The Energon Pub

I'm 28 years old this year and I still collect, I know there are people older than me who still do too, but I'm starting to feel as it I'm too old for it. Mind you, I'm probably not going to stop, but I've been thinking of changing my focus. See, while I've been getting whatever new figures catch my eye for the past few years, when I was 24 I began to realize that I look quite like a creeper wandering the toy isles of Zellers, Wal*mart and the transformers section of Toys R' Us. Now that I'm 28 I realize that I've not done so in quite a long time, at least a year and a half, but it's not out of lack of funds (which is a contributing factor sure), it's more out of me thinking "but I look creepy when I do it.".

These days, there are still figures I want, and I know there will be more I want later on, but I don't feel comfortable stalking toy sections in stores anymore. So, I realize that my window for store-hopping and toy-shopping is now over, and now the thoughts of which serve only as an irritating reminder that I'm getting older, a reminder that cumulates with other reminders that I'm old like the fact that ReLoad was released when I was in grade 7... damnit.

So, as I've said, I believe that it's time for my collecting focus to change from new, to old. Rather than get new figures, I'll go for completing my G1 collection while my aging mind can still tell the difference between Transformers and socks. Also: I do plan on buying some online, but that's both expensive and inconvenient and it's still a reminder of my ancientness.

I ask this question to other collectors of Seibertron who might take interest in reading my sexy words; Have you stopped? If not, when do you think you will stop, or even if you will stop? Will you stop collecting when you reach a certain age, or will you collect right into your 80's? Let me know so my old mind can settle down from the worry of age.

Oh, and don't mind my "I'm getting old" jokes too much here, they're meant to be ironic. I'm well aware that I'm not a gray haired old codger just yet. Now if you excuse me, I must change my depends.

I've stopped shopping in stores for the most part as well, not due to my age (I'm 27), but due to the fact that shopping online is just so much easier. I would much rather click a few buttons at BBTS.com have the items I want saved until they are available, then shipped to my house than go out and run up and down toy aisle in multiple stores hopping to get what I came for. I have told my self time and time again the only way I'm going to stop collecting is when I have a full set of the G1 cast in "neo-G!" form ... or I no longer find collecting enjoyable. It's been over a decade since I started this collection, and the only thing that has changed is that fact I now have to pick and choose what goes on the shelves as I have more figures than display room. By the way, I don't care what people think of me on the random day I do go to the store, let them think whatever they want ... it's my hobby and I enjoy myself and I'm not hurting anyone.

I've said this in past threads. I've been into TF's since '02. I was 22 then. I had a huge collection and last yr, I'm 31 now, I got rid of a lot my collection cause I hadn't really bought any new figs for almost 2yrs and figured I grew away from them. But this past year with TF's Prime and the new movie, I've found them once again, falling in love all over again. So I've began to buy again and I must say, I've gone a bit crazy with spending money I shouldn't be spending, but I missed buying them, taking them out and displying them. I even felt bad for getting rid of some of my collection last yr. I don't feel strange at all going back to the toy aisles again, something I had stopped doing for almost a yr. I'm always in a TF shirt so I know ppl don't look at me strange. And if they do, I don't care. Cause I love TF's. I crave the toys like crazy, lol. It's better I be addicted to TF's then drugs. They bring me joy and I don't ever think I'll stop collecting. I may have to pull back some here and there, but collecting them will always be my hobby. Not to mention, TF hunting is too damn fun. Esp when you find a hard to find fig.

Yeah, it's true, I used to not care what people thought when I went to those places. I suppose the moment I changed is when I was going through Toys R' Us and a woman who worked there was following me around, then approached me and asked if I needed help when I stopped to look at the Transformers. It's things like that that get to me I guess. It's not the last time it happened either while I was in a toy isle, heh.

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:Yeah, it's true, I used to not care what people thought when I went to those places. I suppose the moment I changed is when I was going through Toys R' Us and a woman who worked there was following me around, then approached me and asked if I needed help when I stopped to look at the Transformers. It's things like that that get to me I guess. It's not the last time it happened either while I was in a toy isle, heh.

LOL, I would have loud capped her in the store..
Don't sweat the "small stuff"..

I am 40.
Married with 2 daughters
I have been collecting TF's since 84
I do not plan on stopping my hobby either.

~

i'm 33 and i still shop in the stores once in a while. I too also feel like a bit of a creeper so i do it real quick.

I certainly don't shop as much as i used too. I used to be pretty dedicated diving all around town and keeping up on what each place had in stock. Now most of everything i buy is online (either on seibertron or ebay) and at flea markets.

Aside from feeling creepy in the toy isle, im just tired of driving around hunting for figures that aren't really there ie. generations/classics poor distribution.

What it really boils down for me though is i'd rather be doing something more interesting than shopping for toys when i'm out and about.

My collecting has slowed down considerably though being i have a lot of figures i want. Except for the super pricey ones that i wont pay that much for. For example, I won't pay 500-600 bucks on an Overlord figure. EVER. But i'll still keep collecting either way.

