Feb 27, 20195 min read

Am I a Hoarder?

I was a fantastic journal writer up until the year I started dating Craig. I guess I spent all my time talking on the phone & being with him that writing it all down went to the wayside. For heaven’s sake I can’t tell you how many times I fell asleep talking to him on the phone only to wonder why he hung up on me when I came to. So this year I made myself a goal- I would try and blog! It wouldn’t be your typical journal entry but I have to say, I’m discovering all kinds of things about myself and the life I live. Trying to think of what to write is easy at times, and then others I feel like the most boring person on the planet. Today, I find myself wondering if I’m a hoarder….

Almost the moment Mercedes was able to walk around and play out back in the dirt she has been a rock collector. I thought it was so cute when she would come to me with an elated look on her face, and open her tiny fingers to reveal her latest treasure. From her body language you would have thought she found the Devils Eye diamond (from Disney’s Rescuers’). We would go for walks and come home with pockets full of rocks & pebbles. There was even a time she thought a fly-away piece of char-coaled log (like from someone’s fire pit) was a rock and her hands & face were covered in black ash by the time we got home…Silly girl… She especially loved our neighbor’s sparkly white rock flowerbeds. Each time we would walk by she insisted on swiping one, and we would promptly instruct her to put it back. One day she swiped one without us seeing, and when I noticed it sitting proudly on her dresser later that afternoon, she and her dad took a walk to the neighbor’s house to put it back. The neighbor was thrilled that she loved their rocks so much; he sent her back home with that same rock plus another (he offered a whole pocketful but thankfully Craig was there to limit her haul).

Time went on and those rocks started to become less cute, and more annoying. My temper would flare as I heard the sound of yet another pebble that had been sucked up into my new vacuum, or as I woke and got out of my bed only to step on what I assume she was trying to label, ‘the prayer rock.’ I definitely wasn’t saying a prayer when I stepped on those rocks…Choice words yes…. I could only giggle to myself as I lay in bed and heard a mumbling coming from our closet one morning. It was Craig; he had found yet another pebble/rock in his shoe, a present from our daughter. I have to admit I got to the point I would throw rocks back outside when she wasn’t looking, or if I was really upset and never wanted to see that rock again, I would throw it in the garbage- I know it’s ridiculous, but I didn’t say I was always the brightest crayon in the box. As time went by her top dresser drawer grew heavier & heavier. Finally we decided she needed to have some kind of case for her rocks. That worked until it was full… I’d love to say we found some way to curb her rock interest and constant collecting, but I haven’t. Instead she has decided to share her love of rocks. When someone visits, and before they go home, Mercedes shares one of her ‘special rocks’ from her collection. I love it, she loves it, and life is good. I do love her appreciation and wonder when she admires her rocks; I wish I was always so easily content and pleased with natures’ offerings. Now that I grumbled about my daughter’s choice of collections, what does this have to do with me?

The other day my hubby lightheartedly said I was a hoarder. I couldn’t believe it! A hoarder? Could I be a hoarder? Then one word was spoken. PENS. Odd I know but I LOVE pens. I love the flow of a pen with great ink, I love the feel of the pens design in-between my fingers, and I love the look of beautiful and personal handwriting on a piece of paper. As a kid my dad had a drawer filled with fantastic pens. Smooth ink, cheap ink, colorful ink, dried up ink and everything in-between. I was fascinated with the variety his collection held. Notice I said Collection. Not Hoard. Collection or collector sounds romantic, timeless and distinguished. On the other hand, hoard or hoarder instantaneously paints a picture of an old broken down house filled to its ceiling with boxes, crap and unhealthy conditions. I had to look up the definition to see if this hoard word really did apply to me. Here’s what I came up with.

Hoarder: A person who hoards things (wow that was helpful)… synonyms: collector, saver, gatherer, accumulator, magpie, and squirrel. Well, I don’t have feathers or fur like a magpie or squirrel, so hoarder I am not.

Since I couldn’t get away with stealing my dad’s cluster of magnificent writing instruments, somewhere in history I started my very own pen collection. When we married, I didn’t have much to contribute to our home furnishings but I did have 2 gallon-sized Ziploc bags of pens.

Over the years Craig has become extremely protective of his ‘nice pens’ he receives from work. Rarely do they come into the house which means he must have some fear they will disappear from his possession. He did say once I was a 'pen klepto ...' In my defense, his workplace provides some pretty incredible pens…. The way they write and the ink flow-AH! It’s flawless.

I’m sure you’re now asking what I’m going to do about it. First off, I’ve been told that the first step is admitting you have a problem. Here's the thing, I’ve been doing some thinking, and let me justify my hobby by saying...One day if the power goes out, and phones don’t work, computers cease to start up, tablets refuse to power on, and the TV only shows one station-a black screen, ‘I will survive. I’m gonna make it thru’, because I have pens (it’s a form of communication ;)). So, who's the smart one then huh? Yup, me. little ole 'not-the-smartest-crayon-in-the-box' me.

I will admit I love pens. I am not admitting I’m a hoarder, I’m admitting I am a collector. They are two different things.

Collector by definition: A person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby.

So since I’m a photographer (and that’s a professional title), I’m going to go ahead and say I’m a professional pen collector as well… THEN I can write my pen purchases off of my tax expenses!! Just teasing, I will not be writing any ole pen purchase off, but maybe I should get some with my logo/watermark printed on them…

Maybe I’m odd, maybe I’m crazy, maybe I’m that special kind of special, but either way, my name is Mikenna and I am a pen collector, and have no intention of ceasing.

-Mikenna

Are you a COLLECTOR of something? If so what is in your special collection?

This topic has made me ponder, and I’ve decided to start another collection. Money.

I think I will start collecting money. What say ye?

Any tips on where or how to start this collection?