Been another great day! Of course being take an action figure to work day probably helped. Not that it was much different for me BUT the good vibes around the world cast a soft glow of love from the hearts of all that participated. Okay, that was a little reaching but still, it was fun. Lighten up.
Otherwise been plugging away as the TV show keeps getting closer and closer. This is really going to be interesting to see what it evolves into. In its raw form its a true variety show, like Forest Gump and his box of chocolates viewers are never gonna know what they are gonna get from week to week. From animations and toys to music and interviews to sketch comedy and local interest stories and commentary, the sky is the limit. I do hope you all get the chance to check it out.
Now the weekend has arrived and it’s time for me to settle in for some family time. Nothing on the slate this weekend but to chill out, play Barbie’s with my daughter, cook for my wife and occasionally escape to my Toy box. Yeah, life is pretty sweet when you take the time to play despite what the world wants to throw at you that ain’t a ball. Have a great weekend everybody!
Hey gang! Another long day around these parts. Had to tend to some “real world stuff” so I didn’t get to play nearly as long as I wanted to today. BUT I did get to play a little 🙂
Running with the Throwback Thursday mindset I dug up the review I did back in 2011 on the Mattel Retro Action Batman… it’s amazing how many people came over to check it out. Everybody loves the Bat even when he can’t stand up straight.
Also dug up my review of the FX Exclusive Greatest American Hero. I love that figure and recently it was announced that another run was being released. That sounded great but the discussions at the Mego Museum show that the greatness may not be so great after all.
That’s pretty much a wrap for today. With the exception of a strange occurrence at my home this evening. For the sake of record I’ll note that it felt like a little bitty earthquake shook my house. Weird.
Oh winter 2014 how I loathe thee. But I won’t let you whip me! Hey gang, been slightly “blahed” out by the most recent round of frozen precipitation we received over the weekend here in the Ozarks. About an inch of ice buried under three inches of snow. Yeah, Frosty the Snowman may dig this pattern but I for one can live without it. Thankfully one really bright thing came across my radar today that made things a lot better and warmer.
Figures Toy Company released more pics from the factory of the new 1966 Batman figures coming really soon! I boosted the pics from their Facebook page and I hope they don’t mind. If you all make a pre-order or two I don’t think they’ll care. Actually the pics make want to pre-order another set! They are looking that good!
On a side note, I did get a little creative on the promotion front and launched the first television commercial for the site. Simple and to the point. I’m looking forward to seeing the response that it generates. Let’s find out exactly what kind of power the broadcast airwaves have shall we?
And the Alexa growth continues!
The entries are still pouring in for the free S-Type body giveaway. This makes me so crazy happy getting this type of interaction with you all! Don’t forget you’ve got until Saturday night at 11:59 PM CST to get your entry in. I’m really impressed with the ideas you all are coming up with that you want to use this body for.
I guess that sums up the past couple of days. The weather really did put a “blah” on the productivity but such is life and no one has a gun to my head over deadlines. I like that feeling. One more thing I did put up on the web was a bunch of books on eBay. Looking to take care of some Spring cleaning and raising some funds for some software I’m needing so feel free to take a look and throw in a bid. They all are starting out cheap.
And on that note I’m going to wrap this one up and get back to some more backstage stuff. Plus the wife found a recipe online to help unclog the sink so it’s back to the grocery store and the “Honey Do List”. Catch you hep cats tomorrow!
Boy what a productive day! Not outside mind you… Northern Arkansas was in a deep freeze for the past 24 hours and looks to stay that way for another day at least. Oh well I had a ton of fun getting some things done around the house. Early Spring cleaning if you will.
Another fun thing today was the creation of the Mego-TV Schedule and YouTube playlist. I’ve been “tuned in” all day and I gotta tell ya, it’s some mighty fine programming with a good balance in its makeup. At the time of this writing I’m watching the Mirror. Mirror episode of Star Trek (11P CST) and it just seems right. As I have time I do believe I will flush out the other 6 days worth of playlists just for the heck of it. Modern technology rocks!
