Looking Ahead

I thought this day would never come, but it is finally here. Tomorrow will be my first day at the new job. I've been wondering what the work will be like, what my co-workers will be like, and other incidental things such as dress code, mask policy.. and how I'm going to pass time on my lunch hour. I haven't had a designated lunch break in 12 years!

My work day will end at 5:30 p.m. which means I won't get home until about 6 p.m. That will be an adjustment.

 

During my day off yesterday I published my 50th (and probably final) post at The 1993. I'll have less free time to blog starting tomorrow, and there are some other topics I want to explore here. I won't rule out returning to the 1993 as I just added a new follower - Cardboard Jones. Steven reached out and offered to send me three cards I need for the 1993 Donruss Diamond Kings insert set. Wally Joyner here isn't one of them; this arrived in a small PWE trade from TCDB user MattnMiller.

Today is the 5 year anniversary of my 5-box break of 2017 Topps Heritage, one of the most exciting days I've had as an adult card collector. I celebrated the anniversary by selling the Aaron Judge photo variation RC I'd pulled that day.

I've become much more of a set builder and less of a high-end card collector. If I'm ever going to finish the 1956 Topps set I have to scrounge up the cash somehow. And while I will be making more money in my new job it's not 'spend hundreds of bucks on vintage baseball cards' money. A decision regarding this undertaking will be discussed here in the coming months. 

My set building wantlist is now updated, as of yesterday. Also I bought two more 1956 Topps cards (not listed on my set building tab) with a $50 bill I received as a late Christmas present because I had Covid and couldn't see the in-laws. 

I'm also going to try and complete my base card checklists for the Hartford Whalers project. The spreadsheet is complete through 1990-91 and I hope to have the full run (up to 1997-98) done by the end of the NHL season. This project will be far less costly - though Gordie Howe's sunset card isn't cheap (especially the O-Pee-Chee version).

Hopefully the MLB lockout will be settled soon and we'll have a full baseball season, or close to it. Once that kicks off I'm planning to relaunch my All-Time Teams series. The redux will focus on which cards I have chosen for each player, and which players might be added/dropped from their franchise's All-Time roster in the near future. (And again, I might need to commission a custom card or two so that the frankenset can be completed.)

Aside from the pair of '56 singles (Eddie Yost and Bobby Avilia) I've got an order from COMC and six TCDB trades set to arrive in the next couple of weeks. One small trade arrived today, along with the Roy Campanella card I mentioned in a previous post.

2010 Topps is not on my list of set building projects. I simply grabbed a handful of semi-stars and scenery from user Zughiaq in exchange for some Red Sox dupes and a couple of 1993 Upper Deck extras. (Not pictured: Alex Gordon).

 

These 2014 Topps singles arrived in two different trades. I'm just 15 cards away from completing the set, but it looks like I'll have to buy the rest on Sportlots or COMC. Three consecutive trade offers I made on TCDB were rejected - for personal preference reasons, not because I was trying to "win" a trade. Thankfully Matt from Diamond Jesters broke my career-worst slump and agreed to a Time Travel Trade. It won't bring in any set fillers but it gets me closer to 400 completed transactions.

This 9-pocket page of 2015 Panini Prizm football cards arrived courtesy of TCDB user Talanhugh. It's been tough to trade for these singles and Blowout Cards still hasn't lowered the price of fat packs.

I'm excited and nervous about starting a new chapter in my professional life, but I am so ready to leave the old drama behind for good. I'll be sure to keep you all updated even if I can't be around the blogs as often as I'd like. Last spring was special. What will this spring bring?

Thanks for reading!



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