The Thrill Of Card Collecting-CONTEST ENTRY

[MasonRaymond0320]

By Andrew Farn aka MasonRaymond0320

I recently found Sportscardforum.com last year, and have had the best time of my life collecting, trading, and spending my cash on cards of players that I admire. It is always heart warming when you see a hint of yellow in the mailbox after a hard day at school/work. But the best part of card collecting is probably the people that make this hobby so much fun, the people that will trade you a card because they know that it will make a home in your personal collection.

When I first joined Sportscardforum.com, last July of 2009, I was just like a lost dog. I was completely perplexed because I knew absolutely nothing about collecting, knew no one that collected, and knew no one on Sportscardforum.com. Well, I started replying to other member's show and tell threads and began slowly making friends. I remember making friends with a few of the other fellow Mason Raymond collectors on here, and would occasionally chat with them.

During my holidays a few months ago, I would be on SCF probably 3-4 hours each day looking for special deals, and replying to show and tell threads. One of the members invited me into the live chat, in which you basically instant message back and forth. I had went into the live chat possibly once before, but there had been no one in there. I went in there, and had a great time...listening to someone’s box break, and chatting about hockey, and hockey cards in general.
I had loved that live chat experience, and started asking other people if they would like to chat. Soon enough, I got a group of people together and we would have a blast each night in the live chat. This summer has been no different. I have gathered groups of people together, and I have been able to make quite a few friends because of the live chat feature, while chatting, and trading. This is why I love the hobby so much. The groups of friendly people make this hobby exciting, and passionate.

Aside from the people, the second best feeling in this hobby is when you receive mail. I know that each day during school, I am looking up at the clock or at my watch waiting for the day to tick by, so I can check the mailbox. When all there is in the mailbox, is advertisements, and bills...and no bubble mailer, I always have this gut wrenching feeling knowing that I was so excited about checking the mailbox, and there was nothing.
But you get the opposite feeling when you do receive something special, such as a package of cards or a TTM autograph from your favourite player. When I get something in the mail, I always feel like screaming for joy. It is definitely one of the best feelings ever.

Another topic that I would like to touch on is the chase. I know that for me, if I like a specific card that I want for a set or for my player collection, I will be looking on Ebay or the Sportscardforum boards for it. It is always rewarding once you obtain that specific card. That is another joy of collecting...it keeps you occupied instead of sitting around wondering what to do all day.
One last topic that I would like to talk about is box/pack opening. I have never really busted much just because I can never afford it. But when I do get a chance to bust, it is always fun, amusing, and I am always eager to get home after I leave the hobby shop with a pack or two. I remember my first box that I opened up was a retail box of Upper Deck Ice. I was so excited when to get home. I busted that box open only to find out that that box had all base cards in it. That was a huge disappointment, and I have never touched an Upper Deck Ice retail box again. But when you get a few hobby packs, you are just hoping for the best. It is the ‘not knowing what to expect’ feeling which makes pack/box busting so thrilling.
The friends/people in this hobby, the mail received each day, the chase of cards for your personal collection, and the box/pack breaking is what makes this hobby the best, and definitely the most unique!

[HammerHawks]

LOVE it Andrew!!!

"I always have this gut wrenching feeling knowing that I was so excited about checking the mailbox, and there was nothing."

Classic, this is how I feel about 80% of the days of the year, haha!

[WilyWestbrook0]

Posted!

https://www.sportscardforum.com/artic...rd-collecting/