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Anybody who’s seen my room (or who have even talked with me for any length of time) knows that I have a certain weakness for toys. Namely, I love them. Oh, not just any toys of course. I’m actually very picky about which toys I want. Still though, the fact is that I’ve gathered quite a collection, made up mostly by Transformers, Bionicles, Power Rangers, and various other odds and ends that strike my fancy. In fact, my big problem right now is that I am quite frankly out of room. There’s hardly space in my room for one more thing to squeeze in, and it’s looking like I’ll have no choice but to nail some additional shelving units into the wall over my bookcase if I want to keep collecting!

While I like to think I don’t care about how other people look at me, the fact is that I am a little embarrassed by my fondness for toys. I know it’s not necessarily wrong (lots of adults collect toys), but when a person comes into the room of a 24 year old “adult” and the first thing they spot is a bookshelf covered in Bionicles and a curio cabinet stuffed with Transformers, I can’t help but wonder what they’re thinking. Do people think I’m weird, or immature, or not quite right in the head? I admit that I’m probably all three, but it’s still uncomfortable to think that people see me that way.

Another thing that I sometimes worry about is just how attached to these toys I am. I’ve been known to talk with them, feel bad if I put them in a depressing pose (I’m sorry Landmine!), and I feel the need to introduce them to people when I’m playing with them in the livingroom (”say hi to Prowl!”). If I were to lose any one of the toys, figures, or stuffed animals I have, it would break my heart! I still mourn for the toys I’ve lost through the years. I sincerely miss my old Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles figures, my Star Wars and Mighty Max playsets, my Legos, and various other toys and figurines that have gone the way of the garage sale (or the way of the trash can). Does that make me materialistic? Do I care more about “things” than “people”? I’d like to think it doesn’t, but sometimes I can’t help but wonder.

Chances are likely that I’ll end up boxing away a lot of the toys I still have at some point and storing them in the garage for simple lack of space to keep them. Heck, there’s already boxes full of Legos and Transformers tucked away where nobody can see them, not to mention all the Power Ranger zords hidden up in a closet on the other end of the house. Still, I don’t plan on ever getting rid of most of them. At the very least, it’ll be nice to have them around to hand down to any nieces or nephews I might have someday.

Still, I don’t really feel all that bad about my “weakness”. So I like toys. There’s really nothing wrong with that, and I’m sure most of my fellow toy enthusiasts agree with me. So I’d prefer to fidget with my Transformers while watching TV then sitting still. Again, nothing really wrong with that (though some people have been known to complain about the noise, which is understandable). I like toys. I plan to always like toys. I plan to always buy toys, and if I have to put a few in storage or *shudder* sell some off to make room, so be it. Some people may not approve. I have a feeling that my Mom isn’t particularly happy about it. Well too bad. Some people like to collect dolls. Others stamps, or unicorns, or coins. That’s good for them. Me, I’ll stick with my toys, and if some people think that makes me immature, that’s their problem.

P.S. My Mom may not be particularly happy about my fondness for toys and action figures, but she’s been remarkably supportive about it nonetheless. She made sure I had no lack of them growing up, and even as an adult she’s still been known to hand out a Transformer or two on Christmas (including a 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime, which makes her the coolest Mom ever). So thanks Mom, for judging me by the person I am, and not how I choose to decorate my room. XD