Toy soldier collecting & addiction. (1 Viewer)

[Simpson & his donkey.]

Does collecting toy soldiers lead to addiction.You buy the first set and think how come I have not done this before.It was easy and they look & feel great.Then you start looking through the colourful brochures your local hobby shop gladley gives to you.The next thing you are planning your next set and were you will put it.You than think I will build a diorama to house my sets to enhance the look of the soldiers.Than you buy a display cabient to put your dios in .It has four shelfs than you think I have three spaces to go so you get out the brochure to see what other battles appeal to you.You than buy another display cabient and start the whole ball game again.Than you join a forum about toy soldiers to talk to other people with the same hobby.Than you start on purpose to upset these people on the forum trying to give you a reason not to buy these soldiers .Nothing works .I have just to admit it I love toy soldiers.I have always loved military history and everything that goes with it.Am I an addict or have I just or refuse to grow up.I no now why you guys get so upset when people like me and others bag Andy and King & Country.Are you guys also hooked.

 

[wellington]

This has been brought up on previous threads before.......I have been guilty of it not only with toy soldiers but collecting military antiques.......I have boiled it down to this....


WE ARE MISSING SOMETHING IN OUR LIVES AND WE TRY AND MAKE UP FOR IT BY COLLECTING (OBVIOUSLY THE RUSH/EXCITEMENT).


WELLINGTON

 

[maddadicus]

Their are compulsives in every society, whether you are an alcoholic or a toy soldier collector......Whatever you are in pursuit of, beyond reason, means that you are addicted...If you risk not paying a key household bill, substitute grocery money, close your family out of your collecting loop, you might be addicted and headed to a more serious consequence...Buying continually on impulse, without a collecting plan, buying product to have one of everything, continually hiding your model purchases from family, because you are shamed about your lack of self control, all signs of a possible bigger problem....If you are willing to risk family harmony, financial security, and responsibility for toy soldiers, then you are addicted..Funny thing is, if it was not toy soldiers, it would be something else compulsively ,agressively sought out, at risk to normal everyday activities....Many will dismiss their at risk collecting ,as these are just toys.....sorry ,that excuse went out of fashion, some years ago, with K/C pushing the buyers market, with the release of a couple thousand dolllars of product every month......and a number of you buying it alll.......Sorry, but some of you are addicted...but for me, I love my wife and family dearly and chose to say no some time ago....Michael

 

[Pierre]

...WE ARE MISSING SOMETHING IN OUR LIVES...

WELLINGTON

Several thousand dollars!

Pierre.

 

[Rob]

Several thousand dollars!

Pierre.

 

[Jim5615]

Their are compulsives in every society, whether you are an alcoholic or a toy soldier collector......Whatever you are in pursuit of, beyond reason, means that you are addicted...If you risk not paying a key household bill, substitute grocery money, close your family out of your collecting loop, you might be addicted and headed to a more serious consequence...Buying continually on impulse, without a collecting plan, buying product to have one of everything, continually hiding your model purchases from family, because you are shamed about your lack of self control, all signs of a possible bigger problem....If you are willing to risk family harmony, financial security, and responsibility for toy soldiers, then you are addicted..Funny thing is, if it was not toy soldiers, it would be something else compulsively ,agressively sought out, at risk to normal everyday activities....Many will dismiss their at risk collecting ,as these are just toys.....sorry ,that excuse went out of fashion, some years ago, with K/C pushing the buyers market, with the release of a couple thousand dolllars of product every month......and a number of you buying it alll.......Sorry, but some of you are addicted...but for me, I love my wife and family dearly and chose to say no some time ago....Michael

I guess you stay on the forum as a form of toy soldier methadone.

