November 19, 2023: What Is Your Koala?

Before my mom passed away, she had a koala collection. I'm not sure how it started, but by the time I became fully aware of it, it was a nontrivially large menagerie of myriad stuffed, ceramic, and otherwise iconographic koala memorabilia. I'm not sure how much she enjoyed them, but at a certain point, I suspect such things take on a life of their own. Koalas outnumbered humans many times over in the home, and I suspect we were only kept safe by their 20-hour sleep cycles combined with the fact that they weren't real.

Nikki Vrtis (who just hit the 25% editing mark for GURPS [FNORD]) has become associated with Grogu and the Mandalorian, so she gets a lot of merch related to the show: stickers, stuffed toys, potholders, etc. In my own circle, I've somehow become known as the "Doctor Who guy," which means I end up with a nontrivial amount of TARDIS trinkets, sonic screwdrivers, shirts . . . This is despite the fact that I have a ludicrous number of hobbies, and could just as easily become known as the "Mystery Science Theater 3000 guy" if more goodies were available for it.

So . . . "What's your koala?" Do you have a some hobby or property that becomes the backbone of gifts you receive? I'm curious to hear any experiences on the forums. And – with the holidays approaching – now's a great time to reaffirm this love to friends and family, perhaps guiding along the lines of, "I already have an Infinity Gauntlet, but if you see a Captain America shield or Wolverine claws . . ." Or you might offer loved ones new wish-list possibilities if your own "koala collection" is in a good state and you'd appreciate something different. (Perhaps bring a notepad to your favorite local game shop or search Warehouse 23 for fresh ideas.)

-- Steven Marsh