“The kawaii world of Kitty Necy”
SunStar Davao, June 6, 2020
There are
just some things you will never outgrow.
For Necy Lim, her penchant for collecting lovable Hello
Kitty items which began when she was in high school is a hard, hard habit to
break.
Working in Japan, the home of Hello Kitty, in her 20s
exposed her even more to the country’s kawaii (meaning lovely,
cute, or adorable in Japanese) pop culture. “For OFWs, you are known for two
things: chocolates and stuffed toys. Living abroad was quite lonely and I would
find joy and comfort from my Hello Kitty plush toys. They served as trophies of
my hard work,” Necy shared.
She temporarily stopped collecting her Hello Kitty merchandise
when she became pregnant in 2000. In
2018, she revived her Sanrio fascination and it has skyrocketed since then.
A purr-fect homage
Now at 43, Necy’s expansive Hello Kitty collection of
bags, clothing, accessories, household items, stuffed toys, among others, has
filled an entire room in their house.
“We changed our bedsheets, curtains, and wallpaper to ones
with Hello Kitty designs. I also began adding Hello Kitty stuffed toys on our Hello
Kitty bed and drawers, shelves, and dresser,” she excitedly recalled.
Among her most treasured memorabilia are a Hello Kitty
stuffed toy from Build-a-Bear; Loungefly bag; Instax camera; a human-sized
stuffed toy version; and kitchen appliances.
“Currently, I honestly do not know how many Hello Kitty
items there are in my room. There are just too many to count,” she expressed
with amusement.
Stay pawsitive
Necy revealed that as a dialysis patient, her love for
Hello Kitty gave her so much bliss, especially during times when she feels down
and depressed about her condition.
“It may sound weird, but Hello Kitty gives me strength. I
even look forward to my dialysis sessions because I get to wear my Hello Kitty
clothes, flaunt it in the hospital and make people turn their heads when I
pass by. It also makes other dialysis patients happy and adds color and
excitement to the gloomy hospital,” she explained.
Necy is likewise grateful to discover fellow Hello Kitty
lovers in communities and groups online. They bond and share their love for Sanrio’s
world ambassador.
“I eventually became the founder of Hello Kitty Team
Mindanao which is a group of Hello Kitty fans residing in Mindanao. I am also
the administrator in online groups like Hello Kitty Collectors and 100% Hello
Kitty Lovers. Personally, these groups have inspired me in my collection and
room transformation. They helped me source more items to add to my growing
collection, too,” Necy revealed.
Vlogging with a cat-titude
Being bored at home led Necy to discover the world of
YouTube and vlogging.
“I was amazed by
how people could share their personalities and interests online and even make a
profit out of it. I thought, given that I am just staying at home doing
nothing, why don’t I give vlogging a try? If I am lucky, I may get to earn
money that could help our family financially especially for my dialysis
medication,” she disclosed.
Most importantly, Necy genuinely enjoys her new endeavor.
It gives her motivation as well as a sense of productivity and escape. Her
YouTube channel “Kitty Necy Diary” has now more than 2,500 subscribers.
“In this hobby of ours, there may be people who would judge
us but for me, as long as we are happy in what we are doing and not hurting
anybody, then there is no reason for us to be affected by what other people
think,” she said.
According to Necy, she cautions fellow aficionados not
to prioritize one’s obsession over basic or more important needs. She advises
them “to be aware when things become too much”.
However, she believes though that her Hello Kitty prized
possessions amassed through the years is not a waste of money. “Money can certainly
not be compared with the euphoria and comfort my Hello Kitty collection has
given me,” Necy enthused.
Her never-ending love affair with Hello Kitty is undeniably
‘fur’ keeps!
E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. To
view more photos, please visit http://momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com/.
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