Rich,

Much as everyone has said above, don't make any rash decisions, take time to weigh out the options available to you........


Let me tell you my little story, if I may.........

Flint and I have been the best of friends for over 31+ years. In this time we have enjoyed many various hobbies and interests. Chief among them being G.I. Joe, with Star Wars and Mego and such sprinkled in. Now I know that for you and perhaps others, the 'not' having such a close friend or relative who shares this interest must be a bit of a downer, and for all of you I truly sympathize.

Our Joeverse has been 25 years in the making. It has survived through both of us moving and growing older, as not only a tie to the past, but a bridge built for the future. Some years ago I too found myself feeling somewhat 'detatched' from the hobby....I had so many other things going on in my life that I really didn't see 'G.I. Joe' fitting in at the time. So I sort of 'put it aside', not completely away mind you-Flint saw to it that he would still bring up certain things-characters, vehicles, old storylines, whatever-just to keep it wiggling around in the back of my mind.

Nearly 2 years ago, he started to tell me about JoeBattlines.com and how cool it was that there were so many people who were still 'into Joes'........I listened, but didn't really pay it too much mind. We would chat about things and such, but for me the desire still hadn't re-emerged fully.

Until last November.

I purchased my first computer and hooked myself up to the 'world wide web'.......and what a world that opened for me. I have made so many friends through the 'net, that I truly am begining to appreciate the unity of 'being one humanity'......and it's sooo powerful and enlightening and comforting and pure.

I found myself excited about the prospect of interacting with so many different and various people from all over the world. And I found that I could get back into some of the things that had captivated my youth, namely 'G.I. Joe'........

Now, I cannot expect you, or anyone, to have the same thoughts, feelings and experiences that I have had.....each of us is our own individual. But what I'm trying to get across is, once you have committed your soul to something, then your soul is forever linked to that thing.........whatever it may be.


I don't know you or any of the other members well enough to think that I could impart my way of reasoning on you, but I can speak from my own experiences and feelings. I love G.I. Joe, and I know that I always will.........what I do now (and have since that time that I really stepped back and 'grew up' a little bit), is to find some way to fit my love of Joes (or Star Wars, or Comic Books, or whatever it is that is 'my thing'), into my 'grown up life'. I don't see life as something that I HAVE to do this or that........I do what I want, when I want, and for who I want. I think that too many people suddenly find themselves fixated on one certain thing and then 'ride it into the ground', causing a burnout.

Instead of looking at collecting as the 'be all and end all', look at it as something fun and mind diverting. I don't 'have' to have everything in a line.....I buy things because I like it, NOT because I need to 'complete' something. I think if you start looking at G.I. Joe as something fun and frilly, you may find that it's not so 'overwhelming' and 'all consuming'. That might make the hobby a bit less intense and burdensome for you.........just a thought.


At the end of the day, go with your heart......wherever it may lead. And please know that if your heart tells you to walk away from this, you will be missed in this capacity........but you will always be someone who I would be honored to call 'my friend' for a long, long time to come...............


Peace,
Prudence

__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum~Vos mos non effrego mihi

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