doG sI kcivraH

When you hear twins, what comes to mind? The Olsen twins? Doublemint twins? Danny Devito & Arnold Scwarzeneggar?

For me, I think about not 1, but 2 sets of twins that are near and dear to my heart.

Bear with me if this gets long and drawn out, I want to do them both justice.

They both were and are instumental in changing my life.

The year is 1992, and I am 10 yrs. old and a year removed from moving to the villiage of Oneida, PA (pop. 219!) and am just trying to make some friends. I befriended a boy named Speedy, who happened to be about 3 years younger than I, but he was one of the few other kids in town. I would go over his house and wait for him to finish his chores or whatever he was doing. He was the 4th of 5 children and the only boy in the family. His next oldest sister, Leila, was in my class, but wasn't a very nice person. He also had 2 twin sisters, Cyndi & Jackie, who were 2 years older than I was. It was them who I ultimately ended up being very close to.

As I would wait for them in the living room on pretty much a daily basis, I was stuck talking to their parents, who were very nice, but had 2 MAJOR flaws: 1) they listened to that AWFUL country music, and 2) they only ever talked about NASCAR, UGH!

Well, of course I was better than that. I never listened to that crud on the radio and I followed the REAL sports!!! Well, days and months go by and all of a sudden I find that I am now going home and watching CMT and TNN (for anyone who remembers when it was The Nashville Network). All of a sudden I start watching races on a weekly basis and I am hooked!! It also didn't hurt that I was now becomming best friends with Cyndi, a diehard Dale Earnhardt fan! All of a sudden, I found myself rooting for the intimidator! In 1994, we joined the Dale Earnhardt fan club (I still have the patch from it), and was finding myself buying Garth Brooks cassettes as well as other singers. My life was changed! However, they say all good things must come to an end. In 2001, Dale Sr. died and I became the Kevin Harvick fan I am today, Cyndi chose Dale Earnhardt Jr. Oh well LOL.

I am still very good friends with them to this day, and I couldn't imagine where I had been if it weren't for that entire family, especially them.

So now I am hooked on NASCAR and country music.

Thank you Cyndi & Jackie Bankes!!

I had always collected cards, and in 2004 I bought my first racing pack-2004 VIP and pulled a Matt Kenseth 2004 Press Pass Signings Gold #30/50! It was months before I realized it was a gold auto! I was pumped. Well, before long, I started buying boxes and a friend suggested that I join a trading site-Sports Card Sheriff! I was VERY lenient about the aspect of trading my cards away, but I gave it a shot! THANKS ERNIE!!

I believe it was after a couple weeks there where I learned about this young Brian Vickers fan who I knew was wanting a card that I had, but had nothing in return for me. I also learned, through her website, that she was about to have some surgery done. One of my character flaws is that I am a very caring person, and if there is something I can do to make someone happy, I will! So, what can I do to help her recover. Hmmm, she seems like a sweet girl, I think I'll send this card to her to cheer her up. From that day on, I was hooked!! Hooked into card collecting, hooked into trading, hooked into helping others!!

Days and weeks and months and years passed! I went from SCS to STC to SCF!

Now, we all have people who we absolutely love to deal with on here, and some that we become friendly with. I feel like I hit the jackpot!

Of course, this girl I found out happened to also be a twin. It wouldn't be years until I actually talked to her sister for the first time, other than that I believe it was her who actually gave me the address of where to send that Brian Vickers Sample all the way back in those SCS days.

Well, it is amazing how times change. All of a sudden that girl I sent that card to many years ago is now one of my best and closest friends! Her sister, she is a very special friend as well.

I can't imagine, now, a day without talking to them, without sharing ideas with them, helping through their difficult days, sharing in their accomplishments. They have also been there for me through some of my darkest days, to pick me up when I am down, to show me that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. Everyday, when I wake up with a "Good Morning, BFF" I can't help but smile.

I have learned, through them, that this site is SO much more about cards, it is about people. It's really hard for me to think about this place as anything BUT a large extended family, and it is people like them that drive that feeling in me!

I am glad to be a part of a great site, glad to have made so many friends here, but most of all VERY proud that I have a pair of extrememly great people in my life who I can call my best friends!

Thank you Ashley & Shayne Goedel!!!