I turned 50 this year. I don\u2019t feel much different; although one noticeable change has been that I\u2019m more inclined to not give a fuck what people think about me. And it\u2019s in that spirit that I share this: I get enormous joy from watching Antiques Roadshow on PBS. It\u2019s a simple show: random, everyday folks bring in some old thing from their house and antiques experts tell them what it\u2019s worth. It sounds like the worst idea ever for a show. But the non-experts on the show get such happiness, whether finding out Aunt Gloria\u2019s teakettle is worth $200, or the steel helmet they found in the attic is worth $200,000, that it makes the show compelling. And the experts (apart from the one or two who seem like douchebags) always share in the happiness they\u2019re spreading. What\u2019s best about it, though, is that nearly every guest who gets a value placed on an item isn\u2019t doing so because of a desire to sell: most of the objects are family pieces that will never be up for sale. Most of the guests really want to see if the monetary value, the worth others ascribe to a thing, is on par with the emotional value they\u2019ve set in their hearts. The brief interactions (each evaluation takes about 3 to 4 minutes) between guests and professionals are very personal and revealing, and this is what I love about the show. The guests may be happy to hear of monetary equivalence to sentimental value; or they may be a bit sad, with a \u201cwho-cares-because-it\u2019s-worth-a-million-bucks-to-me\u201d defiance. Either way, it\u2019s a look into how we as people hold onto our memories and our stories, and memories and stories, to me, will always be invaluable.<\/p>\n
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BIO<\/strong>
\nEric Riley Moore writes about all the records he\u2019s ever loved at the website www.100favealbums.net<\/a>. On September 28 he will be a finalist at The Moth GrandSLAM, Boston,<\/a> a storytelling competition.<\/p>\n