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Fascinating objects and collected memories: A chance to describe the things you find interesting

Oakling

A constant in my life is my fascination with, and collecting of, miniature things. It was something I used to do as a child and continue to do now. I used to collect the smallest versions of things and display them on my bedroom radiator shelf, almost like a museum. I would spend whole weekends preserving this objects, redesigning the layout of the shelf and creating exhibitions of each of these objects. Constant categorising and recategorising was a great way to spend me time.

Well, I was reminded of this today when I rediscovered a small pot of assorted gemstones, pebbles and minerals that I had collected over the years. This pot was in my bedside draw and when I went to get a book out of there, I found this pot again and was instantly transported back to that collectors mindset that I had back then. Life has been busy recently, so to get a moment to revisit the past and to sit and sort through a collection that bought me so much joy was wonderful. Agate, tigers eye, citrene, amethyst, quartz to name a few were all there and each with a story to tell. The piece of Blue John that sat there was as vivid and wonderful as the day I first encountered it. A moment of real peace and tranquillity.

Therefore, in pursuit of a little positivity here, I wondered if anyone would like to take a moment out of their day or time on here in order to describe something important them. Something that you wouldn’t get too many opportunities to speak about, but offers you the same satisfaction as I experienced this morning.

I don’t know if it would be a useful exercise, but I wanted to offer the opportunity to do something like this, especially with a lighter tone to conversation.

Genuinely, I would love to read your descriptions. It’s nice to see someone’s passion shine through. Especially on topics not usually thought of as interesting (like my fascination with miniature things and minerals).

Edit: I hope my last sentence doesn’t read ‘your interests are not interesting’, what I mean to say was that in life, we may have been told our interests are boring and weird (both I have experienced) and I want to get across the fact that they won’t be. If you’re interested enough in something, that passion cannot be seen as boring. 

Parents

  • Hi Oakling,

    I'm not really a collector of physical things. That being said I do have a growing acquisition of crystals, I'm interested in spirituality. 

    I do like collecting information, as in I like to do research, I hand write it and put it into ringbinders. I have my folder about things relating to autism. And one about me (just my way of trying to understand myself). A spirituality folder, though my research has jumped about a lot in that field. And there's my folder on communication, which actually relates a lot to the arts. I like the concept of art, music and performance as forms of communication. Though I'm particularly fond of silent forms of communication. 

    I did follow a colleague about the other month talking at her about communication. And from the responses she made ( when looking back) I was definitely talking at her and not to her. Ooops. I get very excited that music is a universal written language, though I can't actually read music. Something I keep meaning to learn. I also want to explore more about calligraphy and other written forms of communication. And now I'm getting myself over excited.

  • in reply to Pikl
    Pikl said:
    And now I'm getting myself over excited.

    Brilliant! I was hoping that by giving people a chance to talk about what they are interested in, some of those positive feelings might come to the forefront.

    It’s fascinating to hear how you collect and organise your interests. The folders on autism and you sound interesting, I did something similar but on a much smaller scale when looking for reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

    Unfortunately I think many of us here know that feeling of talking at someone, but I think something wonderful that this space can offer, if we let it, that the outside can’t really is a chance to write at length about the things that interest us, judgement free. We are so used to stopping ourselves, but I don’t think we need to here. If you want to write more, please do. Dyslexia and energy levels stop me sometimes too, but I come back to it whenever I can.

    I have lost too many hours to watching calligraphy videos- it can be so satisfying. I’d love to give it a proper go one day. I think music notation (even though I don’t read it either) can have the look of calligraphy to it. But maybe thats what I see due to not knowing what any of it means! 

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Please feel free to add any more if you feel you want to.

Reply
  • in reply to Pikl
    Pikl said:
    And now I'm getting myself over excited.

    Brilliant! I was hoping that by giving people a chance to talk about what they are interested in, some of those positive feelings might come to the forefront.

    It’s fascinating to hear how you collect and organise your interests. The folders on autism and you sound interesting, I did something similar but on a much smaller scale when looking for reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

    Unfortunately I think many of us here know that feeling of talking at someone, but I think something wonderful that this space can offer, if we let it, that the outside can’t really is a chance to write at length about the things that interest us, judgement free. We are so used to stopping ourselves, but I don’t think we need to here. If you want to write more, please do. Dyslexia and energy levels stop me sometimes too, but I come back to it whenever I can.

