Showing off your collection publicly?

[Sandi]

I sent an email to our local library a couple of days ago and asked if I could show off my collection there, because I've seen others do it. I got an email from them today and they said yes.

It would be fun to show my collection, but I still kind of regret sending that mail now, because I'm a very shy person.  (I have social anxiety..) I didn't think they would reply so fast.

People who show off their collections there will usually be interviewed and have their picture taken by the local newspaper and I don't want that. I'm camerashy. It would be ok if they wrote about it in the newspaper and perhaps took a picture of the ponies but I don't want to be part of it.

Have you ever done something like this? What was it like? What would you do if you were me?

[Aadra310]

Cool!  I'd say go for it but don't do anything you aren't comfortable with.  If you don't want your picture in the newspaper, tell the interviewer that!  Request a photo of your collection instead.  You could even have them use your initials instead of your full name in the article.  You could ask them to give you the interview questions on paper and you could answer them in writing rather than in person, too.  Or, if you know what kinds of questions they ask in the past, write up a little article beforehand and you would have something all ready to go to give them.  They aren't going to force you to do anything since that is just a fun little community interest piece.  If it causes you more stress than excitement, don't do it!

[Epona]

Sounds like a great way to share the pony love.
I agree with aadra310. Have them take a picture of the ponies, or maybe a picture of one of the children with a pony (a nice gentle respectful child).
You could ask that they email the interview questions and you could email the answers. You could write up a little note that the librarian could read to the children about the ponies if you dint feel comfortable speaking.

[Sarah Jo]

I hate having my picture taken too because I'm not comfortable with how I look right now. That sounds like a small and reasonable request, to me. Is the picture usually just of a person or of the person standing with their collection ? As long as they don't mind the picture being just of your collection, or not having one at all, it should be fine ! And I think doing the interview by email would be a good idea for you, if they're open to it.

I think it's awesome that you have the opportunity ! I've considered doing it myself, but I have some anxiety with putting myself out there like that.

[Sandi]

Aadra310 and Epona: Great advice, thanks. If I decide to do this I'll definetly ask them if I can get the interview questions on paper or in an email. I think it's a lot easier to write than talk. It gives me more time to think.

Sarah Jo: The picture is usually of the person standing with their collection. I have trouble with that too. :/ That's why I'm not sure if I want yet. I should have waited to send that email until I was sure.. I'm a little impulsive sometimes. 

[summerday]

Would you be willing to have a friend or family member photograph you? Perhaps you could take a photo ahead of time with somebody you're comfortable with. Then you could supply it to the paper.

[goddessofpeep]

I'd just tell them that you don't want to be photographed due to privacy concerns.  That's a valid concern these days, and hopefully the local newspaper will respect that.   

Good luck!

[achab1984]

That is so cool that you asked. The item about having them message you the questions or can you do them on your own and print it out? That would be so much fun to set it up. And go once in a while and just sit and see if people are looking at them and enjoying them.

[hathorcat]

Showing your collection in the library does not commit you to the publicity surely? Nothing is forcing you to appear in the paper or have your picture taken. I completely understand not wanting to do something like that. Its a very hard thing to do even if you dont have social anxiety - not everyone wants their picture in the local paper!

You should simply need to decline and make clear to the library when everything is on display that you dont want to do the publicity. And if the library still does then it has your permission of course to be about your collection just not about you Unless the library make clear when they invite you to display your collection that part of the condition is you doing some kind of publicity, I am sure you will be fine. And I am sure you are not the only one who has had the same concerns.

I hope you will take some pictures of your collection out on display for us when the time comes

[calypony]

I sent an email to our local library a couple of days ago and asked if I could show off my collection there, because I've seen others do it. I got an email from them today and they said yes.

It would be fun to show my collection, but I still kind of regret sending that mail now, because I'm a very shy person.  (I have social anxiety..) I didn't think they would reply so fast.

People who show off their collections there will usually be interviewed and have their picture taken by the local newspaper and I don't want that. I'm camerashy. It would be ok if they wrote about it in the newspaper and perhaps took a picture of the ponies but I don't want to be part of it.

Have you ever done something like this? What was it like? What would you do if you were me?

Hi, Sandi!

You sound a lot like me a several years ago. I was a stay-at-home mom for 6 years and was in a bad relationship, so when I got free of that and stepped into the world again I was super shy and self-conscious. I started college and my first class made me give a 10 minute speech to my class! I was terrified the entire semester leading up to it. Long story short, once I had done it, I was so proud of myself and I haven't had any issues with speaking in front of large groups again. In my case I just had to face my fears and conquer it!

We are our own worst critics, and everything you may be afraid that others will be thinking about you are not true at all. I felt the same way. I felt like people would judge me and look down on me but found the complete opposite. I think you should go for it! I bet you'd surprise yourself.

[Sandi]

I actually decided to do it. They'll contact me next week about when. It'll be sometime this spring. I'm nervous, but I think it's gonna be fun. It's also great practise for me, considering the social anxiety.

I'll get four glass cases (one for each generation). I don't know how many will fit in each because I haven't seen them yet, but it's gonna be hard to decide which ones to show. I don't wanna bring any of the rare ponies. Not that I think anything is gonna happen to them, but you never know. x)

I'd like to show different ponies from each gen, like twinkle eyes, TAFs, babies, boys. Sadly I don't have any flutter ponies, G3 babies or breezies.

Which ones would you choose? Link to my collection: http://sandistuff.weebly.com/

[Haruna]

That's awesome! That actually brings back a great memory -- when I was a little girl, someone displayed their pony collection in my library. Thinking of it now, it seems strange, because I wouldn't have thought there'd be adult collectors back then (in the early 1990s). But apparently there was at least one. All I remember from the display was Salty, but I liked seeing them. Maybe you'll inspire some little girls!

[hathorcat]

Oh how exciting that you have decided to go ahead

I love the idea of showing different types of ponies and from different generations - that is going to be a proper MLP history!

[Sarah Jo]

That's awesome ! It sounds like you're getting twice the space they give people at my library. I hope you can share pictures with us when the time comes !

[Sarah-Bee]

That's great that you've decided to do it, good for you

I've had some experience with this, both positive and negative. I also have anxiety (not social anxiety but obviously it's similar) so I can understand where your mind has gone with this, thinking a little bit further ahead than most that there might be media attention, because you need to know, or at least consider it, as an anxiety sufferer, it's just how things go, eh?

I was contacted about a magazine piece about my collection which sounded fun (and I'd be paid for it - pony money!) so I went ahead with it. The person then asked if I wanted it to go in the papers and I thought why the heck not. Big mistake! The piece in the Daily Mail was pretty neutral but the Sun wrote something with very negative overtones and the comments from readers of the papers online were very harsh. However, the magazine piece was nice - light hearted fun as I'd imagined. Then the BBC contacted me about a small TV interview which hubby and I did and that was really positive and a lot of fun.

So I'd say just be wary if you are approached about newspaper coverage. Make sure you only divulge information you are happy with them to print because they will use it. Unfortunately they also print the information they think up themselves or even exaggerate what you say (I told the magazine my collection was insured for £10k just to be on the safe side so they decided that I have £20k worth of ponies and printed that!) Newspapers aren't the most trustworthy so approach with caution and only do what you are comfortable with and remember the story could end up on their online site, which is something that I wasn't mae aware of.

I don't want to be the party pooper here but I wish someone had told me about what the newspapers were like before I agreed to be in them. I know they're notoriously untrustworthy but until it actually happens you don't really take on board how true that is.