Do you ever feel nervous walking into toy aisles?

[jimbing]

Don,t worry bout it!
I'm 41. People look at me all the time, I like to thoroughly check the paint apps on figures, bt unfortunately it makes the staff tthinks I'm going to rip something off. Which I don,'t.

Then I circle the toy area a few times , looking to see if I missed anything , or if anyone hid anything, so i start checking behind toys, seeing what is in the very very back of the shelves. thats usually when I hear the "security scan toys" announcement.
Then I get paranoid and can't behave like a normal customer browsing,
So I'll leave and get an ice cream cone.

But just to be real, does it look weird to the average schmoe that you are an adult collecting toys? Hell yeah it looks weird!

[Super_Megatron]

Originally Posted by jimbing

Don,t worry bout it!
I'm 41. People look at me all the time, I like to thoroughly check the paint apps on figures, bt unfortunately it makes the staff tthinks I'm going to rip something off. Which I don,'t.

Then I circle the toy area a few times , looking to see if I missed anything , or if anyone hid anything, so i start checking behind toys, seeing what is in the very very back of the shelves. thats usually when I hear the "security scan toys" announcement.
Then I get paranoid and can't behave like a normal customer browsing,
So I'll leave and get an ice cream cone.

But just to be real, does it look weird to the average schmoe that you are an adult collecting toys? Hell yeah it looks weird!

lol great story.

[dinga]

I don't give a flying $$$$ what people think of me. Just saying.

[Robot rabbit]

Originally Posted by aquanet

I usually get nervous when I see another dude in the aisle, thinking he's looking for what i'm looking for and we'll have some sort of dust up, kinda like Sinbad and Arnold in "Jingle all the Way".

I used to feel that way, but for the most part, TRU pleebs don't care, plus some of them are collectors too.

Speaking of jingle all the way, I was in a toy store last week and they were filming jingle all the way 2. I asked and no Arnold this time.

Is it wrong to be shy of buying toys in front of the terminator?

[SanMiguel]

Im 38 but i dont feel nervous at all....my excuse is....its not for me....its for my 10 yr old kid.....lol

[Stevan]

I am 35 years old. I can use my 7 year old son as back up My wife and son always cover for me so that I dont get weird looks

[FrostBoy]

I'm 38 and have been collecting since I am 26. Now I have already done many fringe type things in my life and collecting action figures is by far the most staid.

I have purchased from ebay, online stores and comic shops and specialty stores as well as major retailers.

If you're feeling nervous I would suggest buying online, it allows you to have the merchandise delivered and you don't have to deal with people.

Of course some people stare and some may find it strange, I know some of my friends find me kooky.

But the truth is I enjoy both my collection and the hunt for missing figures. Recently with Target moving to Canada and also having a Toysrus not too far from work or home is a big plus, so I've taken to hunting them down in person.

So rewarding when you find the figures you want like when I recently found the AIM soldier and there were several for me to choose from.

I don't share the fact that I collect with everyone, but I teach and don't let my students know but from what I see with them I've met people who collect cereal boxes, nail polishes, skin care, magazines, clothes, you name it!

We're all collectors of something now and if collecting action figures or toys makes you happy then I say go for it!

Discovering this forum has been a real boon for me as I can at least share with like -minded people.

Enjoy your collections everyone and don't let anyone try to take you down for it!

[cobralegion]

Yeah I remember feeling like that around your age. I still remember putting 4 1994 Alley vipers down and walking out of TRU because the cashier was hot lol. Still regret that!! A couple years later I bought 12 POTF2 Sandtroopers from the same cashier and didn't care lol. She even asked why I was buying so many of the one and I replied " cuz you can't have just one trooper" As you get older you start to care less about what other think. and most times people don't even notice or care what you are buying as they're too busy with their own lives. Like everyone else has said just have fun and enjoy the hobby!! There's a lot collectors out there now so I don't think its odd to see anyone buying toys.

[liono]

If other adults only new the value of some of those figures ...they would be in that isle right next to me

[Toy Gremlin]

Originally Posted by liono

If other adults only new the value of some of those figures ...they would be in that isle right next to me

I remember that happening with the Lego Mr. Gold minifigure.

I rather not have more competition than there already is for the figures I like and want for my collection.