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You cuddled with it at night to keep those ghosts away (or invite them
for tea).
You took it with you to the beach or sandbox to construct glories
unseen since the pyramids, or dug trenches during lunchtime recess war
games, usually consisting of boys vs. girls or G. I. Joe vs. Cobra (who
was stuck playing Lifeline every game?) as opposed to the theme
of "Democracy vs. Communism" that was bread and butter for the
political scene during our formative years.
God forbid anyone suggested playing Carebears. 'Cause
shouting "Carebear Stare!" at the top of your lungs, sticking your
chest out and screwing your face up in a look that suggests intense
strain or concentration just isn't cool, even in the second grade. And
if you were to mention that you were trying to send the artfully placed
symbol on your belly to fight the bad guy would probably get your butt
whooped. ESPECIALLY in second grade. Anytime beyond that people would
just whisper behind your back and call you crazy.
You found them in your favorite cereal or Cracker Jack boxes, or they
came already assembled in a tiny swatch of plastic, stowed amongst the
tasty child-sized portions of French fries and hamburgers. Whether you
were able to wait until the box was EMPTY or the meal was finished was
questionable.
You took it with you everywhere you went, and repeated attempts to
launder it, replace it or throw it away were met with pouts, the silent
treatment, temper tantrums, or strategic assaults planned in crayon
and "scrap paper" filched from your parents' briefcases or printers (or
even mapped out on the walls of your closet?) to retrieve said loved
article.
Most of us probably aren't in possession of them anymore, and can only
remember them via anecdotes older relatives or parents remember only
when you bring that significant other home during those holidays when
the caloric value of certain foods are discreetly disregarded (or
manually wiped from the brain using techniques that made the
Inquisitors cringe).
Some of us lucky ones have them tucked away in a corner of our closets
and lives, ready to be pulled out on a particularly rainy night when
our imaginary friend stops by after twenty-odd years for a spot of tea
to talk about the kids--and you haven't had any yet, or to hand down to
your pride and joy for safekeeping, a gesture that will have you
beaming with pride (and embarrassing the hell out of them) when you see
them in that prom dress or adjusting the bow tie on their (oh please,
let's hope) tasteful tux . . . which scares you have to death because
it looks oddly enough like your wedding day those many years ago . . .
or, heaven forbid, reminds you that your offspring will likely have you
bawling in your tastefully pressed suit or pretty dress on the day or
THEIR nuptials. But don't start calculating the cost of the reception
hall just yet. Maybe they'll elope.
Of course, between putting the loved articles of childhood on your
bookshelf . . .
to be look at when you pals came over after school to study or (lets
face it) watch music videos or gush and sigh over the latest teen icon
to be lured into matrimony ("That tramp!" or "How' the hell did HE get
her?" being the usual mantra
. . .if they weren't secretly thrown away by your parents(may they live
forever!) and the joys of parenthood and booting children out of the
nest, we live freer, relatively interesting lives with fewer depending
on us . . . We love to drive it or play Doom with it or cook with it,
or use the things already mentioned in combination with things
unmentioned to do the unmentionable, but often enjoyable.
What is the point of this Item, I hear you grumbling behind your
computer screens, sitting at your office tastefully dressed, or in
your own how wearing nothing but boxers and a T-shirt . . . and that's
us ladies! Yes, ladies and gents there is a point to this lengthy
diatribe. "It" is in this Item of course "toys." Those curious
articles of diversion and merriment, that are eventually replaced or
share space and importance with things occasionally more respectable,
usually more expensive, and always fulfills a need, however
unconscious, or scratches an itch, however minor. Everybody had them
when they were children, and they still do.
So, what's YOUR favorite toy, then and now?
41 responses total.
I had a three foot tall teddy bear. It used to sleep with me every night. Until I puked on it one too many times. It wouldn't fit in the washer. *sigh* And we still get Lego's for Christmas every year!!! :)
a banjo.
