A trade package when I needed it

I had a big Saturday, kicking off with a super card show. When I got home, a nice fat bubble mailer from CC at Twitch Collects Cards was waiting for me. I know there are some lucky/patient sumbitches out there who routinely let trade packages pile up before opening them, but not me. I generally tear into any package I get ASAP. But I didn't have time this day, as soon we had to head out for grocery shopping and dinner with the mother-in-law.

Then after that, my wife and I had to run to attend the taping for a Comedy Central stand-up special by Kurt Braunohler, thanks to her winning tickets. Braunohler might be best known as the host of a funny game show called Bunk. It was a really funny performance, and the first TV taping I've ever attended, so that was cool. We were up in the balcony (first row, stage left), so I doubt we'll get any screen time.. plus we were in the early show, which I bet was kinda like a "dress rehearsal" with the late show being the one that'll mostly be used for the special, tentatively titled Trust Me. But I'll definitely be interested in it when it comes out in a few months to see how it turned out.

And then when I woke up Sunday morning, the first thing I see when I get online is that Jose Fernandez was tragically killed in a boating accident. So shocking and sad. I spent much of Sunday listening to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" several times throughout the day (hey, we all have our own ways of dealing with bad times that life hits us with).

I also watched Vin Scully's final home broadcast, which was pretty great.

Well anyways, CC's trade package was sitting there in the living room all the while, offering me something nice to brighten up the sad day when I was ready for it.

I wrote all that above Sunday. I got around to opening the package Monday after work. Let's check it out.

Would you look at that?! Jose found his way into this bunch of cards. While I had never had him as an official PC guy for me (unlike Giancarlo), he was definitely on the cusp. All it probably would have taken would've been for me to pull a minor hit of his or something like that to be the catalyst. Reading so much about him over the past few days, he really was a great person. It's a big loss.
Anyways, these are a couple nice cards.

Wow, this is an excellent Wil Myers hit/insert/parallel lot. I'm sorry these pictures didn't turn out very well.

Boom.. CC decimates the record for most Christmas Cards I've ever received at one time with these 4! He really has a knack for stumbling upon them on COMC, as these are not the first 12/25 cards he's sent me.
Cody Ross had some fine seasons in his 12-year MLB career, though he was out of the game in 2016. As for the football dudes (Paul Warfield is the one that's hard to read), I'm not all that familiar with any of their careers, but they're fine looking cards and I excitedly welcome them into my Christmas Card collection.

I believe the Ice Man card was sent in consideration for my Pride PC (gay pro athletes).. something like how in some of the comics, Ice Man is gay? Eh, that might be a reach for the PC, but I suppose he can sneak in. And Sgt. Slaughter is one of the few wrestlers I collect, so this retro TBTC card is appreciated.

CC included a bunch of Padres, and here are some highlights. That's an Edgar Gonzalez jersey relic. Super shiny Trevor Hoffman. Gwynn lot. HOF relievers. A 1971 Topps upgrade. And a chrome Chicken.. very cool.

Some Padre prospects, too. Particularly love the Jankowski parallel and the Margot.

And some Chargers. That's a swell looking Dan Fouts, with Philip Rivers and a /400 serial number on the back.

We close today with dudes I collect, including my first 2016 Bowman Platinum cards, plus a Mookie Bunt.

Great stuff as always, CC! Big thanks for another satisfying trade.

I've got a lot of posts I need to get to in the coming days, including a nice PWE from Shoebox Legends, plus the conclusion of my Stranger Things custom card giveaway which we'll get sorted out shortly.. so last call to enter there!