Life Before The Strike #13

I'd have to say that as soon as baseball season ends every October, my attention generally migrates to my fantasy football league and following the Packers. I haven't purchased any baseball cards or opened any packs since the close of the 2008 baseball season, but have been checking up on my brewers.com and checking to see who (if anyone) will be patrolling the grounds of Miller Park during the '09 season. I've also followed, with much disappointment, the recent signing of CC Sabathia by the Yankees (cue Darth Vader music) for an ungodly sum of money, as well as the invitations sent by the Brewers to various gents for Spring Training. It's the prospect of the New Year, and the fact that pitchers and catchers report to Arizona in 36 days, that led me to pick up a pack of cards at the store the other day.

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights

The danger with getting married is the give-and-take and walking that fine line between "wants" and "needs". What would have been a simple purchase 6 months ago has now turned into a game of chess...it's not the $1.99 that is the issue here, it's the principle. If I can buy a pack of cards whenever I want (or an XBOX 360 game for that matter, which by the way, is becoming more and more difficult for me to justify or explain) then the wife should be able to grab this or that whenever she desires. "Well, why don't you just pack a lunch instead of buying one downtown?" I ask, in hopes that the bread and deli meat in the fridge will help us whether the financial storm of recession. Well, it's the same guy who insists on brewing coffee at home and packing a lunch that wants to buy a pack of cards every time I'm at Target.

Do I need anymore baseball cards? Well, yes I do. I need a 1975 Topps Robin Yount RC. Will it help me in my life, assist me in working on my patience, my quickness to anger, my road rage? Nope. It won't help me save more money, waste more energy on worrying about things that are beyond my control. But it will fill that void in my Robin Yount card binder. And to me, that's the most important thing.

Moving on to the cards. I found a couple good ones in this pack, one that will help make quite a birthday gift for my sister in law as well.

#UH276 Corey Hart 2008 All Star

I can't tell you how many times I voted at mlb.com last summer to get my Brewers into the All Star game, and having Corey Hart win the vote-in final spot was sweet, sweet music to my summer classic ears. I will say, however, that the various ad campaigns last summer were a little, shall I say, lame? I think Corey had the best one of them all, though...

My sister in law is quite possibly the world's biggest Corey Hart fan, and with a little help from the local card shop this card will make for a nice wall plaque birthday gift.

#TCP41 Ken Griffey Jr. Target Exclusive Insert

Pretty cool card, and because I'm not looked at, touched, or purchased any cards since the baseball season ended, was interested to find out that this is one of the 2008 Topps UH cards available exclusively at Target...whether or not this proves to be worth any money, we shall see. I found one on eBay selling for $3, not a bad investment after all. I could use this line of thinking to convince my better half that I will have such luck in ALL of my pack purchases. And just imagine getting a whole BLASTER of cards...wow! I could make enough money for a spiffy date night out on the town!