My other hobby volume I

HooYah Deep Sea

Well, for a change of pace, my newest hobby (one that I've been discussing with Dodgy) is making my own Gin. I've made Lemoncello and flavored 'moonshine' in the past, but this is getting interesting. I'm getting a whole new respect for herb, spices, and florals. It's rather amazing how many flavor combinations you can come up with for custom gin. Needless to say, I have a ever-growing number of friends now who want to taste-test for me; gee, I wonder why?

 

Your friend's, Toshi & Ezra

This came in the mail today.  It's a Airmail stamp of Diamond Head.   
Heavily dependent on imports, Hawaii, with help from the US Postal Service and this unusual 80 cent Airmail stamp, encouraged tourist to export orchids to friends back on the mainland.  This Airmail stamp was produced in 1952.  It is a mint very fine condition stamp with the original gum.  The Scott Catalog number is C46 and has a catalog value of $9.50.

This is a cover of my favorite aircraft of all time.  The F4U Corsair.  I just had to get this in my collection.  I have several stamps that will be arriving soon that depicts nothing but Corsairs!  I'll be posting this cover in the aircraft thread as well.

Corsairs were famously flown by the "Black Sheep" squadron VMF-214.  Led by Marine Corps Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington in the area of the Solomon Islands known as "The Slot".  Boyington has been credited with a total of 22 kills in the F4U Corsair also known by the Japanese nick name "The Whistling Death"!

What I have here is a very unique way to display a stamp.  It's a cover with the actual Corsair stamp and is canceled in Dayton, Ohio.  The cover also has a 24 karat pure gold copy of the stamp as well.

I'm not actually distilling anything, just infusing. Operating a 'distillery' requires all sorts of red tape and paperwork; infusing does not. Additionally, I am not selling my 'results'.

For most commercial gin producers, they first produce their neutral grain spirits (1st distilation), then they combine all of their 'gin making' ingredients with the spirits and steep them for 24hours, more or less. Then they strain and re-distil the mix to produce their particular 'brand' of gin. That is why commercial gin is fairly clear. My gin has color.

I'm not actually distilling anything, just infusing. Operating a 'distillery' requires all sorts of red tape and paperwork; infusing does not. Additionally, I am not selling my 'results'.

For most commercial gin producers, they first produce their neutral grain spirits (1st distilation), then they combine all of their 'gin making' ingredients with the spirits and steep them for 24hours, more or less. Then they strain and re-distil the mix to produce their particular 'brand' of gin. That is why commercial gin is fairly clear. My gin has color.

Thank you very much for the clarification, it sounds like you're having fun.  That's the main thing in a hobby!  Good luck sir!

Your friend's, Toshi & Ezra

And speaking of clarifications; when you are looking for corsairs, don't forget the FG-1D, the corsair produced by Goodyear.

HooYah Deep Sea

And speaking of clarifications; when you are looking for corsairs, don't forget the FG-1D, the corsair produced by Goodyear.

 

Ezra wanted me to post this photo as he's going back to Columbus today.  It sits in the living room under the flat screen TV on top of a HP printer.  It is surrounded by 2 Pacific Crown Royale Cramers Choice Awards cards of Brett Favre and Jerry Rice.  This is not my idea, it was Ezra that wanted to display his Atlantis B-24J Liberator build with "Papa" and "Tutu's" football cards.  It's a simple and humble display, nothing fancy.  It just was a fun and exciting 2 week visit with Ezra.  He will be returning in 2 weeks.

Your friend's, Toshi & Ezra

AHA !

 And that would be the famous Birdcage? Correct?

TOSHI;

      Ezra's got it going, Man! Nice Display! He Must've inherited your smarts, ya Think ?

Tanker-Builder

AHA !

 And that would be the famous Birdcage? Correct?

 

Your friend's, Toshi & Ezra

Tanker-Builder

TOSHI;

      Ezra's got it going, Man! Nice Display! He Must've inherited your smarts, ya Think ?

 

Your friend's, Toshi & Ezra

Here is another cover of a Corsair.

Mrs. Toshi and I just dropped off Ezra in Columbus, Ohio yesterday back to his mom.  We should be picking him up in exactly 2 weeks.  

He keeps us so busy, that now that he's gone, the house is way too quiet! Lol!  I might work on the Academy B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle" build.  I'll probably start the interior but I will not pursue the build further until Ezra's return as I don't want him to say his famous and infamous words; "Why"!  Why did I start on the "Memphis Belle" project without him.

Until that time, to keep myself busy (mind, body, spirit) I'll share more of my second hobby.  I guess my first hobby is kit building, my second hobby is football cards, and comes the last hobby, stamp collecting.  Below is a 2013 Topps Triple Thread High End Hobby Box Card of Aaron Rodgers.  This card was given to me in a trade.

It is card number 7.

