In my family, I’ve always been the so called “hoarder”.  Considering the fact that I collected toilet paper tubes and asked for a cardboard box for my tenth birthday, I’d probably have to agree with them (it was for a fort). I’ve always had weird collections growing up. Pounds of seaglass from Lake Erie’s beaches, pins, bottle caps, barbies, earrings, jars, weird figurines, dried flowers, and business cards, to name a few. My mom probably has the biggest issue with my stuff. I don’t like throwing things away, including all of the stuffed animals from my childhood and old dolls. The strangest thing in my room is probably this fake raccoon I got at a gift shop on route 8 called Pepinna’s, which has since been shut down. It’s about the size of a very small cat and has realistic fur and facial features. His name is Demetri and I have no plans of ever getting rid of him. The second weirdest thing in my room is this little plastic baby figurine with outstretched arms and legs. I found it on the pool deck of Butler High School during a swim meet last year. My mom took it from me and told me I could have it only if I qualified for WPIALS in the 500 free that night. I did, and now it lives in the junk box on my bedroom shelf with all my other weird stuff. So although you might judge my masses of weird objects now, just wait fifty years and I’ll running an antique empire. And while I’m making absolute bank, Demetri and I will have only these words to bestow upon you: “Haha, loser.”