I've finally got a few ideas for quite a few posts, so let's see if I can get rolling.
I never met Gary "Goggles" Head (aka Gyre-Viper), but I do know of his impact on GI Joe Collectors over the past few years. I can't really say much about who he is, besides the few times I've heard him on a few podcasts and his posts on the GI Joe Discussion Facebook page.
Gary passed away just a short time ago at the far too young age of around 35-36. He died of a damn heart attack. Like I said, I don't really know him, but his passing kinda' hurt. Here was a prominent voice in the world of GI Joe and now he's gone. What the hell... I can only offer prayers to his family and to all of the friends he made throughout the GI Joe community.
This stark collision of collecting toys and the cold hard reality of death is just tough to grasp and wrestle with. All of us, with our collections of varying sizes, aren't getting out of this alive. One post in the Discussion post after Gary passed, was related to the disposition of collections. The writer was asking if anyone has made any plans for their collections after they are gone, or hell, even in the event of a damn heart attack or even a car accident. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. I've thought about this a lot lately, especially as I'm beginning my journey into my 6th decade.
I'm 52 years old. Fifty-two. Over half a century old. And I still buy action figures.
I don't have a gun collection or a bass boat or a sports car or a mistress. I have my plastic crack addiction. And I don't think that it's such a bad thing to have. Have I spent a lot of money on toys over my life? Yeah, I don't really want to think about how much money...
Do I enjoy them? Hell yeah... I like them; they make me happy and keep my childhood imagination alive. I've got a Will made, but what about my toys? What's the wife and kids to do with all my stuff if something happens to me? I don't want it all to go at yard sale prices. I'd like as nice of a return on my collection as possible. I think it's time to make a "disposition" manual for my collection, maybe just some explanations and thoughts as to how the stuff should be sold off.I just sold two 40 year old worn out comic books for $127.00. I know there's more money in my ton o' crap.
But what if I'm around for a while? My dad is 81 years old and in pretty dang good shape. Maybe I've got another 30+ years ahead of me. Still, what about all this crap? GI Joe seems to be on a slow, steady decline into cultural decay. The heroism and honor inherent in the sacrifices and services of the soldier seem important to some, but I'm afraid that those ideals are nearly socially unacceptable. In a world of social parasites, personal honor and sacrifice are in decline.
Enough of that depressing shit.
My mother-in-law lives with us; she's almost 91 years old. Ninety-one! Almost 91 trips around the sun. That's frikkin' awesome! Her health is decent enough; her lungs are her biggest issue right now. She's still pretty sharp mentally. Sure, she forgets short-term stuff often, but she's 91! She's earned it!
She still sews a good bit as long as her strength holds out and then she's got to rest for a while. There are fewer days ahead for her, but she's still semi-active and loving life. Some days, she's weak and just sits and watches TV and naps and that's okay too.
She still impresses the hell out of me; she's still going strong at 91!
So let me cast my imagination forward another 30-40 years from now. Hopefully, the madness of the world will have settled down and the impending World War III will be averted before we all perish at the hands of madmen and tyrants.
Maybe one day, I'll be sitting in my hover-recliner, watching the latest holographic news broadcast, and I'll have a few of my old action figures there beside me, helping me to keep my child-like sense of wonder and fun alive.
I'm okay with that thought.
What are your plans? Where do you see yourself 30-40 years from now?
#GIJoeForLife
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