Yes, I am on a hobby hiatus. Sort of. Mostly anyways.
My job situation has cleared up and changes are in my future. It is too difficult to explain concisely, and that isn't why you are here anyways. So, suffice it to say, I've decided my tenure in the job will be coming to an end sometime before the end of the year. I'm at the point in my life that I don't feel compelled to hang on to a job at all costs. I have enough solid experience that I can find another job and have the ability to weather an extended search. And, surprisingly, making that decision has introduced a significant feeling of peace into my life.
I am still mostly on a hiatus, but I have been selling off stuff that doesn't really fit in my collection with the intent to use the proceeds to go a show or two and try to work on some of the sets I am close to finishing.
So, last weekend with about $350 in my pocket, I wandered up to the OKC show with the more specific goal of knocking off some of the star cards I needed for my 1960 and 1965 sets. How did I do? Well, see for yourself...
I bought about a dozen 1972-1973 Topps basketball commons for that set, but this 1955 Willie Mays was my only other purchase. There was exactly one vintage seller at the show and he only had two of the '60 and '65 star cards I needed and they were at a price I wasn't willing to pay,. But, this Mays was. It took pretty much all the money in my pocket, but it was mine. And less than an hour after arriving at the show, I was on my way back home.
To be perfectly honest, I am somewhat ambivalent about finishing the 1955 set. I am only 14 cards from completion, but that Clemente rookie is still out there and I just don't see it ever getting into my price range. And, to be fair, the Jackie Robinson card in the set is selling well above my comfort level also. I will undoubtedly still pick up needs here and there, but I may just have to find a reprint or a modern shiny to fill the Clemente spot in the binder.
What I am Listening to: The Color of a Cloudy Day by Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires