yes... i collect antiques.

Having your mom discover your home theater ain't shit.

I had to explain to my mom once why I had a bong in my kitchen cabinets.

You bastard. What kind of son are you?

Introducer her to three friends of yours and say you live in a "shared love, multi-gender, multi-race" relationship.

Let it sink in for about two minutes.

Then say, "No, I'm just kidding, I just like watching movies."

She won't say a damn thing.

Why would you be afraid to show your mom your HT? This doesn't make any sense.

put on a few of her favorite flicks and i'm sure she will change her tune. back in the early eighties i lived with my grandfater (80 yrs old) for a while and i bought an expensive first gen bigscreen rear projection tv. i got all the speeches about waste of money etc etc. by the time i moved out he really grew to like the tv and enjoyed watching murder she wrote on the "huge" tv. he even used to invite other geezers over for the occasion!

Well, I don't know your parents but I think I understand better than some here seem to. My parents are stoics so there would be no "turning them around" by showing them their favorite movies. And certainly owning lots of DVDs rather than renting them is a luxury and a collection bug that you can't expect everyone to understand or appreciate.

I think what it comes down to for parents is (a) seeing that their kids are making smart financial choices versus (b) seeing that their kids are happy. I think that if you play to both of these interests, you can come out all right. If you've built up some savings or made some investments, slip that into the conversation before she sees the home theater. And then, again before she sees it, talk about how you've really been getting into movies in the past few years and that your hobby has kept you happy and stress-free.

Tell her you're dying. That always lessens the blow of any other news you have.

"I have $5,800 in electronics equipment."
"Oh, my God!"
"And I'm dying."
"OH, MY GOD!"

"I failed high school."
"Oh, my God!"
"And I'm dying."
"OH, MY GOD!"

"I burned down the old abandoned salt water taffy factory."
"Oh, my God!"
"And I'm dying."
"OH, MY GOD!"

I bet porn is interesting on that tv.

It's none of her business. You are an adult.

She probably spends money on things you might find silly, like cigarettes, figurines, whatever and you don't give her grief about it I bet.

If she respects you as an adult, she won't say a word, and if she does, politely tell her it isn't her concern.

Some sensible comments in here, mixed with some snide sarcasm, which is fine as I invited it.

Here's another tidbit that should shed some light on what kind of relationship I have with my mother: I've been married 7 years. My mother has met my wife exactly once. At the wedding.

I won't lose sleep over it then since it doesn't seem like a close realationship. If she doesn't visit ever and only seen your wife of 7 years once then just relax. I can relate since I currentily don't speak to my father and will not go to his second wedding. I was only invited so I get to look like the bad for turning it down.

Khitbash.

Do you have a giant painting of Dogs Playing Poker you can put on top of the projection screen? ;->

Paul

I feel your pain Josh.

I hide my DVD's whenever my dad comes over, due to the simple fact I don't feel like being yelled at.

Going by your response, sounds like you already know what kind of son he is.


And OP, just let her see it. If you're financially stable then there's no problem. I know you don't want to upset mom (I'm serious), but if you are financially set and can support your familiy and everything that comes with that ahead of your hobby, then I see no problem.

I guess I'm lucky. My mom is not only aware of my collection, but she's been right there to see it going from a handful of my favorite movies, to an extensive outlet of great cinema. She supports it and I've never once had her question my spending habits. She relates to it, because she has an incredible LP collection (which she's just now starting to thin out a bit), CD collection (ditto), and thousands and thousands of books. I love films and the DVD format, but I totally got the collector mentality from her.

Just make sure that she is informed well in advance that if she knocks anything over during her stay, it will be another 7 years before she sees your wife again

You could crate up the DVDs and hide the screen if possible. Then just tell her you're holding the HT equipment for a friend who's between apartments.

But you should just tell her the truth if/when she asks. If she starts getting on your case, tell her it's your decision and there's point in discussing it any further. If she tries, just end the conversation (change the subject, leave the room, start watching a movie ). It sucks to have a nag for a mom, but you're an adult now. She can only nag you as much as you let her. If it cuts down on the (already little) time you spend together, that's her choice as you aren't required to put up with her belittling your choices.

Good luck.

I get a little of the same thing with my DLP FP setup (even bigger) and my wife's bazillion DVDs (I think she has like 600-700 now and I have probably 200). I'm supposed to have had my Grandma over to check out the house we bought (and she helped us with the downpayment) but since I owe her money, I get the feeling seeing all our DVDs would make her grouchy.

Only worry if you owe her money! :0

You've been married 7 years and you still care what your mother thinks about your HT? When I first read this thread I assumed you must be a 19 year old kid or something. Wow.





Stew

I figured it was a joke... or at least it better be.

If you think you have a tough time hiding a HT from you mother on her trip, think about this. I've been hiding my DVD Collection (which is at about 1000 discs) from my parents for five years and I still live at home. I hide most of them in the floor boards of my room (alot like Lane from "Gilmore Girls" if you have seen that).

Afraid they'll make you pay board?

Don't bother buying any whores unless you are sure you will use them repeatedly - Try NetWhores - you can try out as many as you like each month as long as you return them in the self addressed envelope. Besides with the new Whores format wars, you don't want to get caught double dipping!

...or do you?