What about the addiction of collecting??

the set on the left is my first set. ;o)

Everyone collects one thing or another. Trinkets, cars, jewelery, art, ladies, men, boats, dishes, pillows, plants, animals, dolls, jeans, antiques...you name it someone has it and/or is collecting it...right now! ;o) When you find something that you love so much, you may find that you need another of the same...or another similar but different. For instance, my first decanter set I bought. So lovely. I found it at Virgin Mary's on the Drive in Vancouver. Comes from the 1960's. I find it incredibly awesome and beautiful and it actually makes me a little happy for having it. Like an art piece would make some people happy...my decanter set makes me smile when I look at it. That smile is part of that addictive thing. It comes from so many places. I am so proud of myself for scoring such a pretty item that comes from around 50 years ago and is still in pristine condition. It makes me feel cool, like the way I thought my parents were cool for having a couple pretty decanters...they were always filled with sherry or port or something. (I would take swigs from them on occasion. Sherry drunks are not so good...especially when you are 15 and drank too much of it then walk up the middle of 80 km/hr Bishop Grandin Blvd to the boy's house that just broke up with you to cry and ask why but then you get there and his older brother answers the door and tells you that he is not home so you have to walk all of the way back home again to find your 10 year old sister and German exchange student all worried about where you took off too over an hour earlier. whoops, sorry to everyone involved...very embarrassing  to look back on it...but funny ha ha ha at the same time! anyways...) I smile because when I look at my pretty decanter sets...all of them sitting on top of the pretty "teak" wood cabinet, I just think it's neat. They are cool pieces of art that are made by the fine technique of blowing glass, all for the sole purpose of pouring your yummy liqueur or liquor into a vessel that looks sharp. Party time! hee hee. Anyhow...I like decanters and I will always buy them when I find them in good condition. And if it is the right price. ;o)

Part of my glass collection.

"Col-lect [kuh-lekt]...to accumulate; make a collection of: to collect stamps." By why is it considered an addiction? Well...there is a "high" associated with the search, find and own aspect of the whole process. You had something in mind...you are always on the hunt for it...you find it...you purchase or take it (by take it, I mean the found objects of desire on the beach and nature and stuff)...you now own it and it is in YOUR possession. Oh yeah baby. That feels good! Now you need that rush again. What do I want now? Start hunting! And it goes on and on. Last night we watched a documentary about different people's obsessive collections. Some of them I found so super unreal. An older man who started a collection of 'Axes' (from as old as the 1920's) when he was in his 20's in the 1960's. He had over 1000 of them...plus a whole bunch of different types of saws and logging equipment stuff. Another man who opened a museum for radios and old electrical equipment because he had so many of them and realized that it's a great educational tool. These days some kids don't even know what a discman is...never mind a walkman! This music producer guy had a collection of bobble heads...I'm sure around the 1000 mark he was saying. He said he was pretty much 100% sure he had every non-plastic bobble head ever made. He had ones from as old as the 1950's! They were quite amazing. There was a gay couple on the doc who said that their collection of tin toys was part of their "nesting" ritual. It gave them comfort...a childhood safeness kind of a feeling. Because they unfortunately have to deal with homo phobics on a pretty much daily basis. So they love being in their home...their place to feel 100% safe from anything negative. And their collection of tin toys helps make it a refuge of peace happiness and solace...I think it's sweet. Clint does not share my love for any of my collections. He is a purger. And that is okay. He puts up extremely with my collecting. (Love you Clint.) I feel like that couple. And that is another reason I love all of the things that I collect and why they make me feel the way I do. I don't have one large collection of any one thing in particular...but I have many various modest collections.Dishes, glassware, driftwood, beach glass, vases, antique furniture and dishware, lamps, cool little objects that I found on the beaches or forests...I see a bit of beauty in so many different things.

I have knick knacks galore. This is a small portion, like 1/4 of what I actually have. (much to Clint's chagrin) There are a few boxes in the crawl space labeled "knick knacks/Fragile". Each and every little thing I have has some sort of significance to me. It either gives me a meaningful nostalgic feeling, or it actually came from my childhood, from a grandparent or parent, and from a new or old time friend. I also am in love with elephants. I always buy them...even if it's in a 25 cent machine! hee hee This is about 1/3 of the amount of elephant stuff I have. And I still want more!

 Candles and pretty things to hold them in. I wish I had room in my home for all of my candle holders. I have been collecting candle holders and been obsessed with candles since I was 14. (burning a candle while you are trying to sneak a cigarette through your bedroom window hides the smell...or so I believed. sorry mom. love you.) I think that I have 4 boxes labeled "candles/fragile" in the crawl space also. I know that I have too much stuff. And I can't figure out my attachment to it. I should be able to let things go. But I think that I am afraid that I will lose the memory of it and a time in my life that was happy. I don't want to lose my memory...I guess. And the fact that one day I may possibly be living in a larger place with room for all of my stuff...I just need to keep it...ALL! :o) (I am not a hoarder...I am what you would call a pack rat. there is a BIG difference! lol)

Collectitis...or like the guy on the documentary that had over 100 tractors on his property called it...moreitis! ha ha ha! You always want more! It's true. And it's okay to be a collector of whatever you choose. Just don't let it take over your life...because that is a definite sign that you may be going crazy. The 65ish year old lady that collected barbie dolls and their clothes, who still took them all out and changed their clothes and played with them...she seemed a little off. I still have most of my childhood stuffed animals...they are boxed away in the event I have one or two little ones that could love them like I did. I do not play with them anymore...but I remember loving each and every one of them. :o) hee hee.