Perception of us...

pizzaman24

Active Hunter
Just wondering how everyone else is perceived from the outside world when it comes to their starwars fascination (specifically mandos). Take for example a common occurrence for me. I wear my mandalorian pendant (made by ... shoot cant think of name on here sry. alex?) everyday, and nearly everyday someone new asks me what it is. I tell them that it's a bantha skull, they continue to ask, and the moment the words "star wars" are uttered... they become snooty/judgmental. I find it odd that someone can think something is interesting/ rly cool, but the moment they hear its from starwars they turn against it.

For me, I wear this pendant not only because it is rly rly coo, but everyday i see it i remember the fett quote "I do not indulge in drug or drink of any kind. they're an insult to the flesh". My body has been cleansed of negative influences, and this sort of reminds me of what i stand for in the eyes of temptation. anyway..... I started rambling and lost my point. respond if u'd like lol :lol:lol::lol:lol::lol:lol::lol:
 
You know, I get "picked on" here daily by my peers and my NCOs (I'm deployed in what would almost seem like an office enviorment), so I see my NCOs each day, and we are on a very friendly basis.

They all know I make movie Costumes and Props. Some of them like to really push the envelope, while others poke fun at me because they themselves are big nerds at heart.

The ones that push the envelope, things like that are very new to them, and something new to people who live in a world of constants and similarity, something new is usually something not really all that welcomed.

They find it weird, that I would travel to a different state just to "wear a costume" when I could do that on Halloween instead. They don't understand the fellowship with my friends. I have many close friends that I have made on this message boards over the years, and it isn't anything out of the ordinary that I would fly out to where ever they live to hang out for a few days.

Here is a good example of the latest encounter I had with one of my not so open minded NCOs.

I was discussing Dragon*Con (because at this time in the week, Dragon*Con was taking place in Atlanta, and I unfortunately had to miss it) with a few of my friends, and they are interested in going to it. My NCO then called them derogatory names that have to deal with their orientation towards genders, and said that "you guys don't even know anything about Star Trek, so why would you even go?!?!"

He doesn't realize that at cons, especially, at DCon, we hang out with our friends, get crazy, and rarely even discuss the charactures or costumes concerned with the tv/movie we are dressed as. Just like he likes to go hunt with his buddies to get away from work and the stresses from everyday living, we do the same, just we do it with a 6 pack and a Boba Fett costume.

Just make sure you are able to pick fun at yourself, if you don't you will just start resenting people. People don't understand sometimes, and probably never will.

But then just explain what LARPrs are, and tell them they need to join you for a summoning one night, and then they probably just wont even talk to you anymore! ;)
 
I actually don't get a lot of grief from people. I've found some good ways to shut them down real real fast...

I either break out one of the big celebrity stories, or one of the heart wrenching sob stories, depending on the context.

Things like ".. when I was on the Today Show with Donald Trump", "... when I got flown out to Vegas for the RotS premier", and "yeah, I went to this Make a Wish dinner for this kid that was dying of cancer... all he wanted was to meet Darth Vader and his stormtroopers".

No one I've met yet has been able to make fun of any of that :)
 
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I have to carry a big stick in my truck to keep all the women out. :lol: Once they hear the words "Boba Fett", "Star Wars" My stock goes way up.

No, seriously, I am known at work as "The Star Wars Guy" everbody has something thet waste money on. I tell people about the 501st and all of the charity work they do. I tell them that has been my goal. I remember the 1st time I wore my TK armor in public. The look on kids faces is just priceless. That made any ridicule or goofy looks worth it.
 
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My NCO then called them derogatory names that have to deal with their orientation towards genders, and said that "you guys don't even know anything about Star Trek, so why would you even go?!?!"

And yet going to a football game and painting your face, or your big gut, and dressing up in horribly colors that don't even match, getting drunk, and acting like an idiot every time a call goes the opposite way is considered perfectly acceptable by everyone... And they call us weird. :lol:lol::lol:
 
i get that at work all the time, but then i shut it down with, "when was the last time you were involved in (insert charity/community/etc. event here), and helped make the world a better place?"

i have yet to hear a decent response to that. then in the back of my head i hear that guy from mortal kombat 2 yelling "FINISH HIM!" so i have to then follow up while they're dazed, "i do that every time i put on that costume. how do you help out?"

"FATALITY!"
 
Yep, I'm that dorky guy here too. :( :lol:

When it comes down to it, I think I only know one person who ever didn't consider SW a "lower" point in life. I meen, as Kristen said, I'm not in shape by no meens, but at least I'm not at some sports game with the word "Kiss me Romo!" on my 500 pound gut. *points to "Uncle Steve"*

I relise SW if preety dorky, and what people see of SW dorks are the worst of the worst. SW fans can be handsom, SW fans can be in awsome shape, SW fans can hold GOOD JOBS, they're married or happy with a girl/guy, and they certainly own their own houses. Its just something evryone assumes when you bring it up. You live with your mom, your 500 LBS, your not married, and unemployed. It drives me crazy.

