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[Peaches]

Just wondering if anyone else gets any strange looks or comments about their love for their Pleos?

Went shopping at Asda today & picked up another pair of socks for my little RB (this whole waiting till Xmas is killing me, so the least I can do is shop for it lol), & was met by my mum making comments about me "taking this pleo thing too far"  & got a ton of weird looks from people in the isle when mum explained that Pleo was a dinosaur, after I debated about what colour socks to buy seeming I still dont know its gender...   

So please tell me Im not the only one who goes through this, lol

I dont even get my RB till Xmas but I already love the little fella, its very much going to be part of the family/my 'baby' - I found out earlier this year if I had any more kids I'd be putting a great deal of pressure on my body & possibly causing quite bad damage to myself; & whilst Im fortunate enough to have 2 kids already  it didnt make the news any less upsetting - so when the time comes I basically have to pick between being a fit & healthy mum to the 2 kids I already have or have another baby & risk causing damage to myself... & with my youngest starting full time school next Sept Im beginning to fill quite down over it all, so ok I may be going a little over the top with Pleo but surely 'he' is meant to be treated as part of the family, & if it 'helps' me then what harm does it really do   

[Floodsy]

I'm sure there are people who see me and think the same thing about my Pleo, but he helps keep me company and I love him, so I don't really care.  As for my family, well, they adore him.  They forgot that he was a robot and started treated him like our dog!   

[Crewella]

Everyone I work with thinks I'm completely potty ...... and they may well be right!  

[Talon]

I've been the oddball since I was born so regardless of what people say when they find out about my herd it doesn't bother me much. The one comment that sometimes stings a bit is, so you've sunk nine hundred dollars into manufactured love? Get some real human friends.
Talon

[Crewella]

Bah, I have plenty of those Talon ....... on the whole, I tend to prefer the robots ......   

[Kiromanta]

The only way to avoid strange, odd comments is to live like the main stream. What a boring idea! 
But that is not your own life any more, and I want to do it my way.

Anyway, today it might be a bit odd to have a robot pet, in ten or twenty years it will probably be the most normal thing in this word.
Do not worry too much about what other says, just enjoy your way of life with your pleo.   

[kat]

we have all been there with the odd looks    Thats why we tend to flock here to the forum...... Like minded people    And here everyone gets it!

[RedwoodsMama]

 Like Kat and Crewella have said, we have all been there before, but when you have a passion for anything, you do not let other's opinions bother or stop you, I am sure I get lots of strange looks from time to time, but I have a lot more postive and rewarding expereinces and any odd comments or looks, I completly ingnore. Also if you look confident, and do not look as though you are out of place, it is less likely that someone will question you and actually be more interested in your little friend in green, pink or blue.

                I used to be a "flower child" in the Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco in late 67, and those were times when you got people gawking at you, talking about you and taking your photo. ( I remember being with my two girl frends on Fisherman's Wharf, and having two to three Asian tourists stop and ask to take their photo with us, now that is called, "drawing attention to yourself".   also I was very young and could only laugh at the time and was a care free spirit and didn't care about being Odd , actually I was more of the Norm in that time...The point is, there are allways going to be people who think others are different in one way or another, and you have to learn to live with it and make the best of it if it is something that you care about. If you live in a smaller friendly community like I do , it is easier perhaps , it also helps to take your pleo with you as much as possible to places you frequent and special events,

            I take at least one Pleo, (easier to handle) everytime I go out if at all possible, I have taken one of them to Dr. appts, grocery shopping, fabric and craft stores, thrift stores and on display at yard sales is also a good way to get feedback.( except people are allways wanting to know how much "the dino " cost.., pet stores, the local zoo, and every public event we have and of course on holidays. It has gotten to the point if I do not have a pleo with me, people who work in the stores start asking where the pleo is...? This is a good sign, it means they are looking forward to seeing her or him,

