Girlfriends, Wives, Significant Others

[rboomsma]

Mine doesnt care.She thinks they look nice and tells me to buy them

My wife supports my collection, she just never asks what I spend. She knows it is alot. She is also Russian and enjoys looking at them and their history. She just does not understand why I got into Mongolian Items. But lets me collect them anyways.

[latinmajorac]

tghanks for everyone's advice! i made my girlfriend sit down and read all of these posts.. she got a kick out of it and decided to give me a break. any other stories or tips are very welcome!

[sovvisor]

Hi
I do it this way. I part with some of my low end stuff that where bought long for almost nothing. ago to friends that have become new collectors. For the stuff I earn I buy new stuff.
Try to sell to buy new is my advice. No complaints from wife.
Best

[Tretov]

My mother hates the uniforms I keep in their house.
My ex girlfriend thought the uniforms ("commie stuff") smelled.
My current girl finds them attractive

[Nota Bene]

I took it one step further. I collect coins, art, guitars, books, etc. - you get the picture and when I finally got tired of my wife complaining about me ruining the family budget I have started a militaria business. No more complains

Alexei

Hi
I do it this way. I part with some of my low end stuff that where bought long for almost nothing. ago to friends that have become new collectors. For the stuff I earn I buy new stuff.
Try to sell to buy new is my advice. No complaints from wife.
Best

[roy]

I'm very fortunate to have a very understanding wife who does not mind my collection. Of course, so long as the necessary bills get paid!

My wife also has an interest in history, geneological research is her main focus. On wekends, we drive to various libraries in a given area for her to research her family, and even to old church cemetaries in remote areas to photograph graves of her ancestors. In fact, she assisted me with my family so that I could join the Sons of the American Revolution. She takes an interest in my Soviet/East Bloc collection as well as other hobbies such as US Civil War artifacts, so when a package arrives in the mail, she will ask, "is it Civil War or Soviet?" Her favorite Soviet medal in my collection is the Order of Friendship of Peoples, and she has taken a keen interest in my Communist Bloc small arms collection by claiming my Soviet Makarov pistol and SKS carbine as hers!

[HuliganRS]

Roy,

My girlfriend claimed one of my Bulgarian Makarovs as hers too!

Too keep things smooth, I told her it's hers.

Now she walks around and tells our friends that she owns a gun...

:thumbsup Rusty.

[deValcourt]

This keeps coming up lately: "Phil, why in the world do you have all that Russian *&%# anyway?" Or even better: "Why do you have more than one of those?"

I used to tell my family and friends that it was a matter of preserving history and to check out my website (justification). After a while I just told them to mind their own business. Still, the subject keeps coming up every so often when someone feels brave enough to venture into that territory to my face.

Lately, I seem to be out of things to say to the same questions I always had a quick (albeit short) answer for.

So I put it to the rest of you folks - especially those who have been collecting far longer and more seriously than I have: what do you tell the naysayers? What do you say to your wives, girlfriends, significant others and those who you do not want to insult or hurt when they simply don't see any practical reason for our obsession?

I'm not trying to be the wet blanket or get anyone down on themselves, but I think this is a subject that we all have to face on one level or another and I'm just hoping that maybe one of you has come up with a good all-around answer to these types of questions. And by all means, if this topic makes you even think about selling off your collection, then 1) I apologize and 2) jump to another thread and forget I asked.

Any thoughts?

Phillip

[Esteban_cool]

I usually answer them the following:
1) I collect this stuff because of their historical value, and
2) It´s my money and how do I spend it is my business (usually after they refuse to accept or keep questioning answer number 1)
3) Because I´m nuts and I´m happy being like that.

[UQWozza]

My usual answer is "I want to".

Simon