how do you justify this hobby with your spouse?

If you have to justify it, you are doing something wrong.


CPU, you realize of course that bass of yours has more than three fins right???

Mine is all for it. Since I just got hauled halfway across the country so we could live near my in-laws, I am very much a "stranger in a strange land". They are all pleased I have an activity that I can enjoy, which gives me a chance to make friends of my own.

Verna said:

Yep, you gotta have the 6" heels.

Verna
www.vernarockets.com

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Yeah you don't update the web site anymore!! :lol::surprised:

Gary Byrum said:

That is the solution. 1 marriage and 1 co-hab later, I learned there is only one way to go....stay single, be happy. Marriage was too much like being imprisoned and it made me coin my own phrase..."It's better to be alone and lonely than married and miserable." Besides, neither of them were ever interested in my rocketry. In fact, NONE of my relationships gave a hoot about it. Oh they used to love me to death when I was ripping an axe on stage with the rock bands......wass up with that?

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Samo, samo. Basicaly it was over when I got home from work and found my rockets outside in a box with the Estes Mercury Redstone broke in half...

dave carver said:

Samo, samo. Basicaly it was over when I got home from work and found my rockets outside in a box with the Estes Mercury Redstone broke in half...

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Yeah, they love to break the things that mean something to you. No mercy. What guy would do that to a woman? I never met a man that was as vindictive as a woman can be. If I had a nickel for every time I squashed my X's head between my finger tips from a distance, I'd need a 5 gallon bucket.

Geez. Although my wife used to fantasize aloud about running my bike over with her car (with or without me on it), she never laid a finger on any of my bikes or accessories. She has never intentionally damaged a single one of my possessions. Those women need to get a reality check, or they will find themselves with many ex husbands and very few people at their death bed or funeral.

Gary Byrum said:

Yeah, they love to break the things that mean something to you. No mercy. What guy would do that to a woman? I never met a man that was as vindictive as a woman can be. If I had a nickel for every time I squashed my X's head between my finger tips from a distance, I'd need a 5 gallon bucket.

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I still miss my Ex. But my aim is getting better!

my wife actually wants to launch some with us. She has been great about the rockets. She see's how happy it makes me building them, and agreed everyone needs a hobby

There is some real hostility to women here.

It's too bad some of you guys didn't hook up with the right person.

My wife (of 22 years now) has no interest in my hobbies, but we spend enough quality time together that the time I devote to my interests just isn't an issue.

It helps that I am an early riser (5am) and have two hours to myself before anyone else gets up. I work on my models, videos, bookkeeping, workouts, or whatever else is holding my interest at the time, and by the time the rest of the house is awake, I have a cup of tea ready for my better half, and I am generally in a pretty good mood, and ready for the day.

The trouble starts when I sleep in, or anyone else needs to get up early, impinging on "my time". Without the time alone to come to terms with the day, I am a miserable, cantankerous SOB.

RGInCanada said:

I have a cup of tea ready for my better half

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Ditto..

Except its coffee..

cuz like Jimmy.. I know how good my coffee is....

Its the little things that mean so much....

Some people just dont get it..

oh well..

Tom

She doesn't mind. We also have an agreement, she buys new shoes, I buy a new rocket. Her closet looks like Imelda Marcos'...so....

She even asked if she could build one..How can you beat that?

Guys,,,

Here is a freebie on how to make your spouse "happy" to have you and this will also add to your "CREDITS" when it comes time for "ME" time...

This is what I did today.. Mind you.. My wife is filling in for her boss who took a few days off to celebrate her husbands birthday.. She is way stressed filling those shoes.. I know she can do it, its her nature... But the change from her daily job to her bosses job sometimes puts things over the edge... I understand this and on my DAY OFF, this is what I did...

ok.. here goes... House is CLEAN... washed every floor in the house, waxed the hardwood floors in all rooms, put everything where it belongs, cleaned the redicilouosly WHITE kitchen, to include countertops, drawers, referigerator, all 40 cabinet drawers... did the dishes, both bathrooms to include the toilets, showers,floors, made the bed, mowed the lawn, helped the neighbor cut down a tree, fixed a computer, brought my love coffee when she needed it most, and did the dishes.. oh yeah. I went to stop n shop and got dinner, that I prepped and got ready to cook. Steaks are marinating, Potatos are ready for the oven.... and the lotion is warming up so I can rub my loves feet when she gets home.....

