Night Owl Cards

What would you do if you had that fully stocked Target card aisle that featured the very most up-to-date card product that you've read that other collectors have? What would you do if you had one of those monthly card shows that you hear about from other places? What would you do if you had a card shop just down the road, like some lucky people? What would you do if you could drive easily to a flea market once a week or a month? I know what I would do. I'd be at that card aisle every day. I'd have a collection you wouldn't believe because I'm at a card show once a month. I'd be sharing vacation pictures with the card shop owner because I'd be there so often. And I would be able to drive to that flea market blindfolded because I knew the route so well. But would you? Really? Or is that just jealousy talking? Here is what I mean. A couple of days ago, I read a post on I Love the Smell of Cardboard in the Morning . Tim apparently lives in that...

You know when one of those bloggers lists all of the zip codes on their outgoing packages? And you excitedly scan the list for your zip code? Finding your own zip code is a thrill I can't describe. It's almost like finding your name on the roster on cut day. But what if you find your zip code twice ? I wasn't prepared for that. Wasn't even a thought. It turns out it's a little bit different feeling than seeing that zip there once. And that feeling begins with: "Uh oh." I sat and stared at the list on Jaybarkerfan's Junk mentally determining where these cards were going to go, and how long it was going to take to file them, and what I was going to say about them. And then going through that process a second time, because my zip code was there TWICE. I was just about to make an appointment to get my eyes checked, when I heard this banging noise out on the porch. The mailman was putting all his force into getting the packages into what had...

(Happy Babe Ruth Day. It was 69 years ago today that a dying Babe Ruth was honored with his own day at Yankee Stadium. Let's recognize that with a little Cardboard Appreciation. This is the 239th in a series): It's not like me to pay homage to a Yankee. But when a Yankee completes a set -- an insert set at that, a second insert set at that, then I must put allegiances aside and ... ack ... honor a Yankee. This particular card, which I received from Dennis at Too Many Verlanders just the other day (I'll show how he decimated my Nebulous 9 on another post), finishes off the More Tales of the Game insert set from 2010 Update, which was a continuation of the Tales of the Game insert set in the flagship set that year. This is one of my favorite insert series of the last five or six years, because I do love cards that tell a story. The set is a little too heavy on Yankees (imagine that, Topps overemphasizing the Yankees). But it does a good job of conveying the well-t...

But not Gypsy Queen or Donruss or any of that sad stuff on the store shelves right now -- old packs -- packs from 1983 , the best damn year on the planet! I'll get to Mr. Magnum in a little while, but I wanted to let you know I was graced with a super fun kind of package from Angus of Dawg Day Cards not too long ago. He included a whole bunch of oddballs and also a handful of unopened packs. This is my kind of package. Before the grand opening let's see some of the cards that were loose and free. They're doozies. OK, these two haven't exactly been let loose, but they will be. I've completed the full set of Kellogg's Dodgers (aside from variations which I will not chase). But I refuse to turn down extras. And Sutton will go toward my quest to complete the '76 Kellogg's set. Curvy cards! The Ron Cey is a '77 Isaly's/Sweet William disc and will go nicely with my chocolate ice cream-stained Cey Zip'z disc. The Andy Messersmit...