Is it good or bad when...

You realize that you are known as "that guy" locally.

Let me explain, I purchased a camera today. The name of the camera doesn't matter, and I'll write about it later as I have been wanting one of these for some time. So when it popped up on craigslist last night I sent the seller an email just a few minutes after he had posted it. Needless to say I met up with him around lunch time, happily paid for the camera and went about my way.

Once I got home I played with it, oogled and fondled it, watched information on youtube, read reviews and little tidbits (for instance it was the least produced model with only 45,000 made!). In fact I did just about everything but shoot it, as the weather here has been absolutely awful and I've been feeling absolutely lazy. But no excuses I know I know, time to play like a champ. And I surely will this weekend, as the weather is supposed to clear up and I can get some shadow definition and contrast! Welcome to Portland Oregon ladies and gentleman.

However it wasn't until later that night, a few minutes ago in fact that I got a mail on Flickr. It was sent from a user who I have talked with a few times before. He lives in Portland, shoots with film, basically a man after my own heart. And his simple mesage was as follows:

Subject: Let me guess...

Body: ...you got a [insert camera here] today?

As it turns out, he was next in line to buy said camera. Now what surprised me in all of this, was that he knew it was me who would have been the only other person in Portland who would be interested in something like this. And that goes back to my original question.

Is it good or bad when you realize that you're "that guy".

I'm "that guy who buy's strange cameras"
I'm "that guy who fights you for the cameras you want"
I'm "that guy who will buy that odd camera you're trying to sell"

I suppose it is a question I will not know the answer to for many years to come. Perhaps when I am old and gray I can look back and see what it really meant to be "that guy". Let's just hope my reputation doesn't precede me.