Featured What Are Your Goals For 2020?

Seems like a good time to review 2019 and start thinking about goals and opportunities for improvement in the new year.

Your goals for 2020?

Personally I'd like to help to bring new people into the hobby of antiquing and in 2020 I'd like to work on getting the word out to new potential collectors. It is my feeling that most younger people would antique more if they only knew what was out there to collect and the comradery that could be enjoyed through research, the thrill of the hunt, and the act of building a collection itself. On YouTube, on other social media, and in thrift stores I see lots of young people excited about their new "finds" and I think that this energy needs to only be leveraged to create a new generation of dedicated antiquers. So this year I'm going to be talking more to people I meet about my collections and hopefully point out some cool things that will spur their development into the hobby. Whether it be 1970's action figures or 200 year old pieces of furniture, everybody has their weaknesses, we just need to increase exposure to the general public. At my workplace I gave out a few dozen inexpensive 100+ year old postcards for Christmas gifts this year and the response was fantastic and several people mentioned that they would be hitting the antique mall to find more!

Joe

 

Organize/cull the stuff in my basement. And garage. And closets.

Re: young people antiquing
I went to an estate sale today that had "real" antiques, not just vintage, and a lot of the customers were in the under-40 age group. It was nice to see.

 

Eat better, smaller portions & drop 15 pounds...
Be nicer to my wife.
Exercise more this winter.
Catalog my stuff.
& a host of other things to numerous and cumbersome to mention....

 

Goals, to keep expanding what I sell. I realized for me, the glass market fell apart so I switched to buying a lot of other vintage items when I am at estate sales and thrifts. I still buy glass but only a limited amount.

Plus I am going to continue to spend time doing research into what is selling now so I can be on the lookout. I watch my competitors on etsy to see what they are selling and sometimes find out that something I overlook is a good seller. It is time consuming but worth it. I am trying also to buy smaller things that don't weigh much, but I am not always successful.

And I will be donating items that I have had forever that I said I would get to and have not in years. So when BBBS calls me that they have a truck coming to my street, I always ready a few things so they haul it away. That way I don't have to shlep it to the thrifts.

Oh and I will try NOT to dwell on things I can not change, but that is an uphill battle for me. But I am trying.

 

ONE of my goals will be to fire up the shredders in the basement and eliminate (or try to continue to!) papers that need to be!!! THEN work on clearing out clothes in the cedar closet that haven't been worn in a number of years.....for me that's very hard.....(bbbbbut I MIGHT wear it next year....I keep saying.....), and ALAS, none of our nieces or nephews want any of the copious huge enamel on copper clown 'paintings' that my Mother became enamored of.....I suppose I will die in possession of them, and probably with my luck, THEN they will have gained some value.....HAHA...my luck!!!!! Don't get me going!!!!

 

You might want to check your local area for free shred events. The credit unions down here do it on a fairly regular basis & sometimes the local churches will do it also.

They have one of the big shred trucks that service businesses come to their location where you drive up, pop the hatch & the guys grab the boxes (they usually limit the number you can bring to maybe 3 paper ream size boxes) dump them in the cans which are then dumped into the shred machine inside the truck.

I try to keep up with the day to day stuff with the little shredder under my desk. At least once a year I will locate one of the free shred days to get rid of all of the previous year's (in 2020 I will be dumping 2018) eBay paperwork & the box where I throw the ton of return address labels that everyone sends me. I learned very quickly you shouldn't put them in your little shredder because all they do is gum up the works.

 

Declutter,declutter, declutter, Drop 15 lbs. Will start that January 2nd, Pick up my courage, and have 2 total knee surgeries,and bilateral cataract surgery,

 

Thanks Peggy, I'm kind of paranoid when it comes to sensitive stuff like SS#s on stuff and investment stuff....over the years......guess I'd rather just put myself thru hell and either shred it myself or have a LOOOOONG fire in the wood stove with lots of paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get it done, but OHHHHHH SOOOOOO SLOOOOWWWLLLLYYYYY I've got 2 decent sized shredders that I crank up.....just not often enough.. too many other things going on....and on....and onnn....you get the picture!!!

