davidd’s A DOLL A DAY 2021

[Loona]

Those former Soviet Bloc countries are really catching up to the West, aren't they?     Just kidding! Thank you for the interesting and extensive mobile phone info and the other comments. I shall attempt to respond at more length sooner rather than later, but at the moment... you know how it is!

Ha, I wish! Some other countries around us, yes, but us - it actually feels like we're pacing backwards now (and this is where I stop before things get political. I have enough issues around me without considering the country's political situation and approach).
Fun fact: I ordered my current phone from Germany but the model is a Chinese one (Xiaomi). I wasn't looking at fancy features, the main musts were the dual SIM capability, the relatively small size (and this, too, is bigger than my previous one was, and took over a year to get used to handling!), the big storage space (64Gb - because of the 2 SIMs there is no place for a memory card, and I need my music with me in actual mp3 format, I'm refusing to have wifi/mobile data on all the time, and Spotify doesn't even have a lot of things I like ) and the powerful battery. Oh, and it had to be black. All blacky black, not black combined with another colour, not black with a silver rim, not antracite, not grey, not... any of these options that seemed to be very common at that time (I have no clue if this is still the case). The model was already discontinued here by the time I realised I really need a new phone and this could work, hence the international order. Luckily a friend from Germany came over just around those times, so I haven't actually had to pay international shipping.

Glad to see Bearded Guy finally got his new body, and that you didn't have to let the old clothing go as a result. One of the reasons why I'm not planning to rebody my bluehead Pullip crew on Obitsus is because most of them would then no longer be able to fit into their stock outfit. I wish there were other options to rebody Pullips that wouldn't come with this downside.

[Lejays17]

Your comment about the arms fallin* off reminds me that I really need to rebody Ashli, who’s are s are both broken ar tge shoulder socket & fall out all the time.

I bet it is a part of a crystal skull, he seems just tge type to be messing around with them.

In regards to the mobile phone & SIM cards - Elfy & I both got new phones about 18 months ago & they need SIM cards to work.

[Alliecat]

It does look rather like a skull, but I can’t tell on my little screen. Cool lighting once again in that shot!
So you do need a SIM card as far as I know, whether you buy from a carrier or not, if you want to actually make phone calls with it, or use data. It’s the thing that connects you to the network. But if the phone is unlocked, you can use it with any carrier just by swapping the SIM.

Yes, I should take more pictures of Annie. I got discouraged somewhat because she is difficult to pose, and more so by how much she has turned yellow, and one-sidedly and in uneven places.

[davidd]

What is the glowy thing in his hand? It’s not part of  a crystal skull is it?

It is.

I wasn't looking at fancy features, the main musts were the dual SIM capability, the relatively small size (and this, too, is bigger than my previous one was, and took over a year to get used to handling!), the big storage space (64Gb - because of the 2 SIMs there is no place for a memory card, and I need my music with me in actual mp3 format, I'm refusing to have wifi/mobile data on all the time, and Spotify doesn't even have a lot of things I like ) and the powerful battery. Oh, and it had to be black. All blacky black, not black combined with another colour, not black with a silver rim, not antracite, not grey, not... any of these options that seemed to be very common at that time (I have no clue if this is still the case). 

Not picky at all, are you? Easy to please! 

I bet it is a part of a crystal skull, he seems just tge type to be messing around with them.

You'll win that bet!
And yes, he is!

It does look rather like a skull, but I can’t tell on my little screen. 

Yes, I should take more pictures of Annie. I got discouraged somewhat because she is difficult to pose, and more so by how much she has turned yellow, and one-sidedly and in uneven places.  

It is, you are correct.

Unfortunate about Annie's discoloration. But still, she deserves some camera love!

And speaking of the Big Girls:

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17 July - A Doll A Day 2021:

17 July - Messy hair, don't care!

Actually, I do care, but not enough to retake the picture at the moment.

Who is this scantily clad hussy comporting with our normally staid and reserved Nelly?

[Alliecat]

Is this the new girl?????

[Elfy]

I like her green eyes.

[Lejays17]

Her green eyes are gorgeous - and Nellie looks quite disapproving of her lack of clothing.

[Loona]

Not picky at all, are you? Easy to please! 

Haha, buying electronic devices of any kind is always a hassle. I used to think it's easier with stuff that doesn't really have a lot of features to choose from (like a mobile or a laptop) and only has "one job", but I've just recently replaced the electric kettle and the toaster, and now I know this isn't the case... visuals are very important to me (yes, they have to be black. But no "black with other colour accents, text - including the logo - or lights" - with the only exception being blue lights), which already removes 90% of the possible candidates, but this still left me with double-digit options to choose from (and check out IRL in shops before purchase). Should be easy, right? Apparently not... One of the manufacturers had exactly these machines available in a set, they looked gorgeous, and even had features I didn't need but would have been handy (like a digital display that shows the heat of water/the time of toasting; keeping the water heated, adjusting exactly what temperature I'd like the kettle to boil the water to). They cost more than twice than their "regular" counterparts, but recently I'm more and more prone to not settle for a second best, and it isn't like I couldn't afford these. Things seemed surprisingly easy up until this point - I should have been suspicious... The first issues came upon actual purchasing? both of the machines had smooth, shiny surfaces, and quality check is, apparently, not as it used to be back in the old days, so it took 3 opened-up boxes while I finally settled on the ones to take home (which weren't perfect and had scratches right out of box - really, WTF), and the actual dealbreaker feature materialised after about 2 uses: the electric kettle was way too heavy for me to handle. It already was heavy when it was empty, but when I actually put a liter of water in it to make tea for the day (and its full capacity would have been 1.7 litres), I needed to hold it with both hands - but then how do I turn the tap on/off? I'm rather thin and stick-armed, I guess the model wasn't exactly designed with this body type in mind Luckily this all happened within the exchange window, so no monetary loss, but I was back to square one (and yes, the toaster also made its way back, because I couldn't find any other kettle model that matched its looks well enough for my frickin' OCD ). Another "back to square one" moment followed when the second toaster model I chose turned out to be unavailable in black in Hungary. This toaster also had a "set pair" kettle which is available in black here, just not the toaster (because fuq logic?). The 2-3 online shops that did seem to have it in stock turned out to be using an incorrect picture, and they, too, only had the model available in white. Finally I settled with a third set, but this was a cheaper brand (less in price, more in quality)  with even worse QC, and there was a point when I was standing in a shop with the box I took back because the toaster in it looked so scratched, like it was already used and then taken back, and a shop assistant was opening up other boxes for me, eyes turning wide with each new toaster taken out of the box in similar, absolutely not new-looking condition. By this time I got tired enough to just settle with the least worst one, and (knocking on wood) they at least seem to function properly so far.

