Cold Turkey

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 Nov 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Lee	07 Nov 2003
I've decided not to buy any decks for six months. I wrote on a piece of paper, "I will not buy any decks until May 1, 2004." And I signed it and taped it up in my home office. Not only is this habit getting too expensive, but I feel like I'm frittering myself away on multiple decks when I should be paying attention to only a few. I have two decks which I pre-ordered before my self-imposed ban (Golden Tarot and Timeless Truth), and then that will be it for six months. I'm really beginning to admire and respect Tauni, who got her collection down to ten or so (I currently have around 180). I would like to do this also, but I thought I'd wait a few years until some of my decks are more sought-after. I think I would extend it a little bit, though -- maybe ten decks I'd want to have to work with, and ten more I'd want to have just for the art. Has anyone else tried this kind of self-imposed moratorium, and succeeded? Or failed? -- Lee

Astraea	07 Nov 2003
Lee, I am a true tarotholic -- I have tried the self-moratorium route on several occasions, never with success; all it takes is a visit to Tarot Garden or Tarot Passages, or a link provided through Aeclectic, to knock me off the wagon. Perhaps if we were to split our moratoria up into smaller increments (like, say, two-week periods) we would have a greater chance of success!

Major Tom	07 Nov 2003
The only way cold turkey ever seems to work, and I'm going entirely on anecdotal evidence, is One Day At A Time. Repeat after me: "I will not buy a tarot deck today". "I will buy a tarot calendar instead". :laugh:

Lee	07 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Major Tom Repeat after me: "I will not buy a tarot deck today". "I will buy a tarot calendar instead". :laugh: LOL! Well I did write "decks," not "calendars"... Hmm..... -- Lee :)

skytwig	07 Nov 2003
Awwwwwww......... I have empathy, Lee,....... but I am not a deck collector.... have had the same few decks for years. I would like a couple new decks.... the Portal Tarot, incredibly inspired by Khatruman's MASTERPIECE.... the Moon's Journey; the Marseilles, again inspired by postings here, and the Fey, because it is just so darn cute! They will come to me, if and when it is time..... So, I hear your grief, but do not really understand it..... :( HOWEVER: As i read your post, I was wondering if it is time for you to CREATE YOUR OWN DECK...... maybe that is the next step.... and, it will certainly keep you busy until May 1, 2004! :D

Logiatrix	07 Nov 2003
Way to go, Lee... This reminds me of Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs." Remember way, way back in The Very Beginning when you were just gathering the basics? You might not have even called it a collection yet... Then there were the more complex tarot decks... Then the OOP decks came along... (Somewhere in here is where it became The Collection.) Then the rare decks, handmade decks, independently published decks--and just plain weird decks--rounded out the ensemble. There you were, Lee B., Master Tarot Collector, resting near the top of the pyramid... Barring an extravagant, high-dollar purchase directly from an Italian museum, what could possibly be next? How does a tarotphile self-actualize? Design a tarot deck! [shameless plug: "the gay tarot," by lo scarabeo, published 2004.] Perhaps that is the apogee of any great love, that to worship the entity is to sculpt it. I respect and admire you, Lee. As far as my former collection...well, I just ran out of space! No worries, I am currently in the process of self-actualization! :D By the way, Lee... When you decide to unload some of those decks, come to Tempe, okay? })

SongDeva	07 Nov 2003
I bought a lot of decks on eBay recently from a woman who decided to get her collection down to only 22 Decks. One for each major. Good idea, no? Anyway, I sure made out on it! LOL If anyone's curious, I scored the following: Daughters of the Moon (Color me Version) with book. Thoth - AG Mueller Elemental Tarot and Book Light and Shadow Tarot and book Rohrig Tarot and full color book New Orleans Voodoo tarot, with book Gendron PLUS: 2 bags, 2 brass candlesticks, 4 jars of herbs, some crystals, sea salt, a spread cloth, and a copy of Animal Speak. And she wrapped each item individually in wrapping paper. How sweet is that? They have a great new home! I think I'll be trading some soon though.

