This post brought to you by scotch and Easter candy....

I've made a lot of headway in the area of collection engineering this past weekend.  It's a constant battle to keep this hobby from getting overbearing and out-of-control.

The main thing is that I finally finished dividing up my non-Griffeys by team.  My estimate was close - It turns out I have over 16,000 cards I need to get rid of.  I have had a few takers on team bricks, but not enough to sate my thirst for mailing these cards off in exchange for Griffeys.  Come let me know your team!

I also came to some realizations about the whole job of collecting (which is all too appropriate a description of what it is to collect these little cards - a job).

First I'm gonna have to stop buying packs.  As a Griffey collector, the only things worth spending money on are Griffey card lots on the bay, specific cards on COMC, and shipping trade packages to other bloggers.  I have spent a small fortune on repack boxes and blasters and packs that don't result in more Griffeys.  I still love opening packs and will find ways of doing that on the cheap, but if I had back all the money I've spent on packs and repack boxes in the last few months I could afford to buy a '93 Finest refractor.  No kidding.

I want a Trey Griffey card.  Hoping to see more great things from the Griffey family.

I should start putting notes in with my trade packages.  I received one for which I didn't know the sender, and I felt terrible about it (it was Jaybarkerfan's Junk).


I'm going to have to start focusing on obtaining base cards for every set for which I am missing them in the '00's.  I've mentioned before that I have far fewer Griffeys from the 2000's than I'd like, and it turns out that there are several sets (2005 Topps, for example) for which I am even missing the base card.  How embarassing....  I should at least have every Topps base card (I have several of the 2005 Opening Day base card).

I missed the monthly baseball card show this past weekend, so I spend $30 on a fun array of items from COMC.  I got some great stuff I'm excited to show when it comes in.

I missed the show for good reason: The Marlins were in New Orleans playing the AAA affiliate Zephyrs right by my house.  Got to see some great ball playing.  The Z's went down 7-0, but it was a fun day.  I'll leave you with some pics.  Pleasant evening!

That's local hero Austin Nola formerly of the LSU baseball team.

See #10 in the middle there?  That's the Marlins' 1st-year hitting coach Tino Martinez.  I was starstruck.  This man played with Ken Griffey, Jr., people!  He won 4 World Series, too, but we all know which is better.

Then this was lunch.

Oh, and how about that Kershaw guy?  Great opening day.