As an adult with a home, bills, family and job, there is nothing quite like the feeling of no commitments.
I'm never totally free of every commitment. There's always a bill or some hovering work thing, but I happen to be in a period in life in which a couple of problems that I have fretted over since adulthood began are no longer an issue. That's a tremendous feeling. It's like a Saturday afternoon in the summer with no responsibilities and the sun shining away.
But I'm a responsible person, who feels responsible, so there is always something I Must Do, even in the hobby.
Usually that hobby commitment is sending return envelopes to those who have sent me cards. I don't get in a yank about that as much as I once did. You should have seen me in 2008: "What? He's sending me cards for nothing? Oh the guilt. MUST RECIPROCATE. MUST RECIPROCATE."
I don't do that anymore. But I do like to be nice and respond when I get a card from someone. So the commitment thing is still there.
Recently I have received four envelopes and as chance would have it, I have either already sent out or am about to send out envelopes back to the senders! No commitments! What a great feeling. I feel so weightless I'd run out and skip through the backyard ... if it wasn't filled with mud and dog poop.
Let's see those cards that I've received and have already cut the strings that were once attached.
OK, I feel like I shouldn't have to reciprocate for a card of fat Andruw, who is pictured in the process of striking out again and has consumed so many Shamrock Shakes that the card is now green. But, yes, I requested this card from Cards from the Quarry, and fortunately, I've already sent my cards off to Johnny.
I am now officially out of Rockies trade bait, which is a sentence I thought I'd never write. I may have to enter a Rockies group break in the event the Quarry shows off a parallel of some other "why oh why did the Dodgers pick up him" dude, like J.D. Drew.
The next two cards are from cards as I see them's Almost Free Fridays giveaway. For once I was alert and awake when someone posted a giveaway and I grabbed these two, both of which I couldn't believe I didn't have.
The Wallach card scanned horribly as 1995-99 cards often do, but actually '95 Score "Hall of Gold" parallels are not attractive cards.
I enjoy returning card fire to Jim more than just about anyone else because I know I have Dodger cards to send. They're already out the door.
The next two beauties are from Jay of Card Hemorrhage. He sent two 1970 Topps off my want list! Love Amos Otis trying to disguise his Mets uniform.
I've done next to nothing with 1970 Topps this year so far. I hope to kick myself in the butt on this set in the next nine months but I am so uninspired about this set pursuit.
As an example, ol' Frank up there should be something I consider upgrading at some point, but I doubt I'll ever do it. (Snap out of it, night owl!)
Jay's return package is a bit behind the others. It's all packaged up but I have to muster up some will to stand in line at the post office.
Final card is from Peter of Baseball Every Night. Woooo, I was so ready for this card. I had something in an envelope for him before I even knew I was getting this. It's already in the mailbox!
I believe this is from last year's Panini Chronicles set. Per usual, Panini is cross-referencing its sets for maximum confusion. The bottom of the back reads: "2020 Panini - Chronicles Contenders Optic Baseball." Good luck figuring out what you're collecting.
Peter squeezed this card in with the other Kershaws I recently purchased to get me to 800. He just missed the magic mark as this is Kershaw card No. 799! No. 800 is still on its way to me.
So, that's a post paying tribute to a commitment-free lifestyle! Or at least as commitment-free as one can get in this life at my age.
It's Thursday. So I need to make a mortgage payment.
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