This is the first time in over five months of being on Conch-L that I've gotten angry!  Are we so obsessed with categorizing shells that we have to "neatly" categorize collectors?  I submit that each of us has his or her own unique approach to collecting, as we each have unique personalities.  Oh yes, there are similarities among us, but why try to "pigeonhole" approaches to collecting.  I really think some of us have "gone of f the deep end" this time.  For example, I am a very serious collector of Pectinidae, wanting as much data, organization, and correct names that I can get.  I am a casual collector of other families, only wanting the exactness similar to that in my Pectinids for rather unusual shells.  But also, I am a shell crafter who could care less about data for the shells I choose to use in this work.  I do have to know the species, but don't agonize if I don't know anything else about the shell I glue down.  Aren't we each a little different in our approach to our!
 shells?  Why do we need a neat category to belong to?

There, I've said my piece.  Think about it.

                Disgruntled in St. Louis,
                Linda Welch Bush