Quitting/putting collecting on pause

This seems like the thread for this thought, but a feeling I've been having a lot lately is the want to take time off of work to just enjoy my hobbies more. Like, there are figures I'm still buying, but I keep thinking "man I'd like a week to just sit and have fun with these". Not just figures even. I've got a backlog of movies to watch and games to play. I could take off a month and not catch up. On some level this is starting to become a reason not to buy new things, because if I'm not getting enough time to enjoy it, why bother?
 
JakeEkiss said:
This seems like the thread for this thought, but a feeling I've been having a lot lately is the want to take time off of work to just enjoy my hobbies more. Like, there are figures I'm still buying, but I keep thinking "man I'd like a week to just sit and have fun with these". Not just figures even. I've got a backlog of movies to watch and games to play. I could take off a month and not catch up. On some level this is starting to become a reason not to buy new things, because if I'm not getting enough time to enjoy it, why bother?
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I'm between jobs and in theory have more time to enjoy, but I oddly feel pressured to be more productive in other areas to keep a routine going. I also think you can't cram all your enjoyment time together. It becomes less enjoyable when you're on movie #4 or comic #100 in a row.
 
While Chooch definitely does have a point (balance is key too), I'd say you should go for it, Jake! Especially if it's something you can swing financially, why not? We're only getting older, the Doomsday Clock is only ticking closer to midnight. I had a similar thought a few years back- I was making good money, but working so much at my job that the only times I was really home were right before bed at night and right before work in the morning. For what I was paying for my apartment, barely being there felt...odd.

Obviously financial stability is important, but more and more, I'm finding the joy in just being. Taking the time to sit amongst your stuff, recall a few good memories, maybe redecorate a bit so it feels more "you". Remembering why you bust your butt to pay the bills. Hopefully you'll have a nicer boss than I did and they won't try and guilt trip you for taking time off, but either way- it's your life; you deserve to spend it the way you want to, versus how others require you to.
 
joshsquash729 said:
Obviously financial stability is important, but more and more, I'm finding the joy in just being. Taking the time to sit amongst your stuff, recall a few good memories, maybe redecorate a bit so it feels more "you". Remembering why you bust your butt to pay the bills. Hopefully you'll have a nicer boss than I did and they won't try and guilt trip you for taking time off, but either way- it's your life; you deserve to spend it the way you want to, versus how others require you to.
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My boss is good, it's more that I know if I took a long period off I'd have to really carefully plan the when of it all. We're in a complicated time right now with budget issues (another thing I can partially thank our supreme leader for), so me dipping out for a few weeks would largely make everyone's life worse, including mine when I got back.

Lately most of my free time has been spent getting some quality time with my cat, who isn't old, but is passing middle-age now and I know I won't have him forever. I've had a lot of pets over the years and loved them all but this guy is going to be hard to lose when the time comes. So like, he gets priority because he's a living thing. But boy I'd like more time to do a lot of stuff. Not really a problem with collecting per se, except that it's one of many interests I'm not devoting a lot of my attention to because there are so many distractions.
 
I feel you. Especially on the cat front; I sometimes forget that my best bud is only getting older, since he still acts so kitten-ish, and though I'd love to have him forever, I know that's not gonna happen. That's the downside to being important at your job- it all kinda falls apart without you. But I hope you can figure something out; there's never gonna be a perfect time to take off, but if it feels even partially like a good time, take it. Even if it doesn't feel exactly right in the moment, in time, you'll see it was the right decision. Just remember to let yourself breathe; your boss may give you permission to not work, but only you can give yourself permission to relax and enjoy the little things. Those are the things that make life worth living, after all!
 
Right before the pandemic hit, I sold off every single one of my Mezco One:12. I made thousands off of them, as I've mentioned here in the past.

From that, I then took my wife on a week long roadtrip throughout New England that summer.

