Another 2012 goal bites the dust, my 500th post.

Post # 500 has arrived.  Boy, a lot has happened over the first 499 posts.

• I've made a lot of friends in the blogosphere and completed a lot of trades.
• I've posted quite a lot about my favorite teams (Blue Jays & Leafs), and also completed a few posts about my favorite player (Joe Sakic)
• I've run a few contests that have had some decent turnouts.
• I've had a few posts that have rang out (poor slang, I know) in the blog world (write what you want dammit...)
• I've seen a lot of new blogs start, and I've seen some veteran bloggers leave or take extended breaks away from blogging.

It's that last point that I will discuss more here on post #500.  First off, I have to say this to everyone.

I really do enjoy this.  I try to let the enjoyment I have for writing, and for our hobby, show in my writing.  Yes, I do at times get very negative and surly.  Part of that stems from the current mood that I may be in.  I am human after all.  The point I'm trying to make is that in general, this is a great hobby, and writing about it has only enhanced my enjoyment 100 times over.  There have been a select few that have even taken the time to express their appreciation for what I have written by telling me as such in an email.  That always means a lot to me, thank you.

I am also spoiled by all of you.  I can turn on my computer, head on over to blogger, and look at a myriad of blogs that cover a variety of topics, all about card collecting.  Keeps me off of the streets....

I enjoy watching new blogs start, or finding blogs that may have been writing for a couple of months already.  It's great seeing new people "come out of the woodwork" and start writing about cards.

It's also great seeing the veteran bloggers allow us a little glimpse into their lives, their histories, their interests outside of cards.  I've even seen two of my favorites allow us even deeper into their lives by sharing their health issues.  Right out there in the open, for the whole world to see.  I hope to use them as a model over my next 500 posts and expose a little more of myself to you all (don't go there......).

It's also been sad to see some of the bloggers that had been around for a while leave the blog world.  Interests change, lives change, whatever the reason, sometimes people have to move on.  To those who took the time to explain to us, the blogosphere, the reasons you were leaving, I profoundly say thank you.  Closure is good, whatever the reason. 

Now, one thing that you must know about me is that I don't stick with things over time, which is why I'm not making a big to do about 500 posts.  If you see me get to 3 years/1000 posts, you'll know that I'm truly serious about keeping this blog going. 

I hope that you will continue to read my insanity...maybe over the next 500 posts I'll be able to explain to you why this might be the best name ever to appear on a hockey card.

How many people do you know named after the highest point in the sky?

As always, thank you very much for reading, Robert