I have always collected something and when I do I tend to go overboard (or so it seems). Growing up I had plastic models and a real nice rock collection (which was "lost" by a moving company
). Then I collected and restored antique radios from the 30's - 50's. There was then a lull while I went to school, got married, etc. Came back to collecting with my involvement in Civil War reenacting and started collecting that stuff. Now the current, and frankly, most fun collecting is with die cast airplanes and tanks. It is like I have gone full-circle, but instead of plastic planes and tanks they are now metal (and look a whole bunch better!).
I do appreciate my family's tolerance of my collecting bug as they have put up with it for a long time
. I hope they continue to have patience with me as I don't intend to stop anytime soon.
Oh! And I am loud and proud and out of the collector closet in regard to my passion for this hobby.