Cold Turkey

I'm done.

Not collecting or blogging, but I'm not spending one cent on cards this month. I bought the prize for the October contest back in September and set aside a few dollars to pay for some Rangers from a case break of 2011 Chrome, but I'm not budgeting any money for cards this month.

Things are tight financially right now, but that's ok. It's not a huge deal and probably will be good for me to go a month without busting any packs. That doesn't mean I won't be shipping packages out and that's a good thing since I have 4 waiting to go out right now. Or more likely on Thursday.

It might actually be good for the blog. I'll have to find something to write about that doesn't include my latest discounted blaster.

Unless I find some discounted blasters of 2006-2008 Allen & Ginter.

If that happens, all bets are off.

October Winner

How's that for an original title? Didn't it make you click on the link with such anticipation?

Maybe not. Still, it is a contest and a winner's post must be written.

First off, thanks for the nice comments (mostly) on the 2nd birthday of the blog. It's always nice to read such things from people who take the time to read.

If you were wondering what the 1,2,3 business was about, I bought a 2011 Chrome value pack so I could use the three packs as the prize and was letting you guys and gals determine whether we would have 1,2, or 3 winners. It was pretty close with 1 getting 15 votes, 2 getting 13 votes and 3 getting 14 votes. I know, they weren't really votes since you didn't know why I asked you to pick a number, but 1 was the victor so we'll have one winner who will get the 3 packs from the value pack.

Here is the randomization video:




Congrats to the winner...Baseball Dad from All Tribe Baseball!

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Night off plus a reminder

I'm enjoying a three day weekend, which means I get an extra night off. That means I won't have anything resembling a regular post until Tuesday.

I will close the October contest sometime early Tuesday morning so get in if you haven't already:

http://playattheplatedude.blogspot.com/2011/10/guess-whos-2-and-having-contest.html?m=1

Sorry I can't do a regular link from this stinkin' iPhone.

I'll try to have the randomization up Tuesday morning.

Go Rangers!!

An offline deal for an online card

I was able to trade for every regular Texas Rangers die cut card available on the 2011 Diamond Giveaway site except one. Without getting extremely lucky, I was never going to unlock the one card I needed. Fortunately, I was contacted by reader Jeff who said he had what I needed.

After several emails back and forth, I agreed to send a die cut Hank Greenberg and some other Tigers to Jeff for this beauty:




This picture is from the site since my phone pics couldn't do it justice. The protective film is a little messed up on mine, but I'm inclined to leave it on. I suppose I'll get tired of that eventually and peel it off.

I'm happy to have the whole team set. I'm realistic enough to know I'll probably never get one of the #/60 die cuts and that's ok. I'll consider this set complete!

Thanks Jeff

REMINDER--If you missed my contest post this morning, go get entered!!

Guess Who's 2 and having a contest?

Two years ago I made my first post. I just read it and it mentions that the Rangers had just been mathematically eliminated from the 2009 playoff picture. My my, how things have changed in two years? A World Series appearance in 2010 and a very real shot at another one in 2011. That first post also mentioned a blaster of 2009 Topps Ticket to Stardom. How on earth a blog could start with a blaster of that crap and still be around two years later is beyond me.

I will say that the Rangers have made the playoffs at the end of each of my years of blogging so it's obvious there is some correlation between those two events.

All kidding aside, just as I was amazed on September 1st to be making my 1000th post, I sit here amazed to be celebrating a 2nd blogobirthday. As much as I fully believe that we bloggers must blog for ourselves first, to express whatever is bottled up inside, none of us would do this if no one was reading. So I say thanks to you, the readers, the commenters, the trade partners, the friends, for making blogging fun.

Now, on to the reason most of you clicked on this post. The October contest. I considered doing some type of playoff contest, but there are so many of those going that I want to make this easy and quick. No waiting until the end of the World Series to find a winner around here!

I know you can't wait to leave a long gushing comment wishing me a happy blogobirthday or blogoversary or whatever it is. Or maybe it's a snarky comment. Either way, at the beginning of your comment, put a 1, 2, or 3. You'll find out why at the end of the contest.

An example comment: 2-It's been a good run. Quit while you're ahead.

The prize will be something shiny and awarding said prize will involve random.org, much to the dismay of one of my Canadian friends.

Thanks again and good luck!

Seriously?

Damon and Shoppach?

WTF?!

Game ON!

To revive a Rangers slogan from last season, It's Time!!

None of this...





Lots of this...minus Bengie Molina, Cliff Lee and Chris Davis of course.






GO RANGERS!!!