Hi Eli,
I went ahead and did all the calculations and found some interesting yet predictable trends: I was definitely an obsessive wine buyer between the months of February-April. Then I found that during the months of May and June I went a little below 0 in my purchasing/consumption ratio.
I joined CellarTracker back in the middle of January, so January and before it doesn't have anywhere close to accurate records. The weather was still cold in February so I was able to stock up on a whole lot of wine outside of my extremely small, rack-based wine fridge, so much that when my "French style" VinTec was delivered to be in the beginning of March it pretty much filled the whole thing easily using its existing stacking racks. The record for the month of February comes out to a ratio of exactly 12!
Then March was my birthday. My math comes up with 42 then! The following month of April is well above 0 but less than half of the previous month. April was Passover, so the end of March and the month of April were big, annual Israeli wine sales all over… Also, something that balances the purchasing consumption ratio numbers between these two months was the fact that my consumption rate jumped about 25% more, and then it stayed pretty study up to this present month.
Furthermore, re: Ryan, I too am on a grad school budget, but I enjoy being obsessive and enjoy the benefits of this obsession likewise!!
Re: Ian, Isn't a "compulsive wine drinker" an alcoholic who only is satiated by the compound of alcohol and doesn't enjoy the drink for what it is??
Re: Ian and Ryan, the problem of space for bottles can usually be alleviated by resources in the pocketbook. For me the existing funds and how I am used to making purchases in general according to value and timeliness are the best healthy directive and filter for material, avocational obsession.
I also tend to think that my limitation to consuming Kosher standard wines keeps me far from needing AA rehabilitation for obsessive wine purchasing
Best wishes,
E.Y.