thing nearly everyday,stay at it from 8:00 to 5:30.
Makes me tired,interferes with my marriage,gives me stress.....might even make me drink a little beer.
If it weren't for a day job we could do a lot more of what makes life fun.....like hobbies we enjoy :dance:

I would have to add my vote to the collective "Bite Me" with a considerate tone of voice.

[ddyke]

I asked one of our counseling teachers today and he loved the bite me comments. He also agreed with Rob that the woman's marriage was probably in trouble.