i think some of my collections are because they were things i wanted as a kid, but was never able to get. i loved zelda as a kid, and the only two i was able to get were given to me by my friend. links awakening and link to the past.
now i have just about every zelda made for handheld consoles… some are new never opened, the rest are complete in box. even got most of the guide books, just because. most of the books are still sealed. i also have a collection of mario stuff. got 5 nintendo hand held consoles. 3ds, ds lite, gb micro, gb advanced, and color gameboy…
geek side was just revealed…
other collections i think stem from how i was raised. ever since i was young, i had guns handed down to me. knives given to me.
now some of my newer ones… im not sure. i wouldnt call my camp stoves really a collection… but it may turn to it before long… and flashlights too… ill call this section redundancy of necessity
I tell others in case of power cuts ha ha.
My g/f and I laid a wreath last night in the graveyard about 18:00 pitch black, whilst walking back to the car my light went out, I told her flat batteries she was freaked out, I turned it back on just before getting to car, never seen her move so quick to smack me round the head(it hurt) when I turned it back on ha ha.
I’m good at resisting buying more lights, till I come on here, just bought a XTAR WK21, didn’t really want it, not a size that is useful to me!!
My 11 year old boy has been Zelda crazy for the past couple years. He wanted a Link action figure last year, but they were cheap made, 5-10 years old and $50-100 on ebay…. Well this year we got in on preorder of the new Link figure. In fact we ordered 3, one for him, one if something happens to the first one, and one to sell. Who knew there were people who collect $50+ “action figures”.
I don’t collect flashlights, I only buy one if I think it can replace another one I already have and Ill usually end up giving away or selling them after bacuse I don’t want 100s of them. 3-4 at a time is more than enough for me.
At the moment I just have a small collection of about 100 AA batteries, all higher end and special editions versions. I actually wish I could get my money back for them sometimes but I also don’t want to part with them and don’t want to take them out of the packets.
I don’t like collections of anything, my mother had a hoarding problem and it has made me hate everything that isn’t useful or that doesn’t get used regularly. If I see something around the house that I haven’t used for a while or don’t use at all it goes on eBay or in the bin.
Collecting is at one end of the spectrum, I suppose, with hoarding at the other……I sort of ‘accumulate’. Less, as time goes on, and I’m currently struggling with selling off a half century of collecting fine rifles.
Partly I think it’s because some of us just couldn’t afford anything much as kids, and often watched the ‘rich kids’ use nice things we couldn’t have. Maybe now that I can afford it, I feel temporarily better when I can spring for a $75 flashlight. But then it gouges at my conscience for quite a while. Most times I want the hell out of it for a month, buy it, find I don’t want it anymore, and end up giving it away. Figuring out how to quit wanting it without buying it would be the better way.
Partly it might be an appreciation for quality. I know I’d rather have one finely crafted old rifle in blued steel and English walnut than a half dozen shiny stainless steel ones, even if the modern one will shoot circles around it. The older it is, and the better quality it is, the harder time I have parting with it.
Partly it’s ‘backing things up’ - if I have an excellent thing, I want another one just like it in case something happens to the first one. I’m really bad for that.
But the original premise is correct. I don’t need all that stuff, and I’m in the process of getting rid of mine too.
Collecting - Stamp collecting - Who does not have stamp collection ? Its a way to save a part of our history or even heritage . Bit like being a guardian of history !
So if you have an interest in something , why should that not be preserved ? , and if you collect , then you also to some extent are protecting a part of human history , I see nothing wrong with that , as for hording ? well , one mans treasure is another mans junk ! That nasty perspective thing ...
I’m a pyromaniac (as are all men) and everyone knows a bigger fire is better. I mean just look at that one university in texas that makes some huge tower of poles and palletes and then lights it. It’s the same thing with flashlights, you want the brightest you can get, or just the best. I myself like knives also, and I’m obsessed with creating the best possible edge I can with the supplies I have.
Know some folks who work in the auction scene, where rarity is everything. They see big-time collectors get bored the instant the acquisition is theirs. It’s the chase, not the object, that drives those collectors. :money_mouth_face:
Funny thing is, lose the space and you’ll never miss the stuff. One of the reasons Americans are so acquisitive is because we’ve got big houses to fill.
I have the complete collection of Ford straight-six distributors for the 144-170-200-250ci engine family, from 1962-1974; along with the proper, matching carburettors, and corresponding ignition coils, all restored to OEM-perfectioness, and beyond. Would anybody care, but me? Would anyone care for a 1969 NOS Carter RBS-1bbl, new-in-box?
Same for torches. Enjoy your collection while you have it.
I really cherish books, though. Shakespeare, my oldest is a 1851 print from London. Goethe, 1864. Wish I had some first printings of Wyndham, Matheson, Harrison, Bradbury; yet, I haven’t any, so I have to live with mine from the 70’s.
Won’t even ask for a 1st print of Machiavelli or Hobbes.
Someday you will save a fellow Ford fanatic, who will not believe their luck at finding a matched set of carburetors and coils.
The only solace to collecting things that 6 people in the world care about, is that the Internet will put you in touch with all 6, and they will be VERY appreciative!
I like knowing about and owning things that other people don’t have (candles are still popular here and maglite is still the ‘best’.) I’m fascinated by the technology of lights and in particular, by their efficiencies. I’m also pretty sure that I’m a shopaholic since, more often than not, there is more excitement in the research and weighing of pros and cons that preceed a flashlight purchase than the enjoyment post purchase. (maybe this is not related to shopaholism. shrug ) Flashlights give me something to do: Research > purchase > change LED > change LED again > Change driver > cannabalise for another light, give away or sell, > buy new light… (Not to forget all the battery charging, dischaging and testing during ownership.)
There are probably a few more reasons I can’t think of now in my sleep deprived state.
You either own things or things own you ..like old4570 said it's all perpective If you're bothered by it and can't seem to help yourself from buying it's not collecting it's compulsive buying to mask a psychological glitch .maybe the first part of fixing it is admitting that thats the case and not calling it something it isn't . To some people it isn't collecting at all .
i think the ones that talk about it most are the ones struggling with it and actually actively trying to manage it . others are either in denial totally or don't have any idea how it could be a problem with anyone at all and have no problem with lights no matter how many they have or don't have . We all wrestle with this at least a bit as we make decisions to buy or not to buy ..As long as we aren't buying Yosemitie Sam mudflaps for our pick-up truck instead of getting formula for the baby then we're probably OK .
Lights are a tool , guys like tools ..guys like being thought of as being handy or helpful ..having a handy tool at the right time might be seen as being "Johnny on the spot" so we carry a little knife with a screw driver , a corkscrew, a nail file ,an awl,a big blade ,a small blade ,an abacus ,a rubix cube,a laser,a toothpick and a cloking device . ......And a small 5 xml edc flashlight.:P
There’s something about having a matched set. It feels more complete when you have them all. Is there someone out there madly trying to collect one of every type of 17mm driver made? Probably. I just like to line up my skittles before I eat them.
Why collect more?