Wednesday, May 25, 2016

A Different Sort of Sort and a New Blog

As you might have guessed, things are a lot slower around here at The Junior Junkie. I’m not on hiatus or anything – there’s just a lot going on. I’ve had to limit my collecting to what the baby will allow me to do, and that has inspired me to start a few new projects that I can still do while simultaneously bouncing the little guy on my knee.

First, I’ve begun a major digital sort. This is a time-devouring, multi-tiered project that should promise big payoffs in the end.

Much this

The plan is to scan every Griffey I own, front and back, beginning with the seven 4” binders that comprise the bulk of my Griffey collection. This part I’ve already begun, and I can tell you that the actual scanning is taking a very long time. There are just so many pages, guys; and I scan at 300dpi so it takes a little longer per page. I do it on random nights when we have nothing going on - I just put on a movie in the Griffey Cave and scan away. After a few random weeknights of work I’m only through two of the seven main binders. And when those are complete I’ll begin scanning everything else: jumbos, micros, off-size cards, pack wrappers – thing like that.

After that, I’ll edit and label each card front and back, then put them into appropriate folders sorted first by year, then by brand and sub-brand. Once complete, the only cards I will need to scan will be new additions and any non-Griffey cards. With that done I’ll hardly ever have to crack the binders again when making posts. Finding time to scan and edit will no longer be a challenge, and I’ll just have to focus on research and writing (the fun parts). I consider it an investment in future blogging.

So in the times I would otherwise be sorting, scanning, and writing, I’ve been scanning, scanning, and scanning. Hence, no regular posts from me. But I’ve been splitting my time, too, with another project: a new blog.

How can I justify this when TJJ output has been so scant? Well, for the most part posts on the card blog take a lot of time to put together. I’m a bit anal (as you might have guessed) when it comes to my Griffey collection and want to make the most complete posts I can. That takes a lot of time. But I still have the blogging bug, so I started a new one that takes almost no time at all. And here it is:



I’ve been wanting to do this for years. There are a few niche collections I’m way overboard about, and the two I am overboard enough to blog about are Griffey cards and Radiohead posters. Plus I already have a pretty complete photo record of my Radiohead poster collection, so all I need to do is put together a few sentences and information for each one and slap it up. I’m already up to nine posts, and most of those I wrote in a single night.

I write these blogs because they are blogs I would want to read. Every couple of months, it seems, I try and Google a good Radiohead poster blog, and I invariably find poster blogs and Radiohead blogs, but none that specialize in both. It was up to me to fill the gap in the market.

Now, I still owe a lot of trade posts to a lot of nice folks, and I will get working on those very soon (I have a bunch of time off work in the coming weeks). I also have some set-specific posts waiting in the wings and the return of Griffey Frankenset Fridays which I was hoping to continue even after the baby, but it just didn’t happen.

Oh, and we’re having a big house party on Friday. You are all officially invited. I’m not kidding. Come to New Orleans – I’ll even pick you up at the airport. Let’s get drunk and talk about cards (or, you know, Radiohead posters). The couch pulls out…

12 comments:

  1. I began scanning my entire collection in 2009. I love doing it, one of my favorite things about the hobby. Except the mirror foil cards. I'm about halfway through and I work on it every day. (Due to health issues I have ample time) if I may make one suggestion it's back up your work. I made the mistake of storing scans only on my hard drive and lost hundreds when it crashed. Now I back them up on an external drive and at least one flash drive.

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  2. I began scanning my entire collection in 2009. I love doing it, one of my favorite things about the hobby. Except the mirror foil cards. I'm about halfway through and I work on it every day. (Due to health issues I have ample time) if I may make one suggestion it's back up your work. I made the mistake of storing scans only on my hard drive and lost hundreds when it crashed. Now I back them up on an external drive and at least one flash drive.

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  3. You are a many of many collecting talents. Good luck with the new blog.

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  4. "I just put on a movie in the Griffey Cave and scan away."

    That's me sitting at my desk organizing. Hit YT for a MST3K flick, play, full screen and get back to the cardboard.

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  5. I actually started the same thing when we brought my daughter home, but I couldn't keep up. I try to scan all the new cards that come in, but I've been collecting my whole life and have way too much.

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  6. Let me Uber a plane and I'll be right there !

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  7. Nice name for the new blog. Love that referenced song. And it works because posters go on walls! Best of luck with everything.

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  8. Oh man... can't imagine scanning my entire Gwynn collection and it's probably a tenth of your Griffey PC. But you're right, when you're finished it's gonna be awesome.

    P.S. Just checked out your other blog. Those posters are amazing!

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  9. I second backing it up. I lost a flash drive and had a hard drive crash. I've been good about scanning new stuff as I get it but the cards already in my collection is out of sight, out of mind.

    I do find the scanning, cropping, file naming, and cataloging pretty cathartic though and love to do it with a Cubs game on in the background

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  10. I can't imagine even scanning or taking pics of my 800 Griffeys front and back. That would be insane. Good luck on the new blog buddy!

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  11. i scanned all of my garvey cards last year, but need to update with new acquisitions. i am happy i took the time, as i am sure you will be when you are done with the juniors.

    also, here's to blogging for you about things you are passionate about and on your schedule. there's no other way.

    i may be in nola in the fall - would be good to buy you a beer...

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    1. Shoot me an email when you have more details about coming down here!

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