When your spouse thinks your crazy...

[Alvin]

I just wanted to get some feedback from other puppeteers out there...my wife thinks I am crazy! I am planning on getting my puppets pictures taken with Santa..I am wanting to do MORE with my puppets...and everytime I say anything about them...she just rolls her eyes...just wanted to see if I am the only one who acts like a kid at 39 years old...and people around me think I am crazy...my 14 year old daughter who even performs with me...is starting to think I am nuts!

 

[beaker]

Im almost 34 and have stayed single so long as I am holding out til I find someone who is equally creative and nerdy as me. That rocks your daughter well into the "rebellious" phase digs performing with you. In this world of cgi over saturation, we need more puppetry!

 

[King Rupert]

My wife has always been really supportive of my love for the Muppets. It's about balance. You can't be crazy all the time.

 

[robodog]

No, you aren't the only one. I kind of gave up puppetry years ago when I realized I could never perform in front of an audience but I get odd looks from people for a lot of the things I do. I collect toy dogs, but I don't just collect them, I talk to them, I make sure they can see the TV when I'm watching something and I generally treat them as if they were alive.

Frankly I think getting your puppets' picture taken with Santa is an awesome idea. I should do that with one of my dogs. I've had pictures done of my pets with Santa ( including my five foot long iguana ) but never a puppet or toy. I think it would be a fun thing to do just to see the look on people's faces.

 

[beaker]

No, you aren't the only one. I kind of gave up puppetry years ago when I realized I could never perform in front of an audience but I get odd looks from people for a lot of the things I do. I collect toy dogs, but I don't just collect them, I talk to them, I make sure they can see the TV when I'm watching something and I generally treat them as if they were alive.

Frankly I think getting your puppets' picture taken with Santa is an awesome idea. I should do that with one of my dogs. I've had pictures done of my pets with Santa ( including my five foot long iguana ) but never a puppet or toy. I think it would be a fun thing to do just to see the look on people's faces.

You should start up a meetup.com or facebook page for other dog memorabilia collectors or just general canine enthusists. Shoot, I wish I could have a dog in my apartment. Everywhere I go I see people with their cute dogs(tho many look like they're very expensive)

Remember though, life is all about balance!

 

[robodog]

I don't really have a facebook page. I don't really know enough people to make it worthwhile.

The fear of finding myself in a position where I can't have a dog is part of the reason I collect toy dogs. I need dogs in my life to be happy even if those dogs are just plastic.

 

[newsmanfan]

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I don't think enjoying life with your puppets makes you weird in a BAD way! Heck, look at all the people whose interests are hurtful to others: S&M, cooking Spam, the Senate...relatively, doing things with your puppets is so endearing as to be commendable!

I don't treat my stuffies as though they're alive anymore...umm...but I do bring my Palisades Newsie out to watch the news with me...
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[beaker]

I don't really have a facebook page. I don't really know enough people to make it worthwhile.

The fear of finding myself in a position where I can't have a dog is part of the reason I collect toy dogs. I need dogs in my life to be happy even if those dogs are just plastic.

Oh! Dude...yeah like having to move or something that won't allow pets. Yeah that would royally suck. I've read your posts, it sounds like you've been through some really rough stuff in your life, and to cope you've woven a sort of safety net that works for you. It just pains me, as I know there's probably others like yourself who might if anything like to know they aren't alone. I've been through some extremely horrible things that would lead a lot of people to drugs or suicide, but it does get better even if you have to do it alone. I used to be agoraphobic, big time ocd, panic attacks, high anxiety reliving past trauma. Not sure how old you are, but I found that as I round near 34, I feel younger and more confident in life than I did a decade ago.

 

[robodog]

Exactly. I think the only reason I'm hanging on now is because of my dogs. If I lost them suicide would start looking like a pretty good option. I don't think I could function without a dog. That's why I love that they have robotic pets now. It doesn't matter where you are. You can have a robot dog anywhere. I collect any and all robot dogs obsessively. I only have a bit of spare cash every month and robot dogs get top priority. Over DVDs, over books, over other toys. If robot dogs are available I have to buy them even if I already have three or four of the same ones.
That's a big reason why I want to study robotics. I'd love to be in a position where I could build my own.
I have OCD, anxiety and panic attacks too. That's another time the robot dogs come in handy. If I'm freaking out I can hold a robotic dog for as long as I need to to help calm me down. Real dogs aren't usually fond of being restrained like that.

 

[D'Snowth]

I just wanted to get some feedback from other puppeteers out there...my wife thinks I am crazy! I am planning on getting my puppets pictures taken with Santa..I am wanting to do MORE with my puppets...and everytime I say anything about them...she just rolls her eyes...just wanted to see if I am the only one who acts like a kid at 39 years old...and people around me think I am crazy...my 14 year old daughter who even performs with me...is starting to think I am nuts!

You know, IMHO, I think your wife should be a little more supportive of what you do... I mean, that is a small aspect of a relationship, respecting what your significant other does, either as a hobby or as a living, and being supportive of that... puppetry and being a puppeteer is a tremendously huge slice of my live, it's a passion of mine, and if a wife of mine rolled her eyes at what's a part of my life, or even think I'm crazy because of it, I would have to tell her, "This isn't going to work, if I respect what you do, you should at least be able to do the same for me."

I know I have to eat my words now,mainly because I think chronic cosplayers are extremelycrazy (and I mean MENTAL) people, and a wonderful young lady I've had my eyes and heart on is exactly one of those chronic cosplayers, I've lost count of how many of these anime conventions she's been to since I've known her these past four years.