I havent posted much on here lately for a lot of reasons. Mostly those reasons stem from the fact that my new job requires a ton of travel and a ton of work. I just dont have the free time any more, and what free time I do have is more focused on spending time with my kids than writing.

To be honest, I started writing this blog as an escape and because I loved writing. Much like professional wrestlers, I loved being a character. A character that many in the industry enjoyed for over 10 years. For the most part, that character was me, but with the volume turned up to 11. Over the last few years, I have found how taxing that portrayal can be, not only on here, but on Digital Card Central as well. For the better part of a decade, I was writing two to three posts a day on two different subjects and it was a ton of work.

As a result of that work, it definitely paid off. I met people and friends from all over the world, and that alone was worth it. I also got a lot of access behind the scenes at the card manufacturers that became a new perspective on how this industry works. Most importantly it was fun because I was passionate about cards. I had a hobby that I wanted to share with the world, even though most people saw it as something they did when they were kids.

Whenever I started a new job, we always did the ice breaker at orientation. Tell us something interesting about yourself. Most of the time I was proud to say that I ran one of the most popular blogs about sports cards and memorabilia around. That always led people coming up to me and asking for the address, and for information about the cards they had stashed in a book behind their family photo album. Cards have a way of connecting people, beyond what we do on Twitter every day.

Over the last few years, that passion for writing about cards has died down. Not because I didnt enjoy the hobby, but mainly because other parts of my life took up so much time. We had our third baby last December, and like his brothers, he was a handful. I started to recognize that spending so much time writing and so little time enjoying really wasnt the formula when its not a full time job.

Dont get me wrong, I explored a full time job a few times. I have had some good offers, but it was clear to me that my hobby would never be something I could do for a job. Jobs make things real, and when things get real, it can be really hard to keep them fun. Not saying it isnt possible, but it is highly probable a job becomes what it normally is.

Last month, with a major expense on the books, I decided it was time to move the majority of what I own and settle down on all buying when it comes to cards. I was always a person that loved super premium cards, and that got very expensive. With a new baby and this expense ahead of me, the disposable income disappeared pretty quickly to the point where my hobby participation needed to change drastically.

Ill tell you, pulling box after box after box out of my closet and taking them over to the shop felt very cathartic. Not just cathartic but a bit horrifying. I had so much stuff that never saw the light of day or a display shelf. I just had it stashed away. I always describe card collectors as a class of people obsessed with vanity and a little envy. Vanity in the fact that we all want to be seen as an authority or at least someone that has a “great collection.” Even if we are still building, its always a journey to acquire more pieces or more knowledge to show the world we are worthy of its acceptance.

A very generalizing statement I know, but if you see the way so many collectors engage with social media, its to show off the goods, no matter how insignificant they might be. I was a slave to this, addicted to the attention. I still am an addict in so many ways I couldnt sell every last card I have. I had to save some of them, and that’s a scary thought in its own right.

With all of this on the table, here is my challenge to the readers, as its important to understand how YOU remain happy in the hobby. For a long time, I portrayed a character that was pissed off with how things were. That anger and venom came from a place of love for this industry and experience I have had over the last 35 years. I wanted to make sure things were getting better for my own sake. I loved cards so much, I hated when card companies or collectors made dumb decisions that hurt what I saw as the eventual goal we all strive for.

Im still on twitter and Im still having fun, but if you find yourself wondering why you stick around, its time to pull those boxes out of the closet and appreciate your cards instead of letting them rot. If something has been sitting in there for 10-20 years, what joy or happiness does it really bring? Will anyone but you know that its gone if you sell those pieces of cardboard? I asked myself these questions recently, and came to appreciate the stuff I kept that much more. Im no less an important member of the community just because I sold most of my collection.

This isnt meant to be a goodbye or a confession, or even a cry for help. Its just a new direction. One that is likely going to be a more fun and fulfilling way to participate in a community that I have enjoyed since the internet revolution started.

I just wanted to take the time to say what I wanted to say, because that way – I know its still exactly what I had always hoped it would be: a good way to pass the time.