Night Owl Cards

  There are a couple of people I know who wonder why I'm in such a hurry to retire. I don't know, it just sounds so attractive, especially the closer I get. I don't understand people who want to work until they're 75. (It's another matter if you have to). Also, there are several former classmates of mine who are already retired and I don't know if I've been more envious in all my life. Perhaps you need to be my age to understand. The job, like many others, ain't getting easier. In fact it's getting more complicated. Some of that may be just because I'm not able to process things like I once did, but I think a lot of it is the nature of the current world. And the older you get, the less enthusiasm you have for all of the adjustments , which seems to be the No. 1 thing work is all about these days.   Also, I feel my brain's ability to retain new information waning, even on some basic levels. An example: Yesterday, I looked at my fuel gauge and ...

I've been trying to hold off a bit on diving into 2019 card product in the quest for Dodgers because I know those cards will be coming to me via various traders more often than other cards. It's a bit of a struggle for me because the pull of retail is quite strong. It's right there! Down the street! Calling to me! "Niggggghhhht Oowwwwlll! Ohhhh, Niggggghhhtt Owwwwwlll!!!! Freshly stocked caaard merchandiiisse is waaitting for yoooooooooouuuu!!!" I'm powerless to ignore that call when flagship or Heritage or Ginter reaches retail aisles. And that lack of willpower doesn't bother me a lot because what I don't need is often quite handy to send along to others. But I do realize the benefits of holding back and waiting, especially at this point in the card calendar. This is what I call the "Card Brands Of No Use To Night Owl Season". There is no retail pull at this time of year. Spring signals the release of Gypsy Queen and Bowman and P...

So, Angus and I peeled through the nickel boxes yesterday, as time and noise and even that guy who was too close to me faded into the background while those boxes yielded better and better cards. Then we heard the announcement: in 10 minutes dealers would start driving vehicles into the building and pack up their wares. I had no idea the show was that close to ending. And unlike other times when dealers packed up a full 45 minutes before the end of the show, it was really the end of the show. Four o'clock baby. That's what nickel boxes do to you, I've found, now that I'm a veteran of something I had never seen before last year. You lose all track of time. There's also something else nickel boxes do: they keep you from focusing on the cards you really want. I'm not complaining about anything I bought yesterday at the card show, certainly nothing from the nickel boxes. But I know some of the cards that were my heart's desire, I left out there somewher...