Bout ready to hang up my MD

[SteveDodds]

I live in a small town(about 150 people). We have a really popular restaurant here that draws people from all over. The restaurant is right across the street from the city park. Tonight I decided to hunt the park in the dark with my headlamp because after dark was the only time I had. I hunted about an hour. While I was at the park some out of town people came out of the restaurant and yelled," hey buddy if you need some money I can give you some you dont need to dig for it." I just ignored him. Of course he was like the preppy frat boy type with a bunch of people all around him. Afterwords I thought that I should have yelled back," Hey buddy see that Dodge Hemi Charger sitting over there, that is mine. Dont forget that when you are climbing into your Toyota that mommy and daddy bought for you, you f-ing prick. If he came over I could have just shanked him with my lesche. So that was the first straw. Shortly after that some little teenage gum chewing teeny boppin girls came out of the restaurant and came into the park. I overheard them say yeah what a wierdo. That is just weeeeiiird. He must be poor. I could also hear another little teeny bopper imitating my MD. She was saying beep, beep, bbeep, bb, bbb, bbbeep. Yeah, I am poor. That is why I spend hundreds of dollars on a hobby so I can dig holes in the local park looking for pennies. So I just packed up my stuff, came home, and started drinking. Thinkin about just hanging up my MD for awhile. Wouldn't be so bad if I had someone to go with. I am just really pissed off at the world tonight. The last couple of days I have been thinking about what I have been through and it is really getting me down.

 

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[magjm]

Been there, Done that. Doesn't take long to thicken the skin. I try to ignore the jerks but occasionally do say something. If especially obnoxious I walk away and hunt elsewhere. I was followed around one day by a kid who kept putting his key on the ground, lightly covered. I was tempted to pick it up, climb in my car and go home. Instead I just changed direction until he got tired and left. I'm over 60. Don't remember ever being such a jerk although my sisters may say otherwise. I do wonder what they have in their heads. In this day of road rage, overfull prisons and mental facilities, is it wise to harass someone carrying a pointed object?

Magjm

 

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[Chug And Red]

Been there done that, then there are the ones that throw coins in front of you!!!! Just scan then and say Thanks as You drop them in your Pouch or Pocket!!! I have had Church groups come up While I'm detecting to Offer Me a free Lunch because I'm detecting for money in Parks where there are Homeless People I Know I'm dirty but!! Yes I accepted one Once because I was Hungry at the time!!! Gave them a $10.00 Donation the Next week!!! HH Chug I Know this Is an Old Post But I need to Comment!!!!

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

Steve,

Having folks make fun of you just comes with the hobby. There are a lot of ignorant, immature people out there.

Been in your shoes more than once. My suggestion is to get a good set of head phones to filter out the stupid comments. There are plenty of head phones that will almost completely block outside noises, but that can be both good and bad depending on the areas you hunt. In your case it would work well as long as you are not in a rattle snake area or a high crime district.

Even if you hear the stupid comments you can pretend not to hear them. Works well with the curious kiddies if you do not want to talk to them. Just point to your phones and say " Sorry, can't hear you."

I was on the beach one time and some college clowns decided to poke fun at me. I found a quarter and one guy said " Hey that is mine" I said " If it is yours, tell me the date on it" He had no reply and his friends turned on him to razz him and I just walked on.

Don't let it get to you. Try the headphones. It works.

Ray S ECenFL

 

[DetectorOCD]

Sorry to sound like tough love, but man up! If I cared what people thought of my hobbies, I would have no hobbies at all.

Detecting- I've had the same stuff happen to me
Gold panning- You'll never find gold!
RC Crawling- You like to play with toy trucks??
Ham Radio- You're just a nerd. Ever hear of the internet?
Paintball- Isn't that for 13 year olds?
Classic Nintendo collecting- Again, isn't that for 13 year olds?
Dungeons and Dragons- OMG GEEK!


Who cares. Get out there and get back to swinging! HH to you!

 

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

Steve, it is time for you to embrace the freedom that comes with not giving a crap what some obnoxious teenie bopper thinks about your hobby - or anything else for that matter. Don't let some Justin Beiber fan drive you to the bottle.

I would have just shot them a look like I would pull out their liver and told them about the funny sound my rig makes when shoved where the sun don't shine.

Grab your MD and get out there and make some beepin' noises.

Hombre

 

[HUNTER12]

Man this got a lot of responce. What you describe what happened to you , shows what is wrong with this country. No respect for the other person. I've had things said as i detected. I use to get mad when i was younger, now i just look at the source were it came from. Do not give up what you like to do, then thy win and every thing is lost.

