You Ever Get Tired of This?

[RicksNerdLife]

By this, I mean the constant hunt. This constant need/want/desire to buy that new thing?

It's always something. It's neverending. It gets to be stressful and too much.

And I've began to recollect old lines in the past, only to stop a few figures in and ask myself "What am I doing? This will cost a fortune to get caught back up", only to turn around and resell the shit I just bought.

I keep hitting these funks where I just want out. That the innate compulsion that comes with collecting to have the newest, shiniest thing...of characters I already have leads to more of a burden and stressor than anything else.

And of course, there is the monetary aspect of it. Again, it's never ending, it's expenditure after expenditure and it's not getting cheaper.

I have these moments where I ask myself "When does it end? Where is the line? Where do I stop? DO I stop?"

But then, the thought of selling everything becomes too stressful. Because that is a LOT to list and sell and box up and find every part and...literally, we are talking thousands of toys.

Sigh.

And then are the days I walk into my nerd cave and go "Fuck, it's really awesome in here. I love all of my stuff".

Round and round we go. I definitely need to be more discerning and discriminate in my purchases, I know that.

Anyone else? Or is this that midlife crisis they tell ya about? I know, I know: Take a break, or reprioritize. Trust me, I know. I'm more asking if you have the constant revolving door of emotions about this hobby like I do. I mean, there are some SDCC's and Toy Fair's that give me anxiety because of the idea of how much I'll need to set aside.

 

[d2bruce]

Oh yes. Store exclusives are about the worst. Whether they complete a series, a team, or just look really cool. Never in one of the local stores, regardless of what inventory says online. When they are found at a comic convention or toy show "Rare exclusive", the price is way beyond what I really want to part with.
Have tried to cut back in so many ways. Just related to this character, or that team. Find myself playing the comic version of steps removed from Kevin Bacon. "Oh wait, they did appear together in....."
But scary enough, when something is found, there is a sense of accomplishment.
I understand what you're saying.

 

[joshsquash729]

I've definitely been feeling it more and more lately. I think as costs go up and distribution gets a little worse, it gives you more time to really reflect. Suddenly this thing that was a lot of fun and worth it at $15-20 isn't quite so worth it at $25-35. The margin of joy shrinks a bit.

I've also started to re-collect some things I either had or wanted as a kid, and I find that's bringing me more joy at times than the new stuff. At least that's more or less guaranteed to be attainable and at a decent price most of the time. Also, by holding something a bit older in my hands, it helps me reflect on not only how far we've come in the industry itself, but also what about that figure I really liked back in the day. Sometimes, simpler is better, and while, sure, super intricate paint and articulation and everything is undoubtedly cool, sometimes it's nice just to have a thing. I've started doing it more and more where, when I find something in store, I'll hold on to it a bit, maybe walk around, and really try and take it in. If I get that sense of joy and appreciation, I'll usually buy it. I'll let my mind and my heart make the decision, not my wallet. Sounds cheesy, but it's true. And I've been pretty successful so far- I've actually put things back on the peg, which is something I used to think was impossible. Unless I'm really in need of that dopamine hit to get me through a rough patch or something, I'm patient, and those little lulls between purchases have actually helped me step back and appreciate what I have. It gives me time to find a place for the one or two things I just got and appreciate how they look and what they add to the display. I'm no longer stressing because now I have 10 things to find places for and they're on opposite ends of the shelf so I can't appreciate each one and blabbedy blah.

I'm as guilty as anyone of those impulse purchases just because something looks cool or it would go well with X figure, but more and more I've tried to be mindful. Especially with rising costs- I take care of myself and help support my Mom, so I have to think- is this thing worth having if it means feeling a little tighter financially this month? Much as I try and wait until I have everything else paid to get myself some goodies, it doesn't always work out that way. But regardless- things pop up unexpectedly, so I try to ask myself- is this thing worth a potential dip into savings or a sacrifice down the road? Or if I had to return it for any reason, would I be bummed or would I be alright?

I've also really tried to stop looking at it in terms of an end. Deep down, I know it'll probably never end, especially with the lines like Black Series or Legends that are guaranteed to go on forever. I've really tried to narrow things down to lines that I not only know I'll be in for the long haul, but will be okay with. Of course I still want complete teams and all that, but I really do try and approach each purchase like "If this is the last thing I get from the line, or if it ends tomorrow, will this last thing make me happy enough or be a good enough end point?" If so, I'll usually bite the bullet, if not, I'll either skip it, or wait to buy it alongside something else that would be a good end. Either way, the "end" is almost out of my control- yeah, I can technically put the kibosh on it any time I want- but knowing it's something that, if given the opportunity, I'll love for life is a little freeing in a way. It helps me feel like there's time- I don't have to get the thing immediately, because it'll always be there for me later. It may not always be there for me when I need it- it may be more expensive, or it may not get me much if/when I need to sell it, but that's okay. It's part of the deal with loving something. Like any rough patch, I'll get through it and there'll be more good times ahead.

