Obsessive Collectors and Their Crazy Collections
There is a thin line between avid collector and obsessive hoarder. Most often that “line” is determined by the collectors themselves. According to Mark B. McKinley, collecting is a kind of quest. “For some people collecting is a life-long pursuit that is never complete. Additional collector motivations include psychological security, filling a void in a sense of self,” he writes in the National Psychologist. Or it could be to claim a means to distinction, much as uniforms make the ‘man.’ Collections could be a means to immortality or fame.” That’s why a real obsessive collector will try to get into the record books with their Barbie collection or Star Wars collection. They might even make it onto reality television. Full disclosure: I have a small collection of lunchboxes, signed first editions and Christmas ornaments but I don’t consider myself obsessive. However, the following folks might have crossed the line:
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Getting To Know The Make-A-Wish Foundation
As concepts for charities go, the Make-A-Wish Foundation is pretty straightforward. A child who is having a rough go at life asks to get a wish fulfilled. It can be something as simple as meeting ballerinas to racing in an Indy car to just getting a puppy. This past Super Bowl, 12 Wish kids got a chance to see the game in person. The fact of the matter is that not a week goes by without a wish being granted or some terrific group of folks getting together to raise money for Make- A-Wish. Picking this foundation as an iPoll charity that matters was easy. It turns out making wishes come true is kind of easy as well especially when you’ve got so many people eager to lend a helping hand.
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Mobile Army Monday: You Can’t Take Just One Survey
“Hello. My name is Rick and I’m a potato chip junkie.” Yes, those delectable crunchy snacks are something I must have if I’m eating a sandwich which is pretty much every day. I’ve been known to snack on a chip or two without a sandwich but for some reason I find them the perfect side dish. What’s my favorite flavor you may ask? Well, thank you for asking. Actually, I like to rotate flavors. I’ll go on a salt and vinegar binge for several days then change it up for some classic BBQ only to follow that with cheddar cheese. As for brands, here too I’m all over the map. I like to think of myself as an equal opportunity potato chip connoisseur. This is why last week’s iPoll Mobile Mission was made for me. I was directed to search for a new brand of chip. The results are down below. First, let’s talk chips.
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Awesome Treehouses
For kids growing up anywhere near trees, a time honored summer tradition (next to getting a summer job) has always been to build a treehouse. This is the place where you can climb up to get away from the stress and strains of the day. Is mowing the lawn getting you to you? Are you frustrated with the amount of allowance you’re paid? Are your baby brothers and sisters making way too much noise? The treehouse can be your oasis. It’s the place where a hundred adventures can be launched from. Best of all, it’s a place you can call your own. Building a treehouse is great bonding experience between a parent and a child. As for the design, you can opt for the simple or the extravagant. We’re going to talk extravagant.
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The Top Five Most Bizarre Sporting Events Ever
“The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat.” Those are the words that launched ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” Every week we were taken on a whirlwind tour around the globe for some of the most exciting sporting events put forth at the time. Whether it was horse racing, soccer, diving or ski jumping ABC Sports was there. Like most great television shows, the “Wide World of Sports” was eventually cancelled. That meant we needed to get our sports fix elsewhere. Sure there will always be Monday Night Football and March Madness but what about the more bizarre kind of games around the world? How will we find those? Things like competitive eating. Yes, that is a sanctioned sporting event but it doesn’t even come close to some of the other bizarre sporting events. For those who like to think “outside of the sports box” I’m happy to present the top five most bizarre sporting events ever.
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Weird Places To Go On A Road Trip
As vacations go, nothing beats a trip to the happiest place on earth. However, a lot can be said for hopping into a rented RV and hitting the open road to see what’s out there. Let’s get this out of the way up front: No road trip to wacky places would be complete without a stop at the world’s biggest ball of twine. In fact, one can argue that a trip across America to see the unique and the odd should begin and end at Cawker City, Kansas. That’s where, in 1953, Frank Stoeber started winding his twine down in his basement. His goal was the outdo the 12-foot-wide Johnson Twine Ball over in Darwin, Minnesota. Who knew there was such fierce competition between balls of string? Anyway, Frank was one foot away from achieving his goal before he slipped off the mortal coils. Today folks have picked up the string, so to speak, by adding their own twine to Frank’s ball. It currently stands at 40 feet wide. Don’t you want to be a part of history? That’s just one of the many delightfully bizarre roadside attractions that dot the countryside. Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to get weird.
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Getting to Know Save the Whales
“Our purpose is to educate children and adults about marine mammals, their environment and their preservation.” That’s the mission statement from Save the Whales and it’s a pretty noble statement. This organization was founded back in 1977 by 14 year-old Maris Sidenstecker. Through efforts of this organization and many like it, we’ve taken great strides towards protecting this giant creatures of the deep. Although a worldwide ban on whaling was enacted in 1986, the fight to save the whales goes on. When you see news stories about meat from endangered whales being used for dog treats then it’s clear some folks haven’t gotten the message. That’s what Save the Whales is an iPoll charity that matters and you can make a difference.
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Mobile Army Monday On Target At Target
It was a simple concept for a TV game show. You had something in your pocket or purse and the host would ask you if you wanted to “make a deal.” This was on the aptly named, “Let’s Make a Deal.” If you were plucked from the audience to play you were given the chance to pick what was behind door number 1, 2 or 3. Sometimes there would be fabulous prizes and sometimes it would be a zonk gift like a live goat. What does any of this have to do with Mobile Army Monday? In the way my brain works, a lot. Every survey I take in iPoll seems to unlock even more surveys. Which had me thinking of “surprises behind the doors.” See? That’s how I ended up in Target this past weekend, cell phone in hand and scanning up a storm.
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Amazing First Class Flying
There are some pleasures in life that just shouldn’t be missed. We’re talking about being pampered at a spa, watching a sporting event from a skybox or flying first class. If traveling is part of your bucket list then you should go the extra mile and treat yourself to a first class flight. Yes, it will cost you more and yes, it will make flying coach again extremely remorseful. However, this is an experience that should be indulged in at least once in a lifetime.
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How Starbucks Changed the Way We Drink Coffee
How would you rate your coffee addiction on a scale of one to ten with one being “Never touch the stuff” to ten being “Don’t speak to me unless you bring me coffee?” Coffee has always been big business. Throughout most of the modern era, we brewed out own, grabbed a cup a Joe at the local diner along with a dunker (doughnut) or depended on the office coffee maker. Then along came Starbucks and the world of coffee drinking was forever changed. Today, there are over 20,000 Starbuck stores in 62 countries. There is an average of two new Starbucks stores opening somewhere on the planet every day.
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