Tarotholic in the making ..

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ferrous	14 Jun 2004
Uh oh. I've seen mentioned here, many a time, the tarotholic. I fear that I'm becoming one. Having bought my first deck a few months ago, the African Tarot & getting into it considerably in the past number of weeks, I then found myself very attracted to the simple imagery in the non-traditional NatureSpeaks Tarot. It is curently in the mail. Now I've also discovered the gorgeous images in the Tarot Nova & I want that one, too! Help me! Should I want to stop this terrible addiction in its tracks, what can I do? Of course, the thing is, I don't want to stop it. There are so many lovely decks out there. They say that the first step to kicking an addiction is admitting that you have a problem. "Hello, my name is Coralie & I'm addicted to tarot."

Pook	14 Jun 2004
Is this the twelve step program? Am I too late for the meeting? Hello, My name is Melissa and I'm addicted to tarot.....

hedgecub	14 Jun 2004
"Hello, Coralie! My name is HedgeCub, and I am also addicted to Tarot..." *dons her little lab coat* *takes a sample of Ferrous' addiction and puts it on a slide* *peers at it under a microscope* Well, the prognosis is good so far. If you enter a detox program now, there is a good chance of a full recovery! However, even after detox, you will still need to be careful: · Studies show that Aeclectic is a strong carrier of the tarotholicism virus, and any contact with Aeclectic, even after a full detox program, will no doubt reinfect you. The chances are slightly lower if you avoid the 'Tarot Decks' forum; many patients pick up the virus from one of the threads there. · Also, studies show that browsing tarot decks in shops or online will make you very vulnerable to infection. The risk of infection triples if you are browsing out of print decks, or browsing the 'new releases' pages from tarot publishers. · Finally, there are many patients who go through the detox program, but unfortunately play with their tarot decks once they get home, and many of these patients become reinfected by a latent form of the virus which has embedded itself in the decks. What's worse, the virus encourages the patient to play more with his/her decks, strengthening the virus. When the virus has gotten all it can from the deck collection, it demands more, leading to full tarotholicism once again, to the detriment of the patient's pocketbook. In short, if you run now, you might survive ;) Perhaps we could save you by using scare tactics, like those used in anti-smoking adverts. *goes to look for the many Aeclectics who have 100+ decks and counting* :P Edited to add: I'm currently waiting for a certain deck to come out so I can bring my deck collection to a nice round 30. Perhaps I'm not qualified to cure anyone. Oh, hello Mr Kettle. ;)

hedgecub	14 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ferrous Now I've also discovered the gorgeous images in the Tarot Nova & I want that one, too! Ooh, just wanted to add that I have the Tarot Nova and I rather like it. The images are simple but expressive, and fun. The cards unfortunately have a very sticky laminate, so shuffling is all but impossible with these cards. Thus I almost never read with them, but I enjoy having them so I can occasionally look through them and admire once again whoever it was that designed the cards.

ferrous	14 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by hedgecub In short, if you run now, you might survive ;) .. But it's such a lovely place to be, the forums & the addiction, that is. I don't want to run! rotfl at your post, Hedgecub! :D

Pook	14 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by hedgecub · Studies show that Aeclectic is a strong carrier of the tarotholicism virus, and any contact with Aeclectic, even after a full detox program, will no doubt reinfect you. The chances are slightly lower if you avoid the 'Tarot Decks' forum; many patients pick up the virus from one of the threads there.;) [/i] [/b] LMAO Hegdecub....It sounds like you know this virus alittle too well...... Quote: Originally posted by hedgecub [b [i] I'm currently waiting for a certain deck to come out so I can bring my deck collection to a nice round 30. Perhaps I'm not qualified to cure anyone. Oh, hello Mr Kettle. ;) [/i] [/b] Hmm, would that be the one we are all awaiting (except those of us here that the rest of us are all jealous of) The Incredibly talented Ciro's Gilded Tarot?

hedgecub	14 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by MoonDreameR Hmm, would that be the one we are all awaiting (except those of us here that the rest of us are all jealous of) The Incredibly talented Ciro's Gilded Tarot? Surprisingly, no ;) I must be one of the very rare few who haven't been infected with Gilded-holicism. (And my pocketbook breathes a relieved sigh...) Unfortunately, I have been infected with Baroque-Bohemian-Cats-holicism, and it's getting worse every day :( I bought the preview postcards in an attempt to cure myself, but it's only temporarily assauged my horrible symptoms. Now I wake up every morning to the kitties beaming at me from the wall (of course I had to put up the postcards ;) ) and all I can think of is the deck release date... :P

hedgecub	14 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ferrous But it's such a lovely place to be, the forums & the addiction, that is. I don't want to run! Hmm. Okay, you're a hopeless case ;) You're in good company though! :D

SongDeva	14 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ferrous .. But it's such a lovely place to be, the forums & the addiction, that is. I don't want to run! rotfl at your post, Hedgecub! :D I find that the addiction gains heat and runs wild....for a while. Pretty soon the need to acquire dies down and you get rid of some and keep/acquire only the ones that move you. I don't think it's anything to worry about. The acquisition phase is a time to get your hands on a bunch of decks and learn alot.

tao51	14 Jun 2004
I even take a deck to work with me. I have done readings on my lunchtime. I feel it is a constructive habit!--Tao

Star Spirit	15 Jun 2004
I had the tarot addiction not long ago, but it fades in time and settles down. At least for a period :D I say, as long as it's not breaking your budget, go with it. I mean, how can something so wonderful be wrong?

