WEBVTT 00:00:00.270 --> 00:00:03.390 What happens when your collecting turns into 00:00:03.390 --> 00:00:06.589 an addiction? This might be the most important 00:00:06.589 --> 00:00:10.130 video episode that I've ever done on this channel. 00:00:10.230 --> 00:00:12.550 And so I hope that everybody that's following 00:00:12.550 --> 00:00:15.910 is going to listen to the entire interview that 00:00:15.910 --> 00:00:19.469 I do with Alyx Effron from CollectorsMD. Now, 00:00:19.510 --> 00:00:22.030 if you don't know who that is, he just did a 00:00:22.030 --> 00:00:24.629 podcast episode with Geoff Wilson on The Geoff 00:00:24.629 --> 00:00:28.120 Wilson Show. CollectorsMD is all about support 00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:31.679 for people that are dealing with either collection 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:36.000 addiction, gambling addiction, or you're just 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.240 out of control with how many breaks or packs 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:42.600 or boxes you're buying, and you've lost the fun 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:46.619 out of collecting. All of these cards, they don't 00:00:46.619 --> 00:00:49.560 really mean anything unless you give them meaning. 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:52.299 Otherwise, they're just cardboard. They're just 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:56.600 photos of men, and we know that. This hobby can 00:00:56.600 --> 00:01:00.299 be fun, but there's also a danger. And so that's 00:01:00.299 --> 00:01:02.740 why I hope that you will pay attention to this 00:01:02.740 --> 00:01:06.579 interview, because if this changes anyone's life, 00:01:06.819 --> 00:01:09.859 then it was well worth it. Here's the interview 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:14.760 with Alyx Efron. What do you see as the big problem 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:19.159 right now with the hobby? Right. So the biggest 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.980 problem in the hobby right now is that line between 00:01:21.980 --> 00:01:25.670 collecting and... Gambling is just completely 00:01:25.670 --> 00:01:29.790 blurred, right? There are a handful of things 00:01:29.790 --> 00:01:32.790 that are contributing to this, first and foremost 00:01:32.790 --> 00:01:36.030 being the break culture and chase mentality that's 00:01:36.030 --> 00:01:40.930 been sort of established by influencers, the 00:01:40.930 --> 00:01:44.450 manufacturers, the platforms. Instead of building 00:01:44.450 --> 00:01:47.769 collections, right, like we used to, many people 00:01:47.769 --> 00:01:51.030 are just hooked on high risk, casino -like environments 00:01:51.030 --> 00:01:53.780 where the focus is just... all about ripping 00:01:53.780 --> 00:01:57.640 packs, chasing short printed hits, flipping cards 00:01:57.640 --> 00:02:00.420 as fast as they possibly can for a quick profit, 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:04.239 right? It conditions people, especially kids 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:07.819 and new individuals that are just joining the 00:02:07.819 --> 00:02:11.479 hobby. And so to believe the hobby is all about 00:02:11.479 --> 00:02:15.840 odds and outcomes rather than meaning and joy 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:20.419 is a dangerous thing. And so... There's also 00:02:20.419 --> 00:02:23.139 the predatory platforms and the lack of regulation, 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:27.580 the apps, the breakers, even major companies 00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:30.819 like, you know, Fanatics and Panini. A lot of 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:33.900 these conglomerates have really leaned into this 00:02:33.900 --> 00:02:36.659 gambling -like model without real consumer protections, 00:02:36.979 --> 00:02:40.560 right? So there are no grills. The truth is, 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:43.500 unfortunately, that's the only way they can make 00:02:43.500 --> 00:02:47.199 billions of dollars if they don't lean into this. 00:02:48.300 --> 00:02:51.080 From your perspective, how did this affect you 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:55.740 personally for you to go, you know what? I've 00:02:55.740 --> 00:02:59.620 got to do something. Right. Yeah. I mean, I just 00:02:59.620 --> 00:03:03.169 want to, you know, sign up kind of. close my 00:03:03.169 --> 00:03:05.949 thought on because i want to set that foundation 00:03:05.949 --> 00:03:08.569 because there are a few other things to touch 00:03:08.569 --> 00:03:11.750 on there um you know i think the the predatory 00:03:11.750 --> 00:03:14.409 platforms and the lack of regulation specifically 00:03:14.409 --> 00:03:17.889 as it pertains to guardrails accountability transparency 00:03:17.889 --> 00:03:22.129 odds fairness or even how you know just money 00:03:22.129 --> 00:03:25.379 is handled in general all of this is sort of 00:03:25.379 --> 00:03:29.060 being done very, very recklessly. Right. And 00:03:29.060 --> 00:03:31.699 so this all leads to. And I want to agree with 00:03:31.699 --> 00:03:34.360 you on that. And I actually let me let me make 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:37.639 it clearer for my audience and anybody that actually 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:40.900 watches this. Everything you're saying is absolutely 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:42.919 true. Anybody that's watching this, everything 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:45.699 that he is saying is absolutely true. What we 00:03:45.699 --> 00:03:47.780 also need to be aware of, which is the reason 00:03:47.780 --> 00:03:50.439 why I wanted you on, is there's never going to 00:03:50.439 --> 00:03:52.900 be regulation. This is going to be a completely 00:03:52.900 --> 00:03:57.110 unregulated. You are going to be susceptible. 