 

[Smudge]

It's hard not to feel a little persecuted when you aren't bothering anybody and being responsible about the hobby.

But look, it happens to all of us and its beyond sad, its pathetic. It has become so normal to attack what people don't immediately understand. Those who think outside the group's fixation on twitter and Lady Gaga are something to be feared. Honestly, half the time I feel like the one normal guy surrounded by nut cases.

For all of America's posturing about our rugged individualism, this nation is developing one of the worst herd mentalities I have ever seen.

I guess we just have to accept it. But I refuse to allow a group of officious, ignorant, whiny toads drive me out of the hobby I like so much.

 

[fozzyb65]

Should have taken their money then walked over and put it in your Hemi Charger. People who mess with you like this suffer from little-man syndrome. Got to stroke their own ego to make themselves feel superior. I've been detecting 20+ years and still get a little self conscious about people watching me. Some think it's cool, some are curious, some think I'm a dork. But, most teens think I'm a dork anyway because I'm in my forties. But, who cares. When I dig up that silver coin or a ring, I'm on cloud nine and you can't touch me. I read your other post and I realize your situation is way more complicated than simply being shy, but hold your head high and find more private places to hunt. Small town means you must know a lot of the people and could seek permission to hunt their private yards.

However I will caution people about telling or especially showing people what you are finding. For some reason they will suddenly remember that they lost that item or this is their property or somehow try to get those valuables from you, maybe mug you. Even if I have a pocket full of silver when they ask if I'm finding anything I just say trash or pennies. They lose interest and walk away. Overall though most people are just curious, and the incidence of people who mess with you are few and far between. But, if you must hang up that machine, you're welcome to hang it at my house, I'll make sure it doesn't get lonely.

 

[LM]

Classic Nintendo collecting- Again, isn't that for 13 year olds?

Haha, I'm with you there bro.
My NES cartridges have mostly outperformed my stock portfolio Wish I had been more aggressive with buying boxed, but I'm at 400/500 or so, and focused on the top down, buying the rarer carts first. Save for the NWC, Stadium Events and a few others, all I have left to be complete is minor, cheap stuff.

To the OP (who hasn't posted for a while ) , as far as people making fun of you...
The longest- yet most important- step a man will ever make, in terms of personal development, is untying his self worth from the opinions of other people and finding happiness in his own skin.

Usually, it takes a some time to arrive at this point and it's a difficult process. Some people are lucky and get there early in life, most people get there later in life, a sad but sizable portion live their entire lives, never getting there and always holding anything they ever do liable to "what other people might think". Everyone talks a big game about "not caring what other people think", but deep down, far too many really do. When you sincerely no longer worry yourself with the opinions of others, it's like being reborn into a new, better man.

For me, it took moving to Chicago and 'hardening up' a bit; to leave my youthful insecurities behind and become my own man, with my own vision on life that doesn't involve what other people think. Hopefully, you'll find whatever the catalyst is that gets you there, too.

 

[metaldetectorguy]

The great thing about headphones is that you can't hear stupid people while they are on.

 

[dahut]

I live in a small town(about 150 people). We have a really popular restaurant here that draws people from all over. The restaurant is right across the street from the city park. Tonight I decided to hunt the park in the dark with my headlamp because after dark was the only time I had. I hunted about an hour. While I was at the park some out of town people came out of the restaurant and yelled," hey buddy if you need some money I can give you some you dont need to dig for it." I just ignored him. Of course he was like the preppy frat boy type with a bunch of people all around him. Afterwords I thought that I should have yelled back," Hey buddy see that Dodge Hemi Charger sitting over there, that is mine. Dont forget that when you are climbing into your Toyota that mommy and daddy bought for you, you f-ing prick. If he came over I could have just shanked him with my lesche. So that was the first straw. Shortly after that some little teenage gum chewing teeny boppin girls came out of the restaurant and came into the park. I overheard them say yeah what a wierdo. That is just weeeeiiird. He must be poor. I could also hear another little teeny bopper imitating my MD. She was saying beep, beep, bbeep, bb, bbb, bbbeep. Yeah, I am poor. That is why I spend hundreds of dollars on a hobby so I can dig holes in the local park looking for pennies. So I just packed up my stuff, came home, and started drinking. Thinkin about just hanging up my MD for awhile. Wouldn't be so bad if I had someone to go with. I am just really pissed off at the world tonight. The last couple of days I have been thinking about what I have been through and it is really getting me down.

Here's a fact - you were doing something weird. Detecting in itself is not "normal" to the rest of the world. SO you're out there in the dark flailing away. Dude, lets be honest... that draws a crowd, you know?

Did they have the right to behave like idiots? Yes. Did they prove they were, by doing so? Yes.

