What is the coolest thing you own?

[lazarus]

Preferably nothing expensibe. What is the coolest thing you've got?

I've got a towel. It's a giant beach towel I got from the Forbidden Planet comic book shop in London back in 1985 or 86. Woven into the towel, instead of a design, is the following:

The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the
Galaxy has a few things to say
on the subject of towels.
A towel, it says, is about the most
useful thing an interstellar hitch
hiker can have. Partly it has
great practical value - you can
wrap it around you for warmth
as you bound across the cold
moons of Jaglan Beta, use it to
sail a mini raft, wet it for use in
hand to hand combat, use it to
ward off noxious fumes, wave it
in emergencies, and of course
dry yourself with it.
More importantly a towel has
immense psychological value.
What any strag (non-hitch hiker)
would think is that any man
who can hitch the length and
breadth of the galaxy, struggle
against terrible odds, and still
know where his towel is, is
clearly a man to be reckoned with.

I've never seen them anywhere else. It's not a cheap knockoff, or screenprinted. It's woven in as part of the towel (which is approximately 3' by 5'). Approved by Douglas Adams (yeah, the quote is shortened, but the letters are big enough to read this way).

So that's my cool thing I own.

[Gothic Sponge]

1. My guitars

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

3. Four things: Autograph from Paul McCartney; Yoko Ono and a

pick and lyric sheet that we snagged from an REM concert.

[politicat]

2. my great-grandmother's hat collection.

from her childhood hats from the 1900's to the last hat she bought in 1997.

Cloches, cartwheels, pillboxes, fedoras, trilbys... all in boxes and stacked carefully.

Amazing hats, ugly hats, barely still hanging together hats...

It's a priceless collection, but it's not something expensive... at least, to me.

Pcat

[7th_Sephiroth]

4. a pair of DE.50AE7's

my uncle loved target shooting and left them to me when he passed and a sephiroth wallscroll

[The empressof all]

5. Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon

A Tuxedo Mask tooth-brush.

[7th_Sephiroth]

8. tuxedo Kamen

(has the first 3 seasons of sailor moon in original japaneese dialogue bootlegged sitting in my closet on top of my harry potter book collection)

[The empressof all]

12. I have them too-actually my daughter does

and all the English translations and the Computer Game and multitudes of dolls and plastic junkie things including the alarm clock... My daughter was obsessed for about 2 years and that's all anyone ever gave her during that period.

Don't even start me on Harry Potter- That obsession has been going on for years. We nipped the merchandise accumulation pretty much for this one-But do have all the books, games and a few trinkets.

[7th_Sephiroth]

13. ah sailor moon taught me

what anime is (is an anime junkie now)

[Syrinx]

6. coolest?

Probably Tim Leary's autograph. I asked him to write something psychedelic and he wrote:

"Something psychedelic, Tim Leary"

EDIT: Make that:

"Something psychedelic, Tim Leary... Wow!"

EDIT again: I made plans to meet him the next morning for "a beer." I overslept, and missed a great time. Damn it.

[Endangered Specie]

64. If "Coolness" is the criteria, then Id say my...

A/C Fan.

[Guy Fawkes]

7. Original japanese Yoshi figurine. (I'm a geek) eom

[imax2268]

9. to be honest...

I have 4 original KISS dolls from the 70's...$$$$$$$$$
ranks right up there with my autographed picture of Robin...wasn't his name Burt Ward...?

[Gryffindor_Bookworm]

10. a first edition of Leaves of Grass

by me, Walt Whitman. :D

[7th_Sephiroth]

11. oh yes, i also have a first edition autographed copy of the hobbit

bidding begins at 1 million brittish pounds

[JohnnyRingo]

14. Original album art...

The original painting of "Running Horse".

Created for the Poco "Legend" album and painted by Phil Hartman of SNL fame. It was his favorite design and hung in his office until his death.

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0367005/bio




(The place I got it also had Herman Munster's shoes....It was a tough call.)

[pacalo]

18. That...is awesome!

[lapfog_1]

15. I got nuthin

You sir, are clearly a cool and froody dude.

Have a pan galactic gargle blaster on the house!

personally, I'm spending a year dead for tax purposes, so I
cannot own anything.

[lazarus]

16. I'm hoopy, as well

A hoopy frood is me.

Anybody else think they're going to screw up the movie?

[WindRavenX]

17. A signed picture of Scooter

The best Yankee SS until Derek Jeter came along :D
I also have a guitar pick from a Coldplay concert.