I know it's impossible to always feel joy from something- I get as stressed as anyone. Like you said, each con brings a feeling of excitement followed by a feeling of "Well, shit, how am I gonna make it all work?" Somewhere along the line, the cons where nothing new is revealed went from being a total bummer to a total blessing. But the joy vs. stress ratio has to be a net positive- more joy than stress, and the moment it starts to dip the other way, I gotta take a step back and figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. In this day and age, as things get increasingly bleak, I think anything less than joy just isn't worth my time.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

What am I doing?

I get that all the time. For me, personally, I don't think there's any fixing it. I'm an extremely internal person. I'm an extremely introspective person. I think I'd have existential dread no matter what I was doing.

only to turn around and resell the shit I just bought.

Yep. As much as I try to cut down on impulse purchases, it happens. I think, "I can't live without this in my collection." Sometimes I get it, open it, put it on the shelf, and realize I don't want it within a year. Other times, I get and stare at the package. Invariably, if I don't open it within the first 48 hours, it's gone. Sometimes I get a thing and wonder why I ordered it at all. I have a stack of unopened figures in my office closet waiting to be sold.

And then are the days I walk into my nerd cave and go "Fuck, it's really awesome in here. I love all of my stuff".

And this is why I keep going. Ultimately, it does bring me joy. I think toys are cool, and I like having them, posing them, and looking at them.

As many regrets and frustrations as it brings, it brings me more happiness.

 

[Xavion2025]

I’ve been tired of it for the better part of this year. I could write several paragraphs as to why that is, but I think I can sum it up with one word:

Oversaturation

 

[JakeEkiss]

By this, I mean the constant hunt. This constant need/want/desire to buy that new thing?

It's always something. It's neverending. It gets to be stressful and too much.

This is why I've put an arbitrary cap on my collection. I can sell stuff if I want more, but I can't just keep grabbing stuff. Honestly even where I'm at might be too much, but my theoretical cap hasn't been reached just yet. Still, knowing it's there I sell almost as much as I buy these days. The collection is being refined over time.

There's definitely a treadmill here. I've thought about the diminishing returns of a toy on the shelf vs spending that money on other experiences that might be more lasting. And I don't want to turn into someone whose house so full of junk you can't even move through it. It has to stop somewhere. I've seen that life, no thanks.

But also the hobby speaks to several things I loved from my youth, and other emotional attachments associated with those. I mentioned on here recently that probably some of my love for figures is my version of my grandfather's collecting stuff for Christmas dioramas he'd put up. I sort of wish I'd put that together sooner and talked to him about it before he died.

I think it's good to examine your hobbies form time to time, and good to evaluate if they're still a source of joy, or if they're becoming something else. An escape, an obligation, a chore... Collecting in general has that tendency to slide into becoming a second job. The psychology of it is heavily geared to play on that part of ourselves that thinks completing sets externally corresponds to completing things internally, I think. And definitely I'm as guilty of thinking that way as anyone. It's something I'm working to adjust in my life (or at least be aware of). Being less of a completionist, even more eclectic. Like, there's a part of me that sees Guillermo Del Toro's Bleak House and is just dazzled by the idea of a whole house that is this massive, maximalist collection. But then there's the rest of me. And the rest of me actually feels like that much stuff becomes an anchor you have to drag around (can you tell how much I hate relocating?)

 

[RicksNerdLife]

And the rest of me actually feels like that much stuff becomes an anchor you have to drag around (can you tell how much I hate relocating?)

That's actually my biggest bugaboo at the moment.

Wife and I are looking to move out of the suburbs and into the country. We want some land away from people to start a small little farm.

The idea of packing all of this shit up, and all the little pieces and parts and just...::shudder::

And then setting it BACK up???

 

[Red Ogre]

I have no interest in buying vintage stuff. It was neat at the time, but even back then I hated the limitations of 5poa figures. New stuff I refuse to pay anything more than about 10% above retail.
More so than ever, I can look upon my display space (it gets rotated because of the size) and get joy just from looking at it. When reading or daydreaming I'll come up with a clever (to me, anyway) setup for a picture and get excited.
There's enough going on in the world that toys are the last thing I want to bring consternation.

 

[RicksNerdLife]

I'm definitely not grabbing "vintage" stuff, per se. I am recollecting some older NECA figures, some of the Mezco Popeye figures from 2001. But mostly, Masterverse and Marvel Legends.

 

[Red Ogre]

The idea of packing all of this shit up, and all the little pieces and parts and just...::shudder::

And then setting it BACK up???

The process of packing is exhausting and stressful. Unpacking though? Pure joy. If I could just unpack my stuff every 5 years, into a clean space. Bliss.

 

[altcunningham]

Been there.

What helped me was starting to sell things off. It got easier and easier, and every year I reframe what it is I even want out of this hobby. And it gets easier to make the call on whether you really want something.

