The White Dwarf

During our short, rain-filled break. My wife really wanted to buy some Figaro Magazine, it was raining and I wasn’t really feeling good to take another walk but then I did. To my surprise as she was buying her magazine, I saw White Dwarf back issues bundled into one fat package but being sold in a slim price.

2005-2007 issues with campaign sheets from LOTR and Medusa Themes

So yeah, I’ve got to thank my dear wife for that hehe. Also a bit sad, missing the hobby scene like mtg and mageknight for quite a while. It’s really fun painting all those figures and playing them with other hobbyists.

Figurines and Toys are for Kids! If they could afford it!

That’s not really the case. To me, they’re actually for people who can afford to buy and take care of them, so if you’re one of the less fortunate during your childhood, you’d always be the one drooling a la vitrine (window shop — origin of the blog’s title) or your best friends’ toys because he’s got the best and newest toys that you or your parents can’t afford unless it’s your birthday.

Toys or figurines have also changed over the years, making them catered to a collector audience, rather than settling for the pre-adolescence crowd. Some are very fragile and oftentimes contain small parts, a hazard which reinforces my argument that they’re not always for children.

One of the things that made me drool over every time we go to a toy shop were the original Transformers (duh, robots in disguise)

Optimus Prime, transformed

Optimus Prime in truck form

I’ll kill you, Megatron!

Oh, sorry you died because of my stupidity, Optimus

Flying

The one on Bay’s movie wasn’t me, I swear.

 

People who live in a cave or hypocrites would say to someone not at the age of 5-14 something are oftentimes told that these “toys” are for kids only. Well, first of all, most of the time, parents will not give expensive stuffs like this unless you’re rich or it’s your birthday or it’s christmas. Grown ups can afford to buy and take care of them, most kids would dismember these “toys” upod receiving them!

Come on, you all knew how it was being a kid, right? Not all of us could’ve afforded everything at that time. These new generation of collectibles are our second time around the childhood wagon.

More information about these wonderful figurines can be found at amiami.com. Credits for the photos goes to the same website

After two years…

Finally decided on sticking with wordpress blogs. Haven’t decided on a definite title though and a particular category. I guess at minimum it will stay as a mix of gadgets and toys. Especially missing mtg and the warhammer scene,  and my collectible figures.

The Quest for the Perfect Backpack – Part 5 (Sumdex Alti-Pac PJN-634)

This is a bag I’ve eyed on for months now. At a decent price of Php3,950 (around $70-$80), it’s one classy backpack for your Notebook Computer containing an additional compartment for other gadgets and some files or folders and even made of water-resistant material. <br>

Although I originally wanted an orange-colored backpack (which was either unavailable or financially unattainable!), the Paprika Red color did it for me since it was the closest to my favorite color (ORANGE!). I bought the bag, my old Jansport is up for sale to make up for the new expense

Paprika Red

Black

Green Tea

You put your Notebook at the back compartment, snuggly protected by a sleeve inside the backpack

Other stuff goes on the middle and front compartment.

Features :

Fits 15.4″ Screen Notebook Computers.

Made of water repellent and durable Dobby Polyester SensaTech ImpactGuard Notebook Protection System at computer cradle bottom.

Spacious file compartment with organizer panel and key chain.

Internal media pockets with earphone port.

Excellent carrying comfort with SensaTech memory foam ergonomic “S”-shaped shoulder straps and handle.

Additional features: Air circulated mesh at back panel, front zipper pocket and water resistant reverse sewing zipper.

Limited Lifetime Replacement Warranty

More info can be found at http://www.sumdex.comThe search is finally over… for now… maybe…

The Quest for the Perfect Backpack – part 4 (TUMI Tech Flow Computer Backpack)

I fell in love with it on first sight. The material, the compartments. It’s just WOW! It comes in two colors: moss and black.

It’s another perfect choice for a Notebook Computer Backpack. But for Php16,700 (around $365), it took permanent residence on my wishlist. It’s too darn expensive for a bag. It’s like a month’s salaray.

More info can be found at http://www.tumi.com

Once again, the search goes on…

The Quest for the Perfect Backpack – Part 3 (Crumpler Salary Sacrifice)

Ok, now this is a very savvy piece of work. It’s got style and colors I love and has lots of pockets. The design is just plain gorgeous. What could go wrong? As the name suggests, it’s the Salary Sacrifice! At Digital Walker (The well-renowned seller of Crumpler bags here in the Philippines), it costs around Php10,800 which is roughly around $236!



Now unless it can withstand a fire-breathing dragon’s breath and save you from dying in the process, I’m not buying. :p I could buy a PSP, or a Nintendo DS or even a PS2 for this price. Pfffft. More info on http://www.crumpler.au

And so the search still goes on…

The Quest for the Perfect Backpack – Part 2 (Jansport Black Laptop Bag)

This was a profound solution to my storage requirement problem. It’s cheap too! It only costs half the price of the fist Samsonite bag I bought (around $45 or Php1,500).

Now this could carry more stuff, even clothes! But then, the drawback was that it’s too bulky. Sometimes, I just want to bring my Notebook and small items and I’d still have to take this big heap of a bag with me.

Slowly, the bag became the baggage. I looked like an amazing race contestant lol. Indeed this bag was more of a hiker’s bag than a tech savvy guy’s bag. )

Cool gear for your gadgets – Backpacks, Part 1 (Samsonite Saho Backpack Expand Graphite Laptop Case)

This is the story of my adventure (well, sort of) in sating my eternal search for the perfect backpack for my gadgets and gear. It was the year 2005 when I finally purchased a Notebook Computer of my own. It’s a decent HP Compaq nx6120 (1.3GHz Celeron Processor, 768MB RAM, 40GB HDD, WIFI-ready)

Yes, notebook computers, not Laptops anymore, since you don’t really use your lap when operating it. Some of you would contest it as a tabletops or even desktops, since you commonly use tables for it as you would a desktop. Mobile computers, Notebook or Notebook computers. Those are the new terms. This is not because of Apple saying they don’t sell laptops, but Notebook Computers,” it’s because the term “Notebook computers” IS more appropriate because of the design, which resembles a notebook/book and the fact that is a computer too.

Moving on, as you all may well know, a purchased Notebook Computer includes a carrying case of some sort which highly depends on what brand. Usually the big names comes with a Targus-made shoulder bag with the brand of the Notebook. Surprisingly, some don’t come with ANY bag! Unforgivable! How are you suppose to carry around your new Notebook!?

I’ve lugged the big Targus-HP Bag for a while, savoring the feeling of computing mobility, free WIFI and expensive coffee too. After a while, I’ve felt it was really heavy and strenuous to carry around using the Targus shoulder bag, so I decided to buy a backpack for my notebook computer.

The first bag i bought was a Samsonite. Pure black, with lots of padding. I liked it very much. I first saw this at a gasoline station. Some dude had his mac inside it. It looked very stylish and at the same time gave good protection for your notebook computer from those bumps and drops, especially on a busy street. I got it for around Php3500 ($70).

I was content during the first few months of using this bag. But there were times i needed to bring other stuffs like my DVD Burner and my external HDD. No doubt it would fit, but I’d have to cram everything forcefully that the bag bulged that you could barely close it. I needed something bigger.

And so the search went on…

Transformers movie : Not for most fans

Yes, it’s out there now. People are loving it, probably those who didn’t grow up knowing or loving the original Transformers. In fairness to this adaptation, it would be a great movie for those who didn’t know much about the Transformers of the 80s. An even greater experience for those who don’t mind changes in the original storyline or haven’t heard of the series.

I’m sure most avid fans of the series would’ve expected the movie to be more like the series. But unfortunately, this wasn’t the case.  An example of what I mean is this:

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that THEY DO NOT LOOK ALIKE! This new Optimus Prime in the movie is NOT the Optimus Prime of the original series. Better yet to call this movie by another title. IT IS NOT Transformers. It’s just some big robots movie.I have waited for a long time after a series of “leaked out Transformers: The Movie teasers.” I don’t know why movie adaptations always fail to see the importance of bringing to life the original story. It’s what the people want to see. It looks cool, but for me and other fans, this doesn’t look like Transformers.

Again, I would like to emphasize that this movie doesn’t suck too much, at least to most people who haven’t seen the original Transformers of the 80s. It’s just that the fans expected to see the real Transformers, revamped into 3D glory with most of the original storyline and atmosphere intact — especially the robots.

Just needed to get that off my chest.

Elric of Melnibone

It’s finally here! An omnibus of Michael Moorcock’s elric saga! I’ve found a few volumes on thrift shops and then no more. Here is volume 8! woohooo!!!

This is the first book of Moorcock I bought on a thrift shop. It was gold to me! I got it for cheap (around 9 php). You’d be amazed at what good books you’ll find on these thrift shops selling used and new books.

The Elric saga has a very dark atmosphere set in a world of swords and magic. A must have for any fantasy reader! It’s quite short compared to epic storylines such as that of Lord of the Rings or The Wheel of Time, but still, you’re in for a good ride on this one. I should’ve taken it yesterday.