June Question of the Month - Join the conversation and receive a badge

Jeff_ARC

My passion is collecting. What do I collect you may ask well that can be a long list of things that I often forget myself. My three top areas of collecting are.

Pez Dispensers… Yes those little candy dispensers you had as a kid. I have around 2,000 different dispensers in my collections. Among collectors I would be considered somewhere near the middle of the pack. Top collectors have over 5,000 dispensers that can range in price from 50 cents to several thousand dollars each.

Little Golden Books… I have always been drawn to the black and gold binding on these books for a very long time. About 10 years ago I decided to start collecting these books. The collection has grown to more than just Golden Books I now collect anything from Western Publishing which published the books. I also have records, costumes, videos, flash cards, several types of puzzles and tins. I have about 2,000 items in this collection.

Stamps are probably where it all started for me. I have been collecting stamps on and off for 50 years. I enjoy collecting us stamps and that includes more than stamps used for postage. I have stamps associated with playing cards, cigarettes, wine, beer, legal purposes and some other oddities.

The things that tie all of this together for me is…

I enjoy the hunt for the next item I don't have and I enjoy organizing and cataloging my collections. Let me know what you collect and if you collect any of these things yourself I would love to talk to you!!

meagans

I have the weird hobby of entering sweepstakes for fun! I've learned a lot over the years on how to 'beat the odds', which often just includes reading the rules and being persistent. It's a fun ice breaker to tell people I've won multiple trips and a lot of weird items over the last decade or so!

Shawn Cullen

Many folks know about life long passion for music. My undergrad was in Music Therapy and I perform professional around the world. What people don't know about me is I have a this ability to see an instrument and instinctual know how to play it. I love exploring different cultures their music the role it plays in their cultures through history, concepts of tonality that to an western ear would just not feel right. I also collect odd ball instruments.

Cheers,
Shawn Cullen

Will Duplex

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/438819#Comment_438819

@bfalitico I love your answer! That's a really nice way to stay connected to your heritage and to your loved ones. You're keeping the family tradition alive - Salute!

melissa.garcia

Surprisingly I know A LOT about tap dancing and clogging. Tapping is NOT the same as clogging (don't I sound like a true Texan here?) 😊! Clogging is also NOT the Irish style of dancing or "Riverdance" style of clogging - it is along the lines of Appalachian clogging with more of a flat-footing style of clogging (not jumping up in the air and clicking your heels like Riverdancers do…respectfully). Clogging shoes are different from tap shoes in that the cloggers have "buck" style taps where there are two metal taps connected by two screws but still allow the taps to jingle or hit against each other. If you shake a clogging shoe it should make noise in your hand or feet without stepping down or doing a step. With tap shoes, there is one metal tap that is connected (not flappy or loose) to the toe and heels of the tap shoes. So taps don't jingle but clogs do!

Some tap dancers think clogging is a "lazy way of tap dancing" because it kind of is! But tap dancing and clogging can and do have similar styles and techniques but think about it for a minute here. With the differences in taps for each shoe (clogging VS tap shoe) there are different sounds that will come from your feet if you are doing the same exact step or dance step. It's fun to switch back and forth between clogging and tap dancing (although my neighbors might not agree😜) as it really challenges my mind, all the tiny and large muscles in my feet and calves, and allows me to practice (I still do practice weekly!) mostly listening to how each step sounds before I come up with a short combination (dance step) to show off to my cat and/or my partner for fun.

As a kiddo I did a lot of clogging and tap competitions around the US and competed pretty regularly up until I went to college. It was a fun time and I have always had an infinity for making sounds with my tap or clogging shoes to date.

AngB789

Line dancing is a fascinating subject that I've found offers incredible insights into community bonding, cultural traditions, and physical fitness. Originating in folk dance traditions and popularized by country-western music, line dancing involves synchronized steps performed in lines or rows. I've been a dancer for 12 years, competing in all genres, and have dedicated the last 5 years to line dancing. As a teacher, I've seen firsthand how it serves as a social activity that brings people together across various age groups, promoting both mental and physical health while preserving cultural heritage. Whether at a local barn dance or a global competition, line dancing remains a vibrant and evolving form of expression that I deeply enjoy.

Sing C

Loving reading all the responses to this great question!

I collected comics when I was younger and still have a large number of them (some better perserved than others - going back to the mid-1980s) and with the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe I have the uncanny ability to bore my wife with the smallest of details in MCU movies and shows that have been changed from the comics!

As a childhood Star Trek fan (Star Wars as well), I grew up watching The Next Generation and can name an episode from watching almost any 10-second clip of one.

