Night Owl Cards

Until I started this blog, I never won anything. I know a lot of people say this, but it's true for me, too. Door prizes, radio contests, church raffles, fantasy baseball, race you to the corner. Nothing. This used to bother me. It bothered me so much that when I won third place in the seventh grade science fair, I hung onto that ribbon like it was a Nobel Prize. I was proud of that ribbon. It was well-earned, and at least I didn't debase myself and go the "exploding volcano" route, which has been and ever will be the biggest lowest common denominator gimmick in the history of science fairs. But then something happened: I started blogging about cards and I started winning contests. I don't know how many I've won exactly. Somewhere between 6 and 10, I think. And some I didn't have to do anything to win, so the feeling of accomplishment is non-existent. But I've also won a couple things at card shows, and after all those years of watching the volcano wi...

On this date a year ago, I posted this night card of Justin Verlander and started a blog called "Night Owl Cards." Even though it was just 12 short months ago, I don't know if I can give you a straight answer on why I started this thing. The short version is: I was inspired. After months of reading other blogs devoted to nothing but baseball cards, I couldn't help but think that this was something I could do. I was a writer, an avid baseball fan, and a collector of cards. It seemed like a calling. This anniversary date means nothing to a lot of people in my life. Although some members of my family know I have a blog, others have no idea. And I'd prefer to keep it that way. All of the people who I talk to on a daily basis at work -- even the ones who I actually like and can relate to -- don't know I have a blog either. And I'd prefer to keep it that way, too. Self-censorship is too much of a downer on a blog that is meant purely for my entertainment. And t...

So, a few weeks ago my wife was at a large party for an acquaintance she knows from work. One of the people at the party was, believe or not, our mailman. My wife knew our mailman was going to be there so she made sure to introduce herself to him. When she told him where we lived, he knew immediately what house it was and where it was on his route. Then he said, "yeah, you've been getting these little yellow packages, all within the last six months." That's all he said. Nothing about, "a pox on your house," "or you should see my chiropractor bill," or "I'll see you in hell." But perhaps not so coincidentally, we've had a woman deliver our mail for the last couple of months. Our old mailman claims he is off on some other company business, but I don't know if I believe him. Anyway, I'm sure my new mail carrier is wise to everything my old carrier warned her about. Because I think I received 10 or 11 card packages in t...