Saturday, November 16, 2024, Grant County 4-H Center, Marion, INI get a lot of comments that I am nuts for driving all over the country for shows. In my view, you are all nuts for NOT driving all over the country for shows because it is fun!It is definitely more fun when I sell a lot of cards and/or make a nice buy at a show. The Marion show was not all that fun but you live and learn.The promoter Jerry Hoss is a super nice guy who treated me very well but this show just does not draw muc ..read more

Saturday-Sunday, November 9-10, 2025, Eastgate Mall, Cincinnati, OHI have been to Cincinnati many times and have set up at the Moeller show, Sharonville, and Dayton. So I have become familiar with the city and its sports card collectors -- I even bring out a binder of Reds cards whenever I set up in the area.I have come to realize that I really like Cincinnati and by the most part, the collectors there treat me like family. This was my first time set up at the Eastgate Mall and I had a ve ..read more

The first three days of the 2024 National were excellent for both buying and selling. However, once the weekend hit, everything came to a standstill for me. There was a huge crowd on Saturday, but hardly anyone was interested in my stuff. Sales were abysmal on Saturday, unlike the 2023 National in Rosemont where my sales were outstanding. I don't quite understand it. I was on a pace to set a new record for sales this year but Saturday changed all that. I was soooo disappointed.With little happen ..read more

Okay, okay, okay! I heard you!!Sorry, I just have not been able to get the blog done. I'm not feeling so great and I am really busy.Day 3 of the National was my best day of the show. I was busy in waves. At one point, I had six or seven cards out of my cases to six or seven different people. Trying to keep track of the cards and the people was difficult. Thankfully, nobody walked off with anything. Actually, I did not hear about any thefts other than the numbnut dealer who left a big bag of cash ..read more

Thursday, July 25, 2024, I-X Center, Cleveland, OhioSorry, I fell way behind on the blogs. I had hoped to blog every night at the National but I was just too exhausted after the show each night. Then I came home with COVID. Then I had to prepare for the Oak Creek show. So, I've been exhausted, sick, and busy. I'll try to catch up.On the morning of Day 2, Dave and I somehow found the will power to leave our luxury suite and ventured over to I-Hop for breakfast. Afterwards, I plugged the I-X Cente ..read more

Wednesday, July 24, 2024, I-X Center, Cleveland, OHAfter a lousy night's sleep in our deluxe luxury hotel suite, Dave and I ventured toward Downtown Cleveland around 8 a.m. Our destination -- Slyman's Deli. We have been talking about Slyman's ever since we first set up at the Strongsville show 15 years ago. Well, we finally made it there and Slyman's did not disappoint.The deli was opened in the mid-1960's in an old neighborhood lined with old, tall houses and dotted with Victorian warehouses an ..read more

Monday, July 21, 2024, Road to the National The National is a five-day show -- Wednesday through Sunday. Normally, I set up on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, I am now a little infirm and can't handle setting up Wednesday morning then remain open for business through 8 p.m. So, I paid an extra $100 for the privilege of setting up on Tuesday, something I have never done before. Dave and I planned to leave Monday around noon and arrive in Cleveland around dinner time, relax, then head over to the Convention Center Tuesday morning for set up. As it always seems to go, I had to get some w ..read more

Sunday, July 21, 2024, Civic Center, Orland Park, IL I was set up and ready to go around 8:30 a.m. this morning. Not much doing in the room yet. Made me a little nervous. Late-arriving crowd. I just sat behind my tables for a while waiting for something to happen. All at once I was busy. People at my tables, going through cards, cracking jokes, talking sports, the National, traveling... all sorts of stuff. Like Madison yesterday, I was busy in Orland early. Seems like all my sales came before noon. I sold a lot of stuff. Thank you everybody!! One of my early sales was to former White Sox an ..read more

Saturday, July 20, 2024, Sheraton Hotel, Madison, WI I made sure I set my alarm to 5 a.m., not 5 p.m. like last month. I only hit snooze once. It was slow goin' this morning. I'm just not a morning person. I was on the road to Madison my 6:20 a.m. Much more traffic than usual. I stopped at a Thorton's for gas near Beloit and paid $3.59 a gallon. All the gas stations near my house in the far north suburbs of Chicago are over $4 a gallon. I also purchased a cup of coffee and a doughnut. I know, I know. I should not eat doughnuts. I took some insulin before I left home so I thought I was okay ..read more

Saturday, July 13, 2024, IBEW Local 364, Rockford, IL I can't remember the last time I was set up in Rockford. Seems like it has been a while. Anyway, good to be back.  I was set up around a bunch of friendly faces. Tommy M. was on my left; Kurt, who just moved back to Wisconsin from Seattle, was on my right; Ray A. was set up across from me; Nelson and son were behind Kurt; and I have known the dealer behind me for years but, of course, I have forgotten his name. Also set up near me were long-time pals Skip and Phil. It was a real pleasant day with this group.  Thanks guys!! I b ..read more