Memento: Lava Lamp

I'm starting a new series whereby I go through a whole bunch of my sentimental junk and chronicle my memories in photo and blog form so I can get rid of stuff without guilt. Basically what I want to say is: I value this item for its memories but no longer have use for it. Besides which, it's getting crowded in my small house.

First up is my lava lamp. This is not just any other lava lamp but a genuine original authentic Mathmos 'Astrobaby' Lava Lamp.

Received from: My brother Damian
Occasion: My birthday (16th or 17th? Can't remember)

I wanted a lava lamp so bad. I can't even tell you why. Maybe I thought it would inspire me. No, I wasn't going through a 60s phase, but it was going to be mesmeric thinking vehicle the same way a Newton's cradle tends to transfix people, but a hippie version if you will.

My brother, being fairly clueless about gifts in general, underwent the tried and true method of discovering what I wanted by asking me. I found out somehow that it cost $65 (quite possibly he'd left the price tag on) and remember thinking that was an awful lot of money. I'm going to hazard a guess that it was for my 16th birthday because that seems appropriately special for an expensive (and let's face it, useless) item like this.

The perennial question was: Why do you want a lava lamp? The perennial answer was: Why do I like the colour blue? I just do!

The lamp originally had blue water with purple wax; due to fading, it's now clear water with red/orange wax and, as of this evening, still works fine.

I've listed it on Freecycle because I know that way it will go to a good home. It also means I will no longer be surprised to find it hanging around on side tables, ready to topple.