Granite State Doll Club News

GSDC News is published by The Granite State Doll Club
Editor - Zendelle Bouchard
email: zendelle@tds.net
Articles copyright 2008 by Zendelle Bouchard except as noted.

Augusten Burroughs

Q: Which one of these men works with doll collectors all day?
A: The one who looks happy.

Stuart Holbrook

GSDC February Meeting:
Let's Talk Dolls
with Stuart Holbrook of Theriault's

Where: Horseshoe Pond Place, 26 Commercial St., Concord
When: Saturday, February 9; Social hour from 11 a.m. to noon
SHORT business meeting at noon; Program to follow
Hostesses: Pat Campbell, Zendelle Bouchard, Nancy McKee, Karol Gooch, Linda Svok
NOTE: bring bag lunch - hostesses to provide drinks, snacks and desserts

Stuart Holbrook, President and head auctioneer at Theriault's, will be with us this month to present his lively and light hearted look into the doll collecting phenomenon, as he gives us the motivation and tools to become truly great doll collectors. Those who remember Stuart's last visit with us a few years ago are eagerly anticipating his return, and for those who missed it, you are in for a treat! He is not only an expert on dolls and collecting, but a truly engaging speaker as well. Please remember to bring your bag lunch to this meeting - the hostesses will be providing drinks, desserts and munchies. Feel free to bring a friend!

This month, bring LeeAnn dressed for a Winter Wonderland.

Granite State News and Notes

Nominating Committee
The nominating committee has been formed for the next two year term of the Granite State Doll Club. According to our club's standing rules, the following positions need to be filled: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Auditor. The nominating committee members are Charmaine Rose, Barbara Nobrega and Betty Bezanson. If you are interested in a position, please contact one of them.
Regional Luncheon
A new committee is forming to plan a regional luncheon for the Spring of 2009. Linda Svok has volunteered to co-chair with someone else. Club members are being asked to look into potential venues for the luncheon. Please check in your area and bring information to the March meeting.
Member Update
Welcome to our newest members:
Jeanette Page, 169 Cobb Hill Rd., Alstead NH 03602. Tel: 835-2182. Cell: 313-8775. Email: pupsgalore@comcast.net.
Marge Hallyburton, PO Box 173, Mont Vernon NH 03057. Tel: 654-2326. Email: marge@hideaway.mv.com.
Also, Pat Campbell's info was inadvertently left out of your club booklet. She is at 51 Erie St., Apt. 1, Manchester NH 03102-5154. Tel: 647-6635. Email: pcam97@comcast.net.
Labels will be provided to update your booklets.
Next Month's Meeting
In March our topic will be Ball Jointed Dolls, presented by Karol Gooch and Ellen Rule. You have probably seen these dolls on the internet or in magazines. Here is our chance to learn why many collectors find them irresistible. Hostesses for March are Carol Stakatis, Jane Benson, Linda Moulton, Gladys Phelps and Diana Ganong.
April Luncheon
Registration forms for our April Luncheon will be available at this month's meeting. If you can't make it to the meeting, it will also be included in the March newsletter.

Adventures in Doll Collecting: Ouch!

Sometimes, as doll collectors we are rudely awakened to the fact that not everyone in the world thinks our hobby is as wonderful as we do. This past month, I read a book that my sister had given me for Christmas, a collection of autobiographical essays by Augusten Burroughs entitled "Possible Side Effects". Mr. Burroughs is a critically acclaimed author whose first book, "Running With Scissors," spent four years on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list. His work is both brutally honest and wickedly funny, and "Possible Side Effects" is another winner. Or so I thought...

In the essay "The Wisdom Tooth," the author recounts a weekend trip to a bed and breakfast on the New England coast. Upon arriving, he discovers that his hostess is a doll collector. She has a parlor full of dolls of all shapes and sizes. Here is what Mr. Burroughs has to say: "Now maybe I'm just ultrajudgmental, but I really feel that only two groups of people have any business collecting dolls: little girls and grown women who lost all their children in fiery car accidents. Other than these two exceptions, doll collecting is just plain creepy." Ouch and double ouch! (And it gets worse.)

But I had to laugh anyway. For one thing, my poor sister would be mortified to know she had given me a book that insults my main interest in life. And for another, Mr. Burroughs is not only a truly gifted writer, but also reveals that one of his main interests in life is spying on his neighbors. Now who's creepy? I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to any doll collector with a thick skin, a sense of humor and a tolerance for R rated prose. (Oh yes, if you don't collect dolls you might like it too.)