#So every little thing is like a relic of that time's current hyperfixation

[sapphire-draw]

Now that I've got a new phone I guess I'll have to pick a new background image...? Haven't touched it in 2 years...

*sigh*

Sorry Shadow, you've been dethroned.

[shanie-the-toyaddict]

SHANIE’S FIVE FANDOM RELICS

HEY! FUN SHANIE FACT!  I’M A COLLECTOR!

No really, I have a spending problem, a fandom addiction, and more money than brains (with little of either overall). This leads to me buying things that I probably shouldn’t to add to my various collections. But sometimes, somewhere along the way, there is an item that is just... sacred. And item which is a cornerstone of your collection for one reason or another and is the very definition of “irreplaceable”, either because it has too much sentimental value, or because it’s literally OOAK. The following are my *Five Great Fandom Relics* in my collection which I could never replace if I tried and I will never EVER part with.

#1 The Xena Hat

This is one of my oldest pieces of Fandom Merch and the one with the most history (as evidenced by the worn state). Xena was one of my earliest Hyperfixations and I went HARD. I collected the figures, but they were never very good. I had a couple shirts, but I outgrew them fast. 

But the hat.

The hat was acquired from Universal Studios Florida at the Xena/Hercules exhibit. The first one I got on my first trip to Universal as a young teen, and it was instantly my most prized possession. Then, the next year, I lost that hat in the queue for Twister: The Ride. I was beyond crushed. Inconsolable was closer to accurate. I sobbed and sobbed until a friendly cast member took pity on me and gave me a replacement for free, along with VIP passes for my whole family that got me to the front of every line for the rest of the day. I was ok after that, but I always made sure to keep the second hat in reach at all times. It was worn pretty non-stop from getting it, until sometime around my sophomore year of college when it became too worn out to wear anymore. I kept it though and it holds a place of honor on my bedroom door rack to this day.

#2 The Radar Teddy Bear (Picture lifted from Web as original item is in storage at parent’s house)

My M*A*S*H Hyperfixation happened somewhere around the time when Xena had ended down and Shane O Mac had just come off peak. If I had to guess, I’d say around 2002.

Anyway, I went hard for M*A*S*H and Radar was my favorite character. So when my Boyfriend/Fiancee showed up at our apartment one day with birthday present, I was shocked to find a teddy bear inside. But not just any bear - an officially licensed M*A*S*H Radar Teddy Bear. To be clear, I was born in the early 80′s. M*A*S*H ended before I was born. THIS BEAR WAS OLDER THAN I WAS. And it was, despite being out of package, in mint condition. I was stoked.

Sadly, i didn’t really get to keep him. When I brought him home on break, he vanished, and I couldn’t understand what happened to him. I eventually gave him up as lost, but my mom confessed years later that she had confiscated him due to his rarity and value. He’s currently living at their house, wrapped in plastic. Oh, and I named him “Walter Eugene O’Bear”. After Radar’s full name.

#3 The Shane Shirt (Picture lifted from Web as original item is in storage at parent’s house)

This was a gift from the family of the same SO that bought me the Radar Teddy. However, it was a Christmas gift, rather than a Birthday gift. When I opened the gift bag that year (2003??) I lost my GD mind... which was weird because I had already stopped watching wrestling by that point. I dont know, something about finally having a piece of Shane Merch after all that time was wonderful.

But, as I said, by December 2003, I had stopped watching WWE and my love for Shane was fading. Also, within a year I had my full mental breakdown and started gaining weight, rendering the shirt too small to wear. So, sadly, the item never reached it’s full potential. But I kept it and it sits to this day folded in a drawer at my parents house, a physical relic/reminder of my six year obsession with Shane O Mac.

#4 The Sonic Lipstick

Ok, so I love Doctor Who. My first episode was “Silence in the Library” in 2008 on Sci-Fi Channel and there was no turning back after that. So, in late 2008, when I found the first 4 Series online and started binging to catch up (before watching the end of Series 4 because I swear I picked the worst possible episode to start with...) I was intrigued with the history of the show which, up until that point, I had only had exposure to via a Classic Who/WWE crossover fic I had read in 2000. And when I came upon “School Reunion” and met Sarah Jane Smith for the first time, it got me interested in the old school stuff as well.

To make the rest of the long story short, I decided I needed all of the Sonics made. Which was fine and all except for getting the Sonic Lipstick was extremely hard to come by even in 2010 or so. The moment I had the option to grab one, loose on ebay, I shelled out a stack of bills and got it. Once it arrived, i started carrying it in my purse and liked to wave it at things to try and make them work better. This continued for about a year until it occurred to me that maybe I ought not to be carrying a super rare piece of Who Merch in my purse. It was replaced by the 10th Doctor’s Sonic, and the lipstick got put up.

It still works to this day and, while it isn’t OOAK like the next item, or particularly old, it is borderline irreplaceable because, after Liz Sladen’s death, every one of these just evaporated and now even a loose one will cost you hundreds.

#5 The Shawn Michaels Figure

This is the most recent addition to my “Great Relics” list. There’s not a ton of sentimental value with this one as HBK was never my favorite. I’ve liked him for a long time, but he’s not my hero or anything. in fact, nearly the ENTIRETY of his career occurred when I wasn’t watching the product. I didn’t start watching until late 1998 (after his first run ended) and stopped watching late 2003 (before his second run really got going). But that didn’t stop me from finding this awesome OOAK custom on ebay and shelling out a crap-ton on it. Honestly, the detail on it is just so wonderful. I love it. I love it so much. The actual, original figure that was used for this is impossible to get now, and the full detailed customization on this makes it just so special. It’s truly the centerpiece of my figure collection and represents a level of customization I strive to someday achieve.

Anyway, those are my Five Great Fandom Relics. Hope you enjoyed this short trip down memory and fandom lane.