Christmas Day Blog #1

As in, the official "My Christmas Day Experiences" thang.

Well, it's half past one, and it's already pretty excruciating. Present from Grandmother: Terry Pratchett's Making Money. Present from parents: BBC Radio's Batman: Knightfall series on remastered CD. My mother made very sure I understood that this was an extra gift, because they'd already got me my winter coat and new raincoat (despite the fact that I'd repeatedly made it clear I intended to buy at least a winter coat for myself).

Very little conversation has happened. There isn't a great deal to talk about (apart from office politics, which aren't exactly appropriate Christmas conversation), and what little we do talk about just doesn't penetrate Grandmother's Alzheimer's. She's already asked twice what one of my father's presents is, and if he keeps playing with it (and, since it's a tool, that kinda goes without saying) she'll probably ask again.

She's asked me if I'm "in the same place" work-wise, to which I replied that the company had moved to West Kensington. Moments later, she asked if it was the same kind of work... She doesn't remember what the work is, or anything much about the magazines (despite having several brought to her over the last few years, most of which have my name listed quite prominently). It is at once heartbreaking and utterly frustrating. People at work often praise me for my patience when training people, but I have no patience for people who will not or cannot remember anything I tell them... Which puts me in a very uncomfortable position with ailing family members.

In the grey silences, Grandmother has popped out of the room (twice) to ask my mother if she needs help with anything, and it was only by chance that the second time perfectly coincided with the need to lay the table.

Either that, or my mother was just being polite... Either way, she made no mention of the previous enquiry.

Helen and Mark are coming round tomorrow, so today is liable to be pretty darned quiet. I honestly don't expect tomorrow to be much better, but at least there will be some conversation that won't be continually repeated... and it won't be as quiet.

Playing catch-up

So much crap has happened since the last post. I started writing about that, but it was all too depressing. Hey, it's Christmas Day, for crying out loud. I don't want to depress myself unnecessarily.

So, briefly, in the New Year I shall be looking for a new job. The pathetic, selfish, lazy good-for-nothings I work with have defeated my optimism, and I cannot carry on with them any more. Idle degree-educated wastrels, who think the world owes them a living.

In many ways, I have no reason to leave... So many things have gone well for me there over the last couple of years, and the potential is still huge. But I feel I have given so much (time, effort, loyalty) and they have given so very little... but they expect so much. Not 'in return', even. They expect their rewards up front. Even those who have cost the company thousands in their mistakes are baying for more money in their pockets. Their attitudes and 'work ethic' are so alien to me, I cannot imagine they'll ever understand how wrong they are.

Better, for me, to get out as soon as I can, and let them realise their folly in their own time.

A Startling Truth

OK, dramatic title, not so dramatic subject: I've just realised that, barring any new stuff that tickles my fancy, my collection of TransFormers is almost as complete as I want it to be.

Let's tackle the movie stuff first, because that's recent and easy:

Leader
Optimus Prime
Megatron
Brawl

Voyager
Blackout
Ratchet
Ironhide
Starscream
Thundercracker
Rescue Ratchet

Deluxe
Jazz
2008 Bumblebee
Scorponok
Wreckage
Barricade
Bonecrusher
Arcee
Longarm
Dropkick
Landmine
Stockade
'Stealth' Arcee
'Stealth' Bumblebee

Three more to go, and I'm done. The rest of the repaints aren't exactly lighting my candle.

I've already got more than I originally intended to get in the Galaxy Force/Cybertron line (though I may cave in and get Chromia/Thunderblast, just for the sake of it), all I want in the Superlink/Energon line, and all the halfway decent stuff in the Micron Legend/Armada line. Classics is also complete (including this year's BotCon set!), I have all the Robots in Disguise/Car Robots that I want (including 2 BotCon Lamborghinis), and all the worthwhile Binaltech/Alternators. With my recent purchases of Rattrap (BW and BM flavours!) and Airazor, I'm pretty much done with Beast Wars/Machines too... I may get some of the BW reissues - original Cheetor, Tigatron, Waspinator, Rhinox, maybe even Dinobot - and I continue to debate picking up Tigerhawk and 'Big Red Dragon' Megatron, but that's really it.

Going back to G1, there are a few of the Autobots I'd like to grab - Mirage, Sunstreaker, Trailbreaker... maybe Bluestreak and Smokescreen - but, thanks to various reissues, I've got pretty much everything I wanted but missed out on 20-odd years ago.

I'm far from being a completist. In all things, I get what I like the look of, or whatever amuses me (I'm looking at you, Beast Wars Break!). They don't have to be any good, either (G1 Wheelie, anyone?).

It's a weird feeling... Just about everything I still want should be reasonably easy to find (G1 Mirage and Sunstreaker are being 'unofficially reissued' by some very talented knock-off merchants) and so, until the next line, there's nothing to hunt.

On the subject of the next line, Animated... It's all very impressive, but clearly aimed at kids. Sure, they all are... but Animated really looks it. I'll probably get Optimus Prime and Megatron... Possibly Bumblebee, Lockdown, Prowl and Starscream... Maybe even Blitzwing and Blackarachnia... But that'll leave me with nothing to look forward to until the next Movie line.

Oh, and the TFCC Exclusives. I'm debating (read: not really interested in) the Seacons, curious about this other exclusive they're hinting toward, and very keen to finish the Club Combiner (for which I'll need to renew one more time). I'm hoping they'll come up with something exciting after that, because I really like being a member...

But, seriously... All the TransFormers I want? Surely some mistake?