Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I enjoy the cooler temperatures of the season and, of course, the food, but those are just ancillary reasons. The truth is that I enjoy the time of reflection, having gratitude in my life and the many things for which I am grateful. Let’s face it… If we are able to participate in a hobby such as collecting trading cards, then we have a lot of things to be grateful for – discretionary income, a place to live, food to eat, and much more. If we are able to collect cards, then many of our most basic needs are met, and probably in spades.
In terms of the hobby, this has been a good year for me. I have had a lot of fun connecting with other members of the hobby, learning new things and adding items to my collection. Without further adieu, my list of things to be thankful for in our hobby.
My Hobby Gratitude List for 2019
- My 1960 7/11 Dallas Texans Johnny Robinson card that led to a hall of fame campaign and my wife and I attending Johnny’s induction in Canton this summer.
- My role as moderator on the PSA Forums, which allows me to interact with collectors from all over the world.
- The old school art of trading, which recently helped me add a very rare card to my collection.
- Parkside Collectibles, a company that produced a set of cards this year featuring my favorite sport – lacrosse!
- After more than 20 years of collecting autographed AFL cards, I still love that segment of the hobby and can find new things to collect.
- Social media has made connecting with other hobbyists smoother than ever. I love that I can easily communicate with collectors across the globe.
- The Rookies app that I have used to make personalized cards that I have gotten signed and added to my collection.
- The TTM hobby that makes collecting the mail fun each day.
- Pat Neshek, for being an athlete that understands us.
- Team cards, for being trading cards that someone can sign when they don’t have cards of their own.
And the list goes on, but I’ll end there. As you can see, there’s so much to be grateful for in this beautiful hobby of ours. Please feel free to share your hobby gratitude in the comments section below!