I suggest you simply wait to detect for a more appropriate time. If you worry that someone might beat you to it, read my signature line.

Now, here's something to help you cope with things. Ever heard of a guy name Leo Thorsness? Probably not, right?
Well, hes one of only a few living Medal of Honor winners; he saved a fellow aircrew from certain death at the risk of his own life to earn the honor. He also spent 7 years in the Hanoi Hilton after being shot down himself.
He was beaten, tortured, starved, humiliated... his shoulders were dislocated more times than he can even remember. They'd put them back, and a few days later rip them out again. He was made to do things that would turn your stomach, things which no man should dwell upon. And he endured years of that.
I met him a few years ago. Here's what he told me: "I look around at my life today and I realize I don't have any bad days. Thinking back on what I've been through, there 'aint a thing that can happen to me that qualifies as a "bad day."

 

[scaupus]

I get plenty of positive interest, too, especially from kids. You gotta have some imagination to enjoy this sport, and kids have plenty.

 

[jharhed]

That's the reason I like early mornings and winter time, those types of folks are usually inside and sleeping when I'm out

 

[Col.Philo95thNY]

Re: Steve... Drinking... Really

Steve

I see this is an old post, and if you never got out again hunting. Then consider this advise, and if you did... God For You...

What I am about to tell you here is how you are going to recover from the back talk from all that mock our hobby.

I was on the beach hunting for treasure, and as I was doing my thing, a man and his girl friend were approaching me, the guy's girl friend turned to her boyfriend and said in Spanish, " Honey, look at the poor blind man" I was wearing sun glasses, so I was thinking, man that's a good one.

The point to bring home is that, there are so many different people in this world, kind ones, helpful, caring, amiable, talkative, silent, and one and on, but, some people are busy bodies, losers, critical, ignorant, speak under their breath because they are too cowardly to say it in front of you, mimic like mimes, and the sad ones are the ones looking for attention when they are in a group, like the class clown or bully.

How many times I've been about to start a hunt, and worry what people are thinking or saying under their breath. Finally, even though they do not deserve it, our code of conduct calls for us to with stand everything thrown at us as we hunt, by being courteous and well mannered at all times, we will always be a class act when we up hold the hobbies codes.

I just ignore people like that because I want to have fun. These people are the the people when you are at a party with, and they get drunk, they become different people, so are the people out there, just looking for a reason to make assumptions of what they do not understand.

By the way, the only time I drink is to celebrate a great find , and I do not drink...LOL. When you ignore them, the they wind up doing this , when you place yourself behind that wall. What if two feet right or left of you, or in front of you missed a really great find? A beautiful diamond ring, a really rare key dated coin, a cache of gold coins like the hunter that dug a whole of gold coins in a field.

Now get out there and put on your blinders and turn up your volume on your headphones, but keep the volume at a safe level....LOL.

The Colonel

 

[gradechecker69]

Sticks and stones dude.

 

[freddy williams]

Just ignore the smart asses I live with one she is always cuttin down our hobby then I come home from the beach with a nice diamond ring told her to look at it and she says you bought that and laughed like I told her she wishes I bought it for her and I carried on about my own business like always. Always remember man they are everywhere you go all you can do is ignore them Cause congress is looking for reasons to shut our hobby down for good. UN Agenda 21 stops all use of national and state forest and metal detecting on any government lands and gold hunting they cannot tax our finds so they wanna shut us down. We need to shut down congress and replace all those a$$holes but our luck we will only get worse ones in, it is the only Place 2 idiots can out vote a geniuse.... Keep unting man and may you find gold and silver at the bottoms of your holes.. Good luck.. Fredddy

 

[fuzymunky]

Just came across this and I have to say: Colorado has an "open carry" law, meaning you can carry a handgun on your hip...in plain sight. I've found the smart mouthed remarks have dropped to absolutely zero since I've started doing that.

Flame me if you wish for open carrying, but it's my right and I intend to exercise it to the fullest.

 

[fuzymunky]

Forgot to add: Hang in there bud, trust me, it gets better...and without writing a book here I can still say that with full confidence. Between personal loss and frustrating situations like what you described (not MD, but still plenty of public humiliation) I've come to one conclusion: people like that come to a point in their life where they find themselves completely alone. All their "drinking buddies" have either gone on to more productive lives or gotten themselves killed...and they are completely alone.

Those "teeny bopper" airheaded girls are easily dealt with. If they're anything like they are here, they dress like complete sluts. One comment along the lines of, "Dang, you're funny...'ha ha'. Just a note: in 40 years my work will have paid dividends. And you....well...you'll just be old, wrinkled, and ugly as hell." is enough to shut them up.