Cards From P-Town!!!!

I'm WAAAAAAY behind on posting. Grad school has been eating me alive, so when I get home, I haven't really been doing much in the way of collecting...and that includes posting here. I'm trying to rectify that, but I make no guarantees.

A while back, before the Cubs won it all, our good friend P-Town Tom of the now former "Waiting 'Til Next Year" blog sent me a stack of Rangers cardboard, which I am more than grateful for (if you're interested, you can go here to learn about the new name of Tom's blog).

Tom also indulged me on another project I have wanted to do, which I haven't forgotten about, Tom! I promise!

As I'm currently sitting in my advanced theory class, I don't have a ton of time today. Therefore, I'm going to share the cards that Tom sent over without much detail. Tom, I apologize - but know that I am really thankful for them!!!

My First Twitter Trade: I Now Have A 2016 Allen & Ginter Unannounced Mini!!!

A couple weeks back, I took my search for the 2016 Allen & Ginter "Skippers" mini insert of Rangers manager Jeff Banister. I've been watching on eBay and have even made a few bid, but all cards were out of my price range. So I asked the Twittersphere to help me out. 

@CRyden33 came to the rescue. A few messages back and forth and we agreed on a trade that was more than fair. I went home for the holiday, and when I returned this guy was in my mailbox:

That's one handsome card!

I super stoked to have this in my collection. The SSP unannounced minis always seem really hard to get, so I am glad I found someone willing to make a trade.

I hope everyone have a relaxing Thanksgiving!

It's That Time of Year: My Annual Collecting Crisis Has Arrived

In what seems like an annual event, I once again find myself in a collecting funk, so to speak. I honestly don't know what is to blame for it this time because there are so many possible culprits. For instance, I have been at school studying, teaching and conducting research until at least midnight on an almost daily basis. I'm finishing up coursework this semester and will begin my dissertation in January. I'm trying to figure out if I want to teach or consult, or perhaps a combination of both. Beyond that, I still stress about my father's health. Speaking of stress, this election didn't really help. The campaign was truly divisive, and what's going on in the streets is just as, if not more, concerning. So yeah, I have a few things on my mind.

But I find myself now evaluating what I want to get out of collecting. I know I really enjoy sets like Heritage, Allen & Ginter and Stadium Club, so I think I want to continue building those. But other parts of my collection are no longer interesting to me. For instance, I think I am ready to jettison my Joey Gallo PC. Also on the chopping block:

My Texas Rangers Stadium Give Away (SGA) bobblehead collection. For whatever reason, I just lost interest, almost overnight. Another odd collection that I am ready to get rid of?

My Funko Pop! Marvel bobbles. No. More. Interest. I know these aren't baseball related, but they were definitely part of my collecting habits.

I don't want this to seem all doom and gloom for me. While I may have lost the itch for a few things, I have found myself enjoying different parts of my collection. For instance, I have been attempting to scan, front and back, every Ranger card that I have with the hopes of have a "Ranger Cardboard Encyclopedia," of sorts. This project is definitely fun, but it involves a lot of work. It makes me realize how many cards that I don't have. 

Furthermore, I also enjoy getting my sets into binders. It definitely makes my OCD more at ease when everything is in order. As I am learning for myself (but I've been hearing from y'all for a few years now), pages and binders can get pricey. But it feels that the project is well worth the work and cost.

I also feel excited to continue building my Rusty Greer and Matt Harrison PCs. 

So there's my crisis. I am looking to jettison some things and add some things. I guess I just need to figure out where to start. 

PS - If you have any interest in the above-mentioned items (Gallo, bobbleheads, Pops!), let me know. I'm ready to move 'em out!