dolphingirl	07 Nov 2003
Well I have thought of cutting back on my deck purchases but to me there like books. I wouldn't stop buying books to read just cause I have quite a few and could reread the ones I have. Each tarot deck to me IS a new book with something new to say, sometimes I don't understand what there saying but lol I keep trying. Well i just thought I would talk about the other side of my coin :p

punchinella	07 Nov 2003
--It can get WAY too expensive after awhile, I'm with Lee on that. Like--into the thousands of dollars . . . when/if you choose to 'acknowledge' shipping costs . . . I tried cold turkey & it didn't really work. What DID work was a tarot budget. One deck, & one deck only, per month works for me. That way--I can savour the shopping experiece (choosing just the right deck), anticipate its arrival & have just enough time left over to admire & study it before moseying my way forward again, into a new cycle. P.

Dark_angel	07 Nov 2003
I really should stop, but I feel the same way as dolphingirl - each tarot deck is unique. Also, how could I choose what to keep? There would be my reading decks - Gothic, Vampire, Adrian my study decks - Rider Waite, Sacred Rose, Vision my baby - Vertigo (I love love LOVE this deck) my sentimental decks - Moon Garden, Tarot for Cats, Cat People all the decks I HAVE to buy... ... see, I just can't do it! xxx

Majecot	07 Nov 2003
Lee Cold Turkey IS hard! .. I think the Tarot budget is an excellent idea. May 2004 is a long way away. I am afraid you may start to have serious withdrawls. If you go with a Tarot budget, be sure to include the accessories in your budget too :) BTW . cold turkey has never worked for me. (It is just too painful) Good luck!

Lee	07 Nov 2003
Well, it may not be as hard as all that (I hope) -- I think more decks come out at the end of the year than throughout the year, maybe the publishers are aiming for the gift-buying market, so I think there will be less temptations between now and May. You know, on reading my first post, when I wrote "I'm beginning to respect and admire Tauni," that sounds kind of funny. What I mean is, I always respected and admired Tauni (really! I've always looked forward to her well-written posts and her wisdom and calmness), but in this instance I began to particularly admire and respect this particular idea (of simplifying one's life by reducing deck collection). A tarot budget is a good idea too. I'll see how it goes... if I fail with cold turkey, the tarot budget would be my fallback position. (The fallback position after that is to just go and buy all at once the decks I had resisted buying up to then!) -- Lee

Logiatrix	07 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Lee ...You know, on reading my first post, when I wrote "I'm beginning to respect and admire Tauni," that sounds kind of funny. What I mean is, I always respected and admired Tauni (really! I've always looked forward to her well-written posts and her wisdom and calmness), but in this instance I began to particularly admire and respect this particular idea (of simplifying one's life by reducing deck collection). -- Lee LOLOL :D :D :D It's all good, Lee! Thank you for the kudos, just the same... [tauni, feeling famous for a bit, puts on her shades... :cool: ] ;) I like the idea of a once-a-month budget, but it had to be Cold Turkey first, for me. Right now, my pattern is "Cold Turkey--splurge--trade--Cold Turkey--splurge--trade..." And so on... Perhaps I will have achieved some sense of balance and control by next year, in time for Lee's new deck...AND the Golden Tarot...AND Major Tom's Tarot Calendar...Oh, and let's not forget Tarot Garden's Alphabet Sale... :eek: Nevermind, I shall never have the discipline to budget. [tauni eagerly plots her next splurge... }) ] DISCLAIMER: No turkeys were harmed (or denied warmth) during the composing of this post. :)

Jeanette	07 Nov 2003
Lee, have strength if this is what you truly want to do! I admire you for this ~ I've stopped buying decks because I have other interests that take my money for the moment, and let's face it, you just can't have everything! So now my latest craze is Middle Eastern Dance, which requires practice outfits, dance lessons, costumes, accessories, workshops, etc. I can't justify buying more tarot decks, it's just not in the budget. Fortunately for me, since I'm a SAHM, hubby is not concerned at all about my interests and what they cost, as long as everything else is taken care of (which requires careful watching and the dreaded BUDGET). But it all works out in the end, trust me, and you'll get used to doing without in a while! And when you go back to acquiring decks, you may even appreciate/enjoy it more!

