The beat goes on - blog thoughts and goals for 2010 and beyond

As time goes on and my collecting habits evolve or even revert - I'd like to evaluate my collecting efforts and think about what I want to do with my hobby as short and long term goals.

I'm more of an autograph collector, trying to get stuff signed, than someone interested in strictly collecting baseball cards - however, there is still a strong infatuation with baseball cards, so I like to have a blog to discuss them.

I find I lose interest in completing some of the baseball card related goals I've listed for last year - so there isn't much incentive to talk about certain things.

However, I realize I'm sort of a 'lifer' and for better or for worse - I'm collecting baseball cards for the long haul.

I like to read about other's experiences in the hobby in order to get a chance to see - what everyone else is doing and what everyone else is interested in collecting.

I hope I can share some insight to my collecting endeavors - while figuring out, there is room to collect cards, there is room to have my thoughts heard.

Blog goals for 2010 and beyond
A.) Have at least one sentence almost immediately what my particular post is all about - I need to step away from the keyboard, if I feel I cannot explain the meaning of my post in one or two precise sentences.

B.) Don't be too wordy, too preachy, etc - I need to say things with less words and not act like I always have the answers.

C.) Pick my spots to 'feature' a player, card, autograph, et al - so a set of posts doesn't end up reading the same way, only with different pictures and slightly different words.

D.) Stay current - either about collecting baseball cards, collecting autographs, talking about the subjects featured on autographs or subjects who are signing the autographs.

E.) I had a blog high of 157 for the year of 2009 - match at least that and have at least seven months of double-digit posts.

F.) Don't blather on about something too esoteric - though only I can dictate what I can or cannot post, even if I don't end up having '158 perfect posts' by the end of 2010.

G.) A blog is a place to challenge preconceived notions, misguided ideals, misguided folks and every other issue related to the hobby - however, I don't plan to do a lot of that.

Figuring it out in 2009 - collecting to blog

I'm a baseball card collector who has always liked cards - but collecting doesn't matter as much at times and it is hard to get into it or at least I feel inconsistent with my collecting habits. Where is the balance between liking what you collect, even if it is picking up commons at a card show or being able to talk shop about the latest cards?

I keep getting drawn back into collecting because I like the process of picking up cards, knowing it is my last link to adolescence - but in the 21st century, collecting is something I can blog about.

Collecting to blog is pretty important because it serves as a lifeline to share your interests with other like minded collectors - on the other hand, does the story get redundant trying to describe the ideal of being a collector and enjoying the process of your collecting endeavors? With so many things going on with new products and new players, it is hard to keep up with what everyone else is doing.

For the true collector in the real world - having a blog gives you currency over your typical Joe Collector. You know you can measure up [and then some] if you have your own blog. Any schmuck can post a YouTube video, but can anyone constantly rehash the same ideas, rants and thoughts over and over? Even if you aren't particularly creative about every post, it is still something that becomes a part the process involved with collecting.

Blog ideals, goals and critiques -
The Wild West that once was known as the Internet, has evolved into something regulated where imposed rules and netiquette serves as the judge, juror and executioner - maybe blogs are the last venues to say anything you want about a hobby like trading cards on the Internet.

Feel free to be agitated and opinionated but you are supposedly writing for a broader audience - don't try to be F this, F that, BS this, BS that.

Certainly, you want to be believe someone is reading your blog - even if there maybe one visitor a day and realistically there is none on most.

The best card blogs seem to be the ones able to go a little off-topic, even though 95 percent of their content is probably trading card related - broaden your interests or at least show an audience, you are more than just cards and graphs, by personalizing some of your posts.

You want to react to current events, because it is what people care about - but don't be obligated to blog about something you've seen on 15-20 other sites already.

Try to have a theme and a centerpiece topic - it helps you focus on a post-by-post basis.

Use images, pictures and multimedia - that one visitor a day likes pretty pictures.

Updates - have a blog schedule.

Any blog post made on your blog is still a contribution to the overall expression of thought - respect that.