Some day off huh....

Needless to say, I sent her a text message to tell her 1-that I love her, and 2-That I will pick up my step daughter 3-Finish her work and make her boss and the bigger boss know you can do the job 4-The bubble bath is all set for her and 5- dinner is all set...

Trust me guys.. if you want to push the button, you need to push the right buttons with your wife.. Make her happy and the rest is gravy... Speaking of.. I need to prep the au jus sauce..

Enjoy~

Tom

My wife was giving me crap one day about all the money I was spending on rockets so I asked her if she would rather spend it at the titty bar. No problems since.

Shamous said:

My wife was giving me crap one day about all the money I was spending on rockets so I asked her if she would rather spend it at the titty bar. No problems since.

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Hmm.....might have to try that (we have all kinds of dancers up here).

my wife has changed her tune totally. She has no problems with me and the rockets now. It's funny she says to me the other night. "Do I have stupid written on my forhead? I see the closet packed full of rocket stuff, but i love you honey" with a big smile as she was lovin on me. I do however give her attention and i help around the house,as i also work full time as our sole provider. The only thing she doesnt really like is the sanding in the house lol. But soon my garage will be warm enough to do it all in there.

3boydad said:

my wife has changed her tune totally. She has no problems with me and the rockets now. It's funny she says to me the other night. "Do I have stupid written on my forhead? I see the closet packed full of rocket stuff, but i love you honey" with a big smile as she was lovin on me. I do however give her attention and i help around the house,as i also work full time as our sole provider. The only thing she doesnt really like is the sanding in the house lol. But soon my garage will be warm enough to do it all in there.

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With a space heater, it can be warm enough right now.

Never sand. glue, or paint in the house if you want to keep Mama happy.

When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

I just point out her burgeoning shoe collection and say "You got your vices, I got mine"

It's like Colt 45....Works everytime!

Interesting topic. In my case, rocketry started a little over a year ago. After my move from MN to AZ, I was in search of something to do, and friends. With two small children at home, my #1 priority of course was parenting. It hasn't been easy. My thought process was this - "What can I do, that doesn't take me away from my parenting and other responsibilities, is kinda fun, gives me something to do during all seasons, allows me to make friends, and doesn't cost too much money?" On a trip to a hobby store to buy a little RC helicopter, I walked through the rocket aisle, and then it hit me...

ROCKETRY! :surprised:

I can glue on a fin and return in five minutes,,, or five days. Doesn't matter. I can build when it's hot, and fly when it's not. I can keep myself very occupied for a relatively small amount of money (relative to RC flying, ATV's, boats, concerts, habitual drinking, strip clubs, gambling, and numerous other hobbies I couldn't possibly name). I can drive to a club site and launch big, or walk with the wagon to the park with my kids and launch a micro! I can order an expensive kit when I have the money, or work with scraps and raw materials when I'm broke. I can even sit in a lawn chair and watch a rocket event without spending a penny besides fuel to get there! I could keep going too. There are so many benefits from my point of view, this is definitely the hobby for me. I do believe in balance though, and I balance rocketry with traveling, cigar smoking, photography, reading, etc.

