[What] Do You Collect?

[Mag]

hey there.

 

Im doing a project about collecting and psychology.

So i had a few questions to ask that would help.

 

What do you collect?

Why do you collect (how did it start)?

What makes you keep adding to your collection?

 

(the big question is WHy and How - so if you could answer those in more detail that'd be great)

 

thanks much

[5614]

What do you collect? Old electronics and computer parts

Why do you collect (how did it start)? They can be useful and just generally like those kinda things! It has just accumulated over the years, I've always like that kinda stuff so when it becomes available I keep it.

What makes you keep adding to your collection? Once you start collecting you always want to add to it, or upgrade other parts etc. If you are talking about electronics or computer parts then new parts can be useful as an adition to your collection, or just a 2nd or 3rd version of someone you already have, meaning you can use 2 of them or whatever, there's no "I've only got 1 so I'm limited" factor.

[SorceressPol]

I collect books. I usually buy a book whenever I go inside a grocery store, or a book store. Which is why I try to stay far away from Borders and Barnes and Nobles when I'm broke.

[YT2095]

I collect: Old computers and parts, Chemicals, Thermionic valves, Coins, certain stamps, Seeds, Micro Chips, Recipes and Experiences.

 

the How is easy, if I`m out and about an happen across something, I keep it, or ask for it to be kept for me until I can afford it.

 

the Why, is a little more complex in the sense that there is no ONE particular reason, basicly it`s nice to know that if you need such and such, you may already have it to hand, it also adds another dimension to going out anywhere (you never know What you might come across).

also I know that much of these things will be worth something to my Daughter one day (I started collecting Long before her, knowing that one day I`ll have something to leave behind to my child(ren)).

 

and I`ve no idea How it started either?

[Reina]

I collect the new state quarters.

Why? I just thought it was cool the government was putting out different quarters for all the states. I bought this thing from Staples that you put the quarters in, like a display thing.

[JPQuiceno]

I collect computer parts, books, guns, car models, coins, magic the gathering and d & d items.... hmmm what else?

[Mokele]

What do you collect?

 

Formerly: Star Wars figures, computers & computer parts.

Currently: Fossils, dinosaur/paleobiological figures/models, preserved specimens (in formalin), bones, assorted animal bits (insect exoskeletons, bird nests, turtle shells, etc).

 

Why do you collect (how did it start)?

 

Star Wars figures: I was very big into Star Wars as a kid, and had a lot of it already from the original releases. Over time I just build up the collection for the sake of having stuff from a series of movies I loved. This all ended before the new trilogy.

Computers & their parts: I liked tinkering with them, and went to a technology-oriented undergrad school. I enjoyed knowing stuff and being able to solve problems. However, eventually it became not worth the trouble.

Fossils: I've always been fascinated with ancient life, particularly reptiles (dinosaurian and non), so aquiring bits of them was always a wonderful experience. As a kid, I wanted to be a paleontologist when I grew up, and now, though I'm more focused on living animals, I do want to eventually do some work with fossil taxa.

Plastic prehistoric stuff: See above, an extension of my dinosaur/dead reptile obsession.

Preserved Specimens: I always loved snakes, and the company my father worked for at first (before a series of mergers) was very ecologically-minded, and would actually do environmental impact studies and the like. At one point, they had a bunch of old preserved specimens they were going to tossm and my dad scrounged them for me; I was about 8 at the time. Over the years, I've added to this collection (aiming at my own significant collection of specimens for study), and it's grown to about 50 jars or so.

Bones: Relics of neat animals, from which you can learn things, plus just damn cool. I love looking all over them, for where the muscles attach, how the bones are connected, etc. My bone collection has really taken off recently, as I've become more focused on biomechanics.

Assorted animal bits: Pretty much anything that makes me go "neat!", which is a sizable portion of nature, makes me want to keep it or a relic of it. I find such things fascinating. Which reminds me that I still need to varnish that hive I snagged.

 

What makes you keep adding to your collection?

 

Well, as noted above, I stopped collecting Star Wars and computer stuff; I just got bored with both. As for everything else, the driving force is my fascination with the natural world, both modern and prehistoric.

 

Mokele

[Mag]

wow, thanks alot guys.

 

i was wondering if some of you would be willing to post pictures?

In particular YT for his chemicals and Mokele for his preserved specimens.

 

thanks.

~Mag

[Callipygous]

pretend this is an exact copy of 5614's post

[YT2095]

as much as I`de love to oblige, there are a few problems with that, 1) I`ve no way of uploading pictures yet 2) all my chems are either packed away (we`re hoping to move soon), and the remaining ones are all safely in drawers, and I don`t like the idea of getting them all out for a photo-session, I only take one out at a time. 3) there really wouldn`t be that much to see beyond labled bottles and containers looking quiet unimpressive.

[Glider]

hey there.

 

Im doing a project about collecting and psychology.

So i had a few questions to ask that would help.