Also had the most wonderful call this early evening from my pal Ben. He and I became friends by way of the Forum over at the Mego Museum. Such a super nice guy that is great for giving and receiving a laugh or two or three. Thanks for calling buddy, I really enjoyed our chat.
Been a fantastic and full day but have a handful of other things I want to wrap up before the day is through. But before I go don’t forget 1. Enter to win a free S-Type body and 2. Go pre-order your Sea Ghost now!
February 28, 1940 – Mario Andretti is born in Montona, Italy. In a career that spanned five decades, Andretti was known for his versatility as a driver, taking the checkered flag behind the wheel of sports cars, sprint cars and stock cars on a variety of race courses. His long list of achievements includes a Formula One World Championship, four Champ Car National Championships (1965, 1966, 1969, 1984), three 12 Hours of Sebring victories (1967, 1970, 1972) and wins at the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
What a day. A good day for sure but a long one. While my to do list found it self with far more “to’s” left over, it’s all good. The biggest and most important thing I did accomplish today was helping Jay Piscopo continue to spread the word on the long awaited Sea Ghost action figure with my wife’s pals who are HUGE sea life (Shark) advocates. I hope everyone catches on to this fantastic figure but equally as important are the stories that Jay has from this fantastic undersea world. Seriously, go check it out…. I’ll be back tomorrow. I need a nap.
The 8 inch Dukes of Hazzard Toys are shipping from Figures Toy Company…. This one made me a little giddy. I’m not terribly impressed with the Luke and Boss sculpts versus the original Mego but the Bo looks so much better and for the first time ever we get Roscoe P. Coltrain!
New to the Toy Box
Ordered and downloaded Scott Schiaffo’s “Music for film: ‘The Shoestring Serenade’” – Really digging a lot of the tracks. “Pinching Alfred” is perfect for a project I’ve had in mind for a long time. If you are a film or video maker you would do well in giving the album’s sample a listen. While it’s normally easier to work with custom created music for a project, building a library of stock music is never a bad idea especially when it’s GOOD production music. PLUS you might be surprised what the music inspires in you. Full review coming soon to the Toy Box and Amazon.
S-Type body giveaway contest –
Don’t forget gang the contest ends March 8th 11:59PM CST… do something to make this bad boy not nekkid.
Phase 3 – Television Show – After looking at the camera, light and sound test it is quite obvious; your old buddy Jimbo needs to break some habits and get away from being a Jumbo.
And that’s a wrap for today. Got to get going. My father in law is buying dinner and so the new and improved Jimbo on a diet can wake up fresh in the morning. Thanks for checking in!
It’s been another very productive day. I’m telling you gang, templates and daily journal type blogs help you stay focused and on track. Plus the brainstorming that comes is amazing.
Pop culture notes
The new Godzilla is looking to be a big win! Judging by the trailer the thing that really excites me is that they put the effort in to write a GOOD STORY along with keeping with the traditional Godzilla’s look and SOUND! Thanks to Den of Geek for the heads up!
New to the Toy Box
Got a lovely email from the folks at Entertainment Earth. Thanks to you guys and gals the Toy Box was one of the top affiliates of the past week. Thank you all so much!
Pre-Order Reminder
Can’t stress these enough. The Bluntman and Chronic figures from Bif Bang Pow and EMCE Toys are simply too sweet not to get. I can’t get enough of the bright, brilliant colors! And while I can’t say for sure but I’d almost be willing to bet that if sales are strong enough we could see more View Askew figures in the future. Cockknocker for sure but even more importantly I would L-O-V-E to see 8 inch versions of the Clerks animated series.
Thrift store flipping
Been so busy I haven’t been able to get out on the hunt for Round 3. However here’s one update that I’m very glad to share. My visit to Christ’s Food Pantry and Thrift Store led one it’s directors to be on a community outreach program on TKO 8 Television in Harrison, AR called “Connection” where Patsy Dean was able to share the purpose and mission of the outreach they do. Patsy comes in the second part of the show @15:48… but there are some neat thigns happening a the Boone County library too 😉
S-Type body giveaway contest
Got some great entry’s coming in!
