State if the Site - September 2013. And Smurfs.

Welcome to the Toyriffic State of the Site for September 2013.

Before we get into the ins-and-outs of being an illustrious toy blogger, fawned over by babes and Toy manufacturers alike for my wisdom and wit, (while at the same time trying to have an actual life), let's do what we do best and take a quick look at some toys:

These Smurf two-packs began showing up at Big Lots a couple months ago, and the sets I picked up feature new figures of Clockwork Smurf (who comes with Handy Smurf) and Pilot Smurf (who comes with Brainy Smurf). I'm pretty sure Handy and Brainy are re-issues, but don't quote me. I still haven't opened Pilot Smurf, but the photo possibilities of a Smurf in a pilot's outfit are near endless, which is why I nabbed his set. I was most excited about Clockwork Smurf however; a 'mechanical' Smurf made of wood - what's not to love?!?!

Anyone with previous experience with Jakks Pacific Smurfs knows what they are getting here - limited articulation, limited paint and good sculpts. Nothing that someone who grew up with Smurf figurines that had zero articulation and sloppy paint and good sculpts should balk at. And for $2.50 a figure, they are a decent deal, especially if you aren't getting doubles of figures you already have (which I didn't.)

Not sure if these are popping up anywhere besides Big Lots; the Jakks Pacific website says Clockwork and Pilot Smurf are foreign  release only, so no idea what happened here, only that I am glad to have found them!

Now on to brass tacks - the Fall 2013 Toyriffic State of the Site!

Constant Readers may have noticed I've become pretty lax when it comes to Harley Qwednesday, Catwoman Purrrsday and Poisunday Ivy. I've decided not to fret about doing a post per week for each, and instead let relevant news or toys happen as they may, and when they do, post them on their respective character-themed days. So while I am still hopelessly devoted to my gal Miss Quinzel, I won't post something every Wednesday. And unless it's BIG NEWS, when I do find something worth saying or showing, I'll set the post to happen on that upcoming respective day. So expect those three characters to continue being represented here on Toyriffic, just don't expect it to happen weekly.

As for general posting: I have (as of this coming October) a 2 year old. That should be 'nuff said' but I shall elaborate for those of you who are not 'in the family way':

Generally, when she is asleep, I am either exhausted, trying to stay as quiet as possible so she stays sleeping, it's too dark in the house to get a decent picture of a toy (For example, the above pic of Smurfs is pretty bad, below my quality standards anyways, and it was taken at night after the baby was put to bed. Worse yet, it was the only serviceable shot in the whole batch), or the shit I want to post about is in the same room she is sleeping in. All that equals no post for Daddy.

Plus, the wife also suffers from Toddler-itis, and in the evenings she tends to curl up with the laptop. I'm completely empathetic to her need to escape after a day chasing the baby around, and therefore I'm not about to ask her to hand the laptop over so I can talk about action figures.

Because I enjoy sleeping in a bed.

When not asleep, I love my daughter's role as Toyriffic's resident intern - it cracks me up - but it can be difficult to put together a decent set of shots when the toys (and the helping hands that hold them) move around at 100mph. When she does help out, I need way more lead and clean-up time, and since I do this as an addendum to my actual life, that often becomes more time or effort than I feel like exerting. Also, when she's awake (and I am not at work) there are usually other things going on and I am doing those things instead of blogging.

Also, as of about 4 months ago, I now commute about an hour each way to and from work. That's prime blogging time being eaten up by the road!

But I haven't tired of the blog yet. Or the toys. Or the endless yammering. Lucky you.

I have some toys right now that are just waiting to be posted on Toyriffic (it is a rather prestigious honor for a toy. just ask one.) - a Playmates Dick Tracy, some Lego Series 11 minifigures, an Imaginext Green Arrow, as well as the usual miscellany and randomosity. Harley Quinn has a new comic coming later this year, and Ben Affleck is Batman. And the weather in my part of the world is the best it has been all year, so garage sales and flea markets abound, as does their bargain bounty! In October I will once again take part in the Countdown to Halloween here on Toyriffic, November sees me (kicking and screaming) into the last year of my thirties, and December brings Christmas, so there is no shortage of stuff to say around here. Just a shortage of time.

As always, thanks to all of you out there - to everyone who swings by here be it daily, weekly, monthly or just once (and never again, that BubbaShelby guy is INSANE!!!)

I could do it without you, but it would be awkward if I did.