 

What do you collect?

Trees (bonsai)

 

Why do you collect (how did it start)?

Many years ago' date=' sombody bought me a bonsai. As luck would have it, it was a good one (rather than the awful twisted micky-mouse specimens you get in shops around Christmas). I was blown away by the form and detail, and particularly by the aesthetic effect (a good bonsai evokes the image and mood of its natural envoronment, i.e. where it [i']would[/i] be growing in nature).

 

Plus, with deciduous trees, you get to watch the seasons turn in miniature. The bright flush of spring (particularly in trees like the Katsura and Deshojo maples), the rich maturity of summer, the brilliant, fiery blaze of autumn (again, most maples are renowned for this) and the skeletal forms of winter.

 

It really gives you an eye for the detail and form of trees in the natural environment and I find I notice a lot more detail, even with trees growing in the centre of London.

 

What makes you keep adding to your collection?

Initially, simply the number of different kinds of tree. Each has its own 'mood'. The rugged power of the black pine (the 'King' amongst bonsai), the delicate femininity of the maples (the 'Queen' of bonsai). Each kind of tree presents a different form and 'feeling'.

 

Now however, due to the constraints of space (and time), I don't add to my collection any more, or at least I have created a 'one in, one out' rule. If I get a new tree, I have to lose one (sell or give away). This means that the standard (and therefore price) of any new tree has to be a lot higher than the standard of any tree I currently have. I have between 30 and 40 trees. There are collectors who have hundreds, although I suspect they are more hooked on 'collecting' than the trees themselves or the art of bonsai.

 

My approach is that I'd rather spend a lot of time on a few trees, ensuring their health, style and grooming, than let many go untended through lack of time and just end up with 'bushes in pots' that are diseased, unhealthy, ungroomed or have deep wire cuts etc.. With the number of trees I have, there is not a needle or leaf that I don't know. There isn't a patch of mildew or aphid attack that I'm not aware of and can deal with immediately. With hundreds of trees, I couldn't know them all that well and many would suffer (not literally, just basic health and form).

 

(the big question is WHy and How - so if you could answer those in more detail that'd be great)

 

thanks much

De nada

 

 

By the way, YT, how's yer apple tree doing mate?

[YT2095]

Glider, the apple still hasn`t done much nor has the pear, the avocado and Kiwi are doing fantastic! and my figs all died or rather never formed roots, the Plumb and Bay trees are beautifull, and the my Hazel Nut (the one I PM`ed you about) I decided to let go for this year, give it chance to establish itself properly, it`s nearly 2 metres tall now and just as wide, I`ll be doing the cutting back in Spring, as you said, there`s less likelyhood of disease getting in as the conditions won`t be as damp. it still hasn`t cropped yet, next year will be it`s 3`rd year, so I`m hoping to see some catkins in spring

 

btw, I agree with your philosophy of looking after a Few things really well, rather than many things poorly, I`de love to have one of every type of herb plant and chili type, but I`ll stick to my faves and the ones i`m likely to use and eat, rather than have for the sake of it

[Glider]

Yeah. I know there are much better trees out there than mine, but they're not mine, if you know what I mean (I haven't formed them or had any input into their growth), so I'm not tempted to keep collecting.

 

If you cut the hazel in spring and haven't cut back the roots, you should see a massive burst of growth in the remaining stem, probably enough for it to fruit that year.

[Mag]

as much as I`de love to oblige, there are a few problems with that, 1) I`ve no way of uploading pictures yet 2) all my chems are either packed away (we`re hoping to move soon), and the remaining ones are all safely in drawers, and I don`t like the idea of getting them all out for a photo-session, I only take one out at a time. 3) there really wouldn`t be that much to see beyond labled bottles and containers looking quiet unimpressive.

 

hah, yeah, but it would give people an idea of what it looks like.

Ya dont want people thinking mad scientist with a bunch of colorful bubbling chemicals.

 

Maybe i can do something with the chem lab. - get some pics there.

 

but yeah, no problem, i understand - and good luck with your [soon to be(?)] move.

[ydoaPs]

i collect swords and other sharp objects, because stabities are cool, imo. i'm not sure why i like them so much.

[Mokele]

In particular YT for his chemicals and Mokele for his preserved specimens.

 

Here's a pic of the preserved specimens. I've got bones and such all over the place.

 

With the number of trees I have, there is not a needle or leaf that I don't know.

 

I have exactly the same thing with my carnivorous plants. They grow so slowly that for many I can watch eagerly for each new leaf to pitcher or mature.

 

Mokele

[5614]

Ya dont want people thinking mad scientist with a [b']bunch of colorful bubbling chemicals[/b]

That sounds quite cool!

[Mag]

That sounds quite cool!

 

it sure does.

 

But thats what you DONT want people to think, however cool it is.

[In My Memory]

What do you collect?

Wines, tequilas, spirits, rums, whiskeys, etc.