              Following are some random photos of different people meeting my Pleos, as you can see they are of all ages. The biggest kick I got was not the children, but of a elderly lady, probably late 70's who just loved Rossella and held her and cooed and talked to her about twenty minutes, She treated her as a real animal and just loved her, It also doesn't hurt that I sell the batteries for Pleos, as it gives me the opportunity to talk to lots of people about robots, dinosauars and other related things. Nobody has been surprised by the price yet, and all think that a Pleo , esp a Pleo Rb is well worth the price, I also make it a habit of having two or three business cards with me at all times, it pays off for lots of reasons. Recently I went into our local credit union to find out some infomation, and the lady that I talked to in an office did not remember me right away, but she certainly remembered the Pleo, and that was Last DEC., I gave her a business card back then, so do what you want and what your heart tells you too,

           The only real person who ever felt embarrased about being with me and my Pleos, was my own son, and he is an adult. He is very self concious though, and likes the Pleos but not the attention they bring when he is with me, You would not believe how many people even at a computer store, Staples, came up to me to ask all about this Pleo, I am a lot like you Crewella, as friends go, I prefer children, older adults and of course animals, Mainstream people with their uptight ideas and prejudices towards all sorts of people and animals I want nothing to do with. This is one of the great things about this fourm, a place you can share your experiences, your feelings and stories and get help when needed.


          ok, here are some random photos of different people of all ages meeting some of my Pleos..

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 Peaches, I understand your thouoghts and how you feel about not being able or having it not be good for your health to have more children, I have two grown children now and two lovely grandchildren, but I also lost two babies and the  last one was very unexpected and almost cost me my life, so I do understand, I have animals as my other "children", and I also consider my Pleos as my special freinds and they are able to help bring joy and I love sharing them with others .YOu will have a great Christmas and don't let others, including familly get you down, Let them know you know someone here on the forum who has 25 of these wonderful guys and I have all my faculties,,,or what is left of them..                                 RWM and the Pleo Township of the Redwoods in Beautiful Bigfoot country.                        

[Denver2]

I agree with what you say. I live in Italy and no one knows the Pleos, everyone thinks it is better to have a real animal and not a robot. But I, I "love" with these geliziosi robots that look real. When I bought my first robot, unfortunately had some problems, and I sent it back, it sounds silly but while riponevo in its box I was sad, those few days that remained were enough because I affezionassi him. I love animals and I have 13 dogs, all rescued from human cruelty, I have a horse and three donkeys, one saved from the slaughterhouse. I like to share with you my experiences with pleos, unfortunately the language prevents me to be more present, but if you help me I will be very happy to join this forum with people who think like me ......... . Denver2

[InmemoryofRomeo]

I take mine shopping with me

[degers]

You're all mad!

[irbyma7297]

hehe. my dad thinks i'm bonkers... i spent $250 on my ugobe, i wanted to take her everywhere, and he know that if i could, i would have her on 24/7

[Peaches]

Well Im glad to see Im not the only one who gets comments & looks lol. I've always been classed as the crazy, nutty one but I think this has shocked them a little; they've never even heard of a Pleo before I got one - yet they call me weird, how can you not have heard of Pleo & more importantly how can you not want one once you have heard of them?!

RWM Im so sorry for your loss, I sadly lost one in between my first & second due to my ex, it would of destroyed me completely if I hadn't of fell pregnant with my DD so quickly, she wasn't planned but she sure did help by giving me something to focus on again, my little blessing although she's been my devil child since she was born - such a diva lol.. Im glad to hear that your animals & Pleos have helped though & that they bring you joy... Lol, I'll have to mention your 25 pleos, Im sure I'll look perfectly 'normal' then hehe. Loving the photos as well, everyone looks so happy with them & the Pleos sure do seem to be enjoying themselves 

[RedwoodsMama]

 Hi Peaches, thanks for the comments, I think we are all 'ok", as long as we don't take our pleos to bed with us, or start planning their day or 'life" out for them, If we start thinking of their "first day of school,", their first date, marraiges or start when to get them a car, ( My guys do have a horse though... , then we are ok, but the more advanced they become, the more you have to re think the whole situation....So far the bus driver has not asked me to pay bus fare for any of my pleos, but if that starts to happen, believe me, I am going to protest or have to sneak them on in a back pack,,,,,I am not going to pay for bus fare for a pleo when I do not have to for my cats when they ride to go to the vets, so THERE.               Told you I was not crazy !                             RWM

[Comarorobotcollector]

