Out with 2025 and onto 2026

GOALS 

I don't think I assigned myself any blogging/collecting goals last year other than to keep posting. And while I didn't post a lot, I did keep posting, so I'll grade myself an A- there. I hit my quota of 12 posts on the 1991 MusiCards blog (though I did miss one month and had to double up later). A couple late NYE posts got Baseball Card Breakdown up to my goal of 37 posts for 2025, one more than 2024, and two better than 2023's all-time low of 35. So my goal for 2026 is 38+ posts to keep trending upwards here and another dozen on the MusiCards blog, adding up to a nice round 50 post goal for the year. If you're reading this, then I've got 49 to go! ha.

-   -  -o

WALLET CARD

2025's wallet card didn't see much action. This was my first year using an Upper Deck card (wait no, I used a Masterpieces card before, but that doesn't count), and as I suspected, it didn't really wear down in a very interesting way thanks to the glossy/UV stock keeping it together for the most part.

 
I think the only trips I took out of town in 2025 were coincidentally a couple flights to Kentucky midyear. First to Bowling Green (above) for a funeral on my wife's side, then to Versailles for a wedding on my side of the family.

I tried to take a wallet card photo among the fireflies in action on the evening of the reception (fun times), but none of the pictures really came out, so here's a water tower instead. But yeah, other than that, I didn't think to take many wallet card photos last year.

I'm going with 1986 Donruss for my 2026 wallet card. While not a favorite set of mine, it doesn't bug me as much as it does Night Owl. I remember ripping my share these cards (actually the Leaf version) back in the early 90s because my childhood LCS had an old box with packs at a decent price. Figured I'd celebrate the design's 40th anniversary with a wallet card nod. And as far as junk-era Gwynn cards go, it features one of the more unique photos, with Tony taking a knee on deck.

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CHRISTMAS WRAP

Gone are the days I'd ask for new boxes of cards for Christmas and my birthday, but I still received gifts that could fit in the scope of this blog.

My mother-in-law surprised me with a cool Petco Park framed print.

Hard to get good photos of it thanks to the reflection on the glass, but you get the idea.

Nice to get more San Diego love on my walls.

Also received a $50 ebay giftcard from the in-laws, which will of course most likely go towards cards.

Technically speaking, I did get cards for Christmas/my birthday. While not an official/wrapped gift, my wife's brother's wife was kind enough to ask if I had any interest in a stack of cards they got from a local pizza joint.. I guess the place sells repacks for a buck at the counter or gives them away with certain orders or something. I'd never turn down free mystery cards, even knowing they're probably just junk, and indeed I found a few cards I could use.

A few 2025 Topps cards mixed in with the older stuff.

I've always been kinda fascinated by Fleer's dual rookie cards, even when neither dude really goes on to do much.

Several of the cards were in rough shape and, gasp, I tossed a few damaged junk commons in the recycling, but figured I might be able to salvage the Grace and surface-dented Brett appearance by cardart methods at some point.

So yeah, thanks to my sis-in-law for the cards. One year I gave her a few random Oregon Ducks cards because she's a big fan of that football squad, so now I feel like I've officially "exchanged cards" with a family member. Neat.

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ANIMAL LOVERS CORNER 

I haven't posted much cute animal content in a while. Still seeing neighborhood bunnies occasionally. At one point last year I saw a coyote during the day while walking my dog near the golf course! Also had some coopers hawks in the area for a few weeks over the summer. Needless to say the rodent population was booming over the summer too, but let's not get into that unpleasantness (I lost count of how many dead critters I disposed of in 2025, but I'm sure it was my all-time high. So gross.)

I also recently decided to start up the hummingbird feeder again after a couple years break. Yeah, I had seen a couple tiny young hummers buzzing around my front lilac lavender in November or so, and figured I'd try to help them out. Lucky for me, one little guy quickly took to it and set up homebase in a close by bush where I have a great view of him from my living room window. So even if I don't catch him at the feeder, I can often peep him in the bush five feet away, just being cute looking around, occasionally grooming, but mostly keeping watch over "his" feeder. It'll be tough getting through these next couple of cold months, but hopefully I can help the little guy make it to springtime.

Howbout some cute dog pictures to close out on? 

Ruby always has a blast at the holidays. 

Silly family tradition of decking the dog Christmas morning. Ruby takes it like a champ.

Five-and-a-half and still not much sign of slowing down. Blame her for me not blogging more, as she takes up a large chunk of my available time and energy.

But on the plus side, walking the dog is my main source of exercise these days, so I suppose she's trying to help keep me healthy and not sitting on my butt all day. Gah, that reminds me, I really need to schedule a colonoscopy this year. :(

Anyways, thanks for reading, folks!