We’ve just moved to a new state. We sold, gave away or pitched a lot of stuff before we moved, and although we are moving into a 2-bedroom apartment of comparable size to our old apartment, we are actually using the second bedroom, unlike having a “spare room” where we can throw large amounts of crap, so we are coming up pretty short on space, and we’re going to have to take some more stuff to Goodwill and the dump, and we need to locate a used book store. Of course, almost nothing goes easily. For recovering packrats like the hubby and me, there’s some sentimental attachment to every item, even if it’s just a matter of unfulfilled expectations: books we sincerely meant to read, half-completed—or fully-purchased and never-started!—craft projects that languished from lack of enthusiasm, time, or skill, mending I was going to do, because I might want to wear that shirt again someday…
One thing I’ve noticed is a long parade of past obsessions, things I was seriously into for various periods of time, but haven’t really touched for five years. One was Celtic knots. I was totally obsessed with their theory and construction for about three months.
Another was string figures. That one lasted quite a while longer. I joined the International String Figure Association, gave classes at the library for children, and built up quite a repertoire of memorized figures. There was a time when every room of my house had several loops of string in it, and I always had a loop in my pants pocket or my coat pocket, or both. As we were moving, I found a rainbow-colored nylon loop that came with a book, and was a bit surprised to discover that my hands still know quite a few figures—but if I stop to think about it, all I get is a tangle. 
The thing that came back to me instantly was the feeling of calm and focus that was the main reason I loved string figures back then. All I had to do was loop the string over my hands and I was in a different state of consciousness. I’m not sure why (or even exactly when) I stopped being so hardcore about it, but now I have half a mind to pick it back up.
Do you have any obsessions that have fallen by the wayside?
For several years in the 1980s, I was obsessed with beadwork. I cranked out hundreds of belts, wall hangings, necklaces, purses, and headbands on a bead loom, using seed beads. My designs were original, and I never did the same thing twice. Most of my output was given to friends and relatives. Some I sold at church crafts sales. A few I kept. I still have the bead loom and scads of beads, but I no longer have the passion (or the eyesight) for beadwork.
I used to give a damn. Does that count?
I went through a phase where I collected Star Trek TNG collector plates. I have no idea what I was thinking.
::slinks away ashamedly::
I collected carousel horse figurines for years. I have a pier cabinet and a curio cabinet full, but haven’t seen any I’ve wanted to add to the collection lately. I got a little more selective about what I would buy, and if it’s too expensive I find myself thinking “that much money is halfway to another game-worn jersey”.
Now I need to make myself stop wanting jerseys. I have 14 (not all game-worn). Two of them I never wear, as they are signed by out two league Championship teams (one CHL, one SPHL). We only have 27 regular season home games, so if I wear each of them twice I can wear 3 of them three times. Kind of silly considering how much closet space they take up!
I used to collect Breyer Model Horses when I was a preteen and early teen. I had upwards of 200 at one point. I sold most of them in the summers of my college years–getting over $5000, all told, for my collection. Sweeeeeet.
I still have about 30 of my favorites, though, locked away in boxes. Looking around, there are 5 out on display here in my office. Oh…and I have one in my classroom, too. Still like them, but don’t obsess over them.
Oooohhh…looking at the link, Breyer has apparently made a model of Barbaro (this year’s Kentucky Derby winner, currently recovering from a broken–as in, 3 bones in more than 20 pieces–hind leg). Proceeds of that model’s sale benefit the New Bolton Center, where Barbaro has been recuperating for the past three months.
I want one!! And they’re sold out…BOOOOOOOOOO!
(Apparently this obsession hasn’t entirely left me…)
Roller coasters. I used to travel all over the country just to go riding. At last count, I was well over 200 different coasters.
Then I got married and settled down. I still enjoy coasters, just don’t get out to amusement parks that much anymore. Maybe once a year nowadays, which is fine by me.
Dancing.
My former boyfriend and I used to go to 4 or 5 classes a week. I also teach dance classes and used to have a dance troupe that performed at charity events and so on.
My boyfriend and I were working our way up to possibly competing someday. He lost interested about three years into our relationship and about 2 years after we broke up (after about 7 years) I just kind of lost heart. It’s not the same without him.
I miss it, sometimes a lot, but…
Shortwave radio. A lot of schedule-scanning and dial-hunting for very little worthwhile programming.
Model airplane building. I didn’t enjoy the process, and typically began losing interest halfway through. This affected the finished model badly, and I usually wound up trashing them after a week or two.
Vintage [Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos]neckties. I still love 'em, but seeing how seldom I get to wear a tie, I have enough for five lifetimes.