Happy Place, this exit

I am backlogged on posts, and I can't wait to show them.  However the last couple days haven't been the best.  Some things you can control and some you can't.  The faster I accept that, the happier I'll be.  Not to bog everyone else down with all that's bothering me, one I do care to mention is my computer is acting up.  Technically, both my computers have had issues lately.  The desktop wouldn't allow me to log in.  After letting it sit for a couple weeks, I tried to fix it myself.  It turns out it was a simple fix, but one I didn't want to do because I thought it would risk all the contents of my computer.

My desktop has quite a lot of stuff on it, but the only thing I cared about is the pictures on it.  Most of them were of my sister and while I have pictures of her when she was younger, I had less photos of her in the digital age except what she took.  When she passed, I got all the pictures and data that I could off her computers and such and its all on my desktop.  I have nothing real trustworthy to back it up on but hope to get an external hard drive soon.  Everything else I have on the desktop I could bear to lose (even the tons of music, which I have rebuilt many times from).

The day after I fixed the desktop with no worries, my laptop started acting up.  I still haven't figured it out yet, but it had a glitch that caused it to restart at the same time two days in a row.  After the restart it said it couldn't find the hard drive.  The first day I freaked out, and just turned it off.  I let it sit 45 minutes and turned it on again.  It worked fine after that until the next morning.  Then it did the same thing.  I turned it off again and tried it again and it worked fine.  The next day I figured I would turn it off before the restart would happen.  I had it off a few hours and turned it back on and it has been fine since.  This morning it was on at the time previous malfunctions took place, but since I wasn't using it, nothing seemed to happen.

It is still under warranty I think and from what I gathered, it could just be a wire isn't connecting right or something.  I backed all my data up (onto the desktop) so if something does happen, it won't sting as much, but I would hope for better results for a computer less than two years old.

Okay, you didn't come here to hear me whine.  I have plenty more if you do, but instead I want to go to my happy place.  It is a place where my mind is taken off of what is bothering me and onto things that... you know, make me happy.  As it turns out, I scanned stuff recently, and this gives me a chance to clean stuff up, bonus happy place!

I was saving these for a future Maddux Mania post, but now is a good time as any.  I've likely shown most of them off before, but they deserve more exposure.  I have been pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get most of Maddux's rookies.  The Fleer one I got years ago as part of the entire update set for under $5 shipping included off ebay.  The Donruss ones I got last year fairly cheap.  The Dick Perez one was another one I got last year, I had my eye on it for months when it finally got cheap enough for my liking. The Pinnacle Mint one I've had for quite a while, I forgot how I got it.  It might have been a holdover from my original collection I sold off in the early 2000's (I only kept a couple cards).  One of my favorite Maddux cards is the 300th win card.  It is one that I think every Maddux collector should get, and its fairly cheap.  The last card I only included because I wanted a card to be shown from every team he was on.

I have about 150 Maddux cards and still have a long ways to go but my future goals are a relic card, an autographed card, and something from his minor league days.  They are a little out of my price point at this time, but it is something I hope to get soon.

When I got back into collecting, I wanted anything cheap.  I found some team boxes of football cards on ebay, and bid.  I won a box of Oilers/Titans cards (which I got in hopes of Steve McNair cards) and a box of Rams cards (because hey, I live in Missouri, might as well have some Rams stuff).  Today I don't collect any Titans players (unless they have Mizzou connections), and collect very few Rams cards.  These four cards came from the Rams box though, and I was very happy with them.  That is the only Rosey Grier card I have, and its a nice one to have. The three Deacon Jones cards are also not to have too.  I forgot who it is (I didn't scan the backside) but the pinkish one has another legend on the back, possibly Joe Namath.  While I missed the glory days of both, I still see the Brady Bunch episode with Deacon Jones on it from time to time on TV.  That does put a smile on my face sometimes.

Let me start with the Rolen.  I think I got it in the 20 pack boxes found at Walmart (at least they used to have them).  It was a nice pull, but to be honest, I never was a big Rolen fan.  Nothing against him, but since I never rooted for the Cardinals, I never thought much about him.

However, I was very excited to pull the Jaime Garcia card.  It was a combination of it being a minor league card, he was doing good at the time I pulled it, and the fact that it was an actual Springfield Cardinals card made me happy.  I have always been a fan of his as a result of pulling this card, and I think the only way to convert me into a Cardinals fan is by way of the Springfield Cardinals.  It would never happen, but I've thought of moving to Springfield, and if I did, I would be a fan of their team.  I could still root for the Royals in the majors, but in the minors I tend to root for almost every team.

One of the few Cardinals I do root for currently is Kolten Wong.  I'm not real sure why, but the first time I heard of him, I liked him.  When I found this card dirt cheap on COMC last year I jumped on it.  I hope he becomes a megastar, and I think he is well on his way so far.

I always liked Chipper Jones, so when I pulled this card I was pretty excited.  He never was a PC guy for me, but I will admit I do have a relic, and also a couple of his rookies, so it would be pretty easy for me to start one of him.  Maybe one day as my collection progresses I will start one, but for now having a few of his cards will suffice.

Time for the final card now.  I admit, I feel a bit better now, but still not in the mood of doing much.  In fact besides winning a few Listia auctions earlier today, my weekend has not turned out too great.  But time to have a positive outlook, and check out this final card.

Clayton Kershaw is another guy I don't have a PC of, and I doubt I start one for him.  He's a great pitcher but I don't think I care about starting a PC for every guy that is great.  Even if I did, it would be pointless because I'd never make headway.  I pulled this in a pack of cards one day and was pretty happy.  I think I was most happy with the color of the "workout jersey".  One of my favorite colors have always been orange, so this was cool to have.  While I consider myself more of a base card collector, I will always be happy to pull a relic or insert card (unless its A.J. Pierzinski, then I might throw up uncontrollably and figure out how to write a new Happy Place post).

As I've started this blog, I've thought about maybe trading this card to someone, but I'm not quite sure if I want to part with it yet.  For now it will stay in my binder until I decide it is time to move on.

As I'm finishing this up, I'm hearing the Royals have just acquired Johnny Cuerto from the Reds.  If the rumors are true as what we gave up, I'm not real sure I'm happy with the trade.  However I also was against the Zack Greinke trade (almost to a point where I thought of ending my Royals fandom, I wised up quickly), and that turned out ok for KC.  In fact, most of Dayton Moore's trades have turned out well.  Time will tell if this was worth it, for now I will be skeptical.  The names being thrown around are John Lamb and Brandon Finnegan.  Part of me hopes Finnegan isn't included, but baseball is a business, and as sad I would be, if it makes sense, then I wish all the former Royals the best of luck.

After writing all this, I can't say I'm happy, but I have calmed down a bit, and I realize some things I can control, others I can't.  All I can do is do my best to make sure the best outcome occurs.  Sorry for making your day gloomy, but writing soothes me, and writing this helped.  For the record, my health and my family's health is all okay (except for my cat, who I'm worried about), its other things that are bothering me.

Thanks for reading, and hope everyone has a great day/night/week.