Getting Bent Over By The USPS

Coffee is as hot and angry as I am this morning.

This just means it's time for a new, rant edition of #CardsOverCoffee.

*takes an angry sip*

Is it just me...or is the USPS having some serious issues in the last couple of months?

Let's see....

• They have lost 4 PWE's I had incoming.
• They made a couple of my PWE's disappear into thin air and then reappear to my recipient 6 to 7 weeks later than expected.
• Mail is slow both receiving and sending
• Some mail has come partially opened
• And finally...the first case of this...damaged mail

This is what happened with my recent mail day trade with blog reader and friend, Oren.

*takes another angry sip*

Not all of my cards were damaged that came from Oren in this trade.

These three 2015 Americana base were fine. I still need to see if I have a complete set of this or maybe more than one. I opened a ton of it.

John McAfee is a businessman and a two-time presidential candidate.

Fans Of The Game of Sam Bradford. If you don't remember Sam, he was mainly known/drafted/played for the Rams from 2010-2014. He was the OROY in 2010.

I don't know who Riff Raff is or his songs, but digging his style.

Bri Baker was a contestant on Master Chef. I like anything that has to do with food, especially food that goes well with coffee.

 

I had to Google Robert Pollard. I had no idea who he was. He is a musician for the group, Guided By Voices. Have never heard of them.

I still haven't watched a single episode of Stranger Things, but sounds like I need to. Mix of 80's nostalgia and monsters.....yup...right up my alley.

 

Lana Turner relic was the surprise of the trade. Oren occasionally throws a blind curveball into our trades. Lana was one of the highest paid actresses in the 1940's. Can't say I have ever seen anything she was in, but this is still a very exciting PC add.

And now...here's the part I get bent over by the USPS. And not in the Matchbox 20 way.

2 cards were badly bent.

And bent so bad they were creased.

And sadly unsavable. I really liked these too!

Thanks USPS. This is sarcasm.

Thanks to Oren for the trade!! This was not sarcasm.

I had to make sure I clarified that because sometimes you can read someone's reaction through a keyboard.

*takes another angry sip before finishing up today's post*

It has gotten so bad with the USPS, that I am now at the point that I worry about anything coming and going from my house. I constantly am checking with people I mail to just to make sure their package or PWE arrived. It shouldn't be like that. It didn't used to be like that. 

Let me know in comments today if you have experienced any of these issues.

Have a great Thursday. And don't let the USPS bite.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Coffee Break:2024 Topps Series 2 Baseball Fat Pack

When the coffee is brewed, I am always in the mood for some coffee, cards and food.

*takes a sip*

That will be about as coordinated I am for rhyming in today's post. It's still early and I am dragging my feet until the coffee hits my belly and the breakfast kicks in. Well, that has to be cooked first to once I decide what it is.

But I do have some exciting news, I got to do one of my favorite things in the hobby!!! I got to open a pack of cards!!!

*takes an excited sip while thinking about what breakfast food is needed*

I recently received a RAK (random acts of kindness) from @RaiderX_GC on Twitter/X where he sent me a package of penny sleeves (I am in desperate need of these) and a Fat pack/Value pack/Hanger pack (whatever you may call it) of 2024 Topps Series 2 baseball.

There are 36 cards to unwrap in one of these packs and my top hope was to pull a Home Field Advantage, but I was also happy to find any non-pitcher rookies and any Jasson Dominguez. 

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

I think for what I was hoping for, I did pretty well. 

I haven't paid a lot of attention to baseball this year, so I didn't really know what rookies I was chasing in Series 2, just wanted to make sure I landed some hitters. Thought I did well here. I will definitely need to fill in some gaps of players I didn't pull as well.

Purple holofoil board falls 1:11 hanger packs and is /799. I don't know who Jose Tena is or if he is even good, but I always appreciate a nice shiny card.

Here's a name I know!

 

I feel this year's design for Stars Of MLB is probably the best looking one they have done so far. Though I do feel this insert line should end soon. They can only keep beating the same dead horse so many times.

 

I do like this Dominguez, however. Probably my favorite card of the pack.

Nothing too big to brag about in this pack, but I did pull a PC card, some rookie cards and a nice looking shiny card so that counts as wins.

Thanks again to @RaiderX_GC for the mail day. It arrived at a time I needed some cheering up, thank you.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post.*

*decides that a bagel is in order for breakfast*

*gets bagel out of freezer to thaw in the microwave, turns back to laptop to finish up post while it's thawing*

I am not sure when or what my next break will be. Just have to go with the wind on this and hope that it's sooner rather than later because I really miss opening up product.

