How Did I Measure Up to the Goals I Set for 2018?

As I look back on 2018, it didn't seem to go as expected in a number of ways.  My first blog post of 2018 shared a large collection I purchased and much more of my hobby time went to going through that collection that I expected.  It took up much of the time previously focused on blogging and trading.  And while I didn't have a problem spending my monthly stipend on cards, I was not as focused as I typically am.  I don't believe I have referenced these goals in probably 6 months and I suspect I didn't hit on too many.

Let's find out together.   The orange text will be the goals that I set and the black will be my evaluation.

Here is where my focus will go on my card purchases and acquisitions in 2018:
Set Building

• Complete 1969 Topps Set (currently need 8 - Bench, Kessinger, Cox, Reggie RC, Mantle, Santo, Fingers RC, Teddy Ballgame)
• Start new vintage set
• Collect Donruss, Topps Series 1 & 2, Topps Update, Opening Day and 2-3 other 2018 sets

 Off to a good start here.  I did complete my 1969 Topps set - yeah!!!  I completed all the sets listed along with Topps Archives and Stadium Club.  I have a few oddball sets I have started working on but my most recent decision is a focus on the 1957 Topps set.  This was spurred by a purchase at an auction a few weeks back that I will share hopefully soon.

Grade - A 
HOF Auto collection

• Get to 100 different players (currently at 94)

I added HOF autos for Tony LaRussa, John Smoltz, Jeff Bagwell, Vladimir Guerreo, Trevor Hoffman, Buck Leonard and Harold Baines to my collection.  That brings my total to 101.

Grade - A 

Reading

• Finish and post on 6 sports books
• Catch up on Sports Illustrated and ESPN magazines

 I didn't track my reading this year and didn't post one sports book review.  I am fairly sure I read at least 6 sports books but that doesn't count for much.  (Right now I am reading a great book about the 1970s Oakland A's - Dyastic, Bombastic, Fantastic: Reggie, Rollie, Catfish and Charlie Finley's Swingin' A's - I highly recommend it)  My magazine stacks continue to grow and I will discontinue my subscriptions since I can't find time to read them.

Grade - F

49ers Vintage collection (1950s-1970s)

• Get collection into a binder
• Reach 200 different cards (currently at 152)

The binder is done and I love it!  I am up to 251 different vintage 49er cards and getting close to the entire run of the 1970s.  The high number 1972s are my Achilles heel which reminds me of my issues with my Topps baseball run of sets.

Grade - A+ 

USC Football

• Get collection organized
• Establish focus and add 200 new cards

I really didn't do too much with respect to organizing my USC collection however I did add quite a few cards to my collection.  I unfortunately didn't keep track like I had planned to do but with my 115 card acquisition of new Trojans in my Black Friday COMC haul, I am confident I surpassed the 200 card mark.  I weigh new cards heavier than organization in my grade.

Grade - B 

Giants

• Add 20 NY Giants era vintage cards
• Add 100 1970s-1990s cards
• Reduce parallel want list to 150 cards (currently at 233)

I started the first bullet point strong with a 10 card lot from 1934-1953 from the same seller on eBay.  A few pick ups here and there got me just over the 20 card mark.  

I destroyed the 100 card mark of 70s to 90s cards picking up some large team sets (87 Topps Tiffany, 80 SSPC HOF, 93 Topps Inaugural Marlins, 83 Giants postcard, 89 Bowman Tiffany) that alone got me over the 100 card mark.  Add in a Beckett.com order, a couple COMC orders, a couple TCMA team sets and a bunch of random cards and I believe I surpassed the 300 mark.

I thought the parallel list would be the toughest to achieve and while I didn't hit the goal of 150, I did get it down to 168 cards.  I am most excited about the Topps Gold Parallel list being down to 16 cards, a few Barry Bonds cards and a MadBum RC are the biggest obstacles in the way. 

Grade B+

Player Collections

• Willie McCovey - pick up 2 items off want list from playing career
• slim pickings, most of my needs are rare and expensive, don't recall getting even 1 card here
• Rickey Henderson - pick up 5 items off want list from playing career, get checklist up to date
• more than doubled this goal picking up about 13 cards
• Dave Winfield - reach 850 different cards (currently at 805), get checklist up to date 
• the checklist is up to date, but only at 833
• Reggie Jackson - reach 700 different cards (currently at 626), get checklist up to date 
• the checklist is up to date, but only at 661
• Vida Blue - pick up 3 items off want list
• picked up 9 different cards
• Ben Petrick- reach 230 different cards (currently at 221)
• only got to 227 different cards
• Chili Davis - reach 465 different cards (currently at 453)
• got to 504 different cards
• Dave Parker - reach 160 different Pirates cards (currently at 140)
• only got to 144 different cards
• Fred Lynn - post about new player collection, reach 280 different cards (currently at 252)
• got to 304 different cards
• Ronnie Lott - reach 900 different cards (currently at 868)
• only got to 886 different cards
• Roger Craig - reach 380 different cards (currently at 361)
• only got to 369 cards
• Dwight Clark - reach 125 different cards (currently at 109)
• only got to 115 different cards
• Fred Dean - add 5 cards (currently at 25)
• fell 1 short adding 4 new cards
• Harold Miner - add 2 new cards (currently at 252)
•  added 2 new cards to hit goal
• Charles Barkley - reach 700 different cards (currently at 645)
• only got to 654 cards
• Patrick Ewing - reach 550 different cards (currently at 505)
• only got to 512 different cards
• Chris Webber - reach 750 different cards (currently at 710)
• got to 759 different cards 

I didn't hit my goals more often than not, this seems to be the area that suffered the most from my lack of focus and from not referencing my goals throughout the year when I was making buying decisions.  I did pick up a number of really awesome cards for my player collections so I will give myself a passing grade.

Grade - C

 Will I reach all of these goal, heck no but I will have lots of fun trying! 

 As I mentioned above, the year did not play out the way I expected but I am pretty happy about the growth of my collection in 2018.  My biggest disappointment is around the lack of activity and attention I gave this blog and I can't promise posting will become more frequent but when I have some time and a desire to share something, I will do my best to get something posted.

Happy collecting!