tre survival guide to stcc2008: personal storage systems
TOYSREVIL's Survival Guide To The Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2008 (June 27-29): PERSONAL STORAGE SYSTEMS (aka: "What Bags To Bring To The Con")
Besides subconsciously tottin' "Emotional-Baggage", the only other thing I absolutely hate to do, is to lug around bags and/or boxes (toy-boxes in this case) while I'm cruising the toy-aisles - call me spoilt, but hey, I like to maintain a hands-free stance, for any and all emergency-instances like snapping toy-pics and/or jostling with the herd for discounted toys! But, that's just me :p
CLICK THRU to read about proposed Personal Storage Systems - for your kind consideration and discussion :)
FYI: Image-above is of my trust personal trolley - used for my productions. Everything had to fit that single trolley, for a single trip, which would ultimately fit into a taxi-cab. That was a coupla years back, while I'd worked on a production by myself - a one-man art department - for which I base my current theories on ... yep.
*anyways*
So now you've got your CASH strapped and prepped, and the DEED is but a short transaction away - then what? Where you gonna be keeping your goodies? Are the boxes going to remain MIB all the way til the end of the day? Is some fool going to bump into your blister-card and you'd hear that awful CRACKLE as it echoes into the crowd? Hey folks, been there, had that happen and trust me when I say: I feel your pain, folks.
STORAGE & TRANSPORTATION INTEGRITY:
A Few simple rules for your consideration and discussion:
01. Keep bags out of reach of small children and pushy adults (both males and females generally apply). Easiest way is to shoulder-strap it. Reduces knockage from below the torso, but still at the tender mercies of anyone taller than said torso.
Kids running around banging into anything and everyone, free from parents, playing catch? 'nuff said.
02. Ensure that your storage device (aka "bag") has good tensile strength and adequate padding. Altho with a flimsy thin plastic bag you could take a swing at another fellow shopper lunging for the same item in the discount-bin, but with a back-pack? It might just be dead-weight.
03. Bulkiness is a pain (at least for me). But ease of movement is just as important, don't wanna be struggling with my package (okay, that sounded wrong) while jostling for an item with 20 other frantic folks, yeh? Worse still? My boxes get dinks and dents from all the shoving. MIB? Naught but a distant faded (if not dented) memory.
(*MIB = Mint-In-Box or to some folks My-Important-Baby and you'd better back off or I'll MAKE-with Intentional Backside-kicking ... okay, that sounded cleverer in my mind *cough*)
All the above is negated if you have personal body-odor - which in essence may be a good thing - becoz you're personal space/sphere had just gotten bigger, inclusive of buffer-zone... but I digress...
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERSONAL COURIERS:
Bags. What bags to bring? Are you a hard-core shopper? Or casual touristo? Not sure if the Con is going to give you that Great-Singapore-Sale-feeling? Don't want to be caught with huge empty luggage and get laughed at? Read on the perils of personal choice...
01. Singapore is a PLASTIC-BAG society. From big bags that touch the ground as you hold it, to wittle itty-bitty small baby bags to hold your Naruto-keychain. There's pink bags, black with gold print bags, and not forgetting the iconic Generic White Plastic Bag with Red Merlion-icons printed all over. It's free and it's a keeper.
Good thing about the humble plastic-bag (which would more likely be given away with your purchase) is that you do not give two hoots about it. Dirtied. Scratched. Torn from the bosom of your box within - It's All Good. No worries. Nevermind - you're gonna chuck it away at home anyways.
But when someone spills their ice-cream on your branded-backpack? Hell hath no fury like a corduroy stained.
So remember: "Plastic Bags Are Your Friends."
... Except the torn ones, those are a bitch and an embarrassment.
02. BACK-PACKS are still the best-ish. Keeps both your hands free, and you get to walk around like you're going to war, or hunched-over like you're trying to run away from enlistment. Either way, have I mentioned it keeps both your hands free?
As for the SIZE of it, that is to each person's personal preference. Some like to have that backpacking-thru-Europe-feel, while some prefer the rough and ready Special-Ops Ranger with the little backpacks. (Both versions of which I own and have used on different occasions). One can store loadsa goodies without fuss, while the other ... well, it's not the size but what's inside that counts, right? *cough*
But frankly, if you fear your bag may or may not be enough to take the load, consider a foldable bag kept within. The blue IKEA tote comes to mind. Huge enough to carry more stuff and bright enough for folks to see it and keep away from you. Recyclable too.
03. There is absolutely nothing wrong with PULL-LUGGAGE and/or TROLLEY/s. (Except if you don't mind people mistaking you for a lost airplane passenger who'd wondered a tad far away from the airport). But hey, heavy-duty goods NEED heavy-duty protection! And no one can deny the ease of use (if not flexibility) and frankly, compared to lugging the goods by hand or over your shoulders, a dragster is a smart way to shop ... in lieu of a shopping push trolley, of coz ... but you never do see shopping push trolleys in Conventions, do you?