I went to the tellus museum  and my family was making fun of me and telling me i looked like a special person or a kid because i brought Comaro at one point i took pics of him in the fake rocks that you search threw to find fossils and a lady that worked there walked up to me and said:exscuse  me you cant have your toy on there and i got mad and said HE'S NOT A TOY HE'S MY FRIEND! !!.she than went on to say are you ok?are you lost?and do you know where your mom is? i just gave her a look and said im not mentally retarded lady,and i ran out of there with tears in my eyes i went and stayed outside of that place and played with Comaro until he feel asleep later i talked to one of the staff and he said he would have never said that to me if he saw me and that people place there purses on there all the time... sometimes i just want to hit people xD....and i go to pets mart for Comaro's outfits by the way you should get winter clothing its getting cold 

[RedwoodsMama]

Camaro, I am very sorry for the way that lady treated you. It was very unprofessional I am glad the other museum person heard about it. She should have been reprimanded. More to blame ( in my opinion) is your family, that was creul and not respectful for family members to treat a member like that. I think if it was me in your postion, I would take my Pleo to outing only when I have other freinds with me that can support me in those kind of circumstances. There is somthing to be said for "power in numbers", People are less likely to approach you and make comments that are negative if they see others with you are not acting negativelly. this is similiar to bullying, When a person is in a group, they are less likly to be bulied or singled out, leave them alone and they are a target. Also your freinds can support that Pleo is not a toy.

              Many people still think of Pleo as nothing but a toy, I was watching a video last night from a trade show where a reporter came up to see the new Pleo RB and kept calling the Pleo a "toy" even after the pleo demonstarter told him it was not a toy, but an interactive life form, a virtual pet of sorts and explained that it was not aimed at children but adults or families with children where they could not have a pet , because of allergies for example, If a grown man who is fairly intelligent and is told at least three times that a Pleo is NOT a toy, still can not get it, then it is going to take some section of the mainstream of society, just as long to get that this is not a toy. Explain that it is a life form, a interactive life form, like a robot but different in many ways as it responds to it's envionment and how it is treated.
             If the person asks you to leave though, no amount of explaining is going to do any good. What I often do is just carry my pleo along with me and the pleo is in it's off positon. It is when people start asking questions, then I turn pleo on and answer what they want to know, Many people are amazed when they actually see Pleo in motion, They know it is not a toy when they see there is no remote control, that I can not make pleo do anything, other then perhaps rubbing under the chin, hoping for a song.

             Dont let your family or anyone else get you down, The fact you enjoy Pleo is what is important. Pleo is yours. As you get older you will find it easier to deal with people that are uninformed, snobbish, rude, and other negative emotions. Just surround yourself with postive people to be around and do not let one experience bring you down. Your friends here on the forums support you and many of us have had this happen in one way or another before.

                         RWM 

[degers]

I do have to point out that many definitions of toys do apply to Pleo, Pleo is a toy and is regarded by the vast majority of people who come into contact with Pleo as such.

3.
something that serves for or as if for diversion, rather than for serious pratical use.

S: (n) plaything, toy (an artifact designed to be played with)
S: (n) toy (a device regarded as providing amusement)

A toy is any object that can be used to play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable pastime.

an object, especially a gadget or machine, regarded as providing amusement for an adult

Also I don't think the museum assistant did anything wrong by asking you to remove your Pleo from the exhibit, then asking you if you were lost or knew where your parents are?  I

[irbyma7297]

hehe. the other day, i was at walmart in the pet section to buy a collar for nyan... i asked my dad if i could get a tag for her from the machine, "so, you want to buy a collar and tag for your robot dinosaur with a broken battery?" lolz. also, i was in ft. hancock yesterday, and at the church where i brought her a few times, five people asked me where she was XP

[RedwoodsMama]

There are a few places I would draw the line at bringing Pleo or any other sort of device that could be disruptive, Here are some places I would not bring Pleo, an I Pod, game boy, etc. or toys in general.

