The Energon Pub

Altertron wrote:i don't see myself as a shallow person maybe i sound like one but i'm not. the truth is that's how society perceives us, even my father mocks me at times, aren't you alittle old to play with toys? 8 years ago i bought all 4 south park plush dolls, they were quite popular at that time. up till this day, my father still mocks me, why did you buy those 4 dolls? i think of myself as a kid in heart who refuses to grow up. am i strange if i still collect or play with toys? who do i be judged, by the staring eyes of society. yes. cuz they're not from that generation, and will never understand how many of those childhood memories we still wanted to cherish. i mean collecting transformers is just like those old geezers collecting beatles, and elvis records and other stuffs.
i mean i would like to tell my dad to move on instead of lisening to those old records and to envision themselves that they were young once.

Man I am sorry to hear that about your dad...Both of my parents support my addiction...they buy me a new Transformer every year for my birthday and one year for xmas when I was big into this one superman series they got me everyone they could find at the store...I was like 20 at the time.

And since we are talking about the chicks in our life...I am converting my wife. When we first moved in together she was like "all these toys need to go in one room." Two years later now she is the one telling me to buy Primus cause he is on sale...She also supports my habit, and buys me toys for my bday and xmas. Oh and I think shes pretty hot...she may not be a fangirl but she loves her some geek!

^ Haha, for sure, my girlfriend's the same way. Well, at first she just thought it was cute and nerdy, but now she's buying me Transformers for no reason, wanting to see the movie 3 times (she was more stoked than me), and warning me not to let her start collecting on her own, because she'll want to buy everything!

Hah, it's pretty awesome.

See, Altertron? Once you find the right girl, there's no problem.

i will be heading back to university this fall which means i will be living in dorms every semesters, those are the only times that i live without my parents. right now i'm thinking which transformers should i bring along with to decorate my dorm? but i'm most afraid of damaging or chipping more paint off my figures while putting them in boxes or backpack.

moving into your own place means you can have toyroom if you want. so glad I upgraded from a 1 bedroom to two bedroom apartment last year

I haven't met anyone that makes fun of my hobby. My parents might think it's a bit weird, but I've always been the weird one in the family anyways as long as buying tfs doesn't interfere with paying rent and bills and supporting yourself.. who cares what people think. I had a friend that asked me if a girl told me to get rid of my toys or her, what would I do.. I said I'd get rid of her. if she doesn't like them.. I'll find someone who does(of course, this could be why I haven't been out on a date in 2 years..... )

^ That's exactly the right attitude to have, RodimusConvoy. Better to be with someone who likes you the way you are. And don't worry, there's definitely girls out there who are okay with it.

Altertron wrote:i will be heading back to university this fall which means i will be living in dorms every semesters, those are the only times that i live without my parents. i was thinking which transformers should i bring along with to decorate my dorm? but i'm most afraid of damaging or chipping more paint off my figures while putting them in boxes or backpack.

If I were you, and had to share a dorm room, I would only bring smaller, less valuable figures, in case they get stolen or broken. But if you're worried about your parents getting rid of your stuff, I'd bring them all but keep the nicer ones in storage. If you're afraid of damaging them in transport, try wrapping them in paper or plastic shopping bags before putting them in a box. For valuable figures like Masterpieces or Reissues, you should keep the original boxes for transportation.

do you ever get upset or embarrased if one of your parents' friends came up stairs and start peeking at each bedroom, and spot a room full of toys, and replies "i didn't know that your son is married. then my mom reply to her friends in front of me and say, no he's not married yet, and that bedroom full of toys is my son's. when she heard that she started to smirked or giggle alittle. i mean isn't that the most embarassing moments of my life if you can imagine. have you ever been humiliated or embarrased like this episode before or it is just all too common.
and if that friend brings a child along with, and started to joke around and say "my son also likes transformers, do you mind giving one to my son since you have more than one of the same figure?" what would be your respond if you don't want to get rude?

That hasn't happened to me, but it would be kind of embarrassing. You just need to move out, then no one can bother you about your collection.

You need to try and get past small minded people, who not only dont understand but dont care to. I have been lucky that most of my family dosent understand why I do it, but do understandt that its something I love to do. I also have great friends that will stop buy just to see what I got new! They live their collection dreams through me.

Edit: Missed the question about a toy to a child...Ummm I am a fairly warm hearted person but I would have to explain to them that its more then just a toy and there is a reason I have two of them...also I do have a few that I got for the young ones to play with when they come by...I have a friend who has two boys 6 and 8...

