Don’t forget World Stamp Show-NY 2016 when setting stamp goals for the new year

It’s that time of the year: We feel the need to make resolutions and set goals for the New Year.

In reflecting on my own goals, I have a few suggestions I believe might be of interest to you, our readers.

First and foremost, resolve to have fun with this great hobby of ours. Those of us at Linn’s who are fortunate to be able to blend our careers and our avocation sometimes need to remind ourselves to keep our collecting fun. You should do the same.

Keep the fun in the hobby by exploring new collecting opportunities. Find a new topic, join a stamp club where you can meet people with similar interests and share ideas, or attend a stamp show.

Vow to learn more about your hobby. Start by reading the introduction to the Scott stamp catalogs. You will be pleasantly surprised by how much you can learn by reading the more than 50 pages of introductory material.

Read Linn’s from cover to cover, and join a specialist society whose journal will help keep you informed.

Participate in your hobby by volunteering at a stamp club or stamp show. Helping others learn about the hobby is guaranteed to renew your enthusiasm.

Find a fun topic to collect. Sometimes we take our collecting too seriously. At these times, we can benefit from starting a light-hearted topical collection. I chose hummingbirds on stamps, but you might like monkeys, hiking, computers, or other topics. Visit the American Topical Association to find a topic that interests you.

If you aren’t yet a member of the American Philatelic Society, consider joining the society and take advantage of the APS sales circuits. Members create books of stamps that are circulated to other members. Pick three categories, fill out a form, and take advantage of an opportunity to find bargains to fill the spaces in your new topical collection.

Add to your list of goals a trip to World Stamp Show-NY 2016. This is an extraordinary opportunity to attend an international stamp show. International shows take place in the United States only once a decade.

There is no substitute for attending the show in person. But if you can’t attend, follow the daily events vicariously through Linn’s. Our editors will be at the show each day, and we will keep you up to date through stories in the Linn’s WSS-NY 2016 daily newspapers and with news stories and videos.

Throughout the year, follow us through social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.