Oh, By The Way... 10 Years!

 So there's another anniversary I missed...

This blog has been going on for ten years. I can't believe it.

Here's my first post. February 10, 2011.

The first year of blogging, I wasn't working, so I had plenty of time to devote to finding and writing about cards. And boy did I ever - I published 614 posts that year. Many of those weren't exactly Pulitzer Prize-worthy. Okay, none of my posts are. But there were a lot of simple pack-opening posts mixed in with posts focused on actual thoughts and topics.

Since January 2012, I've been living in Japan and working full time, and the majority of my posts since then have focused on Japanese cards. Let's face it, it's easier to get Japanese cards in Japan than to get American cards. My posting has been nowhere near as consistent as it was that first year. 2012 saw 122 posts, 2013 had 93, 2014 was my biggest other than 2011 with 288 posts. 2015 saw 107 while 2016 had only 30. I got back into it a bit in 2017 (187) but only posted 135 times in 2018, just 48 times in 2019, and only 59 times in 2020.

The funny thing is this: there are plenty of things I can post about. There are plenty of things I want to post about. I've acquired some amazing cards in the past year or so, and plenty more in the past ten years, that never made it to the blog. Life gets in the way of my life in cards.

Working definitely takes away my time. Sightseeing and exploring Japan takes away my time. I devoted a lot of time to Pokemon Go (semi-regrettably). That 2016 year? My grandmother passed away and I started the position I have now. That was a rough year but it also meant the start of a great new part of my life.

So I've faded in and out of blogging. But I've stuck with cards the whole time. Even if I'm not writing, I am thinking about the blog. And I'm still reading everyone else's blogs, even if I don't comment more than about once a month at best. I've been following the baseball card subreddit, too, which is an interesting place to be.

Hopefully, this year, I can semi-keep up with posting. I picked up a new portable scanner, and I might start carrying it with me when I'm working away from home. Actually, I am in such a situation now, and that portable scanner is right here in front of me. Hopefully, having easier access to a scanner will help me be more active here. As you can see, I have pumped out five posts in a row before today. (Yeah, I go in spurts. We'll see.)

For those who have stuck with me through these past ten years, thank you! This blog has always been about me sharing my favorite hobby with the world, and knowing there are people out there who enjoy at least some of my posts makes it that much more meaningful. Now, back to work!