Are You a Collector?
I have never understood collections that aren’t practical - china dolls that sit on a shelf and are never played with, plates that hang on a wall and are never used to serve food, for example. I realize that these items are to be admired and can potentially increase in value, but most collectors don’t want to part with them, so they’ll never reap that reward. (Grateful relatives might after the collector has passed on, though.)
I have a friend who brings back a shell from every beach she visits, which is a cool way to remember your travels. I do understand record collections as long as you play them, car collections as long as you drive them, and shoe collections as long as you wear them.
I have a penchant for shoes. At last check, which was almost 4 years ago, I owned 46 pairs. I’m sure it’s more than that now, since I seem to follow the “donate one pair and buy two” rule. I should stipulate, though, that part of my footwear fetish is getting a great deal. I only pay full price if it’s well under $100. I have the odd pair of Kenneth Cole shoes, but I’m probably averaging about $25/pair.
Shoes make me happy because I like my feet. I enjoy foot massages and pedicures. If I gain weight, my shoes still fit and still look good.
What do you collect? Do you know someone who has a collection that is strange or out of control? There are some people who are addicted and you can barely move in their homes because of their collections - not good. Share your thoughts by using the No Comments/Comments link below. Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is FOOTWEAR. It’s valid until midnight on February 17th.
February 15th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I know a person who collects empty yogurt containers…
I am more the shoe collector for the same reason you already mentioned. They always fit, no matter what the scale says;) And my feet are my only body part I really like.
Carly’s Note: Yeah, I love my feet, too. I think my toes are cute. I probably wouldn’t say that about any other body part.
February 15th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
From my considerable experience I know that women that own a lot, and I mean a lot, of shoes are crazy…
Crazy for loving, crazy for passion, crazy for spontaneity, crazy for it…just crazy for it all the time. Hot hot hot. And then they are crazy for more…shoes…
Yah, I know, sounds crazy–but it’s true…
Carly’s Note: I assume you’ve kept statistics on this?
February 16th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Hi Carly
The only thing I collect is JACK POINT’S
Thanks for any that you may have given me!
Bob
Carly’s Note: Excellent collection! They’re free and could potentially get you some cool stuff.
February 17th, 2008 at 10:02 am
As a guy I’ll never understand the need for that many shoes.
I collect little figures from anywhere I visit.
Carly’s Note: That’s a nice way to remember your travels. Do you have a special display case for them?
February 17th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Hi Carly, I played your bonus code that you said was good until midnight Feb 17th but I didn’t get the bonus points -When I checked my transactions this is what it said - Expired 2/17/2008 04:45:05 PM
Bonus Code ‘footwear’ - Expired - whatsup?
Carly’s Note: I think was a glitch in the system. Try it again. It should be good until midnight on the 18th. If not, sorry about that. I’ll have another code posted later today.
February 17th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Hi My 21 year old daughter collects shoes also. She has expensive shoe taste but is cheap. Her fav place to buy shoes at the moment is winners and browns at vaughan mills. She got a pair of betsey johnsons for 25.00 Her best deal was 3 pairs a mimosa, miss sixty and the betsey johnsons total cost 750.00 her cost 92.00 for all 3 pairs. I used to collect little liquor bottles had about 300 but a pain to dust. Also collected match book covers and little spoons oh and the worst i collected ty beanie bears. I have so many and dont know what to do with them now. Oh well live and learn. Have a great family day Sandra
Carly’s Note: You daughter has great taste - and a keen sense of smell when it comes to deals. If you no longer want those Beanie Babies - sell ‘em! They’ve got to be worth some serious cash.
February 18th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
When I use to travel a lot, I use to collect stir sticks and matches from every resort, hotel and “watering hole” I could find. Problem with that is everyone tends to think I’m a bit of a lush that smokes way too much. Oh well, we all have a place in this life…..have a great day!
Carly’s Note: The matches come in handy, though, even for non-smokers. I was trying to light some candles over the Christmas holidays and having moved mid-October, I couldn’t remember where I had put the matches. The Advent Wreath tends to look more festive when it’s actually lit. By the way, the lush who smokes too much tends to be the life of the party.
February 18th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Hi Carly, I’ve started to collect autographs, but only from celebs that I have met (…..most lean towards the sci-fi/fantasy side). The only exception of someone that I haven’t met, but paid for an autographed photo would be Ralph Fiennes (…..he looked too good in a suit/tux to pass up).
