Today is my 24th birthday.
Also celebrating birthdays among the MLB brethren are Josh Reddick (29), Chris Stewart (34), Miguel Batista (45), Dave Stewart (59), and, if you want to take a ride in the way back machine, George Miller (163) -- who played in 17 games over the course of two seasons in the 1870s-1880s.
The fact that I'm actually writing a post today, as you may have noticed, is something that's become a rare event around here. I've fallen into another blogging funk lately, and, unlike my last shutdown which was due to new time crunches, this one is thanks to a plain old lack of blogging motivation, and one that, I'm sorry to say, feels a lot more permanent.
My passion for collecting is still going strong, but I'm finding it harder and harder to extract joy out of the hobby's supplemental activities such as blogging, scanning, cropping, etc. I'm not exactly sure what brought about this sudden fog, but my drive to blog has whittled down to next to nil.
Don't worry, though. I'm still reading and commenting when I can. I'm still sending out trade packages when I can (and I wholeheartedly appreciate all the ones I've received during my hiatus). And I'm still a member of my local collecting community, hitting card shows when I can. (Maybe I can meet up with Jeff and/or Tony at a nearby gathering once I get off this weekend-heavy work schedule.)
Basically what I'm saying is: I'll still be around to connect with this awesome community, whether through trades or comments or just plain readership. It's just that instead of being front-and-center in the class photo, I'll be the bystander in the back who accidentally wandered into the picture.
I may post here and there from this point forward, but I honestly don't see myself attempting a full-on return anytime soon, if ever. I wouldn't call it a retirement, but I guess this is somewhat of a farewell.
In the meantime, I'll just be over here coming to grips with the fact that I'm officially in my mid-20s now.
At least I'll have my baseball cards for support.
Farewell! The King of Junk Wax salutes you!
ReplyDeletehttps://imgur.com/K9pJnv8
I will miss your posts, your perspective (play on flagship insert) on our hobby is refreshing, heck it's what made me start my blog. I hope to see you back writing at least every now and again. Happy Birthday bud!
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping that we do, in fact, get a chance to meet up at a local show one of these days. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to at those things!
ReplyDeleteAlso, a very happy birthday to you! While you're busy trying to resolve the fact that you've entered into your mid-twenties, I'll be over in my corner trying to get over the fact that my next birthday will push me out of the mids and into my late-twenties... yikes!
Happy birthday Nick! Sorry to see you sign off on blogging but good to hear that you'll still be around.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Nick! If this indeed is farewell, thanks for your interesting writing and words of encouragement. Without them, I wouldn't have started my blog or even reached out to become part of this great community through trading. I owe an ever growing portion of my hobby enjoyment to you!
ReplyDeleteI won't say goodbye or farewell. I wish you a long, happy holiday Nick! I know you'll be around and am glad to hear it. Your posts are still just a creative as those from two years back, when I started reading. Your inspiration will be missed - almost as much as your presence Friend! Take care!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing Random about breaking my Random silence to say Happy Birthday and Thank You. If there's anyone who understands not feeling it, without understanding why exactly they're not feeling it, it's me. So I get it, though I'm as bummed as the whole card bloggin' mob must be, I get it.
ReplyDeleteHope to see you back at some point, because that will mean you're feeling it again. But whatever the future holds, Thank You. Between you and a few select others (Greg, The Night Owl, and Mark, The Vintage Virtuoso should be mentioned), you really made me feel welcome in the community during the time that I crashed the party, and I really appreciate it.
Wish you all the best. And watch out, I'm still looking to make you a victim of Dad-napping!
Happy birthday, my friend. Thanks for getting me into this community and I'll be seeing you around!
ReplyDeleteNick, I love you like a younger, more-accomplished brother, but I cannot abide this. You need to post. You's a writer. It's inside of you. You're not feeling it at the moment, but it's circular. You gotta be true to yourself. And also you need to post about the trade packages I sent you. The world needs to know of them. And also finish the "short term stops" all-team posts. Those NEED to be heard, yo.
ReplyDeleteSorry to see you stop posting. I've enjoyed your perspective.
ReplyDeleteAnd happy birthday...you confirmed what I suspected. That you're half my age...