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

*starts to toast bagel*

A Bit Closer

Hello fellow coffee drinkers and card enthusiasts!

*has coffee ready this time, takes a sip*

I am back and have a new post ready for #CardsOverCoffee. 

Today, I am finally showing off a mail day I have had for a while now from a fellow blogging friend.

Jon, from A Penny Sleeve For Your Thoughts blog, read my post on my Laffs pack break (Throwpack Thursday) and scanned the article noticing how I was trying to finish the set. He commented asking if I had numbers for set needs and I replied with them.

Which were,
1,4,30,31,32,33 and 53.

Not much longer after that, I received an email from Jon telling me he had the following help for it,
1,4,32,33,53

Awesome! Every card counts when you are chasing any set and Jon was helping clean up a lot of needs.

Shortly after a few email exchanges to catch up, I received my mail day from Jon which not only had the cards he mentioned were coming, but also a few surprises as well.

First, the set help,

 

 

 

and then the surprises.

 

Jon knows my passion for 90's cards, so he sent along a small one. Literally, a small one.

Anyone who reads this or any of my blogs knows how passionate I am for not only coffee, but Giants football. It's hard to find Giants cards I don't have, but Jon nailed it with three spectacular new ones.

Press Proof die cut /75. Vereen didn't stay too long with the Giants but did have a few nice plays.

Rashad Jennings Rookies and Stars Longevity /25. Jennings played a few seasons for the Giants after playing for the Jags and Raiders. He set a lot of career highs while in blue and the Giants were actually the last NFL team he played for.

I like to think that Kevin Boss was actually responsible for the biggest play in Super Bowl 42 as a rookie when he took a late pass 45 yards setting up the Giants for a game leading touchdown. Overall, he played four seasons for the Gmen and made some great catches along the way. He then went on to play a season in Oakland and KC which were forgettable seasons.

Thanks again to Jon for not only the set needs, but the superb bonuses.

*takes a final sip before closing up today's post*

With just cards 30 and 31 remaining to my Laffs set, I am feeling good about being able to finally finish this one up.

I have said this before, but it really does pay to post set needs. I plan on doing more down the road.

I hope everyone has a great day and drinks plenty of coffee. Or that other stuff you drink.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

600th Cup

 *sits down, listens to the rain falling and thunder rumbling while also keeping an eye on the radar for tornado warnings since we are in watch. sounds like a good time to bunker down for some Cards Over Coffee*

*takes a sip*

*then tips mug towards the screen to give cheers to you for reading this today*

600 posts.

You read that right. This is the 600th time I have posted on here.

I considered using 600th cup for the title, but we all know I have had waaaaaaaaaay more than that while blogging on here.

*takes another sip*

This blog has come a long way since I started it up in 2020 during Covid and there has been plenty of tweaking, re-working, re-imagining this blog along the way. I am trying my best to build something special here and make my sport card blog a little different.

I think for the most part I have done that but I am always up for new suggestions from readers. Yes, you, make a comment on it and no suggestion is a bad suggestion unless you want me to give up coffee. 

Then we will have a problem.

As a celebration for this post other than my coffee, I wanted to show you a sneak peek of what is to come for some future posts.

 

This is my latest haul in a trade with my father. This has been a trade that has been building up for a few months now but since I went through a lot of health problems and he had been busy, we only just recently met up. I have no idea what any of this is other than the fact he knows I like late 90's cards. I have been doing a few blind trades with him recently. I give him whatever he asks for, mainly stuff he can flip, and he gives me a box of stuff he probably doesn't even look at that he acquires from a friend in exchange. Seems like a win all-around.

On top of that, I also acquired a really cool non-sport piece, sadly that didn't turn out as planned. More on that another time. My mom also had grabbed me a football card blaster for a really late birthday gift.

Lots of fun posts to come.

In the meantime, I just wanted to thank all of you who have read either all six hundred posts or just one. It all matters to me.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I know this post is publishing late, but with the heavy rains earlier 

 

the internet was down, and I couldn't hit publish and finish this post until now.

It rained a lot as you can see from my driveway trying to flood but the good news was no tornado action.

Once again, thanks for taking some time out for some #CardsOverCoffee . I truly appreciate you.

*tips mug again, cheers*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Coffee With Charles Martinet

It's another late-night post, which will probably be the only way I can squeeze some in right now, but it works.

