Not resolutions. Not goals. But maybe guidelines?

I've never been a big New Year's Resolution guy. I've always felt that if you need to make a change, you do it, and don't need the flip of the calendar to get a kick in the pants. However, I'm not against them, as I do realize some need a finite date to hit the re-set button.

I've also never been a blog/hobby goals type. I just don't need the extra pressure, and I don't want to feel like I need to grade myself on anything.

So with that, I'll give myself a few "guidelines" with no real round numbers attached. Just a few things that would be cool to achieve, and if I do, I do. And if I don't, no biggie.

1. Scale back my collection

I like having a big Yankees collection, but it has grown so large it feels really unfocused at times. Most of that is just because of dupes. I'd like to sort through dupes and move them, preferably in one large lot. I feel like a few thousand Yankees cards for $100 or so on an online marketplace will be doable.

2. Buy another Craigslist collection

Hey, that's very counter-intuitive to #1. But the hobby is about fun, and I've had a great time with the two I bought in 2019.

It was a lot of work, but I did flip the first for a hefty profit by breaking it up, and I'll flip the second for a profit once I go through it all (picture above). But it's not about that. I almost look at it as "borrowing" a book from the library, but as a collection. Basically, I buy some box boxes of unwanted cards, have a great time looking through them, keep the ones I want, and re-sell the ones I don't.

It's great fun, if you've got the time and find a good deal. And it's a good way to stay involved in the hobby in a different way.

3. Stop sending TTMs

I'm not sure how realistic this is, but I've really lost the enthusiasm for TTM-sending. Maybe I'll catch the bug again, but between dwindling spring training success rates and the recent post from Max Muncy about what he felt like was an invasion of privacy, it's got me re-thinking it a bit.

I'll still send out some 2020 Topps for my Topps Yankees Project though.

4. Get my crafts out there, and maybe start selling some of them

On Twitter, I've teased my bookmarks and coasters quite a bit, but have never really taken that next step. I did take a mini-step by sending a few bookmarks out this past December to Fuji, Rod, and Napkin Doon. Maybe I'll get that all up and running.

5. Stay focused on TCDB

It's a great place to trade, if that's something that appeals to you. It's nice to easily move excess cards for one or two I want, and I've really grown my Gleyber collection because of it. Not the blog trading can't do this, but there's less "here are all the cards of your team for all your cards of my team."

Find me HERE on TCDB if you're on it.

6. Invest in more stocks, and less cardstocks

I know that's silly and not really hobby-related, but it's also true. I have fun with some of my robo-investing apps like Acorns and Stash, and I think I'd rather put a few bucks at a time into the stock market versus the card market. So I'd like to be better about buying stocks/investing than buying $20 blasters that return about 60 seconds of fun while opening them, and then that's it.

(Tip: Acorns invests 1% of every eBay purchase into your investment account, so if you're making these purchases anyways, might as well get some of it back.)

On second thought...

Maybe these are goals. Or maybe they are resolutions. I don't know. But I won't be bummed if none of them are achieved. I guess if I'm still writing a post like this next year and the blog is still ticking, then 2020 will be a success.