Star Spirit	07 Nov 2003
I hope I don't become a total tarot-holic. Sounds hard to quit.

faunabay	07 Nov 2003
Lee, I've tried to cut down my tarot collection twice now. It works for awhile but then the number creeps back up again!!! I've got things listed to trade or sale right now, hoping I can get my collection size down a bit again. But I'm not doing too well. :( (Just ask Tauni!!! She's not helping me at all!! LOL)

Mystic Zyl	07 Nov 2003
Wow, Lee, good luck. At least there will be one less person to bid against on Ebay. I was thinking about quitting too, but there are just a few more decks I crave. I collect oop and I know how expensive it can get. It took all the strength I had not to bid $200 on a Hermetic deck a couple days ago. Tarot cards are like M&Ms you cannot stop at one.

Lee	08 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Jeanette trust me, and you'll get used to doing without in a while! And when you go back to acquiring decks, you may even appreciate/enjoy it more! I think this is really the key. I want to get to the point where if I buy a deck it will be because I really want that deck, not because of the psychological "high" I get from ordering, waiting, taking the box out of the mailbox, opening the box, ripping off the packaging materials, opening the deck box, ripping off the cellophane, smelling the new deck smell (except for the Radiant RW which smells vile), then putting it on the shelf -- where it gathers dust. -- Lee

Mimers	08 Nov 2003
I have been studying Tarot for about year and a half and already have about 30 decks. I really do try to trade off the decks that don't resonate with me no matter how much I love them. What good are they if they just sit on the shelf? I find something quite curious. The 2 decks that I resonate with the most, I bought on a whim. I really didn't have any burning desire to buy them, I just did. They are Tarot of Prague and Ancestral Path. When I read with either one of these decks it just seems natural. If I had just these two decks, I would be quite content. I enjoy most of the other decks I own with a few exceptions. Aside from the Golden Tarot which was love at first site, I have no desire to purchase any of the new decks coming out. Mimi

Cerulean	08 Nov 2003
...a ban on all new books and tarots and magazines while I was trading and cleaning out my bookshelves. I actually think I went six to eight months without anything new when I started kayaking two years ago and I stopped art or writing studies for awhile. I don't buy magazines, fiction books or greeting cards any more. I gave and donated many art supplies from former hobbies over the space of three years and either specialized in history classes or writing or one form of art. This past year I've traded and let go of many; I'll probably be doing more of this over the next six months. Best wishes, Mari H. P.S. That's wise, to choose May as usually most of the new decks come out in April-May and then you can choose what you want...the next big print runs seem from September through December, kind of like academic or seasonal publishing cycles.

Logiatrix	08 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki [b...that's wise, to choose may as usually most of the new decks come out in april-may and then you can choose what you want...the next big print runs seem from september through december, kind of like academic or seasonal publishing cycles. [/b] That's good to know... On a more practical level, collector or no, a tarotphile can plan and budget accordingly. Wow, I almost sound like One Who Has Discipline... Hmmm...something to seriously consider. Hey, who's laughing over there?!!! Faunabay, stop laughing! :D

Diana	08 Nov 2003
Lee: just do it. Any kind of addiction is unhealthy. Whether it be drugs, cigarettes, Tarot decks or pink glass dragons. I am addicted to coffee. It is horrid to be addicted to something. It is not good for the self-esteem and it proves that we are trying to fill a gap in our emotional lives. If you can find out why you need to buy so many Tarot decks, then it will be easier to break the habit. Just like I really need to know why I need to drink so much coffee. The answer lies deep inside. So a reading could help to clarify the "why".

firemaiden	08 Nov 2003
It sounds like a tragic curse, Lee, but maybe it's not... maybe it's all part of a kind of research and information gathering mode that went into seeding the Gay Tarot. If that's so, then it was worth every penny. I am pretty bad too, have collected 30 decks, in what is it.... just a year and a half? I figure the only way to get myself to slow down is to say to myself... "it's okay, the deck will be there tomorrow (if it will) you can buy it some other time, like when you really deserve it, as a reward for something..."

