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Ever been called an "anorak?"


jakey

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Astronomy has been my hobby since I was ten years old, I thought that it was nothing unusual. However now I am forty I am beginning to notice that people , when they hear of my hobby, think I am a little bit odd. I have even been compared to a train spotter. :x

I get told on a regular basis that I should get a life and a "proper hobby."

I also have other interests, mainly sport related, but as soon as someone hears the word "Astronomy" their eyes glaze over and the usual insults start. I have lost count of the times that I have been compared to Dwain Dibley.

Is it just me or do others have to put up with this?

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It's just you. :D

Personally I find it goes one of two ways, they think you're a 'boffin' or they start babbling on about Astrology. As 'The Boffin' at my local snackbar I get asked any bizarre questions going when I'm around, ranging from the height of the worlds highest mountain to geology of rift valleys and explaining exactly what the 'Rods' phenomenon really is. If they mention astrology I punch them smartly in the nose and they never make that particular mistake again.

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I've never been called an anorak, crazy maybe for standing many hours outside in minus figures, other than that, I get quite a few people wanting to know whats up there etc., what can I see through the scope. I get the odd, 'oh yes', then that glazed expression, but pretty positive generally.

Those people who use the term 'anorak' are way out of touch with the times, and are probably incredibly boring or bored themselves, ignore them, at the end of the day, we all should do what makes us happy, if we conformed to others beliefs/ways etc, it would be a very dull world indeed.

:D

Caz

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Ridiculous isn't it, that someone with an interest in our place in the cosmos, the origins of our solar system and our galaxy can be ridiculed by those who focus instead on consumerism, football, Strictly Come Dancing and mindless celebrity gossip.

Wear your 'anorak' with pride!

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Never been called anything really. My mates said I was abit 'gay' to stand outside looking through a tube, but when they looked through my glorified toilet roll tube they were shocked of what they could see.

Now they ring me up on clear nights to see if I'm having the scope out!

Go figure lol

Kain

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I actually had the honour of meeting Patrick Moore a few years ago, a very larger than life character. I mnetioned this to some people I knew and they thought it was quite amusing.

Maybe I should find a new set of friends

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I like to watch 'Strictly come dancing' :oops: At least I'm honest... :D

Dont' get that in Canada, but if it's anything like "Dancing with the Stars," "So You Think You Can Dance," "American Idol," or "Canadian Idol," then I don't watch, except for the first few episodes when they're going through the really bad entries, the ones that sing or dance like me.

I've never been called a geek, pencil-neck, nerd, or any of the North American equivalents of "anorak." Actually, most of the amateur astronomers I know are ordinary working folk with factory jobs, and season tickets to their local sports clubs. Nobody calls them geeks, either.

I save my contempt for the tree-huggers in anoraks who stand behind you when you are fly-casting, forcing you to switch to a roll cast.

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A very good friend of mine in Canada never spoke to me again since I told her I bought a telescope... :?

I either get the "you're crazy" (referring to the hours at which I'm awake) or "cool!" (referring to the moon) response otherwise...

Andrew

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I only tend to bring the subject of astronomy up when I'm asked about, I'm very aware of the fact that its easy to assume that everyone finds it as fascinating I as do and end up boring people to death.

You want to see people's eyes glaze over in a hurry, tell them you write poetry! :D

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On the way back from London the other week I stopped at a road side snack bar on the A303 fot a tea and a bacon bap, its a main stop off for Lorry drivers so I felt a bit out of place in the Astra, whilst waiting for the bap I started chatting as you do and mentioned I had just started in Astronomy and had bought a scope, within a few minutes about 6 guys were engaged in the conversation, what can you see? where do we come from, the big bang etc, it was great, Could have stayed there all day.

M2

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I've been called a few things over the years but I don't really care... Personally I think football fans are very strange - but it's personal opinion.

One thing that did suprise me though was a comment my last boss made during one of the partial solar eclipses recently.

It was something like...

" You're F***ing weird, it would be more productive to download [removed word]" :shock:

I wouldn't have minded but it was half an hour I wanted off work that lunchtime, and I had a work laptop...!

Ant

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