>  RS>     I'm not a retiree yet (only 40), but I'm starting a very special
 >  RS> collection:  GrandKids!  Got me two so far (6mo & 5yrs) and hoping to
 >  RS> get a few more before my 'production companies' stop.  
 > One of our early rules was never to collect or purchase anything that
 > eats, requires toilet training, or must be cared for by others in order
 > for us to take a trip.
    I need to remember this - we plan to retire to an RV and spend the 
balance of our days roaming the US/Canada and terrorizing our kids!  Nothing 
worse than grandparents with too much time just 'stopping in' to spoil the 
kids and then hi-tail it into the sunset!!  >
 > We see them about once a year, which is fine.
    As much as we hate to admit it, at this age (for all involved) that just 
wouldn't be enough for either of us (the grandkids are still very young and 
cute!).  However, as they get older... and we get older.... 
 > Fish and
 > grandkids both need to be removed after about 3 days, when they both
 > begin to smell bad and cause problems. 
                              >
 >  RS>     My more normal collections are Hot Wheels, Trolls (Wish Nik
 >  RS> variety), computers, and Godzilla toys (can't WAIT for the new movie
 >  RS> this year!!!).
 > A friend of mine also collects hot wheels.  We saw about six or seven at
 > a local auction last week.  The minimum bid was set so high that they
 > didn't receive a single bid from the audience.  He says he may attend
 > this week and inspect the cars before the auction. He has the "bug" bad!
 > (The antique/collectring bug...)
    I've never gotten 'into' antiques - I get too worried about doing 
something wrong and losing value ("You waxed what!!!")
    I've found it works best to collect what you enjoy.  If there is no joy, 
what's the value in it?  Most of us will never realize any profit from our 
collections - most hobbyists will leave them to the kids as inheritance.  So 
I prefer to enjoy what I collect NOW, not 40 years from now.  Besides, I 
don't know that I could bear to part with some of my =stuff= (as George 
Carlin defines it!)... I'd rather be broke and have all my toys than rich 
with nothing to play with.
 > We are going "antiquing" again in a few days, after we inventory our
 > latest purchases.  Have been threatening to get the inventory done for a
 > month!  Retirement allows lots of procrastination.  Life is good!
    Inventory:  something people with too much anxiety put on paper, and the 
rest of us just keep in our heads.
     Robert O. Sachs
     FIDOnet   1:123/315.1
     Internet   rosachs@vantek.net
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