Quitting The Hobby- Moving On- No More Vinny, Perry, Etc

Carlos,

Sorry to see you go from the hobby, but glad you still plan on sticking around the boards. I can totally relate to what you're feeling, I had some serious reflection to do a few weeks ago when I realized I bid on a card because I felt I had to, not because I wanted to. I've also felt the dread of new products, and been relieved to see checklists without my players, so I know how you feel - heck that's why most of my player collections are dead, and I expect Kurri isn't far behind. I'll be waiting for releases and then just deciding what cards I like and want to chase, I'm hoping that'll keep it fun.

As for selling the collections, personally I just couldn't do it, and that's why I'm still just filling in the gaps for the player collections I had going, just not adding any new releases to them. That said I can't offer much advice on selling - except to let me know if you have any nice Team Canada pieces of Vinny!
 
Man it seems more and more this hobby and this site is losing fellow members. I do hope the exclusivity rights for UD ends soon. Sad to see you go man, but I do hope you reconsider as it is an extensive collection you have.
 
Carlos, I never really dealt with you directly, but your posts here were always positive and enlightling (except this one of course). Sorry to hear you are getting out of the card collecting hobby...and for you it is a hobby (as it is for me, too), and not a business.

I, too, have had peaks and valleys in this hobby where I've said, "Screw it. I'm getting out."...but I always manage to come back in same shape or form. It all started a few years back when I "gave" a ton of my non-hockey collection to the Ronald McDonald House (tax write-off, too). I was able to actually hand out some of the nicer cards to the sick kids there....just seeing their eyes light up and giving them a short-term feeling of joy was all it took. I was hooked into the giving part. Then I knew that being a cutthroat die-hard collector wasn't for me any more. I then teamed up with fellow Gaborik collectors to try and help each other out, and the "fun" of the hobby came back. Now it isn't just the chase of finding the cards, but actually helping each other out.

So, hopefully, you won't consider this a total "getting out of the hobby", but rather a different path in the hobby. Creating the network of "hobby enthusiasts" and friends from online chats/posts/dealings...and actually meeting for shows and "liver attacks" will be your new hobby. Doesn't always have to be totally chasing cards.

I wish you well in whatever path you decide to take. Hopefully, it will still include parts of this hobby at least.

Peace.
 
Carlos,
It's unfortunate that you are leaving the hobby. You're one of my favourite people with which to haggle, and your enthusiasm seemed relentless. Apparently not...

As I said to you - and others before you - I strongly urge you to consider taking a break from the hobby rather than breaking from the hobby altogether. A little time away can make a world of difference.
 
Carlos, I'm sorry to hear you'll be leaving the hobby and selling off your collections. I haven't actually dealt with you but as others have said your posts have always been of a positive nature. I wish you luck with whatever you do in the future and maybe we'll bump into one another at the Expo.

Thanks.
Dan.
 
Carlos,

We don't know each other, but any friend of Barrie's has got to be ok in my book. ;)
If what you plan on doing ends up making you happy then thats the most important thing.
Take it easy dude. :beer:
 
Hey Carlos,

Too bad that you are quitting the hobby. The people are a huge part of the enjoyment we all get out of it so to see a fellow hobbyist quit is a loss to us all.

My question though is this: How does one quit the hobby?

Was it really a hobby in the first place? Was it a passion? I have never considered quitting the hobby. I have slowed down, taken short hiatuses and realloctaed my time and my money. But I have never quit and don't think that I ever could completely.

From a player collector perspective, it seems like most people chase every card for their player except the high-end 1/1's . I am a Hawerchuk collector but find it very easy not to go after all his cards because some are just plain ugly and/or don't fit the criteria I have set for entrance into my collection.

When someone considers quitting, why not just take a break or slow right down. You can still be a player collector without chasing every card. Chase the ones you like. Ignore the rest. Go for quality, not quantity. Limit yourself to 25 cards per season (or whatever amount you choose) but give yourself the flexibility to add a few later on. Just a few ideas.

It just seems like the player collectors around here put way too much pressure on themselves to be completist and that understandably can shift the hobby from enjoyment to stressful with all the sets released each year. Not worth it. Its your hobby. Do with it as you please. The last thing it should do is stress you out.

The common complaint is that there is too much product on the market. Instead, why not look at it as more product not to buy. We are able to be selective. You go to a restaurant, see 5 dishes on the menu you want to order, but you select only one. How do you ignore the other four? Because you have to. Your stomach is only so big. Treat cards the same way. You see a new checklist, you don't need every Lecavalier on it. Pick one or a couple favorites. Pick what you can afford. Build the highest quality collection you can that fits your budget.

Quit if you need to convert your collection to cash or if you suddenly decided you don't enjoy hockey cards. But once they are gone, if you are/were a true collector, you will likely feel a sense of loss. If this was just a phaselike "interest" for you, then you will get out without any emotion.

Either way, keep a few pieces as momentos of this time in your life - at least one per player that you've been chasing. That way, when you do come back you will have something to build on - something to get you excited again. And let's face it, the cards of today are beautiful and they symbolize today's technology. Stick a few in your personal archives.

I just love this hobby and tend to project that on others. My apologies for that.

All the best,
Jeremy
 
gomaz said:
Hey Carlos,

Too bad that you are quitting the hobby. The people are a huge part of the enjoyment we all get out of it so to see a fellow hobbyist quit is a loss to us all.

My question though is this: How does one quit the hobby?

Was it really a hobby in the first place? Was it a passion? I have never considered quitting the hobby. I have slowed down, taken short hiatuses and realloctaed my time and my money. But I have never quit and don't think that I ever could completely.

