"It rules my life," said Sparky Haufle, an avid collector from Bellingham, Washington. "I just had to go out and buy five boxes of Cheerios to collect the latest discs put out. I've put so much time and money and energy into it, I can't get out now."

Hm. Who knew all those AOL coasters...uh...I mean discs...would one day be worth something.

People will collect anything. One person's trash is another's treasure.

My dad used to collect old newspapers from his hometown back in Portugal. My mother collected strange little glass figurines. My grandfather collected or hoarded all of our Land O' Lakes cardboard packages so he could practice and show-off his skill at turning the American Indian woman on the front into a topless wonder through a series of cuts and folds. For years I thought my grandfather invented this comedic bombshell (which was only funny because my grandfather would perform the transformation as though he were a magician, ending it with a whirl of his wrist as he held up his masterpiece for all to see), only to discover that there are web sites devoted to this "nifty" little trick.

Of course, it being 1975 and all, I think he got his information from other sources.

Anyway, every time we'd finish a package of butter, I'd beg him to do the trick. And, every time, he'd perform the entire routine flawlessly. It would usually occur somewhere in the kitchen, either on the counter or the kitchen table. He would spread out his tools (scissors, package and bone folder) and begin cutting and folding. He was a master at building up the suspense and, although I'd witnessed this trick several times and was well aware of the outcome, I would sit there mesmerized, trying to commit each step to memory and laughing hysterically when he'd hold up the final product. My grandmother was usually feet away baking some pie or making breakfast and would angrily chime in, "Tomas! Stop that!" as she proceeded to walk over only to be taken in by how funny he and I thought it was and how fascinated I was by the whole thing.

It didn't take much to please me back then.

It came time to retire the performance of this most amusing little trick when, one day, I brought my own package to Kindergarten and performed the trick for several, extremely interested onlookers. Everyone thought it was funny. It was a big hit. I was a big hit. However, Sister Castro, the nun assigned to teach our class, didn't think it was so funny. She quickly marshalled me over to the Principal's office where I was yelled at and cross-examined. When asked where I had learned this comedic masterpiece, I ratted out my grandfather, hoping to escape punishment.

After the Principal spoke with my mother, my mother "spoke" with me and my grandfather, and the trick was never performed again.

I should explain that we lived with my grandparents when I was younger and, when we finally moved out, I discovered a small box in the basement full of flattened Land O' Lakes packages ready to be exploited.

In any case, although I wouldn't really call that "collecting" in the traditional sense, my grandfather continued saving those packages for years after retiring his routine. Eventually, he started collecting harmonicas and began performing a new routine which involved playing old Portuguese folk tunes with his partner, our family dog. He would play while the dog howled along.

To this day, my grandfather gets at least one new harmonica every few months and each dog since the aforementioned dog has participated in his routine. There is no practical reason for getting a new harmonica periodically, except for the fact that he likes the way they look and feel. He loves them as objects. When he spots one that is different in some way, he simply must have it. It was the same with the Land O' Lakes packages. He would scour the butter section at the grocery store for different variations on the design. This would often result in him purchasing the "wrong" kind of butter, or margerine instead of butter, for whatever my grandmother was planning on baking.

She was not amused.

Anyway, the point is, despite the fact that he had a use for the packages, he also loved them in and of themselves. He liked the artwork and all of it's variations. Same with the harmonicas. Although they serve the function of drawing attention to him and the family dog and provide a musical outlet, he appreciates them for what they are - objects. Pieces of art.

Who can explain it? Much has been written about the subject of collecting, I'm sure. But, really, who knows why anyone collects anything? It's a very subjective thing and the reasons are not the same for everyone. What you collect and why says a lot about who you are and what is important to you. It can also be an outward expression of some neurosis when taken too far. But, in the end, it's in our nature.

Myself...I like to collect fairly normal things which fall under the "collectibles" category: comics, Sanrio figures, Japanese stationery, old postcards and elephants.

Ok, so elephants don't exactly fall under the colectibles category...but still.

So, in an attempt to avoid having to type out my thoughts about why people collect things and what I think it means or says about human nature, I'll simply pose the question:

What do you collect? mudpup : 1:08 PM | link | comments

Sandra Tsing Loh

Apparently, Sandra Tsing Loh has a new book out.

Who knew?

If you're not familiar with her work, you really should pick up one of her books. She's an essayist who regularly reads on NPR's Morning Edition and Marketplace. She's extremely funny, especially in Depth Takes a Holiday (my personal favorite) where she pokes fun at the L.A. scene, the art scene, hipsters, Hollywood and people in general.

Her Aliens in America collection is a must for any child of an immigrant family. Her family is Asian, but the experiences are easily transferable and universally funny for any first-generation child.

Personally, I don't think she gets enough mention as she's often overshadowed by the other equally amazing NPR contributors. But, once you discover her, you'll want to buy all of her books.

Trust me.

mudpup : 12:32 PM | link | comments