It looks like I'll be going to a card show this weekend after all.
It took a couple of extra hours at work Wednesday, Thursday and today to make it happen. I'm no longer convinced that it's a coincidence that work often ramps up around fun, recreational activities on my off-time. I now know it's a cosmic plot against me.
But I've gotten good at stamping out those conspiracies, although not without some damage.
There's no way I'll be able to compose a list prior to the card show (sure, I could make a list instead of writing this blog post, but then what would you read?). Show lists are my motivation. They keep me focused and ready to hunt. It prevents me from wandering and being suckered into something shiny I don't really want.
Instead I'm relying on a couple of card envelopes I just received for that motivation. If, at the show, I pick up nothing but the kinds of cards I landed in these mailings, I'll get exactly what I want. The cards come from two specific sets, both recent quests.
I'll start with some 1970 Topps from mr haverkamp. Nice of Jim to think of me and mention that I'm getting close on completing the set. I don't feel like I'm that close, but, hey, that's more motivation that I need!
Also, one of the best kinds of motivation for a set-builder is receiving a notable card from that set that you had just placed in your online cart. You debated whether you should commit to a card that is a little bit costly and decided, sure, you've got to get it eventually. But -- THEN -- the card arrives in the mail and you immediately rush to your phone to delete it from your cart. TRIUMPH!!!!
That's what happened with the Tony Perez card.
I also like getting the Rose-Clemente-Jones leaders card as it was the last of those that I needed. I would like to knock off several 1970 Topps cards at the show, but I would also like to find a Reggie or Bench from the set, which would suck up all my money but I need to be OK with that.
Moving on to a set that I never look for at shows ...
A bunch of 1969 Topps from Bo arrived!
Apologies to Bryan Adams and his terrible song, but this has been the Summer of '69 for me, starting with the '69 cards I landed from my friend when I was evaluating his collection and now here we are with more.
That '69 Dick Green card is everything the '69 set could be but rarely is. Such a nice card.
The Ken Harrelson All-Star card and the Steve Barber are two cards I once owned, picked up as a young teen in a transaction on the porch of a friend. The Barber in particular was striking in that way -- "so this is what ballplayers looked like in the '60s, huh? Kind of a dull (keep in mind, I came from the '70s). They all wore black hats with no logos?"
It's nice to have it back.
So for a period, that's all I thought that Bo sent. I even thanked him on Twitter with just those cards and was perfectly happy with them. It's funny, I knew he sent me two envelopes, and I did receive both at the same time. But in the whirlwind of work activities, that fact completely left my brain. I even forgot to open the second envelope, which I never do -- I almost immediately open card packages as soon as I pull them out of the mailbox.
So I'm preparing to take pix of the cards for this motivation post and -- what's this? -- this empty envelope is kind of heavy? Heck, I didn't open it! And out came more '69 Topps from Bo!
Now if that isn't motivation -- sudden cards you didn't know were there immediately before a card show -- I don't know what is.
If I remember right, I even claimed the Jim Weaver card from Bo and then completely forgot that it was arriving.
This makes me want to get nothing but '69 Topps at the show.
So, now, I'm brimming with motivation -- take that, job, and shove it -- thanks to a couple of card envelopes.
Looking forward to showing everyone what I ended up with.
Comments