From a player collector perspective, it seems like most people chase every card for their player except the high-end 1/1's . I am a Hawerchuk collector but find it very easy not to go after all his cards because some are just plain ugly and/or don't fit the criteria I have set for entrance into my collection.

When someone considers quitting, why not just take a break or slow right down. You can still be a player collector without chasing every card. Chase the ones you like. Ignore the rest. Go for quality, not quantity. Limit yourself to 25 cards per season (or whatever amount you choose) but give yourself the flexibility to add a few later on. Just a few ideas.

It just seems like the player collectors around here put way too much pressure on themselves to be completist and that understandably can shift the hobby from enjoyment to stressful with all the sets released each year. Not worth it. Its your hobby. Do with it as you please. The last thing it should do is stress you out.

The common complaint is that there is too much product on the market. Instead, why not look at it as more product not to buy. We are able to be selective. You go to a restaurant, see 5 dishes on the menu you want to order, but you select only one. How do you ignore the other four? Because you have to. Your stomach is only so big. Treat cards the same way. You see a new checklist, you don't need every Lecavalier on it. Pick one or a couple favorites. Pick what you can afford. Build the highest quality collection you can that fits your budget.

Quit if you need to convert your collection to cash or if you suddenly decided you don't enjoy hockey cards. But once they are gone, if you are/were a true collector, you will likely feel a sense of loss. If this was just a phaselike "interest" for you, then you will get out without any emotion.

Either way, keep a few pieces as momentos of this time in your life - at least one per player that you've been chasing. That way, when you do come back you will have something to build on - something to get you excited again. And let's face it, the cards of today are beautiful and they symbolize today's technology. Stick a few in your personal archives.

I just love this hobby and tend to project that on others. My apologies for that.

All the best,
Jeremy
Click to expand...

Jeremy, that was an outstanding write and read, good stuff my friend.:cool:

Los, man, reading that, maybe you should try what J said.

Maybe take a break for a month or so, come back and see what is out there. To put less stress on yourself, stop all players except Vinny.

Then find the 10 best Vinny cards currently on the market that interest you and decide on 2 or 3 you will chase and set a budget on each.

Some food for thought. Either way, you're still our buddy.;)
 
I've never met you Carlos but I'm sure by alot of the posts on here quite a few guys are going to miss you!! You seem to be the consumate collector that has a ton of friends!! It's nice to see that you're such a good guy/hobbyist from reading this and other posts about you!! Jeremy put up alot of good points....but in the end it's your decision!! It was good to read they you'll be popping on HI every so often to check up on your freinds!! Good luck with whatever decision you make!! What makes theis hobby so much fun is not the cards you collect.... but the friends that you make and talk about the hobby!!!
 
WOW when I saw who started the thread I was shocked:eek:

Carlos, I agree with what a lot of the members on here are saying, so let me say, I strongly urge you to take a break from this hobby and not quit altogether.

I truly hope that your liver is resting because expo is not too far away, and arizonas always has new ladies there waiting :)


Whatever you decide to do Carlos , I wish you all the best.


Cheers Frank
 
Hey Carlos, it's never fun seeing a player collector leaving the scene. I must say I am not surprised hearing you say UD sucked the fun out of the hobby, that was pretty much the same reason why I threw in the towel as well. Think it through, if your still set on moving on dump it all. It's what I did, I dont regret it 1 bit. Good luck.
 
'Los!

I remember when you called me a little while ago and said "prepare to be shocked".....well it looks like it really is happening and it saddens me however the reasons that you told me on the phone were all solid and well thought out. I'm sure that you and I will be chatting as much as ever and I'll still be asking you for advice on deals. The bottom line is that you have to do what is best for you and of course we all wish you the best of luck!

take it easy,

Dave
 
:( We only had one quick and easy deal for the Vinny Cup Foundations #/5, but I was looking forward to more in the future! Good people in the hobby are always an asset,...

Like Jeremy, I've slowed down in the hobby and really appreciate what I have at the moment. Mark gave me some good advice on focusing my collection too. Time into my education and extra-curriculars have taken so much out of my time for the hobby. I agree with Steve A. - take a break and come back to it. That's what I've been doing,... enjoying the hobby in moderation.

All the best Carlos! :D
 
I just want to say to everyone that I appreciate absolutely all of the warm wishes, comments, advice and absolutely everything else everyone has offered me.

Just to clear the air I know I was kind of vague but I have in the past couple of years taken long breaks and than come back stronger than before. I have tried the whole modify the PC and what I collect thing. I changed my entire parallel jersey and patch collecting towards just AUTO'd cards. I completely quit my side lightning projects. More recently I quit collecting St. Louis besides a couple of the older cards I still needed. I picked up a new side project and mission in collecting Corey Perry, (just a fresh fun cheap collection of a very underrated player in the hobby). I have done set collecting (04/05 dual SOTT). All of this refocusing is just getting too damn old.

Maybe Jeremy is right, maybe I can no longer consider myself a hockey card collector. Maybe the many of you who have suggested holding on to my favorite cards are right too? I do not know for sure yet and I will not know until all is said and done. Meth68 (sorry I do not know your name) sold off all of his Jagr's and he has no regrets.

To me that is the biggest thing, I will not take regrets with me. As I see in not only this thread but just my memories of collecting; there are great people in this hobby. I will take many life long friends that I can have conversations with about more than just cardboard, trading or selling. In my mind that is more important than years down the road having boxes full of "cards" that rarely see the light of day.

Besides, just because I have thousands of dollars invested in Lecavalier, St. Louis, Perry, etc DOES NOT make me their biggest fans.

Carlos

Thanks again for all of the kind wonderful words guys! :beer:
 

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