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Can we change....

would they look at me less weird if I sat around on the couch folding laundry watching soap opera's all day?

Yes, they would look at you less weird if that were the case Rick, but that's what the majority of society expects.. doing something "different" is just not normal to them.

As to the use of the word totlot, use it on the forums if you must and take the extra half second to say playground in face-to-face conversations to avoid awkward moments.
 
I am not entirely sure you can make it sound any better no matter how you tried. My main hobby is photography, and people ask why I have expensive equipment if I do not make a living from it. I have to tell them it relaxes me. But if you call it kiddie grounds then some will make that perverse, or even just calling them playgrounds for some. I just would not call them anything but parks in public.
 
I always though of myself as a treasure hunter. Even buried coins can be treasure. It is in the eye of the beholder what is and isn't treasure.
Tot lots is a term I never liked, Matter of fact I rarely ever hunt them, only on the way to the bathroom or if they are on the way out to the field.
 
If it helps

Sort of on topic.....

Anyone ever get irritated by what people think is weird for a hobby? When I tell people one of my hobby's is metal detecting they look at me a little weird, and I wonder sometimes what they do for a hobby. I don't really understand how walking around in the great outdoors getting exercise finding lost treasures is weird to people. Being that I'm retired from the military, and haven't gone back to work yet, would they look at me less weird if I sat around on the couch folding laundry watching soap opera's all day?

Whenever someone gives me that look when I say my hobby is metal detecting I ask them what they do with their spare time....then I get to look at them weird.

I teach Middle School and I get the same weird looks when I tell people.
 
Sort of on topic.....

Anyone ever get irritated by what people think is weird for a hobby? When I tell people one of my hobby's is metal detecting they look at me a little weird, and I wonder sometimes what they do for a hobby. I don't really understand how walking around in the great outdoors getting exercise finding lost treasures is weird to people. Being that I'm retired from the military, and haven't gone back to work yet, would they look at me less weird if I sat around on the couch folding laundry watching soap opera's all day?

Whenever someone gives me that look when I say my hobby is metal detecting I ask them what they do with their spare time....then I get to look at them weird.

I usually get the opposite reaction. They usually start asking questions which eventually leads to "So what types of things do you find on the beach?" When I tell them I don't detect beaches, that's when I get the weird look. When I tell them I've found coins dating from the 1700's, that's when their blown away.

As for the OP, yes, I've always thought of the phrase 'totlot' as a bit weird but whatever. I don't really hit totlots, the odds of finding a colonial coin in one is slim so why bother. I'll admit, occasionally I see a post of someone finding a big honking ring in one and question my goals in this hobby.:D I did once hit one in a sketchy (but very old) neighborhood in Lynn, Ma and pull an indian head from the 1860's below the woodchips.

In a related note, I used to play in a pool league here in Salem and was picked to play on a team with some players younger than me, late teens, early 20's. They chose the team name to be 'Strangers with candy', I guess a comedy show at the time had the same name. Yes, a bit weird but what made it weirder was my 13 year old daughter was also on the team, LOL. :grin:
 
New name for totlot? OK....

How about
SprogBog
Howlin' Holler
Pedo Meadow
SquallMart
Squalk Box
ADHD-HQ

I gotta million of 'em!

SageGrouse
Childfree By Choice
 
Funny I heard that word before the Internet and cell phones
If we were going to the playground to play it was playground
If I heard do you Want to go to the tot lot you knew that the
Metal detector was going and you could play or dig so the term
Has been around since the 60's
 
Sort of on topic.....

Anyone ever get irritated by what people think is weird for a hobby? When I tell people one of my hobby's is metal detecting they look at me a little weird, and I wonder sometimes what they do for a hobby. I don't really understand how walking around in the great outdoors getting exercise finding lost treasures is weird to people. Being that I'm retired from the military, and haven't gone back to work yet, would they look at me less weird if I sat around on the couch folding laundry watching soap opera's all day?

Whenever someone gives me that look when I say my hobby is metal detecting I ask them what they do with their spare time....then I get to look at them weird.

I used to get razzed a lot from people purposely throwing pennies to getting asked to leave public beaches. :mad: This is not so much anymore. Now I find people are more curious about the hobby. When asked I find myself talking to people for at least ten minutes. I figure the people who like to harass us for no reason can go crawl back under the rock where they came from. I sure they have hobbies that we would find strange. :p
 
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