Not the hiatus type

What would it take for you to take a hiatus from your blog?

I guess I don't have to ask. I've seen many blog hiatuses during my time at Night Owl Cards. Some bloggers disappear without warning and then suddenly return, but many others announce a hiatus and a reason -- they're having a kid, they're going on a trip, they need to sort things out.

It's probably all very healthy and logical.

But I don't think I'm the hiatus type.

Not as far as blogging goes.

Take my current situation. My mom passed just last month. My dad is not very far behind her. The dedication and driving miles behind this terrible period takes an enormous amount of time. My blogging has been spotty, more spotty than ever. But not once have I considered a hiatus.

In fact, mostly what I think about the blog in a time such as this is: how can squeeze in a post somehow?

I'm not saying this to congratulate myself -- my guess is what I'm doing is somewhat detrimental -- it's just how I am. This is what I want to be doing. Constantly. It's been like that for years. If I went on hiatus, I'd be leaving a significant part of me at the dock. I can't do that.

However, someone who can is Bru from Remember The Astrodome. He's been on hiatus for more than a month and before he took off, he sent a bunch of people some cards. He sent me some cards, even though I think he's sent me three different packages this year alone.

Most of the cards that I needed from the envelope were very recent issues. So let's see those very modern cards.

I'll start with the very latest Bowman card of Clayton Kershaw. Check out that hand overlapping the design. That's always fun.

This is another one of those Cody Bellinger highlights cards from last year. I still need like a dozen of them because it's a stupid 30-card insert set with parallels. This happens to be a parallel, too. Now you know why a bunch of my posts are geared toward vintage.

A trio of Hocus Pocus ... er, Honus Bonus cards from 2017. These game cards never caught on and I can see why. You want me to play cards AND keep track of a fantasy team on some web site? I have a dog to feed.

Ah, one of the many 2018 sets I ignored last year. Here is Julio Urias, who is not taking well to his relief role.

Meanwhile, reliever Caleb Ferguson is in Triple A (check out how vibrant this scan is, makes me not despise foil for a moment or two) and the Dodgers could use him. They could use anybody as could three-quarters of the bullpens in the majors. There is a bullpen crisis in baseball and nobody wants to do anything about it.

Final needed card is from this year's Panini Diamond Kings. As I've said many times, Diamond Kings works -- with legends players. It doesn't really work with current players. But there is also such a thing as going overboard. Due to no logos and the "aging" filter used, Alston looks like he's managing in the 1930s. The photo is probably from the '60s or '70s but, man, it looks ancient.

So, there you are. I managed to get out another post and I'm pretty happy about that.

Maybe someday I'll take an actual hiatus. But, trust me, right now, where I'm at, it's the last thing I want to do.