00:03:57.449 --> 00:04:01.030 The people who make these cards want to turn 00:04:01.030 --> 00:04:04.189 you into gamblers. They want you to be addicted. 00:04:04.389 --> 00:04:07.870 That's their goal. This is way worse than cigarettes. 00:04:08.189 --> 00:04:11.949 This is predatory. They want to be predatory. 00:04:12.090 --> 00:04:15.810 They're using psychology against you. Therefore, 00:04:15.870 --> 00:04:19.189 that's why I think what you're doing is so important 00:04:19.189 --> 00:04:24.410 because we are all. Completely exposed and no 00:04:24.410 --> 00:04:28.550 one is ever going to save us or help us or provide 00:04:28.550 --> 00:04:31.370 us with any support. We are on our own. Right. 00:04:31.470 --> 00:04:35.810 So that's why I think what you're doing is so 00:04:35.810 --> 00:04:38.569 important because we don't take care of ourselves. 00:04:39.230 --> 00:04:42.860 We're in trouble. Right. right so everything 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:44.879 that i'm talking about it's leading to things 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.279 like financial and emotional fallout right collectors 00:04:48.279 --> 00:04:50.180 are just getting pulled into these cycles where 00:04:50.180 --> 00:04:52.220 they're overspending they're just constantly 00:04:52.220 --> 00:04:55.259 chasing losses and they're they're really comparing 00:04:55.259 --> 00:04:57.540 themselves to others especially the influencers 00:04:57.540 --> 00:05:01.019 and the the youtubers and the big breakers who 00:05:01.019 --> 00:05:03.180 are just constantly creating these highlight 00:05:03.180 --> 00:05:07.120 reels and um you know hits of the day and things 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.040 like that and so You know, people are just losing 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:12.180 themselves. It leads to debt. It leads to stress, 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:15.740 shame. In some cases, you know, just exiting 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:18.019 the hobby altogether because it stops being fun. 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:21.579 And so there's this sort of lost culture of collecting. 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:25.220 And the emphasis on the hits and the comps is 00:05:25.220 --> 00:05:27.839 just, you know, taking over the original spirit, 00:05:27.939 --> 00:05:31.800 which was connection, nostalgia, personal meaning, 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:34.980 community. You know, collectors are now made 00:05:34.980 --> 00:05:38.110 to feel. If they're losing, if they don't pull 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:42.889 that monster, that case hit, that lottery ticket, 00:05:43.230 --> 00:05:46.689 it's game over. When in reality, there should 00:05:46.689 --> 00:05:49.149 be no losing if you're collecting with intention, 00:05:49.490 --> 00:05:52.990 which is our mantra, what we always say. So at 00:05:52.990 --> 00:05:56.519 its core, the problem is in the ecosystem. that 00:05:56.519 --> 00:05:59.779 is designed to exploit impulse rather than nurture 00:05:59.779 --> 00:06:02.560 passion, right? So that's why something - And 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:06.160 that's by design. Again, the boxes, the new wax, 00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:11.879 the companies themselves want all of the base 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:14.800 cards to be worthless so that you don't want 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.060 them, so you don't collect. They want you to 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:22.379 chase after gambling. so that you're going after 00:06:22.379 --> 00:06:25.060 the numbered cards, the patch cards, the RPAs, 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:27.740 the one -on -ones, and the odds and the lottery 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:30.160 and the sweepstakes aspect of all this. That's 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.740 what they want. Exactly. And I appreciate you 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:36.319 giving me the opportunity to sort of lay that 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:40.939 foundation so I can sort of segue into why CollectorsMD 00:06:40.939 --> 00:06:43.639 exists, why we matter. And so it's sort of to 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:46.519 recenter the hobby on support, sustainability, 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:51.040 and purpose. So the reason... you know, we started 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:54.740 Collectors MD is because, you know, I saw something 00:06:54.740 --> 00:06:57.160 that was missing, something that was dangerous 00:06:57.160 --> 00:06:58.939 in the hobby. And, you know, I've been in the 00:06:58.939 --> 00:07:02.100 hobby long enough now where I've gathered my 