Back in the mid-eighties, I was at a friends house. We played softball together, and of course I was an outfielder, wore Rickey's number, and used a Rawlings Trapeze glove, and would occasionally do the snatch catch. He was an avid baseball card collector, and had a ton of cards. I was checking out his collection, and said to him, I think I'd like to start collecting cards of my favorite player, Rickey Henderson. In my mind I figured I'd try and collect all the cards that were made of him. And so it began.
I soon realized that my goal would be nearly impossible. I couldn't believe how many brands, odballs, etc., that were out there. Not only that, but some were really pricey. Nearly 30 years later, I'm still at it, and yes, they are somehow still printing Rickey cards to this day. And the ones that have game used jersey or lumber, etc, are still ridiculously expensive. And I really don't like how they make so many version of the same card, gold, platinum, sepia, printing plates, invisible, well maybe not invisible. So, no, I will never complete my goal I set way back when. But I still have the fever, and get as much as I can.
It's so much easier to buy now than back in the day, where I found myself at card shops or shows. But I do miss being in that environment, and not paying shipping! And you can get .25 - .50 cent cards at a shop, you'll rarely find that online.
Today, when I feel the compulsion to buy, I have to ration myself, and try and only buy cards that are under $3, unless it's an old card that I really want. I'm not going to spend a ton of money on a "rare" card that came out this year. This is supposed to be enjoyable, not bankrupt me.