First contact---June, 1996: Spotting Pemaquid at the Lighthouse Depot and being floored by the detail. $90 price tag indicates that this is a serious sculpture of high quality. No idea it's a "collectible." Wondered where the hell I was going to put it.

Infiltration---June, 1996: My first look at the Harbour Lights catalog. Hmm...some of these say "retired." Maybe that means they're...rare?? Maybe I should get a couple...they ARE nice...

The bug spreads, part I---August, 1996: Alcatraz and Cape Canaveral retire swiftly. Collectors swarm. So do we. What's with this company that blows through its inventory so fast?

The bug spreads, part II---Fall, 1996: The noise made by the Thomas Point frenzy is deafening. It's going fast?? Gotta have one!And sign me up for the Collector's Society...and yes, I'll pay $70 for little Sunken Rock. It's rare and I'm so lucky to get one!!

Kicking the tires---Fall/Winter, 1996, '97: Study, study study. Memorize the catalog, analyze secondary market information, learn about the company and their vision. Call Harbour Lights bi-weekly to keep up on new retirements. Establish relationships with dealers. Computerize entire catalog by state, fastest retirements, longest retired, and secondary market potential. And buy, buy, buy.

Getting "the look" from my partner for the first time---February, 1997.

First and second curio cabinet---Summer & Fall, 1997

All of 1997---Ride the wave, baby. Harbour Lights are hot!! But...did things seem to slow down at the end a bit there?

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001---Retirements slow to a crawl. Store shelves bulge. But I'm still lovin' this company and its collec tors. They've got integrity, a super product, and they're learning (read: listening to their customers). Plus, I know I can make my money back if it's absolutely necessary...even though I ain't planning on selling. And I know that 20, 30, 50 years from now, I'll own a full collection of revered and rare treasures.

And that's why I'm a wacko.

[This message has been edited by Bill Harnsberger (edited 06-26-2001).]