New Years Eve.. Time to Show More Cards

Well, it's the last day of 2018. Generally this day bothers me. I'm oddly in good spirits today though. 

I think it's because I'm starting to get back to something close to "Normal" 

(Those that know me know why I put quotes around normal)

So what better way to end the year than by posting my second post in two days?

This one is from Nick, who goes by @vossbrink on Twitter

1978s

There was a nice chunk of them here.. I think it takes a nice number off the want list for this set. 

I didn't realize Jamie Quirk was around in 1978. I know he was in the majors in 1991/1992.. I may need to look at his career more.. 

A couple Expos here as well. 

Some 86s to get a nice chunk out of that set. 

Finally, some random Jays and Expos

Some stickers and Cracker Jack Minis. There was a stack of the micros as well, but I'm not scanning them.. 

Finally, the giant Donruss cards from 1983. Gary Carter and Dave Stieb. Plus an Expos hologram. 

Thank you for the cards, Nick!! 

Secret Santa and an Update

First, the update...

I apologize for not writing anything for over a month here. I've been dealing with both mental and physical health issues, plus my computer died in there for good measure.. Things are improving though so.. 

I spent a week in the hospital at the start of the month with cellulitis in my leg. Basically it's a staph infection in the leg that causes swelling, fluid pockets to form, and is generally painful. I'm still getting my leg wrapped at the end of the month, and may be for a couple weeks more. 

Also, I've been dealing with depression. My friends on here know it's a constant struggle for me, but in general the last two months haven't been very fun. 

Anyway... Onto more fun Card based stuff!

So my Secret Santa was The Lost Collector. There were a couple stacks of cards, but a post-it note told me this was the "real" present. 

Autograph cards of Tim Raines and Richard Urena!

That Raines is beautiful. 

A Jose Reyes Graded 10. Very nice. 

I've never seen these Online cards before. Rather interesting, I think.. 

The Tony Batista is a serial numbered card 41/50

All in all some very nice Jays cards... But.. That's not all... 

EXPOS!!

Milton Bradley... Is that an autographed card?? It looks like it might be.. 

More Online cards. 

Gary Carter is always nice to get. As is the Jim Fanning.. Of course, in the OPC version, it mentions his move to the front office. 

All in all a wonderful parcel from AJ. 

Thank you for the wonderful gift!

A Big Box Trade

I had received a trade request from Dsorek on the Trading Card Database. 

I had a short print card he wanted, and was willing to give me everything he had that I had on my trade list for it.. (Maybe it was an SSP, I don't know.. I don't follow those things) 

I received the package a while ago, but well.. We know what's been going on, so I finally decided to start looking at it today..

A 1978 for the birth year set.

Kirk McCaskill as a member of the Redwood Pioneers. 

Some Expos, another McCaskill and some 1989 Topps so far. 

Bowman.. Back before they went Ultra Gimmicky. Probably the only Bowman set I'll try to complete.. 

Some 1990 Fleer and Score as well. 

There's something I like about the 1990 Fleer. Some people may say it's bland, but it's really nice to me. 

1990 Score was a set I went back and forth on for a while before deciding I'd do it

Some 1990 Topps as well. I still have more in the stack I received (about 400 cards) Including the original Bowman gimmick when they relaunched.. 

I'm rather impressed with myself that this is three in a row after close to a month away.. 

Two Days in A Row...

I think right now sitting down and doing these might be better for my sanity (or what's left of it) than sitting doing nothing.. So here's another one..

I made a purchase from Jenny Miller on Twitter recently. I received them yesterday. A nice mix of cards I bought and some Expos for my project.

1978 Topps team cards.. Putting a small dent into the want list for that set. For some reason, I think the Jays one is a duplicate. I think I have two already, but I'm sure I know someone who may want it if that's the case. 

Mike Soroka is a Canadian, so he fits into my collection scope. 

Dalton Pompey may be on his way out in Toronto. There were some issues with him in Buffalo this season. 

Finally, everyone's favourite punching bag this year, Roberto Osuna. 

More purchases. Kevin Pillar and Aaron Sanchez Bowman cards. Another couple Pompey cards. 

I had to jump at the two Expos on the bottom row. Felipe Alou as a player and Mack Jones from 1971. 

Expos! Glorious Expos! Some Larry Walker cards to see if they go in the Expos binder or in the Canadians Binder. 