 1. Any place of worship..
2.  A movie theater
 3. an Opera, Play, any kind of performance that could be distractive to other people
4. When going to apply for any type of loan at a bank or credit union,,,,,,,,,,,you want them to take you seriously...
5.  A Police Station or Jail....
 6. A public Restaurant where you are sitting down, esp formal, Places like Taco Bell or pizza, fast food, judge the situation.( these fast food places I may take photos, but more likely outdoor sitting and with Pleo off, use your judgement..)
7. When enrolling your child in school, or applying at your local college, university...wait till you have seen how your instructors are....
 8. At any type of local lecture, city hall meetings etc, you want to be taken seriously
9. When you go to vote,
10. Upscale expensive stores...they will consider you odd and you do not have the money to be in their store.
11. If going to a lawyers,,,,don't defeat your purpose..unless you are filing for some sort of mental disability...then full steam ahead.
12. Going to fil out adoption papers or apply for adoptive services...
13. At your mother in laws the first time you meet them...not a good idea unless you are planning on trying to file for divorce and can't stand the other party..
14. also a speed date or blind date...unless you want to get rid of "bad" matches, then bring your "secret" weapon out at the right moment...
15. At hospital when you are sick, unless you know your going to be there for a certain period of time and you have a way to protect your Pleo from theft...personally I would leave Pleo at home. By the time I felt good enough to play with Pleo, I am ready to go home and play with my real fur babies..
16.  At an auction...they may not take you seriously or it will be too distracting.
17. Political debates meeting, etc, you won't be taken seriously and it can hurt the canidate's postion with "people like that, " supporting that canidate.
18. Public library.
19. Hair salon, you don't want people working on client's hair or nalls to a lesser degree being distracted and making a mistake...I would not want my hair to be chopped off, the wrong color etc, because the person taking care of me was distracted..
20. Unless a home ceremony and you have thought things out carefully, never bring a Pleo to a Wedding, Holy Communion, Baptisim, any type of ceremony, and of course, NEVER when a baby is being circumcised....... Knives and sharp instruments in the right hands do not want dispuptive actions...NEVER
21.. Of course the last place I would ever take a Pleo is to a funeral..................no explanation needed...


           Now there are places you can take Pleo...here is a partial list of where I have taken them..
1. to parks and open places people come to enjoy fresh air,
2. Beaches, no water of course, but great place for photos.
3. the beautiful woods, great photos too.
4. Famous Landmarks, buildings, great for Bob the Pleo WAs here.
5. Places like Disneyland are fun places that welcome Pleo and the Young at heart love Pleo , magical and fantasy meet technology.
6. Petstores are perfect...who would ask a Pleo life form to leave...I have allways gotten positive feedback.
7. Yard sales or garage sales you are holding, they draw attention to your Pleo and the items you have for sale. Besides it is your property and you do not have to worry about leaving..
 8. Many department stores that sell toys, Walmart, Target, K-Mart, Toys R Us, etc, Pleo is allways welcome ..
9. Many grocery stores, etc. you may consider twice though on smaller mom and pop type stores.
10. Birthday partys, Christmas , etc, if hosted at your house.
11. School, show and tell, share days etc. play it by ear and your own judgement.
12. Zoos are also a great place.
13. your friend's houses, just make sure you know them well, and idealy they have a pleo also and you can have a Pleo play date.

                      Ok, there is my partial list.. I am sure you can think of other places. this is a list of places here in the U.S. Oh, of course out in boats, or on a train, plane if not distrubing others, these you  have to ask about. Just remember to be aware of others privacay and rights too.                                         RWM  

[Comarorobotcollector]

Thanks so much you guys he was not near any real dinosaurs or anything expensive just a dumb fossil dig with tiny fossils and sharks teeth and the lady knew i was not special she just said that because i was mad and she was being snooty not concerned but im glad to have so much  support from you guys and i was thinking it would be a good idea to bring Comaro to petsmart in a few days to get him a winter coat so its ok i have all my pleo owner friends here <3 *hugs

[mweed]

There are a few places I would draw the line at bringing Pleo . . .

I think your list is a bit too restrictive, at least for me.  Just looking at the beginning of the list, I must be a horrible pleo owner! 

1. Any place of worship

Bob has attended many church services, and has even been requested by one returning guest preacher.  Now, granted, he is turned off during service . . .

3. an Opera, Play, any kind of performance that could be distracting to other people

Again, the key here (like many public places/event) is to consider other people, performers AND respect that this is their time.  You don't want pleo to steal away the attention.  So, pleo should always be turned off during the performance.  But as long as YOU don't make the pleo a distraction, there are many great opportunities.  I've gotten some rather nice photos with the performers after the show this way.