Carly’s Note: I’m a sucker for a man in a suit myself.
February 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Hi Carly. I collected belly button lint for 13 years. I knitted it into a sweater for my Nanna. She says it’s very warm and cozy, but kinda smelly.
Carly’s Note: What a thoughtful gift!
February 18th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I used to collect baseball cards, hockey cards, etc, and I guess I still do, but I don’t spend too much money on it nowadays. I’m trying to get more rare items and stuff that you just can’t get all the time. Those mini goalie sticks that McDonald’s is currently selling is an example of that. It’s only sold for a limited time, and I’m guessing there’s a limited amount of them too, so if I do decide to sell them years from now, I’m sure the price would appreciate quite a bit.
I also love the various bobbleheads that they give out at sporting events. I don’t have a lot of them, but since I’m a Jays fan, I try to go to all the games when they’re giving them out.
Carly’s Note: What bugs me is when companies like Disney purposely only make something available for a limited time, so they force people to rush out to buy the DVD and drive up the value, too.
February 18th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
HI Carly,
Amongst the many things I like to collect, I was most proud of my small envelope that had “concert tickets” written on the front and every stub from every concert I ever went to inside it. I adored and always kept it close to me, Unfortunately, I broke up with my boyfriend when I was living out west and I packed up most of my stuff and we agreed (as we still cared a lot about each other and we’re still very close) that he would send me all the rest later on as I had to leave and get home.
One day we were on the phone and he starts quoting all the concerts I saw and then I asked him, “You didn’t throw that envelope out, did you?” and when he said yes, I was furious and he said that he didn’t think they meant anything to me and that they were garbage. I was so mad at him that he said I should have taken them with me when I left then and I said that we agreeed I’d only take what I could fit on the airplane for now, so needless to say, I’ll never see them again and it’s sad because I really treasured them as I ADORE music. I’ve never forgiven him but we are still close friends and at least I have all the albums still (over 300) and some concert t-shirts and newspaper reviews of the show the day after from a lot of them, so that’s better than nothing (I guess!!)
Carly’s Note: That does seem like a loss. It’s strange he would throw out an envelope with “concert tickets” marked on it. If you didn’t care to keep them, you would have been discarding them right after the show. But in a way, he did you a favour. You still have the memories, however, you no longer have an envelope collecting dust. They’re not quite “collectibles”, but I hang on to items I say I’ll put in a scrapbook - newspaper articles, recipes, pictures. I never seem to get around to doing it, though, so they just take up room in my drawers, you know? I probably wouldn’t miss them if I lost them in a move.
February 18th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Dragon sculptures mostly but I also collect knives & swords. I’m working on the LOTR collection, its coming along nicely .
Carly’s Note: That will make a nice wall display and could come in handy when preparing stir fry.
February 19th, 2008 at 5:13 am
Hey Carly!
I am a rat, (in the sense of the chinese horoscope…lol!) So, I am guilty of collecting SO many things!! I would drive my ex crazy, with all the “crap” as he put it, he would find stuffed in bags, and sealed boxes, in closets, shelves, and up on shelves, (I PUT UP MYSELF..!!) Thankyou very much..:)
I collect plates, and fridge magnets, from around the world, where I’ve travelled. Also, (..don’t laugh..), Bratz dolls. My earliest one being from London, England, (circa, 2000.)
I love collecting, hard to attain, “Horror movies.” Not shlocky, or gory, just good hauntings , and ghost stories!!
I REALLY enjoy the “Japanese horror movies”, such along the lines, “Grudge”, “Cube”, “The Eye….” VERY complicated, and bone chilling movies!!!
I too collect “Autograph’s”, and hand signed pictures. I have one of “Steven Tyler”, and “Johnny Depp” in frames!!!!!!!! Vinyl, bands you probably never heard of, mostly British.. and wrist watches from around the world.
Also LOVE SHOES!!! Got a pair of funky, black suede, with pink “Hello Kitties, “Doc Marten’s” for $10.00 bucks at a consignment store!!!!
And, last but, not least, funky hats and caps, as well as ANTIQUE FURNITURE!!! Some GORGEOUS pieces out there!!!!
I know….get a life Susan…:)
Have a “GROOVY” day!!
Carly’s Note: That many “collections” would drive me crazy! Maybe I’ll start collecting ex-husbands, preferably ones with large bank accounts and incompetent divorce lawyers.