What sacrifices did you make...

3-12-09 What sacrifices did you make to amass your collection? C'mon! Fess

up!

Record collecting likely killed my first marriage. It has caused some structural damage to the building I live in. I’ve hit rock bottom in the old bank account a few times, because of record collecting (Ever spend your food money on records? I have.) – and I think I’ve missed a few key turns in my life…because of record collecting.

It’s like any obsession, really. I can do it with my eyes closed! I can touch an LP cover and tell you if it’s from England or not (flaps, paper texture, lamination etc.). I also believe that the eye gets trained to scan for desired pressings. In a long stack of assorted LP’s, “imported” LP’s do really stand out. I learned all of this stuff while ignoring how one became an adult in the late 20^th century. I was busy learning record collector lore.

Has record collecting affected my mental health? It’s possible. At times, I know that collecting has kept me from goin’ nuts! But how many miles have I put on my assorted cars, in search of vinyl? When I travel to Europe or Asia, at least there is other stuff that interests me at my destinations.

I recently had to transfer everything (45’s & CD’s) into smaller boxes – as I can no longer lift the large storage cartons easily! Perhaps record collecting has placed some physical limitations on me, now that I am getting on a bit.

But I think when this question was posed, it was meant to intimate that record collecting was somehow socially or physically hazardous. Well, just about any hobby can be socially or physically hazardous, if over-done.

= = =

This week, I had to remove all the CD boxed sets from a top shelf in the record room; the top shelf didn’t look too sturdy, and I didn’t look forward to having to pick everything up if the shelf failed. So, more physical considerations.

But, in the end, I think record collecting wins. I have made wonderful friends, heard a lot of great music - and I have all this stuff!