This next card comes from a Hobby Box of 2012 Panini Momentum Card series and depicts one of the greatest QB's to have ever played the game of football.  Tom Brady!  The only thing that bothers me now is that he's a Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB.  In my humble opinion, I feel he should have retired as he's now 43 and that's a old age in the game of football due to its physical nature.  Most players have an average career of 3-5 years.

Another great QB, Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons.

Although I don't follow other sports, a fellow sports card collector sent these cards as a gift to me.  As always, I thank them and really appreciated the gesture.  I hope FSM Forum members know whom these athletes are.  I on the other hand am clueless.  Please let me know who these players of Baseball and Basketball players are.

This is another set of cards that was a gift.  Game of Thrones.  I never seen this show although I know for a fact that it's extremely popular with the public in general.  

Just to let FSM Forum members know, if any of you are interested in my hobby whether it be Kits, Stamps, Coins, or Sports cards if you want a specific item, let me know.  I'd be more than happy to send you the items.  I'll even take care of the postage!  Really!!!  

I believe in paying it forward!  Please note that with the exception of my Autograph, Game Worn Jersey, Brett Favre cards, I have no problem at all in gifting an item to FSM Forum Members.  Once again just the Autograph Cards, Game Worn Jersey Cards, all Brett Favre cards are in my collection and will be passed on to the next generation of the Toshi's as it has a sentimental value.  

On a sports card forum or website, someone once asked me who my favorite sports figure was.  With out any hesitation, I said Brett Favre.

Next thing I know, a few weeks later, I received all these cards of Brett Favre!  Wow!

This has to be the biggest sports card in the world!  I purchased a picture frame in order to archive this card!  Yes, it's that big.  And yes, a sports forum member sent me this card.

Tosh,  just a few of the first day covers from the country I grew up in.  I have a bunch of them.  I am biased, but I think they are the best In the world.  

Here is how I archive and organize my football card collection.  I always have how many cards are available, in this case 700.  And I also always have my purchase price printed.  That way anyone as an example Ezra inherits these cards, he'll know what it's worth is.  And that is very important in any hobby especially the sentimental values.  Again, in this case $1.26.  

Was it worth my time, yes!  Most Definately.  Because as they say; "Time is money, Money is time"!  In this case, I purchased 700 cards which is a 1991 Complete Set of Upper Deck Cards for $1.26.  Including S&H.   There are only 3 cards in this set that are worth anyting.  

That would be Brett Favres Rookie cards.  The 3 rookie cards in this set of Brett Favre sells on eBay for an average of $20.00.  

So my total pay out was only $1.26.  Subtract that and I gained $18.74 plus if I sold the 3 Brett Favre cards for $20.00 on eBay, I would have a profit of $38.74.  Although as I mentioned in previous threads in that I don't collect cards for profit, it's always a matter of urgency that you know your cost and outlay of your items in any hobby!  You don't want to go broke for a bunch of cheap paper cardboard with photos of athletes on it.  Lol!  Let alone anything important for that matter.  Especially in the hobby of coins and stamps!

In my situation, of which I'll share with everyone here, I'm on a very limited fixed income.  My Workman's Compensation checks has temporarily stopped.  It has been almost one year in that I've not have any income except for SSDI.  And Mrs. Toshi's  SSDI.  If not for my son living with us, we would be in the streets.  

I do have an attorney that is handling my case.  And I was just informed that my checks will start again shortly.  Thank the lord for that!  With that in mind, everything else in the Toshi's household is budgeted to a T.  Including our hobby items.  As much enjoyment I get out of building kits, collecting stamps and coins, one must always be aware of expenditures.

I've gone through extreme trials financially in order to keep this household tight, I did go to my local card shop to sell my cards and other misc. items that the card shop owner could use.  What was nice and very kind of him was that I was allowed to buy back my items if I do choosed to do so at a very, very, small profit for the shop owner of which I agreed to as he's helping me and the family.  But it also benifits him that he has some type of compensation.  

Let me tell you my fellow FSM Forum Members, doing a trade this way is a lot cheaper than a loan from a bank.   Sometimes in life, a give and take situation is needed.  Not like the young generation that's me, me, me.  It's about creating friendships and lifetime bonds that let the mind, body, and spirit grow and to be positive as much as possible in any outcome.  Don't you all agree?

Everyone's situation is different.  But the bottom line is that for me, I to the best of my abilities try to look forward and grow and mature in a way that helps everyone around me to benifit.  I learned this and know I feel this from you all!  My FSM Forum Members whom are like my second family.  And I thank you all for that!  

I try to enjoy the companionship this forum gives.  In conclusion, with all this Covid19, Racial issues and misery that's happening in 2020, it's all about friend's, family, and the kindness and gratitude of human nature that makes the world go around.  I'm blessed that I have such a great family, great forum members that I can share things with and in the end to look back and enjoy the ride that life has given you with the grace of God!

Anyway, if I offended anyone in any way, please except my appolagies.  I am only here to share things with you all as much as I can and again, I thank you all for that.  Below, here is my 1991 Upper Deck Complete 700 card set that includes 3 cards of my all time favorite QB, Brett Favre.