Quite a few of my girlfriend's friends (guy ones) love transformers too, and like seeing my collection. A couple others even collect, but I'm the most active collector.

but do you mind sharing the fun of your toys with your friend's children? and what will happen if one of them accidentally breaks one of your most treasured transformers, especially a masterpiece one. how would you react to this situation?

Altertron wrote:but do you mind sharing the fun of your toys with children? and what happen if one of them accidently break one of your treasured transformers, especially a masterpiece one. how would you react to this episode?

DEATH BE TO ANYONE MAN, WOMAN, OR CHILD.

NO really I am not kidding thats why ,I like I said above, I keep some for them to play with...I keep the "Treasured Transformers" UP as they say.

wow you would literally spank or harm a child if they cross the line. i mean i would just demand my best friend to pay me the money eventhough it will ruined or destroy our friendship. but seriously i would never harm a child if i knew he or she didn't mean to.

Altertron wrote:wow you would literally spank or harm a child if they cross the line. i mean i would just demand my best friend to pay me the money eventhough it will ruined the friendship. but seriously i would never harm a child if i knew it was an accident.

Honestly I love kids, and I would never harm a child(I have no issue with a parent spanking their child however), in my room it would take a parent to get it down, so that said parent would get a very harsh talking to, and I wouldnt make them pay me for it I would make them find me a new one and buy it...

First of all, I would not let kids play with my valuable Transformers, no matter what. Second, if something was broken, such as a Masterpiece, I would, like you, ask for payment. It is a valuable collector's piece after all.

i mean those masterpieces won't be staying any longer in stores, once they're gone, they're gone. so if anyone is unfortunate to have their masterpieces destroyed in the hands of a child, when takara stopped producing those figures, that would be a nightmare. i mean i never find a store that is both selling toys, repairing and customizing them. btw ebay sux!!! they're rip offs.

Altertron wrote:i mean those masterpieces won't be staying any longer in stores, once they're gone, they're gone. so if anyone is unfortunate to have their masterpieces destroyed in the hands of a child, when takara stopped producing those figures, that would be a shame. i mean i never find a store that is both selling toys, repairing and customizing them.

Thats what ebay is for...its like a way overpriced out of stock toy store

I always oogle at my toys in package on when riding the skytrain home. And the following days I always bring them to work to show off. During the ride in and home I play to my hearts content.

Sure I might get some looks. Oh well.

I loved a few of the comments and looks I got when I'd transform Fort Max at work. He's so frakkin' huge, people couldn't believe it. most of them looked at me like this

I wouldn't let the child play with mine. I would just simply say "I don't let anybody play with him because he can break easy, and I would feel very sad if he breaks." Most children would get the idea, and it is said in a manner that does not cause hurt feelings. For littler children I just place mine up high were they cannot reach. And I shut the room door so they can't go in it.

With regards to girlfriends of guys who collect Tfs, it is probably the same if the girl collects and she has a boyfriend. I wouldn't know because I don't have a boyfriend currently

I don't feel awkward playing with TFs. I've taken them to work on many occasions, and if I'm getting a bus or train after buying some, they're coming straight out of the packaging.
I've even taken some when interviewing a band (check the Intervews section, X Is Loaded at Rock City). That was most amusing...

***deleted wrong account***

Altertron wrote:i don't see myself as a shallow person maybe i sound like one but i'm not. the truth is that's how society perceives us, even my father mocks me at times, aren't you alittle old to play with toys? 8 years ago i bought all 4 south park plush dolls, they were quite popular at that time. up till this day, my father still mocks me, why did you buy those 4 dolls? i think of myself as a kid in heart who refuses to grow up. am i strange if i still collect or play with toys? who do i be judged, by the staring eyes of society. yes. cuz they're not from that generation, and will never understand how many of those childhood memories we still wanted to cherish. i mean collecting transformers is just like those old geezers collecting beatles, and elvis records and other stuffs.
i mean i would like to tell my dad to move on instead of lisening to those old records and to envision themselves that they were young once.

Let me tell you something my father's sister once told me. My father used to pick on me for buying action figures, reading comics, and liking "kiddie" stuff when I got older. My father's sister told my mother while I was in another room, "Let him continue to buy those, Suzanne. They're part of imagination."

I overheard that and realized that this woman I barely saw growing up got it exactly. It's about imagination and, like you said, what you're passionate about.

