Takes direction well

I don't expect everyone to follow along with what cards I need at every second. But if you're extremely perceptive, you may have noticed that the Nebulous 9 list is now mini-size. It's a mere three items.

That's because a couple of collectors did spot that list and did one of the finest jobs of fulfilling that list since I first posted it a few years back.

One of those collectors was Baseball Dad, who sent me a few cards just recently but had to rush a certain other one to me right away.

That, ladies and gentlemen, had been the card that was on the Nebulous 9 list longer than any other. It's the card I wanted most (perhaps the only card I truly wanted) from the 2012 Panini Cooperstown set.

Welcome, young Vin Scully, legendary voice of summer. You're finally off my wish list.

The other collector was Mark and his Ephemeras. His mission was to take out my entire Nebulous 9 list and he just about did it.

This card arrived before Mark's mini Kemp did, but that's the beauty of a frankenset binder. The No. 200 spot needs filling no more.

Most of the rest of the cards Mark sent off the list are those seemingly common cards that have been frustratingly elusive, like this Kirk Gibson glossy send-in from 1989. You'd think one would've fallen out of a repack by now.

Many people still apparently are holding on to Eric Karros' rookie Members Only card in hopes that he will have a Hall of Fame career. Sorry to break it to you guys, he's nothing but a TV announcer. I'll take my card now, thank you.

Yes, I need junk wax. I know it's Traded junk wax. But it's still ubiquitous. In fact, I think I've come up with a new term for junk wax -- as I know some people don't like that term. Let's call it ubiquitous wax.

I had a signed version of this '81 Hooton Star Sticker, but not a regular old Hooton Star Sticker.

I know -- first-world problems. But I can't hear you because my Dodger Star Sticker set is COMPLETE.

No idea why it took so long to find the final '97 Stadium Club Dodger. They were cloning sheep in '97, but nobody could find a surplus Candiotti for me.

And, finally, this card.

You should have seen it.

I was all ready to throw a party for finally finishing off all the 2011 diamond parallel Dodgers. I bought up all the glitter in town. I painted the entire card room in sparkly platinum. The ipod was queued up to "Diamonds" (Not Rihanna, Herb Alpert & Janet Jackson -- how old do you think I am?).

And then I realized, Rod Barajas isn't the last diamond card I need.

It's ...

Marcus Thames????

Guess what card is now on the Nebulous 9 list?

But I really do appreciate the complete overhaul of ol' Nebby 9.

I noticed that the two guys, Mark and Jack, responsible for that overhaul have something in common with me besides collecting.

They're both family men. Both married. And they probably know their way around a list ... not that I'm inferring something about their wives.

But judging by my shortened "to-do" list on the sidebar, it seems both of them take direction well.