My new card corner

I just finished transferring the stacks of cards that sat out brazenly in the living room, in full view of everyone for the last two-plus years, to a new roll-top desk, where they can be hidden from anyone who might be offended by them.

Now, I don't know whether they have offended anyone. Nobody has told me that to my face. Yet the desk is of the roll-top variety. So, you know, the cards can't be SEEN. Take from that what you may.

My wife's influence is all over this, as you might have guessed.

The home and garden shows are popular in my home. I don't watch them very often because they're agonizing. But every once in awhile I catch a couple going through a home and commenting about what they like or don't like about the house. I giggle when I hear the guy mention that he doesn't like the color of the drapes or the wall pattern in the kitchen. I giggle because:

1. You shouldn't have an opinion, buddy. Why do you care about wall patterns? It's not in your DNA.

2. It doesn't matter what you think because your wife/girlfriend cares more.

My home looks as it does not because I like the way it looks, but because my wife likes the way it looks. My opinion is secondary. It's not that she wouldn't consider my opinion. She would ... and probably dismiss it. But my opinion is secondary mostly because I just don't care. My wife's taste in decorating type thingies is absolutely bitchin' (that last sentence was all technical interior decorating terms, by the way). She knows what's she's doing and it looks great, and I'd be a complete tool to say, "I think the chair would look better over there" just to act like I knew what I was talking about.

So, combine the fact that she knows decorating and the fact that I don't care and you come up with a roll-top desk where cards are stored.

I'm actually quite happy with it. Instead of borrowing a corner of the living room and feeling guilty about it, and having folks come over and pretend the stacks aren't there (really, they're not girlie magazines, people, they're CARDS), I have my own little card corner.

I'm hoping that somehow it makes me more organized and a lot more efficient in my hobby activities. That's probably a lot to ask of a desk. But how about this for coincidence: on the very day that I set up my desk, I feature a trade post on the blog!

It's almost eerie.

Yup, this desk is going to work out fine.

These cards are from Dustin of Coot Veal and the Vealtones. I've traded with him prior to his blog start-up, back when the Vealtones were singing in the subway. So I knew he'd have some nice cards for me.

This is a black parallel from 2003, numbered to 52. I pounced on this card when I saw it. Sure it's Andy Ashby, but I don't discriminate against pitchers of the recent past. The Jon Garland of today is the Andy Ashby of yesterday. They were all Dodgers.

Another parallel going back two more years to 2001. I can't be the only person who is starting to confuse Paul LoDuca and Russell Martin. Both were popular Dodger catchers who started quickly and then slowly declined and ended up on New York teams. I hope Martin avoids the whole steroids/wife cheating/Washington Nationals nonsense though.

A Card Your Mom Threw Out from last year's Topps. It looks more like the Topps Archives card from several years back, but I'm sure Topps is saying mom threw out your 1953 Topps Johnny Podres. By the way, I think it's time to forgive mom. She's really been raked over the coals by Topps in the last year.

Dustin's been consulting the ol' want list! Out of all the 2008 sets that I'm still trying to complete, I think I like Upper Deck Timeline the best. It's starting to cry out for a binder, which automatically means that I'm hopelessly attached.

This is what I missed out on because I wasn't visiting my HTA store each week.

For AdamE's benefit, I will  now take a moment to count how many Dodger Pedro Martinez cards I have. Back in a minute ...

... I have 22. He officially looks pretty awesome in all of them.

The advantage to wearing the all-white uniform. Your signature is placed across your torso instead of your crotch.

I do believe this a Sick Scoreboard Card! Did anyone catch Tommy Lasorda disparaging Hershiser's first name on Sunday night baseball? Weirdly entertaining.

More want list goodies. Receiving cards from 1972 Topps in the mail is great fun. It's sure to brighten any day. The Allen card famously reuses the photo that appeared on the 1970 Topps card, just because the uniform of Allen's new team -- the White Sox -- matched the uniform of his old team -- the Phillies. To add to the confusion, Allen was listed with the Cardinals on the 1970 card.

The Pepitone card is terrific because I'm almost positive no one has held a bat like that on any other baseball card.

I could show more cards, but the Dodgers are about to play the Rockies and I want to watch it. So let's end with a fancy blue parallel of James Loney commemorating his nine-RBI game. It just happened to come against the Rockies!

Dustin, I still owe you some cards. Hopefully my new desk set-up will get my act together.

I'm not sure why my card stacks weren't appreciated out in public. They were a lot more attractive to me than some of the stuff on display (I can't even tell you what some of it is). But it doesn't matter because my new card corner will keep me happy.

It'll keep me from commenting on the color of the drapes, too.