RoscoeDeGama

I had no real goals this past year--just my steadfast goal of buying what I like and what speaks to me and my enjoyment. *I did just that with no regrets this year so I count that as a major win to me!
Another goal was no "art debt" and I'm happy to report that I'm not in the midst of any time payment plans, credit payments or anything. 
I did get on a couple commission lists of artists I've been wanting to get drawings from for a couple of years, but overall, I tried to steer more towards OA and pages-and have been pretty successful on that front as well! 
Looking ahead to '24, I'm going to look to stay off of uncertain/pricey commission lists, sell a few things to buy a reasonably priced cover that has caught my eye here recently, and save for the one summer convention I attend each year.

"And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer."
Hans Gruber - 1988
 
I think we all get to a point where there is nothing out there to get excited over when we already have most everything that is within our grasp to obtain or have a desire to obtain.   At a certain point this is nothing more than an endless chase of never ending 'stuff'. 

Not exactly on point, but your question made me think of one thing which has never changed: Will Gabri-El. He is as nice today as when I first met him 20+ years ago: no fake "persona," no looking down at customers b/c they aren't millionaires, no treating them as if they were stupid. Just a regular guy, which I appreciate the older I get.

I've done several trades with fellow collectors in the past year or so. I feel like they worked for both of us in each instance. It was nice getting new art with no $ involved other than respective shipping costs. No worries with who shipped first-both were fellow Premium CAF members and after a good bit of back and forth, no one alluded to/felt there was any real risk. Things went super-smooth every time. With one person, we ended up doing a second trade with a few months later that we both felt good about. Each time he and I both threw in smaller pieces to "even things out" so it was all good. For me though, the absolute BEST part of each transactions was the resulting communication/friendships that developed. Now we're emailing, texting and having phone conversations to just talk art and our great hobby. Very positive experiences all the way around!

I've done several trades with fellow collectors in the past year or so. I feel like they worked for both of us in each instance. It was nice getting new art with no $ involved other than respective shipping costs. No worries with who shipped first-both were fellow Premium CAF members and after a good bit of back and forth, no one alluded to/felt there was any real risk. Things went super-smooth every time. With one person, we ended up doing a second trade with a few months later that we both felt good about. Each time he and I both threw in smaller pieces to "even things out" so it was all good. For me though, the absolute BEST part of each transactions was the resulting communication/friendships that developed. Now we're emailing, texting and having phone conversations to just talk art and our great hobby. Very positive experiences all the way around!

I've done several trades with fellow collectors in the past year or so. I feel like they worked for both of us in each instance. It was nice getting new art with no $ involved other than respective shipping costs. No worries with who shipped first-both were fellow Premium CAF members and after a good bit of back and forth, no one alluded to/felt there was any real risk. Things went super-smooth every time. With one person, we ended up doing a second trade with a few months later that we both felt good about. Each time he and I both threw in smaller pieces to "even things out" so it was all good. For me though, the absolute BEST part of each transactions was the resulting communication/friendships that developed. Now we're emailing, texting and having phone conversations to just talk art and our great hobby. Very positive experiences all the way around!

I've done several trades with fellow collectors in the past year or so. I feel like they worked for both of us in each instance. It was nice getting new art with no $ involved other than respective shipping costs. No worries with who shipped first-both were fellow Premium CAF members and after a good bit of back and forth, no one alluded to/felt there was any real risk. Things went super-smooth every time. With one person, we ended up doing a second trade with a few months later that we both felt good about. Each time he and I both threw in smaller pieces to "even things out" so it was all good. For me though, the absolute BEST part of each transactions was the resulting communication/friendships that developed. Now we're emailing, texting and having phone conversations to just talk art and our great hobby. Very positive experiences all the way around!

I'll definitely be there!