Discipline begins with keeping the television [off]. A long day at the office, and I came home to the realization that my apartment was becoming a sty. Watching TV, meanwhile, is a sure way to undermine productive tidying.
And so the picture tube is dark and I'm currently washing loads of laundry, after having vacuumed the apartment. Now sitting at the keyboard going through the 35th edition of Overstreet's Comic Book Price Guide. Have keyed in all that I possess on a spreadsheet: Marvel, DC, and the indies. I did this once before, back in '90, while temp-gigging at Aetna in Middletown, CT (a great way to look busy, by the way). I had determined at the time the comics I bought since '78 thru '90 had cover prices totalling $900 and change, but had since appraised to $3,227.95, give or take mint conditions. That was 1990.
I remember a conversation with my mother, who worried for me, and my collection, apparently, was no less a source for concern. "Ma!" I protested, "Look! See? They're a great hedge against inflation."
She paused, clearly impressed by the numbers. Then the look, just as quickly, disappared: "Yes, but you read them!"
So, 16 years later, I haven't touched the sombitches, and presumably, the increase in value is only more considerable, given the numbers I'm thumbing through at the moment.
Afterwhich, I'll catalogue my baseball cards. Would that I had my comics from back in the 60s -- when cover prices were 10 cents a pop, and weren't called graphic novels then. I do, however, have some cards that date back to the 50s. No 1905 Honus Wagner, mind you, but there's a '57 Ted Williams and a '58 Willie Mays (w/the NY Giants), a Whitey Ford here or a Nolan Ryan rookie card there... should be interesting.
Think I could pay off that student loan then?
By the way, the Pinot Noir is superb. As is the Chopin & Brubeck.
Recommended: Kill yer television!
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