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Caroline Hagood

Caroline Hagood
Location
New York, New York,
Birthday
November 23
Bio
I'm a poet and writer living in New York City. My articles have appeared in various publications, including The Guardian, Salon, the Huffington Post, and The Economist.

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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 1:34PM

Obsessing Over Obsessions

Rate: 15 Flag

IMG00116-20100823-1842 
Exhibit A 


I'll just say it. I'm an obsessor. If I like something a great deal, it often becomes the thing I talk about for days on end, no matter how inconsequential it may seem to the poor saps who have to listen to me (most frequently my poor, poor husband). I'm pretty sure I even become fixated on the fact that I fixate. 


My over-attention moves me from focus to focus like some strange form of mental transport, taking me from my most recent foray into film noir to the kind of marginal item found in exhibit A above. I saw her staring down at me while I was eating at Yaffa Cafe on St. Mark's and felt the need to tell a number of uninterested people about it afterwards.


When something captures my attention, I rarely want to look anywhere else for a substantial chunk of time. The trick is to balance this impulse with the mental adventurer's craving for the ever-new. The result? A woman of many obsessions. 


So, as you can imagine, finding It's a Sickness, the mother of all obsessive sites, was rather stimulating for me. Take a look, and I apologize if you get lost there for hours as I have.


To start you off, here's a charming video in which Zoe Kravitz lets her costume obsession out of the bag.

Zoe Kravitz is obsessed with costumes from itsasickness productions on Vimeo.

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My wife is a little like you. It's not uncommon for me to say to her, 3 days after she discovers an artist that she loves, "Still looking for his work on E-Bay?" Her obsessions are an enduring quality though... I suspect that yours are too.
no, no, no - I won't be sucked into another vortex.....instead I'll go admire my glove collection and think about when I can wear them...
I meant "endearing" not "enduring." :)
Obssessions can also be fun! Great post Caroline!
Obsessions: Every writer's mixed blessing. It's so hard to be topical and relevant if your mind has a way of lingering on whatever it likes to linger on. If your interests are esoteric or just plain dull, you're toast. ("Who the hell cares what Mad Men can stand as a metaphor for? I'm just trying to figure out why no one will buy my painstaking deconstruction of Bosom Buddies.")

On the other hand, if your worn hobby horse has some built-in widespread appeal, or if you're a good enough writer to make it appealing to people who never saw its appeal on their own, that's your career made right there. I cite the case of James Ellroy. Obsessed since the age of eleven with the Black Dahlia murder -- an affair most decent people would pass over with a grimace -- he made it the backdrop for a bestelling detetctive novel.
I don't dare look, Caroline. I will take your word for it.
And do you wear the perfume by Calvin Klein of the same name...?
I know what you mean; I'm trying to break my OS obession. It's starting to work. I'm posting less and reading & commenting less. R
Roger: sounds like my kind of woman

Consonantsandvowels: sounds like a good plan

Poppi: Obsessions are definitely fun

Max: You're so right. I've tried to make my obsessions into writing many a time.

Matt: that's fair

Veronica: I totally hear you on that one. I now teach college writing and those obsessions can come in handy

cartouche: I have been known to

Trudge: yup, we have to keep it in check
You're right, I could spend hours there. I'm already too obsessive about too many things, it's almost like I'm obsessed with being obsessive. There is nothing moderate about my personality. Good posting! Rated!
I'm afraid to visit the site. I might become obsessed.
I'll be checking it out, as if I need another obsession . . .
Anna, ha, me too.

Bellwether: you might be right about that

owl: hope you make it out of there
i'm either gonna love you or hate you for this, caroline, but i'm going in. wish me luck.
Femme Forte: haha, good luck!
Ah yes, I can obsess with the best of them, but sometimes it results in brilliant ideas - at least that's what I tell myself. Thanks for the fun post.
Rita: I like to think it leads to good things, too!
Oh no! Now I will be on that website for hours! It is rare that I don't obsess over obsessing!
I think obsessing about things is perfectly legitimate, even commendable, as long as you are able to channel it in the right way. The same I think applies to being stubborn. That's a wonderfully eccentric video.
Adrian: you're so right. It's all about how you channel it.