We stayed in crazy nice hotels, we had amazing food, took a boat trip out to see the seals and puffins in Bar Harbor. We had thousands of expendable cash, and I told her that if she wanted to have it, buy it. If she wanted to experience something, let's do it. We even paid for a lady's stuff at a convenience store when her EBT card wasn't working. You could tell she felt embarrassed, and shit, we had the money and the privilege, and could have used the good karma.

Point being, that was one of the best, most memorable experiences we have ever been on as a couple. And not a single one of those figures can replace those memories or time spent with her. Especially when she has always worked so hard and been such an amazing, supportive wife. To be able to give that to her and tell her not to worry about a dime, and seeing her be able to be truly carefree is an irreplaceable feeling.

Experiences are where it's at. Live your life, be in the moment, enjoy the things you enjoy.

...could have done without the mid trip explosive diarrhea and cramping from the fish tacos in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, though...

But other than THAT...
 
I will also say, on the pet front...

Yesterday was our pup, Strider's, oncology appointment. Still waiting on lab results, but with every clinical sign and blood results from yesterday, he has lymphoma. Which, in dogs, is 100% a death sentence. We are just waiting to see which kind of lymphoma it is for plan of treatment, but we have already determined that at 14 years old, we are at a palliative stage. Spend thousands on chemo and make him miserable and make ourselves destitute only to extend his life a few months? Or...

...keep him as comfortable as long as we can, with steroids and elspar, and let him go peacefully when it's his time?

We have opted for the latter. Unfortunately, his brother and litter mate, Ripley, has Lyme Disease, hip dysplasia, arthritis, severe atrophy of the hind legs, and advanced dementia. He is utterly lost without his brother. They depend on each other so much, and especially right now with the dementia. Strider kind of leads Rip around. So when Strider goes, we have made the difficult decision that we are going to mercifully put Ripley to rest, as well.

That is going to be a very rough day. That being said, *things* just don't matter to me right now. Maybe it's a state of depression, but looking at these two precious, innocent lives, so dependent upon us, these little plastic lumps seem insignificant. Sure, I go through the motions of buying a couple here and there, but they don't resonate or trip off that rush of endorphins...

I'd much rather be taking the boys for pup cups, and car rides, and to the lake to swim, and getting them stuffed squeak toys and tennis balls. Giving them their favorite things before I no longer can.

I don't know if this will come as a shock to many of you, but I enjoy animals much more than I do humans. So, yeah...I am going to be spoiling the shit out of these two for however much longer we have.

And again, no Ninja Turtle figure is going to replace that.

https://imgur.com/a/41SguL8
 
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RicksNerdLife said:
I will also say, on the pet front...

Yesterday was our pup, Strider's, oncology appointment. Still waiting on lab results, but with every clinical sign and blood results from yesterday, he has lymphoma. Which, in dogs, is 100% a death sentence. We are just waiting to see which kind of lymphoma it is for plan of treatment, but we have already determined that at 14 years old, we are at a palliative stage. Spend thousands on chemo and make him miserable and make ourselves destitute only to extend his life a few months? Or...

...keep him as comfortable as long as we can, with steroids and elspar, and let him go peacefully when it's his time?

We have opted for the latter. Unfortunately, his brother and litter mate, Ripley, has Lyme Disease, hip dysplasia, arthritis, severe atrophy of the hind legs, and advanced dementia. He is utterly lost without his brother. They depend on each other so much, and especially right now with the dementia. Strider kind of leads Rip around. So when Strider goes, we have made the difficult decision that we are going to mercifully put Ripley to rest, as well.

That is going to be a very rough day. That being said, *things* just don't matter to me right now. Maybe it's a state of depression, but looking at these two precious, innocent lives, so dependent upon us, these little plastic lumps seem insignificant. Sure, I go through the motions of buying a couple here and there, but they don't resonate or trip off that rush of endorphins...

I'd much rather be taking the boys for pup cups, and car rides, and to the lake to swim, and getting them stuffed squeak toys and tennis balls. Giving them their favorite things before I no longer can.

I don't know if this will come as a shock to many of you, but I enjoy animals much more than I do humans. So, yeah...I am going to be spoiling the shit out of these two for however much longer we have.

