A pity package for my pity party

I've been out of touch with baseball the last three days.

Ever since the Dodgers' elimination, I've lost all interest in the baseball postseason.

A good chunk of my feeling is related to the final four teams left. I don't like any of them. Another portion is the way in which the Dodgers were eliminated: not a single soul can explain to me why Clayton Kershaw was in that game. The remaining part is that this is about seven painful exits in a row for the Dodgers and I'm just tired of it.

One person has already tried to get me out of the dumps by telling me to "hug it out," saying, "it's still baseball!" But I'm not one of those baseball fans who are baseball fans first and you can barely tell whether they have a favorite team. I have an allegiance and my heart was ripped out by a stupid strategic move and I can't get excited over talented plays performed by four teams who have repeatedly eliminated my Dodgers.

So I'm probably not watching the rest of the postseason. I know I'm not watching the ALCS and NLCS. Didn't watch last night's game. Won't watch tonight's. Maybe once the World Series teams are determined, I'll switch on the TV again. No promises, though.

I had a feeling I'd be in this kind of mood thanks to postseason results. That's why I ordered up another COMC package in hopes it would arrive during the thick of the playoffs. Either way, I reasoned, I'd have a good excuse to open up some cards I like, whether it was celebratory opening or a pity-party opening.

Turns out it's a pity party. But that's OK. I HAVE NEW CARDS!

Let's see them.

I'll get the most painful one out of the way first. This is an online exclusive from this year called "Black and White On Demand". I thought it looked cool enough of a player who deserved so much better in Game 5.

Do you remember 2017, when even players who weren't in high-demand at all, like Kenley Jansen, were unavailable because of the Judge-Bellinger run on cards? It's taken me more than two years to finish the last couple of needs from 2017 Archives and 2017 Heritage High Numbers. Both were Jansen cards. Both are now completed.

One of the frustrating parts of viewing your own want list is seeing how many recent Dodger card needs are left hanging each year. You're never able to wrap them up during the given year and then they just pile up year after year.

I decided to tackle a few inserts and numbered-card needs from 2008 and 2009. The cards don't mean much (even though the '09 SP team set is finally done) but I feel so much better.

This -- if my want list has been figured right -- is my second-to-last need in the endless pursuit of a complete 2008 Stadium Club set. All that's left is Justin Upton.

Of course, there are the harder-to-obtain, divisible-by-three, non-foil-stamped cards to obtain in this set, but some insane person can do that. I ain't doing it.

Just one 1975 Topps buyback in my price range this time. That brings the total up to 337 cards.

We're down to the last few 1973 Topps needs these days. All four of these have been sticky annoyances on my list for awhile now, but they're ALL MINE! ALL MINE!

The Nettles card belongs in the Awful Airbrushing Hall of Fame -- and, yes, that is a future post idea. It is also a Regret Purchase because after ordering it I both saw it at the card show for a cheaper price and was told someone would send it to me. Oh well!

Switching gears into nonsports for just a little bit.

I've been pursuing this particular parallel of this Daisy Ridley "Resilient survivor" card for a good couple of years. It finally came down in price -- like 10 dollars down -- and I've got a cool six parallels in pretty colors.

I should find three more to fill out a page, but I think all that's left are stuff like printing plates and things.

More Wacky Packages stickers from the mid-1970s!!!!!

I am hand-selecting these stickers based on the ones that I loved the most back around 1975. I wanted that "Bit-O-Money" sticker so, so badly in '75. And the psychotic dog brushing his teeth was too entertaining.

Sometimes other blogger's posts or Twitter images can be the best advertisements for cards. I've often bought cards based on ones I saw for the first time on another site.

But what about cards mentioned on my own site? Yup, I get myself to buy cards based on what I post. All three of the cards above were mentioned in recent posts of mine and they are now mine! Thanks, me!

Final four cards I'm showing today.

These all filled out holes in my 1976 Kellogg's quest. I'm down to needing six more cards to complete the set. I will try to get them all before the year is out, but that may be tricky with holidays approaching.

These cards cheered me up quite a bit. But I'm still not planning to watch any of the LCS.

Yep, I'm quite enjoying my pity party. Surrounded by my cards.