Do your family and friends "understand" your ATS "addiction"

How many members of ATS have family and friends who "understand" your affinity (or addiction) to ATS? Do they really understand? Or, as in my case, do they simply nod, feign interest and say "oh, I don't believe in that ufo thing"?
Oh, don't get me wrong, I do have friends who are "more open minded" and accept the possibility that things might not quite be as they seem. But, for the most part, my wife and most of my friends just don't "get it".

Is that why many of you are here at ATS? Are you here because many of your family members and your friends or co workers don't really care about what's going on or, more interestingly, what could be going on?

*stands up* my name's Timski...and i'm a Consipira-holic
:w::w::w::w:

I used to sneak around with ATS. You know, try not to get caught doing it, playing it off when people caught me getting my fix. Now, I don't care. I wear my ATS ball cap and shove it in the faces of morons. When morons ask what it is, I just tell them it is a thinking thing and that they wouldn't understand.

My wife didn't understand, either. Ex-wife, now.

But, I have my fellow ATS-ers. What else do I need? Besides cheesecake.

Well i guess my wife is more open minded to the point where she does not mind me being on the forum, lol you guys dont forget family time either.
She even reads some articles on the forum but she never joined.

My dads unsure about the whole talking to people world wide thing but I allways hit him with the "You've allready taken away all the things I love most, do you really want me to die hating you?" sure its bad but hey it works

My mom really doesnt care

and both feign interest when I talk about it anytime.

My friends just yell at me anytime I talk about computers or internet stuff now...

My GF used to chide me about my ATS addiction until I pointed out her CSI, and all the other cop shows with pretty people on them, addiction.

I didn't think it was an addiction until I realized it was the first thing I clicked up, even before email.

Still My GF wants to know what is "really" happening, and all I can tell her is "I don't know" "join and make up your own mind" she hasn't yet. But she will eventually; the subjects are so seductive.

I used to allways minimize the box when someone came in, my family would think im absoultly crazy.

They have no idea im into all of this stuff, But i love it!

I really think they would class me as more of a outkast if they knew i liked all this. I've allways been a black sheep, and they all think im damned crazy.. But i don't care.. I love ATS Is allways the first thing i do when i come online
And if they see, i know they will think im wierd, but i really don't care Lol!

Well, on the few occasions I actually attempt to engage a conversation about stuff like this with my parents, they state their beliefs and we leave it at that. Usually they aren't that far from my own. The government is hiding things from the people but nothing as far "out there" as aliens.
Whenever I talk Cryptozoology with them they get midly interested and they accept that its one of my main interests.
As long as I'm not sinning or going against what they've told me to do and not to do, I'm good.

As for my friends, most of them just kinda shrug off the issue whenever I talk about ATS or Cryptozoology.
Most of the time they aren't interested, and they consider it one of the many things that I do to make myself a genius. However I have one friend who actually got me started on all of this kinda stuff.
He was in the gifted and talented program and most people grudgingly thought he was a genius.
So you could say that he passed on the power to be considered a genius to me.

My family pretty much just shrugs everytime I bring up ATS or conspiracy in a conversation. Every now and then, my dad shows some interest, but I can't tell if he is really interested or just doing it for my benefit.

I do have a good freind who is into government conspiracies, cover-ups etc. I've mentioned ATS to him many times, and he will watch over my shoulder as I check out the days new threads, but he prefers reading about such things through books.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant... simply nod, feign interest and say "oh, I don't believe in that ufo thing"?...

Thats the "basic" view from my s/o, she doesn't understand the fascination...

However, sometimes the prompt news and the fact she gets to know about World Events quite often a day or two before the main media outlets run them, that she likes.

Also, Umbrax's constant updating of the X-Men 3 thread got her actually visiting the website herself, for the first and probably last time

family yes, as my dad has always been in to things like this, I will get him to join one day,

My sister used to think i was a big joke! i tryed to talk to her about Bush and she just laughed and said go play with the aliens,

Well one night she got board so i said *go have a peek in BTS* shes been here ever since,....havent you Oni x x lol

As for my friends, gosh no! there poor heads would not be able to take it in,!

I keep ats away from everything in my life if i was on ats and somone walks into the room i exit ats i dunno why just do :shk: dont wanna be looked at like a conspircacy freak

My family and friends believe I snapped somewhere in the early '80s so nothing I do surprises or shocks them (except for underwear on my head in a Christmas card photo I once sent out). They just believe my addiction is keeping me calm and happy (like a nice blanket I suppose).

If they only knew the truth.....

Originally posted by WERE_ALL_GONA_DIE
if i was on ats and somone walks into the room i exit ats i dunno why just do :shk: dont wanna be looked at like a conspircacy freak

It would probably be better if you just stayed on ATS. If you keep exiting ATS the moment someone walks into your room, they might start to think that you are viewing porn sites! It certainly would look suspiciously like that if you go about "hiding" your presence on ATS. Unless I'm seriously mistaken about the perceptions of others, I would still prefer to be viewed as a conspiracy theorist rather than a pervert or pornography junkie.

Besides, if you shared your affinity for ATS with others, they might just find it interesting and become members themselves. Remember, Denying Ignorance begins by bringing ATS into the light of day.

No one other than me knows of my ATS addiction. I guess that makes me a closet ATS fiend.

Everyone I talk to seems to be very very interested in it actually. I guess that's because I explain things in the way best suited for specific people. All my friends have become addicts too, and my family likes to hear what I learn

I am also addicted to Lost...and everyone seems to understand

na in all seriously, I am an adult and can do whatever I like, whenever I like...

last time I went out to dinner with some of my girlfriends, 'the girls' were talking about washing powder OMG needless to say... I say bye bye...have fun doing your washing lol

I am going to a place that doesnt talk about stains in their clothes or the latest sale...
I have a brain and I like to use it...thats my excuse. If you want to come over to my house and stimulate my mind then by all means do so, but the moment you bore the #e out of me with trivia, your out the door and I am on ATS

Originally posted by NJE777
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I am going to a place that doesnt talk about stains in their clothes or the latest sale...

I totally agree. ATS is one place where one does not have to put up with the trivial matters of life. By the way, does anyone know how to get red wine stains out of cotton? Can you recommend a good soap powder? Any ideas on where I could get some "on sale"?....

When I wake up in the morning I normally join for a few reads.. some time in the afternoon, and possibly even before bed.

The post of my time spent on ATS is at work, paid for being here, this place could not get any better.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
By the way, does anyone know how to get red wine stains out of cotton? Can you recommend a good soap powder? Any ideas on where I could get some "on sale"?....

Here you go BT,

Believe it or not, white wine will remove red wine stains. Simply pour a little onto the stain.