Author Topic: Sneaking cabinets into the house... what was the aftermath??? (Read 3520 times)

ArtMAME · « **on:** April 17, 2007, 05:03:20 pm »

I sneaked an Asteroids machine into the house one time, and waited for my wife to get home from work. When she got home, I said "OK, might as well get this over with... follow me, I have to show you something..."

She was OK with it, not really 100% cool with it, but pretty cool nontheless. (it was my 2nd cabinet, I already bought and MAMEd a big Midway cabinet). I was expecting all hell to break loose because she was not all that cool about the first one.

The worst times have been when I announce that I am going to pick up a cabinet. We have had some knock down/drag outs over that...

The last two cabinets I got, she was totally cool with them...

Please vote and tell a little about your experiences when you either sneak a cabinet into the house, or when your spouse already knew about it. Any interesting stories?

javeryh · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:15:09 pm »

I've never really snuck a cabinet into the house but one "magically" appeared after I spent a weekend in the garage. Once she saw it she just gave me a look - it's been 4 months and she still won't acknowledge its existence. I haven't gotten one single "wow that looks cool!" or "what are you building?" or anything. Her view is that the time I spend building cabs is a complete waste because I should be doing other chores around the house or hanging out with her. I don't understand it though because as much as she hates my hobby the second we have a party and everyone wants to play on the cocktail cabinet she thinks its the coolest thing...

DarkBubble · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:21:11 pm »

The current cab in my garage was a gutted freebie. I had gotten home late, but was still earlier than the little woman. She managed to show up as I was getting it into the garage. She didn't raise hell, but she didn't hesitate to remind me that I had other things to attend to before I could mess with it.

Women...

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:24:35 pm »

I didn't have to sneak the last cabinet in...my wife helped me pick it up and bargain with the guy to get the price down. If you're picking something up like Bubble Bobble, it's not too hard.

Apollo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:32:09 pm »

Heh funny thread. My wife actually goes and picks up parts for me if I need her to. She loves that I have an interesting hobby and she gets to have a say in naming, colour choice etc. In saying that though the cab I am working on at the moment is a bit of a beast and won't be coming in to the house due to lack of space.

shorthair · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:34:59 pm »

Quote from: DarkBubble on April 17, 2007, 05:21:11 pm

She didn't raise hell, but she didn't hesitate to remind me that I had other things to attend to before I could mess with it.

Women...

Dude, that should be a pleasure.

ChadTower · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:48:29 pm »

I've never snuck a cab into the house. I usually head out saying "I'm going to get a cab/pin", come back with the pin, put it in the house, and then afterwards she'll ask "does this one work at least" and the answer is always no. One time she said "are you asking me or telling me this time" so I said "I'm telling you" and that was that.

Seriously, you need at least part of your own home that is yours.

javeryh · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2007, 05:56:30 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on April 17, 2007, 05:48:29 pm

Seriously, you need at least part of your own home that is yours.

I wish. Apparently the only part that is mine is the leaky, unfinished basement with 6 ft. ceilings that I'm not allowed to paint in. I do have a nice house though thanks to the wife and a cabinet would probably look out of place everywhere except the TV room where my daughter's toys are currently residing. We do have an understanding that our next house will have a large finished (or finishable) basement that I can set up any way I want - arcade games, home theater, shuffleboard, bar, etc. so I have that to look forward to in the next 5 years...

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #8 on:** April 17, 2007, 06:05:56 pm »

Quote from: javeryh on April 17, 2007, 05:56:30 pm

We do have an understanding that our next house will have a large finished (or finishable) basement that I can set up any way I want - arcade games, home theater, shuffleboard, bar, etc. so I have that to look forward to in the next 5 years...

We have the same agreement. We're house-hunting now and my dream home just got bought. We were ready to make an offer and somebody beat us to it. It had a 2,000 sqft basement with a very large area for a game room aside from the living room. Both of us were pretty bummed out to see it go, but we're keeping our eyes open for something similar.

leapinlew · « **Reply #9 on:** April 17, 2007, 06:06:35 pm »

When I bring a cab home, my wife gets so hot we usually end up doing it on top of the cab. Drives her crazy.

bleargh · « **Reply #10 on:** April 17, 2007, 06:33:42 pm »

Quote from: leapinlew on April 17, 2007, 06:06:35 pm

When I bring a cab home, my wife gets so hot we usually end up doing it on top of the cab. Drives her crazy.

