(photo from the Indians Facebook album)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
My own "Jackie Robinson" day
Today marks a milestone in my life. Oh sure, for most folks, their 42nd birthday is just another birthday. For me, it is a magical time. After all, in baseball the Number 42 holds a special place in the hearts of fans everywhere (or it should!). Forty-Two represents the dawning of things not thought possible before it. It is of dreams and of breaking barriers. It is of legends to be made and legends that live on forever. Forty-Two means standing up for what's right, even though it may not be popular. It means standing out and standing up for what you believe in. It means showing your doubters that you have the stuff they can't see, or they refuse to see until they have no choice but to see. Forty-two is not the middle of life, but the start of things to come. It is the answer to "Life, the Universe and Everything." It is my own "Jackie Robinson" day!
*For those missing the "Life, Universe, and Everything" reference - Google it.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
My Massive Mess - A Reply to the Sunday Question
Marie, over at A Cardboard Problem, posed this week's question (er, questions, rather):
Do you find yourself behind on putting cards for your personal collection away? What do you do with all the inserts, parallels, and cards of the teams and guys you don't collect?
Rather than just reply, I thought I would write about it here. In fact, I think I have written about it before, though I can't remember just when or what the circumstances were that prompted it.
Am I behind on putting cards for my personal collection away? Oh, my, yes! As I've talked about here before, I put my cards into "The Card Collector" card program. Adding cards to my collection is a three-step process. First, I have cards that have not been entered into the database. These are cards that are from recent (and, honestly, from not-so-recent) trades and gifts. I would have to guess that I have 3000+ cards that fall into this category. They are in 800-count boxes, envelopes and loose on my computer desk. Then, I have cards in 800-count boxes that have been put into the database but have not been put into pocket pages and binders. I would say I have 5 or 6 of those easily (so, that's about 4800 cards in that category). Then, I have cards in dated binders.
I don't know how other collectors feel about this, but I just have a hard time finding the "want to" when it comes to sorting through the cards to enter into my database. It's even harder to find the desire to move the cards from the 800-count boxes into binder pages. Actually, I have been throwing around the idea of putting my entire collection into 800-count boxes. I have two of the BCS 32-box shelf units and those boxes (800-count each) would make for easy storage for most of my collection. Then I could keep binders for the oversized stuff. It just feels wrong to keep my personal collection cards in boxes instead of binders. I know there is no one out there who will show up at my doorstep, asking to look through my collection only to be disappointed that they are stored in boxes (should I go that route). But, binders provide an easy way to look at the cards. I can flip through pages, organized by brand and date. Sticking them in boxes, even organized by brand and date, just seems so... wrong.
What's funny is that I know there are collectors with way more cards than I have, and I know there is no way they have a million cards in binders. Well, I suppose they *could,* but I doubt it. So, why should I feel bad about considering putting mine in boxes with 10,000+ Indians cards? I dunno.
The short answer to the original question: Yes. I'm behind.
The next question: What do I do with cards of teams I don't collect? This is a bit more complicated. See, I have two collections: Indians cards and non-Indians cards. It is well-known that I collect all kinds of Jim Thome cards, but I also have things like Eddie Murray's rookie card along with a slew of others (by slew, I mean roughly 3000). As for the rest of the cards, I have those in non-organized boxes that build and build until I have enough to do a Tribecards Giveaway. I haven't done one since my "final" one some time ago, but I have building cards up to have another at some point. Probably for Christmas. Meanwhile, I set some aside for sending to folks that I've been trading with for many years now.
Do you find yourself behind on putting cards for your personal collection away? What do you do with all the inserts, parallels, and cards of the teams and guys you don't collect?
Rather than just reply, I thought I would write about it here. In fact, I think I have written about it before, though I can't remember just when or what the circumstances were that prompted it.
Am I behind on putting cards for my personal collection away? Oh, my, yes! As I've talked about here before, I put my cards into "The Card Collector" card program. Adding cards to my collection is a three-step process. First, I have cards that have not been entered into the database. These are cards that are from recent (and, honestly, from not-so-recent) trades and gifts. I would have to guess that I have 3000+ cards that fall into this category. They are in 800-count boxes, envelopes and loose on my computer desk. Then, I have cards in 800-count boxes that have been put into the database but have not been put into pocket pages and binders. I would say I have 5 or 6 of those easily (so, that's about 4800 cards in that category). Then, I have cards in dated binders.
I don't know how other collectors feel about this, but I just have a hard time finding the "want to" when it comes to sorting through the cards to enter into my database. It's even harder to find the desire to move the cards from the 800-count boxes into binder pages. Actually, I have been throwing around the idea of putting my entire collection into 800-count boxes. I have two of the BCS 32-box shelf units and those boxes (800-count each) would make for easy storage for most of my collection. Then I could keep binders for the oversized stuff. It just feels wrong to keep my personal collection cards in boxes instead of binders. I know there is no one out there who will show up at my doorstep, asking to look through my collection only to be disappointed that they are stored in boxes (should I go that route). But, binders provide an easy way to look at the cards. I can flip through pages, organized by brand and date. Sticking them in boxes, even organized by brand and date, just seems so... wrong.
