Today Was Stressful.

Stress has been ever present in my life today. Seems like I have been stressed out since I woke up this morning. Not sure why, but it sure did snowball as the day went along. Today was just one of those days --nothing seemed to go right and everything annoyed me in one way or another.

I dealt with terrible drivers, which is a persistent problem in North Carolina. Folks are absolutely frightening here, with the lack of turn signals, running red lights, cutting other drivers off without warning and swerving from lane to lane. Road rage really boils my anger over at times. This is highly unfortunate, considering I enjoy driving. Being in a car and just moving down the road is therapeutic... but only if I'm not being assaulted by other dumb-ass drivers.

Leave it to a poorly-designed game disc to piss me off. I just purchased a brand new Playstation 3 with a copy of LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. I've barely had it for a month and of course the game started to act up. After going through a few too many tedious troubleshooting steps, I determined that a single, tiny smudge on the edge of the game disc was to blame.

Grocery shopping, as discussed in my article from a few days ago, has become troublesome. Retailers are raising their prices unnaturally, thereby causing me more stress in trying to locate better deals. I can usually find what I'm looking for, but damn if grocery stores aren't pulling the wool over most consumers' eyes.

Apparently, the local Burlington City Christmas parade is just ten days away on November 21. When I heard the news, I became enraged. Though, I have little reason to be pissed off about this. It's not as if I'm even going to attend the parade. Parades themselves send me into fits of anger. Yet, having a Christmas parade a week before Thanksgiving really grinds my gears. What about celebrating Thanksgiving, eh? Why not have your parade within the month of December? Don't feed me crap about it being a scheduling issue -- those in charge of setting the date are just aloof nitwits.

I yelled at Crystal this morning because she made the point that I don't always fully consider her special dietary requirements when planning out meals. She was right; I had no reason to get upset. I take criticism poorly. I was also in the wrong for yelling. The sore throat serves me right, I suppose. Even though I'm not the angry man I once was, I can still have my moments when I'm stressed out. Doesn't make it right, but I've learned to identify when I am most likely to get angry.

Here I am, writing about myself for a change. Yet, I sat before my keyboard for an hour without any inspiration as to what to write about. As I've grown as a writer and tried to expand my content, sometimes I forget that this blog began as a means to soothe my inner beast. Writing about my feelings and getting out my anger was the best therapy I ever went through. When times get stressful, I shouldn't be afraid to speak from the heart. Getting out my feelings is perhaps the best thing I can do to feel better.

I have a difficult time processing stress and letting things go. It's just in my nature to hold onto the things that trigger my rage. While it's almost certainly related to my upbringing, I'm an adult now. Releasing the things that perturb me is fully within my capability. Finding a sense of calmness and balance is more important, especially on days like today.

Feeling Bored At The Dixie Classic Fair.

One thing that's synonymous with the Fall season are fairs. Appropriately, I went to the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem, North Carolina today. Unfortunately, it was quite underwhelming. I'm not your typical fair and carnival type of guy -- I don't eat fair food and I don't ride carnival attractions for safety reasons. No gut-churning rides and deep-fried butter sticks for me! But, I am interested in seeing animals and contest submissions.

Sadly, the Dixie Classic is a boring and altogether lackluster fair.

I know, buddy. I'm sad, too.

There were plenty of carnival rides and trailers selling fair food, I'll give them that. If that's your idea of a good time, then great. Many of the judging submissions were unimpressive, though. Contestants' flowers and other plants had started to wilt in many cases. When it comes to the artistic categories... well, I was appalled at the number of LEGO submissions that were official builds pulled from a set off a store shelf. No creativity was involved... and they often won awards. The LEGO judges obviously had no idea what they were doing. Any schmuck can put together a LEGO set out of the box. Honestly, there just wasn't much to be seen at the fair. It felt empty and lacking in content.

At least I saw some cows?

Alternatively, it was nice to see some cows and draft horses... there just weren't very many of them. The fairgrounds were nice, but I walked away feeling like it was a boring waste of time. Good thing I paid the early-bird price for admission, or otherwise I'd have felt upset. All in all, I can't recommend the Dixie Classic Fair unless you're a total carnival ride junkie.

Letting Things Go.

I've spent the vast majority of the past two days cleaning out my personal office space -- aka my collection room. Books, graphic novels, action figures, statues, Hot Wheels cars, comic book related merchandise... the list goes on and on. So much of it was cluttering my space and taking up valuable real estate.

Surprisingly, I've filled multiple boxes with things I simply don't want anymore. I was shocked at just how many pieces of my collection I had lost interest in. Things just three or four years ago that I would have never even considered letting go had now wound up in the 'For Sale' box. What happened in that time? Did I grow old? Had my need to cling to things diminished? As I write this article, it's occurring to me what changed.