As far as my wife goes. The comment that stuck out in my mind was something like, "Isn't this very seventh grade of you?" While I didn't appreciate that much, as it was aimed to belittle my hobby, I didn't retaliate. I'm not looking for approval here. I'm a man in a house full of women. I expect what goes through my mind to be confusing to them. Just like whatever goes through their mind is confusing to me. My wife is a BIG tv watcher. I am very good about doing rocketry in my spare time, and not during family time. For her though, the tv is always on. She will be sitting on the couch watching tv and say to me as I leave the room, "Do you really need to do your hobby right now?" My response is usually, "Aren't you doing yours?" Unfortunately she came to a launch once when it was really windy. She had both of our children while I attempted to launch one single rocket. It was understandably a difficult day for her, but I fear it tainted her view of what a launch is for good. I don't expect her back any time soon. Honestly though, I've learned I just can't expect her to do everything I do. In fact. Once the puppy love wears off,,, it's nice for her to get out of my hair and let me work on some rockets! When I'm at a launch, I prefer to be alone. I talk to people, take photos, launch rockets, and sit around a lot. I look forward to the day when my girls are old enough to come and enjoy it, but in reality, they're just a little too young to do anything besides paint a rocket or launch a micro at the park. Time will tell.

I ask myself. Would I rather be doing something else? Would I want to spend my hobby allowance on something else? Then I realize, I LOVE ROCKETS! I can't waste time questioning my own faithfulness to a hobby I truly enjoy. It seems that rocketry has become a part of my life that won't be going anywhere soon. I can assure you though, when my pay increases and student loans are paid off,,, I'll be on a golf course, a speed boat, sitting on the cabin deck, exploring exotic travel destinations or something grand.

For now, while my kids are little,,, rocketry is my gig...

^^^^GREAT STORY!!!!!^^^^



i liked it so much i had to read it twice


no, im not lying or joking, it sounded like one of those speeches where someone just stands on some random street corner where people start gathering around and watching and yelling YEA!!!after every sentence

I realize it's been more than 7 months since you posted your thread, so I hope you've gotten a good answer to your question. This forum really isn't the best place for this question but maybe you didn't have a better place to ask. I'm responding because after reading the 1st page of responses, I wasn't too pleased with some of the answers.
And since I'm a bachelor, you may think there are more 'qualified' people to answer. Let me say this- while I'm a pretty decent rocketeer, I believe I'm better at building relationships than rockets, and I hope the same goes for you.
Your wife's attitude and your question is very well addressed in the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, a man that has counseled thousands of couples and done many seminars about marriage. I'd highly recommend it. Make at the very least this investment in your marriage by getting a copy. Your wife's response is more likely not a 'nag' but an attitude coming out of a need that you're not aware of, and once this is resolved, she may actually not mind your involvement.
Hope this helps (check out the book!).
Gordon Olson
Tripoli MN
L2

Don't sweat the small stuff, just fly it!

My wife has little interest in rocketry. But she sees how much I enjoy it, as does our 7 year old. It may seem mean, but she enjoys launches due to the chance to see something blow up. As much as a crash stinks, I get that. Plus it means I have someone to videotape

It also doesn't hurt that I buy her motorcycle parts whenever I start a new build

It is easy to justify the hobby with my spouse. I got her involved. She is better at building rockets than I am.

cwbullet said:

It is easy to justify the hobby with my spouse. I got her involved. She is better at building rockets than I am.

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A good idea. Mine just told me to build another mini magg so she'd have something large to airbrush. works for me...

My GF just got her L2... don't hear NEARLY as much crap as I did before!

My wife REALLY hates my hobby now,,, her van got hit TWICE on Sunday at Red Glare13!!!!

I'm lucky in that my wife is fully supportive of my hobbies. She's not crazy about the costs at times but we generally work together to get through the tight spots. I've tried to get her to go to a launch but its just not her thing.

My sweetie recognizes that hobbies are cheaper than therapy.

Kevin

My wife says she is happy I don't play golf. She supports my hobbies because I enjoy them and I don't have to justify them to her. I am able to make one expensive hobby pay for itself which helps quite a bit too.

Shamous said:

My wife was giving me crap one day about all the money I was spending on rockets so I asked her if she would rather spend it at the titty bar. No problems since.

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I told her...I either need a Girlfriend or a Hobby....she said "have fun at the Hobby Shop"