Monday, March 21, 2016

Fifty-one Zip Codes and a New Post Office Record


I’m going to become a Dad this week, so I figured I'd better get some trade packages sent before I'm elbow-deep in poop. So this past Saturday I sent packages of cards to ALL 26 other #Supertraders as well as 25 other bloggers/readers.

To be honest, when I swooped in at the last minute and took the unclaimed Mariners, I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep up with you guys on the #Supertraders front. With putting together the nursery, going to a bunch of new parent classes, helping out at the baby shower(s), and weekly OBGYN appointments, I wasn’t so sure I’d have the time to make that happen.

But I did!


Behold the trade box, my newest sorting tool. When used in concert with the Tradelist and a few plastic dividers, I’ve been able to keep everything I’ve been setting aside over the past year in a reasonable order. What you see here took a solid three nights of work and another two to get everything packaged.

I’ve also added dividers for my non-Supertrader pals and anyone else I owe cards to. You will not be forgotten, other bloggers - everybody gets some.

As for what I’ve sent out to my Supertrader buddies, it is anything and everything I have no intention of keeping but which I deem desireable. That trade box is loaded with autos, relics, parallels both common and rare, and a ton of inserts from the 90’s going all the way up to 2016 Topps. There’s even a bonafide 1/1. Really, I keep next to nothing of what I get from boxes, packs, blasters, and LCS mystery boxes. 

I’m contemplating busting a few 90’s boxes, too, specifically for the Supertraders, but I will be exercising right of first refusal on set needs and PC guys. For example, if I pull a Will Clark that I don’t already have, I’m keeping that sucker. But otherwise I’m sending out pretty much anything I pull.

Also, I’m coining a new cardsphere term right now: “burst trader.” That’s me - I trade in bursts, sending out upwards of fifty packages at one time as opposed to a handful each month. I did it last year, and this year was no different.


Leaving for the P.O.

I sent out one massive volley of trade packages on Saturday. In addition to the Supertraders, pretty much everyone I owe cards to should expect something: a PWE, a yellow bubble mailer, or possibly a big ol’ box. Without further ado, here are the fifty zip codes who should expect a lil’ Junkielove this coming week:

34472
20904
60586
07044
35750
13601
91320
11572
97202
16933
60706
26505
61615
97213
55128
30260
29841
45067
02767
14222
44851
19390
66208
97355
76063
91377
80916
27314
76522
85286
75201
55129
80020
48005
79083
53208
19713
95119
30350
23666
55406
43204
55805
87499
98022
83605
76380
98087

If you feel like I forgot you, shoot me an e-mail and I’ll make up for it (I’ll be on two weeks paternity leave and my wife and I have planned built-in breaks for each of us, so I will have time, um, I think).

Now for the record part - last year's burst trade P.O. trip gave us a receipt 86.5" in length and a grand total of $179.14. This year's receipt came in a little shorter at 66":


This year vs. last year

Part of the reason is that the layout is different on each receipt with the longer one taking up more space for each package:


This year is just a little more compact.

In addition to that, prices have gone up a noticeable amount, so the grand total was over $25 higher. It's that pesky international shipping that does it. And why is Canada is more costly to ship to than France? WHY? There's an ocean between us for goodness sake! Anyway, here's the total:


You guys are worth it...<3<3<3

As for everything else going forward, it’ll be hit or miss. Features like the Great Griffey Frankenset and Design Timelines will also continue, but I cannot guarantee any regularity. I already have the Frankenset figured out to 360 cards deep and growing, but the time it takes to put the pages together and do the pricing will be at a premium. I will try. Oh, and I'm still behind on trade posts, but that's kind of always the case.

I may actually end up reading and commenting more on other blogs as I’m up at all hours doing feedings and trying to get the little bugger to sleep. This remains to be seen.

And as for the procurement of new Griffeys, it has been slowing over the past few weeks and will probably only get slower. College is but 18 short years and tens of thousands of dollars away. My boy needs his learnin’.

So that’s it for now. Look out for those packages, and I’ll try and keep things as normal as possible around here. 

Oh, and any tips you Dads have on how to juggle a baby boy and the hobby would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone like their cards!

29 comments:

  1. Congratulations on the impending childbirth, and thanks in advance for the package!

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  2. You may actually have more time to blog than you think that first year. While the sleeping can be all over the place in terms of time of day, he will still need a lot of it. You should be able to find at least 30 mins here and there.

    For me it has been harder to blog the last couple of months. My daughter is of the age where naps get shorter and she is extremely mobile. Once they are tall enough to reach door handles you will need to secure your collection better. One mistake I made was having the office to close to my daughters room. Makes it hard to scan at night because of the noise.

    It may take a couple of months, but once you get into a routine their should be ample time for cardboard.



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    1. Little babies sleep alot. You will have time, I've scanned and posted while holding my sleeping son. Like Matt said even they start to walk it gets much harder

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    2. I second what both of these guys say, though it's a bit trickier to juggle the three month old with my two older girls thrown into the mix. Still fun finding time to write though!

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  3. Congrats on the upcoming little addition! And, of course, thanks for the upcoming mail day too!

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  4. Good Lord. That is unreal. Love the trader box. I need to do that too.

    Congrats on the upcoming arrival of the little one. Best of luck!

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  5. First of all, many congrats on the pending arrival. And holy crap on that total!

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  6. Three things ...

    1. Congrats on the pending arrival. Being a father is one of the most rewarding things ever.

    2. Holy crap that's a giant receipt!

    3. I am so stealing that trade box idea!

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  7. Advance congrats!

    I wasn't collecting during the baby years, I didn't return until my daughter was 7. If I remember right, you'll have time during the first couple of years, but watch out when he starts walking. She took up all my time from 2 until she went to kindergarten.

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  8. You couldn't put the zip codes in numeric order? GEEEEZ!

    (unfollow)

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  9. Babies are awesome. And so are you. Thanks in advance for the package.

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  10. Built-in breaks for both of you are a great idea. I hope you can hold to it. Other than that, like everyone else says, babies do sleep a lot. And when they are a little bit older and going to bed at 8pm or so you have evenings for the hobby.

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  11. Congrats on the expecting thing. Wow that is quite a shipping batch. Your local post office must love/hate you.

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  12. Great idea for the trade box, and best wishes for the new baby!

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  13. Package arrived . Thanks for the Bosox. Congrats on the new addition. I wasn't. actively collecting when my kids were babies.. Hopefully you can catch up during nap time

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  14. Firstly, congrats (in advance) on the new addition to the Junior Junkie family! Secondly, that's a weird, wild trip to the post office. Thirdly, I can't imagine the looks on the postal employees' faces when they see you coming with that giant tub of mailers. Fourthly, your package to me arrived this afternoon, thanks so much, sir!

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  15. Wow that's exciting. I hope you enjoy the new baby.

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  16. I have a very similar trade box! Congrats on becoming a dad!

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  17. My package arrived today as well, many thanks!

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  18. Thank you! I thought my $90-ish was a post office record last week, but two bills is pretty unbeatable.

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  19. thanks for the cards tj, and congrats. plan on having no time for anything other than work and family for a while.

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  20. Enjoy the new addition to the family ! Congrats !

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  21. Why does the text look like that? Also the non-U.S. mail codes seem to be missing, so look out international people!

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