 

[Rob]

Their are compulsives in every society, whether you are an alcoholic or a toy soldier collector......Whatever you are in pursuit of, beyond reason, means that you are addicted...If you risk not paying a key household bill, substitute grocery money, close your family out of your collecting loop, you might be addicted and headed to a more serious consequence...Buying continually on impulse, without a collecting plan, buying product to have one of everything, continually hiding your model purchases from family, because you are shamed about your lack of self control, all signs of a possible bigger problem....If you are willing to risk family harmony, financial security, and responsibility for toy soldiers, then you are addicted..Funny thing is, if it was not toy soldiers, it would be something else compulsively ,agressively sought out, at risk to normal everyday activities....Many will dismiss their at risk collecting ,as these are just toys.....sorry ,that excuse went out of fashion, some years ago, with K/C pushing the buyers market, with the release of a couple thousand dolllars of product every month......and a number of you buying it alll.......Sorry, but some of you are addicted...but for me, I love my wife and family dearly and chose to say no some time ago....Michael

All joking aside,i couldn't imagine trying to hide something i've bought from my wife.She is my best friend and it would be like betraying her.She has always shown an interest and supported me.The day i start hiding stuff from her is the day i give up collecting.

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

Several thousand dollars!

Pierre.

Only several thousand?

 

[Rob]

That will go up when Pierre gets his ME110!'s.Hope you enjoy them Pierre,post some pics if you get a chance.

Rob

 

[richardschulze1944]

Can't say I'm addicted - with a baby on the way I'm gonna have to put several things on the back burner for a while - but I can definitely say I'm a keen collector, not just of toy soldiers - I've been collecting a variety of things since I was a boy - I reckon it's a 'male' thing - don't ask me why, though -

 

[Robert E. Lee]

Alpha Male!!!!!!!!Roar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Harrytheheid]

All joking aside,i couldn't imagine trying to hide something i've bought from my wife.She is my best friend and it would be like betraying her.She has always shown an interest and supported me.The day i start hiding stuff from her is the day i give up collecting.

Rob

I try my best to hide my money from my "other half" - but it never works....

 

[OldCelt]

I AM NOT AN ADDDDDIICCTT!!
I just need toy soldiers.AND MORE TOY SOLDIERS..AND TANKS AND ARMORED CARS AND CAVALRY AND ARTILLARY AND HOURSE ARTIILLARY AND LIGHT ARTILLARY AND HEAVY ARTILLARY AND LONG RANGE ARTILLARY AND ADND AADNDADRNFCX

 

[Currahee Chris]

Alright, I will chime in though mostly because I am bored here at work:

Well, I have overspent myself this year and it has led to some friction. My wife went ballistic a couple weeks ago when I stopped off at a shop coming home from a client- she admitted her error- she flipped out because, instead of listening to me, she just made some assumptions and they were of course way off base. All is fine and she is still the love of my life (though my FOV Abrams is gaining ground)

So, in order to pay for all of the toy soldiers I have bought this year, I have worked a ton of OT!! Not the best thing to do and I will stop that practice but I have observed an interesting thing though- it actually is making me better at work!! My annual reviews were higher than they have been in years, I sold some accounting and audit services to some new client and that earned the firm revenue- always a plus with the big boss- so, toy soldiers have actually helped me!!

My wife gripes when I don't take her out to eat, movies,etc. But lets face it- you go out to eat and I am feeding a family of 5- it costs $65-100+ for all of us to go out and well, after two days, your flushing that money down the commode!! Sorry, but it's true. At least with my toy soldiers, they last forever!! I actually have something to show for my money.

Also, I have at least accepted my role in the family unit- Money maker!! My wife stays at home with the 3 curtain climbers- I must go out and make money. The truth is, at 34, with 3 kids, the only time anyone cares about CC is on the 15th and the 30th- no one here cares if I had a bad day, good day, or met a martian at work- but lo!! Should that paycheck cease- heads will roll!!

I have a funny way of looking at it like this:

Family needs me twice a month- 15th and 30th

Family needs God 4 times a month- on Sunday every week.

Family needs Bill Gates 200+ times a year- Xbox video game sessions.

So, at least I can take solace in the fact that I am half as important as the Almighty but still a distant third to Mr. Microsoft himself!! .


STANDS ALONE- except on the 15th and 30th!!

CC

 

[Harrytheheid]

Eat? What's this nonsense?
Go get a 5kg bag of rice from Old Gupta's corner shop. That'll keep them going for a month at least. Thus allowing you to collect the new Bannockburn & Wallace range....
Okay, that last one is indeed a figment of my fevered imagination....!!!

