Not Your Average, Arbitrary Post

Arbitrary: random, erratic, unpredictable. Nothing average there. The same is true for the package I received in April from Brian, who claims to be highly subjective and completely arbitrary.    He's been a steady blogger for over five years. It's been awhile since we swapped cards. He made up for lost time quickly.  Not only cards but a couple of packs were included.

2000 UPPER DECK VICTORY:

BASE

INSERTS

2019-20 OPC GLOSSY

I'd forgotten how colorful the Victory release is. I don't recall ever buying a pack. OPC was my first hockey pack bust. I didn't land any Blackhawks but it was still fun.  Now comes the hard part.  Brian packed so much into his efforts, I don't know what to share.

A Topps Living Set online exclusive and 2019 Stadium Club Fulmer #d/25, both fairly rare cards. Rare is subjective in terms of hobby scarcity. I'd say yes, a 25 card print run is rare enough. The value = arbitrary.

2019 Stadium Club from my wantlist. Breathtaking beauties and quite possibly my favorite baseball cards in this post.

Altuves:

Springer:

Oh there's more. Tigers found their way into the envelope. They don't call me a cat lady for nuttin':

2012 TOPPS #/210 

SHINERS

1967 AND 1962 TOPPS

There have been more than a few Free Card Friday's on Brian's blog. I've missed out on many of these freebies in the community. The past weeks have been difficult for most of us. These giveaways bring good vibes and smiles to all their recipients. Among my choices were bat racks and mascots!

CHECK OUT FRANK'S PHONES

LOVE THIS GRACE!

Before you get your get your feathers ruffled, I don't believe the pope is mascot to the Catholic faith. I have great respect for the Roman Catholic church. Someone else had chosen this card right before my claims. I commented that I wanted to pick the pope. I do like this card. It will go nicely with my pitching nun.

My favorite card in the package from Brian isn't baseball but an older milk carton card. I could find nothing anywhere on this one; not TCDB, Beckett or the internet in general.

GOT ABE?

I wonder what Abe would say about the times we are living in right now. His record on race wasn't perfect but in his wisdom he knew this country would split if slavery continued. Here we are 150 plus years later. Slavery abolished, thank God, and finally desegregation.  But how far have we come? Why not attempt to understand the challenges blacks can often face? Their lives do matter. No one is saying all lives don't matter. Would any white person wish they'd been born black?  I think most of us would say "not me". This all hit home a few days ago, right here in small town Michigan, not Detroit, in my predominately white town with its perfect yards and touristy shops. There is a locally famous rock in a prominent location upon which folks leave greetings for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries and sometimes memorials. Not this time:

ARTICLE LINK HERE

In 2020? We are coming out of a country-wide lock-down. Folks are hot and agitated but this is more than a skin-deep ugliness.  Absolutely unacceptable.  My friends, you know I don't get political. This blog is a happy place. This is the first time I've written more than a line or two about serious issues we face as a country and frankly as people. Where is empathy?

I can tell you my little town came together to repaint that rock. Groups of people have been standing with it all day long, in a show of solidarity with those who painted the original message. Volunteers are taking turns sitting with the rock all night too, to ensure the message remains unchanged.

Sorry for the rant. I felt the need to put my voice into the universe. Thanks for sticking with me, if you did.