The One About An Addiction

***geek alert!***

Yeah, this one is a little nerdy and probably something that no one thought could be that way, but trust me: it is!

I discovered over 10 years ago that I had a strange addiction. Where I was at the time, it wasn't strange or uncommon, because nearly everyone I talked to had the same addiction, though none of them would probably admit to it. It took me a while before I realized it was a problem (despite my best friend pointing it out to me).

Here's the weird part: I was... am... addicted to hockey cards.

See? Weird and geeky! Back in the early/mid-1990s, I worked at a sportcard shop and one Christmas season,I hit it really lucky. I bought a pack of hockey cards at the local 7-11 and inside was an autographed card for one of the most popular players on the local NHL team. I sold the card to a customer at the shop for $300. A few days later, I bought another single pack of cards and pulled yet another expensive card. I sold that one for $100. I had yet another card a few days later that sold for nearly $200. So, yeah, almost $600 in a few weeks right before Christmas. Everyone got nice gifts from that year!

But the addiction hit. Imagine spending a couple dollars, opening up the package and discovering something inside worth so much more than you anticipated! I ended up spending at least $100 a week on packs of hockey cards after that and every once in a while I'd hit it lucky, but with the amount of money I was spending, it wasn't the same "success." I was laid off in 1995, after a dismal Christmas season (no NHL hockey meant no collector's looking for the latest "hit" player). My addiction didn't stop immediately. In fact, it took a year before I finally realized it was a problem. I stopped for a while, but every once in a while I'd find myself picking up packs again and feeling the same rush. A friend of mine at the time also didn't help. He egged me on enough that I kept on buying. Being unemployed (but not necessarily broke as I still lived at home), I was also finding myself "feeling better" whenever I'd buy stuff. My friend loved this as he could use me to buy things and my addiction continued.

Usually every Christmas, the addiction hits again. McDonald's brings out their annual hockey card set (99-cents a pack for 3 cards, but you have to buy fries and/or a drink in order to buy 3 packs). I might pick up a special box from the local drug store. It'll have 5-12 packs of cards and I love to see what I can get for "special" cards. I never get anything good, but the rush is still there.

Last Christmas, I ordered a box of cards and I had opened all 36 packs when I realized it wasn't the box I ordered. It was another type from the same company (same series, but the type of card I was looking for wasn't available in these packs). The "special" cards I did get were virtually worthless. I sold a couple on eBay for a few dollars, but didn't get even 20% of the price I paid to buy the box.

When I went to the doctor's office this week, I stopped at a card shop on the way. I bought 5 packs of cards for $60. 2 packs were $25 and $18, respectively. There is a guarantee of a "special" card in each pack. It was true, I got one in each (actually 2 in one pack), but again looking on eBay I discovered the cards rarely sell (and when they do, it's for less than $5).

You'd think my disappointment in finding these cards so cheap would help to discourage my spending.

I really hope it does. I printed off a list of the cards and how little they sell for and hopefully that will counter any desire to buy more.