Your friend's, Toshi & Ezra

knox

Tosh,  just a few of the first day covers from the country I grew up in.  I have a bunch of them.  I am biased, but I think they are the best In the world.  

 

Your friend's, Toshi and Ezra

As many of you know by now, no matter the hobby, I truly enjoy the collecting of unique items.  Here is one example.  A complete set of 2000 Pacific Crown Royale Base Cards.  What attracts me to this set is the way the die cut of the cards have been done.  In my humble opinion, the cards look like a 3D Card. 

I pulled cards out of the complete set that are of Hall of famers and most notable football athletes.  Thank you for allowing me to share my football card collection.  The very last photo consists of the 108 Pacific Crown Royale base cards.

I wanted to share this information with FSM Forum Members.  This card depicts Kurt Warner.  What's so substantial about Kurt Warner is that he tried to be drafted in the NFL, instead he had to depend on Canadian football to acquire a living by playing football.  Talk about the USA for neglecting a Hall of Fame QB.  He then went to arena football which is basically indoor football on a shortened field.  

In my humble opinion, arena football is a joke as the scores of games end in as an example, 100-99.  Of where NFL scores are represented usually in the twenty or thirty range, of course depending on the team and players, it can even be a much smaller amount.  

Kurt Warner couldn't even make a practice team on a NFL roster.  So to make a living, he was a bag boy at a grocery store.  Absolutely unbelievable!!!  Talk about neglect.  He finally got an offer and he took the Rams to a Super Bowl win.  

At one point in his NFL career, he was traded to the Arizona, Cardinals where they made him a back up QB behind a rookie named Matt Lienart.  When Matt Lienart could not produce, the Arizona Cardinals went to the veteran Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner.  That year he took the Cardinals to the Super Bowl.  With all these issues in his NFL career he was a humble and honorable athlete.  He adopted several needy children to help them get a good start in life and now he's on ESPN as a very good commentator and critic.  

What inspires me about his life is, in all those issues, he worked hard and continued to move forward with his life for his family.  He's also a very religious individual and continuously praises the lord for the blessings that came his way. It's individuals like Kurt Warner that we need more of.

I purchased this next set of cards for Ezra as a teaching tool.  It's called 2012 Panini Americana Heroes and Legends.  There are cards of Presidents of the USA, Sports and Olympic Athletes, Astronaut, and a Tuskegee Airman.  I thought that this was such a unusual and cool set just to have in my collection.

On this very thread I described several ways of collecting cards.  You can either purchase cards by buying a box set and hope to get a autograph card or a game worn jersey card.  Purchase individual cards from a card shop.  Or visit an online site and make purchases that way ie: eBay.  

I tried all ways in collecting cards, like life, one must gain experience by executing and be diversified with decisions.  That's the only way one learns lessons in life.  

I was so enamored by this football card hobby just like the hobby FSM Forum Members share, the building of kits in that I jumped into the football card collecting hobby 100%!  

I couldn't understand the issue of not wanting to own a complete set.  To me, a complete set signifies that you have all your cards from A to Z.  Cards really don't take up that much room like some hobbies can.  A lot of card collectors only want the main cards and are willing to pay the premium.

In my humble opinion is that if I can get a complete set, in this case 500 cards at a bargain than there's no question that I would not want to make such a purchase.  It's like a BOGO.  

When I found out through reasearch that the most popular Brett Favre rookie card was included in the 1991 Stadium Club set, I went on eBay to see the differences in the purchasing power.  A complete 1991 Stadium Club set of 500 cards could be purchased (At least in my case in 2012) for a sum of $12.00 including shipping and handling.

A single Brett Favre 1991 Stadium Club card #94 sold at that time in 2012 for $17.00 to $20.00.  So I went in with both feet and made a double purchase of the 1991 Stadium Club complete set.  All of a sudden, I had 1000 cards.  It was not a waste of money nor time.  

I also realized that within this set there were other key cards that would make this a great way of collecting cards in my lifetime and for the next generation.  The other key cards besides the Brett Favre card were card number 2 Emitt Smith, card number 60 Ricky Waters, card number 94 Brett Favre, card number 361 Barry Sanders, and card number 327 Joe Montana.

I'd like to share another complete set that I totally forgot about.  It was a simple and very cheap purchase.  I got this at the now defunct Kmart.  It was on the discounted aisle.  This is a set called 2006 Upper Deck Legends of Football.  

I figured nobody in Streetsboro, Ohio thought that this set was worth it.  Personally, all I wanted was to collect as many cards as possible at a very reasonable price point.  My interest in football although late in life in my mid-forties was late, I felt I needed to do just a little catch up!

The photos of the cards are of Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders, John Elway, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Steve Young, Franco Harris, Gale Sayers, Fran Tarkenton, Ben Roethlisberger, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning.  There are a total of 200 cards in this set.  I just took photos of well known legends.  The info is available on The Trading Card Data Base.  That's my go to site for a complete list of information.