Geek Cave Weekend

This is an exciting weekend in my house.  Not only is it New York Toy Fair, with the yearly hope that we'll get some cool reveals, but it's the annual Geek Cave Long Weekend.

For the last few years I've taken a long weekend in February, because everyone needs a break from winter.  If I can't go south, I can at least not have to leave the house for several days.

So much winter.  Too much winter.

I have also started using this long weekend to "play" in the Geek Cave.  One year this meant moving everything into a new, larger room.  Another year it was rearranging, tidying, and general enjoyment.

This year, we're moving in a couple of new shelves and rearranging things to accommodate the GIANT SSC house that joined the collection in December.  The shelves have been purchased and will be built shortly.  We have a rough idea of how we're going to move everything around so that we can move the biggest piece.  After that, it's a lot of rearranging displays, which is always a fun way to spend four days.  I also got a lot of new ponies this week from a local purchase, who need some cleaning, so that will also likely happen.

Geek Cave circa Feb. 2019

Take a last look at the current Geek Cave.  Pics of the new and improved Cave coming in the next post.

Elf

Who's up for some organizing?

I've been fascinated lately by the blow back about Marie Kondo's Netflix show (largely, I suspect, by people who haven't watched it or otherwise familiarized themselves with her method).  If you've been following the blog, it will come as no surprise that I am a fan of the idea of going through your possessions and deciding to keep only those things you really want/need, and organizing what you keep in a way that you can use and enjoy it.

What I find particularly fascinating is how people have such a visceral reaction to the idea of going through their possessions with an eye to getting rid of things.  A meme about being allowed to  keep only 30 books recently garnered a lot of negative comments on my Facebook wall because the idea of getting rid of beloved possessions causes people to lose their minds (also, this was never actually said in the show, and actually goes against the Konmari method).  It highlights to me just how attached we get to our possessions.

Collectors, of course, know this.  Love of items is why we're collectors.  But, as I've said time and again, it is important to look at the pieces of your collection from time to time to make sure that they still bring you joy.  What is the point of having an entire shelf / closet / room for your collection if you don't actually enjoy what you have there?

It can be overwhelming to think about sorting through your items.  It's important to find a way to do it that works for you.  Maybe you focus on one shelf at a time, or one type of item (figures today, plushies tomorrow, merchandise next week).  I tend to focus on one area of the Geek Cave at a time (today I organize the closet!), and that's what works for me.

Also, for collectors especially, I think we are often judged for the number of possessions we have.  The point of curating your collection or using the Konmari method on your house is not to get rid of all your possessions, but rather to identify what you actually don't feel you need/want anymore.  It is important to remember that there is nothing wrong with having a lot of physical items that bring you joy...in principle.  If your bills are paid, you're putting food on the table, and you're enjoying your life for the most part, then it doesn't hurt that you also spend an afternoon each week visiting 700+ My Little Ponies.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go fold MLP shirts.

Elf