Verizon Commercial - Spectrum by LG: R2D2

So, Verizon thinks that people would actually choose one of their phones over R2??
I think NOT! ;)

It's only temporary...

Renovation. It happens sometimes, and many times, like now, it can take a while, and of course there are set backs to contend with. At the moment we are trying to renovate our basement....where my collection exists. First, we had to deal with a crack in the wall which was leaking. I'm happy to say that has been repaired, so YAY! However, that was a financial set back, and now ANOTHER set back - the good 'ol car repair....which was a BIG financial set back, but not as bad as I had feared.

  Anyway, as a collector who likes to have his stuff displayed, all of these set backs (I'm gonna try to stop saying set backs) means that the stuff that I had packed up for the renovation continues to be packed up, and that means I don't get to see it as often.
  To remedy this I try to bring a few figures out and switch out a scene, or two, just to remind me of all of the cool stuff I have collected over my years as a Star Wars fan -- which leads to the little shelf "scene" above! I brought out my Jawa figures (great little figures!) and my droids from the purchase of R2 and 3PO scene in the original Star Wars film (A New Hope - as it was eventually tagged). I LOVE all of the droids from Star Wars, and the fact that Hasbro has produced all of the droids from this scene is amazing! Hasbro is getting around to making essentially all of the background characters from the original trilogy and I just love that!

  Bottom line is - be sure to celebrate what you love! You don't have to have it everywhere, but sometimes just a small reminder will make you happy, as it does for me....for now ;)

January 1st, 2012

Today is the first day of a brand new year, with new possibilities.
It's a fresh start for everyone, and now all of the annoying reports of "news year's resolutions" can begin. It's stupid really. Do you need a new year to start living your life as you feel it needs to be, only to forget all about it tomorrow. It's silly.
  Pick any day. Just live your life as it should be. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Live a life style that benefits others, without excess, and realize that each of us has the duty to make life better for all.
  My hope is that everyone will have a happy, and healthy, 2012. Treat your neighbor with respect, and understand that we are all in this life together.
  Peace to all, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

  Looking forward to more blog posts this year so I hope that you will stick around!!

  -Mike

To town, LEGO Santa Yoda is coming.

Halloween in The Cantina

I couldn't let October pass me by without a Happy Halloween post, and what better way to do that than with the Star Wars Creature Cantina!

The Cantina, released in 1978, was a simple, yet great, little playset. I remember begging my grandmother to get me this set when it showed up in stores that year, along with Snaggletooth - the short gray haired alien in the red "space suit," which hit stores at the same time.
Remember the store called AYR-WAY?
 That's where I found my Cantina!
The Cantina was a made with a simple plastic base which included levers that you could move to revolve your action figures, and some small bits in the floor where you could stand your figures and, when activated, would bump the figure's feet just enough to knock them over. This was to recreate the scene with Han and Greedo where Han shoots and blows 'ol Greedo to smithereens. :)
There is also a colorful, hand drawn, backdrop that fits in the back of the plastic base depicting aliens in the background of The Cantina, a small hinged doorway with plastic doors that swing open with the use of tiny rubber bands, and is activated by having one of your figures step on a little button in the door way. There is also a computer console (sticker) in the doorway which clearly states - "NO DROIDS." - which is cool!
I loved this thing when I was a kid, and still do!
 Though the movie had lots and lots of aliens, the Kenner action figure line only produced some of the more noteable, close-up, aliens from Star Wars which included the likes of the aforementioned Greedo, as well as Walrus Man, Hammerhead, and one that you DIDN'T see very well - Snaggletooth.

 Now, in the modern action figure line from Hasbro, we have MOST of the aliens seen in the Star Wars Cantina, including the incredible smuggler alien, Bom Vimdin (seen above), which I will cover quite a bit more in an upcoming post.
 Until then - HAPPY HALLOWEEN, stay safe, and watch out for those aliens from a galaxy far, far away!

"It's working! It's working!!"

I think I have finally resolved my technical issues that I had been having with Blogger! My last post has finally.... well... posted. It's my rant on trying to find figures from The modern/vintage (oxymoron) line of Star Wars Toys. Well, what was true a few months back seems to still be the case! Those figures are still hard to find!!

 Just wanted to give a shout out that if you live in Kentucky, and are a Star Wars fan or collector, you should stop by Faith Lutheran Church this Saturday as KSWCC (Kentucky Star Wars Collector's Club) is having it's annual Fall Festival. It's festival celebrating Star Wars Collecting, of course. A great time will be had by all! There will be games, food, fun, and lots of prizes to be given out!
 That's Faith Lutheran Church, 100 Tates Creek Road, in Lexington Kentucky, from 12PM-6PM.

Come on out and have some fun!!

Vintage Tales of Woe....

I have stated before that I am concentrating my modern Star Wars Action Figure collecting to only The Vintage Collection figures that are from the original trilogy. I have made this decision primarily due to the cost of these things - they are now around $10 a piece!

My focus where this is concerned is now on the figures, and I mean ALL of the figures, that appeared on screen in the original trilogy, the ones that thrilled, and inspired, when I was a kid, and continue to thrill, and inspire.

The dilemma: On the one hand this is the cheaper option, and on the other hand, I CAN'T FIND THE DANG THINGS!!

I have never had such a hard time finding Star Wars figures. From 1995, when the modern line began, up to now, the figures have been plentiful. You could find most every figure that you wanted without a problem.

Now, however, the figures aren't two per Hasbro shipping case like they used to be. Hasbro is now shipping ONE of each figure per case, and to make matters worse, most stores are only ordering one case at a time! This probably has to o with the fact that Hasbro has THREE Star Wars Figure lines running at the same time - Saga Legends, The Clone Wars Animated Figures, and my favorite - The Vintage Collection.

I think the folks who order Star Wars tous for the major chains are quite confused by all of this, and it's making things difficult for those of us who collect.

It has been many months since I have found anything new, but I will persevere!

When I find my new figures of choice I will shout out from the rafters. I will take new pictures, and hopfully rave about the new sweet stuff that I've found!

Until next time, stay safe, have fun.... and persevere!! :)