LJ Idol, Week 4: "What does narcissism have to do with me?"

[alexmegami]

"If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now." - Zaphod Beeblebrox, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


Your hobbies are intrinsically about you, some core aspect of your personality. Even if your hobbies only go as far as "that's what my friends like to do", that tells you something about yourself - even if it's just that you're a follower who's more interested in going with the flow than actually figuring out your own likes and dislikes.

The worst is when you have hobbies that no one else around you enjoys. Extra points if they've never even heard of it, or have only heard of the most basic examples of it. ("Japanimation" =/= "Sailor Moon"! Do you remember the days when it used to be called Japanimation? Now I really feel old.)

My fellow-geeks-well-met will recognize this, but I suspect it's true of anyone with a really obscure hobby (model trains? stamp collecting?). The first time you meet other people like you - people who love to dress up as their favorite characters, who can discuss the endless minutiae of the slight differences in stamp print runs, whose goal in life is to own the entire set of the American Flyer series - that's the greatest moment in the world.

You've been validated. Other people not only understand your love, they share it.

It's coming home.

There will always be the crotchety elders of the family ("I remember when you had to walk six miles uphill both ways in the blazing heat just to get a glimpse of Shatner while filming Wrath of Khan!"), and the younger generation with their boundless energy and their complete lack of social etiquette (I was that kid that would use Japanese words in every other sentence, regardless of my conversational partner) and there's sometimes, yes, the creepy old uncle who takes it too far, even by family standards.

Because they're still your tribe: they understood, when no one else did. And sometimes that can hurt, when they fuck up. But it can be fantastic. It can keep you going when nothing else can.

And sometimes you'll move on, find another family of choice, but - barring severe exceptions - you'll probably look back on that time with fondness.

What is it like to have a deep, abiding interest in something that's well-accepted by the world? Is there such a thing? (TV probably doesn't fit this - I have a suspicion that your average Joe would look askance at your average Troper, for example. Nor your job - we call those "workaholics". Celebrities? Sports?)

What is your deep, abiding love? What kept you going when nothing else did?

Comments

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Ninja turtles -- which sounds a bit silly, but it works. ;)

I think sports is the one that most people understand -- even those of us on the outside know a little about it, simply because it's everywhere.

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

Art saves.

[basric.livejournal.com]

It's true. Well written. I liked it.

[sweeny-todd.livejournal.com]

ahahaha! yes! I do remember "japanimation"! Wow.. I had forgotten I knew it though ^_^

this was a great read!

[vampedvixen.livejournal.com]

I like how this piece brings out some of the geeky aspects of writer. As a fellow geek, I appreciate that. I also like how you leave the readers with a question to take home with them. Very nice!

[noodledays.livejournal.com]

what a great take on this topic! and this, "Other people not only understand your love, they share it. It's coming home" that's exactly what it can feel like - beautifully done.

[malruniel11.livejournal.com]

I know that feeling well. That's when I spend time with my Devil's Panties friends, of when I go to Dragon*Con. Those friends are my lifeline.

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

I remember when it used to be called Japanimation and it was harder to find than drugs. :D

[deviantnextdoor.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed your perspective. It was a fun read. Your ending was a great invitation to participate.
Mysticism and Magic.

[bewize.livejournal.com]

Lovely entry. The six miles to see Kahn makes me laugh. :D

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

I remember Japanimation! When I was in high school, my best guy friend talked about it non-stop!

You're very right about hobbies bringing people together. For me, I find the dog park to be my social dream... I can talk about dogs and people care! I know so many things about dogs and dog breeds, I could write several books... But you never know who cares to hear about that. At the dog park, we share a common bond :)

[mstrobel.livejournal.com]

I'm a huge classic film fan, and almost ten years ago now I met a few girls online who a) shared that same love and 2) were actually my age! (Of the core group of six of us, four were born in 1982, one in 1983 and one in 1980) We hit it off splendidly and three of us are still extremely tight to this day. It's so lovely when we can just all travel back in time together and squeal over actresses and films that sadly a lot of our other friends have just never heard of. For my birthday this year, two of us went to the BFI to see a double bill of Bringing Up Baby and Ball of Fire - we were the youngest there by DECADES.

[poppetawoppet.livejournal.com]

well I've driven 4 hours to see a thirty minute set by Kris Allen, if that counts :D

[n-maranda-coy.livejournal.com]

There's an annual convention I go to where I have been asked more than once on a panel called HOW SCIENCE FICTION SAVED MY LIFE. And we speakers mean it literally.

And since I can't go to that con this year, my convention family is bringing the con to me, by helping me host a speculative fiction book signing at my bookstore.

I really love how you turned the focus of this piece from the Self to the Other.

It *is* coming home.

[genesisdesire.livejournal.com]

Kawaii desu-ne, baka-yo! (Stop me before I fangirl again.) Oh, Japanimation. Oh, Sailor Moon, how you used to fill up my mornings.

And I love TvTropes. I don't know why, it's just...it's weirdly engaging and funny and you will never ever run out of stuff to read.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

My deep abiding love is travel - I can always tell if something's up in my life, because I'll find reasons to stay on the road!

I remember Japanamation, too :)