An interesting question wound its way around the Twitters last week: What are your collection resolutions for 2012? Normally, I don't do resolutions, and I certainly don't share them. But this one is different - this one is fun.

I responded, of course, in 140 characters. Not near enough space to elaborate. So here is the expanded version.

1. Finally complete the damn 2009, 2010 and 2011 Topps base sets
I'm so close on 2009 and 2010 - less than ten cards for each. 2011 is a bit more work, owning to the fact that I couldn't get a jumbo box of Series 2 and my Series 1 jumbo box didn't have every base card because it was too busy being awesome instead. 34 cards to go there, plus whatever is left over after I open my jumbo box of Update Series (which I hope will give me all the cards). Every time I go back to America I find some more base cards, but obviously not all of the ones I needed. With no trips to America scheduled for 2012, I may just have to go onto Check Out My Cards and bite the bullet.

2. Get to 50% completion on my 1975 Birth Year set
Five months after deciding to start on this set, I'm about one-sixth the way there. I have another 20+ cards coming to me via the Diamond Giveaway, where I have been steadily accumulating 1975 cards to the exclusion of everything else. I even traded away my Ike Davis diamond die-cut because somebody offered me ten '75 cards, and nothing else. Either that was a case of dumb luck or some dude on the Diamond Giveaway website is stalking me and knows my trading preferences. I'm hoping for Option A.

3. Complete the 2012 set by the end of 2012
Mostly because I don't what to be in this same position again next December 31. But I might end up having to collect this set twice-over.

4. Finish at least one insert set from 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2012
Dammit Topps, why do you publish so many historically-based insert sets that pique my interest? Why can't you just stick to the repulsive insert sets like "When They Were Young"?

Finally, I'd like to take this post, the first of the new year, to announce a new feature: the RGB Cards tumblr. Part of the reason why I took a long sabbatical this year was because I lost momentum, and didn't feel like writing a lot, or scanning a bunch of cards. And as the days got by, and the "to scan" pile got bigger, the inertia grew as well. It was a shame, because a ton of great stuff happened in September, October and November, as you are doubtlessly aware.

Hopefully, the tumblr, and its inherent short-form qualities, will be a ideal way to keep posting things when I don't really feel like posting. A "quick-and-dirty", if you will. Long-form pieces will still appear on the blog, and my goal is to write at least ten blog posts each month. By contrast, my goal is to make at least ten tumblr posts each week. I'm also hoping to integrate the blog, tumblr, and Twitter account better - an "RGB Cards Network," if you will.

So there you go - that's the long answer for my 2012 collecting resolutions. What are yours?

Picture from the Topps Twitter feed. I finished the previous year showing my 2011 Sandy Koufax pull, maybe we can keep the mojo coming for another year? I sure wouldn't mind adding that card to my collection!

Happy New Year, everybody. I hope you all enjoy the time with family and friends and I wish you all the success in the coming year. Thanks for reading, and coming back to the blog after my unplanned absence. 2011 was good, but 2012 promises to be the biggest year in my life (more on that later).

I'll be back tomorrow with an expanded look at my Twitter post in response to SRUChris's question. Until then, it was easy to pick the illustration for this post - my biggest pull from this, or any other year, a 1/1 Sandy Koufax!

See you all in 2012!

I'm a little bit ahead of you here in Australia, where we get New Year's Day first. And since it's a summer holiday, there's a fair bit of fireworks shot off because the weather's all nice and stuff.

But with the magic of post scheduling, I've tried to set it up so that this post hits at midnight Eastern Time in the US, when many of you are celebrating New Year's. One of three things is likely to happen.

1. I got the timing right, and it is in fact New Year's back on the East Coast. Yay for me!

2. I confused my AM with my PM and this post gets made when it's January 1 in Australia, but still December 31 in the US. I look a bit eager, but hey, at least it's 2011 at my house.

3. I completely stuffed things up and ended up either a day early or a day late. Either way, I end up looking like a complete moron who shouldn't be allowed access to a computer.

Regardless of which option happens, please accept my best wishes for the new year. I hope 2011 brings nothing but happiness for you and your loved ones. Thanks for your support in 2010 and I look forward to a great second year for RGB Cards.

- Jonathan