As I developed this blog and expressed my feelings over the past few years, my need to possess items and invest emotions into them faded drastically. I want fewer and fewer things to hold on to because I simply don't see any reason for their being in my life. I repeatedly found myself asking "Why did I buy this?" as I would pick up most of the items in my collection. I'm sure I had a good reason many years ago when I acquired these items, but now owning them just doesn't make any sense.

Hording items for emotional comfort is not the answer.

It doesn't fix anything. In fact, those items just make your situation worse because you never actually confront your own emotional problems. They're a distraction from the truth. I realize that fact now... it only took me all this time to get it.

There is an upside to all of this, of course. Many of the things I've managed to collect over the years are fairly valuable on the secondary collector market. This relinquishing of items from my collection will put a nice degree of profit in my pocket. Hurrah for that!

So what have I kept?

• Merchandise relating to Uncle Scrooge, Boba Fett, Godzilla, Thanos and the Silver Surfer
• Generation 1 Transformers
• Space-themed LEGO Sets
• Imported and horror graphic novels, manga

Sure, I still have things in my collection, but I've really started to narrow it down to things I actually want -- not items I was emotionally invested in. I certainly believe this is a much healthier way to be a collector.

The Future of the Toy Industry.

I am in the business of providing toys and collectibles to people of all ages, both young and old. From Transformers to Nintendo, Hot Wheels to Monopoly -- I sell all kinds of things to all sorts of people. I take pride in what I do. After walking away from a career in banking to work for myself, I can say over four years later that it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only has my mental health improved since I began my own business, but also my physical health. I am my own boss. I set my own work hours. I make the decisions that directly affect the success of my business. Starting my business, The Cybertron Armory, has brought nothing but happiness to me.

In short -- I love my job.

Transformers featured in the 1985 Sears Holiday Wish Book Catalog.

As a retailer of toys both old and new, I stay abreast of the trends that take place in the toy market. I walk the aisles of department stores looking to see what kids are buying these days. As I like to say -- today's kid is tomorrow's collector. LEGO is consistently popular. Barbie has taken a back seat to Monster High. Hot Wheels and other die-cast vehicles don't interest nearly as many kids as they once did. Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are two of the great success stories in the toy industry. G.I. Joe has gone AWOL from the toy aisle. Board games and puzzles are relegated to a tiny corner shelf.

The toy industry has become more concentrated as the years have gone by. When I was a kid, there were dozens of various toy lines dedicated just to action figures, let alone droves of others for creative play, drawing, roleplay, games and the like. Thundercats, Visionaries, Rock Lords, Jem, Star Wars, Dino Riders, Polly Pocket and the Inhumanoids are just a few of the hundreds of series developed by manufacturers throughout the '80s and '90s. There was vast diversity among toys as recently as twenty years ago.

D'Compose, Metlar and Tendril were the major villains in the Inhumanoids toy series. These figures were gigantic, as well as a little scary.

Today, that has all changed. There are only a few major players in the toy industry -- chiefly Hasbro, Mattel and LEGO. Where there once stood a multitude of toy brands, there are now only a handful. For example, while walking through the action figure aisles of the toy department in my local Target, here are the brands I could spot, as well as their respective owners:

• WWE - Mattel
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Playmates
• Power Rangers - Bandai
• Transformers - Hasbro
• Star Wars - Hasbro
• Marvel Comics - Hasbro
• DC Comics - Mattel
• Imaginext - Mattel

That's right -- only eight major action figure toy series by my count. Twenty five years ago, there would have been a couple dozen hanging on the shelves. As the decades have progressed, only the most successful toy lines have withstood the test of time. The market for kids to desire these types of toys has become smaller and more dense, with less variety to choose from.

Star Wars is one of the cornerstones of the toy industry, but even its market share has shrunk. These days, it is marketed more towards adult collectors.

What do I believe has caused this to happen? Modern technology, of course. With the birth of the internet in the '90s, kids started finding new ways to play. What once began as a means to check your email, research book reports and talk in chat rooms has become the prime method for entertainment -- both for the young and old alike. Young boys and girls aren't as interested in dolls, board games and action figures as they once were. In the age of high-powered video game consoles, smart phones, tablets and the internet, traditional toys simply don't hold up like they once did. Why play with a Captain America doll when you can play as Captain America on your Playstation 4?

Amiibos from Nintendo are a clear example of how toys and video games

have begun to merge into one entity.

This change in how children play is interesting to watch from my position. Children simply aren't entertained as easily as they once were. What does that hold for the future? Will traditional toys become a thing of the past in my lifetime? Are the children of today the last to enjoy toys that require the sole use of their imagination?

