Thursday, November 10, 2011

11/11/11—Coming Clean About My Tarot Addiction

Today's Draw: Seven of Disks from the Tarot of the Holy Light. Do you have something you collect? Do you feel a little...um...addicted to collecting these things? And do you have any intention of stopping anytime soon?

This is my third draw this week from a brand new tarot deck. You might surmise I have an issue. Me likey collecting tarot decks. And you know what the Seven of Disks says? It says it's OK. The things I collect are the rewards of my labor and I deserve them. 

Sweet little Seven of Disks. *stroking card lovingly*

See, I work at home, so I don't buy tons of nice clothes. I don't travel to exotic places. I drive old cars. I eat at home a lot. I live in a modest house. I don't rush out for the latest technology and, in fact, don't buy anything new along those lines until the old one is broken. I don't now, nor have I ever, lived beyond my means. But there *are* a few things I spend money on. Tarot is one of them. And at about $20 a deck (on average), they're not that expensive of a habit.

Of course that doesn't mean I don't still have an issue. I certainly do. I have more decks than I care to admit or even know of. Certainly over 200. Easily. I have never actually counted because I'm afraid of being mortified by the actual number (unlike my friend R. who inventories hers and carries a list with her everywhere she goes. It's nice having friends like R. that you can point at and say "she's sicker than I am.") 

Even though I have all my decks concentrated in six strategic touch points across my home so that I'm never more than two steps away from a deck, I still can't seem to locate some of them and I don't know why (has anyone seen my Fishy Tarot or my Alchemical Renewed?) And sometimes I suffer the secret shame of purchasing a deck that I already own. That's the worst. It doesn't get much lower than that. 

The truly sad part is that I've joined a group called Tarotholics Anonymous. Do you know what they do there? They talk about tarot and how great it is. And then they brag about the latest and greatest deck they just purchased, inciting the rest of us to run off and snatch up a copy for ourselves before they're all gone. So much for support groups.

Then there's something called the Limited Edition, Self-Published deck. Those are made just for people like me. Only maybe 1000 copies exist in the entire world and I must have one of them. They don't cost $20. Not even close. Some cost more than 10x that much. But one day they're going to be worth MUCH more than I paid for them. Maybe. That's, of course, if I could ever part with one. (Tarot addicts around the globe are snorting milk out their noses right now at the ridiculous notion that someone would actually part with a LE HTF OOP deck willingly.) (For the neophytes, that's Limited Edition, Hard To Find, Out Of Print. *exaggerated sigh* *eye roll* Newbies!)

And then there are some decks that sell out within seconds. I do not own a Russian edition of the Victorian Romantic and it KILLS me. It would go nicely with my LE Gold Victorian Romantic and my two regular HTF OOP editions. Because of this ONE deck, my Baba Prague (the deck creator) collection is incomplete. But what are you going to do? Damn scalpers beat me out every time a small batch of 50 or so were released. Seconds, people! That's how fast these things sold out! That's what I get for not sitting at home and obsessively refreshing my email so I could be first in line. Clearly I didn't want it ENOUGH.

For the casual tarot readers and non-tarot folk reading it, I'm sure all this sounds insane. I could cite a number of my Facebook friends who have similar afflictions for the things they collect. Sure, it's different when it's YOU and your [insert material object here] lust we're talking about. But tarot decks? Whatever. 

My name is Tierney and I'm a tarotholic. Who are you?

13 comments:

  1. Haha! Awesome post. I too, am in the Facebook group Tarotholics Anonymous. Goddess Bless miss Underhill for giving us a place to convene. I don't have a friend R, but I do have a friend C who makes me feel quite normal. :-)

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  2. If it weren't for R., I'd be the one everyone would point at. I hope nothing untoward ever happens to her. ;)

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  3. just joined TA this week - as I had purchased for the first time in my life a LE deck. It was thrilling! AND I love the deck more than any other in my so far to date insignificant collection.

    fun post, Tierney!

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  4. If you need any tips on how to collect, Jude, let me know. And, um, what is this LE deck of which you speak?

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  5. love it Tierney :) I too am in TA on FB, and yes, a support group it is not ;) ... I am by no means at your level of addiction, but only because funds do not allow at present!! My wish list is as long as my body, lol :) Great post!!!

    xxx

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  6. I'm with you- tarot is where I spend my money. I love it and sometimes I get some flak for it, but really, I would spend more on cigarettes if I smoked, and I will have these cards forever. The joy I get from sitting in the midst of my tarot shelves and drawers, at my desk with fourteen different decks splayed out around me, that could never be replaced, and it is mostly harmless.

