HOW DO I DO WHAT I DO

           Over this last Saturday I was contacted by my new adopted Little brother Jeremy from the blogging world of Topps Cards that Never Were. He had props for me cause he wondered how do I fit working 2 jobs as well find time to hit shops,shows or any freetime on my Cards. So I responded I'm not sure how I do it either but stay tuned to my Blog for a future post about it. Well.....here's the answer that you are reading in how I do what I do & to me I still amazed myself at times. 

            A typical week starts on Monday for me as I get up around 10 A.M. EST I live in Michigan for those who didn't know where this crazy THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY fan lives. It takes me 15 mins to get dressed then its off to my school job before 11:30.  I arrive at the elementary school at 11:30 as an Instructional Assistant (Tutor) for kids that are in Kindergarden to the 3rd Grade this is my first full year at this building since in the past I was dealing with kids that were a bit older until I had to transfer to another building or be subjected to being fired & I wouldn't been able to do a blog if I were fired last year. I work at the school until roughly 1:00 PM pending there aren't any issues or troubles of kids misbehaving where I have to go to the Principals office to tell him what happened & such. I then head home for about 1 hr  before going to my 2nd job at Dollar General that's pretty much when I eat my first meal of the day cause I am not much of a morning person & rarely find time in the morning to eat try to get a 15 minute cat nap in cause Ill be on my feet more than I was earlier when I was at school. Around 3:00 PM I then have a short drive across the street to Dollar General yes I can already hear some of you wouldn't be easier just to walk there oh......keep reading.
               I grab the previous days deposit from the safe then drive to the bank for change or just get the deposit dropped off then drive back home park in my driveway walk across street with the change for the change fund as well deposit slips then count my till for the night then do my shift. My shift when I am not running the register is stock shelves when I am not dealing with customers as well & help answering any questions a customer might have or need my height to reach the higher stuff on the shelves. Since I live across the street & pending which co-worker I am working with I sometimes if needed a bathroom break I usually tell my co-worker Ill be right back heading to my house use my own bathroom then walk back to resume work until my 30 min break there is times where I can't leave the store for that reason so I have to find time when customers aren't using it or my co-workers. Speaking of my break I generally like taking it around 7pm 3 hours before we close & 3 hours into my shift so I can eat a larger meal afterwards if I don't pack a large snack.  This routine has changed much pending on when I was scheduled to work at Dollar General in the past but slowly my store manager is trying to get us all on a fixed schedule so its routine. There are some nights I have to help unload the truck which is usually every other day. Then on pay day Fridays I usually after school will head to my credit union to get my paychecks cashed so I can have some spending $$$$$ for the upcoming week until the next paycheck. Recently I have been blessed to have Thursdays not having to work at DG except maybe a bank run only but I still have to clock in and out to get paid for doing that at least even though my store manager should be doing that not me on my days off from there & if I still have any $$$$$ left from my bills I pay then I might sneak off to the LCS to see what I can find for for myself or others there's a few times I might drive a distance to a card shop either near Grand Rapids on the west side of the state or near the Detroit area which is on the east side of me. If somehow where Thursdays aren't able to get away I try on Fridays as well

             I usually prepare myself in having internet access on my phone so I have my lists with me in order to find things easier instead of going to a place & trying to get things by recalling what might be on my lists. I also take others lists with me just by some odd chance I am not able to locate something for myself but I can recall what someone else might be needing example this last Month I stopped at 1 my usual shops where you'll see I picked up these monster boxes for a great way of finding some treasures for others as well myself cause I am not afraid to go through stuff especially when I know that I will be glad to get closer in completing my set or I find that 1 card that someone might be needed like I mentioned last month I stumbled upon an unopened box of the 1990 Pacific Baseball Legends where a certain blogger by the name of Night Owl had posted about his mailday & that he felt like it would take forever to complete the missing pieces I told him to send me the missing pieces in an email & then I  went to work on the hunt for him later on I mailed them now I sit back waiting for him to return to me even though it's not an important thing but he's mention that I will get a 2000 Keeblers Arizona Diamondbacks team set for completing his set.

      I've enclosed 2 pictures of the boxes I bought to help search for people in the 1st pic is all the basketball cards from early 90s to some mid 2000s that I can help out with not sorted but I am trying to sorting them when not at either job or at shop or show usually I do this around 12:30 AM  before I go to bed at 2 AM. The 2nd picture is all football same as the basketball in the years I might find 1 or 2 stars but it's the commons mainly that others can't seem to locate. I recall helping Tom aka Angels in Order blogger locating some of his missing Patriots that he needed so Tom now ya know what i went through in finding them. I know Dime Box Nick would love to go through these boxes so Nick if ya ever come to Michigan lmk I let ya go through them.