WolfSpirit	08 Nov 2003
I would not want to go cold turkey, but I also try to stick to "one deck a month". To be honest, I only did this because I had to economize and I found it hard in the beginning - AT does not help much either, I read all those posts of people buying five decks in one go and thought: o, why can't I have this ? }) But yes, it was a good thing to do. Now I would not want to have too many new decks in a short while and no time to explore them. I appreciate it now when I get a new deck. I keep a wish list and I see that some decks lose their attraction after some time, I don't want them anymore. So I only get the decks that I still want after a few months. For me, buying decks was a way to have something in my life I had control over: I didn't know what I was going to do and I didn't like my job but at least I could have the decks I liked. (wow this is really becoming taroholics anonymous ;) ) Instead of tackling the problem, I comforted myself with decks. Now if I had been really addicted...I would not have dared to quit my job because I would need the money for all those decks. That is really a scary thought !!

Emily	08 Nov 2003
Hi Lee, I'm trying a self imposed ban at the moment, I've been buying far too many decks on a whim - I have the Radiant Rider Waite in the mail and its the last deck I will be buying for a while. I never started out as a collector but seem to have ended up with over 20+ decks. Most of these decks just sit in my tarot bookshelf and never get looked at. I've tried to make myself trade but these decks called me for a reason and hopefully one day I'll have to time to explore them all properly. I think my problem is that I was looking for that special deck, but I never seem to stay on one deck long enough to find out if it is the 'one'. So I've gone full circle back to the Rider Waite, which really I haven't studied or explored to its full potential, and also the Morgan Greer. - I need to stick to these decks that seem to talk to me, I like the artwork, the pocket Rider Waite is nicely coloured and the Morgan Greer is a beautiful deck too. I want to slow down and take the time to explore these decks properly then maybe later, much later, move onto decks that I already have without buying more. Being a tarotholic can be an expensive hobby, especially when I didn't start out to be a collectot and still don't really consider myself to be one lol :) - All the decks I have were supposed to be working decks - it just didn't turn out that way. Edited to add:- Now I've wrote this down I feel much better, I know I can keep to my 'no more decks for a while' ban - With a family I do feel a type of guilt, even though my family don't go without, for the amount of money I've been spending on my hobby. :)

lark	08 Nov 2003
I had a dream about this thread last night. I was in a Christian bookstore and on one of the shelves was a small selection of tarot decks, I went over to look at them. The Tarot of Prague was there and also Golden Tarot and Margeret Petersen Tarot. All decks that I have on my wish list. Charles Stanley( a Baptist T.V. preacher) is standing on a wooden platform preaching next to the cash register. I am standing with all three decks clutched in my arms trying to talk myself out of buying them. Dead Star walks up to me and says "Hey Lark, I've got the Tarot of Prague and I thought it would be real hard to read, but it's a stroll in the park." I say "No, Dead Star, Lee and I aren't buying any more decks untill spring." I look up and notice that Tauni is standing in the corner holding a full grown turkey that is wearing a little red jacket. This sight seems to trigger the thought in my mind that it is no use for me to think I will stop collecting decks anytime soon. And I head off to the cash register with the three new decks in my arms to confront Charles Stanley, and pay for my beautiful decks. With the sound of Tauni's turkey gobbling softly in the back ground. When I woke up I was real sad that I didn't really have those new decks.... so much for any good intentions on my part to simpify my tarot collecting. I think I need to pop into the Tarot Garden for awhile. }) Namaste Also psychoanalysis may be on my' to do list.'

