MY PRIZED POSSESSIONS

My most prized possesions are memories... Honestly, I have never been very attached to material possessions. However, as I contemplate moving from the house where I have been living for the past 6 years, I realized that there are a few things that are really important to me. Here they are:

10. My Dogbert doll.

Dogbert rules the world... "Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue." This doll was a gift I got from my boss and mentor in Illinois. He has been sitting on top of my monitor for almost ten years now... Without him, it just would not be the same.

09. The Shroud of Turin

I own about 25 books on the search for the historical Jesus. Among the best titles are: "Jesus Lived in India", "The Other Story of Jesus", "The secret life of Jesus", "The Lost Years of Jesus", "Jesus and the Mortal Secret of the Templars", "Jesus & The Essenes" and, of course, "The Urantia Book". However, there is one item that I really treasure... An exact replica of the Shroud of Turin, which is the center piece of one of the most controversial issues of the field.

08. Poscard Collection

I am passionate about photography... Once, I liked touristy photography... but I realized that I was never going to top the pictures used for postcards. So, I started a postcard collection. Now, everywhere I go - especially when abroad - I get a few selected postcards. I'm very proud of this collection and I love showing it to anyone who would see it.

07. Voodoo Doll

I got this at the Voodoo museum in New Orleans. It is supposed to bring me good luck, but it hasn't worked so far. Still, I think it is a very cool item.

06. Cross Pens

I got this from a Korean student in Illinois... the most expensive gift a student has ever given me... It's a beautiful set of pens... I have never used them and probably never will. The reason is simple... I don't want to lose them.

05. Master's Degree

Yeah, I know it's only a piece of paper but, hey, I worked my ass off for almost three years to get it... so it had to be here somewhere. Besides, it's a really elegant and sophisticated piece of paper. I do not usually show it around, though.

04. CD Collection

More than 500 CDs, what more can I say? The most prized?... All the Jim Steinman/Meat Loaf collection, the Progressive Rock section (featuring Jethro Tull, Rush, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Pink Floyd), the comedy section (feautring my Weird Al Yankovick collection) and the International section (featuring many Italian CDs)

03. Pencil Collection

My favorite collection!!! I've got about 50 pencils from different places I have been on my life. Among my favorites are: A pencil with lunar rock samples I got from Johnson Space Center in Houston and my Mickey Mouse shaped pencil. What I love about this collection is that there is a story in every pencil.

02. Unicorn

This guy, I call the "Horny-corn", has been my sidekick, my trusted companion, my friend for 15 years. He lived for about 8 years on my desk at the CCCN, then he moved to my bedside table for about 6 years..,. For about 1 year now, he keeps me company as I write these blogs...

01. Gold Medal

The coolest possession I have by far... an exact replica of a gold medal from the 2002 Winter Olympic games. I got it at the Olympic Stadium in Salt Lake City just two weeks after the games officially ended!!!! Amazing!