News & notes, including trade bait!

In lieu of posting cards today (or over the past week) here's a few updates I wanted to share with everybody:

Big news:  trade bait!:

Part of the reason I didn't put any effort into posting over the last week or so is that I was sorting through and making a list of my stuff for trade.  I love making deals with people and even just giving away stuff I don't want, so it's about time I did this.

On that page I've listed stuff like team lots, complete sets, magazines (by player and team), Starting Lineups, and more.  So if you see something you like, please let me know!  I'm always happy to trade with the usual suspects and new folks as well.

Not news:  USPS blows and is fucking inept:

There's a reason I have blog tags for both of those opinions.  Storytime:  around the middle of December I sent out a whole bunch of Christmas packages, almost all of which were Priority Mail flat rate boxes and envelopes.  One such envelope was headed to Brad (Brad's Blog)...or so I thought.  After putting the package in the mail and then verifying his address with him it turns out I had his old one.  Oh well, my fault--the envelope would come back to me and I could re-send it.  Right?

My friends, let me tell you the epic story of a Priority Mail package that literally took a month to get to the right place:

• 12/16:  I drop it (and other packages) off at my post office.  This is a Saturday
• 12/18:  It arrives at the hub in Detroit and is due to arrive by the 20th (Wednesday).  So far, so good
• 12/21:  A day late, it makes it to the local post office in Maryland (wrong address), then the tracking is updated to reflect the problem with the address
• 12/27:  Almost a week later it's at that local PO again, then out for delivery.  Again.  What happened in between, including those three business days?  Who knows, but I hope that envelope had a nice Christmas
• 1/5:  Oh, there it is, still at the same PO, where they're still aware the address is wrong
• 1/6:  "Return to sender processed."  Woohoo!  It's heading back my way so I can re-send it with the correct info!
• 1/7:  It makes the journey from Maryland back to Detroit
• 1/8:  "In transit to Destination."  WAT
• 1/9-11:  Yep, it leaves Detroit and returns to Maryland, eventually making its way back to that local PO.  "Moved, left no address" says the tracking.  Yeah, no shit
• 1/12-14:  Now it bounces back and forth between a couple regional distribution centers because reasons
• 1/15-21:  ??????????
• 1/22:  I return home and FINALLY see the envelope on my porch.  I subsequently re-send it to the correct address
• ?/?/2018(?):  Brad receives this package, maybe?

For reference, here's a Google Map with walking directions from my address to Brad's:

I literally (and I do mean literally) could have walked from my house to Brad's and back faster than this.  And if you're curious why I didn't take advantage of USPS's option to intercept a package, my answer is that I refuse to pay for new postage AND a fee when the item should return to me within a week or so, at which point I can redo it myself.  You SUCK, USPS.

Sell cards, buy more cards, repeat:

I'm taking another shot at selling stuff on COMC after putting together the minimum package of 100 cards for a basic submission.  I had fun doing this in the past and had enough stuff I no longer wanted that I thought would return enough to make it worth it, and that's great since one of my favorite things to do is buy on that site.  I'm not mentioning this to get people to buy my stuff (which should pop around mid-March) but instead to bring more awareness to the site especially if anyone new to it has any questions.

Blogger?  More like...Blow-ger?:

Last year I let too many comments pile up without responding to them, got overwhelmed, and gave up.  In order to avoid a repeat of that I'm trying to respond sooner while not worrying about replying via email as well (unless that makes more sense).

However, I do want to make people aware that if I don't reply to your comments reasonably quickly, that's because I'm randomly no longer receiving email notifications when they come in from some of you, meaning I don't see some comments at all until I go back and open up my posts.  I don't know why, but whatever--I'll do my best to reply to those of you who make the effort to read and comment because I really appreciate it.

Coming soon:  a big-ass box:

No doubt many of you took note after Adam (ARPSmith's Sportscard Obsession) put up a post covering his purchase of a huge collection.  I did too and was able to make a deal with him for a few of the complete sets he had available.  That giant box arrived today stuffed with the sets I bought plus lots of Tigers meaning you'll get one or more posts covering the former while the latter will become my first trade package from the Giants fan.  I also sent a big box of stuff his way so maybe you'll see it posted over there soon if USPS deigns to deliver it in a timely fashion, or at all.

Now that I've covered all that it's back to work finishing up the final three Sportlots player posts (including one for TMM), one of which I'm splitting into two posts.  Then I'll be getting around to my late 2017 COMC haul, the stuff from Adam, a likely show haul or two, and eventually, Starting Lineups and more!  Stay tuned, but don't hold your breath, I'm lazy.