[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Sandwich

Like, and I really hope this doesn't come off like I'm calling you a cautionary tale, which is not at all my intent(!), but seeing some of these conversations, and especially that particular quote from you, has really got me thinking how grateful I kind of am to be in the position I am. Like I can just admire tiny plastic mans from a distance, and that's fun and satisfying and valid in its own way.

Maybe the point is that there's levels? It's okay to not have anything, and it can be just as okay to have ALL the things, if that's feasible enough, but no matter what, it's probably most important to just be honest with yourself and what you really want. Or something. I kind of feel a little bad that the first time I'm engaging with this chunk of the forum immediately turned into a wordy lecture (What do you know? I got problems too!), so hopefully what I'm saying at least makes sense!

I'm okay being a cautionary tale! I hope any of this weird public confession is helpful to someone!

The thing that makes this behavior so endlessly repeatable for me, the New Interest > Buy One > Buy More > Buy Too Many > Reckoning, is that it's fun to buy them. That's the part of my brain that gets me into trouble. Always has, probably always will. I catch it sooner now, and it's never really been anything greater than something that stresses me out (I do not have financial problems because of these behaviors), but it's still something I can't totally compensate for. Like, finding that elusive SO-DO for a good price? Or finding enough stuff for a big Mandarake shipment? That releases chemicals in my brain on the same level as actually having a thing.

Still, eventually it all becomes too much, and then the high wears off or whatever. Getting new things becomes a burden, a frustration. The pendulum swings back, and I can start to get things under control. Like, I still buy plenty of plastic robot toys, but I buy a reasonable ("reasonable") amount, and I make it a point to open them quicker.

Having things... honestly, I don't know if I'd be happier having nothing? Maybe. I see the value of it, the admiring from a distance of it all. I'm that way with Figuarts. I've got strict rules about what I get, and the rest of it is just looking at galleries or hearing what people are excited about. That's plenty for me and that part of the fandom.

I think... I don't know. I think that I'm, overall, doing okay. I don't want these posts to make it sound like SO-DO is ruining my life or anything. I got a backlog, it's a bummer, but it's not the end of the world. It's not a permanent state. I got behaviors that have been with me since I was a kid, and they make collecting... problematic, but it can still be fun if I know my limitations. I don't always, or even often, but it's something I can work on.

I'm sorry if I made this thread uncomfortable! I like these tiny plastic mans! I like all of you! It's okay for you to like tiny plastic mans if that's something that makes you happy! Wheeeeee!