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Money down the drain

  I don't like saying cards are "a waste of money" because collectors get so much of that nonsense from noncollectors during their lifetime.   Generally card collecting is not a waste of money for a myriad of reasons, from being educational to improving mental health. But as the hobby continues to sink under Fanatics' heavy-handed rule, there are times when, yes, even I have to admit that cards can be money down the drain.   Here is what made me think this way:   I received not one, but two Target gift cards for my birthday. I was determined to use them on cards (I may become very boring and rethink that strategy thanks to this). Instead of purchasing another Series 2 box, which was quite productive for me, I selected the latest Topps Chrome Platinum offering. Not a smooth move.   I knew I was doing something dumb yet I am very confident in justifying my card purchases. "It'll all work out" I rationalized -- because quite often it does. But the following...
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Short respite

  The birthday went pretty well. They're quiet these days. The highlight may be a new chair for my desk area where I type these posts. Yay! Also, I did use the gift card (actually two of them) for some current cards. You'll see that in the coming weeks.   After this post I'm taking a few days off from the blog. There are vacation things to do, yes, but also I've been getting a little cranky about blog stuff and that's an indication that I need some time away.   It'll also allow me to rededicate myself to some other topics besides showing off the latest cards, which I've done a lot of lately ... and am doing now.   A series of arrivals have been piling up on the roll-top desk and it's a mess so I'm clearing out. Enjoy the card view.     These were my latest claims on Diamond Jesters' Time Travel Trading. Both probably need explaining. For the Sweetness card, I added it simply because his earlier cards have been so difficult to obtain. Might as we...
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She doesn't even have to pick out the box

   I've made many references about my sister-in-law's ability to select exactly the right box or packs of cards when she's picking out a gift.   It's happened over and over. The cards I get from her, I never pull myself.   But this time it was even more impressive. She didn't even have to pick out the box herself.   She sent a Target gift card for Father's Day. It took me awhile to decide what kind of cards I wanted. I ended up settling on a Topps Series 2 box, it was the only thing in my wheelhouse and I almost always purchase some Series 2, particularly if it's a set I like, and that's the case for 2026.   The box arrived a few days ago and right from the first pack I knew it contained my sister-in-law's magic touch. Yet she didn't touch the box!   I don't think most people are interested in seeing every card -- it's Series 2 -- so I'll offer a highlight from each pack. That'll be enough to show that this wasn't the ordinary...
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Not expecting much

  I've cleared my schedule and I've got snacks but I'm not expecting much from tonight's All-Star Game.   It's been exactly 50 years for me of watching the All-Star Game. For decades, my expectations were high. It was a highlight of the summer for me. And even when I got older and not as attached to the players, and MLB started tinkering with the format, I'd still remain enthusiastic and look on the bright side because of tradition and all of the games I enjoyed in the past. And it was still stars and baseball.   But I'm just not feeling it anymore. Last year's game was it for me. I tried to stay quiet but people close to me know I hated the in-game interviews -- especially multiple interviews going on at the same time -- and I really disliked the HR derby to decide the winner.   I know I'm shouting into the void. It's clear that many enjoy the changes. But I look at it as the usual failing of successful businesses, from Topps to MLB. Bigger and ...
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Card show etiquette

  I don't expect this post to be anything more than venting. The collectors who need to see this aren't reading blogs. But sometimes I encounter something and I've got to write about it and that's why I'm laying down a few guidelines for the ridiculous idea of "card show etiquette."   I went to the monthly card show Saturday and was slightly surprised by how many people were attending. It's the summer time and usually dealers (if not the whole show) take the season off because it's not a very profitable time. But it was busy.   The show is in a medium-sized conference room in a small business complex. If you set up seven rows of tables inside that room, with another row of tables along the back wall and a couple tables along the front wall, there's not a lot of room to roam. That's the show promoter's fault more than the attendees, sure, but maybe take that into account before acting like you're the only one shopping.   I went to th...
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