UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

Collecting is a weird habit. We take something that is not at all useful; has little to no value; and elevate it to something desirable.

I was really struck by that notion as I cleaned up a few things. The first thing that made me think about my collecting was the group of figures to the right. I can’t remember when I bought them. I know I’ve had them for a long time. I can clearly remember thinking, “I should sell these as a part of Auction Watch #100.”

I have no idea why I didn’t. My best guess – it would have messed up the formatting of the post.

As I looked at the figures I found myself wondering, “Why have I kept these?” I don’t like them. I don’t hate them. I feel indifferent about them, so why do I keep them?

Selling them feels like too much hassle. I don’t think the boys would care about them. I don’t think they should end up in the trash. Why have I kept them so long? What should I do with them? I left them on the table; totally negating my clean-up efforts.

The oddity of collecting hit me much harder after I pulled the item below out of a box.

If you’re not quite sure what you are looking at, then please let me explain. It is a MUSCLEMANIA 4-pack, that has separated from the card. Why did I keep the bubble? What was I thinking when I put it in the ziplock bag?

It quickly dawned on me that I had not put it in the bag. When I bought a large lot of MUSCLEMANIA 4-packs they seller had put the “broken” one in the bag. For a moment I felt better about it; only for a moment. Why did I leave it in the bag?

Collecting is a weird habit.