2012 resolutions…How did I do?

In 2012, I sent five “Collecting Resolutions” for myself. And there’s nothing like a little public disclosure to keep myself honest.

To reiterate, my 2012 goals were:

1. Avoid retail packs en masse
2. Deal with empty boxes and wrappers
3. Check all sets when I receive them
4. Don’t be a hoarder
5. Complete these @#$% sets already

So, how did I do?

Avoid retail packs en masse
During the 2012 calendar year, I bough very few retail packs. If memory serves correct, all I bought was one blaster box (containing 14 retail packs), 1 “fat pack” and 4 “fat boxes.” All were from 2012-13 O-Pee-Chee, which was a set I was actively pursuing. Add it up, and that’s about $65 worth of retail packs. Not bad for a 12-month cycle. Verdict: WIN

Deal with empty boxes and wrappers
When I buy boxes and packs, I usually keep the box top and 4 wrappers to put with the set I build. But I’ve always been bad about dealing with them, so they tend to pile up. Looking around my “room of hockey” right now,  I see about a half-dozen empty boxes, as well as wrappers here and there that need to find a home. So, I’m doing better than last year, but not as good as I can be doing. Verdict: LOSS

Check all sets when I receive them
I’ve been diligent about this. I’ve checked every complete set as soon as I got it, and none of them were missing cards. Of course, if they were, I’d tell the seller right away because I’m checking right away, and not a week (or a month) after the fact. Verdict: WIN

Don’t be a hoarder
I tend to “collect” multiple copies of the same exact card. And by “collect” I really mean “hoard.” In most cases, I really need only one, or perhaps two, copies of the same card. But not 10. I should spend that money on cards I actually don’t have. However, I decided to allow myself to hoard Jeremy Roenick rookies. So, I’m still hoarding, but it is just one card (well, actually 10 different cards if you count all the different brands). Verdict: Draw

Complete these @#$% sets already
Throughout 2012, I “killed off” 23 different sets. Part of it was due to the generosity of those participating in the “One Card Challenge” back in September. I also completed some sets even if it meant overpaying a bit for a card, such as paying 25 or 50 cents for a “5-cent card,” just so I could finish the set and move on to something else. Verdict: WIN

So, I had a record of 3-1-1 for my 2012 Collecting Goals. I’m happy with that.

Now, time to draw up my goals for 2013.

Author: Sal Barry

Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk View all posts by Sal Barry