Also, ALL SCI-FI EVER gets lumped up with each other. Case in point, when the cast of BSG did David Letterman. Wow was that embarassing. I'm gonna go out ona limb and say the Late Show had no idea how wondeful of plot, writers, and actors BSG has. That actualy made me preety mad at them realy.....mainly because the audience proboly didn't put a second thought to it and just assumed that BSG was some corny Sci-Fi presents show. Fools.
 
No one says anything to me.....Guess it helps being a martial arts instructor/MMA practitioner.......:D
 
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I do get some interesting questions concerning the Imperial Clog ,my screen name and Bantha skull decals on the back glass of my truck.
It has taken sometime for folks who know me to relize I do not pay much attention to their unimformed comments/cracks about my "hobby" related to Star Wars.
No one else I know(outside of this and other sites) shares any part of interest with this "hobby" of my.So I pretty much enjoy this "hobby" by myself.Excluding my family,they know how much I enjoy Star Wars stuff.Which to me is all that matters.
There are only 4 people in this galaxy whoms opinion I care to listen to when it comes to this "hobby" of my and how far I go with it.
 
I have fun with most of my nay-sayers. They see that I also have a healthy Lego collection and the looks start...then they realize that my other hobbies include hunting and shooting and that I have a lot of guns. It generally dies there...of course being 6'-1" and 240 pounds doesn't hurt either. Ah the paradox!
 
LOL, I'm in the army, and my nickname is Star Wars. I find it funny that I get laughed at from people who have covered their room in Dale Earheart and other Nascar stuff, they laugh at my star wars sticker while they have a sticker of calvin peeing on a number 24 on theirs. It's funny, heck this weekend I'm helping at an Autism walk and handling at a Pottery Barn where they're donating something like 15 grand in the 501st name to St Jude's, so as far as I'm concerned they can stick it. Only opinions I listen to anyway are my wife, my daughters, and my friends in my 501st garrison. And yeah, alot of the shut up quick when they hear what I do in my armor.
 
I've been the "town weirdo" for quite some time now. I'm the only guy in my general vicinity with significant amounts of tattoos(full sleeves and torso tatts), I'm one of the only bartenders in history that doesn't drink(Sam Malone from Cheers is my hero), I dress up in costume anytime I get the chance, Talk about my Boba outfit day and night,
I can't stand watching sports(which is hard to do when you work at a bar all night),

and... -cough-


(clears throat)... i'm a republican.


I get it from all sides.
 
I just explain Dragon Con as a not necessarily a con but moreso a 3 day Mardi Gras with even more scantilly clad women and bizarre outfits everywhere, all the while floating your liver in honor of Labor day.

Oddly enough, people "Get it" when you explain it that way. Then you ask them if they want to go.
 
Ha! Love that Jose! Great spin! My deal is that it is 100% deal killer when it comes to dating. But, I live in town that has become very elists in the last 10 years or so. I actually had buddies of mine "intervene" on me in 2002, you know, 40 Year Old Virgin style. Of course, they all where boozed on spendy Merlot and completley sideways. Man I so don't miss that life. It' the house, the car and then American Express card first, then maybe I will tolerate your Star Wars fandom here. And we all know maybe aint no way to live. Though, my dearrest of friends and family support me and my passion, and as the years have gone forward, I am getting more request to suit up for friends kids birthday parties. Thank god for the world wide web, I'd be alone without you all...
 
I have a Bantha skull patch on my Eastpak bag, some people ask what it is and then I say ''ahh just some skull logo'' and if I tell the whole story of the skull they dont even mind. I'm on a creative school (dont know the right english word for it) so we have a lot of people walking around with ''weird'' things as logo's, tattoo's and stuff. People like Goths, metal freaks (like me haha) Hiphop guys and such. Some know of my costuming hobby and they like it.

Everyone is different...luckily.
 
Actually, the only person that gave me grief about being so into Star Wars was my ex... and with him gone I havent heard one negative thing about my costume building or collecting. It's quite nice.
=)
 
This is what I got yesterday from my closest friends. "You are such a geek! I mean, it's okay. We love you anyways, but you're a geek!". I guess tomorrow we'll pick on the friend that went to the American Idol reunion concert! It's all in fun! :lol:
 
I used to get it a lot where I used to work, but I have really thick skin and can easily laugh at myself. I was proud of all of the work I had put into my costumes and would regularly update everyone with progress. I had a picture of me in my old TK holding my daughter in my locker...I didn't give a **** what anyone else thought. When it came down to it some if not most of the guys would even initiate a conversation about my stuff or Star Wars in general and these were the Atypical hunter/sports crowd. It was so obvious to me that when a person exudes personal security that lots of barriers can be brought down and lots of people are closet geeks.

Guys are more insecure than women on so many levels it isn't even funny....quite sad actually. When sports and hunting are the only "acceptable" outlets for "manliness" and everything else is fair game to ridicule I just crack up at the thought of it. I've never followed the norm just to be "accepted"....which for some (guys in particular) it seems odd.

People will always poke fun at anything deemed "nerdy" by mainstream so for the thin skinned it's best to keep ones hobbies "in the closet" ....so to speak (not that there's anything wrong with that). (ode' to Seinfeld :lol:).

Steve(y)
 
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