how did you get into Rocks, Crystals and Minerals

Good day to you all,
I just wanted to share a brief outline as to how i first got interested in rocks and minerals. Right back from an early age i was always fascinated in these bright and shiny mineral specimens and used to love to get books out of the local library to look at the fantastic pictures of various mineral specimens. At an early age my parents remember loosing me in the natural history museum in London - only to find me with my face pressed up against the cabinets full of minerals.
I remember getting a few of my own specimens with pocket money - the normal Amethyst, Pyrite, Chalcopyrite etc. On a trip to Germany to see my uncle who was based out there in the RAF i managed to buy a specimen of Azurite and Orpiment - i must of only been about 10 at the time and treasured these.
One of the greatest memories i have that really fueled my collecting though was digging in my back garden and finding a small geode with tiny quartz crystals in it.
through out my early teens i managed to find some great private sellers of minerals and would get my dad to drive me over so i could visit them and buy a couple of new pieces for my collection as and when my savings from my part time jobs would allow. I was also still into collecting all the mineral books i could get my hands on.
When it was time to leave school i had decided that a career in mining was what i wanted to follow - unfortunately a motorbike accident put pay to me going to university for the time being and i ended up working as a jeweller. during this time becoming a registered valuer and completing my FGA and diamond grading courses.
My interest in minerals was still there and collection growing slowly along with a small collection of fossils that i used to collect locally in Dorset England. I also at this time started to cut cabochon stones on some home made equipment making jewellery and selling this and fossil and mineral specimens at local shows.
Wanting to know more about the rocks and minerals i was collecting i attended night school a took an A level in geology, and in fact enjoyed it so much i did the course twice.
Eventually i did go to university and got my degree in Mining Engineering and although i have now side stepped from mining to civil engineering my passion for all things mineral has not wained. Now living in Australia i have had more chance to get out there fossicking and cant think of any better way of spending my holiday time - unfortunately the other half does not enjoy quite so much lol.
I managed to find a couple of suppliers that i could buy from at trade prices and after saving some money up in a tin i placed my first order - thinking if i could sell some and keep a few this would help fund my collection.
A few months later we did our first gem and mineral show and on the first day had almost sold out of some of the specimens and ended up raiding some of mine for the next day. Rocs and Xtls (pronounces Rocks and Crystals) was now born and has grown allot in the time we have been running it, but remains mainly as a means to build my own collection while offering great specimens and good prices to others.
So how did you get interested - i would love to know