I've also moved on to other toy lines aswell. I've been picking up a lot of vintage He-man figs these days and some choice Star Wars and GI Joe stuff here and there.

Skyfire-5 wrote:I blame FansProject for still being a collector. They got me under some kind of mind control. As far as being too old for anything; it's true, you are too old for it. At the same time, I don't see children designing, taking pictures, or creating back stories to these things. I don't see children scalping these things for profit. I really don't see children making rendered models, or rigging those models to create feature length animations. You see, the only ones who shouldn't be collecting are the ones that see them as trinkets for children. I was inspired by many pieces of art, writings of bright minds, and indirect lessons of life, to make the world my own. I cannot live life through a 3P perspective. When you can take care of priorities - punch the clock, pay your rent, put aside $ for your kids future, and take the wife out - throw up a middle finger, and DO YOU.

You make it sound like you think I'm lazy or something, so I'm guessing you misunderstood what I was saying somewhere. Or I'm misunderstanding you or something 'cause I have no idea what you're talking about with this making animations or 3d modeling.

I'm 37 and I don't think anyone cares if I'm browsing a toy section. I certainly don't.

I just turned 32 and don't feel creepy. And when Checking out the cashier always ask if I'd like a gift receipt or whatnot or if it's for my son. Sure.....yeah, thats who it's for. My son. Yeah right.

It's not like your sitting there watching kids or anything. Your browsing the aisle and then move on. There are times I take my 4 yr old with me but mostly to let my wife have a few minutes of a quiet house.

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:

Skyfire-5 wrote:I blame FansProject for still being a collector. They got me under some kind of mind control. As far as being too old for anything; it's true, you are too old for it. At the same time, I don't see children designing, taking pictures, or creating back stories to these things. I don't see children scalping these things for profit. I really don't see children making rendered models, or rigging those models to create feature length animations. You see, the only ones who shouldn't be collecting are the ones that see them as trinkets for children. I was inspired by many pieces of art, writings of bright minds, and indirect lessons of life, to make the world my own. I cannot live life through a 3P perspective. When you can take care of priorities - punch the clock, pay your rent, put aside $ for your kids future, and take the wife out - throw up a middle finger, and DO YOU.

You make it sound like you think I'm lazy or something, so I'm guessing you misunderstood what I was saying somewhere. Or I'm misunderstanding you or something 'cause I have no idea what you're talking about with this making animations or 3d modeling.

I think he's referring to the fact that it's adults that design them. Not kids.


I'm 21 and won't stop collecting. The only thing that will eventually curb my buying is when I find that special person to marry and decided to have kids. Heck, I was IN Burger King yesterday with a TF shirt buying the kids meal toys.

I learned a long time ago to not care about anything anyone says. Most people are accepting of the hobby and like to talk to collectors when they see them in stores. That's been my general observation so far anyway.

This misunderstanding is easily rectified. I failed at implying sarcasm about being too old.

There is this community of tens of thousands of Transformers fans and their kids as well. It's become internationally well recognized as a cash cow for the ages of science fiction fans 5+ around the globe! I digress...

You're not lazy; most of us collect the stuff solely for the the dope ass **** factor - I know I do. But sometimes the community takes it to other places. Some make online stores. Some create add-on sets. Some create local conventions to spur local business if for just one weekend. Some create music inspired by the toys. Some create youtube entertainment. It's crazy to not want to collect toys because of what someone not-on-your-level thinks about what you're doing in the toy section. It's your money, use it when you need it!

If I'm with my brother or my sister then I don't feel so bad about it, that's the weird thing. Then again, we tend to also be loud, joke about how old we are, and then we smack one another around with whatever toy swords are handy, or with those pool noodle things. Then it doesn't feel so strange but that's because then I'm not the only one wandering around, being immature, it's fun.

I don't feel I look creepy at all. People buy gifts for their kids all the time. And that's all I look like to people. Except when there's tons of new TFs coming out and I use the same cashier to pay. But she's never questioned me.

I'm usually pretty quick about shopping as well, but not out of self consiousness. I just know what I'm looking for. If they don't have it, I'm off.

Anyways, sometimes toy hunting is fun. And a good way to kill an hour when yer bored.

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I'm 37 and I don't think anyone cares if I'm browsing a toy section. I certainly don't.

Exactly. For all they know, your shopping for your kid, nephew, niece etc. for their B-day.
I'm 29 and will be 30 on July 9th. I will buy what i want, when i want. I also look forward to "the hunt" so to speak of finding figures in different stores.

I think the worst thing you can do is let other people dictate what your hobbies and interest are. For all you know the same person that you think is "Looking" at you as some kind of wierdo for shopping for TF toys, stopped by ToysRus on their way to there "Magic the Gathering" meeting at Starbucks to buy them for the same reason you are.

In the end its your hobby, not someone else's. You are the one paying the money. Not some complete stranger. If you have the means to enjoy it at the time, then do so.

Sometimes, when I'm in a store, I feel kind of weird walking around with toy boxes in my hand. IDK why; even though I don't care what anyone thinks, I still feel weird. Maybe it's my paranoia.

