When Passion Meets Inspiration, An Obsession Is Born

Write about an obsession or obsessions

 

I have a lot of obsessions. But I narrowed it down to three. I am a lover of all things history. I love watching documentaries on just about everything. From dinosaurs, to Vikings, from the Ice Age to cavemen. Wars, falling of kingdoms to the building of new kingdoms. And also true crime. I feel like those are just as much a part of history as anything else is. I will start with what was my very first obsession as a kid.

World War II

Auschwitz, Poland — Auschwitz consisted of 3 main camps where it is estimated that up to 1.5 million Jews, homosexuals, Gypsies and political prisoners died by gassing, starvation and sickness. — Image by © David Sutherland/Corbis

My great-grandfather, Borislav (Bora) Cvetkovich, was born in Yugoslavia. He was a part of the Serbian Army. He served during World War II. I don’t remember the exact dates, but during the war him and some other solders were captured by the Nazis and put into a POW camp. He was there for about 2-3 years during the war before him and a handful of other guys managed to escape the camp and fled with their families to the USA. I use to listen to him talk about his time in the military, during the war and while a prisoner. I was immediately hooked and wanted to know everything I could about World War II. I was around the age of 10ish or so. After that I got my hands on anything I could that was related to World War II. I first read Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl. I was amazed at what had happened during the war. I was both fascinated and heartbroken. It is a dream of mine to go visit the Holocaust camps and find out which POW camp my great grandpa was in and see that are as well.

True Crime/Serial Killers

When I was about 14 years old I read Zodiac by Robert Graysmith. It was about the infamous serial killer. I was hooked! I guess you could say I developed an unhealthy obsession with anything true crime related. I was more intrigued by Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Edmund Kemper. I have slowly moved to many many more. I run another blog with my sister called Discover and Conquer (Blog) where we talk history and I do a lot of true crime related blogs. I do NOT in any way think their crimes are ok. They are not. I am just interested in how their mind work. What makes them so much different from non-criminals? I also watch a lot of true crime documentaries, tv shows, movies and so one.

Monarchies

attributed to George Gower, oil on panel, circa 1588

My obsession with monarchies (royals) didn’t develope until my later years. I have always liked them, I was a huge Princess Di fan, but my love of royals has grown and expanded over the years. It all starts with King Henry VIII. Probably the most well-known King from the 1500s. I mean he did have a lot of wives and stirred up a lot of religious commotion. It then expanded to Mary, Queen of Scots. She is my number one queen. I have been trying to learn all I can about her. I also love Queen Mary I of England. Well known as Bloody Mary. She was the first daughter of King Henry VIII with his first wife Queen Katherine of Aragon. She was ruthless and sometimes a bit nasty. Then we have one of the most beloved queens of that time, Queen Elizabeth I of England. The Virgin Queen and also the daughter of King Henry VIII with his second wife, Queen Anne. My sister, Cat, and I are completely obsessed and do a lot of blogging, talking, watching and reading of royals. We are actually dedicating the entire month of June to blogs about King Henry VIII and his six wives. It is our dream to live in Scotland but also to travel all of Europe visiting places of Kings and Queens of long, long ago. One day we will make that dream come true.

What are some of your obsessions??