Odd Collections

I've collected a lot of odd things throughout the years.  I think this happens to everyone.  There's just something satisfying about creating a collection and adding to it.  One of my first collections was "Photos of McDonald's Restaurants Around the World".  It was a wordy and strangely specific collection.  I amassed photos with my point and shoot camera and via my dad's business trips.  I had huge dreams of turning them all in to a coffee table book some day.  I no longer take photos of foreign McDonald's restaurants but seeing unique ones in new cities always stirs up a smile.  And I still have a thing for coffee table books.

Later in my teens I got really into Gumby and had quite the impressive collection of Gumby  licensed products.  I sold the collection on Ebay for a handsome profit.  As a flight attendant I started collection magnets of the states and countries I visited.  Still today I can assemble about 85% of the US on my fridge if challenged, though the magnets live in a drawer now.  When I started skiing in high school and college (recreational once or twice a year) I would collect pins from the various mountains I skied.  Lapel pins that I would attach to my neon green poufy ski jacket that screamed "TEXAS" to all the native Colorado skiers.  As a matter of fact, I think the pins are still on that jacket. 

Lapel pins are probably the one collection I still keep up with today.  I received several during my time as a flight attentdant and then have picked up other ones along the way.  I don't have tons but each one I do have comes with a special memory.  I've been lucky to visit a few cities hosting the Olympics.  Last year I attended my first World Series game.  This year the UT Co-op handed out Red River Rivalry pins with purchase.  I would take each pin and stick it in my lapel pin Ziplock baggie.  Not an exciting display of my collection.  With the office renovation in full swing I decided I wanted to put them in a shadow box.  Shadow boxes are not cheap but I found one at Michael's on clearance for $8 since a piece of wood had broken off the interior frame.  That's at least $20-30 in savings.  What a deal!

I considered painting the wood first, but it grew on me.  I punched my pins into place and then hung it in my office.  I like that I see it when I walk in the room.

I still have plenty of room for growth, which is good.  I probably only acquire 1-2 pins a year.  I like to think of it as my own version of a charm bracelet.  Oh wait, I have a charm bracelet and collect charms for it too!  I forgot about that.  Excuse the mess of my office.  I'm starting with that far wall and slowly working my way across the room.  Making progress.

I feel like my collection is now official and not just a plastic baggie I've held onto over the years. Now if I could just track down those old ski pins...