Spending the day in the Manila Hobbies Collectibles Convention

I do go out from time to time when I need to report to the office at least twice a month, meet someone in a nearby restaurant or coffee shop, or go grocery shopping.

Most days I stay at home and read a book, watch a show or do one of my Gundam models.

The lure of discounts though made me want to go out and go the convention. I was supposed to go yesterday but I thought during the opening there might be more people and so I decided to go on a Sunday instead. I would try to get in early.

I woke up early, brewed my coffee and had some hot pandesal (Filipino salty-sweet bread roll). Then I just sat there. I couldn't get myself to move to get ready.

It was already past 2:00 PM when I was finally able to will myself to get ready.

I finally arrived and I was astonished by the number of people. I was not prepared to be around a sea of people. More so because there so many people that were not wearing masks.

Just to provide more context I got sick with COVID and nearly died. I spent almost a month in the hospital, intubated and had my blood drawn each morning for a battery of tests.

Not only that I experienced multiple times of seeing my breathing tubes condense with water and for it to enter my lungs which would prompt excessive coughing and that mini-drowning feeling.

Enough with that though. I want to focus more on the experience today though.

Located on the 5th floor of Megamall in one of the Trade Halls. This is the 6th year that it has been run but of course the past two years we had a pandemic and so sadly it was a shadow of its former self. Not a lot of exhibitors and even less people around.

It could be a lot of different factors with inflation and prices on the rise, people like me that still have some level of anxiety in going out and the holidays just ended and most of the people's budget went to that.

I always look at the dioramas in these exhibition for some inspiration and there were some very cool weathered Gundam Models on display.

Like this one that was made to appear wading through the water and it battle marks and scratches that made it look like it survived a few battles.

Then there was this destroyed Zaku that had its arm and leg torn off. The level of detail and paintwork for this truly inspires me to continue on although I don't think I will be able to reach this level but still makes me want to improve at my own pace.

Gundam Plastic Models as a Hobby

So I was minding my own kit when a couple sat down in front of me.
The guy was explaining to his girlfriend how to use the hobby cutter to be able to cut as cleanly as possible the parts from the runners (hobbyist jargon for the plastic mold that each part is attached to when it was molded from the factory)

He was patiently explaining the sequence. Taking time to look at what is she is doing and telling her to be careful when snapping together the parts.

He was done relatively fast and inspecting his work and said he could have cleaned off some of the nubs (more hobbyist jargon for that part that often protrudes when removing it from its attachment to the runners) more cleanly if he had more tools and time.

The girlfriend had some difficulties but was still going through it. Finally when she was done she was so excited to show it off to her boyfriend.

I think it was rather nice for her to try to understand her bf's hobby. It was also nice that he was being supportive of her first foray into Gundam plastic modeling and said she should start of with some HG kits that he can recommend. She was trying to make an additional connection and he was trying to be as supportive and patient with her being at the entry level.

A recent post has been going around on how someone had to sell their collectibles because their partner wanted them to "grow up"
If a hobby does not hurt anyone or impedes with life's responsibilities I think we should just let people enjoy what they love doing.
I found myself looking at the other tables and it was filled with people of all genders and ages. Each busy building the kit.

I like how there is no gatekeeping involved as the staff was polite and the people friendly when someone asks questions about kits.
I drifted towards a conversation of two guys exchanging how they got into Gundams and what their first model.

Being around this made me forget momentarily the anxiety I have in being around so many people in a closed space.

Gundam models to me is a safe space which is so contradictory because it is often an anime about the horrors of war 🤣

Nevertheless let us enjoy the things we love.