the day has finally come. Since today, I can no longer call myself a TF collector: I do not currently own not even a single TF, and I do not have plans to get more in the near future (even though babies may change that).
Since I stopped collecting new TFs for "the world's first Armada AND minicon collection" in 2008, it took me more than two years to find a worthy successor.
But finally, he arrived. Some of you may have guessed his identity in October, but now that enough time has passed I wish you to join me in congratulating JRFitzpatrick7, my successor, not only in spirit but... in collection
When he showed his interest for my collection, I felt some good vibrations, but when he told me that he started collecting minicons because of my former collection I knew he was the right person.
No trolling to get discounts.
No insults like "make it cheap, it's just a minicon".
No bs like "excluding the exclusives your collection is not so impressive, I offer you 3000 for everythin" (lol at Paul, or whatever the Vintage Department guy name was).
I am really happy that I was able to find JRFitzpatrick7, and I am even happier that he's a person who can fully enjoy all the work that was put into assembling what, at least until the end of 2008, was indeed the world's first Armada AND minicon collection.
I already passed him all the contacts and tips I could share, and I am confident that soon his new collection will start shining on many more colors than just Green
This is a real happy end for this hobby of mine. So, I want to thank the TFandom for the great fun I had in these years of collecting, in particular:
-thanks to seibertron for the galleries, the news and the boards;
-thanks Blurrz for THAT article, it really moved me and you really made me proud of my collection; be ready to make a similar one for JRF
-thanks all my closest "TFriends" for the advice during the bad times and the fun during the good ones;
-thanks to all the people like Counterpunch and Razorclaw that shared the passion on these boards;
-thanks to anybody that ever had a transaction with me on these boards (except a particular nordic troll), you helped me reach my goals in collecting: thanks!
-thanks to the BotCon organizers for the great exclusives and for resurrecting ideas like Spacewarp and Drench;
-thanks to Hydra and Nico for helping me get so much good stuff from a place that was not in the USA neither in Japan;
-thanks to anybody I am currently forgetting (whoops
)It's been a great ride. It's quit fun that the number of annoying people I met during all these years has so different proportions between a far away country like the USA and my own Italy. I had only two bad experiences in the larger TFandom, counting both the Nordic Troll and the Loser in Trolling Armor (this guy trolled hard to make sure to get a discount, guess what happened). On the opposite side of the scale, I got a huge delusion after getting burned from the immaturity of a small group of sad, envious people that saw collecting in a sick, unhealthy way, and that were ready to make themselves ridiculous rather than recognize somebody else's success. The fact that they spent one day imitating more mature TF communities and the other bashing them is telling. It takes much more than a ".it" to be representing Italian TF collectors, and luckily there are other, more mature communities where our passion is enjoyed in a honest and healthy way.
But here I found a home for my passion. Here I found friends. Actually, my only regret is to have never had the possibility of attending a BotCon to meet some of you. But you never know... even though I am not a collector anymore, I'll always be a TFan.
So, thanks everybody, I wish you all a happy life and an even happier collecting/kitbashing/TFing!
A presto,
Rikkomba
