This is a post I knew was coming, but dreaded writing.
Let's take the band-aid off: I've decided to close up shop on "Dime Boxes" for the foreseeable future. While I'm proud to say we're nearing the 13th year of this blog's existence, it's felt like more of a limp to the finish line this time around. I haven't been as active on here as I'd like, but I didn't want to let the blog simply rot on the vine in silence.
It's no secret that my recent blogging output has been whisper of what it once was. There's a few reasons for this. I've already mentioned that I'm in the midst of a job/career change (my severance date at the bookstore got pushed back, but either way I'll be out of a job by the end of the year), and some other issues on the home front have shoved blogging even further down on my priorities list. Collecting is still a daily thrill, but I simply have less time/brainpower for ancillary card activities like blogging these days.
More than that, though, I've just lost the drive and passion for blogging that used to come easy to me. I don't get the same kick out of it. I think that kind of crystalized in the fact that I went to a card show a couple weeks ago, and didn't have much of a desire to write about it (despite finally landing a long-awaited '57 Koufax!). That realization, to me, was the final nail in the coffin - card show posts have always been my favorite to write, and if I couldn't muster up the oomph for one of those, then what was I going to enjoy blogging about?
I didn't have an answer, and thus here we are.
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The good news is that while I don't see myself coming back to blogging anytime soon, I also don't anticipate this becoming a permanent closure.
As things cool down a bit at Dime Box HQ, and the ship (hopefully) gets righted in time, I'm sure I'll return to the blogs at some point. It's been a part of my life for too long to completely leave stranded on the curb. I won't be a Wally Pipp, replaced by a young Lou Gehrig on an otherwise ordinary afternoon, and never heard from again. (Never thought I'd own a real, actually Wally Pipp baseball card by the way - another monumental find from the recent card show!)
I've deleted my Twitter account (partly due to the idiot who owns the company, and partly because the card content just isn't that good anymore), and while I don't use the trading/social aspect on TCDB much, you can find me at "nick219" over there if you want to follow the snail-like pace of my cataloging efforts.
Finally, make no mistake: I'll still be lurking on the blogs. I'll still read when I can, comment when I can, and send PWEs/packages to my trading buddies when I can. I won't have a blog of my own, but that doesn't mean I'll abandon yours. I'll be here. The posts on this blog have been fun to write, and the cards a pleasure to share, but it's the community that has meant the most to me.
See you around!
25 comments:
Not what I wanted to hear, but I completely understand. Hopefully after a time away you'll be back to posting and we can all enjoy the read again. Also hoping the issues at home get resolved and the job change works well to your favor.
I wish you the best going forward. I must say I will miss reading your posts. You were the first blog I followed, got me hooked. Man, not seeing those awesome ComC finds by you is going to suck. I never learned how you found such cool odd balls and on the cheap too.
This is one of my all-time favorite blogs. I appreciate all you've written over the years, and hope to see new stuff here every now and then!
Did not expect something this drastic - I love keeping up with your posts but it doesn't look like there will be any new ones in the meantime.
Thanks for all of the posts to date and I will be ready to read the posts in the future should you return. Priorities shift and that’s ok!
We will miss you but glad it’s not a permanent closure.
Good luck with the job search and th e future.
I totally get what you're saying about not feeling like blogging much anymore, and when you take into account factors outside the hobby it's even more understandable. Take all the time you need and I'll look forward to whenever you can post again! Oh, and if you replace Elmo's trash site with BlueSky, let me know and I'll add you over there.
The writing on your new Koufax card shows change is inevitable, even if it is not as fun for the fans left behind. Brooklyn fans, however, didn't uniformly toss their prior allegiances into the nearest set of bike spokes. Some of them took out a pen, wiped their tears, and chose to replace the old location with the new home address of their cardboard pictures. Thank you for writing an entertaining account of the past 13 years of your collection.
That having been said, I see the Koufax card was the first one listed on your "Keep Dreaming" want list on the right side of your blog. An excellent choice to go out on.
Well, congrats on the Koufax and Pipp.
Good luck with your job situation.
Definitely get it. I'm limping along myself. But yours was always one of the good ones. I'll look forward to a surprise post popping up sometime in the future!
Oof, this is third long-time card blog to exit this fall. I appreciate you getting the word out, there's nothing worse than a blog stopping with no update.
It's nice to hear you'll still be collecting and reading. Good luck with the life things and know that several of us will be waiting patiently for a return.
All the best Nick. Appreciate all the great content and trades over the years.
Sorry to hear that, but I hope it works out for you. Hopefully you'll get the urge again, but if not I can keep re-reading those Short-Term Stops posts all the time! (I make it a point to re-read each one the first time the Mets play each team during each season. And I just maybe consult it when I'm stuck on an Immaculate Grid too.)
First Wrigley Wax and now you,I always enjoyed reading your blog,will miss it,good luck on your future.
All the best, Nick! Night Owl, Fuji, and Dime Boxes have always been "the big three" to me since I was a noob on the cardblogging scene. Sucks to see you officially go quiet here for a while, but yeah, I'm sure everyone can understand. Hope to see you around!
It's been great following your blog all these years. Best wishes and see you around!
Nick, thank you for all you have done for my blog reading experience. I do not have a blog of my own and don't know that I ever will. Your posts have been very informative and full of great details. I wish you the best in all your upcoming ventures. There is the right job out there for you. It just hasn't come to you yet. Keep looking up and you will do well. I'll be here when you may decide to activate again. I will look you up on TCDb. The links to blogs on there is why I started reading yours and a few others.
Oh wow. I'll miss your voice as well as seeing all the weird stuff you turn up but it definitely sounds like you need the break.Good luck on the future and fingers crossed that we cross paths in the comments elsewhere. It's going to be really weird explaining why I'm "other Nick" now though.
Also also, if you're interested in joining a card discord and chatting about cards without having to deal with the morass that Twitter has become, shoot me a note and I'll send you an invite.
Nick I'm glad I was able to send you a package you needed hopefully you can keep your wantlists updated so if I find anything or others find something you'll be able to cross them off & when you return you can thank us for sending you that small package hopefully 2025 will be the Dime box returns even if it's not often Gluck in days ahead.
Hope that life can turn around to the better for you soon. I will miss reading your blog posts, but I can understand about life being crazy. Continued success to you in your collecting endeavors.
As a long-time stop-start blogger who only posts when I can, not when I want to, I understand completely. But I know you will still be around Baseball Cards, and that’s what counts. I hope you saw that newest Votto card in Update…
I will miss your finds at the Flea Market and at card shows. I always wonder how you find so many unique and Oddball items. Good luck in your future programs.
For purely selfish reasons, I hope that passion for blogging does come back some day. This blog more than any other showed me so many unusual and wonderful cards I had never seen before. Whatever lies ahead for you, I wish you nothing but the best. Take care, and when you get a friend request from Kep75 on the TCDB, that'll be me.
Hate to see another top blog go, but I can relate. My posting keeps grinding to a halt as well. Just out of innovative ideas. Hope to catch you in my comments and others. Will definitely look for you on the Database.
Nick - I've enjoyed reading your blog over the past years. You've come up with interesting sports cards finds. All the best in your future endeavors and as you say in righting side your ship of life...
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