Old Stuff

Posted: July 14, 2009

Do I look like a guy who collects a lot of old stuff? I must. Just yesterday I was contacted by two people who wanted to give me their stuff. One gentleman from Chatham County inherited a huge collection of big band records from the 1940’s. He thought I would like to have them. I thanked him for the gesture of generosity but explained that I just don’t have room at home. Later I was sent an email from a woman who wanted to share with me her collection of vintage WRAL t-shirts including one from the environmental campaign “Save Our Sounds.” As she put it: “They are actually still in pretty good shape - no holes, stains, tears, or yellowing. Not bad for being probably 20 years old or more!” I had to pass on that as well. My t-shirt collection at home is already a closet buster.

Okay. Now it’s my turn. I have something to give away. It’s a collection of knobs, meters and audio jacks. I’ve got this 32 channel Tascam audio console that I have used in my home studio for eight years. I am getting rid of it to make way for a new digital system. The Tascam console is in great shape and works well. I’d be willing to donate it to a church or some other charity. Let me know if you’re interested. My email address is bleslie@wral.com I’m under heavy pressure at home to remove this fine piece of equipment from my garage.

Today’s question: what do you collect as a hobby? The person who comes up with the most creative collection will win a Blue Ridge Reunion CD, which, by the way, was recently voted Best Instrumental Acoustic Album of 2008 by international radio hosts.

22 Comments

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thefensk - we also have some keychain fobs. and you are correct that they are cheaper. just a little piece of christmas ribbon makes them very pretty for the tree. we added one from epcot and one from sea world this past spring.

wdwbmw
July 15, 2009 3:59 p.m.

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I collect "DUST" ... Or maybe I should say my collections do. :)

ujstdontgetit
July 15, 2009 11:56 a.m.

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On a whim, my first wife and I bought a dated (1976)Christmas ornament the first Christmas we were engaged. We decided to again the next year when Hallmark started offering them and continued each year after that. When our daughters were born we started adding one for each of them every year with the idea that they would become theirs when they grew up. The girls are both in their 20's now. Their mom passed away when they were 8 and 11 and we have continued to add to the collection each year. Their mom was like another child at Christmas and I doubt there is anything that holds as many cheerful memories for us as those ornaments do. I remarried and acquired 2 stepsons. My wife had started collections for the boys when they were born as well. So we just kept it going. None of the kids are ready to take their ornaments yet, so we have to "ration" tree space now since it would never hold all of them. It's the only thing I've ever collected, and it's become a family tradition.

Wheelman
July 14, 2009 4:28 p.m.

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wdwbmw -- we kind of do that, but what we started doing instead of "official" ornaments is getting keychains and using the fob as the decorations. We have found these to be smaller, sometimes more imaginative, and sturdier than ornaments. Usually cheaper too.

Of course we did have lunch one day in Point Pleasant WV and couldn't pass up a "Mothman" ornament. That is one of our most coveted recent ornaments.

thefensk
July 14, 2009 3:47 p.m.

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I collect Christmas ornaments from places that we travel. There are so many now that we have a second Christmas tree each year that we call the trip tree. A new ornament from the NC Zoo was added this past week-end when we took our grandchildren there.

wdwbmw
July 14, 2009 3:18 p.m.

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I collect paper fans, like the kind you can close up or open out to fan yourself with. I have some from different countries from relatives who've traveled, and some for a variety of different places. My Mom even gave me a gold "paper" fan charm for my charm bracelet. I hope someday to find a way to display them all.

ladybugs-mom
July 14, 2009 3:09 p.m.

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I love Garfield and have a small collection of stuff (stuffed animals, books, telephone, etc).

I also like fridge magnets from places we've visited and I have a pretty good collection of the souvenir pennies (the cheapest souvenir you can get these days)

murdock
July 14, 2009 2:10 p.m.

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I collect snowmen. I have them plastered all over my house in every room and keep them out all year long.

kimberlyflee
July 14, 2009 2:03 p.m.

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Mr. Leslie--

If you can contact that fella about the old LPs, I'd be glad to preserve them. I have no financial interest in protecting those albums other than my four and two-year-olds having them along with 2000+ albums to pass on to them for future generations (and I'll shake your hand on that promise that I'm not resellin'). Can we contact that fella? I just lost my Dad last week, whose collection will more than double that collection, and I can't bear to lose the vinyl to the MP3 generation.

GarnerDoug
July 14, 2009 1:47 p.m.

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Skulls--before that sounds too weird or scary, understand I'm a biology teacher. Opossum, rat, shrew, mole, an unfortunate hummingbird, cow, deer, beaver, dog, cat, etc...........all from "found" already dead animals, of course--most already cleaned by nature. A friend even leaves a "surprise" find by my garage door from time to time. The skull collection stays at school. I also like all sorts of things from generations past--an old radio I imagine my ancestors gathered around listening to events that are now part of history, my grandmother's churn, grandfather's corn shucker, old Mason and Bell jars, old bottles, etc.--things that help me connect with the past. Congratulations on the recognition received for Blue Ridge Reunion. I was fortunate to win one back in Dec., and have enjoyed it greatly.