Tim says he has a great idea for a John Belushi / Samurai Delicatessen in mind…
Trappy has already put the S-Type body to great use with a custom Lone Ranger… I can only imagine the other things he could do with another new body to play with…
Ray offered up an entry that made me giggle and I admit snort… Direct quote on this one“Hi Jim! If I win the new body,…I plan to replace a “junky pee-stancing, cheap type, foot breaking, wrist cracking, hand splitting” body that my boxed CTV Robin Hood figure has…”
So what about you? What you got in mind? Email me at jimsmegos@yahoo.com … contest ends Sunday March 8th at 11;59 PM
A new animated cartoon (still rehearsing the script) 😉
Phases Updates
Phase 1 – re Launching – As always it’s a work in progress and steady growth. As part of this social media, cyber super highway we’re all plugged into I do want to reach out to more folks who may find the Toy Box interesting but boy oh boy do I not want to be a spammer (or be spammed for that matter). Hmmmmmmmmm…. How about this… if you know of or are someone that fits into the aforementioned categories drop me an email and let’s chat and grow together. jimsmegos@yahoo.com
Phase 2 – More Than Toys – Getting all my ducks in a row on reviews of books and films I have in the box. This is some really good stuff from folks such as Julie Adams, Scott Schiaffo, Dave LePage, Sandy Collora, K.D. McCrite… I look forward to introducing you all to all of these creations that you may have missed.
Phase 3 –Television Show – One big point of the process is the dreaded word: Budget… hmmmmmmm…. This part is a bit of new territory for me. For most of my career I have produced things without really thinking about a budget. I just do it and roll on. I never think about paying myself when it comes to the things I’ve created. It’s art. BUT the utility company’s and the mortgage holder on my house could care less about my “art”. And to be quite frank, traditional sponsorship doesn’t work like it used to for the advertiser or the show. So you know what? Unless some company wants to pony up some SERIOUS cash (I’m talking seven figures) I’m not interested. It’s not a matter of not wanting to sell out, it’s a matter of not jeopardizing my integrity ever again.
In the past if I couldn’t afford someone to do the work I just learned how to do it myself and go for it as best I could. This time though I want to attack that better. I know there are crowd funding platforms out there but for now I do not really want to go that route. I appreciate the opportunities that are possible through that method but I enjoy spreading the word and supporting those who use those services. They have fantastic ideas and projects and do indeed need the help. For me though and at this particular juncture I’m no where near where I feel confident in going in that direction. So for now it’s going to be all about earning the money on my own through various side gigs and selling as much cool stuff through Entertainment Earth as possible! But then again…
Thinking about the funding sources of this project (which is tied into everything in these phases actually) is the potential for future merchandise tie ins. I don’t want to give it all away right now but I will say I’ve had an idea in my head for a very long time that, like the Toy Box, incorporates a lot of the elements you see here in one neat little clamshell. Oops, may have said too much. But what I think I will do is set up a program that if any of you folks would like to kick in and be a part of this project you can.
Along those lines I may also look into doing some branded merchandise though a print / publish on demand service. If something catches your eye please, feel free to make it yours. Otherwise it’s all good. I guess it’s the 80’s kid in me that loves merchandise tie in’s and why I like offering things like that. To this day I’m still a sucker for radio station t-shirts and coffee mugs. I just like ‘em.
One thing that I have done in being more proactive is setting up a cup to collect my budget money’s into. No really a real honest to goodness Styrofoam cup. May seem juvenile to some but I assure you it’s encouraging to me. The cash in that cup is coming from little odd jobs that seem to fall out of the sky lately. And since they’re calling out of the sky it only seems appropriate for them to be caught in a cup. Metaphorical perhaps but then again I am a master (or addict) of metaphors.