I have one of the first toys ever given to me. A "bear-like" stuffed animal named Pudgy that I've had since my first Christmas. The thing looks pretty good despite being nearly 25 years old. Currently one my my favorite toys happens to be an activity rather than a thing. I'm having fun getting into roleplaying. It's the fellow gamers and those able to make plots that fuck the the players' heads that I enjoy.
The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys Old day toy: atiny little monkey I called 'Kaka' (hey, it doesn't mean the same in Dutch, in fact, it means nothing). It came along with a Dinky Toy circus truck and two giraffes called Huuts (brown Huut and White Huut depending on their color). My twin and played a lot of fantasy games with them inventing an entire world based on the sun. Of course Kaka and the Huuts possessed supernatural power with which they were able to face the evil 'Thiefs' a race of bsad guys. Unfortunately kaka one day took a swim down the drain pipe of the shower and never be seen again. I tried to replace him but it didn't feel the same. Recognize that feeling? God, this is an embarassing trip down memory lane... a the age of ten twin and me invented the H'Courier, the Huut periodical. We would write stories about everything taking place on the sun, illustrated with pictures from comics. Wekept this up until we were sixteen! Of course we had other toys, but I guess that Kaka had a special place as he took such a prominent place in our fantasy play. And this monkey only measured half and inch, or so. Today's toys: a computer to write on (another kind of fantasy play) a racing bike and all the tacky clothes that seem to go with it.
I remember when a couple of friends of mine and I started writing a sequel to "Brave Little Toaster". One of them even made clay models. I got to keep them when he moved to Las Vegas after 8th grade.
Man, that's gotta warp a kid, going to Vegas for High school :)
You have no idea what he turned out like. I got to see him when we were about 19. He was dating a 12 year old.
Isn't that illegal?
Oh yeah. He was pretty skanky too. I was really dissappointed.
See, there you have it . . . must have been all the neon lights.
When it's hard find your veigns in blue neonlight it should be hard to tell age maybe. Maybe Nevada Law differs on that point too.
toys... I always seemed to be about one step behind my younger brother when it came to getting toys. in hindsight, I understand: I enjoyed reading more than playing with toys, so my parents bought me the books and my brother the toys. I'd have to complain loudly of favoritism if I ever wanted a toy of my own. toys I remember? when Mattel's "Masters Of The Universe" line first debuted, my brother got both He-Man and Skeletor right away. I mean *right* away, when there were only maybe five or six characters, Battlecat was nonposeable, and Prince Adam was just a nagging thought waiting to be expressed by some marketing exec. I complained loudly, so the next time toys were bought, he got Beastman and *I* got Man-At-Arms. I always tended toward the underdogs and the sidekicks. my brother had a zillion Transformers. me, I was content with Bumblebee. I remember playing too roughly with him once and pulling the leg off, and getting out a screwdriver to put him back together. these were just two of my favorite toys, the ones that sprung to mind. well, there were also Legos, but that would take WAY more explanation than I'm prepared to give. suffice to say, my brother and I discovered Legos rather late in childhood, but they greatly captured our imagination in ways no other toys had. I haven't seen most of the toys in over a decade. when I saw my grandmom last year, she mentioned that they were mostly safe and sound in storage at her old house. I don't think I'll ever see them again, "when I became a man, blah blah blah," but from time to time, I still carry the memory. aside: my brother is still into toys, and currently collects wrestling action figures. when I lived with him a few years ago, I had great fun finding the latest and greatest to help add to his collection. last year, he bought *me* one. while not my personal cup of tea, I can say I appreciated the gesture. toys currently with me: the aforementioned wrestling figure (Dark Side Undertaker, if you must know) and a Snoopy doll who bobs along with the Peanuts theme when his hand is squeezed. he's dressed for Halloween, and usually only sees action then, although occasionally I'll see him and have the urge to bob along with the piano.