 

Why do you collect (how did it start)?

It started a few years ago around Christmas. Usually, when people give me gifts, I find one reason or another to refuse to accept the gifts (or I'll just repackage them and send them to other people - I'm a notorious re-gifter).

 

One year, I was with my family for Christmas, and I saw there was a used tequila bottle with a very unusual shape (here is a picture of it). I said "Oh my god, I want that", my family took this to mean that I wanted tequilas and wines as Christmas gifts.

 

But, I never mentioned that I just wanted the tequila bottle so I could fill it with glass marbles and make it look pretty, and that I wasnt interested in the tequila inside. So, every year I get about a half-dozen bottles of very pricey wines and alcohols (upwards of US$200). Unless I get a wine rack this year, I'm going to start running out of shelf space to hold all of these wines.

 

What makes you keep adding to your collection?

People just keep giving me the bottles, I dont need them. But, I figure I like them because they add a level of class to my home that is otherwise lacking. I've arranged the bottles so that lights shine through behind them, giving a very pleasant blue and red glow (I suspect that I shouldnt be keeping my bottles in front of bright hot lights, and that I've probably destroyed the wine inside).

 

I also consider they are nice to keep because they a good investment, the bottles could be worth much more in a few years than today. (Even if the wines inside are no longer drinkable, the investment ought to be unaffected because the only thing that makes them valuable are the bottles they come in.)

[Mag]

^ thanks

 

to all the computer parts collecters: do you have any pictures, or could you, by any chance, get some? thx

[Lance]

I collect elements and chemicals, as well as interesting high voltage components. I also have a US state quarter collection going but only because I got a piece of cardboard that the coins go into as a Christmas gift a few years back and I now feel obliged to complete the collection.

 

The element collection started after reading Theodore Gray's website and realizing that I was already well on my way to a nice collection. The chemicals and components just came out of necessity and entertainment.

 

I continue to collect these items because it adds a bit of pleasure and purpose to my life.

[bascule]

Vinyl. As in records. Why?

 

1. Scarcity - Vinyl is hard to come by, which makes it more collectable

 

2. Quality - Most of what I collect is 60s/70s classic rock. This means the vinyl roughly the same age as the recording was cut from tapes recorded around the same time, especially the Mobile Fidelity Studio Labs records I have which were cut from the original masters. And while tape degrades with time, vinyl degrades with use, meaning that anything I have in good condition is likely a closer approximation to the original masters than the CDs mastered from 30 year old tape are. And while there's lots of nice filters for getting rid of time-related tape distortions, the bottom line is running time-distorted tape through distorting filters will... ultimately give you a distorted digital master. There's a lot of songs with shitty digital masters I've listened to where the vinyl offers MUCH better quality, such as Jethro Tull / Locomotive Breath or the Kinks / Celluloid Heroes. Just because a song sounds shitty and old on the radio doesn't mean that it sounds as bad on vinyl!

 

3. Collectability - When you buy a record, what you get is BIG! A 12" x 12" picture of the cover art, printed on cardboard that allows a number of customizations. For example, the Andy Warhol-designed cover of the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers album has a zipper built into the cover.

 

Anyway, have about 300 so far, mostly major albums from popular artists in pretty good condition.

[senexa]

What do you collect?

 

Odd bits of wood, dried flowers and feathers.

 

Why do you collect (how did it start)?

 

I think it is my fascination with death and dying that got me started.

 

An incredible beauty is present with the spareness of roots and driftwood. I started collecting roots when I was a child, along with odd stones found in the sandbars of the Allegheny River.

 

My husband brings me wildflowers a couple of times a week. I let them dry in the vase, and the resultant form and color can blow you away. I have dried flowers all over the house.

 

I also have a feather board, which is essentially a dreamcatcher filled with feathers that have found their way to me, but that is cultural (Native American) rather than an actual collector's action.

 

What makes you keep adding to your collection?

 

I have found that I require a space of beauty in order to be able to think well, so I try to have such items in every room to rest my mind by looking at them.

 

 

This sounds like a very interesting project ... maybe you could share the results with us?

[ecoli]

I collect Vinyl Records, CDs, Warhammer 40k models, Posters, and dust.

[Hellbender]

I collect old Genessee beer mugs, animal skulls and biology-related textbooks. I collect the mugs because I enjoy drinking beer, and I happen to like Genessee. Their vintage mugs are hard to come by, and are always pretty cool. I collect animal skulls, but only if I find the animal dead, and bury it for its bones. I refuse to add to my collection by buying them (even though there are stores with lots of good skulls online). I guess it makes it more of an interesting challenge that way. Plus when I get something really good (like a bat or a snapping turtle), I have the bragging rights that I found it. I started collecting biology textbooks a little while ago. There is book drop in the science building here, and they had (I took them all) a lot of old biology-related textbooks. I can't stand to see books like this go to waste, especially when the subject matter is so interesting to me.