Not Dead... Just not Blogging Much Right Now

It has been... a rough year so far. And I don't mean the "Man it sucks that David Bowie and Prince died..." kind of rough (although aaarrrggghhh!!!). I mean the "Wow, I may be changing absolutely everything about my life in the next few months and my entire future is uncertain..." kind of rough.

My collection has taken a major hit as my lifestyle has changed, and so has the cave. I would say I have dumped a good 65% of the collection that once stood here in the Goodwill Geek Cave. My trips to Goodwill have dropped off significantly. In fact, in the past almost-four-months I only started going back out thrifting in maybe the last two weeks or so at all.

If you've been following my Instagram account, you'll know that I've certainly still been collecting toys (I know it's lazy blogging to just screen capture my Instagram pics and repost them here... but I'm cutting myself some slack... Please follow suit.):

I've certainly been adding more Funk POPS! to my current collection. Roller-Derby Harley Quinn, April O'Neil, Snakeyes, Cobra Commander, Ms. Pac-Man, FN-2187, Watson, and Sherlock all came home within the last month or so. Other recent additions not pictured here: Pinhead, Twisty the Clown (from American Horror Story: Freakshow), and the Crow. 

My daughter and I have started collecting Tsum Tsum toys together. These little guys are addictive! She loves them and there are characters that I consider must-haves like Perry the Platypus, Eeyore, Stitch, and Baymax. Since I had a HUUUUGe crush on the Little Mermaid when I was younger, I wanted hers, and Dumbo, the Chesire Cat and Bing-Bong were too cool upon noticing them that I decided I NEEDED them. The classic Disney characters like Minnie, Mickey, and Goofy don't really do much for me, and neither does Olaf from Frozen... but I gotta have complete stacks of three. It's a weird thing for me with these toys. Also not pictured are recent additions, Hiro (Big Hero 6), Flounder, and Scrump (Lilo's doll from Lilo & Stitch)

I'm more in love with these two new Bebop and Rocksteady action figures from the new movie line than I care to admit. I genuinely feel like these are the Bebop and Rocksteady that we DESERVED on the Nicktoon. The Nicktoon and I are not currently speaking anyway. My interest dropped off intensely when the Turtles took off into space and left behind everything they've spent the last few seasons developing. I am in no way interested in seeing either of the recent live-action TMNT movies, but I'm developing a taste for nice looking action figures based on moves I have no intention of seeing (more on this later).

I like the new Force Awakens Galactic Heroes figures from Hasbro. They don't go well with my classic Galactic Heroes figures from years ago... but I don't feel like they all need to interact anyway. New generation of Star Wars heroes... new generation of minifigures to represent them (not pictured are Captain Phasma and the First Order Stormtrooper figures I also own... and I am still hunting for the Kylo Ren single pack).

I've started a new love affair with Marvel Legends figures too. Until recently, I only owned a handful of figures, mostly gifts from friends or stuff I found at Goodwill. I tracked down a complete set of the Guardians of the Galaxy figures when those came out, but haven't really felt the need beyond those. And then... I got Captain Marvel sometime last year... and then Spider-Man 2099 was a MUST HAVE. And then the beautiful Spider-Gwen! After her, I picked up The Scarlet Witch and Machine Man on clearance. And at this point I own 14 of these things.

I am verrrry selective when it comes to what characters I want to add to the flock however. But I think if they do a 6 inch Spider-Man Noir, I will have to own that puppy.

Also pictured here are a couple of Wonder Woman toys. As I mentioned with Bebop and Rocksteady above, I've been falling in love with some toys that represent movies I have no intention of seeing. All of the Wonder Woman toys from the new Batman vs. Superman lines fall firmly into this category. I love Wonder Woman, and I really love the design of the character in these toys. I even snagged a PEZ dispenser!

I haven't completely lost my will to thrift... I hit the antique mall a couple of times in the past few months, and found some really fun stuff, like these puffy Michale Jackson stickers, and this old Advanced Dungeons and Dragons: Dragonlance Adventures Hardcover! (I also got REALLY vicious trimming down my roleplaying manual collection... maybe a little too vicious. I'm regretting some of the stuff I dumped... but I think I'll be fine in the long run.) 

I still haven't lost my taste for random crap either! I love this little Teen Titans GO! minifigure pack, and as Poe Dameron demonstrates here, I am still collecting Star Wars Action figures. I picked up the Kroenen and K-9 figures the same day as the puffy stickers and Dragonlance book above.