Do You? ... I wouldn't know, I've never actually been to one ... *cough*
At the end of the day, whatever suits your needs. You're not there to look pretty or show-off your LV-bags (well, not everyone anyways) - you are there to SHOP, and for me, I'm there to Geek-Out (but that's just me) - wanna look stylish? Go to a fashion-show instead, there you'll only need your clutch (for women), and a wine-glass and a pocket (for the men).
Don't know about the person with a briefcase tho ... either tis holding some super-duper-exclusive limited edition toy, or ... nnaaaaaahhhhh ... (just stay clear away).
EXCESS BAGGAGE:
Got too much stuff already? And you've yet to start on the second aisle? Do you drag everything along with you? For sure you may be able to put it down at the end of the shopping-spree-day, but in-between the browsing, perusing, cashier payments, photo-taking and meals, it can literally be a chore and brain-buster.
01. Your better-half or buddy standing guard over the items - at a designated corner of the convention floor - as you lunge head-into the crowd? Better give him/her a solid treat afters. Take turns lah, dun be selfish.
02. Single Shopper? Good luck :p ... Shop AND take pictures?
03. Queuing up for an autograph session with your fav artist/s? Putting your packages on the floor, and kicking them along as the line moves? I feel you pain, folks. Just make sure you don't end up like a mad person with bags of goodies looking like you just came from a weekend stock-up at the supermarket, yo. - at least supermarkets have trolleys. heh.
04. Need to take a piss but both your hands are busy with bags and the restroom floor is flooded? *whistle*
Hope there's like, a Baggage-Claim area - man, they could make some serious bank from that, IMHO! "Store your Toys HERE! Continue your perusing without fear of loss items!"
.... and after all these preparations, and you head on down to the convention floor, to find there's nothing you reeeeeally want to buy? Consider renting out your luggage for others who may need it more than you.
Personally, if I had the resources, I'd set-up Convention-Porters = *for a small token serrvice-fee, let US take care of your shopping transport and storage needs! Shop without a worry, your toys are safe with TRE CON-PORTER SERVICES©!"
heh.
Besides subconsciously tottin' "Emotional-Baggage", the only other thing I absolutely hate to do, is to lug around bags and/or boxes (toy-boxes in this case) while I'm cruising the toy-aisles - call me spoilt, but hey, I like to maintain a hands-free stance, for any and all emergency-instances like snapping toy-pics and/or jostling with the herd for discounted toys! But, that's just me :pCLICK THRU to read about proposed Personal Storage Systems - for your kind consideration and discussion :)
WARNING: If by reading an entire post filled with nonsense would offend you, then please do not click any further - and don't go whining to me later you lost minutes of your life you'll never be able to get back. cheers :p
Be it a conscious or subconscious action, juggling with your multiple packages can be quite daunting. A Sharp Salute to my femme friends who can do their shopping with multiple bags in their hands, and still with a shining megawatt smile on their faces ... well, sometimes anyways ... Hey, I'm not being sexist here, tis the plain simple truth. The few times I've dangled plastic-bags worth of boxed and carded toys are few and far in-between (but those were glorious sprees), with the exception of shopping for props for production shoots, but that's another whole totally different rant.FYI: Image-above is of my trust personal trolley - used for my productions. Everything had to fit that single trolley, for a single trip, which would ultimately fit into a taxi-cab. That was a coupla years back, while I'd worked on a production by myself - a one-man art department - for which I base my current theories on ... yep.
So now you've got your CASH strapped and prepped, and the DEED is but a short transaction away - then what? Where you gonna be keeping your goodies? Are the boxes going to remain MIB all the way til the end of the day? Is some fool going to bump into your blister-card and you'd hear that awful CRACKLE as it echoes into the crowd? Hey folks, been there, had that happen and trust me when I say: I feel your pain, folks.
STORAGE & TRANSPORTATION INTEGRITY:
A Few simple rules for your consideration and discussion:
01. Keep bags out of reach of small children and pushy adults (both males and females generally apply). Easiest way is to shoulder-strap it. Reduces knockage from below the torso, but still at the tender mercies of anyone taller than said torso.
Kids running around banging into anything and everyone, free from parents, playing catch? 'nuff said.
02. Ensure that your storage device (aka "bag") has good tensile strength and adequate padding. Altho with a flimsy thin plastic bag you could take a swing at another fellow shopper lunging for the same item in the discount-bin, but with a back-pack? It might just be dead-weight.
03. Bulkiness is a pain (at least for me). But ease of movement is just as important, don't wanna be struggling with my package (okay, that sounded wrong) while jostling for an item with 20 other frantic folks, yeh? Worse still? My boxes get dinks and dents from all the shoving. MIB? Naught but a distant faded (if not dented) memory.