Cocobird55	08 Nov 2003
Interesting topic. I get very OCD (obsessive/compulsive) about any new hobby or interest that I involve myself in. Tarot was no exception. I have about 40 decks now. I used to rush frantically from store to store, looking for decks that I didn't have and thought I might want. I have slowed down, without planning to. I don't go looking for decks to buy much anymore. I don't want to quit completely, because I enjoy collecting the self-published decks, which may go OOP at any time. However, to justify having bought all of the decks and books and other misc stuff, I do randomly pick a deck a couple of times a week and just look at the cards. The artwork on a lot of decks is dazzling, and I feel like I am doing something with all my decks, instead of letting them sit in their baskets. I could be in total denial, of course, and rationalizing like crazy... Sue

Logiatrix	08 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by lark }) Namaste Also psychoanalysis may be on my' to do list.' ROTFLMAO, LARK!!! :D :D :D Lark fidgets as she lays on the couch. The psychiatrist leans forward and squints, as he spies Lark's tarot deck tucked in her sweater sleeve. "So, tell me again about theez friend...eh, theez eh, 'Dead Star'?" "She is on the Forum..." "Theez Forum, it is a real place, no?" "Well, yes, it's a place with people who love tarot...on my computer." "Theez place, theez people--they are thee ones who tell you to buy tarot decks?" "Well, sort of...we all like to buy them. We all talk about them." "And theez turkey...did eet tell you to buy tarot decks?" At the mention of the turkey, Lark reaches for her deck for comfort. "No, the turkey was in my dream. I...I...well, I don't know what it was trying to say. It just gobbled. What does that mean, Doctor?" The Good Doctor shakes is head and makes that irritating tsk-tsk noise as he scribbles in a notebook. "What is it, Doctor? Am I hopeless?" "No...no...but you must tell me something..." "Yes, Doctor, of course." "I must add to my tarot own leest...now, let me see...you said, the Tarot of Prague, Margerete Petersen, and what other deck? Thees I do not have een my collection. Tell me about them..." Lark runs screaming from the room... :eek: :D

Lee	08 Nov 2003
LOL, lark and Tauni!!! :laugh: -- Lee

lark	08 Nov 2003
I have not laughed this hard in a very long time. :laugh: Thank you Tauni you have saved me thousands of dollars in psychoanalysis. Money much better spent on tarot decks! And I know you probably don't believe it but I really did have that dream last night. I am, I'm afraid, a tad bit odd.

firestorm	11 Nov 2003
Although I call myself a tarot junkie for buying somewhere between 25 and 30 decks in one year, I've already tired of the compulsive collecting. I have four decks that turned out to be disappointments after I looked through them and it left me with such an empty feeling that I thoroughly check decks out and leave it on my wish list for a while before purchasing them. The "high" doesn't last long, especially with decks that turn out to be less than I hoped for and its not worth cluttering up my life or draining my bank account over. Most of my decks I'm very happy with and I'd rather spend my time with them. Part of what I love about tarot cards is that there is always something to learn; its never completely mastered, so I figure I have more than enough to do with the decks I have.

Jen	11 Nov 2003
Quote: I get very OCD (obsessive/compulsive) about any new hobby or interest that I involve myself in. Me too. At this stage I've decided to only buy and keep decks I can definitely read with. Evertime I find a new interest I go on a spend-a-thon. It gets kind of annoying. Even when I got into indoor plants, I went crazy at the nursery, spending unhealthy amounts of money. Leave it to me to take an inexpensive hobby and make it expensive. I would really like to just focus on one deck and a couple of books, rather than scatter my energy across the tarot universe. I'm getting a little better. My cat and my plants are cheering me on.

Requiella	11 Nov 2003
I too can be extremely intense when I develop a new interest or hobby, sometimes carrying it all out of proportion. What was probably my most extreme example of this came during graduate school: Although I was there to study psychology, I developed such an avid interest in Celtic history that I halfway considered quitting graduate school and moving over to Ireland to enroll in an Irish Studies program!!! The problem with this--but also the aspect that makes like exciting--is that I always seem to be into something... My latest thing is home decorating. I just bought a home, so this is what I'm into. The house was built in the early 1900s, so I'm doing it in Art Nouveau. Uncoincidentally, I saw the Art Nouveau Tarot at Borders this weekend and *had* to pick up a copy...lol

Cerulean	11 Nov 2003
Cold turkey means not being a wild turkey, the wily tarot gobbler munching your spending budget... But does it mean no -tarot trading? -tarot books? -gift-tarot-for-your-Xmas-baby-as-I-know-you'd love-it...(I'll just check it out for a review first)..." -tarot-peeking at Tarotgarden.com ...of course not! You're not dead, you're just giving your tarot gobbler a rest. Seen any good oracles lately.... Cheers, this was meant to make you smile, Mari H whose exploring alternatives...

