The Burning House.

I was recently introduced to this website and very much captivated by what someone's possessions could say about them. We always view possessions as superficial, something to be ignored and in many cases even looked down upon. But this is sort of different. It's not asking you to show off your flashiest, most expensive stuff, but the stuff that's most important to you. Hopefully they're not one in the same. Because I don't think that would make you too interesting.

I wondered what I'd pick if I were asked to gather my most prized possessions. So I tested it. Gave myself fifteen minutes and grabbed things without thinking too hard. A few of the things I chose surprised me.

Starting from the top, left to right, and in no particular order of importance:

- Simba.

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (original midnight copy).

- Piece of the set of Anything Goes, the musical I was in during senior year of high school (underneath).

- Glass bluebird candle. One of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received.

- Parrot bottle opener that used to be my great-grandmother's.

- Little glass bird, given to me at Christmas by my sister Rachel.

- Rainbow's favorite orange mirror.

- Tiny winter music box from my stocking one year.

- My first iPod (First Generation Mini, pink).

- One of the Disney mugs I collect.

- My Swatch.

- Little Chinese buddhist man from San Francisco.

- Box of photos that used to cover one wall of my bedroom (top).

- Box of stories I wrote when I was younger (bottom).

- Journals, from 10th grade onward.

- Album of letters from relatives, given to me on my thirteenth birthday (underneath).

- My charm bracelet.

- Nikon camera my mom used in college.

- Old love letters.

- My sixth grade yearbook.

- T-shirt signed by Ben Folds at one of his shows.

So. There I am, I suppose. I think that if I were to think about what I was picking while I was picking it, it might have turned out a bit differently. I think I'd like to rescue the picture of my Dad I used to keep by my bed while he was away training for his current branch of work. As well as maybe the guitar I barely know how to play. And definitely more letters and pictures. But I don't know doing things that way would've described my subconscious quite as well. You never know what's going to come out of that thing.

If anyone else decides to do one of these, please let me know. I think it's endlessly fascinating.