Island Dreamer	15 Jun 2004
Mmmmm, let's see ..... when I joined Aeclectic in February I had two decks and now I have eleven with three more on the way .... I'm obviously infected *sigh* It's definitely an addiction ;) Dreamer

mercenary30	15 Jun 2004
I *hic* don't have a tarot *hic* problem. Just cause I can't go near ebay wi.. *hic* without bidding on dechs doeshn't me..*hic* ean, that I have a problem... *hic* Oh no ossifer, that isn't a bunch of empty tarot boxshes in back. Ok, they are, but I just found them. HONeST! *hic*

lark	15 Jun 2004
Ya, Ya, I have 90+ tarot decks. So what. And I can quit anytime I want too.... I don't have a problem!!! What? What's that behind my back? Ah, it's just a box, a little brown box. A postal box. What's in it? WELL, nothing really. Just my new International Icon Tarot. BUT......I can stop anytime I want to! Honest!

13thFaeChylde	15 Jun 2004
I too have a deck and my journal with me at all times these days! I could be stuck in traffic and feel the need, ya know? This week, the Fey has been logging road miles with me :) They're pretty well-behaved, except sometimes they like to become "back-seat drivers" and cause me to get lost down roads I've never ventured :P Oh, and I don't have a problem. I really don't. Just because in the month of June alone I've acquired 4 decks does't mean I have a problem. I CAN STOP ANYTIME I WANT TO!! :D

Luminessence	15 Jun 2004
I know the feeling... I just got the Quest Tarot a month or two ago, and was expecting not to even start wanting another deck for another few months. But a couple of weeks ago I found myself ordering the Ancestral Path Tarot... and now I'm fighting myself to keep from immediately ordering the Legend deck... Well, I suppose there are worse addictions to have :)

WooMonkey	15 Jun 2004
I had 50+ decks before joining the forum, so I guess I can't really blame Aeclectic for my condition. SongDeva and Dead Star are right--the pace of acquisition does slow down after a while. It never totally stops however, because certain members keep posting threads with "Has anyone seen this deck?" and then AAARGH!!! You have to go and edit your wishlist. And it's always in the adding direction. (Actually, is this true? Has anyone EVER deleted something from their wishlist BEFORE buying it?) I guess our best hope is to spread the virus to as many people as possible. After a certain point it won't be "abnormal" anymore, right...? :)

dadsnook2000	15 Jun 2004
NEWS FLASH NEWS FLASH It has just been reported by the BBC (Before Buying Cards) and Shamrock Collecting Club (SCC) that the Tarotholic Virus is now being transmitted thru e-mails and message boards. This is very bad news as early investigations point to the fact that nobody can advise or help anyone else in overcoming this consuming virus. There is no hope. Run. Spend. When you are broke you will just have to suffer. Oh, by the way, actually opening a "new" deck before ordering more decks brings some short term comfort. Best Wishes. Dave.

WolfSpirit	15 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by mercenary30 I *hic* don't have a tarot *hic* problem. Just cause I can't go near ebay wi.. *hic* without bidding on dechs doeshn't me..*hic* ean, that I have a problem... *hic* Oh no ossifer, that isn't a bunch of empty tarot boxshes in back. Ok, they are, but I just found them. HONeST! *hic* :joke: :joke: :D LOL Ah well what other addiction is so much fun and brings you in touch with such wonderful people ? Tarotholism is not a problem, it only becomes a problem when you try to fight it ;) admit it and you'll be fine. It never totally stops however, because certain members keep posting threads with "Has anyone seen this deck?" and then AAARGH!!! You have to go and edit your wishlist. And it's always in the adding direction. (Actually, is this true? Has anyone EVER deleted something from their wishlist BEFORE buying it?) Well, yes. Some decks are just infatuation and leave my wish list after a few weeks. I can now wait a while before buying a deck as I already have so many great decks (although i still get the urge to order straight away). I only buy when I have been longing for it for some time, and this helps to avoid disappointments. I'm still a tarotholic but I am learning how to cope with it ;)

Luminessence	15 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by WooMonkey It never totally stops however, because certain members keep posting threads with "Has anyone seen this deck?" and then AAARGH!!! You have to go and edit your wishlist. And it's always in the adding direction. (Actually, is this true? Has anyone EVER deleted something from their wishlist BEFORE buying it?) I've actually been known to put decks on my wishlist and then, after checking them out more thoroughly, decide that they're not right for me after all. Then there are the ones that just sit there on my list tugging at me until I finally get around to buying them. Or the ones that don't even make it to the list before I buy them. Remember how earlier today I was trying to keep myself from ordering the Legend deck? Well... I went ahead and ordered it this afternoon :) (But, to be fair to myself, that one's been on my list for months.)