           Nick can have fun in my boxes anytime if he is willing to make the trip to Michigan for a visit.

                      24 boxes of football yes I snack on gummy worms to get through the boxes.

              Now you know what I go through on a typical week yes it can be exhausting trying to find the time to spend with my family as well especially after what events had taken course in these first 4 months of this year. I didn't mention what I do during the weekends I pretty much am at DG from Noon until closing time doing all the forementioned things as well handing duties of being the boss. Usually on the weekends I miss out on a lot of the Saturday shows I could attend either setting up as a seller or go with lists in hand finding missing stuff. I have a coworker that is my equal whom I work with on Sundays sometimes I try to get him to switch times with me usually on the 2nd Sunday of the month so I can help my friend Pat out in setting up at a show that I have mentioned before in the past in the town called Livonia which is a suburb of Detroit but I usually leave for the 90 min (3 hour round trip) way before the show starts at 9 AM. Reason I sometimes help her in setting up as well assisting other dealers is to get some maybe good deals before anyone else can get them before I head back to work at DG later that day so I can wait to look through my treasures afterwards. Sometimes I feel rushed cause I cant look very closely at everything at the show but I do my best with my limited time period but overall I still can find something either new to put away or help out with others. As I type this line it's going on 1 AM & I am debating if I want to tinker with sorting out 1 more football box or not cause I will be setting up at show next Saturday on May 3rd for the only show I set up as a dealer since the last time I set up at this particular show I picked up the 1977 Topps Cloth Sticker set minus the American League & National League Checklists puzzles (I still lack the American League puzzle) as well the 1998 Fleer Tradition Football set & started my 1964 Topps Giants set by picking up the Sandy Koufax SP card for all 3 items for a fair price of $110 when the Koufax usually sells around $50 the complete 1977 Cloth Sticker set around $200 & the 1998 Fleer Tradition football set around $45 so I think I did pretty well. I am hoping to locate at least maybe some of the 2024 Topps Heritage High Number base & SPs as well inserts I need or knock out 4 sets completely in finding a bunch of singles so I guess you'll have to stay tuned to my blog to see what I picked up at the show & if you see me at the show say hi & let me know what you think I should feature in an upcoming post. Until then I am off to bed now & I am reminded what Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs for little kids "Any ballplayer who doesn't sign an Autograph for a little kid ain't An American, he's a Communist." 

      

WHAT IF........PART VI

                         

                     It's time for another installment of What If...... In this installment we take a look at what might have happened had a trade after the 1956 season took place. Our subject you see before you is 1 Dick Littlefield a journeyman pitcher who played on for 9 different teams & just 3 teams alone in the 1956 season. Dick made 6 appearances for the Pittsburgh Pirates at the beginning of the season before being traded to the St Louis Cardinals where he appeared in 3 games before being dispatched again this time to the New York Giants where he finished the season appearing in 31 games. Then on December 13th 1956 he was traded by the Giants to their cross-town rivals the Brooklyn Dodgers (soon to be Los Angeles Dodgers after the 1957 season concluded) along with $30,000 for a future Vice President & Director of Personnel of the Chock Full O' Nuts Coffee Company. Unfortunately for poor Dick never pitched a single inning for Dem Bums in Brooklyn he was returned back to the Giants before being traded eventually to the Chicago Cubs prior to the 1957 hence why your viewing his 1958 Topps card as a member of the Northside Windy City team. 

                 On Monday this week I received this debate of a question & I was going to post this post on Tuesday but I was too exhausted after a hard weekend at my job at Dollar General which you read about on my last post. So here's your chance to rewrite history had the trade been accepted & the player who went to the Giants continued to play instead of retiring from the game. I like to hear what you think what might had happened to that player did he make it to Cooperstown or did his time with the Giants ruin his chances to be there as well Mr. Littlefield here. 

              Here's what I responded to within the group on my rewriting of history. There's no reason to rewrite what happened cause the thing is it's an impossible thing to wonder what might have happened to that player whom Dick Littlefield was traded for.  Let me tell you a bit more about the player that retired so you can see what I am talking about. This player started his MLB career back in 1945 when he was signed as a free agent. He started his career in the minors with the AAA team the Montreal Royals where he worked more harder than most to prove that his signing wasn't just a publicity stunt. After 1 season with the Royals he proved to management that he was ready for the big leagues. In 1947 this player played his first MLB game on April 15th batting 2nd going 0 for 3 in his debut in a Dodgers victory over the Boston Braves. That first year he had highs & lows & when the season ended he was named the Inaugural Rookie of the Year, 2 years later he was named National League MVP then finally in 1955 he was on the World Series winning Brooklyn Dodgers team. Then in 1962 along with Bob Feller this player was inducted to Cooperstown on his 1st ballot. Then in 1997 we honored his accomplishments by being the 1st sport to retired his # for every team that is involved with the sport of baseball. If you haven't guessed by now whom Dick Littlefield was traded for it was legendary Hall of Famer Jack Roosevelt Robinson #42 himself. 