Even with all the adapting I've been doing to events in my life recently, I've managed to have an adventure or two. I didn't go to Monster Mania in New Jersey this year, even after purchasing my tickets, but I did get to go to a local comic convention in Bangor Maine. 

 It was my very first convention ever, and it was a blast!

 My friend Brandon came along for two reasons: 1) He is a classic game collector! NES, Super NES, Genesis, you name it, and Brandon collects it. I have a weekly date with him at his place where we play old games and bitch about our problems. (I'll fill you in on reason #2 in a bit)

 I loved the geeky photo opportunities! Here I am with the TARDIS and R2-D2.

There were Mandalorians in greater numbers than I expected in attendance...

 As well as different chapters of Ghostbusters.

Brandon was determined to meet Troy "Mini-Me" Verner. The above picture (the best shot I got IMO) is of Troy warning me not to take the picture yet because Brandon's card had not been run through yet. 

 Here's the official, "legal" shot. Brandon had had high hopes that he could get Troy to hang off his arm or sit on his shoulders or something... but he immediately got the vibe that these requests might be frowned upon. I also sneaked a shot of Troy from afar TOTALLY BY ACCIDENT while taking shots of the convention floor.

This booth was magical. It featured several vintage roleplaying game accessories, including the mounts for the Warduke and Strongheart vintage action figures, the "Good Destrier" and "Evil Nightmare" toys. 

I had to physically peel myself away from this table! Of course, when the guy saw me ogling his supplies, he let me know he had a box full of action figures under the table that he would let me pick through (more on that later...).

There was a healthy but-not-overwhelming amount of cosplay. Lots of Whovians because Colin Baker (the 6th Doctor Who) was in attendance... but still a lot of cool costumes and ideas.

I was particularly infatuated with this table of custom designer toys. I was severely tempted to buy this 40 dollar Muck Monster... but ultimately couldn't pull the trigger.

In the end, I walked away with this one eyed fellow from the same table. He was 5 bucks and adorable so he came with me. Limbless as he may be, he helped me wave goodbye to good old Paul Bunyan as I headed to Chili's for lunch with Brandon. 

This was the pile of stuff I ended up bringing home with me from the con... some respectable loot. Some Secret Wars figures, a Robo Cop with his helmet... a Super Powers Flash, a vintage Lando Calrissian, a Sectaurs figure, a Dreadnok, a pile of TPBs and dollar bin comics... AND a Hook Horror action figure to add to my D&D vintage collection!!!

I'm going to end this here because I've already gone way longer than I had planned to. Don't know when I'll be back again... or IF I'll be back again. I'm not going to quit blogging... but in the near future my blogging goals may be changing. My life goals certainly have. We shall see. No promises then, about being back soon with more Goodwill Goodies. But I will certainly still wish you Happy Hunting!

This was not what I'd planned... But I'm gonna roll with it.

Hey there kids!

I was planning on participating in another Creepmas countdown this year, and then I got hit with my THIRD big illness of the season so far... and I ran out of steam. It's really a shame, as this seems to be shaping up to be the year of the Krampus, one of the tried-and-true heroes of the Creepmas movement... but I just don't have it in me to participate right now. Heck we're on day 7 and I don't even have the pictures taken I had intended to!

I feel like a Cotton-Headed Ninny-Muggins!!!

I blogged every single day in October for that countdown, and I think it kind of ended up hurting my enjoyment of the Halloween season this year, in some ways. In others, I think it actually enhanced my celebration... so I don't know where I'm going with THAT... but this December I haven't sat down to blog once (until now) and I find myself filled with a great deal more Christmas spirit than I had imagined I could be.

Like this guy. 

I took advantage of November this year, using it to dump over 20 posts from my other, now dead blog, and all I had to do there was tack on a quick explanation to beginning of each one, and program the auto-posting feature Blogger's got going on, and voila! I haven't really posted any NEW new content since October! And I feel great!

My heart's grown three sizes! And not due to cholesterol (although that probably helped).

SO what I'm getting at is this: I had plans. Not big plans, but plans for December. But I'm letting them go. I'm still recuperating from an illness, and I'm kicking off a vacation home with my family this week, so... we'll see what happens. But I feel like I'm probably taking a break until the New Year hits. I think I need it kind of.

Pretty apt.

