FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Snowman]

I started out as a child collecting quartz and pyrite from veins....

Ive been addicted since, now im a Technologist and i go out of my way to collect rock and mienrals... Ill buy them, i find them ill even trade for them... I enjoy having them and learning from them... Its made me a better Tech....

[randolph]

One piece at a time :)

[cascaillou]

I got hooked on the beauty and mystery of minerals as a 4 years old kid, picking up every weird or shiny rock from the ground, and my parents and grandparents encouraged my curiosity, as they always had. These things were such a curiosity, and treasure hunting was such an excitement!
When I grow up I wanna be a miner, so I'll be doing the two most exciting things in life:
hunting for crystals and riding mine-wagons :-)

Now, as an adult, I realize that there are actually 3 most exciting things in life: I want a girl in that mine-wagon!

[Mark Ost]

Oh you poor boy! you were on a roll until the last one, which might ensure the loss of the first two!

[Pierre Joubert]

[cascaillou]

that's the beauty of the thing, there are two things that would never have been possible without minerals: engagement rings and lapidation

[crothera]

I've always wanted to be a pirate and have a chest of gems. My dad took me to see the gems at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Phila. when I was in 6th grade. Wow was I enthralled. He purchased a piece of Garnet for me, which I still have today; with many other garnet specimens. Still, it wasn't until I was with dad on a job visit, that my desire to collect began. The customer had several cabinet specimens on display in his home and eagerly took me around to show each one. I was thrilled when he handed me a 4in piece of rose quartz and said "for your collection". Well I have that sample still as well, and only recently began a true collection of better than average pieces. I grew up to teach physical sciences and now substitute teach in my third year of retirement. I will be setting up a mineral display at my old school each year starting in the fall.
My wife says I have plenty minerals and should stop buying them now!