Some Thoughts About the Plank and Another Christmas Gift

It's a new year and Bob Walk the Plank is approaching 1 year old (later this month). I really didn't know what to expect with the blog other than I wanted to trade. At some point I would love to have some more thought provoking posts, but my schedule doesn't really allow me spend a ton of time on the computer when I'm home. So with that being said, most of my focus this past year was establishing trade partners and commenting on the blogs I follow. Never would I have thought it would have worked out so well.

I went back and checked the total count of the label "trade" on my posts and the number was 106. That is a crazy amount of mail in a year. I made sure to give my mail lady a nice Christmas present as my address was a hot spot.  So a big thank you to anybody who sent me cards over the past year. Special thanks goes out to all the repeat traders who I swap with on a regular basis. I find the blind trades very enjoyable.

As for the new year, I really don't have any goals other than to continue to swap cards as much as possible. I've even started printing my postage at home to save trips to the post office which is allowing me even more flexibility. Maybe my total trades can get closer to 150.

I don't really see my buying habits changing much over the next year. My hope is that my friends and I can carry our once a month box break as that has been really enjoyable. Talking about cards in person is really enjoyable.

My eBay purchases will continue to supplement my trading as the main way I accumulate for my collection. This year a lot of focus was put on Gerrit Cole and Gregory Polanco. Both dropped to reasonable amounts on eBay so I went crazy accumulating. Usually in the winter months I'll focus a good bit on my WVU collection. My gut tells me that Geno Smith will be nice and cheap soon.

One change I'm striving to make this year will be on going to an actual card show and flea market. The Pittsburgh area has a few big shows a year so with a little planning this should be feasible. This will probably be a good way to add some trade bait.

Once again a big thanks to all those who welcomed me with open arms to the blogosphere. My hope is that I can pay it forward to some of the new blogs that have been popping up lately.

Here is a nice gift I received from my Mom for Christmas.  I tell her every year that I don't need anything, but she has gotten in the habit of buying me a new autograph jersey every year. This year was a good one!  This is a crappy picture I took off the Internet as mine is still tucked in a box in my basement waiting to be framed.

I probably showed off more Polanco cards this year than any other so this is a fitting purchase to finish the year on. This completed the outfield for me as I already have a McCutchen and Marte.

Happy New Year! Who wants to trade!!!!