Habit

[SIGH]

Well, I did it. I’m still not sure exactly how to feel about it, but it’s done. No do-overs. It’s final.

I bought a box of baseball cards.

I bought a box of Allen & Ginter baseball cards.

And now I will probably never look at life the same again.

As a guy who hasn’t really collected actual baseball cards since he was about 8 years old, I’ve always felt like a bit of an outsider in Blog-o-Land. Sure, there are plenty of football card blogs, or at least multi-sport blogs, to keep me occupied in the little time I have to surf the Blog Wave. But there’s just something about baseball cards. It must be what all other pies feel when Apple Pie shows up to the party.

And damn if I don’t love me some apple pie.

So after three years of reading blogs gush over baseball cards and specifically Allen & Ginter baseball cards, I finally caved. I really wanted to pull the trigger when 2011 Gint-a-Cuffs signups were underway, but the PayPal bankroll wasn’t much at the time and I talked myself out of it. So in typical Dave fashion, I’m showing up late with my apple pie to a party where almost everyone has already had their fill of apple pie.

[Note to self: stop writing blog posts on an empty stomach]

But there are some saving graces. Because I didn’t get in on the Gint-a-Cuffs action, there will not be a pack-by-pack breakdown. I may post a mock Ginty score, but it won’t matter to anyone but me. I also won’t talk on end about how much I love or hate certain inserts, lament over short prints, or beg and plead to the masses for the 9 minis I need to complete the set. I’ll probably post a standard box break review, list some cards on eBay or a trade list, and call it a day. And the last saving grace, and to give this post some legitimacy as a First and Goal post, I can also relate this purchase to a Pearl Jam song. Go me.

Title: Habit
Album: No Code
Correlation: This one is strictly lyrically based. With regards to buying Allen & Ginter, these could easily be my thoughts verbatim:

See it happen to a couple of friends
See it happen and the message it sends
Takin off for what’s an obvious fall
Just to see what all the fuss is about

And as far as what you might be thinking at home, especially those of you who also aren’t all that into baseball cards or Allen & Ginter specifically, this is probably a good sumation of your thoughts:

It’s not your way… not your way
It’s not your way

Never thought you’d habit [repeated a whole bunch…]

No official music video, but here is a fairly decent live video for your viewing pleasure.

Speaking as a child of the 90s…

So yeah. I did it. I admit. There’s no turning back now. And I don’t feel terribly guilty about it.

Sue me.

Or just be on the look out for an official 1&G product review stating what everyone already knows anyway.