From the heartland of America comes a strange story of addiction, where a man (presumably with a big screen TV) has lost control and let the urge of impulse buying take over. Here is someone that has a collection of DVD's involving hundreds of titles, yet.....oddly, many have never felt the probing red glare of a laser. Still others are straining against the confines of ever tightening shrink wrap, a wrap that for all we know, will never be removed. Irrational behaviour you say? Perhaps. Unusual? I think not.
But, before you rush to judge another, why not have a look at your own bowing shelves of DVD movies first? Do you see titles in there that you have to hide when guests stop by? For instance, do you find yourself rushing to hide your five, four-disc volumes of the TV series "Friends" when your real friends roll up in the drive? If so, then maybe it's time for some of us to take a long look at ourselves, or you might wind up like Don Willis:
| Don Willis admits he has a problem. Becky Willis gazes at her husband's DVD collection stored alphabetically on three tall bookshelves in the basement of their Kansas City home. Her eyes fix on the Rodney Dangerfield comedy "Back to School." "It's never been opened!" she declares. Don Willis, a reserve offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs, doesn't seem to mind the revelation.
It's the same story for Willis' still-sealed copies of "Master and Commander," "Blade," "Lord of the Rings," "Ali" and at least 30 other unwatched titles in his 400-plus DVD collection -- including five four-disc volumes of the TV series "Friends" that have yet to be removed from their see-through wrappers. A copy of "Starship Troopers 2" is open, but . . . "I was going to watch it," Willis says. Becky Willis can only chuckle. |
Yes, and we know why she can only chuckle... Don's a reserve offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs! But, at least he admits he has a problem, so we can assume he is not too far gone. Now, put down that Best Buy ad and back away slowly, you've seen Star Wars a million times!
Source: The Indiana Star
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But I have no illusion that my collection is all that special. I've been in the apartments of other otakus who've got thousands of anime DVDs, nearly as many anime CDs, many hundreds of LDs, and thousands of volumes of manga. Also all legit and many which are much more expensive Japanese releases. Of course, nearly all of their's have been opened, so that probably doesn't qualify as competition for Mr. Willis.
Actually, I buy lots of things I never have time to open, play, or watch. Like the last dozen PC games I bought, or my gamecube, which I never even took out of the box. However, my anime collection is a bit different, since most of those titles I've seen as fansubs.
I do have hundreds of DVDs but I watched them all at least one time.
In very peculiar periods I ended up with 5 maybe even 8 titles packed but I watched them in a few weeks after.
So what's the matter? Someone collect stamps and someone collect dvds. You have only to watch on your money to not end up with loans to get some more dvds!
collecting "things" is always a human nature.
see how many people collect coca cola merchandise? the masses of mony invested can rice towards the 25000 € and more!
a used to collect comics of spiderman, fantastic4 etc.
Now i collect entire scfi tv series on dvd.
start trek: TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY
babylon 5, farscape,
and my collection still expands.
And soo my mony consuption..
but in time that will even stop also...
I would rather watch Looney Toons over those
All of my stuff is movies since I have no interrest in Anime.
Now my computer game collection can rival a store anyday...and yes, it is all legit.
Oh yeah, and you've probably got biceps to put the worlds strongest man to shame, and shares in the company that make Kleenex Tissues.
And with the money I saved I bought a 2004 Honda.
[edited by Crabbyappleton on 28.09.2004 05:54]
