It started with a Djembe

I am currently reading the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and just reached the chapter entitled "Being Serious About Play". In that chapter resides the sub-chapter called "Start A Collection". In it the author writes about the joys of collecting and described how she came about starting a collection and it made me realize that I have somewhat created a collection of sorts for myself. Though I don't consciously set out to collect anything, I find myself, when traveling, attracted to buying small musical instruments, or even at one point not so small musical instrument.

I am not a particularly musical person, I don't play music, I'm content to just listen. Yet I bought these mini musical instruments whenever I came across them. These instruments don't necessary have to be native to the country or have any significant history. The fact is I bought it there, therefore it reminds me of it.

It started with a Djembe. Found in Ubud, a small town renowned for its woodcarving, in Bali, Indonesia. Now the significance of it I am not quite sure, but I just know that when I saw it I wanted it. Maybe I just wanted to bang my frustrations away at that time or maybe I was fresh from an event where I joined a drum circle and wanted to feel again that electric coursing through my soul. Whatever it was I had to have it, plus it had amazing dragons carved into the base and it was cheap!

From then on, it was pan flutes in Sarawak, Malaysia. In Sydney, Australia, An aboriginal instrument type thing, like a tube with beans or beads in it. Which makes a soothing sound like light rain hitting metal roofs every time you flip it over. I suppose it's a percussion instrument like maracas. When I went to Taiwan, it's this hand painted porcelain tribal flute shaped like a duck. Cute.

Riight...with the exception of Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Hangzhou (Ok, thats alot of places I missed, but I would've bought musical instruments from there if I came across any!) I've bought instruments in almost every place I've traveled to! =P

I see the start of a common thread here.

Best advice ever: Do more of what makes you happy =)