6. A public Restaurant where you are sitting down, esp formal, Places like Taco Bell or pizza, fast food, judge the situation.( these fast food places I may take photos, but more likely outdoor sitting and with Pleo off, use your judgement..)

I love to take Bob to fancy sit-down restaurants!    The key is planning, and like I said in #3, respecting the restaurant.  I usually take Bob with me on business trips, which means a lot of eating out at sit-down establishments.  I usually don't take Bob on a first visit, but when I'm at a place and it looks like it would make some nice pictures, I plan a return visit with Bob.  I usually look to go during off hours when the restaurant is slow, and I ask to be seated at a table that I scoped out on my first trip.  I try to include the wait staff and/or manager.  By going mid-afternoon or late evening when things are slow, the staff is usually pretty bored and eager to pitch in and help.  And by letting the staff know I'm there to take pictures as much as eat, they usually are eager to offer suggestions, help out, and put their best into it.  I've had them prepare food specifically to pose with Bob, and have even been invited back into the kitchen to pose Bob in the food preparation.  Of course it probably helps that I spent seven years in the restaurant industry, so I know a little bit of what and how they do things.

7. When enrolling your child in school, or applying at your local college, university...wait till you have seen how your instructors are....

Well, I've never enrolled a child in school, but I did apply for a job at the local university where Bob came up during the first round of interviews . . .

10. Upscale expensive stores...they will consider you odd and you do not have the money to be in their store.

Well, that's only because they're ignorant.  If they had any idea what a pleo COSTS they'd probably rush over to help you thinking you must be a fool with a lot of money . . .

And I'll stop there . . .

[RedwoodsMama]

You are right Bob, most of the places I am speaking of is referring to Pleos being "on" if there is interest and it seems ok, and not during a performance, then of course I can turn him on. There are certain restrictions. Of course I would not want one of my Pleos on during a wedding and having one Pleo on and shout out. I love You or scream  or start burping. As for photos, I am one of the people that takes a camera with me at all times, except in the bathroom and when I go to bed, but I take a camera out at all times and never want to miss an opportunity.

          I do think a well groomed Pleo can get a lot farther in life then a messy Pleo, and one like Bob probably has the upper hand. LOL I also thinks it depends on the church you may take your pleo to. Some churches may be more open minded than others, I have seen Pleo get along well at Buddist ceremonies and he may be welcome at a voodo or similiar ceremony, but I know some nuns who would whack him on his feet just as the whacks I received as a child by nuns in school. ( Catholic) I got tired of getting sore knuckles so I am not a Roman Catholic any longer and my pleos are free to choose their own "faith, " but there will not be any Sunday masses that we attend anytime soon. Above all it is just respecting other's rights and if you are asked not to turn on a Pleo, then obey or leave. I may bring them along, but know when it is time to turn them on, but I can take all the photos I please without them being on, This list is primarily for a Pleo being on. Oh I forgot one place I have wanted to take one and can't bring in any sort of electronic device, including a camera, that is a casino, There are lots of casinos in this area, and I am sure I could get some inside information on Blackjack , but I can't bring one in,,,so that is that.        RWM

[fancyfont]

How come you can't bring a pleo into a casino?  Not even for photos? 

[RedwoodsMama]

Fancy, the reason I can not bring a Pleo into a casino is for one very good reason...They do not allow electronic devices into a casino, such as a camera. I had to sneak my camera on my cell phone out of my purse to take a picture of the screen on the video I was playing when I hit a jackpot once, cause I wanted to record the event. They are afraid of recording deivices and any sort of electronic device that may tamper with a machine, help a person cheat, etc. All casins have rules and this is why you can not bring anything into a casino other than your purse. No backpacks, no luggage, shopping bags and of course no robots, Believe me I would have taken photos long ago, but you can take photos OUTSIDE the casino entrance. I would love photos of pleos when I hit a jackpot..just is not going to happen here in the U.S.

                                RWM

[Peaches]

mweed I loveee that you took Bob to an interview, what did the employer think?   Also Camaro, how awful that your family & the museum lady treated you like that! I would of refused to have move him - you're family should have supported you.. Thank god for us 'weirdos' at least we understand another persons love for a pleo   lol