When I read Chandra's post regarding people 
critisizing her less than A grade cels, I was 
really surprised! I didn't even post a cel to the 
thread above because I couldn't decide which of my 
far less than perfect cels I loved the most. I 
have plenty of them! Yet nobody has EVER mentioned 
to me that they are undesirable or flawed.

That's why I was shocked that this has happened to 
Chandra, and apparently others, too. Especially 
with Ryoko cels!  Most Ryoko collectors know 
that not all cels of her are perfect (by a 
longshot!), but most of us agree (I think!) that 
the scene or the emotion that is conveyed is 
integral to what makes us buy a certain cel. For 
me, it isn't about open eyes, portrait shots, 
resale value, or if someone else likes my cels, it 
is all about what I feel when I see them. As a 
long time collector and dealer of collectible 
(dolls and antiques), I can tell you that that is 
what it HAS to be about. Not that price shouldn't 
be a consideration (unless you have all the money 
in the world) but that the bottom line is that you 
collect for yourself.

But I suddenly realized why I never get these 
negative comments (from people who obviously like 
to make themselves feel better by making you feel 
bad)is that I put the fact that I *KNOW* my cels 
are not all perfect right on my first page of my 
Gallery! ;-D It is important to me that people 
know that perfect cels are not all that makes you 
happy, and that you can really enjoy the little 
cels, too. I think that has been proven by all the 
adorable, meaningful, and just plain neat cels 
that were shown in the thread above. I guess since 
I said it first, it wouldn't be as much fun for 
nasty people to point out the obvious!

Chandra, and the rest of you guys who have run 
into negative comments, keep collecting what you 
love! And......I would love to have a Mononoke 
cel! The one you are getting sounds wonderful, you 
don't need to see her face, you know why it isn't 
showing. I worried about the price of my Snow 
White Ryoko cel for a minute before I bought it, 
wondering if because her eyes were closed I was 
paying too much....then I thought, how stupid! 
Here eyes weren't open! You can't have a 
*sleeping* Snow White with her eyes open! It can't 
be "worth" less because of it! 
LOL!

Kathleen