Botcollector: What do you think when you walk into a house, apartment, room, or whatever, and it's totally full of toys, or some other obvious collectable?

Fred: Hey, as long as the essentials of living are there, whatever you fill your place with is up to you.  I mean, if you unplug your refrigerator to plug in a revolving toy stand, or lit display, then you have a problem with your place.  Otherwise, what's the issue?  As long as there's tables and chairs, and you know, a normal living space, then the other stuff is just gravy whatever it is.

Botcollector: What do you think is the way to collect toys?  Behind glass or all over the place?  Which seems better to you?

Fred: There should be a balance.  I mean, these are toys, so they are meant to be "played with."  But taking care of the toys and using them every once in a while is the best.  You can play with stuff and still keep it in good shape.  If all people can do is look at them, it's kind of lame.  They're not posters, they're TOYS!

Botcollector: Are you dating or have you dated anyone who could be considered a "fanatic" about some type of collectible?

Fred: Yeah, my ex boyfriend was SERIOUSLY into Nascar stuff.  The jackets, the shirts, toys, cups, furniture, dartboards, EVERYTHING was Nascar.

Botcollector:  Do you think that's the same as stuff like Transformers or robot toys?

Fred: Well yeah.  Collecting is collecting, and being a fanatic is being a fanatic.  I don't see a difference between collecting thousands of coffee cups or thousands of hocky jerseys or thousands of toys.

Botcollector: [Indignantly] Well, except that Transformers are cooler than all that stuff.

Fred: [Laughs] Well, you've got a point there.

Botcollector: But anyway, was this Nascar thing a problem with you guys?  Like was that a part of this guy you didn't like, or that you wished would change?

Fred: No, no, it had nothing to do with breaking up, and we never had any issues or fights about it when we were going out.  Collecting stuff's no big deal, and sometimes it's even cool.

Botcollector: What would happen to make you start thinking "OK, now this is becoming a problem, and this guy's WAY too into this stuff?"

Fred: Here's my "rule," more or less:  If the person I'm involved with can keep most or all of his "fanatic" stuff inside one room, it would never be a problem.  Having stuff all over the entire place, whether it's something I personally like or not, is a problem.  Whether it's toys or clothes

Botcollector: [Winces]  Whoa, so I guess WE'RE all out of the picture.  But seriously, do you think this place is a sign of problem people?

Fred: Well, you guys are a different case.  I mean, Botcollector is a company that deals with this stuff like all the time.  From what I see, you HAVE to have this stuff all over, and for the most part it's set up pretty nice...

Botcollector: Have you ever met anyone that you thought WAS way into something, like so much so that it would create a problem socially?

Fred: [Looking pensive] Nnnnnnooooooo.  I mean, I've never gotten to KNOW anyone who's so into stuff that I think that, but that doesn't mean they're NOT.  But I DO know a lot of people who are crazy into stuff like Anime or toys or whatever, and you can tell from their conversations or stuff they carry around or display in their house, but I've never seen anything to make me say "whoa, get a grip."  I DO think it's very easy to get obsessed, and that's something to watch out for.  Whether it's toys or stuffed animals or whatever, I think we've all been someplace where we wonder if people might be obsessed.  I was in this one house once where my friend's mom was SUPER into cow stuff.

Botcollector: Cow stuff?

Fred: {Laughs] Yeah, it was crazy.  Everything in the place was a cow somehow, or had pictures of cows.  The light switches, lamp shades, curtains, pillows; everything had cows on it.  And there were all these cow knick knacks all over.  I guess that's one place where I thought it was kind of weird, but I still didn't like want to leave or anything, and her mom was still cool. It was a lot of cows, though.

Botcollector: Hm.  Well what do you think about the whole Transforming Robot collecting lifestyle?

Fred: Hey, I like Transformers a lot.  I don't collect anything personally, but I love toys that shoot stuff, and have missile launchers and lasers and all that.  I think the Transformers cartoons are cool, too.  Those Valkyries are totally awesome, I'm really into fighter jets, and the robots are super sweet.

Botcollector:  What do you have to say about women who walk into a room, see the collection, and immediately say "whoa, geek alert, date impossible," etc.?

Fred: Well, look, everyone's different, and has a different viewpoint on all this stuff.  I'm not going to say that women who stay away from guys who collect stuff are snobs.  There's some stuff I don't like, and there's some stuff THEY don't like.  If a girl thinks she won't get along romantically with a guy who's crazy into toys, that's a decision she's made about who she wants to be with.  It doesn't mean she's mean.  If a girl IS a snob, it's not just about guys who collect stuff, it's about everything.  I've never met a girl who ONLY sticks her nose up at guys who collect toys.  Girls who stick their noses up do it at everything.

Botcollector:  Do you think there's any correlation between "nerds" and collecting toys?

Fred: Hmmm....  I think that the "nerd" definition is usually used on guys who are smart, or intelligent, or super imaginative or whatever, and maybe they have more brain space that needs to be occupied.  Like, just going to school and coming home and living a "normal" life isn't enough, and they have all this other imaginative space to be inspired and energetic about soemthing, and collecting or being  really into something helps with that.  Toys are what people play with and get into at the beginning because they have active imaginations.  With "nerds," it just doesn't go away.

Botcollector: OOOOOOOOOHHHHH, we LIKE that approach.  Hear that, everybody?  Botcollector's a bunch of SMART guys!!:>).  Hey, as long as we're on the scientific tip, what do you think is the reason for girls gravitating towards pink fluffy toys and boys going for the big robot army toys?

Fred: It's partly hormonal and having to do with how we're different, but it's also because of upbringing.  My mom was pretty much a Tomboy, so I dig these war toys and all, and didn't care much for dolls and baby girls stuff growing up.  But most mothers don't buy war stuff for their girls.  If you're given dolls and tea sets from day one, it's pretty natural that you'll dig it as you grow older, and not like the other opposite stuff.  I think there's genetics playing a big part too, though, like I think females are naturally more low key and sentimental about things like objects to collect.  See, women collect pins and artifacts and stuff that has to do with their history, places they've been, people they've gotten to know, etc., whereas guys have a more aggressive sort of approach to a hobby, like it activates a different part of their brain; it's all action and cool lights and explosions, and...[laughs], well, I hope you see what I mean.

Botcollector:  What do you collect, or what are you really into?

Fred: I really like sci fi stuff.  I totally love Highlander.  You're going to laugh at me, but I love the TV show.

Botcollector: [Laughing at her] Do you collect stuff from that?

Fred: Yeah, I have a couple of the toys, and like a bunch of the swords and stuff.

Botcollector: [Stops laughing]  Oh, swords.  Well, that's not funny, that's dangerous.  And cool.  Well, thank you so much for your time, and we appreciate your being a member of our Botcollector Babe force.

...and please don't cut us :>)

Fred:  Don't worry, they're not kept sharp.  And I had a good time.  'Bot Babes unite!