That Wallach Upper Deck card has a bit of a story to it for me.. 

When I was in High School, I took art through most of it. My Grade 13 art class had us doing six major projects. We had to do different things, so as to not do the same thing over and over. One of the things I did was a scuplture. I did it of Wallach in that pose. 

Thank you Jenny! She's already working on something else for me for my Expos project. Looking forward to it!

Rumours of my Demise....

... Are Greatly Exaggerated... 

Yeah.. I haven't been around for a few weeks.. 

I've actually been dealing with a rather severe bout of depression lately. Between stress from the summer, stress from work, stress about other personal things, I just got to the point where I destroyed myself mentally. 

I had trades on the Database I needed to get out that slid to the wayside. I had sorting that's been left.. It was bad.. I would go to work and come home and fall asleep.. And stay asleep till morning.. 

Today started out as every other, but some things turned around a bit..

I know it seems like I've been dealing with anxiety and depression a lot lately, and it's true. I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. I also have some perfectionism in there. I know people have had me say I feel when it comes to trades that I should know what people want before they even ask.. That's unreasonable. I know this.. It doesn't change it.. 

I do appreciate the members both on TCDB, and the Team Traders forum, and those on Twitter I interact with and trade/purchase from for their understanding. I did finally get stuff out to the people I owed, so that's good.. Sorting... Well, because of the volume of cards I received in this funk... I may have to restart my Expos sheet, or at the very least, verify what I have.. 

I really appreciate each and every one of you that I talk with and trade with. 

All this said, I do have some ideas going forward for the blog. Kind of a tour, but Canadian-focused. It might end up being a couple versions, I don't know.. 

Speaking of cards... 

I got these beauties in the mail a couple days ago from Therion from the Team Traders forum. I believe he's on Twitter as AstrosAtoZ

A Cracked Bat: Part 3

The third part of the cards Julie sent my way came in last week.. I will admit last week wasn't the best for me, so I apologize for not saying anything sooner. 

Anyway.. More Expos!

Sets like Archives, Lineage, and Heritage are great for keeping the Expos alive. Of course, with those you generally see the same guys: Raines, Dawson, Carter.. I'd love to see guys like Steve Rogers, Andres Galarraga, Moises Alou, and Larry Walker in Expos colours. I was amazed Topps found a Pedro Martinez photo to use as an Expo in this year's Archives. 

OPC Premier is an interesting set.. I know I've said it before, but I prefer the first year over the second year. I believe they did a 1993 set as well, but I've only seen a couple cards from it. 

The Circa cards.... Can you tell they're Fleer?? 

Hey speaking of Gary Carter, here he is, I believe from this year's Archives. 

More Circa as well. The three shown here can definitely tell the "Throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks" mentality they used for design in the mid 90s. 

Terrmel Sledge and Nick Johnson represent the darkness and a grey area.. 

They are from 2005.. Fleer had photos of the guys in Expos uniforms, but has that evil Nationals Logo on the bottom. (I'm sorry, Nationals fans... I just don't like the way the team moved. I also don't like how they selectively use the history of the Expos.) 

Anyway.. Thank you Julie!!! Assuming we avoid a postal strike and I get the motivation to continue my sorting, I hope to get something together for you.. Maybe I can use a possible strike to get motivated to sort... I don't know... We'll see.. 

Archives

I was amazed when I went to Walmart last week.. 

They actually had Archives in stock.. They also had some Bowman and other product available, but Archives.. I was shocked.. SHOCKED.. 

So I bought some.. 

I like the cards this year. I'm on the fence on whether or not I want to try to complete the set or not, but it may be something I look into. 

Goose Gossage's card looks more like a yearbook photo than a baseball card one.. 

Hey! I have a Canadian here.. Joey Votto is always nice to get. 

Nice Rookie History card with Jeff Bagwell. Also nice to see guys like Catfish Hunter and John Smoltz. 

This year, as we all know, Archives has The Sandlot inserts. I don't think it would be something I'd chase even if I go for the set. 

Some nice names here, otherwise.. Tommy Lasorda, George Brett, Warren Spahn.. 

Jack Morris shows up in a card that looks like it could very well be from 1977. 

I'm amazed... Shocked... That Topps acknowledged Pedro's time as an Expo here. Most of the time I see cards of him it's as a member of the Red Sox or Mets. 

So there's the blaster I bought.. I'll probably buy some more at some point.