One of my sisters (I say “one” because I have a plethora of sisters) gave me this for Christmas.
I love it.
I can’t help myself…
…and, apparently, neither can my friends, family, colleagues and clients who have contributed to my vast collection of The Green “M”.
It started innocently enough.
The first award I won for my work in television was for directing. My sister (the one we call “The Baby”) found this wonderful coffee mug with The Green “M” on it sitting in a director’s chair.
It was the perfect gift, my favourite colour is green. I have, for as long as I can remember, always signed everything with “M” and…come on, she was sitting in a director’s chair. Yes, I said “she”. As it turns out of all the beloved “M & M” characters the green “M” is the only female character.
This was my first “M” piece and it remains my favourite. I have had to glue her together a couple of time (oops), but I don’t cry anymore if she gets broken.
I don’t even really know how it happened, but other “M” pieces started appearing. Before I knew it, this seemed to be the gift of choice. My birthday, Christmas any occasion: that is what I got, another “M” piece. One Christmas I found myself in the very embarrassing situation of unwrapping the very same piece from three different people. My collection grew by leaps and bounds. Mugs, cups, bowls, plates, glasses, figurines, canisters, puzzles, tape dispensers, candy dispensers, earrings, watches, t-shirts, sleep wear, towels, cloths…do I really need to keep going? If you can think of it, there is a green “M” version of it. It wasn’t long before my office, where I proudly displayed the collection, was over run. I think it was the whole triplicate gift thing that broke that straw. They now have their own room in my home. If you think I am exaggerating check out the photos below.
Over the years I have collected, or tried to collect other things. I always wanted to collect music boxes but no one else would contribute. There was a bee thing for awhile, but I think the “M”s over ran them and they are in boxes somewhere. I still have a small collection of antique/old cameras from my days as a professional photographer. At some point those will probably go as well. It seems that at some point we become over run by all the stuff we accumulate over a lifetime and we have to make some tough decisions to purge. One of my favourite writer/bloggers (some know him as @BloggerDad), David Wright, has recently started a website called Project 30 Days where he is attempting to change 12 things about his life… one month at a time. His recent post talking about what he has collected over the years and his challenge to show him our junk, and the fact that I am once again in packing mode has me taking stock on my “collections”. Seriously, I have a collection that has its own room!
I know I have contributed to the green “M” thing with my own purchases and I have probably encouraged people a little with using this as my avatar on facebook,
or by making sure my new “grand niece” participated.
Ellee Rose dressing up for Auntie “M”
But, I think it is time to stop. Friends, family, people I barely know, step away from the purchase of the next green “M”…
…of course I really love those sneakers in the Franklin Mint Catalogue.
Here I am with my counter part “The Devine Miss M”
What collections do you have that are out of control? I’d love to hear about them.
oh my gosh I love the baby in the M outfit! how perfect! Where did she find the outfit?
She didn’t find it. I did. She actually got a compete set from Auntie M. I found it in Vegas at the big “M&M World” there.
Hi how are you? Ok so I have been reading your blog and you seem to pop in and out of the Port Perry area fequently … butter tarts in Little Britain …. hmmm … did you say you have a new venture? Send me along some info. I was thinking about you the other day and wondered if you are in our lovely area …. cheers my friend Marsha Hill
Nice to hear from you.
I am in the area frequently and have been trying to reach you about a couple of things. We definitely need to catch up. I must be using an out of date email or something. Can you email at silkpurseproductions@sympatico.ca and send me some contact info.
Thanks for checking out the blog.
M
You and Ashley should bring that adorable little baby over here for a visit, the kids would love to meet them, they love babies!
Once again, a great blog, M. You did not, however, mention your collection of Irish Christmas cds, or even your just plain Christmas cds. My question is, “Why do some of them magically show up in my car cd changer every December? I really prefer Fleetwood Mac, the Stones and AC/DC. However I do enjoy Robert Downey Jr.’s “The River” quite a lot. Thanks for that one. (And it’s not from the Irish collection).
I myself have a collection of masks, so I understand your plight. Friends and relatives have brought me masks from all over. They hang on all three of our living room walls. In fact, my daughter Ker knew we were out of space on the walls and sent me masks on stands! Very neat. But NO MAS! Please!
I have a couple more collections, like musical instruments. They are not expensive ones, but very neat just the same, from ocharinas to didgereedoos. I don’t really play them, although my granddaughter Cyndi gets along great with the Pan Flute. And the Tamboa. And the Djembe. And the Rain Sticks.
I also have way too many shoes for a guy. Somewhere along the line I took the Imelda Marcos path and it got out of control. When you don’t wear the same shoes all the time, they tend not to wear out and the collection grows. And grows. I have enough shoes to make Tanya P. envious. Or perhaps not.
I also have a collection of paperwork on my desk. You call it a mess (or worse) but I choose to call it a collection. Afterall, it doesn’t move much further than from the desk to the table and back – pretty stationary. A collection. I could go on and on.
Anyways, keep up the good work.
My Irish Collection is ALL THINGS IRISH not just CDs, Irish Music, Irish Books, Irish Ornaments, Irish Clothes, Irish China (that doesn’t seem right), Irish Crystal…OK, that one can go on and on as well.
Christmas music is seasonal…deal with it.
Tanya will be pleased you mentioned her with shoes (even if they are men’s).
Judging by your comments, I’m thinking you should be doing a blog of your own. You have lots to say and I am always glad to READ it.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for sharing your “M” story. I didn’t know this about you. Your website blog is very attractively presented.
Dick
Thank you Dick. I appreciated you stopping by to read it. It has been a lot of fun for me to share some of the crazier/funnier aspects of my life with the people who read me. Lorne read it this morning and said, “As a red “M”, I’m jealous!”. Heheheh, he still has a great sense of humour.
Talk soon,
M
great story Michelle- talk to you soon
Pat Lore
Thank you Pat.
Yes, we will talk soon.
M
Wow, that’s a lot of green M’s! My three year old calls M&M’s “M’s” and he loves them.
Thanks for showing me your junk. At least it appears to be an organized collection and not a tower of clutter!
David,
Just a lot of smoke and mirrors…ok, cupboards crammed full of Green “M”s. I also have boxes of stuffed dogs. Every time I asked my husband if we could get a dog he would bring home a stuffed dog. It was cute the first dozen or so times but after that, just piles of stuffed animals. After reading your blog and challenge I realized that I was well on my way to having about 27 different “collections”. Moving has been my trigger for the purge.
I am cheering you on to succeed with yours.
Thanks for checking out my blog.
M
hi dere m,
sent a message to your site, but it came back rejected…weird eh. anyhow must say i was enjoying the thought of eating candy when reading your blog. of course that is a big no, no and your collection is not meant to excite the taste buds, but as your roomy might attest, the budman will eat any candy in site and green goodies are not exempted.
Of course i do realize that to you they mean something special but to a poor down trodden senior citizen they look tasty and that is about it.
My only collection is books on horses and that is now dwindling as interest is waning. In your case, it is still going full bore ahead, so keep it up and enjoy the many fine gifts of the green m.
cheers and beers, bud
Oh my gosh, I must be psychic! I figured you must have some kind of connection with green M&Ms, but I had NO idea! Great collection… amazing!
Believe me I had no idea either until I started taking pictures of them. There is more that I just couldn’t get in. As I am unpacking at this new place I am trying to thin out some of the less useful pieces. It’s hard ’cause they are so darn cute. ;-)
My vice is a comic book collection that has been boxed and stored before it overtook the house!
That’s the thing. It is not my vice. It was one of those things other people thought should be my vice. Comic books at least increase in value. You can consider them an investment ;-)
Hi, Susie sent me over. What a great collection! As a kid growing up in the country, I collected a lot of natural items: feathers, stones, interesting bits of wood. They have all since dissipated. My longest standing collection is of teapots, though I haven’t gotten a new one in a long time, because the urge to collect is at war with the urge to purge.
I have been trying to purge M&M paraphernalia for years now. My fear is that this is what I will be remembered for. Honest, it really wasn’t my idea! Thanks for stopping by.
Dropping by from Susie’s party. That green M&M is a sassy one! She is the Miss Piggy of the group. You better get a bigger room for all them soon!
No! No! No! The insanity must stop. I can’t take any more sassiness. ;-) Thanks for stopping by.
Hey, there! Visiting from Susie’s party. I somehow started a collection of hedgehogs (no live ones, thankfully). I just recently began “regifting” them. All except the really special ones, that is. Funny how many really special ones there seem to be.
Heheheheh…I know what you mean. I’ve been “sharing” my green M&Ms stuff as well. I hate to admit it, I have some really special ones too. Thanks for stopping by.
HI. Susie Sent Me
Thanks for stopping by.
I love your M&M obsession!!! I don’t really have one. I’ve bought collections of things and have a bag of collector spoons in my basement. Must rent dumpster….
Thanks for bringing this to the party!
I’m not sure if I’m the one with obsession or if it is my family and friends. I confess, I do have some favourites, though.
You can accumulate through “good intentions” so easily! I better keep all my faves to myself….