It started off with a tweet by everyone's favorite Night Owl, who inquired about people running a card blog and actively trading on the Trading Card Database website. Well, I had to chime in on this one, because for the last year and a half the TCDB has been in my wheelhouse.
How do I do both he asked. If you've read this blog for the past 19 months, you'll know exactly how.
I've combined the two. Using the trades I've made to keep the blog going. The site has really helped me "focus" my collection, largely by helping me keep want lists up to date. I did that relatively well over the years on the blog, but a lot of times I found that I wound up with cards I didn't need via blog trades because folks sent me stuff that I already had, but hadn't marked off on the want lists here.
That's pretty much been eliminated by using TCDB.
I tweeted with a couple of people that have had negative experiences on the site, either from rude traders (not everyone is good on any trade site, unfortunately), or from having difficulty navigating the site.
I've run into rude people on the site, it happens. I try not to be that guy.
On the other hand, the navigation I've learned the hard way. Trial and error. Clicking and figuring out what happens when I do stuff on the site. It's been fun at time. I've cursed at my computer screen so loud sometimes that my wife asks me what's going on.
So far, using the website has helped me do something I thought would never happen. Get my collection more organized. It was a mess, a bloody mess. It's still not totally together, but at least the several thousand cards I have for trade are in a place where I can find them easily. That is a win for me.
The best part of this whole post was just relaying that I had a conversation (real or imagined) about the hobby I love, with several other collectors. I don't get that very often, so when I do I enjoy it as much as possible.
Hence this evenings post....
Enjoy the hobby!!
Robert
Yes, talking baseball cards is fun. Well...except if remembering cards you once had and wish you still had.
ReplyDeleteI escaped Twitter, peeking only now and then these days. It was a huge time suck for me. TCDB has been a huge asset to my collection. I have never been so organized! I still have 30% to go as far as entry but my wantlist is current. Glad you're having fun with it!
ReplyDeleteI get into hobby conversations all the time on Twitter ... it helps drown out the other stuff.
ReplyDeleteMaybe get your blog want lists in line if only for bloggers like me who have no idea what your TCDB want lists look like! That should be a little incentive!
I actually do have them fairly up to date. I don't have every set I'm after on the list, but the ones I do have on there I've kept up with.
DeleteI saw that conversation too and it was very interesting. I even encouraged Matt of Cards Over Coffee to give TCDb another try. Yes, entering cards in your collection, trade lists and want lists is very time-consuming but the resulting trades are pretty gratifying too. Since joining TCDb in 2018, I've gradually gotten more involved there by heading up a TCDb fantasy baseball league, running an MLB Opening Day Pick 'em contest and of course uploading scan of cards.
ReplyDeleteBetween writing posts and reading other posts, I barely have enough time to organize my collection. So trading and updating my TCDB account probably won't happen anytime soon. I'm guessing it'll happen right around the time I figure out how to enjoy hobby conversations on Twitter ;D
ReplyDelete