The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hey everyone, I know I don't post a lot on here, but I am in need of your help and advice. Recently, I have started to loose interest in this hobby, and I need to know how to regain it? When I started, it was new and exciting, and now not so much anymore. I hardly listen to any of my records, and my machines have been silenced. Due in large part too not playing them, not any mechanical issues. Losing interest in things, happens a lot to me. I lost interest in wizards (collecting pewter ones), synthesizers and eletronic music, and a lot of recorded music as well. I think what I need is a push, to help me be more excited again, as when I frist started.


Paul

you're looking to be pushed back into something that you're not really interested in right now? if it's not a job or something more or less required, then... why? just follow your interests. I'm sure at some point they'll return to phonographs... in the meantime, there's nothing wrong with broadening the knowledge base, you know?

I kind of agree with Brianu. The only things you should do even if you don't like to do them, are things that keep you healthy or keep enough $$$ in your pockets to get by. I guess that means work, eat right and exercise. For everything else, follow your feelings...

Thank you guys! I really appericate it!

Oh, just listen to the lifestyle gurus!

Actually I agree. There is no reason to ever force yourself into anything unless your livelihood, sanity or the lives of others close to you will be adversely affected by your withdrawal. Life is about new discoveries, new ambitions and moving forward with (hopefully) an ever exapnding knowledge base.

To hell with phonographs and records if they no longer float your boat. They're a big financial loser anyway so unless you are seriously into it all, run don't walk away.

If you're like me (yeah right ) then you will at least insist on holding onto what you've got for a time before making a rash decision to throw it all. I had a 5 year hiatus about 10 years ago. When my interest was rekindled, I was glad to still have my then existing collection, most of which has been gotten rid over the past 6 years but that's another story.

Well, let's not get rash, over that. I love the machines I have. I guess, I need something new.

Sometimes I wish I could get interested in a more lucrative hobby, like successfully playing the stock market or just watching cash accumulate in my bank but that was not to be...

So I guess I'm stuck in the current mode, trying to set aside a few hundred here and there to buy more phonographic toys

I'm with you, Bruce. I wish I could get turned onto something more financially lucrative!

I've never had any interest in money. Maybe that's why I haven't got any!

Steve wrote:I'm with you, Bruce. I wish I could get turned onto something more financially lucrative!

I've never had any interest in money. Maybe that's why I haven't got any!

I've tried stamps & coins in the past. May not be financially lucrative either but at least stamps and coins don't take so much space and are not difficult to get up and down the stairs by yourself.

I was also into Edison Radios and Radio phonos. Gave them up before I moved to Europe. Talk about buggers to get up and down the stairs! I still have an interest in clocks but have kept it to just three long case vienna type regulators.

Never had an interest in money either except as a vehicle to fuel my other interests. It also comes in handy for things like beer.

I think most of us who have been collecting for more than a couple years go through the same sort of thing at some stage Paul. You either loose your drive and interest, or life gets in the way & other priorities take hold. I think there's been 3 or 4 periods of about 2 or 3 years when I never even thought about playing a machine or buying a record in the last 31 years.

I actually think the breaks did me more good than harm. Each time I returned to the hobby, my interest seemed to grow stronger, and I must say I'm very glad that I didn't decide to sell off everything at any stage. Some of it would cost me a fortune to buy nowdays, if I could even find it again.
Go out & chase a girl, or join the chess club, or whatever takes your fancy. I think you'll find that eventually you'll regain interest though. It's not really like collecting stamps. It's much more interactive & entertaining than that. If you love music, then oneday you'll just suddenly think you'd like to play a certain song again that you haven't heard for years, and the old bug will start biting again.