    I have lost too many hours to watching calligraphy videos- it can be so satisfying. I’d love to give it a proper go one day. I think music notation (even though I don’t read it either) can have the look of calligraphy to it. But maybe thats what I see due to not knowing what any of it means! 

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Please feel free to add any more if you feel you want to.

Children
  • in reply to Pikl

    Well I don’t know what to say to all of those kind words. Thank you. I very much tend to doubt myself, it’s an old habit that’s proving hard to break.

    Your qidea of combining your nature themed art and poetry is a lovely one. I can really see how that would offer you exactly what you intend it to. I hope you get round to doing it. Speaking of your interests and intentions really isn’t something you need to apologise for. In fact, it’s been great to read your ideas.

    I wish you luck with it all. In fact, if you ever feel like posting any updates on your works, I’m sure a lot of us here would take an interest!

  • in reply to Oakling

    Of course I read your poem, and I loved it. Heartwarming and funny in that it was sad and relatable. I thought it was cleverly written, though that wasn't the point. You should feel proud, it really was a good poem.

    I loved your woodwork! I hope you soon find your confidence. 

    I really want to put my nature themed art and poetry together. I have this idea about it being used to create a peaceful place, as a collection,  to help with anxiety. Perhaps as  book. I don't know. Any way I'm waffling about myself, I do that, I'm sorry.

    You really are very creative, and that's a truly beautiful talent. Don't doubt yourself.

  • in reply to Pikl
    Pikl said:
    Trees are amazing and beautiful, with a wonderful energy. I love the patterns in woodgrain, and the smell of wood. 

    Oh I couldn’t agree more! It’s where I feel most at home. A tree near some gently moving water is my happiest place. Where I’m most at peace.

    Pikl said:
    I would tell myself that I saw the world in 3D whilst others saw it in 2D. It was my way of explaining to myself why I saw things so differently than others. 

    This is such a nice way of expressing it. Very helpfully visual too. It matches how I feel about certain things that others just seem blind to.

    Pikl said:
    Did you enjoy writing your poem?

    I honestly don’t know. I was in a bit of a tricky mindset at the time, but I think it helped. It’s not very good as a piece of writing, but it helped me communicate what I’d been feeling. You don’t need to read it, but I have included the link to it below if you so wished to.

    https://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/29947/my-attempt-at-writing-i-don-t-know-if-i-can-go-as-far-as-to-call-it-creative 

    Pikl said:
    I would love to see images of your woodwork

    Maybe one day I will feel brave enough to share some of my projects. I will include this photo of something I made a few years ago for the tables at my wedding. Each table had a different one and they were all hand made and the pictures were hand painted (I did use a stencil for the lettering though). My woodworking has come on a bit since then, but my confidence talking about it doesn’t quite match up yet. Maybe in time.

    The notion of a secret level of joy that you wrote about is wonderful! I think you’re correct in this. We get so much from our interests.

    And also, I’m pleased that you got something from this thread. No thanks necessary, I’m just grateful to have had the conversation. So, thanks!

  • in reply to Oakling

    Trees are amazing and beautiful, with a wonderful energy. I love the patterns in woodgrain, and the smell of wood. 

    I would tell myself that I saw the world in 3D whilst others saw it in 2D. It was my way of explaining to myself why I saw things so differently than others. 

    Did you enjoy writing your poem? I would love to see images of your woodwork. 

    If you think about it, we have a depth of passion in our interests that others never experience. It's like a secret level of joy they are unable to unlock. It makes me feel very lucky.

    Thank you so much for the positivity boost you and your thread have given me.

  • in reply to Pikl

    It’s on my bucket list of things to do. I’m really into woodwork, so have a lot to do here first, but I will give it a go at some point. I have some nice pens for this, but I didn’t really use them as intended. Instead I dismantled them into small pieces and prefer them that way! Small and intricate, don’t know why, but they are there and ready to go.

    I had a go at writing some poetry on here recently. It was about losing the will to talk. I think I called it ‘Tip of my Tongue’ or something like that. It was a different experience for me.

    I can see your passion for this, I think it similar to how I see the beauty of trees and wood grain patterns. It’s good to have a passionate interest. It’s a shame that so many don’t have this.

  • in reply to Oakling

    You really should give calligraphy a proper go! I did some as a teen, before I got into painting. Art and research are my interests. 

    I love writing poetry, it's like a painting with words. Isn't it funny that communication is also an art form. And that art also communicates. Haha this is where I'm normally called weird. I get so excited, and I want so badly for others to see what I see, because it is beautiful and amazing.