The brain functionings of an obsessive collector

So, I haven't written to this blog-world of mine for some time, and I'd like to say there was an exciting and important reason for that. I'd really like to say that my life has been so full of social activities and mind-enriching experiences that I simply haven't had the time to write here.

But I can't. Since I've left school, I've been bloody bored.

Which is probably the reason why I've had a dangerous relapse of childhood collectorhood, if that's a word. You see, ever since I was nine (or thereabouts), I would become obsessed with all sorts of franchises and fandom. I guess you could say I was a fangirl. Well the few that spring to mind right now, are all anime TV shows: Pokemon, Digimon, Cardcaptors, etc. And when I liked a TV show, I wouldn't just like it. Oh no. I'd become obsessed.

These obsessions lead to severe desires to collect the various merchandise of my favourite shows, in particular, PVC figures. It started with Digimon.

We were on the way to Argos, me and my sister and fat-walleted Dad (or so we liked to believe). We'd seen them on the telly, and in our Argos catalogue; 1.5" tall, plastic PVC Digimon figures, which came in sets of five or six. An hour later, we were home, tearing open the card backing of the packets and popping the figures out of their clear plastic packaging (severely devaluing them at the same time, I might add). The rush of excitment that went through me at the smell of new PVC and the novelty of having my favourite TV characters, real and solid in my very own hands... It was almost addictive.

The trouble with having the mind of a collector, is the excitement doesn't last very long... not very long at all. Soon, you want the next set of figures, just so you can build up your collection a bit, as well as experience that spark of enthusiasm as you rip open the packaging. And when you have several sets, you slowly change... change from just a collector, into a completist. You must have them all. You won't rest until you have the lot.

I still have all of my Digimon figures today, and I still really like them. I don't like Digimon itself now, but for some reason, my collectors mind won't allow me to get rid of them. Maybe it's that addictive PVC smell, or the fine detail in which they've been manufactured, I don't know. But I've found a new addiction now.

I may have said this before, but I am a dedicated Doctor Who fangirl. Everyone in the school seems to know as well (even people I don't really know, as I discovered one Physics lesson). And among the various Doctor who merchandise, are the collection of the most amazing, precisely and accurately detailed figures I've ever seen. So you do the maths. And even today, savagely ripping open my new delux figure of the Empress of the Racnoss that came in the post this morning, I still get that same odd buzz as I smell that lovely new PVC, and marvel at the 22 articulated joints, and detailed paintwork...

It's going to be an expensive year.

The End of an Era.

A period of my life, over a decade long, is just about ending.

Twelve years of going to school, six hours a day, since the age of four. And it's just about over. I'm finding this rather significant ending in my life pretty upsetting to be honest with myself. I cannot contemplate the idea of not seeing my fantastic friends every day, dozing off in Biology and having sponge fights in Art.

People always moan about having to go to school during their time at it, but when it ends you really begin to notice how much you actually enjoyed it. The whole thing would be much easier to get over, if your time at school ended in a slightly more pleasant way. My first week of exams has been the biggest rush in my entire life, not helped by the fact I have a party to go to on Friday and a four-day holiday to Wales on Saturday, both of which I still need to prepare for!

I remember saying to myself 'Right, Becky. You're going to revise for months in preparation for your exams, and be thoroughly confident when finally walking down those Sport's Hall stairs to take that dreaded paper.' No such thing. No matter how much I prepare to prepare, it never happens. Which is why I've found myself, on three occasions this week, rushing to cover all of the revision notes just minutes before my exams. And, I don't think it's really made a difference, if I'm honest. These first papers have been particularly kind.

Let's hope the rest are as generous.

The results of a passtime and an obsession:

Anyone who knows me will tell you that my fandom for the television show 'Doctor Who' far exceeds a healthy level! Well, I've been blessed with the talent to paint and have flare for art, and this has lead me to kill large amounts of time by doing fanart of Doctor Who. I always use acrylic on canvas, and here they are:


'Citadel of the Timelords'

This is the first one I did a fair few months back. Anyone who watches the show will know this is a picture of the Doctor's home planet, Gallifrey, which I was inspired to do after watching my favourite ever episode: 'The Sound of Drums'.

'New Earth'

This is another alien landscape inspired by a Doctor Who scene, this time from the episode, 'New Earth'. I was struck by the regularity of the beach in the scene, in contrast to the great big futuristic hospital which dominates the scene. I also love the added touch of the flying vehicle in the distance, streaming into the hospital and over the city.

'Cyberman'
Quite literally what it says on the tin, based on the Doctor Who alien cyborgs; the Cybermen, which are the future us for some people. I'm thinking of producing a twin painting to complete the other half, but with a twist...

Well that's all I got so far, I hope people like them, though it's quite hard to see the cyberman one in detail due to the small size. Feel free to comment or criticise, or give ideas for future pieces of artwork.

Over and out.

So, what is a 'blog' then...?

I honestly can say, I do not know. However, looking through some of the blogs hosted by this website, my understanding of these blog things has deepened somewhat. So far, I have made the following observation: blogs are random stuff. Yes, deep and precise, I know. But I don't write definitions for dictionaries for a living and have no intention of doing so in future, so I don't care.

So that's exactly what you can expect to find here; my random ponderings and maybe a few pictures I have taken, or just like.

Over and out, from The Bex Base (coordinates: 001678/apple/6gh/D)