I've recently been learning about all the fiddly bits I'll need to find if I really want to fulfill the idea of being a "completionist."
And some of said fiddly bits can be pricy!
I'm also learning that the hunt for said fiddly bits (and other ponies) is a lot of fun! And makes your "watching" list very long!
Sadly, when I first started collecting as an adult, I learned the hard way that so soft flocking will come off if you wash one of those ponies with warm water. Poor Wind Whistler... She looked so pretty, only had that funky chunk of crusty red I-don't-know-what between her wings...
(Looked like petrified sugar; came off like petrified sugar, too. And then so did the flocking. Why yes, I did literally scream when that happend, however did you guess?)
I also have learned of the nirvana ponies! And the wiki has so many gorgeous ponies pictured...
Edit to add: I also learned that G1 line continued for at least two years after my local TRU stopped carrying them. Movie Firefly was the one of the last ponies I remember seeing at the store beforfe the ponies just vanished without a trace. And then I promptly lost interest in going to the toy store until I got more into video games - and the G3 line happened.