Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

This Man and His Marbles Are Rarely Parted

Posted by "GrrlScientist" on May 26, 2010
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This Belgian Television News video documents a man whom some of you might think is very strange. I don’t think he’s strange, though. Of course, I am probably telling you too much about myself, but I did this, too! Like this guy, I had a collection of hundreds of marbles that I’d race for hours at a time through intricate obstacle courses that I had constructed. I not only recognized each individual marble, but yes, I named each one, too. (I never glued names on them as this guy does because that would slow them down). Unlike this guy, my childhood passion for marble racing was partially assuaged when I discovered horse racing, though …

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Comments

  1. #1 Tabor
    May 26, 2010

    These hobbies are great therapy…better than drugs.

  2. #2 Fred
    May 26, 2010

    Having just come from PZ’s blog about some vile scumbag’s justification for rape, this guy looks positively sane. At least he’s managed to keep his marbles.

    Though the part where his wife says she only sees him for dinner was rather sad.

  3. #3 joshua
    May 27, 2010

    I think this guy is awesome.

  4. #4 Chris
    May 28, 2010

    @#2 I don’t think that is his wife, I think that is his mother. Although that would mean she is, at a reasonable minimum, 88years old.

    It is great that he has a hobby that he loves, but I think it is a bit sad. He has voluntarily locked himself away from the world because his marbles are his friends. I am betting he has some sort of disorder. It struck me as OCD at first, but it might be a manifestation of aspergers.

  5. #5 blamesanta
    May 28, 2010

    well other people spend 10-16 hrs playing computer games. I dont see anything wrong with it.

  6. #6 Chessie
    May 28, 2010

    I must say, there’s a certain beauty in this. He may be isolated, but he has reached in his spirit and in his isolation a place that I will never touch.

    It may be very strange to me but it is lovely.