Why I never say the word 'awesome' except for on this blog

I don't know if this comes across in my blog writing -- probably not -- but I am a pretty reserved person in real life.

My wife says it is one of the first things that she noticed about me. She says I would never get too excited or too down about anything. "Low-key," I think is what she said.

I had never noticed this about me before, but when she said that, I began to become more aware of it. And then others started to say the same thing. So, I figured, well, I guess that's who I am -- low-key, regular guy Night Owl.

That doesn't mean I don't get excited about things or don't have opinions. Anyone who reads this blog knows that. But in real life, you will rarely see me respond in an over-the-top way, and you certainly won't hear anyone tell me to "calm down." And, by no means, will you ever, ever hear me say the word, "awesome."

I don't think I have said the word "awesome" since I was in high school. "Awesome" was one of the major exclamations during my high school existence. I did go to high school in the early 1980s, after all. And I said the word a lot back then. But things happen, people grow up, and the thrill is gone.

But you may have noticed something: I write the word "awesome" all the time on this blog. All the time. I don't know how many times I've written the word here, but it's got to be in the hundreds (there is a regular feature called "awesome night card," you know). And the reason I use it here, I think, is that baseball cards take me back to that time when I was a teenager using that word. Plus, I find baseball cards so interesting it's about the only thing that makes me utter a word of approval instinctively. It's certainly not forced. "Awesome" just seems like the perfect word.

It's definitely the perfect word for a card package I received recently. Wax Heaven reader Joe contacted me and said he had some Dodger cards sitting in boxes, basically collecting dust. He said he busts hundreds of boxes a year and he wanted to see the cards go to someone who would appreciate them.

By the way, isn't that something to aspire to? To be a collector who busts hundreds of boxes each year? Man, what a life that must be. That's who I want to be when I grow up. and get some ambition and, uh, a better job that pays more.

So, Joe sent me some Dodgers cards that are basically out of my league, but much appreciated. One of my favorites is the 2008 Red Hot Rookies Clayton Kershaw at the top of the post. I've wanted that card for awhile now. It truly is awesome.

But Joe also sent some high-end Dodgers. The first three are the first Topps Sterling cards I've ever held in my hands.

Awesome, eh? The photos are very refractory. And the finish on the card is something that I won't describe because I'll just muck it up. Stucco-like or something. Again, I probably just screwed that up.

You'll also notice each card is numbered, and that Jackie Robinson is not wearing a Giant uniform!

I don't know if the cards are worth the price people spend on them, but they certainly are pretty cool.

Here is the first of six Topps Triple Threads cards that Joe sent. This is the Jackie pose that Topps used to doctor Mr. Robinson into a Giants uniform for the purposes of the National card collecting show. Shameless.

And here is what I am assuming is the Johnny Podres "base" card (if a numbered card can be considered a base card) and its rarer "gold" or "brown" parallel card.

And here's Brad Penny. My brother brought up the point last week that Penny could evolve or has already evolved into the next David Wells. He's pitching for the Red Sox, sort of hefty, kind of cranky, and has a loud mouth. I can see it.

And here's a 2007 Triple Threads card of another former Dodger pitcher, Derek Lowe. They call this card "emerald." Why can't anything be "green"?

Yeah, I showed this one big for a reason. This is my first in-person look at one these relic/auto cards with the super-tiny photo.

Philosophically, I am opposed to cards like this just because it's too busy and the photo is way too small. But seeing it up close, I can see why people melt when they see something like this. It really is awesome in any way you want to use the word. A numbered, two kinds-of-reliced, sticker-autographed card of Russell Martin? Count me in. And I'll have a pizza with everything on it, too.

My fear when I first saw the card was the red part was going to consist of red velvet, which gives me the same feeling that others get when someone runs their nails along a chalkboard. Fortunately, it's not red velvet.

Lastly, we have about the only card featured here that you could pull out of a repack box. And I love it just as much as the others. A 2005 Donruss Champions card of Tommy John? Who doesn't love that? Yeah, this is as awesome as all the others.

I know Joe doesn't want me to thank him. He says it's simply a gesture from one collector to another. But I have to say thanks again.

And, in case you weren't keeping track, I said the word "awesome" four times when referring to these cards.

That means I like them. I really, really like them.