I need to come back fresh to this blog and feel like I have something new to say, not just dump meaningless content in every day. I want to start talking about the stuff I'm finding at Goodwill in a new way as well. So I'm not just going: "Hey lookit what I found! Neat right?" Over and over, lather-rinse-repeat.

I just really wanted another Bill Murray reference... but you gotta admit how eerily well this fits.

So unless something exciting comes up (I may hop on here to review Krampus, or the Force Awakens, when I See them, or maybe not!) I will see you in January dear readers! I have a LOT of Geeky Goodwill finds from 2015 to catch up when that comes along, so I'll be getting pretty busy. Until then, Happy Hunting!

A Package from Tintod!

So awhile back I set up a trade with the writer of one of my favorite blogs out there right now. Tintod of the Junk Fed blog fame! He and I are buddies on Instagram while also kind of knowing each other through the blogosphere. His blog is an amazing patchwork quilt of essays that reminisce and ruminate on different aspects of childhood and nostalgia. The posts on Junk Fed never fail to either touch my sense of sentimentality or make me think long and hard about how I see my own past. 

Great. Read. All around. 

Check Junk Fed out. 

So! Long story short, (too late) we set up a trade, Tintod and I. I'd like to share the sweet haul I received from him as a result. This is another case of a post long overdue, but better late than never. So let's take a look at what I got from him, shall we? 

First up, some shameless self-promotion on Tintod's part... but he's earned it. As you can see he's tossed in a couple of his business cards, promoting both his blog and his services as an illustrator. The guy is truly talented folks, so be sure to check out his work! 

On the backs of both the larger postcards is this ad for Tintod's "Space Madness" (click the link to check out Tintod's Store) custom action figure lineline:

A series that's had me drooling for some time now. But enough about how awesome Tintod is! Let's talk about how awesome Tintod's package is! (Wait...)

The whole trade was inspired by this Burger King Kid's Club Universal Monsters Frankenstein figure. This one completed my set of four! And funny thing is, all four of these guys came from online friends! 

(Dracula courtesy of Laura of Boobobby Blog, The Creature courtesy of Erik Johnson, Illustrator, and The Wolfman courtesy of Stacey Rader, the Geeky Vixen!) So now I have the complete creep quartet and I couldn't be happier! The trade extended waaay past ol' Frankie here though...

Tintod told me he wasn't sure if all the 150 pieces are here for this 10x14 jigsaw puzzle starring Evel Knievel and his Ring of Fire. But it doesn't matter either way, because he could have sent me the empty can and I would have been just as excited!

Next up we have this "The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins" VHS tape. I vaguely remember this film from my childhood, when the world was hitting the peak of its Gary Coleman FEVER. I'm not a VHS collector as many of my online friends are, but this one has a place of honor on my 80's shelf in the cave, alongside ones given to me by other blogging buddies. Any film starring "A Little Bitty Walter Mitty" has to be amazing.

Last but definitely not least, we have a Hotwheels Carvel Ice Cream Truck featuring Fudgie the Whale! Next to Frankenstein's Monster, this is probably the item that most tickled my fancy out of the whole lot. This baby was added to the wall of pop-culture Hotwheels IMMEDIATELY.

So here's a final peek at all of the contents of the box I received from sir Tintod, and I think you'll agree it was a fun bit of mail to receive indeed! Be sure to check out Tintod's blog, and be sure to listen to his recent appearance on the Nerd Lunch Podcast, where he waxes poetic about Doctor Who!

That's it for tonight kids! I'll be back soon with some Geeky Goodwill Goodies! Until then, Happy Hunting!

To Resume... Soon?

I'm writing this post on my iPod at work because we've been without power at my house since Sunday. If any of it doesn't make sense, blame autocorrect and exhaustion. 

The blog will be officially updated sometime after the power comes back on. I will admit that having a bit of a blogging break after such an intense month of daily posts has been nice. Or at least... The blog has been the last thing on my mind, which has been fine. 

There will be a more in-depth post to wrap up Halloween, but for now here's this:

 

And just know a fun time was had by all.

When I finally do get back, I have SEVERAL packages from friends to share, lots of Goodwill Goodies I've picked up, and another cool surprise I've been wanting to share since BEFORE October arrived. So lots to do before December gets here! 

I'll be celebrating the 13 days of Creepmas this year, and have a nice 12 days of Christmas idea for this year as well, so most of that month is blocked out completely!

Anyway, the power-company willing, I'll be back at it within a day or two. I'll be back then with some Goodwill Goodies! So until then, Happy Hunting!