And again, no Ninja Turtle figure is going to replace that.

https://imgur.com/a/41SguL8
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That's heartbreaking, and I'm so sorry to hear it. It sucks when you get to that time you know you've just got to let them go, but it's a gut shot every time.
 
I just watched an elderly man die in the street. Less than 15 minutes ago.

Got to see my hero wife jump into action and work on him for 10 minutes before the paramedics finally arrived, but he was long gone.

Looked like he just got back from grocery store, got out of his truck, and fell over. The way to go out, I suppose, but still very rough to see.

Again, life is showing me how things/items really don't matter. How short and fleeting it all is.

Fuck, man.
 
RicksNerdLife said:
Shit, man. I'm so sorry.
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I think he wanted to just clock out like that.

Jumped at Normandy. Liberated two internment camps. Used to smoke a pipe and sit me on his knee and read the comic page of the paper. Tended to roses most of the time I knew him, basically our figures.

I think being able bodied and healthy enough to drive a truck and do groceries and just checking out is better than anything I saw working hospice. All perspective of course.

Either way, you're right, there's been a lot of reminders of time and chaos lately, and I think it's cool we have this third space where we can all discuss it and be supported to navigate it.
 
RicksNerdLife said:
I will also say, on the pet front...

Yesterday was our pup, Strider's, oncology appointment. Still waiting on lab results, but with every clinical sign and blood results from yesterday, he has lymphoma. Which, in dogs, is 100% a death sentence. We are just waiting to see which kind of lymphoma it is for plan of treatment, but we have already determined that at 14 years old, we are at a palliative stage. Spend thousands on chemo and make him miserable and make ourselves destitute only to extend his life a few months? Or...

...keep him as comfortable as long as we can, with steroids and elspar, and let him go peacefully when it's his time?

We have opted for the latter. Unfortunately, his brother and litter mate, Ripley, has Lyme Disease, hip dysplasia, arthritis, severe atrophy of the hind legs, and advanced dementia. He is utterly lost without his brother. They depend on each other so much, and especially right now with the dementia. Strider kind of leads Rip around. So when Strider goes, we have made the difficult decision that we are going to mercifully put Ripley to rest, as well.

That is going to be a very rough day. That being said, *things* just don't matter to me right now. Maybe it's a state of depression, but looking at these two precious, innocent lives, so dependent upon us, these little plastic lumps seem insignificant. Sure, I go through the motions of buying a couple here and there, but they don't resonate or trip off that rush of endorphins...

I'd much rather be taking the boys for pup cups, and car rides, and to the lake to swim, and getting them stuffed squeak toys and tennis balls. Giving them their favorite things before I no longer can.

I don't know if this will come as a shock to many of you, but I enjoy animals much more than I do humans. So, yeah...I am going to be spoiling the shit out of these two for however much longer we have.

And again, no Ninja Turtle figure is going to replace that.

https://imgur.com/a/41SguL8
Click to expand...

RicksNerdLife said:
I just watched an elderly man die in the street. Less than 15 minutes ago.

Got to see my hero wife jump into action and work on him for 10 minutes before the paramedics finally arrived, but he was long gone.

Looked like he just got back from grocery store, got out of his truck, and fell over. The way to go out, I suppose, but still very rough to see.

Again, life is showing me how things/items really don't matter. How short and fleeting it all is.

Fuck, man.
Click to expand...

It's been a rough fuckin' day for you, my friend. To echo Alt, we're all here for ya if you need a sounding board or just to scream and cuss into the abyss.

Strange times, man. My mom's neighbor across the street, who was like a pseudo Dad to her, passed away the other day as well. He was a trooper- held on for 90 something years, including about 5 or so after his wife of almost 80 years passed away. Might be a terrible way to bring the conversation about, but I'd say that's all the more reason to take that time off, Jake. Not to be morbid- moreso realistic, but nobody really knows how much time we have. Take the vacation, buy the toys, spend time with your loved ones, spend time with yourself. There's too many unanswered questions in life to add "What If?" on top of it all.
 
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