What's funny is that I know there are collectors with way more cards than I have, and I know there is no way they have a million cards in binders. Well, I suppose they *could,* but I doubt it. So, why should I feel bad about considering putting mine in boxes with 10,000+ Indians cards? I dunno.
The short answer to the original question: Yes. I'm behind.
The next question: What do I do with cards of teams I don't collect? This is a bit more complicated. See, I have two collections: Indians cards and non-Indians cards. It is well-known that I collect all kinds of Jim Thome cards, but I also have things like Eddie Murray's rookie card along with a slew of others (by slew, I mean roughly 3000). As for the rest of the cards, I have those in non-organized boxes that build and build until I have enough to do a Tribecards Giveaway. I haven't done one since my "final" one some time ago, but I have building cards up to have another at some point. Probably for Christmas. Meanwhile, I set some aside for sending to folks that I've been trading with for many years now.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Mail Call from Max!
I found an envelope waiting on me when I got home the other day. It was from Max M! This was out of the blue, so you know I had to get that puppy opened up, and what a great treasure trove inside!
First up, a Shin-Soo Choo prospect card! Very cool!
Next, I found a Frank Robinson postcard! This is quite amazing in perfect condition. There aren't even writings on the back!
The next two items are a collector's (or long-time fan's, or both in my case!) dream: team schedules from past! We've got one from 1978 and one from 1980.
THANK YOU very much, Max!! These were a great surprise!
First up, a Shin-Soo Choo prospect card! Very cool!
Next, I found a Frank Robinson postcard! This is quite amazing in perfect condition. There aren't even writings on the back!
The next two items are a collector's (or long-time fan's, or both in my case!) dream: team schedules from past! We've got one from 1978 and one from 1980.
THANK YOU very much, Max!! These were a great surprise!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Card Bandits Facebook Friends Jumbo Case Break
So, here's the deal: $24 gets your favorite team (assuming it is still available) in a 2011 Topps Series 2 Jumbo Case break. Who is sponsoring this? Why, the Card Bandits, of course! Here is the link to their Facebook note about it: http://www.facebook.com/#!/cardbandits?sk=notes.
It is for Facebook friends only! What if you're not a Facebook friend of the Card Bandits? Well, get on over there and start befriending them! Not only will it open the door to your participation in the case break, but if you are not already reading their blog, you are missing out on some great hobby-related posts (not to mention the sport in general)!
There are still plenty of teams ripe for the taking. Oh, and for your $24, you get every card from your team: base cards, autos, relics, inserts, parallels, you name it. AND, that has the shipping and shipping materials already included! Yeap, the total is $24 - lock, stock, and barrel!
This post on Tribecards.net probably isn't what Card Bandits was looking for in a "Facebook Friends Only" case break, but the response has been a bit slow and I am trying to spread the love (since we seem to be in the middle of 60's revival what with all the talk of 'peace, love and many greenies - I digress). So, share the love and get your tuckus over to Facebook!
Read this: http://www.facebook.com/#!/cardbandits?sk=notes, befriend (or "like" I can't remember which now) Card Bandits, and get in on this exclusive, fun break!
The Indians, of course, are spoken for. ;-)
It is for Facebook friends only! What if you're not a Facebook friend of the Card Bandits? Well, get on over there and start befriending them! Not only will it open the door to your participation in the case break, but if you are not already reading their blog, you are missing out on some great hobby-related posts (not to mention the sport in general)!
There are still plenty of teams ripe for the taking. Oh, and for your $24, you get every card from your team: base cards, autos, relics, inserts, parallels, you name it. AND, that has the shipping and shipping materials already included! Yeap, the total is $24 - lock, stock, and barrel!
This post on Tribecards.net probably isn't what Card Bandits was looking for in a "Facebook Friends Only" case break, but the response has been a bit slow and I am trying to spread the love (since we seem to be in the middle of 60's revival what with all the talk of 'peace, love and many greenies - I digress). So, share the love and get your tuckus over to Facebook!
Read this: http://www.facebook.com/#!/cardbandits?sk=notes, befriend (or "like" I can't remember which now) Card Bandits, and get in on this exclusive, fun break!
The Indians, of course, are spoken for. ;-)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Kevin's Kobayashi Kard!
The other day, I got home to find a Bubbleope waiting for me. From within the package, I pulled out an awesome shiny green 2008 Bowman Chrome from Kevin M! Wahoo! This is one cool-looking card. The green POPS off the card in shiny goodness.
Thanks for one sweet card, my friend! I'll be returning the favor soon!
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