Hobby Talk: It's More Than Just Cardboard

I'm a thirty-something year old male and my hobby is collecting baseball cards.  When I first started this blog, nearly 600 posts ago I didn't know if I would be able say that out loud, let alone post it on the internet for everyone to read. Heck, my first posts weren't even cardboard related and eventually my focus slowly morphed into what you've been reading lately: less about how a die-had Cubs fan keeps himself busy between and during losing seasons and more about baseball cards.

fangraphs.com Rocks!

Mail has helped me to grow as a hobbyist. I'm no longer hesitant to speak about cards to others and I don't fear the dreaded eyebrow raise from members of my age group. Being on the receiving end of PWEs, padded yellow mailers, and large boxes (I'm looking at you, JBF) is a pretty wonderful thing.  After all, who doesn't like opening gifts?  Yet, I think that takes a back seat to finding cards for others.  I really enjoy the hunt.  It's fun flipping through a binder at a card show or shuffling through a dimebox and coming across a sweet play-at-the-plate card, a Tim Wallach or Gary Redus card, or maybe a couple serial numbered cards which may fit into the collection of a fellow blogger.  There are so many little niches out there in the blogosphere that if someone was to map them all out I'm sure it would resemble a Starlin Castro spray chart (to the right).  You know, kind of all over the place.


When I opened my latest PWE I had the usual rush of excitement come over me.  You know the one I'm talking about: those times where you have to stop yourself from skipping back up the driveway from the mailbox lest you embarrass yourself in front of your neighbors.  C'mon, we've all been there!

What was inside?  Well, all the cards you've seen in this post and a nice little note:

 The National?  I've never been to the National before!  I should have went a year ago when it was in Chicago, but I didn't have the connections I do now.  In the time since the last Chicago National I've made a few trades with some other Illinois-based bloggers and it looks like I may have an opportunity to meet up with some of these swell gents. Hopefully I'll be able to bump into JediJeff and possibly Kyle, Dimebox Nick, and Anthony, too.  I understand that we're about nine months away from the National, but there's already two bloggers thinking about. Maybe some other bloggers are already formulating travel plans as well? 

The cardboard is great.  I love shiny and vintage.  I love my Cubs, especially my PC guys and prospects like the VogelMonster.  But, it's the relationships amongst the other great collectors in the blogosphere that really capture my interest. A little note in PWE doesn't make me want to buy more cards, but it sends me to my desk chair hoping to find some new reading material about pictures of childhood heroes on cardboard. 

 "Are you looking at cards, again?"

I hear this question from time-to-time from my wife and the answer is always yes.  It's so easy to live vicariously through the postings of my fellow bloggers . . . and cheaper, too!  Ha!  I may not be to afford the newest high-end releases or absolutely sick vintage, but there's always a blog out there which allows me to dream a little.

Thank you to those out there who make the blogosphere what it is.

And thanks for the cards and the note, Jeff. I'm already planning for the big show in Chicago!