Living in the present

All of your favorite self-help sources say it's best to live in the present.

Living in the past is not recommended. They say it stunts your growth. It skews your view on what's going on around you. It's unproductive. Living in the future is also frowned upon. They say you're wishing your life away.

But, frankly, when it comes to cards, living in the present is pretty damn boring.

At least it is for me. Your mileage may vary.

I would much rather live in the past when it comes to cards. I like the old cards better, I have more connection to them. Cards from the past make a whole lot more sense to me than cards from the present. So, I'm stunting my growth? So what? Everyone knows we're not going to live forever, right? Might as well enjoy what you like. (I'm talking strictly cards here, those of you looking at me for permission to break your diet).

But for just this one post, I'm living in the present. I promise not to nod off if you promise not to nod off.

I received a handful of 2017 present-day needs from Ryan of the Card Stacks Blog. We'll check them out now, right here in the present:

I started with a couple of Joc Pederson cards. The present day means you must worry about players on your favorite team colliding in the outfield and padding the Dodgers' already crowded disabled list.

You can't get me to say anything else about 2017 Donruss. Glad I have the card. That's the best I can do.

Donruss also squeezed old-timers into this set because card companies realize that even though it's the present, living in the past is profitable.

That's the hobby for you. There will always be collectors looking to the future and demanding innovation in the present. But card companies often live in the past, probably because it's easier.

And because so many of us collectors are old dudes who like our history.

So that completes this present-day thanks in a present-day blog post for these present-day cards.

I'll probably return to the cardboard past now. And if you want to live in the past, I invite you to check out the blog archives.