             So you think I responded correctly with my answer or do you have a better view point I look forward to hearing your comments about this. Now normally I would end my piece with a quote from Rogers Hornsby but I am going to give Jackie this time last word cause he said this once "In all my years of baseball, I have always expected to be traded. I never liked the idea." Do you agree or disagree thanks for reading until next time.

I'M NOT ONE

 

       This post wasn't scheduled until Tuesday but however the results of yesterday fits it. You see I'm like our kicker friend here I'm not a Happy Feller due to my boss at Dollar General. A little back story is in order for you to understand why I am feeling this way. I have in the my bosses office a sheet of paper that clearly states when I need time off for my trip to the National Convention in Chicago in July (118 days remaining) as well for the upcoming celebration of life for my little brother in May as well my milestone date in June. On the same piece of paper is dates like yesterday that I have where I like to start later than usual so I can make a trip down to the monthly show where I like to attend in Livonia,Michigan.  I had made plans with a fellow coworker asking if he could come in at 1pm for me & Ill come in at his scheduled time at 3pm so I can have some ample of time to get some great deals plus its about an 3 hour drive for me to get there round trip. Now the show doesn't start until 9am but I help my friend Pat out by helping her set up her table for her so I have to be there about 7am so I can avoid being caught in the Sunday traffic heading to Detroit to watch the Tigers,Red Wings,Pistons,Lions whomever is playing a home game that weekend of the show. Plus helping her out I can get some good stuff before the show opens to the public either from her or other dealers that might need my assistance to help them out so I can get some great deals before having to make a flying trip back to make it in time for my shift. By the way Little Brother Jeremy I will be sending Pat your information so she can send ya some team sets to you. just let me know so I can have her search to see what years she has available. 

          Well after working from 12:30pm to Close on Saturday I really was excited about getting to check out what deals I can pick up or find singles on my endless growing wantlists. As well take a couple of my other blogging friends lists with me just in case I wasn't able to find anything off mine. I arrived at 6:45am after getting up at 5am. After getting Pat all set up time for me to shop & keep an eye on the clock so I can maybe before I go in to work stop at this 1 antique mall to see if I can locate a couple of books that I am looking for cause I think I saw a both that might had 1 of the books but its been sometime since I been there I wanted to check & get it if it was there. The first table I went to was this guy named Jason who was a regular dealer setting up at the show but had to cut back due family problems has had him not being able to set up like he had in the past but he said he had something special that might be of some interest to me in vintage hockey. I am thinking oooh either he has some `70/`71 Topps Hockey or `77/`78 O Pee Chee & I can knock more off those 2 lists at least. Well......Jason surprised me he had these the `74/`75 O Pee Chee WHA starter lot & the `75/`76 O Pee Chee WHA starter lot. We came to an agreement on a price of $115 after he asked me to give him a price & if I took them both he knocked off an additional $25 off I was first thinking $75-85 but when he announced the additional price off I thought what the Heck go for $115 see if he'll take it so I said to him "Mind you if I take them both I already taken the $25 off so I am thinking $115." He thought about it then after I mentioned I need some $$$$ still to have to spend at the show as well the rest of my week he accepted my deal. Now Ill have to work on getting the missing cards listed on my site soon so as soon I finish typing this post up Ill be editing my lists by adding them to my hockey page. Cause another thing Jason mentioned that none of the sets have any of the Howe Family (Gordie,Mark,Marty) cards or Bobby Hull's which isn't a bad thing yet cause it will give me something to look for at future shows as well the National. Still I think it was a great find for me to work on. 

Not to shabby getting these 2 starter lots for $115 eh.

Now as I was sitting at this one table looking through a nickel & quarter boxes trying to find missing singles for other sets I am working on when my phone went off seeing it was my coworker whom I traded shifts with wondering why is he calling me that's when he told me that our boss is upset we switched times so if I could try to get to work ASAP so she could calm down & not get anymore upset cause no one is coming in to work on Sunday at their posted time. So I left the show only to do 1 more buy & that Pat mentioned she had some of the New 2024 Topps Heritage High Number singles. Ever since it was released I have been on the hunt in trying to find boxes of the stuff so I can finish my set up or at least get some before trying to find a dealer at the National that might have made it already. So I took her stack of them told her I see her at the June show cause in May I won't able to come to help her set up & I was on my way to work. I arrived to work at 1:30pm much to grin I wasn't excited in being to work early but hopefully my boss will read my paper next time. 

