Rest Easy Brother, RIP Jason Molina

i learned today that one of my favorite musicians died over the weekend.  His name was Jason Molina and he was an alcoholic.  He was just 39 years old.  His organs seemed to have given out and he died of "natural" causes.

He wasnt a "famous rock star" to the masses, but he was to me.

i discovered his music about 10 years ago.  After my fiance died in the summer of 2003, i spent the better part of 6 weeks not leaving the house.  i returned to working at the record shop.  it was there that a co-worker, after prodding him about wanting to listen to "something different", turned me on to Jason Molina's (and some other bands as well) music.

i fell immediately in love with the music.  i was in a very dark place, and could relate totally to what Jason was singing.  it was like he was speaking directly to me.  it was that good.

i got to see the band play twice.  i would have seen them more times,  but they didnt get to New York City all that often.  Each time, after the show (and once before one) i was able to have coversations with Jason (and Pete (the bassist)).  it was just small chat, i told him how he helped me through the dark times after my fiance died, he was very humble and thankful that i was a fan of his.  he came off as an everyday type of fellow that made music and was on the road for a living.  the last time we spoke he had to cut it short because it was time for him to pack up the van and head to the next town.

for the better part of this year, ive been listening to his album "Didn't It Rain" as my music of choice to fall asleep to each night.  if it wasnt Animals, it was Didnt It Rain.  its been that way pretty much for the last six months or so.  

i am absolutely shattered about this.  maybe i shouldnt be, but i am.

You can't always git what you waaaant

Thanks Mick!

but yea, you really have to sometimes step back and take a look at what you've already got.  cant spend all your time looking ahead to what you do not have yet.  it just isnt the right way to go about things.

Having a Tight Collecting Focus can lead to "dry times" when things you want just arent available.
it's during those times that you have to STAY FOCUSED and wait it out.  the thing to keep in mind is that there is always SOMETHING to collect, but keeping that Focus helps you maintain a level head (i suppose lol)

i guess i am writing because i am trying to talk myself out of something.  theres a recently available WD cgc that i would like to own, but i feel is a bit overpriced.  now, ive semi-imposed a tighter WD CGC Focus, unless the pricing is just too good to pass on.  this book is not crazy priced, and it's relatively new.  the thing is, the "print run" on it is 2000.  that may seem like a lot, but it is, and it isnt.  its somewhere in the middle.

im trying to finish 1 - 99 with the Keys and Variants in CGC Slabs.  ive made good headway, but am not quite there yet.  You'll notice i did not include #100.  that is intentional.  as of now, there are a crazy amount of variants to chase down.  i am going to play the waiting game with these.  the naysayers are saying that the comic "bubble" is going to bust.  the sooner the better for me! :)  thats when i'll pick those up.  sooner of course, if a deal is available.

As always, thanks for reading my crap :)

2013 Topps Heritage Is Here, and i am sad :(

It is with a heavy heart that i am writing this.

i just opened a Target Blaster of 2013 Topps Heritage Baseball. 

you know when you hate being "right", because being right means that it's not a good thing?  well, that is what has happened.

While sorting 2012 Topps Heritage MiLB cards, i noticed that Topps had "changed" the card stock used for the base cards.  They felt a little glossy, and had lost that "old time" feel that releases prior had felt.

Then there was the 2012 Topps Heritage High Number debacle.  The Card stock was the same as the MiLB, making it difficult to enjoy the base cards

Now after those two releases i pleaded with Topps to not use the same paper stock for 2013.  We were assured that the 2013 Paper Stock would be like the past years.

Didnt happen.  Sadly, this years card stock is bad.  not all that much different then 2012 HH#

My blaster did not contain any "hits" worth mentioning.  That doesnt matter, in all of the thousands of packs ive opened, ive never pulled a card more then $50 anyway.  That was never the point of me ripping Heritage. 

i loved ripping heritage because it was the closest thing to "old" cards that were on the market.  Todays players portrayed in classic old Topps designs.

In an age when people are all about the "shiny" and the "MOJO HITS", Topps Heritage Base Cards could be counted on for those of us that used to open packs when it was all about the gum, friends, and memories tied to the game we loved.

Sadly, now Topps Heritage has lost it's luster.

i know, i know.  Topps "added more" to the packs as far as "hits" go, but some of us (and i freely admit that the number of us is VERY small) don't care about those things.