My Obsessions.

My grandparents say that anything worth doing is worth doing to excess, and I think I've often lived that way.

One of my primary obsessions for most of my life has been musical theatre in general and The Phantom of the Opera in particular. For years, I played Broadway showtunes all day. It must have driven my parents crazy, especially since I sang along, but they were tolerant and even encouraging. I usually had a Walkman or Discman, so that helped.

If you look in the bottom drawer of my desk, you will see that I'm obsessed with pens and journals. In the past, no pen could really stand up to a Gelly Roll, but cheaper pens (and even the more expensive pens) have improved, so I loved trying new brands. You can read about journal shopping here.

I'm obsessed with movies. I'd love to study film--not the making but the appreciation. I no longer kick myself for wanting to watch a movie more than once, even if I'm watching it alone. I love thinking about the magic of certain elements of a film and how they affect the audience. I'm especially interested in the effects of horror films. What makes them interesting? I read a lot of plot summaries, but I am also brave enough to see scary movies.

I've been quite interested in learning about conjoined and parasitic twins for years. I especially think about how the twins would make life work for themselves. So many questions.

I love fairies, but I'm especially interested in mermaids right now. I have some books on them, and I want to read them all. I've always been more of a fairy girl, but in the last few years, I've become wild about mermaids. They have such dark and mysterious aspects.

I'm still crazy about snowflakes and statement necklaces and clothes that actually fit. I'll never get over those.

What are some of your enduring or of-the-moment obsessions?