Toys are in a clear state of transition to the digital landscape.

In terms of the business side of things, I will always have a customer base. Adult collectors will continue to buy up the toys of their youth, trying to reclaim a lost sense of comfort. Yet, as I get older, so too will the collector. Future retailers may not have a customer base to sell toys and collectibles to because kids simply won't play with them anymore. It's a bleak situation, but one must accept reality -- the toys we see today may not be around in the future. For now, I enjoy the work that I do. I help people have fun and feel happy. That's a powerful motivation to continue in my line of work. Knowing that each and every toy I mail out to a customer is going to be cherished, to make someone jubilant... that's very satisfying for me.

If you are looking for a toy or collectible from your youth, contact me. If I don't already have it, I can help you find it. Or, visit my store on eBay. Either way -- take advantage of the time frame we live in. Be thankful that you can still buy an Optimus Prime or a Barbie. Future generations may not be so lucky.

We live in an age where Barbie has been surpassed by Monster High.

We've Run Out Of LEGO Video Games!

Thanks to some excellent teamwork from Crystal, we were able to finish our latest video game adventure today on the Nintendo Wii -- LEGO Lord of the Rings. It took us a few years to get around to finishing it, but we finally did. Overall, I believe it was a solid game. The quests and puzzles weren't overly complicated. Graphics wise, it looked as good as you can get on the now aged Wii console. The music was fantastic (especially once you unlock the 8-Bit Music Red Brick), as was the voice acting. Much of the dialogue was pulled straight from the movies, but some of it was newly recorded by the original actors explicitly for the game. The challenge was just right -- nothing too hard or too easy. My worst complaint about the game has to be the camera. In many instances, the camera angles were absolutely nuts. You'd have to take blind jumps facing towards yourself, not knowing where you would land. Other times, you'd be required to attempt leaps around corners without knowing what was on the other side to catch you. It was annoying at times, but overall it didn't bring the quality of the game down too much.

Now that LEGO Lord of the Rings for the Wii has been completed, Crystal and I have run out of games to play together for the system. Here's a list of the LEGO games we've 100% finished together:

• LEGO Batman
• LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes
• LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
• LEGO Indiana Jones
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

Overall, I'd say our favorite LEGO game was Batman. Our least favorite has to be LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. It was not designed very well and definitely not fun to play. In fact, it was so bad that Crystal told me to finish it by myself. I did, but just so I could say that I completed it. Otherwise, I would not recommend it to anyone.

The Caped Crusader chases down Clayface in LEGO Batman.

There are some great new LEGO games out now, as well as coming up for release. Unfortunately, none of them are available for the Wii. Publishers have stopped releasing games for the system, which I can understand. It may be time for us to obtain a WiiU system. Then we could play together:

• LEGO Marvel Superheroes
• LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
• LEGO Jurassic World
• The LEGO Movie

It's hard to find co-op games for Crystal and I to play together, but the LEGO games fit the bill. I think I'll have to start hunting for a gently used WiiU console.

The LEGO Video Game Series.

When it comes to video games, there's one particular series that I really get a kick out of.

No, not some silly war game. I'm talking about LEGO!

Princess Leia and Chewbacca in LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Way back when I first purchased a Nintendo Wii, Crystal and I wanted to find a game that we could play together. Obviously, we didn't want a shooting game where the point was to slaughter each other in a death-match. Instead, we wanted a challenge that was cooperative and made us think. Thereby, we started with the original LEGO Batman game. Boy, was it a real treat. We 100% completed it and moved on to our next LEGO game, which was LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. It was amazing and we sniffed out each and every secret within the game. Come to think of it, there's not a LEGO game that we haven't 100% completed. After that, we finished LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean. LEGO Batman II was our follow-up and that was highly in-depth. The last LEGO game we finished was LEGO Star Wars III, which left us wanting more. LEGO Lord of the Rings is the current title that we have, but our schedules as of late have prevented us from playing it as much as we wish we could.

Unfortunately, we can't play any of the newer LEGO series games because none are being published for the Wii anymore. As a console, the Nintendo Wii is dead. I would love to be able to play the LEGO Batman III, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, The LEGO Movie and LEGO Jurassic World games. But... that would mean I'd have to purchase a newer console.

Yep... I'd definitely play as Doctor Octopus in LEGO Marvel.

Blah... more money on a video game system when the one I have functions perfectly well. If I could put my hands on a used Nintendo WiiU unit for a decent price, I would. I just can't force myself to drop $300 dollars on a system that's performed terribly. Needless to say, I'm certainly not spending upwards of $400 on a video game console like the Playstation 4 or XBox One -- that's just ridiculous. Alas, no more LEGO games I guess. It's quite disappointing. If ever there were a series of video games that inspired creativity, puzzle-solving capability and ingenuity, the LEGO series is it!

LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series Boba Fett's Slave I.

Give me a moment to drool.

Seen above is the brand new LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series Slave I set. Any fan of Boba Fett absolutely has to have this in their collection (like me). When I heard about this being released late last year, I fangasmed in excitement.

Finally, on January 1, 2015, it was available for sale. The only catch? The price tag...

$199.99 (Here is a link to the LEGO Shop to see it for sale)

I simply can't justify spending that much money on a LEGO set. As much as I love Boba Fett, it's just too much. Do I have the money to buy it? Absolutely - I could buy a whole case if I wanted. But... it's the principle of the matter. This is just a toy, after all. It pains me... it really does. Boba Fett and the other bounty hunters are solely what I enjoy about the Star Wars universe. Honestly, I could do without all the Jedi and Sith warriors, the lightsabers and Jar-Jar Binks. The bounty hunters are where it's at!

This monstrosity clocks in at seven inches high, seventeen inches long and fourteen inches wide. It is absolutely massive. Also included is a custom display stand and four minifigures -- Boba Fett, a Stormtrooper, a Bespin Guard and Han Solo in Carbonite. There are a total of one-thousand, nine-hundred and ninety six pieces! WOW!

That being said, I just can't bring myself to buy it. I have trouble seeing LEGO sets sell for more than $40, much less nearly $200! 

Oh well... a man can dream, right?

H-A-M-M-E-R-E-D!

Welcome to 2015 everyone! How was your New Year's Eve? Mine was great, but I did something highly moronic. Last night, I got the drunkest I've ever been in my life. The funny part? It was all by accident.

Crystal and I were sitting around and enjoying some mighty tasty homemade pizza, drinking some wine and watching Luther* on Hulu. To make a long story short, I decided to let Crystal slice a few skin tags off my body. She suggested I take some shots before doing so, as to lessen the pain. Though... I somehow seemed to lose the ability to control my intake of alcohol in the process. One thing led to another and I'd ingested a massive amount of alcohol. Let me be clear - I did not intend to get wasted on New Year's Eve.

By our estimate this morning, I must have consumed at least ten shots, if not fifteen, of tequila and Southern Comfort. Add on top of that two beers and more than half a bottle of wine. I was H-A-M-M-E-R-E-D!

At some point between 9:30 and 10:00 PM last night is when it all started to hit me. Never before have I vomited from drinking alcohol. After last night, I can't say that anymore. I puked five or six times, completely emptying my stomach's contents of pizza and alcohol. Crystal (bless her), swapped out trash cans repeatedly and kept me clean. I puked for over three and a half hours. It was 2:00 AM this morning before I finally stopped and was able to be put to bed.

Crystal swears I had alcohol poisoning. Apparently, I went extremely pale, was quivering and very cold to the touch. I can faintly remember her asking me if I needed to go to the hospital.

I feel terrible about getting so wasted. I have never been that drunk in all my life. Though, there is an upside to all this. Apparently, Crystal had the foresight to record the audio of my drunken stupor before I started to puke. I present to you three clips from last night. Be warned -- I am very drunk in these recordings. Many of my words are slurred. There is some slight vulgar language, but nothing terrible. You will laugh your ass off, I suspect. Few of you have ever been around me when I've been drunk. This is what it sounds like.

In this first clip, I babbled on about how being sober is important. I also asked Crystal if she was taping me (to which she smartly told me no). Finally, I discussed how I am funny when I'm inebriated.



In this second clip, I discuss how my dog Mellow was steadfastly sticking by my side and trying to comfort me. Mellow could tell how drunk I was and had taken to licking me. I discuss why I'm so hard on Mellow... and how much I love him.



This is a third clip from the recording. I talk about the merits of LEGOS and how they can save your life.



There was much more from the recording, but unfortunately I can not make it publicly available for broadcast due to its 'mature' content. While hilarious, I wouldn't want to embarrass anyone -- especially Crystal. She took great care of me!

I feel much better today, as if last night never happened. At least I can still say I have NEVER had a hangover!

I'll leave you with my magnificent drunken LEGO creation. As you can see, it's the 'platform' I mentioned in the recording. I also created a minifigure whom I jovially referred to as Blockhead. Crystal says I found it to be gut-busting funny. Knowing how silly I can be, I'm sure she's right.

What in the hell was this guy thinking?

*Luther is a fantastic BBC program starring Idris Elba. It defines 'edge-of-your-seat' entertainment. Catch it now on Hulu, you won't regret it!