(*MIB = Mint-In-Box or to some folks My-Important-Baby and you'd better back off or I'll MAKE-with Intentional Backside-kicking ... okay, that sounded cleverer in my mind *cough*)
All the above is negated if you have personal body-odor - which in essence may be a good thing - becoz you're personal space/sphere had just gotten bigger, inclusive of buffer-zone... but I digress...
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERSONAL COURIERS:
Bags. What bags to bring? Are you a hard-core shopper? Or casual touristo? Not sure if the Con is going to give you that Great-Singapore-Sale-feeling? Don't want to be caught with huge empty luggage and get laughed at? Read on the perils of personal choice...
01. Singapore is a PLASTIC-BAG society. From big bags that touch the ground as you hold it, to wittle itty-bitty small baby bags to hold your Naruto-keychain. There's pink bags, black with gold print bags, and not forgetting the iconic Generic White Plastic Bag with Red Merlion-icons printed all over. It's free and it's a keeper.
Good thing about the humble plastic-bag (which would more likely be given away with your purchase) is that you do not give two hoots about it. Dirtied. Scratched. Torn from the bosom of your box within - It's All Good. No worries. Nevermind - you're gonna chuck it away at home anyways.
But when someone spills their ice-cream on your branded-backpack? Hell hath no fury like a corduroy stained.
So remember: "Plastic Bags Are Your Friends."
... Except the torn ones, those are a bitch and an embarrassment.
02. BACK-PACKS are still the best-ish. Keeps both your hands free, and you get to walk around like you're going to war, or hunched-over like you're trying to run away from enlistment. Either way, have I mentioned it keeps both your hands free?
As for the SIZE of it, that is to each person's personal preference. Some like to have that backpacking-thru-Europe-feel, while some prefer the rough and ready Special-Ops Ranger with the little backpacks. (Both versions of which I own and have used on different occasions). One can store loadsa goodies without fuss, while the other ... well, it's not the size but what's inside that counts, right? *cough*
But frankly, if you fear your bag may or may not be enough to take the load, consider a foldable bag kept within. The blue IKEA tote comes to mind. Huge enough to carry more stuff and bright enough for folks to see it and keep away from you. Recyclable too.
03. There is absolutely nothing wrong with PULL-LUGGAGE and/or TROLLEY/s. (Except if you don't mind people mistaking you for a lost airplane passenger who'd wondered a tad far away from the airport). But hey, heavy-duty goods NEED heavy-duty protection! And no one can deny the ease of use (if not flexibility) and frankly, compared to lugging the goods by hand or over your shoulders, a dragster is a smart way to shop ... in lieu of a shopping push trolley, of coz ... but you never do see shopping push trolleys in Conventions, do you?
Do You? ... I wouldn't know, I've never actually been to one ... *cough*
At the end of the day, whatever suits your needs. You're not there to look pretty or show-off your LV-bags (well, not everyone anyways) - you are there to SHOP, and for me, I'm there to Geek-Out (but that's just me) - wanna look stylish? Go to a fashion-show instead, there you'll only need your clutch (for women), and a wine-glass and a pocket (for the men).
Don't know about the person with a briefcase tho ... either tis holding some super-duper-exclusive limited edition toy, or ... nnaaaaaahhhhh ... (just stay clear away).
EXCESS BAGGAGE:
Got too much stuff already? And you've yet to start on the second aisle? Do you drag everything along with you? For sure you may be able to put it down at the end of the shopping-spree-day, but in-between the browsing, perusing, cashier payments, photo-taking and meals, it can literally be a chore and brain-buster.
01. Your better-half or buddy standing guard over the items - at a designated corner of the convention floor - as you lunge head-into the crowd? Better give him/her a solid treat afters. Take turns lah, dun be selfish.
02. Single Shopper? Good luck :p ... Shop AND take pictures?
03. Queuing up for an autograph session with your fav artist/s? Putting your packages on the floor, and kicking them along as the line moves? I feel you pain, folks. Just make sure you don't end up like a mad person with bags of goodies looking like you just came from a weekend stock-up at the supermarket, yo. - at least supermarkets have trolleys. heh.
04. Need to take a piss but both your hands are busy with bags and the restroom floor is flooded? *whistle*
Hope there's like, a Baggage-Claim area - man, they could make some serious bank from that, IMHO! "Store your Toys HERE! Continue your perusing without fear of loss items!"
.... and after all these preparations, and you head on down to the convention floor, to find there's nothing you reeeeeally want to buy? Consider renting out your luggage for others who may need it more than you.
Personally, if I had the resources, I'd set-up Convention-Porters = *for a small token serrvice-fee, let US take care of your shopping transport and storage needs! Shop without a worry, your toys are safe with TRE CON-PORTER SERVICES©!"
heh.
