As usual, I can't post a brag without copious amounts of context. I'm putting my rambling under spoilers so you don't have to scroll for years to see the pictures lol.
Spoiler
Ok so, this past week has been pretty hard for me. I moved to a new city to start college, and as someone who was always very close to their parents, I had a really hard time saying goodbye. I also desperately miss my friends, who I've known for 14 years, my pets, who are the light of my life, and my home, which I can't even be away from for a few hours without longing to go back.
This city is huge and scary, driving is terrifying in so many ways, and it's so ungodly HOT. I'm pretty sure it's been over 100° every day this week, and that's normal for this city - apparently the next month is supposed to be exponentially worse. As someone who is very sensitive to heat and has almost had heat stroke multiple times in the past from much less extreme conditions, this pretty much means I'm gonna hole up in my dorm room whenever possible lol.
Anyway, besides the stress of moving, I've also had countless technical woes and the stress of starting classes to deal with. A few times I've attempted to go off campus to nearby shopping areas, only to inevitably end up driving around lost, at night, alone almost every time. I've had several near misses with traffic as well - just tonight I ran my car up on a curb like I've never run it up on a curb before, because there's a lot of road work meaning the road often switches colors mid-lane, and I mistook the off-colored curb for another lane ._. I've actually been scared for my life several times, which hasn't helped me feel much at home here haha.
HOWEVER! Yesterday my father decided to make the drive and come visit me, and I got to spend the weekend with him. Best. Weekend. Ever! We are some great food, did some shopping, found a TON of cool places in the area, and went to Dave and Busters this morning to finish it off. We went to the nearest donut place for breakfast, and there just so happened to be a Goodwill in the same parking lot. My father asked if I wanted to check it out, and of course I did! Upon walking in, I thought this particular Goodwill might not even have a toy section, that's how small and tucked away it was. And when I finally DID find the toy section, it was only a single aisle. I was pretty disappointed, until I saw a bag with a familiar head inside.
I couldn't believe it. I pulled out one bag, then another, entirely filled with g1 ponies. I then proceeded to tear apart the toy aisle because I had a sneaking suspicion, and sure enough, I found a third bag tucked away on the bottom shelf. They also had a G4 cardboard castle, but I passed because... cardboard castle.
Here are some rare photos of the cryptid that is me upon finding the ponies:
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Here they all are unpacked:
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAA I CANT BELIEVE IT. They're not in the best condition - rust, discoloration, cut hair on Shady, that newborn twin is a bait for sure, Galaxy's tail is missing and she rattles - but AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! THREE BAGS FULL OF G1S IN THE WILD!!!!! Only $5 a bag!!!!!!! I've never had a find like this in a thrift store!! I've only found a single g1, and the occasional lonely G3 or fakie, and those are usually at Family Thrift Center, not Goodwill! I can't believe it! Lavender Lace and the Princesses especially look BEAUTIFUL! I just got Princesses Amber, Ruby and Pearl not too long before leaving home, and now I've got some of their friends! I've got the Ruby to my Sapphire, and the 4 main Crystal Gems! I just need Aquamarine ("How do I look!?" "AWFUL, SMALL AND MEAN!") to complete the set! And my first Perfume Puff, and she's GORGEOUS! That Afro, I love it!
I've had to downgrade from pony room to pony drawer for now until I can visit home, but you know what, I think I'm okay with that ;)
Here's the drawer in question:
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I also found some wave 17 and 20(!!!!!) blindbags at Walmarts in the area. I've since been back to the one that sold the wave 20s, but I grabbed the last few and they haven't restocked yet 8( Still, stores at home all skipped over wave 17, and most others are still in wave 15, so this is GREAT! I'm definitely gonna give it some time and then head back to that Walmart again.
Here's my newest blindbags:
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Lastly, through a combination of getting lost and exploring the area with my father, I've found some really cool areas! I found an AWESOME mall - an anime store, a game store, an arcade with little remote controlled mini cars you can race on tracks, a corset store, a crystal store, a BUNCH of nerd stuff/collectible stores, and those are just the few things that were open yesterday at 8 PM/today on Sunday! There's much more I haven't seen yet!
There's also, as I discovered today, my dream complex: a shopping center that contains a Target AND a Toys R Us (and an IHOP!!!!!)... IN THE SAME LOT. I can't believe it! I also found a complex with both a Barnes and Noble and a Toys R Us, but considering I legitimately almost died getting there, I don't think I'll be heading back there.
And one final thing - I saw a billboard for this city's branch of my favorite flea market ever, and I checked, and it's less than 30 minutes away from campus! That's much closer than the local branch is to my house back home! When the weather starts cooling off, I'm definitely going to start heading over there on Sunday mornings, to give myself an incentive to get all my studying done early lol. Besides that, I've seen ads/billboards for TONS of other flea markets, AND there's a Family Thrift Center only about 10 minutes away from campus :')
Spoiler
While I'm still so homesick I can physically feel the pain, maybe living in this city isn't so bad after all...
I'm so grateful to my father to take the time to come see me, and while it was excruciatingly hard to say goodbye again, I had the most wonderful weekend with him and can't wait to see him and my mother and my pets again next time I get the chance.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go start my economics chapter that's due tonight at midnight lol.