I've always been a football (soccer) fan and about five years ago took an interest in an aspect of that passion that has given me a different perspective - football analytics. The trouble is, it's now become difficult to just sit and watch a match without thinking about the metrics (tactical analysis, player positions, game state, etc).

nfatolitis

I have a passion for low voltage car\boat\plane electronic projects. Anything from wiring trailers, stereos, pumps\fans, LEDs on everything, to wiring full panels. I find the installation therapeutic, planning a joy, and I enjoy helping others complete their wiring projects.

And I am a major Star Wars original trilogy fan.

May the Force be with You

jaimelynn0814FEB

Ugh… Mine is not interesting at all!!

I have been in banking and finance for over 20 years. (that makes me feel so old!) So I know random facts about how to securitize just about any type of collateral. You want to use wine as collateral? I know how to do that… and I know what has to be done every year because guess what… people drink it, and it also evaporates naturally. You want to use a plane? great, did you know the shell of the plane has to be secured separately from the engine? same with a yacht. Want to use your divorce settlement? you can do that too? Stocks… yep. Art. Yep. Historical Maps… sure…. Cattle? Mink? Farm equipment? no problem. If it has value, there's a way to use it as collateral.

I have seen really random things serve as collateral and then the standard cars and homes. The most fun though was seeing mansions and private jets of well known people :)

Deena Duran

One surprising topic that I know a lot about is the television show Breaking Bad. I live in Albuquerque and will frequent some of the filming locations. Over the years, I have gotten to meet many members of the cast and crew (Byran Cranston, Aaron Paul, Vince Gilligan, Dean Norris, Steven Michael Quezada, Bob Odenkirk, Raymond Cruz, Luis Moncada, Daniel Moncada, and more). My husband has met a few more of the cast members than I have, as well. We have gone on the Breaking Bad RV tour through town and were able to answer all of the trivia questions between the two of us.

I am not an expert, but my husband and I regularly revisit the series when we want to watch something familiar.

Scalperjim

Building Sherlock Lego sets from screen shots. 😁

Protonsponge

I decided 3 years, ago I could make my own kitchen using solid wood for the same price or less of a typical store brought kitchen. With no prior experience or training in wood work, I believed YouTube would tell me all I needed to know and I could do it at the weekends.

In my work life, I am in project/programme management and a stickler for deadlines but this kitchen build has missed every deadline going and I am about 2 years behind schedule - In fairness, I got married in the middle which took a lot of my weekends.

I am hopeful… that the kitchen will be finished by the Autumn. Here is a picture of some kitchen doors I have been making and how the rough timber to make them started.

SDURKEE_01

Love this question! I love to travel…and I love National Parks; so I know quite a bit about each of our United States National Parks. But my travel obsession also extends into the weird; I love roadside attractions and off the beaten path places, particularly when they are connected to history. Example - we recently explored the parking garage where the secret meetings were held that broke open the Watergate event. And when recently traveling through GA, SC and NC, we found a nuclear bomb crater (located right behind someone's back yard!) where a nuclear bomb was accidentally dropped in the 1950s - fortunately, it was unarmed, but it did a ton of damage anyway!

I also know a secret trail that leads to the top of Hualalai, a volcano on the Big Island in Hawaii - but I don't know how to hike back down; I got lost while descending and eventually had to be rescued several hours later, from a cattle pen. :). Folks - don't try this at home. 10/10 do not recommend!

Dakota Haeffner

Fun question! I love that everyone has their jobs where we all have this thread that run through all of us via Smartsheets, but still have the personal interest and passions outside of it. That being said I hope all you find a way to mix these passions!

Something I've been learning about for the last 16 years now has been physical health. For a lot of people they find passion and joy in the gym, running, or through some sport. I started bodying building like most people do in high school and was really really small. Graduated at 140 lbs. I was able to get up to 185 lbs at 5% body fat 2 years later. Due to a heart condition I was unable to partake in steroids to go pro, but it actually opened me up to finding other ways to push my body. I've competed and placed in several different sports from Spartan Races to Olympic Lifting and the Body Building stage. Each sport taught me something new and it has made my life so rich. Body Building taught me an immense amount about micro/macro nutrition. Olympic taught me how different sets and reps can change the output your body is capable of. Power lifting taught me what the body is capable of in the form or raw strength. Running has taught me mental strength and endurance. What I've found is really no matter the sport they all have taught me how to stay humble and no matter how strong, fast, or good you think you are there is some little girl likely warming up with you max. Stay humble and stay curious my friends! 😁

Michelle Choate 2

I have several topics I know a lot about because they are either my hobbies or what I have my bachelor's degree in.

1.) Flute playing. I actually went to university to study flute. I still participate in multiple concert bands, theater groups (both playing and conducting), flute choirs, etc.

2.) Fiber arts. I crochet and knit making things for friends and family. I usually make Christmas presents each year for everyone out of crochet or knit items.

3.) Canning/Jamming. I love making jam that I then gift to our neighbors and friends and family. As well as keep a stockpile for myself. My favorite is blackberry.