The Titanic: More Than Just History

I had the opportunity to visit the Titanic Exhibit at Foxwoods Casino in CT on Monday.  This traveling exhibit contains actual artifacts recoverd from the Titanic and tells the story of the Titanic and the people aboard.  It was quite a moving experience seeing personal possessions and realizing that these were people with plans, hopes, and dreams that went unfulfilled. 
One artifact recovered was of a gentlemen's itinerary.  According to this itinerary, he was supposed to continue traveling through Europe and Africa.  Had he followed these plans, he would not have died aboard the Titanic. There were many stories of passengers that were not supposed to be aboard the ill-fated ship but were transferred at the last moment.  There were heroic stories of people sacrificing their lives for the greater good and cowardly stories of people only out for themselves.  It reminded me that under extreme cicumstances you see the best and worst of humanity.  I like to focus on the best. 
One story that struck me was of a crew member that continued to send out distress signals to ensure that the people on the lifeboats were saved.  He eventually made it to a lifeboat, but died of exhaustion and hypothermia.
This exhibit also reminded me of why it important to preserve the past.  These stories are all part of our common history.  They remind us that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves and that each part is important.  I think that's why I love antiques so much; they connect me to the past and I feel that by appreciating these "things" we are helping to preserve our history for future generations. 

Visit http://www.titanictix.com/ for more info about the exhibit...

Photos of the recovery effort...

Passengers aboard the Titanic...

Recovered artifacts...

Valentine, Be Mine

Many feel that Valentine's Day has become a commercialized industry, manufactured to cause anxiety in the hearts of all attached men and to make anyone single feel depressed one day a year.  In many ways they are right.   After all, the day after Christmas, the stores begin rolling out the red in preparation for this day of love.  It can be a bit much; but I do love Valentine's Day.  The old sentimental collector in me loves the history of this holiday, and, of course, my small, personal collection of Valentines.
The first posted Valentine was from a sailor to his wife in 1806 in England.  Since then, tokens of love (and rejection) abound.  There are elaborate Valentines that are miniature pieces of art.   There are cutesy Valentines meant for children and exchanged in classrooms.  The soldiers in the Civil War even had Valentines made available for them to send home to their wives and families.  Then, of course, there is the homemade Valentine.  The ones made of paper and glitter and glue.  I'm sure that somewhere in every household there is at least one of these still hanging around kept out of sentiment.  Admit it.
So this year, let's embrace Valentine's Day.  You don't need to buy anything fancy, simple tokens are often more heartfelt and appreciated.


http://www.woolandwater.etsy.com/ has their own version of a Valentine...

A page showcasing Valentines from 1953 scrapbook listed in my shop...http://www.hydrangearow.etsy.com/