[Fred]

Hey Alex,

I've been collecting since I was a kid. When I was getting ready for college I still had an interest in it but I sold EVERYTHING I had to help pay for things when I moved out to go to school. During that post high school period I thought about cards a little bit. I'd buy a pack at the store every once in a while (basically only Topps cards to chose from back then - none of those stupid chase cards). I'd talk cards to a few people that new anything about them but I wouldn't go out to shows or looks for anything. After I got my first job I was actually making money that I could spend on cards and things like that. I'd pick up all the vintage stuff I couldn't afford to pick up when I was younger. Every now and then I'd go through periods of time where I wasn't buying much (or at all). It's like this stuff is in my blood, it will never truly leave my system. If you put off collecting while your in college then you'll always have the opportunity to get back into it. Just don't make the same mistake I did. DON'T sell everything you have to subsidize your schooling. One thing I really regretted selling were all the Joss cards I had. I used to collect Joss before he made it to the HOF. Yup, lots of T and E cards and a couple of T205s of him...