[Pax Argent]

19. My Atari 800 Computer and a copy of MULE

I spent hours playing this with my friends in my late teens.

I discovered the internet about 7-8 years ago and one of the first things I did was sent an email thanking the game designer, Dani Berry (aka Dan Bunten) for this awesome game and was pleasantly surprised when she sent me a very gracious response.

I read that she passed away from cancer shortly after that. I was happy that I was able to share with her the joy that she had provided my friends and I before she passed on.

The coolest thing I almost bought was a custom chess board given to Bobby Fisher by Yoko Ono that I found at a swap meet. It was painted all white and it had a little plaque dedicating it to Fisher, but I had run out of money so I had to leave it.

[enigmatic]

20. A few things..

A personal letter from Charles Bukowski

A collection of vintage shortwave radios

my guitar

All my Saskatchewan Roughriders and Cleveland Browns gear

[GingerSnaps]

27. Have you seen the movie Barfly?

It's about Charles Bukowski's life and it's one of my favorite movies.

[enigmatic]

29. Many, many times..

I've just about everything Bukowski published, including alot of the stories he wrote for adult magazines in the 70's. I was 17 when I discovered him in 1980, and he made me want to become a writer..

[Goldom]

21. i just got some glowing usb cables

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/6825

glowwwyy.... and i also just got a glowy usb personal fan. i have no use for it.. but.. it glows AND spins.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31534&item=5117423279

(just imagine if fox news glowed blue, then it too could glow and spin! .. .. nevermind.)

[alarcojon]

22. My classical guitars

hence the avatar.

B-)

[Safi]

23. A rock...

Yep, its just a rock. But if you knew its history, of how it came to be, and how it came to be in my possession (I don't really own this rock, nobody actually owns rocks), you would definitely say, "DAMN THAT ROCK FUCKING ROCKS!".

And yes, its no ordinary rock. It is unrefutably beautiful.

-Safi

[miss_kitty]

24. when my dad died i found an unassuming-looking box of crap

which turned out to have some groovy stuff in it. a couple of cameos and a man's wedding band, and letters to my great great gramma from her relatives in manchester england that spanned the years 1860 to 1893. i also have a 5'6" long tennessee red cedar chest from a long time ago filled with loads of stuff that is cool and lotsa cool old jewelry, and cool crap i make myself....

[CanuckAmok]

25. A rare sci-fi/horror book catalogue:

My Father-In-Law was a rare book dealer, and he received a hardcover book called "Undead", which was a catalogue for a rare sci-fi/horror book auction. It's an extremely rare edition sent only to established genre dealers. The book is hardbound, and has a 3-D photo of Elvira on the front. It's autographed by ALL of the following:

Harlan Ellison
Ray Bradbury
Isaac Asimov
Stephen King
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
Clive Barker
Anthony Burgess

and a few more people I can't remember off-hand. My Father-in-Law wouldn't sell it to me when he was alive, but he left it to me when he died. I'll never part with it.


My second coolest thing is an 'autographed' postcard from Socks Clinton.

My third coolest thing is a copy of the Bible, autographed by Moses himself, Charleton Heston.

[Swamp Rat]

26. An air conditioner

It's 40 degrees warmer outside my happy little ice box.

[JohnKleeb]

28. thats tough

But I love my autographed photo by the best left handed pitcher of all time, Thanks Spanny, is it even more cooler I am a lefty myself.

[Lovecrafty]

30. A facehugger used in the ALIENS movie!!

[CanuckAmok]

31. Damn, that IS cool!! n/t

[MirrorAshes]

32. My iPod

Its revolutionized my music collection. I buy a cd, import the tracks, put the cd away. No more lost or scratched cds. No more fumbling through a cd case while I'm driving. No more neglecting old cds because I forget about them and never pull them out. I have my entire collection at my fingertips at all times.

I take it everywhere. It keeps me company. Its my life-partner. If only I could make sweet, sweet love to it.

:crazy:

[JohnKleeb]

35. I love mine too

I also convert my CDs to MP3 and put them on, mine isnt being that good right now though.

[pink-o]

45. Me too, Meee tooooo!!!!

I've been waiting all my life to carry the tunes I love with me! 30 years ago, when I moved to England, I took all my record albums to the point where there was no room for clothes in my suitcase. Then, since the current in Europe was different, I had to buy all new stereo equipment to listen to them. Back then there was no Japanese made inexpensive stuff, so my friend and I had to buy "components" in pieces--receiver, turntable, and finally speakers about a year later with money she got for her birthday.

