Update #5: Tough Decisions

 There comes a time in every plushie owner's life when they have to make a choice that isn't easy. A few months ago I had to make the choice to sell my only fennec fox plushie, in pursuit of one that better fits my standards. Today I have encountered a similar, yet somewhat more challenging, scenario.

So one particular plushie that I've wanted for at least a year is, somehow, just as difficult (if not more so) to find than the elusive silver fox plush. It's the genet plush, and it's been hiding from me for a very long time. In case you're not familiar, a genet is a relatively small cat-like animal which is native to northern Africa and regions of the Middle East and southern Europe. They're about the same size as a housecat, and their tail is the same length as their body. They have spots similar to leopards, and a ringed tail. They're very good at climbing, and they live primarily in forests where they hunt for prey on the ground as well as in trees. Most of all, though, they are absolutely adorable animals, and they don't pose any threats to humans (in fact, they help control rodent populations so they're actually beneficial to have around). I learned about the genet sometime when I was in 6th grade, and they've been one of my favorite animals ever since. So when I discovered in 2021 that Uni Toys makes a genet plush, I was right on top of that. The only problem is, this plush hasn't been available for quite some time.

I spent a good chunk of February desperately trying to find a place which sells a genet plush. Most online websites are out of stock, and after contacting Uni Toys I was informed that it has been out of stock for a long time and they don't know if or when it will be available again. I forgot to write about this back in February, probably because I was struggling with my mental health and I was so frustrated I really didn't have the energy to write about it. I'm honestly glad I didn't, I don't want to bring any negativity to this blog.

Through some help from an online friend I found a store which sells a genet plushie and has them readily available. The only problem is, their store is located in Cape Town, South Africa. For reference, I live in Ohio, US, so that's quite a hike from here. I spoke with the person who runs the store, and she was very friendly and wanted to help, but she had never delivered an item to someone in the US so she was unfamiliar with the processes of the United States Postal System. Unfortunately my search came to a halt with this, because I don't know anything about buying items overseas either (aka filling out customs forms and figuring out shipping costs). Thus I have spent the last month and a half, dreaming of someday owning my very own genet plush.

 


Just look how cute she is though!! I need to bring this lovely baby home!!!

I recently thought about it again, and I decided to get back in contact with the person I initially talked to over email. She gave me some contact info for someone who could possibly help me, but they never replied to my email. After sending her a message thins time, I got an email from someone who said they were graciously willing to ship the plush to me, given that I cover all the costs (of course). 

This is where my problems start, though. See, back in September-January I had a decent amount of money, but over the last few months my family and I have really been struggling financially. I'm still out of work, finding a job is no easy task (especially because I technically have a disability which keeps me from being able to work many popular jobs), and so I've had little or no money for a while now. I've been finding things to sell to make up for other things that I really want, and I'm finding myself in this situation again. If I really want this genet plush, I'm gonna have to find a way to make some money. I've come to the conclusion that the best way for me to make a sizeable amount of money to cover the $30 for the plush, plush however much I need for shipping, would be to sell whatever plushie of mine I care about the least (not that I don't care about them at all, I love all of my plushies, but of course I like some more than others). And that plushie happens to be Zephyr the Husky. 

As you probably know, I got Zephyr back in January. He came all the way from the UK, it took 3 weeks for him to get here, and I paid a handsome $43 for him. I was very excited when he finally got here, since he does look quite a bit like the Webkinz Signature Husky, a highly sought-after plush in the Webkinz community. However I'm noticing, at least compared to my other plushies, that I don't do very much with him at all. He's still in perfect condition, and I find that plushies which are "perfect" tend to simply sit on my shelf since I don't want them to get ruined. Plus, I don't particularly remember what made me think of getting this plushie, since the Signature Husky was honestly never a plush that I was dying to own as a kid, unlike the arctic fox and red panda. And what it really comes down to is, if I had to choose between keeping him, or selling him for a guaranteed $40+ and getting the genet plush, I would really prefer to go with the latter decision.

Ever since I've (at least mostly) overcome my depression I've been on, what I like to call, a "Great Purge." I started to do this a bit last year, and now my desire to get rid of old stuff and/or things I no longer need is much stronger. I'm even starting to feel this way about my old stuffed animals, which is a very weird feeling for me because I've had many of them for 10+ years, but honestly, if they will just sit in a tote for years, then why should I hold onto them when they would likely make another kid very happy? I haven't yet decided to sell any of my old plushies, but it's still a thought floating around in my mind. I've gotten rid of quite a few things, including things I used to believe I still needed, and the more I think about it the more okay I am with listing Zephyr for sale online. There is probably someone out there who would absolutely love to have a Webkinz Signature Husky lookalike, and if selling him means that I make someone happy and I get my beloved genet plush, then it's worth it. 

This blog post kinda turned into a rant/vent, and if you're still reading then I have to applaud you. I would bake you a cake if I knew where you lived and I could give it to you. I think writing these blogs really helps me sort out my thoughts on a matter, and I'm feeling less like it's a tough decision now. Zephyr will always be with us in spirit, and I will continue to draw him along with my other plushies, but the plushie itself will unfortunately have to find a new, loving home. I may think on this decision for a bit longer, because it is still a bit difficult in a way. Making sacrifices is never easy, but sometimes it has to be done.

Goodbye, my lovely boy. You'll never be forgotten...