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You may be one, too.

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

John Leszak, the editor of Mekeel's and Stamps, a weekly stamp collecting magazine, has 
a list in a recent issue of traits of what he calls Round-The-Clock Philatelic Enthusiasts. 
Others might call them "obsessive collectors" or other less flattering names.

"They eat stamps, they drink stamps, they SLEEP with stamps." 
:04

One sign, says Leszak, is someone who turns down free theater tickets because his stamp 
club meets the same night. Or someone who has a stamp collecting design on a necktie or 
kerchief. Or remembers catalogue numbers but not a spouse's birthday.

"They also have this look on their faces like, 'I don't have enough clutter in my house. 
I'm going to go out  to buy some more. As a dealer, I love it!"
:08

An understanding spouse is important.

"Sometimes they like to compensate and say, 'Honey, I just bought X, Y, Z number of boxes 
of covers and stamps, but look what I got for YOU.'"
:10

Leszak says this obsession isn't necessarily a problem.

"There really shouldn't be a cure, because anyone who works around the clock is certainly 
going to find a lot of happiness from what they do. The world is a crazy place but if they 
can come home to their stamps and they've got something to work on and bring them joy and 
happiness, and take their mind off 'Is it going to snow today?' or 'Gee, my stockbroker 
hasn't called. That sounds like bad news...' It gives them something to do. It makes them 
happy. Everybody's happy."
:26

How many on his list fit ME? Never mind!

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting, 
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

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