The Peanuts! I loved those little cartoon tykes :) Currently may favorite toy is my car, and I'm now attempting to put together my computer war chest, because my is surely soon to go the way of Anne's home computer :)
The Peanuts! I loved those little cartoon tykes :) Currently may favorite toy is my car, and I'm now attempting to put together my computer war chest, because my pc is surely soon to go the way of Anne's home computer :)
I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to put my "Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine" on the counter in the kitchen, or hidden somewhere...
My favorite toy is currently my rapier, which is currently in the hands of Chris Barbeau so that he can correct the balance.
My racingbike. Afetr that comes my 'puter although it bothers me right now.
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It SHOULD bother you, Rick, if you're calling it a 'puter. :p
Transformers and Legos were part of my toy life for a long time, but they haven't stuck around forever. Stuffed toys somehow never went away, and even when they stayed with my folks, I married a woman who had a teddy bear. One named Milo, that was there for cuddling-- if we weren't there somehow for each other, or just because. My classical guitar and electronic things (computer, stereo, etc.) are currently my toys.
One thing's for certain. I definitely miss some of the toys I didn't take care of very well. I wish I at least had them to display, or even to eventually give to my children, should I have any.
Sigh , I threw away all of my Dinky Toys and Corgy Toys.
Toys for me in general have been replaced by "activities," or hobbies, if that makes sense to anyone.
That makes sense. I don't think most people really have toys after they're teenagers. When adults talk about their "toys," usually they mean tools for their hobbies, or supplies for games. There's a difference between those and toys, and I'm trying to put my finger on what it is. It's not just age. Kids have tools and supplies as well as toys. To me, the word "toy" implies something with a very open-ended purpose. Maxis Software called Sim City a "software toy" when it first came out. That seems like an appropriate use of the word to me, maybe even the closest thing I can think of to a toy for grownups. But even a computer isn't really a toy -- you can run any software you want on it, but you probably don't climb on yours, or pretend it's a space station, or find another computer for it to make friends with. I think also, kids identify with their toys much more than you could possibly identify with a truck or a guitar or a tool shed. You express yourself with an instrument, but you don't treat it as if it had a personality. When you're mad at someone, you don't pretend your truck is telling them off. When you're going stir crazy, you don't decide that your tool shed is now a magical kingdom where you're going to have adventures.
You mean my guitar doesn't have a personality?
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Currently I have few hobbies, but the reasons for that are not due to boredome, but more Depression. Having kicked the dead horse the requisite number of times, I'll say that there are indeed activities that I'm looking forward to doing. My chief activity at the moment is crosstitch. No one currently in this item has seen my work, primarily because I'm only on my second project. I do counted crosstich instead of following a pattern pre- stamped onto the fabric. I enjoy crafintg something with such intricate detail. I do miss those days when you could just sit down and play all day with your toys.
Good catch, John. No, a guitar does have a personality in a certain sense of the word. But... how to put it... When I was 3, my toys had human personality traits. They were grumpy, or talkative, or adventurous, or whatever. Guitars have personalities, but there's a pretty clear difference -- in my mind at least -- between guitar traits and human traits.
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I'm impressed that you can all remember that far back. I remember next to nothing about my toys.
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I do remember having a WTP when I was a tot. And I've got WTP bedsheets to comfort me today. :-)
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I used to make these elaborate structures out of chairs and blankets. I never built dollhouses, though.
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Furniture was one of the ultimate vehicles for a child's imagination. It could become so many different things.
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I loved making tents out of blankets. You could get every blanket in the house together, and just take over the whole family room with a big blanket tent that had multiple rooms and what not. Have a little picnic, and just have a grand old time.
Wow, activity here after a long time. We did that at my house too, my sisters and I. It was a lot of fun. Our second house, which my parents are still living in, is a California split. The upper level where the dining room, kitchen, and breakfast bar is has a balcony railing by the living room below and this was the favorite place to set up the blankets.
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- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss