Typically Lego | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #10

From the Toyspedia inbox half a month ago.  (I'm sorry I didn't check sooner.)

The humble Lego block appropriated as a ring

"I stumbled into your site today.  I would have to say my favorite childhood toy was lego.  Sounds sooo typical I know, but those 20 or so initial shapes really forced you to engineer your builds."

* * *

I never had a Lego set.  My cousins had them, and my parents probably felt I can always play with them provided my cousins had the sharing spirit in them, which thankfully they had.  Still, nothing beats having your very own Lego. 

End of sappy story.  Anyway, to Mr. George Vamos, thank you very much, for the email. 

Meccano Set | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #9

Because I was curious about what kind of toy the genius behind Toys from Trash played as a kid, I just had to ask him.  And thankfully, Arvind Gupta was kind enough to humor me.


"I was fortunate to have a very understanding mother. There wasn’t much money so I improvised my own toys. In a broken trunk I collected some tools and kept tinkering with throwaway stuff. I spent hours on end playing with broomsticks, shoe polish boxes, old pens etc. 

Then a relative gifted a Mecanno Set – steel strips with holes, screws, angles, pulleys. I never got tired of it and played with it for years. I made four times the things than were listed in the brochure. I think children need large chunks of time to themselves, where they can mess around and figure out things for themselves without adult interference."

 * * *

 Thank you for the write-up Mr. Gupta!

Toys in Uniform | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #8

from cousin Jason:

"I remember then I had toy soldiers, the green ones with a platform.
I'd have them fight each other with matching sound effects. TUUUUGSH! EEENG TAAGSH! hahaha


Why did I like that (toy)? I don't know, I guess at that time that was what fueled my imagination.

Sometimes, I'd put them in the drainage canal and pretend it was a sea.


And then Ate Elvie the maid would catch me and pinch me and have me go back inside the house.


My toy soldiers had only one pose--combat mode.  I'd have them walk, as if they can walk despite their platform."

* * *

This is off our chat on Facebook (I've had to ambush interview my cousin because in case you've noticed I'm running out of toy confessions to squeeze out of people).  Anyway, cousin Jason's been living in California for the last seven years or so with his family, and unlike other Pinoys, does not believe in abandoning his Filipino tongue.  

So the confession above is just a translation.  Forgive me for any lapses.

Surprisingly enough, when we chatted about toy soldiers and all a month ago, there was still no talk about corruption in the AFP military ranks, no senate hearings, no generals committing hara kiri.  

Makes you miss those honest-to-goodness toy soldiers of your childhood.

And That's How You Stop the Fear of Syringes | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #7

From Jona, (still courtesy of Jada, my intrepid collator of toy confessions and full-time friend).  Asked about her favorite childhood toy, Jona says:

"my nurse doll set.. i love its little stethoscope and syringes. it was a gift from my tita and i loved it because it's better than barbie =)"

He-Man! | This Used to Be My Favorite Toy #6

So I got my friend Jada to ask her friends about their favorite toy, and they were cool about it.  Thank you, Jada, and to your friends.

Here's one from Durbin:

"He-Man action figure - it made me smile because it was a present to me by my lola (grandmother) who raised me, and also i had fun playing with it."

* * *

Somehow, He-Man is the only guy with close-to-bursting muscles that I don't find repellent.   

* * *

Durbin, I took the liberty of posting a He-Man toy pic right off the web.  What are the chances it's the same exact action figure you have? Thanks again.

Alone with Jackstones | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #5

Jackstones!

From Jen, who jumped right in, less than 24 hours after I told her about my little toy-related favor:  Thanks, Jen! [nice photo on the left, her choice too.]

"

When I was young I like playing with Jackstones. I think it's mostly because I can have a lot of fun playing it even if I'm alone. I was my self's only playmate so there are only a few toys that I cannot get tired of so easily.

Jackstone is a challenging game especially when the jacks are either so close together or so far away that I will have difficulty picking the right number of jacks before the ball bounces back to the ground for the second time. 

"

* * *

Apparently, Jackstones is one of the oldest games around, dating back hundreds of years ago.  

Every time you pick up that ball and play with jackstones then, you're participating in a centuries-old game of little kids back when toy stores were unheard of and all you had for toys are the tiny things in the house and your imagination.

Can't get enough of Jackstones? 

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/games/beard/jack_stones.htm

Barbie! | This Used to Be My Favorite Toy #4

Ever since I could remember my favorite toy is the Barbie doll.


I remember back then, I will not accept a Barbie doll if it is made of plastic.  I want the original rubber Barbie doll.  I would save my money and wait for Christmas to buy my precious doll.  

For me it wasn’t just a doll, Barbie was the epitome of grace and beauty that I want to aspire when I grow up. Playing with my Barbie dolls, I would dress them up in clothes I made myself. Countless stories have been formed when I was playing my dolls. During this time it made me realize that I could be a storyteller and write stories of my own.

*  *  *

This one's coming from Phoebe.  And I didn't even know the authentic Barbie dolls have rubber bodies, not plastic.  Frankly, when we think of Barbies, we think of insanely high standards of beauty and body image, but it doesn't have to be always the case.  Barbie has stories up her sleeve too.  Thanks, Phoebes.

Of Toy Clothespins and Baby Powder | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #4

Marie's "semi write-up":

"I didn't have any "proper" toys. I remember asking my mother why they didn't buy me a doll. They did buy me some (or one?) when I was maybe really young. Sinisira ko lang daw. (They said I just destroyed them.)

I played with paper dolls, sort of. Natuwa lang akong mag-drowing (I just liked drawing them) and it was rare that I cut out the paper dolls.

And I played with clothespins, the bamboo and plastic ones. I would build a family out of clothespins--the father would be made of a bamboo, yung nanay tatlong plastic na pang-ipit na pinagdugtong-dugtong (the mother, three plastic clothespins joined together). 

I also played the same way with baby powder and astringent bottles, etc. I don't know know what storylines I made up using Mr. Polbo (Mr. Baby Powder) as a character. I did get a doll, though, when I was around 8. It was bought by my father from France. It was a baby doll with a cradle that played a melody. Still, it was not my favorite toy."

* * *

We had bamboo clothespins too!, made by my grandfather.  But I used them to count numbers or form letters.  The plastic clothespins, I also used to clip to each other and make towers or airplanes (The general shape tended to be a triangle, that's why airplanes).   Maybe if I had stopped at three clothespins, it might have occurred to me to make up a storyline.  :)

Anyway, more often than not, the best toys don't require batteries.
Thanks, Marie for the semi write-up!

Transformers | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #3

And we got a live one with photos, before the New Year ends.  

From Mark [thank you...]:

More than meets the eye.

"Legos and G.I. Joes!

"Knowing is half the Battle!"

I actually loved all the toys that I could build anything with; Lincoln Logs, etc. But Legos were the ultimate.

Also a Casio SK-1 (Sampling Keyboard)! Pang-weirdo lang. Haha!"


* * *
Mark did mention something too about The Transformers being his favorite, which explains the photo he sent along.  As for me, the only Transformers I can recognize are Optimus Prime and Bumble Bee and Starscream.  And Megatron, who was radically unrecognizable in the films.  I'd like to hazard asking Mark about the Transformers he's holding, but that's already asking too much.



* * *

Happy New Year, Everyone! 

* * * 
update: The Transformers Mark's holding: Ultra Magnus First Appearance:"The Transformers: The Movie" and Slag First Appearance: "S.O.S Dinobots".  I asked.

The Lost Matchbox | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy # 2

From another of my good friend M., who's been going under a different name--at least in the social networks--for the longest time since I can remember. 

The only toy I remember is a matchbox car which I really like. 


Mommy and Papang gave it to me when I was about 4 years old. It is white in color, and I still remember that it is a replica of a box-type Toyota car back in the 80's.  You know how Matchbox toys are back in the days when quality matters--they really last.  It's body is pure metal.  If someone throws it to you, you'd sure get a bruise where the car would hit you. The only plastic in that toy are the wheels.  In short, Mommy and Papang picked the toy because they know that it would last years.


I lost that toy when I was in Grade III. My family moves a lot; probably that Matchbox toy I have was lost--I just don't know when--when we moved.


I guess I am fixated to that toy car because we aren't rich and all I wanted at that time is to be rich. Having a car is a status symbol. Unfortunately, along with the lost toy car, I guess I've missed on a couple of lucks because until now, at 29 years old, I still don't have a car.

* * *

Obviously, we can't post a pic of him and his lost Matchbox.  (We're going to need a live one in the succeeding posts.)  But thanks all the same, M!  May you have a real life-sized car this coming year.

Jada's DIY Paper Dolls | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #1

(to the tune of Madonna's This Used to be My Playground.  Kidding)

Thankfully, my good friend Jada can be easily wheedled inspired at a moment's notice to talk about her favorite childhood toy. ;)

"Hmmm.. I was into paper dolls then. I love those paper dolls that you can

buy at your suking sari-sari store. I have a special love for those dolls with black stand :)

But in cases where i ran out of money to buy such--my scissors, used paper and crayons always saved my day. I could always create my home-made paper dolls. Aww, i miss those already."

So true.  Back then, it's us and our creativity and imagination.  Now those online paper dolls by Zwinky are doing the imagining for us.

* * *

Image above, sent by Jada.  We would have preferred a pic of Jada herself with the said paper dolls of her childhood, but that was years ago and you know paper.

Thanks much anyway, Jada!