And every now and then, pull something down and play with it. Or pay attention when you move your display around. Or what goes in the back. What you take to your desk. What actually sparks something in you.

And then you'll start to learn what it is that actually makes you happy with them. Them and maybe even though they'll make a character that you really love, you'll have to face that it doesn't have to be articulation or sculpt or whatever that you enjoy, and is it worth that trade-off.

Quick and dirty example for me is Star Wars. I went from very interested in all the movies and shows, to...

Leia's formative. The best Leia? Your choice.
What Han goes with that Leia.
I like Artoo.
Got to have some Stormtroopers.
Vader is iconic.

The rest can go. Ignoring that two pack. I don't think there's a good Bespin Luke out, which is my favorite one. And even then he doesn't fit with my favorite Leias, which is ANH, Hoth, and Endor, so.... I keep it to Han, Leia, Vader, Artoo, troopers and all then EU I love.

I'm not saying you're an addict or anything. I'm just saying once you start learning how to say no and police yourself come so easily and you really start to learn what it is about your collection that you even value.

After my last Marvel Legends purge it gets really easy to look at them and shrug off most of the incoming waves. Is it cool stuff? Yeah. Would I probably purge it later? Yeah. Just keep that money and then get the occasional import.

 

[JakeEkiss]

That's actually my biggest bugaboo at the moment.

Wife and I are looking to move out of the suburbs and into the country. We want some land away from people to start a small little farm.

The idea of packing all of this shit up, and all the little pieces and parts and just...::shudder::

And then setting it BACK up???

Granted, my collection isn't nearly the size of yours, but the one thing I do like about moving is arranging the new space. It's a whole new opportunity to display stuff.

 

[JakeEkiss]

Quick and dirty example for me is Star Wars. I went from very interested in all the movies and shows, to...

Leia's formative. The best Leia? Your choice.
What Han goes with that Leia.
I like Artoo.
Got to have some Stormtroopers.
Vader is iconic.

Yep. My Star Wars collection has whittled down a lot. I've got an Empire Han, a Mandalorian Luke, and then most of what they've released from KotoR with a few odds and ends. I'll pick up Kyle Katarn because he's my EU guy, and I'll probably grab a Ventress at some point if they release one of my two preferred costumes for her (either Bad Batch or the original black and white one from Clone Wars 2d cartoon). I keep thinking I'll grab that comic Leia (if I have any Leia I want it to be an action Leia, and that's as good as we've got). Though I worry if I grab her I'll be tempted to do the droids, Chewy and the whole core cast.

After my last Marvel Legends purge it gets really easy to look at them and shrug off most of the incoming waves. Is it cool stuff? Yeah. Would I probably purge it later? Yeah. Just keep that money and then get the occasional import.

Yeah. I think I might go through my collection this winter and do another micro purge. I think I'm getting closer and closer to just some core X-Men, a couple of figures from OG Infinity Gauntlet, and a mess of random villains because I just love the looks of those guys.

I feel like a lot of my collecting now is being guided by a new want to really dive into how I'm displaying my stuff. I don't want to just do the high school yearbook crowd anymore. I've talked about the sentinel factory idea elsewhere here. I think that goal is what's going to ultimately dictate my collecting. What fits in or with the things I plan to make. I somewhat hope to replace my toy collecting with dio making. Something more active that still links with the hobby, but isn't so much me just buying as making stuff.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

After my last Marvel Legends purge it gets really easy to look at them and shrug off most of the incoming waves. Is it cool stuff? Yeah. Would I probably purge it later? Yeah. Just keep that money and then get the occasional import.

This is arguably the hardest part. There's a little voice in my head that knows what won't last a year. For the longest time, I suppressed that voice. These days, I'm able to live vicariously through others. The group photos of the Marvel Legends Inhumans were so cool that I know 20-year-old me would've jumped already. Today's me is much more discerning, but still at risk of impulse buying a badass toy.

FWIW, I think that's okay sometimes. Sometimes you need a little plastic fix after a rough month. I did it a few months ago with the Strange Tales Moon Knight. While Moon Knight is undoubtedly one of the sickest superheroes, I have no connection to the character. He doesn't have a place in my display. I bought him, posed and displayed him on my desk for a little bit, then sold him. It's toy prostitution.

Yeah. I think I might go through my collection this winter and do another micro purge. I think I'm getting closer and closer to just some core X-Men, a couple of figures from OG Infinity Gauntlet, and a mess of random villains because I just love the looks of those guys.

That sounds like an awesome display. I'd love to see it if you have time to photograph it one day.

 

[JakeEkiss]

That sounds like an awesome display. I'd love to see it if you have time to photograph it one day.

I'll definitely post stuff here as I finish each display. I've been gathering materials lately and hope to start in earnest late this year or early next. Some of it is that not wanting to commit to any one design because I might think of a better one later. That said, I should probably just start, because worst case scenario I can probably sell or give away anything I decide to do a version 2 of later.