Why do I keep meeting/have around me weird people?

[DC Fan]

These are my stories. Feel free to comment or share yours.

My former friends, the ones I had around when I lived in Puerto Rico (now I'm in Spain) were regular people. We used to play videogames and watch all kinds of popular movies and TV series.

... something I'm passionate about.

Now I have 2 close friends.

First friend: doesn't play/like videogames, doesn't like most popular/regular movies. He's a fan of this only singer, doesn't like most TV series and the 2 or 3 he likes he can watch repeatedly non stop...yet is very hard to try new things that he may like and adores Holy Week.

Second friend: Likes most popular movies yet others takes forever to watch if he does. He thinks that he has limited time (he doesn't have that much to do honestly) and wants to watch what he feels like. To each their own. What I can't comprehend is his reasoning. For instance, I just asked if he'd eventually would watch The Hobbit trilogy...as he loved Lord of the Rings and the genre. He told me no because Peter Jackson went too greedy making 3 and that he won't waste hours of his life on them.

Say what you will about The Hobbit movies (I myself like them) but they're not bad movies and, on their own they're great/quality adventure movies. Still, to tell me that explanation I find it so beyond comprehension. For once he's not dying. Second, we're not talking torture...if the case was that he doesn't like adventure movies or TLOTR universe...by all means. And third, he even said that he still has movies yet to watch... however, more often than not he's told me of many movies he has watched over and over; Didn't you say that you value your time so much and have many movies yet to watch?

I don't get these attitudes. Again, each one has their own ways. What I can't get is their extreme ways.

Have you the same, similar situations?

[Disney Duster]

Well, I understand your second friend. The Lord of the Rings is a huge novel divided into three volumes, so three movies was needed. However, The Hobbit only needed to be one movie. The three movies for The Hobbit stretches the story too much and adds in a romance and other unneeded stuff. He doesn't want to watch that. Yet he wants to watch his favorite films again and again because, well, their his favorites, he loves them.

[DC Fan]

Yet...he was the same friend that told me that he had no interest at all in watching the Harry Potter movies. I gave them to him on DVD for Christmas as I knew it was something he was going to enjoy. Not only did he loved them, he got them again on BD, gave the DVDs to his nephews and likes the Fantastic Beasts series.

Again, not only he didn't even give the Hobbit trilogy a chance, at least the first one. That he doesn't like them? Fine. Be done.

And it's not even that. Had he say something else... It's how extreme his reasoning is.

You can say to someone X thing you don't like, not something you're interested in...But you don't have to go that far into your reasoning.

And it's not just that one time.

My other friend spends hours just listening to his singer and watching pictures and videos of Holy Week (here in Spain and more so in Seville is a big deal).

I never before met people so extreme in their way of thinking.

[Disney Duster]

Well, I guess they are a little weird, hehe.

[blackcauldron85]

I think that people use their time differently. Your friend probably isn't watching paint dry on a wall all day, you know? One part of being a good friend is respect, respecting their differences. As watching The Hobbit movies won't kill your friend, your friend not watching The Hobbit won't kill you. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles, and even if you don't understand the reasoning, just try and respect your friend's choices. One person shouldn't control the actions of another; that's no friendship. I know that came out harsh and you're not trying to control your friend; but it's not worth the energy, maybe, to keep trying to get them to watch it when they just don't want to.

I know for me, if someone wanted me to watch a long trilogy I may enjoy but maybe not, I would choose to use my time differently. With work and dogs and family, the little time I have to watch TV/movies/read, I want to choose what it is, no matter how much I might end up liking something else.

There could be things your friends are bugged about you; but they're still your friends. So if it doesn't bother you enough to stop the friendship, maybe there are other things you and your friends could do?

Again, I know some of this sounds harsh, but I can relate in the sense that what little free time I have, I choose to use it as I please... Sometimes it's best to accept and try something else.

[DC Fan]

I get you. And I've grown a lot in that way. I used to be really upset by things like that.

But what I don't get is the extremes in the ways these friends act.