I'd just like to say that there would've been no freaking way I would have been blogging in my early 20s (forget the fact that blogging didn't exist then), and probably nobody I knew back then would have done it either. So you bucked the trend there. The rest of this is just the natural circle of life. You'll be back. It may take 5, 10, 15 years, a career, a family, etc., until you hear the call again, but it will happen. Maybe some of us will still be around then, too.
ReplyDeleteI can still remember when you and I first started blogging, you had asked me for my opinion on the blog design. Was great then, is still great now!
ReplyDeleteYou will be missed Nick, but I will still think of you each time I open a box of Topps and see an endless supply of inserts!!
Stay in touch my friend.
Happy belated birthday, Nick!
ReplyDelete...And never say "Never". :-)
I've fallen into those funks before Nick.I even deleted a blog that I had going for years just because of It,then regretted It horribly afterwards.Everything In moderation I guess.Even a good thing can become dull and repetitive If overdone.A perfectly good rotisserie chicken can be ruined If overdone.Buff your car one too many times and the paint starts to rub off. Anyways,you get the gist.Don't worry,though,because opening day Is right around the corner and baseball has a way of curing many of life's ails ;)
ReplyDeleteOh,and Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely miss reading your posts. Hope everything goes well for you in school and whatever you decide to do after that. It's good to know you will still be around the blogosphere but your writing will be missed. Have a great birthday my friend.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Nick. You are 100% in the right to back away if blogging has started feeling like a chore or isn't fun or isn't something you're feeling right about. Just like collecting, you have to pick and choose what you do with your time and your energies.
ReplyDeleteYour unique (to me) perspective will be missed for as long as you decide to stay gone. If you get the urge to write again, we'll be back to read it.
happy birthday and good luck nick. from one retired blogger (who may be coming back for a spell) to another. i have another trade package almost ready to send, so i'm glad to see you are still interested in swapping cards.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday,good luck to you.I will miss your posts,always must reading for me.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Nick! If you come back... I'm sure I'll be around to read your posts. If not... well I'll never forget the great dime box memories you shared with us. Wait that's not true. I'm in my early 40's and I'm already forgetting things left and right. Guess that means you better hurry back if you want to be remembered ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday Nick, and good luck to you on your endeavors both in the hobby and in your real life.
ReplyDeleteAs a guy who's a few years behind you in age, I'm starting to wonder if a similar fate will befall my blog in the frighteningly near future.
Blogging or not, keep in touch. I've loved reading your writing from the very begging of my own blogging, and seeing your finds pushed me to reconnect with the part of myself that loved collecting random, awesome cards that had no place in my Pirates collection. And I'm so glad I did, because it's my favorite part of the hobby.
ReplyDeleteBut you're spot on - when writing feels more like a chore than a hobby, it's time to step back. I've been feeling that way myself lately, but I'm going to keep on trucking. At least for now. But thanks for the trades, the thoughtful and entertaining blog posts, and the mutual appreciation of Turn Ahead the Clock uniforms. I don't think I'm alone in saying I hope the writing bug strikes you again sooner than later.
Nick. First of all Happy Birthday. Hopefully we haven't seen the last of you. Your posts were always enjoyable and infu. As well as well written. I'm sure a few future packages will still head your way.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the college life buddy! I'm sure we'll be around in the notion to blog strikes again. Keep in touch!
ReplyDeleteLike most others said, I'll miss you around the blogs! Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I can relate to the lack of motivation to blog. I'm trying to get back into the habit myself (though I'm not doing very well since it's been a week and a half since my last post). You are a fantastic writer and your posts were very enjoyable to read. Keep in touch!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday Nick. I'm not a fan of farewells, rather I prefer to say "I'll see you later."
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, and sad to see you shut it down. Yours was one of my favorite reads. I love the view from the budget collection and the appreciation you have for various cards you find. Your view is beyond the value of the card, and more about the aesthetics and what each card presented. I hope you one day find the desire to return to writing in your own unique style.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck in all you do Nick! Your blog has definitely brought me back into baseball cards and how there is more to it than collecting players only. Will miss the posts.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be missed!
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