In other news on Saturday after work I came home to see that I had a package that came from Johnnys Trading Spot. Earlier this year Johnny had some stuff he wanted to unload he mentioned he got a bunch of the Minor League cards that needed a new home. Well not that I didn't need them but I figured why not maybe Ill find some coaches cards of players my friend Greg from  The Collective Mind  Blog collects & pass them on to him plus I have a friend who is a die-hard collector of anytthing Minor League. Not that I knew what to expect from Johnny but the first box I opened had a good portion of the 2023 Topps Pro Debut set I quickly did my research homework before heading to bed to go to the forementioned show up above. So it looks like I might be looking for singles of these guys as well I know I need the Jackson Holiday card #7 already cause unfortunately Johnny didn't put the cards in order so I had open all 5 boxes to see what all I got & I started pulling cards 1 through 10 & as I mentioned I noticed I needed #7 no worries not like its someone obscured so far so sometime later this week Ill be adding them to my baseball lists. When I was going through I was excited about pulling a Jackson Jobe card. Being in Michigan people are starting to warm up to this prospect so seeing that I didn't have to look for him is a good thing. 

 Thanks Johnny for 1 out of 2 Jacksons needed for the set.

Well that concludes why I am not a Happy Feller. I look in hearing about my pick ups as well what Johnny sent me as I am though reminded by the great Rogers Hornsby who once mentioned about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign Autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist." 

RIDING IN TRADES

 

                  I figured that with my customized Mario Kart racers that I can reach out to some of my blogger friends to let them know I can help with your lists so if you see your name please drop me an email with your address so I can mail out some of the stuff you been looking for. All I want back is either find me stuff from my lists or I'm sure we can make a deal of something either a little $$$$ amount or something else. Also bare with me if I can only get time to the post office when I have a day off from Dollar General to mail out your packages.

                                              This is definitely me behind the wheel here.

                                     

Here's the list of people I like to have reach out to me for the stuff I have for them.

Crazie Joe's
Crocodile Sports Cards
Nine Pockets
DeGav  

                   Again if anyone would like some singles in football & basketball from the 1990s to early 2000s  please let me know & I'll check my boxes for you. I have some hockey as well as for baseball I have access to a lot of years so open your dupes boxes & see if you can help me out with my lists. Until then I am reminded by Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs for little kids. "Any ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

4 MONTHS INTO 2025

      

       About 4 months ago we started 2025 so here's my New Years Resolutions for 2025 let's see how I'm doing at the 4 month mark.

1. Try to completing either my `03/`04 Topps or Upper Deck Basketball sets by getting LeBron James RCs. STILL WORK IN PROGRESS.

2. Try completing my `79/`80 Topps Hockey set by finding an inexpensive Gretzky RC. STILL WORK IN PROGRESS.

3. Meet at the National Sports Card Convention at least 3 people from the blogging world or 4 from Sportscardforum.com that aren't my friend Greg from The Collective Mind blog. 4 Months away.

4. Purchase a 1967 Brooks Robinson #600 under $300 HAVENT FOUND 1 YET.

5. Take down at least 10 names from my 1975 O PEE CHEE baseball list before the end of September. FOUND 2 So Far Thanks to Jeff Scott. 

6. Celebrate my milestone birthday by getting some great cards off from my lists. 2 Months 9 Days away still plenty time for my fellow readers to surprise me & buy me some great stuff HINT HINT!!!!!

7. Celebrate my 1 year anniversary of blogging by still blogging & have more insights for my readers to enjoy. 2 Months away still.

8. Hope by March madness rolls in to have at least 6 people take on an upcoming challenge that aren't my friend Greg from The Collective Mind blog. FAILED!!!!! 

9.  Find the elusive Bob Gibson Seagram's 7 baseball legends mirror (Stay Tuned about a piece about these mirrors) for under $100. STILL LOOKING ALONG WITH THE OTHER 2 REPLACEMENTS & need to get that post started soon.

10. Delete 10 sets from all 4 Sports by Game 1 of the 2025 World Series. Finished my `95//`96 Ultra Basketball 9 more sets to finish

          Despite the 1 failure I think I did rather well so far what do you think as Roger Hornsby once said about signing autographs for little kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."