Not ready

 

My good card buddy Angus sent me an email this morning letting me know that a card show is taking place this weekend an hour from me.

This is a place where Angus and I have traveled for a show before. But as we're still in the middle of a pandemic, he can't cross the border to get to the show and I'm not comfortable yet going to one.

It's encouraging to see New York State opening up enough to hold events like this. The state where I live has been much stricter about this than other states, and while it's made a lot of people furious, I've been OK with it. I've never been a crowd person anyway.

The thought of being in a crowd -- even a masked-up, socially distanced one -- of collectors in the relatively confined space of a hotel convention room puts me a bit on edge. It's probably safe enough, but I think I'll wait for the summer or fall. I'll be fully vaccinated by then and much more comfortable. Also, the reports I've heard from other shows -- of inflated card product, so much newness outweighing the vintage and newbies parading around with their weird new card ideas -- doesn't make me any more willing.

There have been lots of other bloggers and folks I know on Twitter who have been to shows in the last few months, and that's fine. Do what you do. But I also know there are others more tentative. Nick from Dime Boxes -- who thrives on card shows -- is still waiting to go. He sent me an envelope recently with just a few items, as he hasn't had shows to replenish his trade material.

Let's take a look:

 

 

A couple of Yankees try to break into my A&G frankenset binder. Nope, that's not happening. Somebody take these off my hands!

 

 

 

Here's another Yankee that I should welcome with open arms but surprisingly it's one of the few 1971 Kellogg's cards that I have already!

 

 

 

This is a reprint of the 1934 Goudey Jersey Joe Stripp card. In my usual clueless fashion, I never realized that 2002 Fleer Tradition (see card at the top of the post) was a take-off on that design.

Reprints are great if you don't have the moldy original already. But I do:

OK, so this envelope isn't going so well right now.

Let's pick it up with some Dodger needs:

All key stuff there. I threatened recently to show off my top 10 favorite manupatch thingies in my collection. Then I looked through the box where I throw such stuff and I couldn't even come up with five. So, never mind. Maybe stop making these, Topps?

 

The Gavin Lux card is the 43rd one in my collection, which is just obnoxious compared with how many major league games he's played. He's in Darrell Evans and Vida Blue territory in terms of total cards I own (and he'll be surpassing many other players who should have had more cards very soon). 

 

Speaking of those great old guys, Nick and I share an appreciation for tribute sets of old-school players and both of these fill that list.

So, not too bad there. But obviously, Nick and I both need to get to a show.

In time.

I'm not locked up in my house or anything. I'm back to working regularly in the office. I've been to restaurants. I've been in book stores. Four days ago, the wife and I traveled to Syracuse (also where the card show is) to do some shopping and eating. It felt good. And comfortable.

 

 

 I even bought a book ... with cards on them. They were each hand-selected by Tyler Kepner for his book. I've heard good things about this.

So, I'll get there with card shows. Listen, I'm even a little uncomfortable going to shows when there's not a pandemic. I'm just not ready to be rubbing elbows with bros yet.