Other Things You Do that Others don't Get

[Big Don]

Reading the holocaust comic thread it occurred to me that as much as I read I am baffled by those who do not read for pleasure. As Martial Artists, most people either misunderstand what we do or just plain don't understand why anyone would. What activities in your life baffle your friends and acquaintance's?

For me, I am a voracious reader (5 books a week all varieties of fiction)
I am a Kenpoist
I love to shoot, be it pistols, rifles or shotguns.

 

[Fiendlover]

that fact that i know how to read. lol its true though. i like to read to and everytime i offer a book suggestion they say always that'll wait for the movie. and also i am currently writing my third novel to a series and my first 2 r both over 300 pages and this is in 12 font, single spaced, and its on 8 by 12 inch paper so its not even in paper back form. i checked and it would be like 700 pages in a paperback. and im a highschool student at 17. none of my friends can believe this and dont understand how i can do it. and i bet a lot of them though will wait for the movie. and the thing is that it may not be a movie. so that'll mean that'll never get read. it disgusts me sometimes that we evolve around movies than literature.:disgust:

 

[Carol]

My job. I think what I hear most from family or friends is "But Carol, I still don't understand what you DO."

Magic

 

[shudokan-RN]

I also am book-aholic
I will go to the grocery store at 10:00pm if I finish my last book, and dont have anything to read.

I would rather read than watch TV

I go to the Library every Sat. and pick 7 books. the only criteria being that I havent read them before.

My Job. I am a Nurse in the O.R., nothing can gross me out

marci

 

[Jade Tigress]

Yep. Books. I love to read. I also enjoy drawing, though I have little time for either these days. I do manage to read on my breaks at work and sometimes in the evening. Drawing, almost never anymore. I used to do it almost daily, but it's been years now since I had that kind of time.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Qigong
Being accident prone
Watching cartoons

 

[Ceicei]

Kenpo, Jujitsu, and caving.

All these three things often confuse people... they don't know why I love these activities so much nor do they understand the appeal, especially with caving.

I read books a lot, but this is not considered unusual where I live. There are many, many book lovers around.

- Ceicei

 

[newGuy12]

I have a toshiba laptop that I am constantly messing with. That is, I will install an Operating System and I will tweak it to get it just to my liking. I write these scripts to automate things, and have the "power steering" feeling.

Then, when it is done, I reformat it and install a different distribution. I have desktop machines that I am happy to get to my liking and then to leave them be, but I have a very strong compulsion to constantly mess with my laptop, I cannot keep my hands off it it, even if it robs me of sleep.

I only read for fun at night before sleep. During the day I read for fun, but fun as in "I will learn how to do XXXXX by reading this material."

Edit: There is not enough money in the world for me to go into a cave! Hahaha!

 

[thardey]

I like Ballroom dancing -- there's nothing like the feeling of "racing" a friendly couple around the floor in a Viennese waltz done to "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal.

But just try to get most men to try a lesson or two -- good luck! But many of my friends from dancing don't understand why I do Karate. The only people who understand both are my friends from fencing.

 

[Ceicei]

I have a toshiba laptop that I am constantly messing with. That is, I will install an Operating System and I will tweak it to get it just to my liking. I write these scripts to automate things, and have the "power steering" feeling.

Then, when it is done, I reformat it and install a different distribution. I have desktop machines that I am happy to get to my liking and then to leave them be, but I have a very strong compulsion to constantly mess with my laptop, I cannot keep my hands off it it, even if it robs me of sleep.

Sounds like my husband... he does the same, not just with his laptop, but with the other computers as well... we have five computers and six laptops in the house.... all of them functioning and he is constantly upgrading and tweaking things, just to see if he can get things "better than before". :idunno:

During the day I read for fun, but fun as in "I will learn how to do XXXXX by reading this material."

:eye-popping: You mean something worse than triple X stuff? :wink1:

Edit: There is not enough money in the world for me to go into a cave! Hahaha!

As long as I have my caving rig with me and my 4x4 SUV, I'll go for free! I'll be more than happy to go in your behalf... :uhyeah:

- Ceicei

 

[terryl965]

Me reading is great and do it alot, the other thing is collecting I have over five million Baseball, Basketball and Football cards. People do not understand and I really cannot tell them why I collect them and they also do not understand doing MA for over forty years and still doing it.

 

[Xue Sheng]

NOTHING I am FEARED by all :mst:.... just don't tell my wife I said that OK :uhoh: :anic:


Basically they do not get why I train Chinese Martial Arts and buy books to read

 

[MA-Caver]

Edit: There is not enough money in the world for me to go into a cave! Hahaha!

As long as I have my caving rig with me and my 4x4 SUV, I'll go for free! I'll be more than happy to go in your behalf... :uhyeah:

- Ceicei

One look at my screen name shows it all. A little time spent on a thread Flatlander created for me on this forum will say it all as well, clicking on my signature link does too.
Though I do more caving than Martial Arts these days I still incorporate my (MA) training into my caving. Balance, overcoming fear(s), energy conservation, movement, strength, awareness, staying calm & peaceful in high stress situations, etc, etc.
I pass this along to my fellow cavers and one of them was intrigued enough to actually enroll himself into a Wing Chun school on top of his already busy work/school schedule.
So yeah, Ceicei, whom I'm proud to say has been one of my better students (along with her eldest son) has learned the benefits of caving as well.
So newGuy12 I'll be just as happy to cave on your behalf as well... and anyone else here.
I've non-MA and non-caving friends who just can't figure it out either. Both arts are very similar in that they're not for everyone.

 

[Fabio]

Sounds like my husband... he does the same, not just with his laptop, but with the other computers as well... we have five computers and six laptops in the house.... all of them functioning and he is constantly upgrading and tweaking things, just to see if he can get things "better than before". :idunno:

Yeah, sounds just like me. Sometimes I wonder how (and why) my wife puts up with so many computer all over the house.

 

[arnisador]

My job. I think what I hear most from family or friends is "But Carol, I still don't understand what you DO."

Heh, I get some of this too. My brother thinks my research must involve just adding really big numbers together.

 

[newGuy12]

I have over five million Baseball, Basketball and Football cards.

Good gosh!

Regarding caving -- I would be afraid of getting attacked by bats! :erg::jaw-dropping::anic:

 

[MA-Caver]

Good gosh!

Regarding caving -- I would be afraid of getting attacked by bats! :erg::jaw-dropping::anic:

You thilly man!

 

[thardey]

You thilly man!

Not that silly, bats can be dangerous, especially in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

Why a bat-wielding thug would be in a cave, though, is beyond me.

 

[morph4me]

I like Ballroom dancing -- there's nothing like the feeling of "racing" a friendly couple around the floor in a Viennese waltz done to "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal.

But just try to get most men to try a lesson or two -- good luck! But many of my friends from dancing don't understand why I do Karate. The only people who understand both are my friends from fencing.

It's twoo, it's twoo :boing2:.

 

[Ceicei]

Not that silly, bats can be dangerous, especially in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

Why a bat-wielding thug would be in a cave, though, is beyond me.

:rofl: