I very much enjoy the social anthropology of people selling things they no longer want or need. It’s an up close and personal way to study the customs, family organization and patterns of consumption of your neighbors! It would be great to read a PhD dissertation on this topic. I like to see the overall landscape – baby furniture, books, popcorn poppers, record albums (!), old jewelry, computer parts, posters, Tupperware. The second reason I brake for yard sales is the voyeuristic view the into that family’s life.

My sense of taste is a bit offbeat. I’m partial to purple and other bright colors, I wear large pins and loud scarves. Every once in a while I go in for a hat. I like clothes from the 60′s and 70′s. I’m always on the lookout for real tie-dye, peace signs and items that express my inner self. My third reason for being a yard sale junkie is that I can almost always find something that speaks uniquely to me – for less than $3!

I have a friend who says, “Nothing returns a memory as clearly as a song.” In other words, by listening to a particular song, you can be immediately transported back to a certain time and place. Depending on the track, it’s an almost visceral reaction – at least for me. Some of the songs that trigger memories for me are:
> “Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters (1964)- going to Seaside Heights (the Jersey shore) during the summer while in grade school.
> “Turn the Beat Around” by Vicki Sue Robinson (1976)- listening to that played almost continuously on the jukebox during my college years.
> “I Wanna Be Sedated” by The Ramones (1978) – studying all night, taking exams, and then sleeping for days – my grad school experience.

I have a vinyl collection of 150+ albums that the casual observer would seriously question: How can I go for The Doobie Brothers and Harry Belafonte? Why do I like both Bob Marley and Queen? And what about Bette Midler and The Talking Heads? OK, I’ll admit it – I went through all the possible musical phases as I grew up: bubblegum, folk rock, the British invasion, the girl groups, Motown, rock ‘n roll, reggae, disco (loved it!), and on and on…
My record collection is special because of the memories those songs evoke. I enjoyed playing them 30 years ago, and I enjoying listening to them now.