    I think it is interesting how many times I, maybe you, have to justify the spending. On the forum I refuse to participate on anymore, which shall not be named, I was constantly getting grief about my collecting habits, if they came to light, which is ridiculous. I choose to spend my money this way, and not on other things. Like you, I drive a paid off car, I make dinner at home every night, I work at home so jeans do me just fine most days.

    My husband is a very willing enabler, as he loves the thrill of the chase on eBay and loves to surprise me, so he keeps track of my wish list and is becoming quite the deck tracker downer.

    I, um, have a Russian Victorian Romantic. Some kind soul traded my extra copy of the angels Tarot for it, because I could never beat anyone else to it, either.

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  7. Oh my gosh! How many of you TA members are here?! And it's been a while since I was called "Miss". Thanks Ame!

    And it sounds like Manda needs to join TA! Come on over, we're just as bad as each other and you'd fit right in! :)

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  8. wonderful post. thanks,tierney!

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  9. Thanks, everyone! A lot of TA people came over here today and thanks to all. It's my little blog's biggest day...haha.

    Manda, you bring up an interesting point. I have one friend who's always saying "how many decks do you have NOW, Tierney?" or she'll be talking to someone else then ask me to tell that person how many decks I have. The answer is always the same—"I don't know. I haven't counted. Over 200, though. I'm sure." But I always get the feeling like her question is a jab, you know? This particular woman travels a lot and spends money on that. I don't. I don't expect her to justify her traveling habits. Different strokes.

    I'm surprised that you get flak on that site you're talking about. There are a lot of collectors there. My friend R. goes there...haha. I wrote to let her know I mentioned her and she wrote back that she was proud to have more decks than me. :)

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  10. Hello, hello hello! Just signed up to 'follow' you, and I am so glad. I, TOO, am in Tarotholics Anonymous! I have well over two hundred decks also and stopped counting around thirty...I also have the Russian Version of the Victorian Romantic. My 'elusive Mistress' was the GOLD VRT, (Victorian Romantic Tarot), which I finally broke down and paid $500.00 for on eBay. I have a complete set of Baba!!! Finally..no easy task. I think I AM your friend R! I recently started a Facebook page called "Tarot Addicts and Fanatics" , it is attempting to be a place for all the "R's" of the world to come and share their deck collections. I am going to (finally) count, scan and list all my many, many decks there and want all of you who live love and BREATH Tarot to join me!! Lets compare, brag, inspire..what a data base we could create!
    And buying decks you already own? I had SO much trouble nailing down 'Fantastic Menagerie' that when I finally DID I ended up with FOUR.Sometimes I find a deck I already have and it's too good to pass up..enter the "back up deck"! I have an eleven year old son who has taken an interest in Tarot..(smile) so now he has a much larger and better collection than most adults!I'm buying for two! I am currently making time payments for a hand-painted deck, custom made. So yes..reading your BLOG..I had a huge smile on my face...I feel as if I am Home...If this is "sick" I don't want to get "well". )0(

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  11. Tierny,
    There is a Russian Victorian Romantic Tarot for sale right now (I just checked) on Amazon for $129.00 from AndyBook. That is where I got mine over a year ago. There is ALSO one available on eBay (right NOW)also for $129.00 from Hollywoodkat2004. I have purchased from both people, and while there was no problem at all with AndyBook, I purchase Tarot decks from Hollywoodkat2004 on a regular basis and highly recommend her. I hope this helps you complete your Baba collection! Happy Hunting!~Kami

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  12. Haha, Kami. Thanks for the information about the Russian VR. I refuse to pay that for the deck. Not that I don't pay large sums for decks, but I saw the Russian as a backup VR and something nice to own. And I actually have a backup VR now, through a trade with my friend R. The VR is one of my three serious reading decks, so I needed a backup. I've decided if the Russian VR wanted me, it would come to me organically. ;) And I am actually also missing, I think, a first edition of the Cats. I have one regular Cats and a Gold and the new one is on the way, but I don't think that's all. And I also think there are two editions of Tarot of Prague and I only have one. So I lied a little about my Baba collection. Collectors do that. :D

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