That must be just a bit awkward/uncomfortable with a stand-up cab. Or are you both really that tall... ?

Or, are you just bringing home cocktails...

Fozzy The Bear · « **Reply #11 on:** April 17, 2007, 06:51:51 pm »

Quote from: leapinlew on April 17, 2007, 06:06:35 pm

When I bring a cab home, my wife gets so hot we usually end up doing it on top of the cab. Drives her crazy.

AHHHH!! I finally understand your obsession with buying three or four cabs a month.... LOL

You lucky bastard!!!

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

FrizzleFried · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2007, 06:56:21 pm »

My first cabinet, the wife was OK with it...a new hobby...keeps him around the house she thought...

My second cabinet, the wife was tolerant...why a 2nd one? Ahhh...ok...

My 3rd cabinet, the wife was less-than-thrilled...way less... We are running out of space! Why do you need 3?

My 4th cabinet, the wife was actually starting to come around... back to tolerant.

My 5th cabinet, the wife was accepting...especially after I pointed out that my prior thoughts for a hobby were HARLEY DAVIDSON...and that a single Hog would have cost WAY more than all 5 cabinets x 10...

My 6th cabinet is a driving cabinet that is actually an Army Flight Training pod I got for $25.00... the wife was actually somewhat excited about it...and it is my next project.

SO! I am hoping by the time I get to 10 she will be buying cabs FOR ME!

Jake · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2007, 06:57:50 pm »

I had a hard time sneaking my cabinet in because we live in a 3rd floor apartment. She kind of liked it before it turned into a million pieces in the corner of my office.

TOK · « **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2007, 08:44:03 pm »

I'm working on my 3rd cab, no negative comments so far. She's kind of oblivious to playing them since she's not a gamer, but I do know she likes having them in the house due to the reaction they get from guests and their kids. We do have the space, which I think can make a huge difference.

I was really into dirt bikes when we got married, and owned 6 of them at one point. Although I never snuck a cab in, once in a while a dirt bike would miraculously show up.

I think she has just kind of accepted the fact that I'm real compulsive when something interests me.

ChadTower · « **Reply #15 on:** April 17, 2007, 08:51:13 pm »

Quote from: leapinlew on April 17, 2007, 06:06:35 pm

When I bring a cab home, my wife gets so hot we usually end up doing it on top of the cab. Drives her crazy.

You should stop hiring Jamaal the 6-4 225lb mover to help.

Kaytrim · « **Reply #16 on:** April 17, 2007, 08:52:37 pm »

My wife hates video games.

She thinks they are nothing but a waste of time.

It is always a bone of contention between her and I. However I have been slowly accumulating knowledge and parts to build the real thing. First there was the control panel that appeared while she was out of town for two weeks. The piece of junk that serves as my test cab until I can build an arcade machine just 'appeared' over night.

Parts have been trickling in unnoticed and unannounced over the last few months. I just wish I could find the $50 and the hiding place for the Tatio cab that showed up on CL last week.

The first cab I have seen in my area since I started looking several months ago.

My first real project was approved by my step Mom this last weekend.

A bartop for my Dad. The final piece arrived today and my wife will be back in town tomorrow. I should be able to sell the idea to her because it is a present for him. Maybe it is time for the hobby to get out of the workshop and into the light of day. I am going to have to really pull my weight and get the basement finished first though. Then I might be able to build my real cab.

Pray for me folks

I don't know if I will be able to survive the avalanche when she finds out.

TTFN

Kaytrim

AMDman13 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 17, 2007, 09:36:36 pm »

I have a Mame Cab that I built myself that she is cool with. I'm currently toying with the idea of buying a junked classic for the simple fact of a restore. She doesn't understand why I would need a dedicated cab, but isn't ready to leave me or anything. Personally I don't know why either. I think I might have been biten by the cabinet bug again.

bleargh · « **Reply #18 on:** April 18, 2007, 01:15:39 am »

When I'd first discussed it with my wife back in 2002 she was dead set against the idea unless I could make the cabinet look like a piece of "furniture" (e.g. Knievel's "Woody") (which is awesome btw, just not what I wanted). Bought some parts, got started on plans, had kids, bought house, everything got stuck on hold.