Jewel-ry	15 Jun 2004
I have no tarot addiction problem, I look, I like, I buy, No Problem :| I keep telling my kids ... you buy cd's, I buy tarot decks ... whats the difference? :)

Flavio	15 Jun 2004
Hello my name is Flavio, I am a tarotholic... Two months ago I had only 1 deck... now I have 6 and a LOT of Tarot related books and the wishing list grows every week. The next month is my birthday so I will make a list of decks I want and the places to buy so my family will not have trouble presenting me what I NEED :) Do family presents are also considered tarotholism?

LadyMedusa	17 Jun 2004
When I joined AT it was with a single deck that I had owned for a quite afew years. 9 months later... :eek: 48 Decks. My New Year's resolution this year, get to know the decks I have. I think I'm in remission:). When the Baroque Bohemian Cats arrive, my deck count will be at an even 50. 2 decks in 6 months...not to bad LadyMedusa

lisaria	19 Jun 2004
Sigh. *Standing on wobbly knees* "My name is Lisa and I think I'm becoming a tarotholic" I am a newbie. I've only been studying the tarot for a few months and I've acquired three decks with one on the way. I also have eight books and two notebooks that are pretty full of stuff I've copied from other sources and my journal which is getting pretty full. I just don't have enough time for it. I think about it all the time. When can I get my next fix? I've got to have it!!! My wish list is HUGE and getting bigger all the time!!! Should I worry about this? Am I on the downhill road to tarotholism? Do I need a sponsor? What do I do? Help!!!

tabbycat	19 Jun 2004
As addictions go, it ain't too bad. It doesn't make you fat - in fact, it makes your bank balance thinner! It doesn't damage your health, apart from wearing out your eyes through peering at the cards and putting callouses on your fingertips through the constant shuffling. It does make you strange though - my friends and colleagues now know to back away when I utter those fateful words "Hey, I got a new deck today!" (The latest one was the Alcohol - boy, they really didn't grok that!) I am seriously addicted, I do admit that. I keep my decks in three separate parts of the house, just so I can't count 'em and find out how many I have (it might be 60, but I've got a few more since then...) I can usually identify a deck with a mere glimpse of one card or even the back of a card... My cable company gave us some free TV channels over a weekend - we got Star TV, the asian channel and we were idly watching one of their weird soaps where someone was doing a tarot reading. "So, what deck is that?" asked my OH and, without missing a beat, I said "It's the Enchanted." Is that sad or what? Have to say that my dear OH is really good about the constant stream of decks that flow into the house (I still claim that the Dali, Giger and H P Lovecraft decks are his). He ever let me use his Paypal account to pay for a batch of decks I recently won on eBay! If that isn't true love, what is? Jilly

lark	19 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lisaria Should I worry about this? Am I on the downhill road to tarotholism? Do I need a sponsor? What do I do? Help!!! Sweetie, there are no sponsors here... Anyone who steps foot into this place BECOMES a tarotholic (if they aren't one already.) There is no help......so just get on your little red sled and enjoy the ride downhill. :)

Marion	19 Jun 2004
hahaha. My name is Marion and I am in no way a tarotholic. oops, bought one to three decks a month for the last two years. hum. Okay, maybe a tiny problem. Moddie of the Decks Forum so have to read all the posts, thus increasing my exposure. Problem? nope, not me. See'em, like'em, buy'em. hummm. Now that doesn't sound good. I think I have around 50 or 60 decks. Not the Gilded though. But I will, when the mass market version comes out. LOL :D

babyd	19 Jun 2004
Im a definite tarotaholic. I got into tarot about 6 months ago, I am now 70 decks in and 95 books !!! Yikes ! babyd

lisaria	20 Jun 2004
Well...if there's not hope for it then I'll have to learn to live with it and just ENJOY!!!! LOL It's great!

Marion	20 Jun 2004
Good comment :D :D

tao51	22 Jun 2004
Whenever someone posts a new deck or a favorite deck--I quickly rush to check the appearance--then if I like it--I buy it! I tell my younger son that he plays his video games and I have my Tarot decks. He still has more games than I have decks. Honestly, people who post their favorite decks or new decks are very helpful to those of us who are---yeah, I know--tarotholics!--Tao

tao51	30 Jun 2004
When the boards were down--I felt like I was going cold turkey! Boy am I hooked!--Tao

ferrous	30 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by tao51 When the boards were down--I felt like I was going cold turkey! Boy am I hooked!--Tao I was going to say something very similar .. lol! :D It's so good to see those 'Reply to post ..' emails in my inbox again. Ahhhhh. Big sigh of relief! Thank goodness that AT itself (not the forum) was still up. I would have gone nuts if I couldn't have browsed through the decks to get my fix while the forum was down. :D

tao51	30 Jun 2004
I browsed the decks and read the reviews. I do not know if I could have lasted another day!--Tao

ferrous	30 Jun 2004
I browsed the decks, read the reviews & added many a tarot deck to my ever growing wish list. rotfl! :D

tao51	30 Jun 2004
don't want to describe what I would have looked like if it was not up another day! ROFL--Tao

The Tarotholic in the making .. thread was originally posted on 14 Jun 2004 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.