I'm not going to be able to write about what cards I received for Christmas -- if any -- for a couple of days. Not that anyone should make an appointment for when that happens. At the time that I am writing this, the odds of me finding a pack under the tree are lukewarm-to-"fat chance, you have enough cards."
But I wanted to write about something in the meantime, and I thought I'd address one thing that's been on my mind for a couple of months now.
As you know, I don't plan to attempt to complete a 2013 set next year. I'll buy a few packs, but it'll be a lot less than years past. And that's a drastic change from, oh, the last seven years or so.
What isn't changing is the fact that I still want all of the 2013 Dodgers cards. All. Of. Them. As usual.
So how's this going to happen? Normally, I'd accomplish this by purchasing packs, keeping the Dodgers, and then trading for the ones I didn't have by getting rid of the non-Dodger crap that came with the Dodgers in the pack.
But with buying fewer packs, I'm going to end up with less non-Dodger crap.
Normally, this would be terrific. I don't like non-Dodger crap. Unless it's vintage non-Dodger crap. And then it's no longer crap.
But since I acquire the vast majority of my current year Dodgers through trades, I anticipate my ability to acquire 2013 Dodgers as diminishing greatly. This is very disturbing to me.
Even worse, there are these things:
Inserts.
These are the last two inserts that I needed to have all of the Dodger base set inserts from 2012. They came from the aforementioned David. It took me almost an entire year to gather all of the Dodger base inserts from 2012, a year in which I regularly bought current packs and traded current non-Dodger crap to other people in exchange for wanted Dodgers.
In 2013 there will be a lot less of that taking place. Also in 2013, I anticipate there being even more Dodger inserts because the Dodgers are now packed with star players and you know how Topps likes to beat collectors over the head with multiple insert cards of stars.
And I haven't even mentioned parallels, or stupid short-prints.
This could be ugly.
I don't know what I'm going to do.
I could start some sort of charity begging program as I've seen a couple of bloggers do -- send me your 2013 Dodgers just because I'm a wonderful guy who writes about cards.
But I'd be wracked by self-loathing if I did that.
So, I don't have any easy solution for this problem.
I may just have to dismiss 2013 as Cards I Officially Don't Care About Even If There's A Dodger On Them.
As for the inserts, I'm hoping they're as lame as the 2012 inserts are, because I'll have no problem avoiding them if they are multiple riffs on the word "gold" or "platinum" or whatever precious metal Topps is drooling over at the moment.
So, that's my first-world card problem for 2013.
I'll try not to whine about it too much next year. In fact, I hope this is the only time I do whine about it.
Just do me a favor:
Try to feel at least a little sorry for me next year, when you pull a 2013 Dodger out of a pack, and send one or two my way.
I'll see what I can do about unearthing some 2013 non-Dodger crap.
But I wanted to write about something in the meantime, and I thought I'd address one thing that's been on my mind for a couple of months now.
As you know, I don't plan to attempt to complete a 2013 set next year. I'll buy a few packs, but it'll be a lot less than years past. And that's a drastic change from, oh, the last seven years or so.
What isn't changing is the fact that I still want all of the 2013 Dodgers cards. All. Of. Them. As usual.
So how's this going to happen? Normally, I'd accomplish this by purchasing packs, keeping the Dodgers, and then trading for the ones I didn't have by getting rid of the non-Dodger crap that came with the Dodgers in the pack.
But with buying fewer packs, I'm going to end up with less non-Dodger crap.
Normally, this would be terrific. I don't like non-Dodger crap. Unless it's vintage non-Dodger crap. And then it's no longer crap.
But since I acquire the vast majority of my current year Dodgers through trades, I anticipate my ability to acquire 2013 Dodgers as diminishing greatly. This is very disturbing to me.
Even worse, there are these things:
Inserts.
These are the last two inserts that I needed to have all of the Dodger base set inserts from 2012. They came from the aforementioned David. It took me almost an entire year to gather all of the Dodger base inserts from 2012, a year in which I regularly bought current packs and traded current non-Dodger crap to other people in exchange for wanted Dodgers.
In 2013 there will be a lot less of that taking place. Also in 2013, I anticipate there being even more Dodger inserts because the Dodgers are now packed with star players and you know how Topps likes to beat collectors over the head with multiple insert cards of stars.
And I haven't even mentioned parallels, or stupid short-prints.
This could be ugly.
I don't know what I'm going to do.
I could start some sort of charity begging program as I've seen a couple of bloggers do -- send me your 2013 Dodgers just because I'm a wonderful guy who writes about cards.
But I'd be wracked by self-loathing if I did that.
So, I don't have any easy solution for this problem.
I may just have to dismiss 2013 as Cards I Officially Don't Care About Even If There's A Dodger On Them.
As for the inserts, I'm hoping they're as lame as the 2012 inserts are, because I'll have no problem avoiding them if they are multiple riffs on the word "gold" or "platinum" or whatever precious metal Topps is drooling over at the moment.
So, that's my first-world card problem for 2013.
I'll try not to whine about it too much next year. In fact, I hope this is the only time I do whine about it.
Just do me a favor:
Try to feel at least a little sorry for me next year, when you pull a 2013 Dodger out of a pack, and send one or two my way.
I'll see what I can do about unearthing some 2013 non-Dodger crap.
Comments
It just costs too much to hand-collate a whole set anymore. Too much filler in the wax, so to speak. It's a shame. I really enjoyed piecing (Still am, in fact) the set(s) together this year and last. I relished the notion that my boy would have a sealed set & a hand-collated set. That way he would be able to flip through and view, and read and learn....but at $50+/box of each series and that one box getting me nowhere close to completion.....compared to $39 for complete Series 1&2 at the big box store....(sigh) stupid math.
In the meantime - I'll keep an eye out for Dodgers!
R
www.ryanspitch.blogspot.com
So, sit back and relax Night Owl. You've done more than enough for this hobby, thats for sure.
I'll be sending some 2013 your way as I can almost guarantee you, there isn't a Dodger card I own that you don't already have right now.
2013 it is : )