About six months ago I could have been committed to a Dylan trader rehab clinic. If there even is such a place, and I'm sure that somewhere there is! I was what you could term a compulsive collector. I'm that way by nature. I love collecting things. I wouldn't say that I am a pack-rat, but I love collecting things that I am intersted in, and well, when I got turned onto the fact that for little more than the cost of a blank cd-r and postage I could soon have a large audio/video collection of Bob Dylan, I was hooked.

Than, when I got a good cd burner, things went through the roof! I would plan out my evening to make room to get a few discs burned. There was not a night that went by when I did not get off at least a couple. And I became VERY well known at my local post office.

Of course, I had my rationalizations. But there was one thing that I noticed. I wasn't able to listen to what I was collecting. It had even become hard to remember when I had actually listened to a recent trade. Sure, I'd check the disc out quickly to make sure it did not have any glaring errors, but then it'd get stuck on a spindle or in my folder, and then I would open the next package.

I think I had my epiphany when one night I looked at the 'to do' stack and saw that I had over 80 discs to begin burning! It may seem like a trader could never get that deep, but a few 20 disc trades can shoot your 'to do' stack up to the ceiling! I realized then that when that stack was done, I was too...

Well, it didn't go that smoothly. I did finish that stack, but then I took on a couple trades here and there, no more than 10 or 15 discs, but after a few weeks I realized I was still strapped for time and I was beginning to feel the strains of the expectation. I wanted to have a good turn-around time, but my fellow traders were beginning to feel like they were my boss, that I was performing for them. Not that any were rude or gave heavy pressure or anything, but I felt like I had slipped into the 'trading machine'.

I went cold turkey from even looking at the message boards of the dylanpool or dylantree, and then newly introduced "take one/leave one" threads. I did an occasional trade, but more like favor burns. I eventually had to take my list 'offline' (I just renamed the actual list which I can still use for occasional trades) for the time of my hiatus. That was sort of hard because I like for others to see my collection. However, it is hard to continually turn down emails for trades, even when you have on your page that you are not actively trading. I'm sure it will go up again when I have more resolution to not feel bad about saying no, but for now it is away from public eye and only can be viewed by invitation only.

I also realized that in the wake of my trading frenzy binge of the recent months I had an organizational problem with my discs too. I still need to take care of some of that aspect, but it is now a task that I don't dread. I'm a creature of order, and unlabelled discs laying around, and spindles with odds and ends on it are not my cup of tea. I bought some folders and soon will go through and try to organize my "collection".

Dylan has a rich history of sound, and I love to collect. There are not too many discs that I am hunting down now, but I can enjoy going back to the message boards and checking out the items and doing an occasional trade. I still haven't listened to all my collection and honestly, I probably never will. But like another essay I wrote, I have these discs as I have encyclopedias. They are reference items. I don't sit and read through the entire World Book series or the dictionary. I use them when something crosses my mind or I want to check them out. They are there on a shelf, ready for me to consult.

Now, I am beginning to think again of some long overdue 'project' discs I wanted to create. A Gospel compilation. Knocked Down & Driftin'. Blue Boy. My Concerts Compilation. Stuff like that. I want to enjoy my collection. I want to be thrilled to listen to a disc. I know I have a lot, but I am still very excited when I hear a great boot. And it is now cool to be able to see a disc that really, I mean REALLY, appeals to me because I am not stuck with my head in the burner!

Please hear me out! I'm not condemning those who are highly active traders. This is just where I am at. And I guess I just thought of this as an essay topic because if you are a trader that is hitting the ceiling of your trading tolerance and you feel like you have an addiction to trading and just can't stop, or you feel like if you do one more trade you will burn your whole collection because you are sick of the hold it has on you, I guess I just want to share that what I experienced is that perhaps, like me, you can stop cold, and gather back the joy you had in the beginning. Start again with a fresh perspective.

Perhaps you can enjoy looking at other peoples list without feeling like you are un undisciplined kid in a candy shop, but a discerning collector checking out your options. There is cool down after the burn, but you don't have to be left burned-out.

How long with this hiatus last? Well, as long as it needs to last. More accurately, I should say, until I think that I've learned all I need to learn from it. Keep up the trading, enjoy the privilege of being able to partake in the fun, and may you be blessed in what you do.

~ David