A Two Year Absence? I'm Back...Sorta

Whew. So much has happened since the last time I posted here. I finished up school in California. I met an amazing girl and now we're dating. And the Dodgers won the World Series. 

Well. I'm still waiting on that last one, but I'm hoping 2017 continues to be good to me, and the Boys is Blue finally go all the way. I mean, at the time I'm writing this, the Dodgers hold the best record in baseball, they are on an incredible run (30-4 in their last 34 games) and their roster is filled with incredible young talent. 

But you all probably know that already, so let's talk about me. And baseball cards. 

So yeah. I've finally finished school here in California, but I'm still waiting on that degree. I won't have to wait too much longer, as I'm planning on graduating next Spring, though I'll be doing so on the other side of the country. I'm transferring to Hofstra University (stomping grounds to famous alumni like James Caan, Christopher Walken, and Bernie Madoff....welp), and I'll be graduating with a BA in English, Publishing Studies and Literature. 

I'm so incredibly excited for this change, and I'm incredibly grateful for being in a position to even pack up and zoom across the country. But I'm also incredibly scared and nervous of what's to come. I'm 24, but pretty soon I'll have to adult in every sense of the word and find a job, figure out how to live in an expensive city, and make new friends. I'm hopeful that it all works out, and I'd certainly love to hear any words of advice you may have. 

But this is a baseball card blog, so let's talk about that. 

Sadly, I've only opened a handful of packs over the past two years. Many of those packs have been Topps Flagship (no way I'm missing that), and I haven't been overly impressed. Still, I've thoroughly enjoyed ripping open the packs with the hopes of pulling a Dodger or an awesome picture (something Dime Boxes worthy). 

But it seems that my time in this hobby isn't bound to continue, at least in the short term. To put it frankly, cards are not just in the budget, and I can't foresee much free time over the next couple of years. I've already sold off many of my favorite cards -- bye-bye Parks and Rec collection :( -- and I'm still looking to move many more of my higher-end cards to help me build up my savings (feel free to message me if there are any cards on my blog you'd like to own). As much as I enjoy the cards, life has simply forced my hand. 

I'm optimistic though. Sure, I love my cards. I really, really do. But I didn't get into the hobby for the autos, or the relics, or the high-end stuff -- I found the joy in that part of the hobby along the way. I started this blog because I love to talk about the low-end stuff, the cardboard that is often glossed over by many, bound to boxes and bags, and attics and basements. The cards that sparked my interest in baseball in the first place. 

I can't promise that I'll post here regularly. And I can't promise that I won't have another two year absence after I start school in September. But I do promise to continue to read so many of the other fantastic blogs, and to continue to stay engaged in this community on Twitter. And I certainly promise to continue loving this hobby, and the people in it that make it so fun. 

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I'd also like to take this space to do a bit of self-promotion. I have a new Twitter account you can follow @alexbmarkle. I'll use this as my personal/professional twitter, and you will find pretty anything non-baseball related their (probably a lot of books and publishing stuff tbh). You can also check out another blog I started recently, Markle's Musings: A Quest for a Better Read. I'll be posting reviews of most books that I read, as well as other bookish thoughts. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, or you simply feel like offering some support, I'd appreciate a follow. 

I'll continue to run @markle05, my baseball and card twitter as well. I'll see you all soon!