Useless Things I Tend To Collect

María A. González

USELESSthings I tend to collect.

USELESS

USELESS

things I tend to collect.

by María A. González. 2010

Copyright © 2010 by María A. González

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

First Edition

CONTENTSIntroduction vii

Society 1

Profession 5

Gender 11

Choice 17

Colophon 40

ix

It’s not my hobby or my passion to collect but unfortunately or

not, I am the result of a generation influenced by capitalism and

consumerism. When you buy things, one never seems enough,

after having something, you want another of the same thing and

somehow you start collecting.

If we lined up a group of people and ask them to give steps

forward for every item they only own once, most of the group

would stay behind. Even the most unexpected things are owned

in pairs or more. “Walk forward if you have more than one cell

phone”, it seems obvious that you can call with one; neverthe-

less some people own two or sometimes three active phones. I

for sure have a few in my pile of junk collected by default.

Would this make me a collector? Certainly no. I don’t keep

record of how many repeated items I have, or not until today,

where I will list all the things useful or not, sorted by categories:

Society, Profession (Graphic Designer), Gender (Female) and

Choice (things I like) that I own repeatedly. I will show you how

I tend to collect.

INTRODUCTION

SOCIETYTechnology gets dated very fast nowadays and society constantly

invites you to keep up.

2

I use only one phone, the rest lay in a

drawer useless.

3

I have two ipods that I alternate based on

battery matters.

4

Five sets of headphones. Different in color

and shape but basically for the same use.

5

Two external hard drives. One for backup

and the other to save music and big files.

6

7

PROFESSIONI am a Graphic Design student and apart from all the materials I have

to buy as part of my learning, I love going into an art store and pick any

object that I find interesting.

8

Fine black markers, it’s like a disease. I own at least 30 fine black markers, different brand,

tip size and ink, just to try them out on the different types of surfaces to make sure they

don’t bleed or smudge. I so far haven’t found my favorite, but I might be close.

9

Metal, plastic and wood rulers. I own seven. Different sizes, some for cutting, others for

measuring. But I mostly just use the one that does everything and fits in my bag.

10

How about glue. Sticks, liquid, gel, endless types. I have at least six and they all just adhere

things together, but it would be almost wrong not to try which one dries clearer.

11

Rare materials that I might use someday, From gold leaf to resin that I don’t have a clue

how to use, but found interesting at the art store for a project.

12

Five post-its pads in which I write no memos because I already wrote them somewhere

else, since post-its are too small anyways and get easily lost.

13

Paper. White matte, glossy, cover stock, text 90 lb, colored, double sided and everyday use,

so I can preview my work more accurately.

14

15

GENDERThese things that girls always have, but want more. Lotions, shampoos and

all the things that you can find in a pharmacy for daily use.

16

17

Six different types of body lotion. The good one, the not so

good one, the one that smells funny, the one I wanted to try

and my favorite.

Four Shampoos not for different types of hairs or whatever

distinction shampoos have. They just piled up in my

shower, because I only use one.

18

19

Three toothpaste tubes. I use the same one everyday.

Two toothbrush in my bathroom, probably another on my purse

and another one for trips in my travel bag.

24 different nail polish colors. I have been collecting them over

the seasons and as new colors come out, you must get them.

When I actually get the time to paint my nails, it is nice to have

the opportunity to choose.

20

21

CHOICEThese are the things that I am more inclined to consciously collect. Things

I like and will always want more, because I really do like them all.

22

23

My fantastic and proud ten watch collection. I get to combine or clash

them with my daily outfit and even sometimes don’t wear one at all.

24

25

The nine pair of sunglasses I love to admire and not pick from, since half

of them don’t work very well.

26

27

My happy analog camera collection: three Lomography cameras, two Polar-

oids and one I don’t get.

28

29

Tons of films developed make a huge collection of pictures. They take up a

whole shelf out of my tiny bookshelf.

30

31

My craft materials. Thread. I have twelve colors I found on a trip to Buenos

Aires, Argentina. Now they sit in my drawer since I barely touch them.

32

33

Four water bottles I carry with me everywhere. I constantly forget them

home and end up buying water on the way because I always get thirsty or

paranoid that I need water.

34

35

A weird attraction to absurd objects, they are usually found in body shops

and travel size things sections. Lotions for energy, face massagers, water

spray, tiny first aid kits, among others.

36

37

Rings. Easy to wear, there is everything to love about them and no reason

why not to get more.

38

39

And two piggy banks. As if I will fill them both with a bunch of useful coins.

40

COLOPHONUseless things I tend to collect is typeset in News Gothic

designed by Morris Fuller Benton, and released by the

American Type Founders (ATF) in 1908 and in Chronicle

Text and Display designed by Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias

Frere-Jones, and released in 2002.

Printed in 115 gsm matte white text stock.

Photography and design by María A. González.

LESSUSE