My tale of woe starts similar to that of many 9 year old children, the adrenaline rush after viewing Toy Story 3 in spectacular 3D for the first time. The only difference between them and me is money. I had some. Lots, in fact. So much that I went into Big W literally right after the movie ended and bought myself a talking Woody doll. BAM, $50 down the drain. The next day I went into town to see the movie again, BAM, I come home with Jessie. This goes on and on until I eventually have a small number of the main characters, which I'd hoped would satisfy my need to complete them.
Unfortunately, it was at this time that I realised how easy it was to open and fund a paypal account. So my collection took to the internet, and my money supply began to dwindle. Work was cutting down my hours and I quickly ran out of enough money to keep up with my binging.
Somehow I managed to pull together the main cast, from Woody to the LGM's. And then I discovered Bonny's toys. The Disney Store-branded plush versions of Dolly, Pricklepants, Buttercup and the Peas are good enough for me, there's no real need to severely modify them like a lot of people seem to have done. It took me weeks, but I managed to track down a Totoro plush from a Ghibli-certified reseller (unfortunately the website has closed down following the Japanese tsunami earlier this year), and I have yet to wait to see if Trixie will be coming out soon. I felt content, knowing that I had pretty much finished the two main groups from the third movie. And then along comes Ken. I had planned to buy the Toy Story-branded Barbie, despite the extreme amount of modifying Mattel had to do to make her appeal to a modern day audience. Knowing that the movie Barbie was based upon a real-life Barbie doll from the eighties, I somehow managed to find the original's leotard on sale on ebay. Seriously, compare the Toy Story-branded real life Barbie to the one in the movie. Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. So anyway, I bought the original Great Shape Barbie's leotard, then sat in wait for a Barbie. I was hesitant as to whether or not I would buy just the barbie or get the "made for each other" set with Ken in it. I knew that Mattel had not released Ken on his own, and there was no way that I would be dishing out $100+ for the original Animal Lovin' Ken. So I took a chance and ordered the two-pack from an online store. After a few little tweaks (Barbie got a little haircut, as well as the old leotard and Ken's shorts rolled up and his shirt got pulled open), they were finished.
But it left me in an awkward position. Technically, Barbie was part of the main group during the film, and Ken was not. But there was no way that I'd be separating them. So now I've started in on the main Sunnyside toys. I know for a fact that replica Lots-o-Huggin'-Bears, Twitches, Chunks and Sparks' are out there, and that Big Baby is on his way along with a possible Stretch. Chatter Telephones are also on the market, including the vintage 1960's ones with the wooden base.
But I'm afraid that if I start collecting another group, I won't be able to stop. I'll complete them, then hone in on the Toy Story 2 characters. Zurg is coming out soon, the utility belt Buzz is out there, along with Tour Guide Barbie and Wheezy. Stinky Pete should also be making an appearance in the near future. Once I finish them, where to next? Do I start going for the lesser characters from the first two movies? Bo Peep, RC, Lenny and the rest? Do I modify toys to make Sid's mutant collection, start on some of the more identifiable Sunnyside toys, or call it a day and accept that I have completed the collection?
The fact that I'll be leaving for Uni next year doesn't help things. Where will they be stored, will I take them all with me? What do I do with them when I leave university and start making a living? Do I sell them? Store them for possible kids? Display them proudly?
I really don't know.
Anyway, this post was freakin' epically long. I apologise to my future-self for making me have to read it. Here's a picture of them all together, as well. Just because.
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