lawguy51	11 Nov 2003
My partner at work has something he likes to collect...vintage recording studio equipment. He can spend thousands without blinking an eye on a microphone or a reverb unit. I thank the heavens above that my weakness lies in collecting Tarot cards! Lawguy51

Lee	12 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki Seen any good oracles lately.... LOL, Mari! Actually, I've been feeling myself twitching uncontrollably when I read about the Synchro-Signs oracle set in the Oracle Decks Forum... :P -- Lee

Lee	28 Nov 2003
Aarrrggghh! I've broken my pledge ALREADY! :eek: I've bought a tarot deck. And what could possibly tempt me so much to go against all my good intentions? This review by Peter Cowen: http://www.aeclectic.net/ancient-lombardy/review.html Who could resist? I already love my Ancient Tarot of Bologna and my Ancient Italian Tarot, so this will make a perfect addition. And I found it at a good price, too: http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?cid=17436&PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=555370&fp=F&siteID=oP5Nuw5q6fc-oTU9qh1oO5NJgBkEtPL9rQ As if that weren't bad enough, I also ordered the oracle set Synchro-Signs: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18751 AND the new Gypsy Fortunes deck by Lady Lorelei. I was able to look at it in person and it's quite nice, a 36-card Lenormand-type deck with a modern style of illustration, very pleasant. AND I ordered a gorgeous playing-card deck from 1864 from U.S. Games, for which I'm eternally grateful to Umbrae for making us aware of its existence: http://www.usgamesinc.com/Cards_Games/viewProduct.cfm?Product_ID=723 Total, around $55. :( But, with Amazon's discounts and free shipping, I ended up saving $12 on the Synchro-Signs and Gypsy deck over what I would have paid in the store. So, you see, I saved money... :laugh: Oh, well. One thing's for sure -- when I get them, I'm going to thoroughly enjoy them! :D -- Lee

VGimlet	29 Nov 2003
LOL Lee! :D I've been on a bit of a moratorium this year - I've only bought 15 decks. For me, that is really, really good. And I will *try* not to buy any more decks for myself from now until February, *except* for things that I've pre-ordered. With an exception for something like finding one of the Folchi decks on my list for under 100.00.

Le_Corsair	29 Nov 2003
I took notice of this thread on November 29th, and though for a brief period that it was about Thanksgiving leftovers! :laugh: Bob :THERM:

Emily	29 Nov 2003
Hi Lee, Your not the only one lol - a day or so after writing my impressive little post I had cancelled the Radiant Rider and ordered the Osho Zen :D But all my feelings of guilt have gone :) - I work hard, tarot is my hobby, I love all my decks, I don't spent that much money on them - just getting them out and looking at the artwork gives me pleasure, I don't have to read with them to appreciate them. I am going to stop buying on a whim though, I really don't have that much space left in my tarot bookshelf but if I see a deck I really want then I'll have it. :) Tarot of Prague is the next on my list.

Lee	29 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Emily But all my feelings of guilt have gone :) - I work hard, tarot is my hobby, I love all my decks, I don't spent that much money on them - just getting them out and looking at the artwork gives me pleasure, I don't have to read with them to appreciate them. I think this is a good point. I lead a pretty boring life; I don't have any vices. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. I don't overeat. I don't go on expensive vacations, eat out at fancy restaurants, or own an expensive car. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, a small tarot/oracle habit is not the worst thing in the world. -- Lee

Diana	29 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Le_Corsair I took notice of this thread on November 29th, and though for a brief period that it was about Thanksgiving leftovers! :laugh: ROFLMAO! Well, a lot of Tarot decks do become leftovers... whether that is something to be thankful for is a matter of opinion.

Logiatrix	29 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Lee ...Maybe in the grand scheme of things, a small tarot/oracle habit is not the worst thing in the world. -- Lee AMEN to that, my brother!!! :D

The Cold Turkey thread was originally posted on 07 Nov 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.