I also feel like people think I'm a pedophile in the toy section. Even though I'm only 15 (Due to be 16 next week. The day before DOTM I may add. )

The only time I ever feel awkward is when I walk in a store and realize I'm wearing a TF shirt...then it seems like maybe it's a little over the top, like you're the dude at a concert that just bought the T-shirt and put it on over the shirt you came in with. But whatev...I mean, if it really does bother you that much, then maybe it's not for you anymore if it's something you're embarrassed and self-conscious about.

Kibble wrote:The only time I ever feel awkward is when I walk in a store and realize I'm wearing a TF shirt...then it seems like maybe it's a little over the top, like you're the dude at a concert that just bought the T-shirt and put it on over the shirt you came in with. But whatev...I mean, if it really does bother you that much, then maybe it's not for you anymore if it's something you're embarrassed and self-conscious about.

Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Starscream's Girl wrote:Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Yep, it seems like we've been able to really crawl out of the woodwork since 2007.

I've been seeing TF faction symbols on more and more cars since the first movie as well.

The movie has really helped bring a new energy to the franchise. we went from being in the era of the cartoons being anime and geared towards kids, with now having the lines blurred. The toys definitely cater to kids first, but stuff like Classics is definitely geared towards dult collectors as well. We can't help ourselves since we're all homage junkies.

I don't have a lot of funds to spend on TFs, or even TF merch, which I often bounce back and forth from... one week its a TF, the next, a TF shirt/hoodie.

I hear ya on feeling creepy in the toy ailes, and even entering toys'r'us as a bearded brown long haired possible terrorist, but you know what, screw it.
Its my life, and if something as simple and neat as TFs make me happy, then the rest of them can go to hell with their pre-conceived assumptions.

A kid with justin beiber hair is percieved as normal these days.....sooooooooooooo
my point:
Stop giving 2 craps about ANYONE ELSE and do what you love.
The need to collect somthing else is valid though, but I find I have 2 things in life I am always collecting... Metal vinyls/merch and Transformers figures and merch (mostly clothing).
Change things up within your realm of interest when collecting, a refreshin break from TFs into cars or somthing else can make coming back to TFs so euphoric
Hope I helped, cheers.

robofreak wrote:

Starscream's Girl wrote:Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Yep, it seems like we've been able to really crawl out of the woodwork since 2007.

It's not just Transformers geeks. There's a growing global acceptance of geek culture thanks in part to social media and a whole slew of recent Internet trends.

But yeah, all the recent Transformers media exposure has definitely helped things, too.

It Is Him wrote:

robofreak wrote:

Starscream's Girl wrote:Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Yep, it seems like we've been able to really crawl out of the woodwork since 2007.

It's not just Transformers geeks. There's a growing global acceptance of geek culture thanks in part to social media and a whole slew of recent Internet trends.

Geek Chique.
It makes me want to vomit, most of these "geeks" are just morons trying to glob onto the next fad. The less attention given to them, the better.

MINDVVIPE wrote:

It Is Him wrote:

robofreak wrote:

Starscream's Girl wrote:Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Yep, it seems like we've been able to really crawl out of the woodwork since 2007.

It's not just Transformers geeks. There's a growing global acceptance of geek culture thanks in part to social media and a whole slew of recent Internet trends.

Geek Chique.
It makes me want to vomit, most of these "geeks" are just morons trying to glob onto the next fad. The less attention given to them, the better.

I don't mind. The fact that I can buy Transformers shirts at Hot Topic has helped me get over my irrational fear that this might happen to me

It Is Him wrote:

MINDVVIPE wrote:

It Is Him wrote:

robofreak wrote:

Starscream's Girl wrote:Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Yep, it seems like we've been able to really crawl out of the woodwork since 2007.

It's not just Transformers geeks. There's a growing global acceptance of geek culture thanks in part to social media and a whole slew of recent Internet trends.

Geek Chique.
It makes me want to vomit, most of these "geeks" are just morons trying to glob onto the next fad. The less attention given to them, the better.

I don't mind. The fact that I can buy Transformers shirts at Hot Topic has helped me get over my irrational fear that this might happen to me

Okay, so there are upsides
But generally, we need to shun the posers

MINDVVIPE wrote:

It Is Him wrote:

MINDVVIPE wrote:

It Is Him wrote:

robofreak wrote:

Starscream's Girl wrote:Nothing is over the top. And like someone had stated before, more ppl are aware of us these days. TF's no longer have a cult standing like it did back in the day thanks to the movies.

Yep, it seems like we've been able to really crawl out of the woodwork since 2007.

It's not just Transformers geeks. There's a growing global acceptance of geek culture thanks in part to social media and a whole slew of recent Internet trends.

Geek Chique.
It makes me want to vomit, most of these "geeks" are just morons trying to glob onto the next fad. The less attention given to them, the better.

I don't mind. The fact that I can buy Transformers shirts at Hot Topic has helped me get over my irrational fear that this might happen to me

Okay, so there are upsides
But generally, we need to shun the posers

Not pointing fingers, but people who throw around labels like "poser," tend to be the most insecure in their identity. Conversely, people who say they aren't a "hipster," definitely are.