Geek

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

I was showing my 18 year old daughter yesterday the new chat forum/Paper Money site that I had joined (this one), with a certain amount of pride.

To which she replied "You're such a Geek"



I distinctly remember myself as being quite cool...hmmm.

(Of course she and her sister are the ones who will inherit my collection if it lasts that long).

-PJ

Ha!

I get the strangest looks whenever I explain my hobby too.  A common response to my "I collect Canadian paper money" is.... "Yah!  I collect money too"!  (rolling eyes smiley here)  I'm sure you have all heard the same thing.

One of my best friends likes to call me a Nerd.  But when he says it, it's with emphasis on the 'N", then a long, drawn out 'errrrrr' punctuated with a strong, short 'duh'.

Nerrrrrrrrr-DUH!  

I think its damn funny.

 

I went through a very brief time of trying to show my collection off to people (kind of reminiscent of people showing pictures of their recent holiday, wedding, children), but after the first few vacant stares, and eye rolls, stopped that torment.

Thanks God for forums like this.

-PJ

 

Actually, the more I think of it, the more NNN-UUURRR-DUH seems to fit. It is funny.

Nothing quite like being able to laugh at yourself.

-PJ

How others who do not understand think of numismatics is only a concern when you talk to them.
If you attend a numismatics show, most of the people there have the same interests, thus it just like regular talking.
When in Vegas many years ago, I found that dealers and others always to know what I did for a living. I found that by saying fireman, the questions stopped as all know what that is. When you tell non-collectors (the real nerds) that you collect paper money, or coins, or tokens (token is unexplainable to them) they don't understand.

Rick

  I know exactly what you are talking about. Im a relativly new collecter, and still have  a pittiful collection. But i am constantly on the lookout for the face value purchase. I go thru alot of cash at my work and I am always glancing @ serials, dates, and such to see if a gem pops out at me. I get alot of people asking if the bill is ok (thinking it might be counterfeit the way i look at it) and i reply that I collect it and am checking the #s. I get the strangest looks. They just stare a second. and move on. doesnt bother me tho. Every now and then if i get a good one, I will let the person know that i want it and why (I dont want to take advantage of an unaware bill holder) and the look @ me like im nutz.  

THIS IS NOT MEANT AS RACIST.. or any other such nomenclature:

explaining the hobby to family and friends...can be frustrating at the best of times..especially if they are bankers, or investment type people lol

HOWEVER: Just try to explain this "hobby" to a recent immigrant arrival from Hong Kong..who is 80 years old...female...and the "leader" of a rather large albeit diverse family....

Money, not to be in book. Spend, invest, why in book? Dumb,,dumb man...get out...get out of my store.

She is a darlin' and always worth a hoot..but for 10 years...has constantly called me "Dumb Man"...while polite about it LOL...I suppose..I will always be "Dumb Man" to her..and thats okay...and NO she has NEVER saved, pointed out..or even glanced at a note or coin for me...and I've shown her the books, the magazines, the newspapers.

Her answer: "All dumb. All dumb men. No women eh? No Chinese women eh? Dumb men."

lol....truely I do adore her..but....I am not dumb...?? maybe?? a bit??  

My brother in law collects Allis Chambers tractors. He now has 18 different, and a couple for spare parts. If he can explain why to a non collector, then coins, notes, maybe even tokens are explainable.
All sorts of people collect something, possibly more collect something than don't collect at all.
Think of people you have met that collect. Beer cans, tractors, Coke signs, pop bottles, Royal Dalton, paintings, blacksmith tools, stamps, sports trivia, and a whole host of "usless" items except to others on the same wave length.

Rick

I guess I'm a double geek being a paper money collector and a Scrabble player.  Scrabble players are generally reviled as they know lots of words for their strategic value but rarely know the meanings of the words.  I can easily rhyme of all 96 acceptable two letter words including AA AE AI while knowing that QI and ZO are acceptable only in British scrabble, but don't ask me what they mean.  Similarly, HAJ HAJES HAJI HAJIS HAJJ HAJJES HAJJI HAJJIS HADJ HADJEE HADJEES HADJES HADJI and HADJIS  are all acceptable plays based upon the HAJ root.

My funniest (and most embarassing) scrabble moment was during a tournament in Cambridge.  To appreciate this little ditty, it is important to remember that I am a practicing veterinarian.  The word QAT is a commonly used strategic scrabble word... one of the few Q words which is not followed by a U.  It was close to the end of the game, and I was losing by about 60 points.  I had great tiles in my rack and could make a high scoring play using all 7 tiles (called a BINGO in Scrabble parlance) which would have won the game for me, but there was only one place on the board wher I could make that play.  It was my opponents turn and her play CAT blocked my play.  I stared at the word CAT for a moment and it looked wrong to me.... being in Scrabble mode I was thinking of QAT,  so I, the veterinarian -pressured and impulsive - challenged the word CAT. I realized right away my error, but the challenge was called. The word judge came to the table and told me - with a grin - that the play was indeed acceptable, and I lost my turn and lost the game.  

GEEKS of the WORLD UNITE!!!

All sorts of people collect something, possibly more collect something than don't collect at all.
Think of people you have met that collect. Beer cans, tractors, Coke signs, pop bottles, Royal Dalton, paintings, blacksmith tools, stamps, sports trivia, and a whole host of "usless" items except to others on the same wave length.

Rick

I absolutely agree that Rick is correct...everybody collects or does SOMETHING as a hobby!  I remember a number of years ago seeing a news bit about a woman who collects the plastic tabs they use to close bread and milk bags.

You don't need to explain or justify your hobby, so long as you enjoy what you're doing, do not harm yourself or others, and don't break any laws!  Mind you, I do believe the bread tag woman may have issues!