Do People Think You're Weird?

[appleponygal]

I have always been weird...I shall wear my weirdness with pride

However, I work on a weirdness pecking order...people out there collect seriously odder things than toys. I once saw a show where a man collected false teeth...now he was weird

 False teeth? Arggh! That is darn scary!

[Sora]

I don't really pay attention to the people around me, and even if I did, I wouldn't care about what they thought
I know the staff from the majority of stores I visit anyway, and they know anything I buy is for me unless otherwise stated.

[rybett]

I march to the beat of my own accordion.  'Nuff said.

[LittleSpiffy]

I have always been weird...I shall wear my weirdness with pride

However, I work on a weirdness pecking order...people out there collect seriously odder things than toys. I once saw a show where a man collected false teeth...now he was weird

Oh my goodess!  Okay, so I had this idea once for a art project and it involved false teeth.  I thought "used false teeth, I bet they're cheap on eBay!"  Um, no.  Apparently used dentures ARE collectible! Maybe people are re-using them for their original purpose (ew)?  I couldn't believe it.  The price for used chompers was too rich for my blood, so  I shelved the idea I had ^_^

[ashes]

Not particularly.  Most of my friends know I collect (and even a relatively new friend who works for ebay went to Comic Con and out of the blue surprised me with Nightmare Moon).

Maybe it's because most of my friends are around my age and remember ponies from their childhood (and some even have kids who like the new show), maybe I'm old enough to not care who knows, and maybe because half the time I'm in the pony aisle my kids are with me anyway.  *shrugs*

I think what has helped was that when I really started collecting back in 1993 (since I don't really consider my childhood ponies as "collecting" since at that time I didn't view them as a collection) my mom was really supportive.  She's a collector too (but of antique furniture), so she understood the thrill of the hunt and finding the absolute perfect item to add to your collection.  So every month we would go to our local flea market together and she would help me spot ponies for sale among the vendor.  From 1993 - 1997 was when I really amassed the majority of my G1s.  So I never had that fear of hiding it from my family or anything like that.

[DazzleKitty]

I have never gotten any looks from anyone. I dunno what kinds of stores you guys are shopping at but these people must all be jerks, LOL.

I remember when I worked as a cashier I didn't care what people bought. If they were buying toys I assumed it was a gift for a kid.

I have told some cashiers I collect the ponies I am buying if they comment on it, like they'll say it's cute or something. Usually they take an interest and are shocked when I relay how many I have. I have never gotten anything really negative.

[Sugar]

Meh, people don't think I'm weird... they know I'm weird.   So much easier than trying to pass myself off as "normal."  (Like the advert says, whatever your normal is. )

Mind you, I'm in my forties, and no-one looks twice at a woman of my age buying ponies; they all immediately assume I've got a daughter/niece/whatever at home.  And the cashiers around these parts must not be of the Chatty Cathy variety, because I consider myself fortunate if I get a greeting and a thank you.