I’ve also been putting more thought into the TV shows format and content. The show itself is intended for my local broadcast television audience; the folks who may have never heard of me or the Toy Box or the contents within, unlike you my dear, cool reader. So a lot of the material is going to be re-purposed blog posts and videos that you see on here already with some local / interest stuff mixed in. I used to worry about the redundancy factor but honestly it really is apples to oranges when it comes to the audience. Plus I think it will be a huge service to those folks in my area that otherwise never knew or hear anything about the topics discussed here. Case and point; most folks in this region have never heard of a Mego WGSH toy or incredibly talented folks such as Jay Piscopo. So why that may be seem to be a deal breaker in mass appeal I actually think its going to offer a fresh type of show and subject matter that could be seen as refreshingly entertaining and informative. And of course I love telling the stories.
As you can see from this post alone, I’ve been putting a lot of thought into this one today. I really want this to be the best show I’ve ever done.
Phase 4 – Live Internet Broadcast – Working out what it should be format wise I’m still developing it. I’m pretty sure it will be a weekly thing. Perhaps a Weekly Update from the Toy Box of sorts.
Phase 5 –The Studio Store – A real business plan. Man that’s kind of tough. But this is a long term goal and no need to rush it. I want this right and I think at the end of the day you all will appreciate it too. Plus in a year or two from now you and I dear reader may have a very interesting journey and success story that we have shared. Time will tell.
This is something that I truly want to see become a reality. But I want to do it right. The Studio Store in my mind will have a lot of really interesting aspects to it. It IS the store and eatery I want to see and perhaps others will too. Obviously there will be a gift shop retail area that offers up a lot of neat stuff that you see on the site that would make for great loitering. But that doesn’t exactly pay the rent. With that in mind I would like to have it also include a lunch counter set up and dining area. Nothing fancy but slick in its presentation and good in its food execution plus it would be a nice way to generate more reliable revenue. Plus I love to feed folks.
And since this is a dream project I would really like it to house my work and production projects. Years ago I sat down and mapped out what this would look like. Basically the front of the building would include the gift shop and restaurant area whereas the back of the facility would feature my production studios and offices. To the side of all of this would be a fantastic spot for a theater / stage area. Hey, if you’re gonna dream, dream big.
At the moment I don’t believe my current city of residence could maintain such a venue but who knows what the future may hold. While I give myself a bit of grief at being 40, Lord willing I’ve still got a few more decades left in me and I am most certainly assured that the passion that fuels the Toy Box is never going to go away.
Good golly that’s a lot of brain droppings for one setting. So now I will hop off the keyboard and go do some video tests of the set for the show. I may even share some of that with you tomorrow. I actually combed my hair today.
Wonderful tribute pic created by Jarret Kruse. Check out this mighty fine Action Figure Junkie and writer on facebook by clicking on the pic.
Harold Ramis Passed away. – Total bummer. As a kid (I was born in December ’73, you do the corresponding math) I grew up with his influence from films and television. As I got older and really began studying his body of work I came to truly respect this man on so many levels. Quick flashback to the kid days though… when ‘Ghostbusters’ first came out I was immediately drawn to Egon because like me, he wore glasses. That means a lot to a ten year old. I felt the same way about Harold Lloyd too. And this just now hit me, my Dad’s name is Harold. Lot’s of Harold’s have made me the man I am today. I miss them all so much.
Jay Piscopo has something really cool cooking. A few years back now I chatted with Joe about his Commander X and Capt’n Eli comics and toys. The video is still up on YouTube via these LINKS ONE... TWO… THREE. I can’t stress how impressed and inspired I was and am with this fellow’s talent. The new news however comes after many years in the making but his Sea Ghost character is fixing to be a Mego (finally)! I hope to bring you more on this soon but for now here’s the press release. Oh wow, I just realized I need to turn my lovely wife’s shark friends on to Capt’n Eli and the Sea Ghost. They will love it! See kids, blogging is good for you.
