collections
I had a small tin of coins from all over the world. Half a tin really; a mere handful, even. Still, an impressive collection for someone who hasn't travelled much or far. Most of the coins came from dad's passengers who had for some reason (mistake, intoxication, bankruptcy, and so on) paid/tipped him with foreign currency.
I've sorted and bagged the handful according to country. I'm not interested in expanding the collection just for the sake of doing it. The little bags are ideas for travel destinations. Somehow they're more real, more enticing than anything I've read in brochures or seen on TV. Life is happening in Fiji, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Mauritius, USA, ... Residents of Egypt, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, ... have visited where I live. When it's my turn to drop in on them, I'll happily take my little bag, and reunite its contents with their homeland.
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Do people collect stamps anymore? I do, and have been since before I knew all the Chn characters on those intricately composed squares/rectangles/triangles/...; and I learned to read unnaturally early. It started as a bonding activity between mum and I, even though my sticky fingers weren't allowed anywhere near the goodies at first. When at last her vigour waned I took over; methinks she was glad more than anything to be left alone to attend to more pressing matters.
Not that I know the first thing about protecting the specimens, spotting counterfeits, what's worth how much. Mine is more of an passive indiscriminate accumulation technique, i.e. the more the merrier and never go out of my way. The technique has much to commend itself: minimal time/effort/expenditure whilst still offering a certain amount of aesthetic nourishment. I'd like to pass it on to N, when (if ever) she achieves the requisite level of patience and TLC. Failing which, it is my earnest hope that amidst the junk lies a thing or two that'll supplement my retirement package.
I've sorted and bagged the handful according to country. I'm not interested in expanding the collection just for the sake of doing it. The little bags are ideas for travel destinations. Somehow they're more real, more enticing than anything I've read in brochures or seen on TV. Life is happening in Fiji, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Mauritius, USA, ... Residents of Egypt, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, ... have visited where I live. When it's my turn to drop in on them, I'll happily take my little bag, and reunite its contents with their homeland.
****************************************************************************************************
Do people collect stamps anymore? I do, and have been since before I knew all the Chn characters on those intricately composed squares/rectangles/triangles/...; and I learned to read unnaturally early. It started as a bonding activity between mum and I, even though my sticky fingers weren't allowed anywhere near the goodies at first. When at last her vigour waned I took over; methinks she was glad more than anything to be left alone to attend to more pressing matters.
Not that I know the first thing about protecting the specimens, spotting counterfeits, what's worth how much. Mine is more of an passive indiscriminate accumulation technique, i.e. the more the merrier and never go out of my way. The technique has much to commend itself: minimal time/effort/expenditure whilst still offering a certain amount of aesthetic nourishment. I'd like to pass it on to N, when (if ever) she achieves the requisite level of patience and TLC. Failing which, it is my earnest hope that amidst the junk lies a thing or two that'll supplement my retirement package.
posted by In2MeC at 1:06 pm
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