I haven't had the battery problem, but I was very disappointed with the Apple headphones. My first pair broke--just cracked in two. The second pair I bought had absolutely no bass, making my IPod sound like an old transistor radio. So I bought some Phillips noise-cancelling headphones and I'm happy now.

I love music--it is my life! Without sound, life is not worth living. Visual beauty is all fine and good, but I would never prize a painting above my fabulous IPod. (Or my Statocaster, but since I like the way other people play better than I like my own limited abilities, I chose the IPod for my favourite thing.)

[psychopomp]

36. Hope they work out that battery thing

1.5 years.

[lazarus]

53. yeah

the battery thing is the only thing holding me back at this point.

Also, though, I've been reading some info on new storage systems coming out in the next year or so, may make Ipods, etc., obsolete.

[TexasSissy]

33. My dog. Although I'm not sure who owns whom.

[OneBlueSky]

34. six bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1961 . . .

and six bottles of Chateau Latour, 1961 . . . also have one bottle of Chateau Latour, 1945 . . . gonna drink 'em all before I die . . . :)

[Love Bug]

37. A LOTR poster signed by Peter Jackson

I geek thing, to be sure, but I like it!

I also have a "Wellstone for President" button from a few years ago when he was flirting with the idea of running. I like that, too!

A gen-u-ine Babylon 5 script signed by Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin). I got it from him at a sci-fi con in March. Sadly, he passed away in May. :-(

Assorted autographed pictures from various Star Trek actors.

[lazarus]

54. LOTR Poster

that is cool.

Geek stuff tends to be the coolest stuff, because it's stuff only a few people realise is cool, or know exist. For instance, I've never, ever, not once had someone see my Hitch Hiker's towel and comment that they've seen one before.

[VOX]

38. Postcard-sized photo of Laurel and Hardy in their prime, signed by both.

It's the real deal. I obtained it years ago from probably *the* most reputable dealer of vintage Hollywood materials.

Don't think I could afford it now!

[GCP]

39. One of Keith Moon's drumsticks, eom

[AmandaRuth]

63. that is truly cool

my hubby would be so jealous

[Kellanved]

40. A really old Goethe Edition

.

[Misunderestimator]

41. A Christmas Card from the White House 2000.

Last year of any semblance of compassion or reason in our government. I apparently got on the Christmas card list after sending a dozen roses to Hillary when she moved to her new home in Chappaqua, NY earlier that year. :)

[scarletlib]

42. A couple of things aside from my most precious books

A UFO Alien Drivers License I got at a store in New Mexico on Route 66 and most recently a poster of the Goddess Athena (always my favorite goddess since forever) from the Parthenon in Nashville TN. I just got an inexpensive frame yesterday and now she is hanging in my computer room. (Neither cost more than a few dollars)

[rhino47]

My brain.

Other then that I have an autographed copy of Pearl by janis.

[rhino47]

43. My brain.

Other then that I have an autographed copy of Pearl by janis.

[samplegirl]

44. A book of Trumbull Country History

Signed by Harriot Taylor Upton

[Red State Rebel]

46. My Victrola and collection of 78's (Musical Album Sets)

I got the victrola form my grandparents and have collected album sets from my favorite musicals - South Pacific, Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma, Carousel, Meet Me in St. Louis, etc.

I also have some autographs - Doris Day, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel and a letter written by Christina Crawford.

[ET Awful]

47. They left out how useful a towel is against a Ravenous Bugblatter Beast

of Trall. A creature which is so mind-bogglingly stupid that it thinks that if you can't see it, it can't see you. Therefore, the best defense against a Bugblatter Beast is to wrap a towel around your head.

I would dearly love such a towel :).

Then again, I'm cool. I'm so cool you could store a side of beef in me for a month. Bush on the other hand is so un-hip it's a wonder his bum doesn't fall off. :)

[lazarus]

56. Heh

Yeah, it's seriously edited. But that lets the font size be large enough to read from across the room.

I just did a search for some reference to the towel, and found this:

"Plural Z Alpha produce white bathtowels with "Don't Panic" written on them in large, friendly red letters. See section Z.3. for more details.

Other towels were produced by Pan Books around the time that Hitch Hiker's Guide was originally published, but this will now be very hard or expensive to get hold of."

[mitchum]

48. My great-grandfather's minstrel gloves, James Dickey's guitar,...

blackface Fender VibroChamp, DW Griffith's autograph, lots of first editions...