When I got all interested again this time I went a different route and suggested buying a cab to refurbish into my MAME machine instead of building one from scratch. Brought it up over breakfast one morning that I'd found a local arcade that had a dead Gauntlet Legends machine that he'd deliver to our door. She, uh, still wasn't terribly thrilled about it. Got that look of "I don't like it, but I can't (yet) find a good reason to say no".

Then, it arrived... first words out of her mouth were "you're not going to repaint that, are you?" Woo-hoo!

Then, my 3yr olds first words... "Dad! Dad! Plug it in! Plug it in!"

She's since come to accept the cabinet, but is having a hard time swallowing the seemingly endless packages of parts that get delivered; sticks, buttons, coin mechs, wiring, etc. Todays package? Steering wheels.

ChadTower · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2007, 09:07:13 am »

Quote from: Kaytrim on April 17, 2007, 08:52:37 pm

My wife hates video games. She thinks they are nothing but a waste of time. It is always a bone of contention between her and I.

"Waste of time" is relative. What would she prefer you do with that time? You could be out boozing and cheating with that time.

ArtMAME · « **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2007, 10:33:37 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on April 18, 2007, 09:07:13 am

Quote from: Kaytrim on April 17, 2007, 08:52:37 pm
My wife hates video games. She thinks they are nothing but a waste of time. It is always a bone of contention between her and I.

"Waste of time" is relative. What would she prefer you do with that time? You could be out boozing and cheating with that time.

I use that argument all the time, along with other, more expensive hobbies that I could be doing.

It's pretty sad when you can tell your wife that you are going to the strip club with your buddies, but she does not believe you... she knows you are really going out to do something arcade related.

Besides, she knows you would much rather give your hard-earned $1 to Billy the toothless auctioneer for a non-working junk cabinet than stuff it down Candy the stripper's G-string at the Crazy Horse Saloon...

RayB · « **Reply #21 on:** April 18, 2007, 10:36:47 am »

I hate polls that don't include "none of the above".

ChadTower · « **Reply #22 on:** April 18, 2007, 10:39:09 am »

So go to the strip club a few times. Who says you can't do both? Better yet, buy some glitter bodyspray. When you go to pick up a game, spray it all over your pants and arms. She'll have no choice but to believe you went to the strip club.

divemaster127 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 18, 2007, 01:41:07 pm »

I have been building a racing setup since December I just close the door to the game room when im not using it & tell her that it saves heat to keep the door closed, she still has not noticed the racing cab yet
dm

Kaytrim · « **Reply #24 on:** April 18, 2007, 01:44:17 pm »

That won't work at my place dm. The wife needs to go through the game room to get to the pantry.

horseboy · « **Reply #25 on:** April 18, 2007, 01:44:55 pm »

Quote from: divemaster127 on April 18, 2007, 01:41:07 pm

I have been building a racing setup since December I just close the door to the game room when im not using it & tell her that it saves heat to keep the door closed, she still has not noticed the racing cab yet
dm

How does she get in there to clean?

divemaster127 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 18, 2007, 01:51:53 pm »

Are you kidding if I dont clean my gameroom & my office(2nd gameroom sort of), computer xbox360(it doesnt get done) she never steps foot in my 2 rooms, she gets rest of the house
dm

ChadTower · « **Reply #27 on:** April 18, 2007, 02:07:56 pm »

You're deluding yourself if you think she doesn't know. Women know everything about every inch of their home. She just hasn't let on yet. It will come out during an argument about something completely unrelated, probably in a sequence where everything you've ever done wrong is itemized for your hearing displeasure.

leapinlew · « **Reply #28 on:** April 18, 2007, 02:31:20 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on April 18, 2007, 02:07:56 pm

Women know everything about every inch of their home.

Theres your problem right there...

DarkBubble · « **Reply #29 on:** April 18, 2007, 02:36:22 pm »

Quote from: shorthair on April 17, 2007, 05:34:59 pm

Quote from: DarkBubble on April 17, 2007, 05:21:11 pm
She didn't raise hell, but she didn't hesitate to remind me that I had other things to attend to before I could mess with it.

Women...

Dude, that should be a pleasure.

No, no, not the good stuff. The honey-dos.


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Poll

If you have ever sneaked a cabinet into the house, what happened when your spouse found out?

Author Topic: Sneaking cabinets into the house... what was the aftermath??? (Read 3520 times)

DarkBubble

shorthair

DarkBubble