Another "get to know a little something about the forumites" thread...
What unusual items do you like to collect?
(Looking for things other than the obvious answers of boardgames, comic books, or SF/F books as I suspect lots of people on the forum collect those.)
Personally, I've got a bunch of odd collections around the house, but the two things I always look for at antiques markets and yard sales are: vintage group photos (esp. ones with unusual outfits or settings) and Baedecker's Guides from the Golden Age of Travel (mine span roughly 1885-1925).
Time for some scientific action!
https://twitter.com/SeeSome
Let's see...
When I was very little, I collected marbles. Never played the game, just collected them.
For a while I was collecting foreign language Harry Potter books. I've mostly stopped, now, although I've still got the collection.
I have a collection of home-made paper stars that's 28,000 strong.
Now I'm collecting knitting patterns, although that's mostly by accident - people keep giving them to me, whether I want them or not!
"Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?"
- Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
Chunks of wood and metal. Most of them get turned into things, eventually, but they usually have to percolate for a while.
I like to collect old cook books, usually from garage/yard sales. Not only are the recipes in them usually really good, but it's really cool to look through. Like a more interesting history book.
My favorite one so far is a collection of recipes from recovering alcoholics that came from the 70s.
"A delayed game is eventually good. A rushed game is bad forever"
-Shigeru Miyamoto
Pull tab/ring pulls from soda/beer cans. Started as a teenager for no apparent reason and I haven't saved any in years, but I still have thousands of them in the attic.
Now I'd have to say vegetable seed varieties, particularly peas, French beans, tomatoes and chillies. And I'm working on my collection of true potato seeds (as in real produced-from-a-fruit seeds rather than "seed tubers").
Just assume I'm always doing that.
Damn it, Ronway!
I collect quotes by my spouse.
Hi. My name's Andy. Feel free to call me Andy, since, ya know, that's my name. (he/him/his)
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If not now, when? If I am for myself alone, what am I? -- Hillel
I love old recipe books. Since I've moved to Pittsburgh I've been working on old parish cookbooks from the ethnic neighborhoods. Those recipes are awesome.
I'm much more about the recipe than the books though, I get a food in mind and have to find the right recipe that gives me exactly what I want from that food.
Alcohol is quickly catching up, drink recipes and finding the best liquer for the drinks I like is becoming an obsession.
Oh, I collect quotes to (but not usually by Andy's wife ;)).
I write down amusing things that people say that make me laugh, and I don't note who said them or what the context was. This makes them much funnier and weirder reading them back. I hadn't thought of them as a collection, but they definitely are!
Just assume I'm always doing that.
Damn it, Ronway!