Topps Holiday Advent Calendar - Day 23

It's the penultimate post and pack of the Topps Holiday Advent Calendar. Today we're opening door #23 -- shoutout to Don Mattingly, Ryne Sandberg, and anyone who wore this number because it was randomly assigned to them, or because they were drafted #23 overall, or because they were born on the 23rd -- and NOT because they were trying to be Like Mike. 

I complain about the sameness of these 5-card packs, but I have a feeling I'll miss them in a couple days.

Nothing average about these two Dodgers though. Nice to pull the Ohtani base card to go with those Nice List inserts. And speaking of -- how the heck did Matt Chapman post 7 WAR? Was it all defense?

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I've got some more space to fill, so I thought I'd share my first impressions of dating apps. After a few days of research I downloaded Hinge, which appeared to be a better option than Tinder (fewer bots, more mature users looking for more than a hookup) Match sounds like a good option as well, but I'm sticking that in my back pocket until I get the hang of this.

Set up was pretty basic - build profile, upload pics, share some things about yourself, choose your preferences (age, proximity, ethnicity, relationship goals, and one or two others) Once that's done you scroll through photos and click on the ones you like. You can also click 'like' on someone's prompt answer, or other descriptions. (I spent a like on someone who said a certain song by The Cure makes her cry.) 

A few days in, and I had a couple 'likes' on my profile. Figured I might sign up for the full version after the New Year - if there's enough interest out there. But the full version costs money, and you can't see anything about the people who ‘like’ you unless you have the full version. That's frustrating, but understandable I suppose.

Yesterday was even more frustrating. There's this 'standouts' tab that's supposed to show you the best potential matches based on your preferences. The algorithm sent me a woman about my age who lives one town over from me. Normally I can decide within a second if I find them appealing in any way, but I was stuck on this one for a while. Which I soon realized was because she was right on my level - and because her profile didn't give me much to go on other than a love of tacos.

Eventually I will have to leave comments for someone I'm interested in, and I've really got no idea what to say. But! I could ask this gal for her favorite taco spot in town. I'm very familiar with said town and at least two taco joints.. perhaps that's how one eventually ends up on a date. 

Except.. and this is the dumbest thing ever to a widowed fortysomething who hasn't dated in 20 years.. I couldn't message her because she was on the stupid 'standout' list. I couldn't click ‘like’ on any of her pics. I couldn't comment or bookmark or anything. The only thing I could have done was send her a (virtual) rose. 

And roses cost money. Not just a buck or two either. Minimum of three for $11.99. 

Sigh…too much to think about. I’ll have to set it aside until after Christmas. 

For now, here's one of the two Sportlots orders I was still waiting on. Arrived in my mailbox today:

Yep, another aggressively off-center single. (The mystery Whaler is Jordy Douglas, btw.) I finally added Hillary Knight to my Women on Cards collection. Notice the Boston Fleet's logo, clearly a nod to the Whale. 

Sportlots had several Sophie Cunningham cards but this was the only one available at the low common price of 20 cents. That's a much better investment than a virtual rose. 

Hope you'll join me tomorrow for the Advent calendar finale. It'll be a short post, I promise :)

Thanks for reading!

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