I am hoping you can still enjoy a cup of coffee no matter what time you are reading this. I already enjoyed three today myself.

I do have some mail day posts from others to post and wanted to post first, but I didn't have the time for that tonight so wanted to do a quick post instead.

*yawns a little, but is more focused tonight than the last post*

I am sure some of you reading tonight's post title are like, who is Charles Martinet while others are like, oh-I know who that is!

If any of you are gamers or even know the name Mario, I am sure you know who Martinet is. 

He is the original voice of Mario for the Nintendo video games and was Mario from 1991 up until he retired in 2023. The new guy just isn't the same. You can tell the difference.

I remember playing Super Mario Bros with my friend growing up plenty of times and even today, I find myself occasionally playing some Mario Kart or Mario Party when I have free time. Most of that time when I do play it's with and against family.

And I am not that great at it. Nothing I can brag about that's for sure.

But, as with most of my non-sport pickups, its nostalgia driven.

So, when I found out he was on the 2024 Leaf Pop Century checklist, I had to have a copy.

 

And it did not disappoint. Clean signature and a cool Mario drawing that adds a special touch.

This copy is /6. I didn't care if it was numbered or not, I just wanted a copy.

*yawns again before finishing up today's post*

Martinet is one of a few recent autograph additions to my Non-Sport PC. I have been putting a bigger emphasis on adding more non-sports than sports recently.

I can't wait to show those off and the cool cards I got in the mail from others.

More #CardsOverCoffee on the way.

Hope everyone has a great nights sleep...just make sure you read this when you wake up.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Been Busy

It's a little too late for a cup of coffee, but not late enough to try and put a post together.

Or is it?

*yawns, but pushes through*

I wanted to try and get a new post up so you guys wouldn't think I drowned in a cup of coffee or choked on a mini donut hole. Though both of those ways of dying wouldn't be the worst ways to go out.

Instead, I have been really busy with life and life the last few weeks have been full of ups and downs.

First, I had my follow up appointment at my urologist from the kidney stone and stent back in March. Before my appointment, I had an ultrasound done which showed that I may have had an issue from the procedure leading to my kidneys being backed up with fluid. GREEEEEAATTT. More on this later in the post.

Follow that news up a few days later, I had allergies/head cold which led to an ear infection and blocked up right ear. Two antibiotics, nasal sprays, steroid nasal spray, Sudafed, hot bean bags and two and a half weeks later, that is finally healed....well mostly. The ear still has some fluid but definitely back to at least 95% better.

On top of that, I had family coming up from Tennessee and Boston for a graduation and graduation party I hosted.

To say the least, it's been a little busy for me and I just haven't had the time to post.

Which is why this post won't even be an in-depth card post, instead it will be a gallery of some fun pics I have taken the last few weeks.

Enjoy!

 

This chipmunk is super annoying. He steals all of the bird seed from the birds and even broke into my porch, chewed a hole in the lid of a popcorn container I stored the seeds in and ate about a third of it. Grrrr. I brought it all inside now until he finds a new home.

Hopefully you enjoyed the pictures above. Let me know which was your favorite in comments.

My return to some card posts will hopefully be soon. I can't make any promises though. 

With so much happening to me this year, it has come to my attention that I need to start to put more focus into more important things when they present themselves such as spending even more time with family this summer. If that requires me missing out on blogging for a few days, weeks, I am good with that. This is not an approach I took in the past but should have. I am turning more wiser/better with age like a fine cup of coffee. I am actually not sure if coffee is like wine and tastes better with age, but since I don't drink alcohol, this will be my metaphor. 

Also, I never have coffee around long enough for it to age.

*yawns again before finishing up today's post*

Now back to the kidney before I finish up today's post. I saved the best for last. I dealt with stress from the bad follow up news for almost a month until I had my x-ray with dye and bloodwork this past Monday which showed that my kidneys looked good, and I can move forward finally. I don't have another follow up until next June now so hopefully no more kidney stones, so it won't have to be sooner. By far the best news of the year for me and praying this is the turn around my year has been needing.

Another thing of note, if you are up late reading this or maybe just checking it out tomorrow, I want to make sure you wish all of the dad readers out there Happy Father's Day. Dad's play a big role in how the world turns so kudos to all of the Fathers out there.

*yawns, really needs to finish this up*

I have some fun cards to show off from friends Oren and Jon when I come back with new posts among other fun pickups I can't wait to show off.

Stay tuned for more #CardsOverCoffee.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*