Now, having re-read all this, I actually think the first sentence is a massive understatement. I wish it was just "a hassle" - it is pain. Yet, there are always people who make compliments about my great level of attention to detail, wishing they, too, had it - at least now I have another story to make them think twice about what they wish for. Because I wouldn't wish this mindset to my enemies 

Oooh, she must be the new girl! She looks lovely, her ex-pression seems to be pleased, relieved, like she felt she has finally come home. Little does she know about some stuff she'll likely see and endure with the crew I wonder what Nelly is thinking about, I'm sure she already has some plans and tasks to wipe off that relieved smirk
Is she the one who will receive those lovely knee-high sneakers?

[davidd]

18 July - A Doll A Day 2021:

18 July - Carly ex-periments with fluorescent minerals

Even one of the pieces of petrified wood she found glows red under UV light

[Alliecat]

Ahhh, soo cool.
There was a display of fluorescent rocks at the Dino Lab in Victoria. I really wanted to spend a lot more time looking at them than was allotted!
Do you know what they are?

[Elfy]

It glows! No wonder Carly was so excited.

[Loona]

Oh wow, those look awesome! And any kind of glow (well, other than my oily skin on my face, but I learned how to resolve that sort of issue ) is a welcome bonus in my eyes.

[davidd]

There was a display of fluorescent rocks at the Dino Lab in Victoria.  I really wanted to spend a lot more time looking at them than was allotted!
Do you know what they are?

I was looking at a display of fluorescent minerals last week at a "roadside attraction" type museum, and noticed a dimly glowing specimen labeled "Chalcedony - Utah." My extremely amateurish attempts to identify the "pretty rocks" in my yard a couple of years ago led me to believe that most of the "flint-looking" stones are a type of mineral called chalcedony. When I got home, I shined my UV flashlight on some of the rocks I had picked up and... some of them glowed! I was stoked!

I'm also considering investing in some UV glow paint, because there was a wonderfully garish UV fluorescent diorama type display at the museum that reminded me of a similar display I saw in Rosewell, New Mexico several years ago.

It glows! No wonder Carly was so excited.

I was excited, too! It was... exciting!

And any kind of glow (well, other than my oily skin on my face....

 I know, right? Aren't we supposed to outgrow that sort of thing at some point? The joys of eternal puberty!

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19 June - A Doll A Day 2021:

19 July - Toddler Princess Dolls at Family Dollar Store

Because your toddler won't notice that the cheap dollar store princess doll isn't a genuine Disney Princess® doll... right?

[davidd]

20 July - A Doll A Day 2021:

20 July - Incoming Smart Doll Stuffs

A problem with adding another Smart Doll to the crew is that Smart Dolls like to have clothes, which are not included... particularly with pre-owned, or re-homed, dolls.

Actually... back when I purchased my original Smart Dolls, purchasing a clothing package including a top, bottom, and shoes was an option. That is no longer the case in Smart Doll Land. No package deals. No bundles. And... most of the clothing, especially the shoes, isn't as nice as it was just a couple of years ago. I should have just bought the New Girl an orange jumpsuit and called it good, but she really wanted eyeglasses... because she's a "Kanata"... and after hours spent looking on line, she... or maybe it was I... realized that finding aftermarket eyeglasses that fit Smart Dolls is challenging, and even the ones that fit don't actually look as good as the genuine Smart Doll Store Kanata Eyeglasses. Glasses were the only thing I needed, but it seemed silly to spend the outlandish overseas shipping for only a teeny tiny set of eyeglasses frames, so... well, I'm sure most of you know how that scenario plays out.

[Alliecat]

Well, I guess for the folks who might have to choose between groceries and a toy for their kid, the dollar store is an option... and a really little kid likely wouldn't care.

Those Smart Dolls will be well dressed. Wait... you don't even get glass in the eyeglass frames....?? I bet you can make something though.

Yes, I know how that scenario goes, although I am more usually closer to the dollar store bracket. (Not about the groceries; I'm just cheap I refuse to pay high prices for doll stuff.) The minis are getting a treat and I went "HOW much??!" when the total came up. Oh well, I got a little discount code.

How cool about the rocks, and right in your yard. I'm betting we don't have any glowing rocks here. Although I'd be curious to have a look around.

OK, and, has anyone else noticed that the language options menu on the Smart Doll store includes a link to Huttese?? ....wut.