[Reverend_Smitty]

49. A Babe Ruth autograph

Signed on the back of a picture of my grandfather in his baseball uniform. He met him at a train station a few months before he died, my grandfather was a young reporter at the time and heard that he would be passing through Trenton. It was late at night and it was just him and the Babe at the train station, they had a nice little conversation (although at that point, he couldn't speak so well) and he signed the picture.

[skygazer]

50. My great great grandfather's belt buckle

It's from his Civil War uniform. He was the colonel of the 69th NY, part of the Irish Brigade. He fought throughout the entire war and was in NY during the draft riots (the mobs burned his house to the ground). When I wear it, I'm wearing history. Gives me goose bumps.

Also a collection of approximately 300 hardcover books, all on historical subjects.

[Ron Green]

51. A drawing of me by R. Crumb

He was involved in a play in which I was playing bass. He had his sketch book out, as usual, and did a picture of me playing my bass fiddle, with a couple of women in the background. He titled it "This is Real Life."

[jpak]

52. An 18th Century Rokameka (Maine Native American) root club.

It has a large carved human face on the burl with sharp roots projecting from the head, and a willow check-cut design running the length of the handle.

Very dark patina too (sorry don't have a picture).

It's the only such root club from these people in existence.

My grandmother found it in a chimney of an old house that was being torn down in Canton Maine back in the 1920's.

The Rokameka (AKA Anastigunticook) had a large village and agricultural complex (700 acres) on the Androscoggin River at Canton Point.

They were extremely xenophobic and made frequent raids against English settlements in Maine.

Rather than surrender to the English, they retreated to St. Francis Quebec and joined other Abenaki groups gathered there.

I also have a Penobscot shaman rattle (woven sweet grass, wooden beads and wood), a Penobscot horse hair hoop bird trap, a Penobscot crooked knife, a large collection of Penobscot, Passamaquoddy and Mic Mac basketry and 3 hand carved Penobscot belt cups (for water).

But the root club is the coolest of all...

[SmileyBoy]

55. The full 8-team set of authentic XFL team hats circa 2001.

Back then, I worked at a warehouse shipping company that dealt with hats, Drew Pearson Marketing. When the news came that the XFL would become defunct, I quickly went to the employee bargain bin at the warehouse to buy one of each of the remaining authentic XFL team hats the company had left over for 1 dollar each. The retail value on each hat in 2004 is 45 dollars.

[ze_dscherman]

57. Lots of odd/cool things

A massive oak workbench from my grandfather, who was a carpenter, and some furniture he made as his masterpiece, an cleaver and sharpening steel from my other grandfather, who was a butcher. That same grandfathers vintage camera, with lots of glass negatives from the 1920's to 1930's. Some very old books that date back to 1825, among them a beautifully bound Goethe collection. That's the heritage part.

Among the things I made, I'm very proud of a finely polished walking stick from hazelnut that had grown into a spiral because of a honeysuckle vine - like a magic wand ... and I put lot's of work into it. Also some other wooden pieces that I worked into sculptures. Also, I'm very proud of a neolithic olivine blade I found in Italy - found it on a roadside, so I didn't rob it from a prehistoric site.

I'm also very fond of a libyan glass artefact (molten sand from a meteorite impact) - that stuff is very, very rare, and mine had also been formed into a prehistoric scraper. But that was bought, so I am not that attached to it.

[Blayde Starrfyre]

58. 1934 Conn 12M Baritone Saxophone.

2nd place: Enola Gay print signed by Paul Tibbets.
3rd place: Aston Villa soccer jersey signed by Danish international keeper Thomas Sørensen.

[name not needed]

59. My katana

[flvegan]

60. Rethug Senatorial Inner Circle invite

I was invited by Connie Mack to joing the Rethuglican Inner Circle quite some time ago. In the paperwork was an "official" letter from (and actually signed by) *'s dad, Bush Sr.

If I joined, for the paltry "donation" of $10,000.00, I'd get to be buddies with some of the biggest idiots out there. I kept it, framed it, and mocked it. Now, it's put away, as I'm sort of ashamed of it.

[HEyHEY]

61. My mandolin

Or my 18th century tea kettle/burner that my family brought across the ocean years ago.

[AmandaRuth]

62. a pair of undies

autographed by all the members of spinal tap, ok except for the drummer.

don't ask. just don't. i won't tell you anyway.......

[blockhead]

65. piece of the Berlin wall

also invitations to the inaugurations of Carter'77 and Clinton'93

[aaronbees]

66. It's a treasure

An autographed copy of the book "Howl" ... signed by Allend Ginsberg. :)