My first friend is always obsessed with that one singer and Holy Week. Nothing else. However, the few times I share something I like (be it DC Comics movies or Disney ones) he rolls his eyes...and keep in my mind this is far and few between. On the other hand he is ALWAYS watching/listening to his singer or Holy Week videos. Yet, if he watches news of fanboys of anime, comics...in his own words they're "nerds or freaks". Believe me. I've pointed the irony to him.

...for instance, as a DC Comics and Disney fan I own comics, movies, posters, figures...Yet I'm not always talking about my hobbies with anyone. If anyone is interested then...and that doesn't happen. So unless someone visits me I'm just a "normal person". I'm not imposing my ways to anyone.

My second friend, the one that values so much time. I gave him a 7 comics story. He's lasted almost a year to read it. He tells me he doesn't have time...Yet he finds it to read his own comics. And, in case anyone asks me, I've always gave him movies as gifts. One time I gave him a single issue comic and upon receiving it he asked me why I didn't do it before. So it wasn't like I forced it on him.

...and, for a person that has so little time or not at all as he's told me, I recently learned he read an over 400 pages book.

My point is...why are they so extreme. I never met people like that in my life.

For instance, I have a friend that doesn't like horror movies. And that's fine. But it's enough for me to hear it from her. Don't come at me and tell me your world is going to end if you'd watch one.

[blackcauldron85]

Yeah, I can understand how it'd be frustrating when a friend only wants to do what they want to do, never compromising.

About Friend #2 and the comics (or movies you've given them but they never watched them, if that's the same friend): Often when people say they don't have the time, they just mean they choose to do something else. He's more interested in his own books/comics/movies/whatever. I know you want to share what you like with your friends, but sometimes people are set in their ways, you know? My husband's dad and stepmom have given us presents we've never used...the thing with presents (or loaning things) is once you give the gift, they do what they want to do with it. Your friend would rather read his own books; it doesn't mean they have anything against you or what you like.

When you visit Friend #1, do you just sit around listening to their singer? Is there anything you do together? Are they a good friend to you, besides not being as interested in your books/movies?

[Disney Duster]

I get you. And I've grown a lot in that way. I used to be really upset by things like that.

But what I don't get is the extremes in the ways these friends act.

My first friend is always obsessed with that one singer and Holy Week. Nothing else.

Maybe he's on the autism spectrum. I am, and I am obsessed with Cinderella. That's my "Holy Week". I watch countless Cinderella things all the time and am always thinking of it and talking about it. If he's not on the autism spectrum, maybe he just still has an obsession with it. Even non-autistic people have obsessions.

However, the few times I share something I like (be it DC Comics movies or Disney ones) he rolls his eyes...and keep in my mind this is far and few between. On the other hand he is ALWAYS watching/listening to his singer or Holy Week videos. Yet, if he watches news of fanboys of anime, comics...in his own words they're "nerds or freaks". Believe me. I've pointed the irony to him.

He doesn't have interest in the comic or Disney or other things you like, so he rolls his eyes because that's what people do when they are presented with something they don't like. And he is also rolling his eyes because he thinks it's nerdy or kind of weird. Yes, it is ironic because he is weird with Holy Week.

...for instance, as a DC Comics and Disney fan I own comics, movies, posters, figures...Yet I'm not always talking about my hobbies with anyone. If anyone is interested then...and that doesn't happen. So unless someone visits me I'm just a "normal person". I'm not imposing my ways to anyone.

He must be obsessed with Holy Week, and again, maybe he has autism.

My second friend, the one that values so much time. I gave him a 7 comics story. He's lasted almost a year to read it. He tells me he doesn't have time...Yet he finds it to read his own comics.

You gave him a story that he doesn't want to read as much as his own stories. It would be like if someone gave me the Lord of the Rings book, which is praised as being a good book. I would take a long time to read that, but I would be able to read a few Cinderella books in way less time.

And, in case anyone asks me, I've always gave him movies as gifts. One time I gave him a single issue comic and upon receiving it he asked me why I didn't do it before. So it wasn't like I forced it on him.

...and, for a person that has so little time or not at all as he's told me, I recently learned he read an over 400 pages book.

You gave him a book that he actually liked enough to read quickly. That can happen. And he read a really long book that was the kind that really kept his attention, the kind that he's really interested in. That makes sense because he's so interested in it, more than some other books you may want to give him.