I love surprises.

Some of my fondest Transformers memories are when I was given a Transformer by my wife without even knowing they existed. Hasbro MP's 1, 8 and 9 come to mind. I was amazed by the look of them.

Since then I have gotten into the online forums and become a dedicated collector. This has been very enjoyable. There is still the thrill of surprise, but it now comes when a figure is announced. By the time I receive them in the mail months later I usually know most things about them. Walking into the toy section of the local department store no longer feels as adventurous.

Also, now that I follow Transformers so closely my wife can't surprise me with them anymore. I have in a way taken that gift of giving from her.

So my question is, have you or do you ever consider pulling back from following Transformers so closely to bring back the surprise of seeing a new figure in hand? Or could you never imagine going back to those days?