But today was much better. I’ll explain later. As you will see this was written right after I got home last night. I got tired and lost my focus and was going to put in the links when I woke up this morning, but didn’t get around to it until Saturday evening. Awkward additions and subtractions to make it fit that timeframe probably abound, so sorry about that.
Things started out so promising. I got a full night’s sleep (approximately 9 hours) without waking up once. That just doesn’t happen for me. I ALWAYS wake up enough to know I’m awake at least once EVERY… SINGLE… NIGHT. But it didn’t happen. My dumb ass should’ve seen the signs that today was gonna blow though (yeah it both sucked and blew).
Around noon I finally got around to go downstairs because I wanted to get the things I had to do today done and be home… at very least before nightfall. Didn’t have enough change to make the call I needed to so I got some food at Quick Stop to break a $10. Too late I realized I couldn’t even get through till after 1:30 anyway. I decided to stay downstairs and read a recent ESPN the Magazine while a guy came into the pool room and bumped up the pop machine’s price to 60 cents (from $0.50), not finishing up and going back to call until about 2:10pm, because my dumb ass has no sense of time.
It just couldn’t be simple today, so I ended up having to walk most of the way over to the parents place. I usually just tag along when they go out to get groceries to get my own. Immediately I noticed my ankle bothering me, but it wasn’t all that bad. I was running on annoyance anyway, so worse pain still wouldn’t have kept me from doing it. There was, admittedly, a positive of walking 1 1/2 miles on a progressively more hurting ankle, and that is that I got a free McRib and a few french fries out of the deal. That’s gotta count for something, right?
So after finally, mercifully getting over there I showered and put together my trade with Boxbusters, which should be on it’s way by tomorrow afternoon (it’ll be out Monday actually, because tape is needed to further keep it protected and closed apparently… bleh. Bailey, yours will be on it’s way then too (same deal, sorry). After giving up on going out quickly I chilled at Jacky Muffin’s with the rest of the usual suspects on the parents’ computer, and didn’t get around to reluctantly leaving to go shopping until almost 7pm. The silver lining here, because I like to try to find some good amongst crap, aside from Jacky Muffin/nakama time, which is pure heaven, was all-too-rare civilized conversation with my brother and learning what Nintendo has in store for us in 2009.
Finally to Walgreens, which turned out to be 15 minutes I’ll never get back. Then to Target, which was just ungodly fail. Took way too damn long and I didn’t even buy anything, because I wanted to check Walmart. My ankle is hurting like a b*tch at this point as well. Finally made it to Walmart and picked up everything I intended to get there and plenty of other crap I didn’t need (wicked hahdore Legend of Zelda T-shirt, I’m looking at you). Unfortunately the two things I was going to get at Target but wanted to check at Walmart first was total bustage, so back to Target. Gwahh.
Picked up my stuff and couldn’t pass up the Prime Paks hobby pack repack box. 6 hobby packs from recent times for $20. Target packs have not been kind to me, but I’m a glutton for punishment it seems. So finally back home… check that, place that I live. Home is a place you feel comfortable and actually like. This is… not home. It’s after 10 f***ing 30 before I can finally get off my damaged ankle. Lets bust some packs of baseball cards to put my mind at ease shall we?
Three retail packs (two Upper Deck X, one Baseball Heroes) from Walmart.
First pack’s XPonential was Victor Martinez (just the single X version, but a swank card nonetheless). Nothing else of note. One of the little pieces of the stupid lazy die cut card was still in it. I popped it out and ate it. What?
Second pack had a base Geovany Soto and XPonential X2 Manny Ramirez. The universe hates me. I popped out both pieces of the die-cut that were still in it and ate them. Tasted better than lukewarm chicken taquitos.
Upper Deck Heroes. This pack was talkin’ to me. I just had a feeling there was something worthwhile in it when I picked it up. Ichiro/Fukudome dual base card. This is worth it because I collect both of them. I wish I could tell Fukudome to relax at the plate. It’s pretty clear he’s having issues up there. Kinda almost jittery and not being patient like he was in the first half of the season. Relax man, let the game come to you… it’s cliche, but just relax up there dude.
Now onto the six hobby packs from Target box (2006 Upper Deck Special F/X, 2006 Upper Deck Artifacts, 2006 Upper Deck Ovation, two 2003 Flair ~ wooooo!, and a 2003 Flair Greats ~ wooooo!!).
The regular Flair packs were all base. Hee Seop Choi and Sammy Sosa are keepers. The rest… meh. And more stupid Dodgers to taunt me. Come to think of it, Choi was a Dodger at some point. Blah. The cards look nice at least.
The Artifacts were all base and some Braves rookie that I don’t care about. Joey Devine? Any relation to TNA Jobber to the Stars Johnny Devine?
Ovation had another F***ing ManRam insert. I got two different cards of so many guys. Berkman, Abreu, Manny and Luis Gonzalez. Maybe others, too tired to look.
Special F/X: Two for the base set I think. I’m pretty sure I don’t have them. I think I must be delusional to try and complete this base set. Green parallel Zito checklist #’d /99, and a Dontrelle Willis insert I already had and sent to Mario when I sent the Miller SignaCut and Fergie auto. I’m pretty sure it was in there.
Flair Greats had a SWANK Ron Santo base card, and a Nolan Ryan, and a Ripken, and a couple guys in black & white, which looks really trippy on this design, but one pack of all nifty base cards is not worth the price of admission, even with Santo.
This box sucked and wasn’t worth the money. I wasn’t necessarily expecting a hit, but damn. All base and worthless inserts. Maybe I was expecting something. Regardless, there’s $20 down the drain. Unless you get lucky and pull a Carlos Quentin autograph, it really isn’t even remotely worth it. I should’ve just picked up a box of Ultra SE off of eBay. It wouldn’t have been that much more than the $24 + tax I spent (the Baseball Heroes pack was worth it). I would’ve gotten at least as many cards and 5 hits. Even if they sucked, it would’ve been nice to get a hit. It’s been so long since I pulled one I’m not sure I even remember what they look like (yes I know I got two from Shane the other day, smartass).
Saturday will probably be bad too, because I have go out on this bum ankle again and deal with family as well. But Sunday has some promise. Since I have very few extra expenses this month, maybe I actually will try to get ahold of a box of Ultra SE in the near future. Guaranteed hits are nice sometimes. It may be a form of Victory by Default, but we already know that there are benefits to that.
Yesterday may have sucked, but today actually turned out to be nice. Hope is always only a day away. 😉
Life and Baseball Cards 