Addicted

You might think I mean I'm addicted to collecting one particular thing, like notebooks or magnets or something. Nope, I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to collecting things. And yes, I know that makes me sound like a hoarder. But I figure since I don't collect actual junk, I'm okay. Right? Right?

These are the things I currently collect:

Memorabilia, including personalised mail I've received (postcards, letters, cards - not junk mail or bills!), tickets from movies, concerts or trips, that sort of thing.

Jewellery. I don't really wear jewellery. Prior to getting a Garmin tracker, I would wear my watch to work, and I wear my wedding ring, my engagement ring (although I only started wearing this recently) and Steve's grandmother's engagement ring. Yet, I still keep buying jewellery. On my last trip I bought a purple wooden bangle, and a Lord of the Rings ring and a Dark Crystal necklace from Weta Workshops. On my previous trip I bought myself a necklace. I will probably never wear any of these things. I keep an eye on the ads on Trademe (our local version of ebay) for quality jewellery that's being sold cheap, but so far I haven't bought much. I did buy a pearl necklace and a sapphire bracelet from there. I have five jewellery boxes, and no, that's not enough to hold everything.

I collect the Golden Court china from J & G Meakin. We originally inherited six soup bowls from Steve's grandparents, and now we have enough pieces to host a dinner party (which we've done, numerous times).

I collect a certain pattern of Grindley china. I can't find out what the name of the pattern is. We originally inherited a tureen from Steve's grandparents and now have about 10 pieces.

It's worth noting that both my mother and mother-in-law collected china. My mother collected Pennine by Wedgwood and my mother-in-law collected Bleu de Roi by Alfred Meakin.

I also collect Stuart Crystal. I just love it. I collect the ones that look like cut glass, not the ones with etched patterns. I have quite a bit, including port glasses, a decanter, a couple of bowls and a vase.

We also have a collection of RCR Fusion crystal, but we haven't bought any of it ourselves, it's all been gifts from Steve's parents.

Artwork. I'm kind of nuts when it comes to art. I don't know why, but the idea of having an art collection makes me feel fancy and sophisticated. However, I don't pay much for most of the pieces. I have 22 original paintings, that I paid an average of $23 each for. But that's misleading, because I actually paid a lot for two of them, and bugger all for all the rest. I also have four limited edition prints and three prints.

Bookmarks. These were my very first collection. I started collecting bookmarks when I was 14. I have a bunch of paper/cardboard ones, the kind they give you free at the library or when you buy a book, but I also have some leather ones that I collected from historical places we visited in the UK and a couple of nice ones I've bought. I even have a 'solid gold money clip' that I'm sure isn't solid gold, that my dad received for being on a game show when I was a teenager, that I've always used as a bookmark.

Books. I'm just starting to collect books really. The oldest ones I own are a copy of the Hobbit that I was given as a child from my uncle, and a children's book called Once Upon A Rainbow that belonged to me and my sisters when we were little. I have a list of the books I want in my collection, and I'm slowly obtaining them by either ordering them online or finding them in second hand bookstores. When I can, I like to buy them directly from the author and get them autographed.

We have a lot of recipe books too. A number of them are from Steve's baking days, a bunch are WeightWatchers ones, and some are autographed by the chefs.

Figurines. I have a number of pretty lady figurines by Royal Doulton, Hamilton, Coalport and Regency. I also have some fantasy figurines by Anne Stokes and others.

Alcohol. We buy alcohol much faster than we drink it, and to be honest, I find collecting it more fun than drinking it. I guess it's a bit like having an art collection - having a 'cellar' makes me feel sophisticated. Not including bottles that are open, we currently have 17 bottles of single malt whisky and 3 bottles of blended whisky; 13 bottles of port and 4 bottles of fortified wine; 36 bottles of wine that are worth more than $25 each (and half a dozen that are worth less); 2 bottles of vodka; 2 bottles of gin; 2 bottles of orange liqueur; and a bottle of rum. That's not counting the bottles of whisky and port that are open (say, half a dozen of each) and the cream liqueur that's open. You'd think we have a drinking problem, but honestly, if we drank more we wouldn't have so much because we'd have drunk it!

I recently realised I have quite a collection of out-of-circulation NZ coins, and I thought I could start collecting those. I bought a couple off Trademe before I came to my senses... for now.


So what do you think? Am I addicted to collecting things?


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