UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

What was going on about five years ago? First up is this unfun-to-revisit SUS Toys for Tots post. I certainly still agree with everything I said, but there’s nothing to reflect on. Except for still liking the dog gif.
Good reminder, but nothing there.

MMMM #61 is the opposite of the previous post. I can’t wait to talk about it.

This would have been my dream scenario. Terry at the core with various collectors getting inspired and sharing some of their personal stories. Sadly, that dream didn’t come true. I think Kevin’s entry is the only example of this happening.

My logical brain fully understands why M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors largely consume content instead of creating it. Plus, it’s much easier to quickly fire-off an easy social media post. I 100% get it.

But I always dreamed MMMM could be a central place for those personal M.U.S.C.L.E. memories to live. Because I love hearing them. I devour that pure M.U.S.C.L.E. nostalgia. I can remember where the M.U.S.C.L.E. figures were set-up in my local Meijer store. I can close my eyes and see it. I love hearing those things from other people too. It would have been nice to have a central repository for those stories. Maybe next time.

And, by next time, obviously I mean my next life.

AW #179 made me a little sad. Looking back affords you the blessing and curse of 20/20 hindsight. I know why I was too busy. Now I know the hiccups that will be entering my life.

While that does make me a little sad; it also makes me a little proud. The human animal is an amazing creature. We’re able to withstand and get through so many things. And, in my experience, we rarely congratulate ourselves for doing it. We’re happy it is over and largely move on.

I think life could be much less scary and difficult if we, far more often, helped ourselves remember the successes we’ve had with life challenges. Ok, I’ll stop before I get too cup-half-full.

I also wish I had the final price of the listing to the right. Without knowing that price, I’d still guess that lot would sell for double today.

Finally we have the Epilogue from about five years ago. I love revisiting these types of Epilogues because there is great stuff to react to and update.

I’ll start with the chess first. He won the fucking tournament. My oldest is an incredible chess player. For some time he had a private chess coach. He kicked ass. He was kicking ass against kids who played chess nonstop. He just read a book and spent 30 minutes (or was it an hour) with his coach a week. But then he hit a wall.

He is/was just a regular kid. He likes baseball, goofing off, playing video games – all the things you’d think a kid wants to do. All the chess people were like, “You’re going to be awesome! You could be a Grand Master someday.” And he started playing those tough people. And losing. Not every game, but he started taking the loses incredible hard. He struggle with what to believe. Was he a future Grand Master? Or a little kid? Even for me, I could see he was at a crossroads.

So we quit. We’ve never missed it. I still can’t even come close to beating him. In fact, we almost never play because he can’t tolerate my stupidity with certain moves.