I'm now thirty-one years old, happily married with an almost two-year old daughter. I taught her to say "Optimus Prime" and when asked "what does Optimus say?," responds with "Roll out!"

I still buy all sorts of action figures, Transformers, read and collect comic books, watch animated series and go to movies my peers may not be interested in. I don't give two shits about sports and that's all anyone else my age talks about, which is why I'm here.

The point is, my friend, you do what YOU enjoy. Not your friends, not your parents, not your family, no one but YOU. It's not like we're talking crack use, raping, murdering, gambling, stealing, or drinking. We're talking about being YOUNG AT HEART as you said and have a passion for something that is CREATIVE and ARTISTIC and IMAGINATIVE.

Sorry to rant there, but man, when I read your post, I felt your pain.

Go and enjoy your passion and to hell with other people's opinions.

Chris

Excelsior Prime wrote:

Altertron wrote:i don't see myself as a shallow person maybe i sound like one but i'm not. the truth is that's how society perceives us, even my father mocks me at times, aren't you alittle old to play with toys? 8 years ago i bought all 4 south park plush dolls, they were quite popular at that time. up till this day, my father still mocks me, why did you buy those 4 dolls? i think of myself as a kid in heart who refuses to grow up. am i strange if i still collect or play with toys? who do i be judged, by the staring eyes of society. yes. cuz they're not from that generation, and will never understand how many of those childhood memories we still wanted to cherish. i mean collecting transformers is just like those old geezers collecting beatles, and elvis records and other stuffs.
i mean i would like to tell my dad to move on instead of lisening to those old records and to envision themselves that they were young once.

Let me tell you something my father's sister once told me. My father used to pick on me for buying action figures, reading comics, and liking "kiddie" stuff when I got older. My father's sister told my mother while I was in another room, "Let him continue to buy those, Suzanne. They're part of imagination."

I overheard that and realized that this woman I barely saw growing up got it exactly. It's about imagination and, like you said, what you're passionate about.

I'm now thirty-one years old, happily married with an almost two-year old daughter. I taught her to say "Optimus Prime" and when asked "what does Optimus say?," responds with "Roll out!"

I still buy all sorts of action figures, Transformers, read and collect comic books, watch animated series and go to movies my peers may not be interested in. I don't give two shits about sports and that's all anyone else my age talks about, which is why I'm here.

The point is, my friend, you do what YOU enjoy. Not your friends, not your parents, not your family, no one but YOU. It's not like we're talking crack use, raping, murdering, gambling, stealing, or drinking. We're talking about being YOUNG AT HEART as you said and have a passion for something that is CREATIVE and ARTISTIC and IMAGINATIVE.

Sorry to rant there, but man, when I read your post, I felt your pain.

Go and enjoy your passion and to hell with other people's opinions.

Chris

Welcome to Seibertron! It is refreshing to see a newcomer come out with a post I totally agree with.

There is the saying "He who dies with the most toys wins." The point, of course, is that eventually material possessions become meaningless. I occasionally struggle with this notion because here I am, 33 years old, married with two children and a third on the way, I'm happy, I love my family, I'm a respected and successful elementary school teacher, and I also happen to have over 500 Transformers. I spend more money on them than I probably should, and I actually took my family from Florida to Rhode Island to attend Botcon this year (amongst other things). In addition to Transformers, I also have a decent LEGO Star Wars, Star Wars figure, and Masters of the Universe figure collection.

I wonder if I will still feel the same about my hobbies 25 years from now. Is it really worth all the time and money I spend right now? Maybe not. Someone who criticizes your collection probably feels it is not. Therefore you are judged according to their values.

Right now I am enjoying myself. Maybe in the future I will pass them all down to my kids and keep a few for myself. Or maybe I'll sell off the valuable ones and take my family on a vacation. Maybe I'll keep on collecting. Maybe I'll get hit and killed by a bus tomorrow. Not one of us know what the future will bring with any degree of certainty.

The point is, we should live for the moment. If a hobby enriches your life and you enjoy it, by all means pursue it. When that enrichment fades then move on.

is there such a convention exists where collectors bring their favorite transformers toys to share them to the rest of the world. there's one in hong kong every year. i don't know if such convention exist or not in the U.S or Canada. btw i'm not talking about botcon, cuz it's hosted by the people of hasbro to showcase their newest toy lines in the up coming weeks or months.