Tag: Nostalgia

  • Star Wars Collection Additions from Emmitt’s Toy Emporium and eBay

    vintage star wars action figures arranged for display on a table

    While I was in Georgia visiting my parents this past month, I acquired a few more Star Wars action figures, playsets, and a vehicle to add to my collection.

    I knew that I needed to drive my mom to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida for tests and doctor’s appointments while I was there. I figured that I could visit comic shops or antique stores to look for Star Wars action figures for my collection.

    During my online research, I stumbled on Emmitt’s Toy Emporium and a photo of a glass product counter with a Kenner Star Wars Rebel Command Center in it. The photo was dated three months ago. I had been trying to find one of these at a fair price on eBay for a long time without any luck. I figured it was worth checking out even if the playset had sold before I arrived. Thankfully, he still had it in stock and the price for the playset sans action figures was $119. Emmitt and I worked out a deal for the playset and some figures.

    While I was there, Emmitt showed me some of his other items for sale, and he let me fire the motorized cannon on a complete Y-Wing Fighter (1983).

    kenner rebel command center playset

    Before the third trip to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, my dad asked to see the toys that I scored, so I showed how they were setup and explained their release history. I suppose he saw how happy they made me and he acknowledged that I had done a lot of work (and there were still more left to do in the next two weeks), so he gave me his blessing to get a few other things that I had seen at Emmitt’s shop–the complete Y-Wing Fighter with motorized cannon (1983) and the Creature Cantina Action Playset (1979). It was a pleasure dealing with Emmitt, who knows how to bargain fairly.

    kenner creature cantina action adventure playset
    y-wing fighter and box

    I had a $10 off $50 purchase coupon from eBay, which I used to reduce the price on the Rancor monster (1984) from Wheeljack’s Lab. Now, I need the Rancor Keeper action figure (1984).

    rancor monster toy

    I’ve still got a ways to go, but I wonder if I can rebuild my collection to be as robust and interesting as the collection that I had to sell off in the early 2000s.

  • Canned-Style Comfort Food in MRE Menu 18: Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce

    Last week, I brought MRE Menu 18: Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce (from a 3/25 inspection date Case B) to work so that I could have dinner quickly between my first class followed by office hours and then my evening class. I was so hungry that I didn’t take pictures of the contents. Suffice to say that it was tasty and filling, and I saved some of the sweets for later.

    Menu 18 included these items:

    • Cardboard sleeve
    • Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce entree pack
    • Italian Bread Sticks
    • Cheese Spread
    • M&M’s
    • Water-activated heater
    • Accessory Pack (gum, matches, coffee, sugar, sweetener, creamer, and TP)
    • Carbohydrate Electrolyte Beverage Powder: Fruit Punch
    • Spoon
    • Recovery Bar, Salted Caramel Marshmallow Crisp
    • Tabasco Sauce in Glass Bottle

    The Tabasco Pepper Sauce was the real prize in this MRE. I haven’t received a Tabasco Sauce bottle in years from the many cases that I’ve purchased. Apparently, they had been removed for about a decade before being re-implemented shortly before the MRE case this menu pouch came from was produced. So, I should have some more Tabasco to look forward to as I work my way through this case!

    For my dinner that night, I ate the Italian Break with Cheese Spread and the Ravioli in Meat Sauce. The ravioli remind me of miniaturized Chef Boyardee in a pouch instead of a can. I saved the Recovery Bar for another day–maybe a long hike. I’ve already enjoyed the M&M’s mixed with some peanuts and raisins for trail mix.

    While MREs’ main function is ready nutrition, its morale function via its nostalgic, tasty, and sweet contents can’t be understated.