Collecting This 'n' That

 While collectors around the continent are devouring Topps Series One our town has not been on the receiving end from the distributors of retail boxes in any great quantity. Two weeks ago -Friday mornings- the big box got some blasters. Knowing the display area as intimately as I do it couldn't have been anymore than a dozen blasters. By the time I got there two days later they were all gone. And no display space was allocated for hanger boxes so that wasn't even in their plan. This past Sunday the same blaster display spot was still/again empty. At the front of store candy display where loose packs are kept a small pile of jumbo packs was there for the picking. I grabbed one. I will not bore you with a big pack opening post. It was a pile of meh . Very underwhelming product this year. I may wait for a factory set.  But...I did get Panini Squishmallows.  Cheap blasters for sure, but what are they? From Wiki , "Squishmallows is a brand of stuffed toy that was launched in 2...

  While most of my friends were listening to mainstream rock in the early 80's, the music of my choice was the new wave scene. I was fortunate enough to have one of the first and  very prominent alternative radio stations in the North American market - CFNY 102.1 - that exposed me to the cool new sound coming from the UK and North America.  In 2019 J2 Cards, put out a set simply titled New Wave Set. 238 cards, and two tribute cards. They also produced a behemoth Classic Rock set. 930 cards, with a boatload of variations for a master set of 1044 cards. A smaller R&B set, and some NASA and President sets round out their catalogue. The company has not updated their website since the summer of 2021 so it is unknown if they are still in business. To be honest I really didn't dig that much so if anyone knows more please comment.  I may look at picking up the other sets if the price is right, but for now I am quite happy with the New Wave Set. This is my music.  Pi...