The Cure for Sitting and Moaning

2011 Topps Commemorative
Patch #TLMP-RH

I see the light at the end of the tunnel now.
Someone please tell me it's not a train.
- Cracker, "I See the Light," 1992

I'm not going to lie to you.  It's been a brutal winter, and the last few weeks have taken their toll on my mental health.  On an annual basis, this is most likely the busiest 3-week period at work for me and it's more likely than not (inside joke) I'm working 12+ hour days and at least one day on the weekend.  My Dad was doing better for a stretch and then we ended up taking him back to the hospital yesterday afternoon.  My gas gauge is pointing to E, and there have been days when I've been seriously tempted to just sit and moan.

If not for my family and friends, the daily Spring Training reports from Clearwater, and Phillies baseball cards received in the mail from fellow bloggers, this post may just have been a bunch of self-centered whining.  Instead, I'm pleased to bring you highlights from recent magical bubblelopes that have appeared in my mail box over the past week.

2010 Topps Chrome Purple
Refractors #127

Ron from Section 36 recently pulled this manufactured patch card from a 2011 Topps blaster, and he was kind enough to set it aside for me.  This is only my second manufactured patch card, and I can't decide if I like these or not.  It's definitely a cool card, but I'm not sure how to store the thing and I have no idea what Roy Halladay and the 1950 Phillies have in common.  Ron sent a few other Phillies cards for my collection, including this shiny purple card of current Washington Nationals' outfielder Jayson Werth.  This is the first shiny purple baseball card in my collection.  Again, it's definitely a cool card, and I'm happy to have it, but I don't get why some collectors go ape-poop over these things.  Conclusion:  I will need to obtain more Phillies manufactured patch cards and shiny purple baseball cards in order to form a more informed opinion.

I also received a package from Jason from The Writer's Journey.  (Jason - Your package was mailed today.)  In one of our e-mail exchanges arranging the trade, Jason had mentioned that he had "tried to pull a bunch of oddball stuff," which immediately piqued my interest.  True to his word, his package contained a wide variety of Phillies cards from the '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s.

1978 Topps #271, 1988 Topps Stickers #125, 1988 Topps Stickercards #5, 2005 Upper Deck Past Time Pennants #67

The '78 Topps Randy Lerch card goes into my '70s Phillies binder as I inch closer to completing the '78 Topps Phillies team set.  The smaller cards of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt and new Phillies third base coach Juan Samuel are from the 1988 Topps Stickers set.  Somehow, this set has eluded my collection all these years.  And finally, it's rare for me to come across a Richie Ashburn card I've never seen before, but Jason sent this card (along with a Jim Bunning card) from the 2005 Upper Deck Past Time Pennants set.  I can honestly say I did not know this set even existed until viewing these cards.

Thanks again to Ron and Jason.  Your cards arrived at the perfect time and they helped to stave off a bout of sitting and moaning for the foreseeable future.