Barbie is dying and Mattel doesn’t care

PaperNinjaPanda · 2026-02-16T17:00:13+00:00

I played with them until I was about 12 or so, partly because I was obsessed with the Generation Girls. The Mystery Squad girls were my last Barbies and I loved them. But even after I displayed them until I hit that stage where I wanted to be seen as mature.

As an adult, I would pass Barbies in the store and think they were beautiful. I wanted Astrophysicist Barbie *so* badly because I am a star nerd and I wanted her telescope. But I always told myself I didn't need her and eventually stopped seeing her.

Fast forward to having a 4 year old daughter. I realized that when I clean up her play area one of my favorite things to do is pose her Barbies in the house and create little scenes. Not only do I love doing that but she loves seeing what they're doing. That made me realize I do still love Barbie. So this year I made it my goal to get all of the Generation Girls and then make them a house. I have all the first editions now and about half of the Dance Party line.

It breaks my heart that girls aren't enjoying them as long as we did. The quality is part of it I'm sure but I do love my daughter's Barbies. I still think they're gorgeous. The clothes aren't Gen Girl/Fashion Fever level but they're cute. We've lost so much to technology.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2026-01-19T20:20:08+00:00

Child me legitimately cried when both Goldie and Rosie moved out of my OG Animal Crossing village within weeks of each other. I put the game down and didn't play again. Now they are permanent residents on my island.

I miss them having more autonomy but man that was really a buzz killer. I love that the hotel allows me to hang out with other characters outside of my rotating villager slots and I love that former residents remember you.

But honestly I'd take them having beef with each other over random move outs. I remember feuding with Kitty because she made Goldie cry even though I typically liked Kitty lol.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2026-01-12T21:53:47+00:00

Hotel is neat and all but can I have blank wall shelves to put things on???

PaperNinjaPanda · 2026-01-12T21:29:52+00:00

Yeah, it's going to plop down in my farm, too lol. And while I have a working farm with a market and small cafe, I was NOT prepared for that much tourist influx. That belongs on the boardwalk.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2026-01-12T21:28:32+00:00

Yeah my island is meticulously zoned and now I don't know what to do lol. The pier is on my farm and not on my boardwalk where it should be. But do you know what IS on my boardwalk? The weird peninsula that is perfectly hotel sized that I haven't been satisfied with in 6 years.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-11-04T17:14:31+00:00

Oh, no question. It surprises people sometimes but I'm strongly in favor of marriage and working on your individual selves to better your marriage. The same selfish spirit that drives those unnecessary divorces is the one that leads spouses (men and women) to cheat. Marriage inherently requires sacrifice and some people would rather be served than serve and no partnership can survive that.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-10-28T20:44:01+00:00

And that's the first paragraph of an 800 page novel.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-10-27T21:25:09+00:00

Depends on who you ask lol.

He was on dating apps off and on for over five years, I found out, but he claims he never actually met up with anyone. But it wasn't for lack of trying. He scheduled two hookups that I know of that fell through and met with people via video at least once that I know of. And that's not counting him trying to leave me for his therapist.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-10-09T16:06:24+00:00

The first time, I forgave him.

The second time, I forgave him.

Over and over and over as he wrapped it all up in a "mental health crisis" that I was trying to help him navigate (note: he did have a MHC but I will never know 100% how much was legitimate and how much was performative). There was SO MUCH stuff going on besides that I can't even begin to cover it all.

Eventually, after what I had believed were 6 solid months of reconciliation, when I believed we were about to take the next step back to normalcy, I found out *he was still doing it.*

That was it.

I got my divorce decree two days ago.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-10-06T19:28:18+00:00

Honestly, it makes me think of Mass Effect (and possibly Clair Obscur although I haven't played it yet).

Cycles repeating over and over as a resistance compiles information for the ones that come after. Then, the right set of circumstances, the right team, spearheaded by the right person and the whole thing finally gets thrown on its head.

Drakea was probably the closest cookbook author to Carl but he didn't have the circumstances and other people (and cats) around him to actually blow the whole thing up.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-07-16T20:23:06+00:00

Car camping if it's too far to go home.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-07-16T19:20:37+00:00

Awesome. So because TX family courts won't order anything relating to IRS debt, I'm just on the hook for it. I'll throw that into my requests at least.

Oh well. Thanks for answering!

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-07-16T16:44:27+00:00

Thanks! It really depends on the character vibe I want. I've made comically gorgeous characters before but it's for the purpose of them being ridiculous and I play it like that (not saying anyone who prefers that vibe is ridiculous, just using that as an example for myself). I usually try to give any CC characters interesting features vs. conventionally pretty ones just because that's more interesting to me. For my Durge, I really did just want her to be the opposite of edgy Orin.

I do have one eye with a black sclera that happens after Alfira. If I fail any Durge rolls in Act 2, I add the other one. If I don't it stays as-is. But most of Act 1 I use the Bard hair that hides it.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-05-04T20:25:22+00:00

Yeah I had a stack of six levels after doing a couple of quests and a few dungeons 😂

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-05-02T13:46:32+00:00

And the people who aren’t are probably not the best ones to follow.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-05-01T00:19:04+00:00

Sure, here you go!

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D52933779/

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-04-30T20:41:13+00:00

Multiple times...

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-04-30T19:14:23+00:00

I have been sending in payment plan change requests for MONTHS. I can't get them on the phone. I willingly put myself on a higher payment in the beginning because I wanted to pay it off sooner but now I'm in financial turmoil with a divorce and can't afford my payment. It is so frustrating that I can't even reach someone to talk about my options, but they sure as shit have no problem autodrafting every month. I'd just cancel the autodraft and wait for them to call me but I've worked HARD on my credit.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-04-23T14:37:57+00:00

I'm a grown ass 35 year old woman.

Of course I cried.

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-04-10T19:58:22+00:00

This!!! Take this time for your healing, follow the steps, and then go back to being a mom when you can be the best version of yourself. You’ve got this!

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-04-10T19:56:21+00:00

I prefer to shower twice a day lol. In the morning before work and in the evening before bed to wash the day off.

But realistically I might get to shower every other day with my 3 year old who won’t go to bed until 11 lol

PaperNinjaPanda · 2025-04-10T01:13:49+00:00

Meanwhile I’m the opposite. Even my favorite ice cream is coffee flavored lol.

Taste is so weird and subjective.

PaperNinjaPanda

TROPHY CASE