Collecting and research and be green as well

Right, how many collect antiques, stamps, postcards,whatever. The sky is your limit isn't it? I collect postcards, loads of them and I dare say in forty or so years time, they could be valuable. However there is another use for them I bet nobody has thought of, or perhaps few maybe. They can aid descriptions of places as an aide to memoire so it is worth dividing them up into categories such as foreign, people, animals, portraits, national. You can either buy yourself one of those index card boxes or you can purloin a washing tablet box one used to hold cat food - if you are into recycling as I am and trying to be green ecologically - yes you can still write and care for the planet. That really could serve as an article in itself. Get some dividing cards or make your own and categorize the sections so if you are looking for something foreign, you have a pretty good idea where it is.

As I probably said before, do not throw away willy nilly, any old supplement periodicals, there might be some background information for a novel that would be useful to research. A year or more ago, I was given a photocopier. It was intended for the River Stour Trust but as they have one a donation was sent so I photocopied items that would be useful but keep your eye on the local paper as some surprising things can come up for sale. I would not know what to do without my photocopier although the refils can be expensive. I will give you a health and safety warning however, when you change the filter which is a slim item with a foam, do not touch the motor mechanism where you slip it in. I did so inadvertently when it was quite hot and burned the tip of my thumb. Again, store in a box or filing cabinet if you have one or a ringbinder, divide into sections and regard it as an encyclopaedia or research resource. In short, you need to become a kleptomaniac of ephemera in a way if you are truly in love with your craft.