On Collecting

I collect. I collect a lot of different things. Lately, my main objects of interest are odd stuffed animals (Not the dead kind, that would be too creepy. Even for me) art supplies. Of course, that's in addition to my bizarre fascination with all things Hello Kitty. It's a sickness, really. I swear I'm a Pez dispenser away from an intervention.

Being a collector of random weirdness that has to be dusted has its advantages, though. Over the years I've developed a pretty decent eye for detail, especially for the unusual. And I use this to my full advantage when I write. Having a backlog of people, places, facts, things, and phrases in my head creates this wonderful mixture that I can draw upon for just about anything. I write down a lot of what intrigues me. It makes me feel like I'm somewhat organized, even though I know that it's a terrible, terrible charade. And on a really "on" day, I even manage to remember to take my camera with me.

I need all the help I can get my grubby little mitts on, plus it satisfies my need to gather things (Past life as a squirrel, maybe?).