Night Owl Cards

Sometimes when I'm dealing with something with which I'm not very familiar, I'll try to relate it to something that I do know, something from my time. This happens a lot these days because the older you get, the less familiar the world is. You'd think it would be just the opposite: you've been on the earth longer than a lot of people, you should be more familiar with it, right? But, no, Alexa is not in my house; I haven't seen Infinity War (it is something you see, right?); and I have never read a single political tweet, no, not even from that guy. So it was when I received a bunch of cards from Josh D. of Royals and Randoms on Christmas Eve. Inside contained a note saying that they were Dodger cards for Christmas, just in case I didn't get any (good thinking, I didn't). The cards were enclosed in wrapping paper. No, it wasn't Christmas wrap. It had dragonflies on it. I just chalked it up to new Christmas wrapping paper that all the kids were...

This is my first card from Topps' Living Set. I think by now everyone knows about this year's online tactic by Topps. Every so often, it issues three cards of current players on the 1953 design for an outrageous price and we're all supposed to whip out our debit cards before the LIMITED SUPPLY DISAPPEARS!!!! I'm too old to play that game. I haven't done it for Topps Now. I'm not doing it for the Living Set. I do not collect cards under a deadline. Fortunately, Ben from Cardboard Icons sent me the Clayton Kershaw Living Set card. Ben's a Red Sox fan and he actually watched the Red Sox clinch the World Series in Dodger Stadium. Feeling extremely sorry for me (as he should) he sent me this card. ... Well, I don't know if he felt sorry for me. He's always been a good egg regardless, sending me cards when I don't expect it. So I have one of these cards now and finally I can give you my feedback that you've been waiting for lo these m...

I have periodically wondered what would happen if I took a long break from this blog. But I have wondered more often why I don't take a long break from this blog. My longest break from Night Owl Cards has been a week. Some consider that remarkable consistency. I consider it more a mix of good fortune, my current period in life, and above all, an incredible drive to write. This is the only outlet that allows me to write on a daily basis, with a modest audience as a bonus. And as I've established many times before, I must write. So, what would cause me to take a large break of say nine months like Julie of A Cracked Bat did recently? I can think of two things: tremendous upheaval in my life or that I received a huge paying job to write somewhere else. Other than that, you're probably stuck with me and this blog for awhile. Sure, incredible boredom could take hold and shut the blog down, but that's not even a remote possibility right now. That's why I am al...

I have gone through many music phases in my lifetime. Radio pop. Radio rock. Progressive rock. New wave. British pop. College radio. Alternative. Canadian alternative. Alternative country. '50s blues. '60s soul. Female blue-eyed soul. Late '90s pop/dance. Turn of the century garage rock. '70s songwriters. Southern-fried rock. Retro arena rock. Electronic. And, finally, Whatever The Kids Are Playing These Days. But it all began with one music obsession. And while once I was too embarrassed to admit it, I am no longer. It was the Electric Light Orchestra. ELO. If you grew up in the '70s, you know all about ELO. It was a grown-up rock group that kids could appreciate. It was big, bright, melodic and featured goofy songs like "Diary of Horace Wimp" and "Mr. Blue Sky" that would appeal to any child. But even though it was hugely popular in the late '70s, ELO never had any cred in the rock world. When the band was at its height, Randy Newman...