State of the Blog

I titled this post "State of the Blog" but I think it's going to feel more like a bunch of random thoughts. With that said I'm not going to control it.

I've been on a "mini collection" kick recently. "Mini collection" is a term used by Nick, of the blog Dime Boxes -- The Low-End baseball Card Collectors Journey. There are lots of great mini collections out there in the blogosphere.

Play at the Plate 

Bat Barrels

Bubble Gum

Bunts

As of a few weeks ago I had two mini collections. Multiple Bats, Cards Featuring Awards, and I recently added a third, Doughnuts. As of today I have over 50.

1) Multiple Bats
2) Cards Featuring Awards
3) Doughnuts
4) Celebrating
5) Taped Bats
6) Bling
7) Stretching

8) Blurred Batters
9) Technology

10) Hands Apart
11) Where did it go?
12) Bubble Gum
13) Spring Training
14) Retro Uniforms
15) Advertising
16) Hats Off
17) Full Gear
18) Take a Knee
19) Smile
20) Lean on Me
21) Take a Seat
22) Up in the Air

23) Bat Barrels
24) Pack your Bags
25) What's That Behind You?
26) Play at the Plate
27) Patches
28) Chain Link

29) Dirt
30) Autographs
31) Bunts
32) Double Play
33) Show Me the Ball
34) Flags
35) Batting Cage
36) Head in the Clouds

37) Glasses
38) Squatting
39) Empty Seats
40) Label Your Stuff
41) Pine Tar Rags
42) Stick Out Your Tongue
43) Ball in the Air
44) Multiple Exposure
45) Slide

46) Broken Bats
47) How Far is that?
48) Making an Appearance
49) Backwards Hats
50) Throw in the Towel
51) Time Out
52) Rain Delays

I'm sure I'm missing a few. Too many? I agree, but I want to see how it goes. Not sure how to store them though. I've never been a binder and 9 pocket pages, type of collector.

Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of using a binder and 9 pocket pages for my collection, but they are so expensive. I almost can't bear the thought of not spending that money on cards. So I go with cardboard boxes to store my collection.

A few years ago I sorted out my collection by team. I started going through them recently to find cards of certain players for blog posts and realized a couple of things.

#1 - I really like having all of the cards of a player together.

I don't know what it is about it, but I like seeing a stack of cards and knowing they are all the same player. i like sorting through that stack and seeing that one player in lots of different and also lots of similar photos. I like posting cards of one player. I like knowing that I have 73 Todd Helton cards and 116 Barry larkin cards. Like I said, I don't know what it is, but I just like it.

#2 - I'm going to start what I'm going to call Dime Box Collections. There are players that I like for one reason or another that I have never actively collected before, but I want to start collecting them starting with the cards I already have, setting them aside if I pull them in a pack, and picking them up when I come across them in Dime Boxes. I don't plan on pursuing eBay for these players, but I will actively collect them.

At this point I don't know how big this list will get, but here are a couple of players that I've decided on recently.

#3 - There are a lot of great cards out there that I have been ignoring for years.

Take a look at this 1988 Donruss Larry Sheets card. Most collectors would disregard 1988 Donruss as "junk wax" and wouldn't give it a second look. 

But do it. Give it a second look. What do you see? Here's what I see.

I haven't done well with my 2014 Hobby Related Goals. At times life has gotten in the way and that's okay. At the same time I really enjoy the hobby and enjoy working towards goals. 

I recently hit my 5 year blog anniversary and didn't really do much. In fact I almost missed it.

I want to do something to give back to the blogosphere. I've got an idea for a contest that I think will be awesome. be on the look out for it sometime in July. 

My wife and I are going to Colorado in July and are planning on seeing a Rockies game. I've never been to Coors Field, in fact I've never been to any MLB ballpark other than Chase Field.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions about Coors Field, please let me know. What should we see at the ballpark, what's the best food in and around the ballpark, etc. Please let me know. 

More random thoughts.

I need to send out more ttm's. I haven't done much ttm wise this year. I recently sent out two, so hopefully that will jump start something for me.

There are a ton of awesome blogs out there. As a result, I spend way too much time reading blogs, in addition working on my own blog, browsing eBay, sorting and organizing my collection, going to the card shop,etc. What....is my wife writing this part? No, but she very well could be. I've got to figure out better time management when it comes to the hobby.

What's better? Experiences or things? I often ask myself this.

I've got so many hobby related "projects" that are started, half way done, or just a thought, that it kind of drives me crazy. Oh look, I just added 52 more "projects", Ahhhhh.

But I still love it. So there.