Getting started.

Hello.

My name's Edgar.

I rolled over on my couch this afternoon in a half-daze after a half-sleep and realized one very sad thing about my world. I seem to be obsessed with screens.

Oh, these little devils with dusty faces have got me possessed, dear friend.

My TV. Screen. My cameraphone. Screen. My blackberry. Screen! My laptop. Screen!!And shamefully, it goes on...

I pondered as I often do, and I asked myself, ‘What’s the most popular thing you see on screens today?’ And my answer was simple and quick.

Abuse.

It seems the more ‘real’ the reality show, the more abusive behaviour I see. The more popular the website, the more abuse and hatred I read about. Through blogs, through message boards, through video. We’re offered a front row seat to this World Series of aggression and hate, and we go all in, comrade. It’s now become a spectator sport.

Strangers hating and hurting each other. The concept is as old as war, so maybe there’s nothing we can do about it at this point. We’ll keep buying into this experience just like we always have. And life will go on until the planet decides otherwise.

But I just came up with an alternative...

I, too, have an experience for sale. It’s all connected to a pair of special unmarked boxes. I have no idea what makes these boxes special other than for some reason I've carried them around with me for more than half my life. From my parent's house to my first (small) apartment, to my next (smaller) apartment, to that bedroom I rented in that crazy house, to my last apartment as a bachelor, to my first house with my wife. These boxes came with me wherever I went. Boxes that I haven’t opened for almost 2 decades.

That is, until just now.

In these special boxes, a total of 912 baseball cards and hockey cards and other sports collector cards that I bought so long ago (as an investment - ha!). Although each one reminds me of my priceless teenage years, truthfully, each one is economically worthless. A dealer would tell you the same, but at least you can look at each one without a screen. Without installing a battery, or turning on a switch. And one of these cards might mean something to you, too. Because it’ll come from me. A total stranger in his 30’s selling you a small piece of his teenage years that is guaranteed to distract you from looking at a screen that might be poisoned by abuse behaviour.

With each of these cards, I’ll also include a note. Something written on paper to get you away from reading the screen you’re looking at right now. At least for a moment. A poem, an inspirational quote, a short story. A bit of dialogue. Something positive. Something encouraging, maybe. Something for your pocket.

If you are sent one of my worthless cards and unique notes, I will also post a few words about our experience on this blog. Eventually, we’ll have a little story about me and 912 other people who connected through this experience.

A story to share with the rest of the world.

Welcome to paperhopes, chum.

Click here for a peek at the card...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/paperhopes-card-rare-unique-David-Wells-1-of-912_W0QQitemZ270117586463QQihZ017QQcategoryZ55933QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem