Thursday, June 23, 2011

JUNE 26, 2011 COLLECTING AS A HOBBY
















"Our relationships give our lives shape and meaning, leaving us feeling chosen and validated."


I do know my relationship has shaped my life and I have become the man I always wanted to be. I feel more validated today than I ever have in my whole life. It not only has to do with the same sex marriage victory in New York, but I love my life. I am one of many who have been chosen to heal. I feel validated in the different modalities I use to heal. I was reminded by a friend/colleague that my message is golden and I channel a light that can also re-energize me if I let it. I sometimes let life on life's terms get in the way in addition to the itty bitty committee in my head that talks to much. I am a grateful human being !

A collecting hobby can also shape our lives and tell others who we are.

If you are a person who fixates on material things maybe you are a collector of sorts. Collecting is a hobby which can become an addiction. I have collections. I am not always willing to admit this but I do collect too many things. Collecting can be for the person who loves history. It is also an independent activity. Collecting encompasses an extremely broad range of other hobbies and preoccupations. Collection simply means acquiring multiple objects of the same kind. An example is a coin collection, a stamp collection or in my case, a collection of Swarovski crystal birds. Yes, birds. Others may be even more specific with their collections of items such as dolls or toys from the Civil War era.

Examples of collections from patients I have encountered are interesting. Some have included buttons, clocks, fishing lures, glassware, bottles, baskets, dice, cookie jars, baseball cards and marbles. Now that is quite diverse. I collect needle point canvas to eventually do. That has taken up too much room according to Rick. I always say I will not buy anymore but I do. I have never met a stitcher who doesn't have more than 5 canvases hidden somewhere.

Getting started can be the most challenging because the choices are infinite. I would choose something you are fascinated by, or obsessed with, or something you want to own multiples of.

I would visit an auction or go to the Pier Show in New York City to familiarize yourself with some of the collectibles. Perhaps you want to collect something your mother had started many years ago. You may want to build on her collection. Look at the market value of your possible new collection. You can check out eBay to see if what you are collecting is valuable. There are many books on different collections such as Disney, Glassware, Baseball cards and many more.

You can rummage for collectibles at flea markets, estate sales, yard or tag sales and even collectors conventions. I know that as a child, my brother and I had yard sales. I do not see many yard sales these days. I recently read that Liza Minnelli had a tag sale at one of her homes. Good for her--everyone should have a yard sale to clean house.

In my younger days I collected autographs and cinema posters. Later in life I had the privilege to meet some people of distinction. I was given their autographs, and these hang proudly on my walls.

Perhaps my most sentimental collection includes memorabilia from the 1939 New York World's Fair. My great uncle worked with Robert Moses on the Trylon and Perisphere. I have been fascinated with the NYWF 1939 . My mother saved many of the items either given out or sold at this fair. I continued to build on that collection. There is the Heinz 57 pickle pin, Blue Wedgewood pieces (Jasperware), Lenox vases, Tiffany and Will Rogers spoon collections and an unbelievable amount of paper goods. I even have an intact sugar cube from the Fair and my mother's admission tickets to the Fair from her Corona PS# school in the curio.




Until tomorrow...

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