 

[OldCelt]

C.C. AT the corner 99cent store: P-butter large 99c: Bread large 69c; jelly large 69c..No brainer. 2 fr 1 piazza night at PaPa Johns for a night out.
can it be any easyer than that...O.C.

 

[Currahee Chris]

C.C. AT the corner 99cent store: P-butter large 99c: Bread large 69c; jelly large 69c..No brainer. 2 fr 1 piazza night at PaPa Johns for a night out.
can it be any easyer than that...O.C.

Yeah, that worked in college but no no no anymore!! You Harry and I defiantely think alike but alas, my wife wouldn't let that happen- not in a million years!!!

In fact, I used to actually do that- just to myself though- At my old firm, I would go out of town and get a nightly $40 per diem- $15 would typically get me the buzz I needed at the end of the day, sometimes I would sip off my buddies brews when they went to head. Anyway, I would save up and on Thursday afternoon, I would head over to the local TS shop and have a go at the new KC set I wanted- it was a great WIN WIN situation.

But those days are long gone now.

 

[Harrytheheid]

Ha Ha. That's what I do when I'm assigned to a job in Europe. I get a US$33 per diem, go to the local supermarket, stock up on bread/cheese/ham/mayo/cheap beer, live on sandwiches and cheap beer for a week or so - then enter a new K&C order with the change.....

 

[Harrytheheid]

To Curahee Chris,
Whadyaa mean split personalities?
Keith Moon/Mary Queen of Scots/Bennie Hill/Fred Flintstone/Ozzy Osborne/Blackadder/George McDonald Fraser/Bennito from Italy/Debbie Harry/Homer Simpson/Keith Richards/Hirohito from Tokyo/WW/ Rod Stewart.....!!!!
Need I say more? Multiples rule Ya Bass.....
Talk tae ye later....

 

[tdubel]

Their are compulsives in every society, whether you are an alcoholic or a toy soldier collector......Whatever you are in pursuit of, beyond reason, means that you are addicted...If you risk not paying a key household bill, substitute grocery money, close your family out of your collecting loop, you might be addicted and headed to a more serious consequence...Buying continually on impulse, without a collecting plan, buying product to have one of everything, continually hiding your model purchases from family, because you are shamed about your lack of self control, all signs of a possible bigger problem....If you are willing to risk family harmony, financial security, and responsibility for toy soldiers, then you are addicted..Funny thing is, if it was not toy soldiers, it would be something else compulsively ,agressively sought out, at risk to normal everyday activities....Many will dismiss their at risk collecting ,as these are just toys.....sorry ,that excuse went out of fashion, some years ago, with K/C pushing the buyers market, with the release of a couple thousand dolllars of product every month......and a number of you buying it alll.......Sorry, but some of you are addicted...but for me, I love my wife and family dearly and chose to say no some time ago....Michael

What you say is plausible/true in some regards, but here is an alternative point. I work, wife works (both in early 30s), have a 3yr old little man (i can already tell he is going to be a collector). We have made all the right decisions with regard to future/college/retirement/insurance, etc thus far. That's the background, with regard to compulsive/collection spending, my viewpoint is you can't take it with you, so you might as well spend it. If I die cash penniless after funeral expenses and debt settlement, so be it, as I know property (both real estate and personal) will be long paid for by then (God willing I live for another 10 years!) My wife is not a collector, she is the saver, I am the spender. Sometimes she wants to see what I buy, other times she would rather not, but we have a good balance that keeps all happy. She enjoys looking at my stuff most of the time, the clean/neat freak comes out at times and she doesnt, but she tolerates it. Everyone has a balance, I think your statement is too broad and does not address the individual situation. In my case, I am NOT going to be Rockefeller and leave every penny to my heirs, the government and charity. Being a CPA, my goal is to spend it all, with reasonable provisions left for my little guy. He will have a good start, but the rest of the journey he must complete on his own merit.

Just my 1/2 penny,

Tom