 

1. Stay on the green side of the grass a little longer.
2. Keep what little ability I still have to move around with a walker.
3. Keep my kitty close and loving.
4. Remember to tell DH and our children how much I love them.
5. Continue to lighten the load of items collected over too many years.
and
6. Be thankful for all the blessings we have.
Patd

 

2020 looks very bright for me. From being sick off and on during the latter part of 2019. I definitely plan on getting back to my usual weight of 110 lbs, from my current 98 lbs, and stay “flu free”. I plan on exploring vintage and antiques throughout the year. I am also seriously considering adding to my vocations, and becoming a monastic/nun, a decision I’ve come by in all seriousness and sincerity, after many conversations, steps I am required to take, and personal feelings, and beliefs surrounding this subject, there is something more of purpose I need to do. I want to serve, and help society on an entirely different level of compassion, and commitment. I hope the coming year is healthy, happy, and most of all peaceful for all. ❤️Maven

 

say what ?

 

Wow, that is a very big decision Maven

 

I don't think " Big " quite sums up the gravity of the situation....

 

@cxgirl @komokwa I took a bit of time and reflection before my response. It is not a difficult or big decision if it’s always been in your heart, even if it has taken years to finally listen. I may fail to go into too much detail, but I have not arrived at my decision lightly. There are many personal realizations through time that come into this. To many, it may seem like many sacrifices have to be made. That is much to the contrary, there are no sacrifices if you believe what you are about to embark on is true to you, and you have the support of those around you who love you. And things are not as depicted in popular culture, a rather modern lifestyle is permitted, with certain limitations, I most certainly can live happily with. I do not have a concern of the stigma that gets attached to a nun’s lifestyle, but in order to have the ability to help others, one must be pure in thinking, an open heart, and have the ability to honestly answer curiosity people may have, and change thinking for the better. I do not look at this negatively in the least, it is not self-punishment, it’s enlightenment. I will enter this next year on the most wonderful, beautiful commitment I have ever truly made. My direction I will most certainly aspire to, will be eventually working with young people and the issues that surround them. I hope that is a most satisfactory reply. ❤️Maven

 

Sounds like a very selfless decision and I am sure all of us here wish you the very best in whatever your future endeavors entail. Weigh the options carefully and go with what your heart tells you. I had a co-worker that was preparing to go into the priesthood as a young man but decided to go another route. He accomplished a great deal for his faith and helped countless members of his community over the subsequent decades despite deciding not to be a priest. In his free time he was a tireless advocate for the national right to life movement and helped many families improve their housing conditions through his skillset, advocacy, and connections. He passed away last week and apparently his funeral was one of the largest his parish has ever seen despite him being a man of common means.

Are you going to be able to continue to participate on this forum if you do go down this pathway? I assume collecting may be out of the question …… please forgive my ignorance on this subject. We will be saddened to lose you. I have to say a simpler life in such a crazy world does appear to have its upsides.

 

Maven I wish you well in the future.

 

@Joe2007 I will take a vow eventually as a sister. This designation allows some leniency towards certain technological communication, but still with much discretion. But most importantly, I will be more present out in the community I so choose to serve. There is more than that, but you get the general idea, I could get more specific if you wish. ❤️Maven

 

❤️

 

Hi Maven,
Good wishes for you. I had a friend who wanted to be come a nun. Her father was dying and she promised that she would not become a nun. She did not take her vows but instead became more of a religious convert than ever a nun. She was a nurse and would help take planes full of patients to Lourdes. She lived in a tiny room. The thing I thought was the worse she would arise every morning and wash her sheets by hand in a sink. She was so pious she became more of a nun that any nun/sister I have ever known. Her father must be rolling in his grave all he ever wanted was grandchildren. I really must congratulate you on your quest. God bless you child.
greg