Times they are a chaaanging...

I deleted the objective of obtaining the Pacific Rim master set for this year.

Why?  Not out of a financial point of view, because the limited `niche` from that film probably won`t push the prices through the roof.

No, it is more going to be the lack of challenge.  The more I read about the current Trading Card market, the more it has put me off to collect the series... there just is no challenge anymore in getting `full base sets`, and the sets are riddled with a gazillion chase cards like parallel`s, which are basically the same as the base set but harder to get from your box, and the autograph and prop cards at ratios either to easy or to difficult.

It has nothing to do with Pacific Rim per se, but more with the hobby as a whole.  This is how the companies produce their sets these days, and the chase cards are really a lot of chasing *not*.  Most traders have them by the heaps once a set releases, so it is more a shopping spree then a pure buy a box and hope when you pull stuff out kind of thing.

With on the other hand still over 1300 Saint Seiya cards to collect now that I got most series checklists... and then still lack a few as I have cards I haven`t seen showing up in any of them in my possession, as well as the various spanish languaged ones still to even start searching for checklists, I rather spend my time on those.

As well as my card funds.

But there is more to this post then just that little notification and the why of it.  Today it is the `one year anniversary` since I decided to throw around all my hobbies and select on which ones to focus, and which ones to let go quietly.  It did take some months to set it all seriously in motion after that, but a year ago (I can remember because it is a holiday date) my nephews started their first steps in painting a miniature, and have become the inheritors of my collection, the last 4 boxes (okay, so there will be bits and bobs showing up in the coming months occasionally) of material transferred to their hobby room. 

That also means it has been now a year since I `celebrated` the decision with some (very poor) MoC attempts, basically by plating up some smaller sets which have now disappeared in the brick sorted boxes or have already found a `home` in newer builds of my own making.

So what is the status of my activities these days then, or `geeky hobbies`?  Well, Saint Seiya for one remains my undisputed dada, and after 28 years of fandom, this is never going to change.  I went through the dark era where it had as good as no support (between Poseidon and Hades arcs was a 15 year gap) and even though the past years have been good with Lost Canvas and Omega, we can now count down the days (literally) to the movie.

And perhaps Next Dimension, Shantia Sho or Episode G will see anime adaption.  Or please, they might finish the Lost Canvas, though due to studio issues and license rights that might be very unlikely to happen.

Steaming along secondly and strongly is of course my LEGO.  I have `evolved` over the past 2 years from `getting a set and helping out the kid` to an amateur MOC builder and LUG member who will be attending his third convention this year not as a visitor, but as an exposant.  Yes, my builds will be at the event, part integrated in the club large lay out (like the pirate table of last year), and part in the Guilds of Historica table.

That table that was responsible for me joining Eurobricks after last years convention in the first place...

Magic then... I started playing again, and will be doing so more the coming months.  School is dwindling down (no idea though of the possible new work hours will integrate with the schedule) so I have some time, and the GF has recuperated and is back at work since february, and now that she is getting back in the weekend shift rotation, I can spend those days chucking down cards.

Playstation wise, it is still the occassional game with the kid, but I haven`t thrown myself at it again as during the PS Challenge.  I`m back to the gaming speed of before, on and off pushing some buttons at a very relaxed rate.  So this doesn`t count as an activity, more as a time killer and munchkin `quality time`.

He *almost* defeated me even on FIFA 11 yesterday at last.  He had Barcelona and scored the 1-0, I had `the Robins` Cheltenham Town (english lower divisions, we do have to keep a challenge), but then he made a home goal, gained two red cards and in the final moments I could finally pass his defenders for the 1-2. HA!

And the Nemesis has admitted he is far more addicted to WoW, so the GF isn`t complaining to much anymore when I run around in Azeroth...


Talking changes and hobby, even the GF has one `sort off`.  Bayala elfin statuettes, I`m just glad she loves them without fanatically collecting them, now at least I can buy some small gifts now and then to tell her I love her and show some affection...

So yes, in a year a lot can happen, and a year from now, a lot will have happened probably, but that will be  a post for in 12 months!