Night Owl Cards

  I have probably mentioned a couple times that I feel like my era of collecting is underrepresented on social media. That's likely because folks who collected as kids in the '70s are less likely to be appearing on Twitter/X or Instagram. And I don't do cards on Facebook, which probably has a better chance of showing card stuff from my era. But it's difficult for me to match the glee for late '80s and '90s cards that I see constantly on those other social media sites. Like I've said before, it seems like every collector online began collecting in 1987. There's probably a book in there somewhere because it's definitely a thing. But I don't want to collect stuff from that time. I see pack-openings of 1990 Donruss a lot. I already know what's in those packs, they do, too. I don't have any desire to be trapped in a 1990 time loop. Also, and this is the key thing, I like cards issued earlier a whole lot more. Folks who collected those cards fr...

    Not too long after the first cards of the season are out, I make an attempt to come up with a name for the new set. Sometimes it's easy -- when you see a sea turtle, you see a sea turtle -- and sometimes it's difficult. This year's Topps set is fairly easy. I think a few people came up with a name back when Topps unveiled the design in the summer.   2022 Topps is "the wrench set."    If you don't see it, tilt your head to the side and note that the logo is where the open-end of the wrench is and the position "tear drop" is where the "ring" is on your average wrench.   Now, I never stop at the current set when doing these Define the Design posts. My goal is to name as many as I can . And there are so many sets!   So let's throw a few more set names out there.   Staying with the tool theme, I've got a name for the very weird 1999 Upper Deck set. It's still mystifying that this is what passed for a flagship design in '99. A...

  I've been thinking a lot about how much waiting we're all doing these days, and, in particular, what that's doing to my patience. I've always considered myself a patient person and others do, too. But with how much waiting I've been doing for the last year, I'm wondering if my patience is gradually wearing thin. Obviously, there is a lot of waiting for the big things, waiting for a vaccine, waiting to eat in a restaurant, waiting to go out in public without a mask, waiting to shop, attend events, celebrate achievements and milestones as we once did.   Then there is the sheer amount of waiting FOR EVERYTHING that I never expected before the pandemic hit. Inordinate wait times for things like the mail, an update from a lawyer, a medical appointment, etc. I'm noticing that I'm getting more impatient. Common occurrences like computer delays at work make me more anxious than usual, and I think it's because there is waiting all the time .   It reminds me...