Thrift Store Flipping is getting interesting results. Haven’t come across the holy grail of collectibles or made a huge return on my initial investment but some folks are getting some neat stuff on the cheap, I’m playing on eBay again and the charities that I’m shopping at are getting some exposure. Win win all around… now I gotta get back to Round 3’s stuff.
Weather was nice in Arkansas today. A little cool but more normal for an Ozarks winter. The doom and gloom forecasters are wanting to throw a chink in the day but it I’m hoping for the best.
Another reason I’m doing this is following the advice of numerous teachers I’ve had in regards to keeping a journal. One in particular being another huge influence, Robert Rodriguez. His day by day recounting of the film El Mariachi “Rebel without a crew” was and is a huge influence on me. If you haven’t read it you most certainly should. It’s very inspiring how to see notes he made back then eventually turned into films such as the Spy Kids series of films and many others. Remember kids a goal not written down is only a dream.
My interview with Creature from the Black Lagoon’s Julie Adams
The Story behind the trunk that became the Toy Box thanks to my super pal Gar Ghoul
The development of the Television show as it goes… been rehearsing a voice over script. I’d tell you more but it’ll be much more fun to show you the end result 😉
Neat things that happened that mean more to me than you. Examples being I got the chance to help a young man who is hungry to get into this wild and wacky world of multimedia content creation with a college class project. Logan Amos is his name. I note this for history because I’m telling you gang, this fellow wants it and I believe he’s gonna get! Also got to help a pal of mine with a speed typing session for a class assignment he is working on. Kelly Scott no one has “better” timing than you pal. And also getting a call from another good pal of mine who’s a Boy Scout den leader who is needing some audio post production magic for an event he recently recorded.
Now to build a graphic for this feature, set up the page on here and of course share it with the world that may be interested in the workings of my brain.
Wow, it’s really been a busy day! Follow your bliss…. yeah, I’m loving it. Thanks Gar!
Odie complete gets the concept of follow your bliss!
Considering how much is hopping and popping here at the Toy Box I got to thinking it would be a good idea for me to start doing a daily recap so I and you can keep up. Between my request for Dream Vacation locations, to the S-Type Body giveaway, progress reports on the growth of the Toy Box in it’s phases and of course the things that seem to be exploding on the pop culture scene it can all get away from a fella. Little Buddy me is handy for photo shoots but pretty worthless behind the camera, he doesn’t type worth a flip and honestly he’s too much of a diva to subject himself to the riggers of the editing room. Still he keeps me from having to comb my hair all the time.
Anyway just throwing this out there as a new organization tool for myself. Perhaps it can help inspire you to stay on target as well. Remember, as my really good friend Gar Ghoul enlightened me; “Find your passion… follow your bliss”. And trust me when I say that it is far easier to do just that when you stay organized. First update tonight and boy is there a lot for a Monday!
Oh winter 2014 how I loathe thee. But I won’t let you whip me! Hey gang, been slightly “blahed” out by the most recent round of frozen precipitation we received over the weekend here in the Ozarks. About an inch of ice buried under three inches of snow. Yeah, Frosty the Snowman may dig this pattern but I for one can live without it. Thankfully one really bright thing came across my radar today that made things a lot better and warmer.
Been so busy I haven’t been able to get out on the hunt for Round 3. However here’s one update that I’m very glad to share. My visit to Christ’s Food Pantry and Thrift Store led one it’s directors to be on a community outreach program on TKO 8 Television in Harrison, AR called “Connection” where Patsy Dean was able to share the purpose and mission of the outreach they do. Patsy comes in the second part of the show @15:48… but there are some neat thigns happening a the Boone County library too 😉
Weather was nice in Arkansas today. A little cool but more normal for an Ozarks winter. The doom and gloom forecasters are wanting to throw a chink in the day but it I’m hoping for the best.
The Story behind the trunk that became the Toy Box thanks to my super pal 
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