A Time For Everything

Image courtesy the NHL / Dallas Stars.

It's been a while since we've I've talked about the Dallas Stars, huh?

It's not because they aren't doing well, because they are. They're doing so well, they're firmly in a playoff spot, bobbing between first and second place in the Central Division with Division rivals, the Winnipeg Jets, depending on who wins or loses on a given night.

Our top line is the best top line in the League. And that's not just me saying that--that comes from beat writers and pod casters I read / listen to.

Our young goalie is one of the best in the League. His save percentage speaks for itself. But, again, beat writers are writing and pod casters are talking about the young goalie in Dallas.

It's just that I've had so much else going on since the start of the season in October. DD and I have only attended two games because attending games requires (a lot of) money and energy, both of which have been in short supply--the energy more than the money.

While I do keep track of their wins and losses over the course of a week, the last few months have been busy months, so hockey's been more a part of the background fabric of life right now than the thing around which other things get slotted.

DD and I have tickets to two games later in the season, already bought before the no-spend challenge was officially issued, so we'll go, have fun, and add to our bobble head collection. I mean, if we're gonna go, we might as well score before the game too, right??

I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to pre-fund food before the games and a beverage ($6 bottle of water) while there. During our last season as season ticket holders, we got pretty good at keeping the expense to a minimum, usually eating at home or picking up inexpensive food at QT.

QT hot dog: $2.50 versus AAC hot dog: $6.50

Crazy, huh?

At this point I really don't need any more souvenirs-- If the Stars make the play-offs, however, there will be commemorative puck purchases for the collection; possibly magnets if they make it all the way to the Stanley Cup. Maybe a key chain or two as I've discovered that many key chains convert nicely to Christmas tree ornaments.

I guess I'd better think about pre-funding those as well. :0)

Have a greet week and don't forget:

Yes, I have a few more types of collectibles on my shelves than I did when I last referenced my collections back in 2018. Back then I said that I wasn't (HA!) collecting salt and pepper shakers. Fast forward four years and, well, I lied. I started collecting salt and pepper shakers... see most of them here... 

But I digress. Today, we’re talking about bobbleheads because tomorrow is National Bobblehead Day.

For me, it all began on a random Tuesday (probably)(maybe) night in spring a few years ago. My Hockey Partner in Crime (aka DD) and I arrived early at a Dallas Stars game as we were wont to do in those days whenever possible. Especially on “giveaway nights” because dammit we’ve plunked down a lot of hard earned cash for the seats we have, and we want the freebies.

Now, as you can see from the picture above, I am the proud owner of five bobbleheads, four received from hockey events, one as a gift or a purchase.

There are two bobblehead giveaways this spring, and DD and I already have plans to be early enough to snag one of those puppies, er…bobbleheads.

That’s how it began for me, but how did it begin in general?

Their origins are in Asia and imported to England in the 1760s and were called "nodding-head figures" back then and were more for decorative purposes than for collectible & money-making purposes. Click here for the BobbleHeadHall.com history page.

It wasn't until the mid-20th century that they really started to become a mass cultural phenomenon. In the 1960s, the first collectible bobbleheads were made of baseball players. In 1964, The Beatles were then commemorated in bobble form. And that was all she wrote. Fast forward sixty-plus years and bobbleheads of just about anything you can imagine are out there. All you need to do is Google-search!

McDonald's even offered mini-Scooby-Doo bobblehead figures in their Happy Meals this past year. Had I known that, I would have eaten at McDonald's a little more often! (not that I need more stuff)

Have a great weekend. Talk to you soon...