dollissimo

Collecting always seem to be a cyclical pursuit. While manufacturers might go through a process of introducing new variants, models, special editions, limited editions and similar marketing efforts, the actual business of collecting seems to be an individual experience. Indeed, it feels, sometimes, like collecting roots itself at some genetic or psychological level that ebbs and flows like a tide.

Obviously, doll collecting isn’t alone in this experience, as any collector will go through this process. At times you will avidly follow everything about your chosen hobby, rabidly pursuing the most obscure products or shreds of rumour; while, at other times, you will luxuriate in and appreciate the collection you already possess.

I’d love to spend some time considering the deeper values and conditions that drive these changes. Understanding the complexities of thought, personality and economy that impact what each of us do as collectors of something.

Just thought it worth putting a few words to keyboard on the progress over the last year and what 2011 holds. I realise, as the guy who thought this was a good idea, that dollissimo hasn’t necessarily worked out the way I’d hoped. I can have my dreams. I did plan to promote the place heavily and attend doll events to fill the place with content – and then encourage discussion in the various forums on all doll matters so that people didn’t have to go one place for Sybs, another for Tonner, and another for general chatter. However, somewhere along the lines I think I made it more, rather than less, complicated.

I spent a not inconsiderable amount of time wrestling with taking dollsearcher.com offline – as the platform wasn’t working at all well – and while I struggled on that, I designed this place – and made sure it went online before the other site went off. It felt easy to use for me – but, when you set a site up you get into the thick of it and the complexities get all blurred. I’m probably too familiar with the functionality to know what’s simple and what isn’t.

I would ask you to please help me out here. If you find something that doesn’t work – tell me. If you need support to better understand something – ask. If you think you should have access to something, but don’t – poke me with a stick until I do something about it. I sincerely would rather you bombarded me with queries, issues and requests rather than say nothing at all. I’ve never subscribed to the concept if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I’m not suggesting you get mean, but I am saying if you have comments or issues, don’t hold back in case my feelings get bruised. Providing you’re constructive and don’t simply suggest “Scrap it – it’s sh*t!” I’m okay with that.

On the matter of content, I’m always up for publishing event reports – short or long. I’m happy if you post reviews of dolls, outfits or events under the various ‘Forums’. And, I’m happy for you to invite friends along – providing they don’t try and sell me herbal medicines, ways to improve my ‘stamina’ or have an offer to make me on $340 million if I can just front them the bank transfer charges.

On Thursday and Friday we had lovely weather, yes 80s,  but low humidity, so it was pretty comfortable. I brought my straw hat on all the days, so walking from place to pace was only hampered by knee twinges, not symptons of heat stroke. By Saturday the temps had climbed, so it was good that every place we went was air conditioned, because I think it climbed back into the 90s.

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Saturday Breakfast and there at the table is someone we are all supposed to know, but, unfortunately, I am not at all sure who she is. So I introduce Ann and myself, and she introduces herself as Joan Greene – of the Gene crew at Ashton Drake, and she is to be the featured speaker. The breakfast is billed as Madra Lord’s 10th anniversary, but that thought went out the window, and what we got was The Joan Greene Resume and Career Update – an overview of her entire career. Joan has done some amazing work in Dollyworld, and she described her career along with a slide show. Breakfast was fine, we got another card of the souvenir outfit and another miniature book that was the doll sized version of the full size book of Dior memoirs, which is a stitch to read.

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Firstly, an omission from the last part – the breakfast loot included a Gene scale guitar in a carrying case. Inside was the guitar and a label that said “Ship to Grand Ole Opry  Ryman Auditorium  Nashville, Tennessee.”  Really cute prop.

The Country Music Hall of Fame is really a testament to hard working people. None of these stars seemed to have had material stuff, mostly they had talent. Lots of rags to riches stories in the museum. No Cole Porters or Johnny Mercers among this crowd. There were little booths to go and hear remastered versions of early songs. There were the ubiquitous guitar displays. Incidentally, the hotel also had prints and paintings of guitars everywhere. A guitar is the signature motif of Nashville. There were many to see.

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