00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:06.759 own personal sort of opinions and based on my 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:09.699 lived experience. And so, you know, I went through 00:07:09.699 --> 00:07:13.519 the cycle myself, collecting turned into just 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:17.399 this compulsive ripping, ripping turned into. 00:07:17.980 --> 00:07:20.740 more chasing, chasing turned into financial and 00:07:20.740 --> 00:07:23.920 emotional fallout. And so I saw firsthand, I 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:27.339 know firsthand what it feels like to lose that 00:07:27.339 --> 00:07:30.819 sense of control, to feel that pull of, you know, 00:07:30.819 --> 00:07:34.439 just one more box, just one more rip and the 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:36.600 shame that follows and the regret that you feel 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:38.980 the next day. And that experience, you know, 00:07:38.980 --> 00:07:41.220 just really gave me a lot of clarity, right? 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:45.000 So I feel strongly that the hobby needed a space. 00:07:45.769 --> 00:07:49.529 where people could talk openly about all of this 00:07:49.529 --> 00:07:53.769 without judgment. So I honestly, and I think 00:07:53.769 --> 00:07:57.410 that's, that's what I hope my audience. So I 00:07:57.410 --> 00:08:00.769 created this channel to, to do what you're talking 00:08:00.769 --> 00:08:03.949 about. I don't, I don't know how to do what you 00:08:03.949 --> 00:08:06.110 guys did. And I think it's great. And I want 00:08:06.110 --> 00:08:09.110 to actually talk about like what actually happens 00:08:09.110 --> 00:08:12.769 in the group. So people feel more safe to go, 00:08:12.829 --> 00:08:15.250 you know what, I should check this out. But, 00:08:15.689 --> 00:08:19.750 My story, and I've got now close to 300 videos 00:08:19.750 --> 00:08:23.810 talking about the problems with... the hobby 00:08:23.810 --> 00:08:27.790 and how to psychologically and mentally put yourself 00:08:27.790 --> 00:08:30.649 in a better mindset. I happen to, I don't have 00:08:30.649 --> 00:08:33.950 the addiction problem, although I did see the 00:08:33.950 --> 00:08:38.129 sports car dad actually admitted. And I, I thought 00:08:38.129 --> 00:08:40.889 that was amazing. That was, it's his most viral 00:08:40.889 --> 00:08:44.230 video that he, he admitted, I have an addiction 00:08:44.230 --> 00:08:48.269 problem and he almost destroyed his whole family 00:08:48.269 --> 00:08:51.269 over. A lot of people have. Yep. And I've seen 00:08:51.269 --> 00:08:54.970 Reddit posts as well where people have gone way 00:08:54.970 --> 00:08:57.629 too far into this. And every time I see people 00:08:57.629 --> 00:08:59.929 at card shows and they ask me, they're like, 00:08:59.970 --> 00:09:01.870 you know, if I'm spending money, like what should 00:09:01.870 --> 00:09:04.409 I? And I'm like, first of all, stop, stop buying. 00:09:04.549 --> 00:09:08.009 Just first of all, just stop. I think you got 00:09:08.009 --> 00:09:11.029 to get a handle on it and mindset. I'm the son 00:09:11.029 --> 00:09:15.029 of a card hoarder. So I had 8 million cards by 00:09:15.029 --> 00:09:18.250 1991. I've been in this hobby for 40 years. Right. 00:09:18.730 --> 00:09:21.690 I saw and I saw your video that you shared with 00:09:21.690 --> 00:09:24.450 me about, you know, son of a card hoarder. And 00:09:24.450 --> 00:09:28.330 I think that was really well done and well articulated. 00:09:28.490 --> 00:09:31.389 And I think, Doc, you're doing a fantastic job 00:09:31.389 --> 00:09:33.789 of spreading the message and putting this out 00:09:33.789 --> 00:09:38.490 there because the conversation. These conversations 00:09:38.490 --> 00:09:42.230 have been happening sort of behind closed doors, 00:09:42.350 --> 00:09:44.570 behind the scenes, and it hasn't been brought 00:09:44.570 --> 00:09:46.970 to the forefront. There's been no pressure applied 00:09:46.970 --> 00:09:51.120 to. the conglomerates until now. And so that's 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:53.759 what we're trying to do with Collectors MD. And 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:57.340 I think we still have a lot of work to do and 00:09:57.340 --> 00:10:01.840 a long way to go to get to where we want to be 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.600 and to help the number of individuals that are 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:09.559 going through these things that we're talking 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:12.360 about. They're struggling with burnout and mental 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:17.960 and emotional. absolutely and id depression it's 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:20.659 it's it's really really it's really really serious 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:23.620 you know this is it's it's very serious which 00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:26.279 is why i want to get into so if somebody goes 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:29.820 to Collectors MD right now yeah what's the what's 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:35.639 the first thing they can expect and and how because 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:37.820 again the most important thing i think right 00:10:37.820 --> 00:10:41.730 now Long term is dealing with the manufacturers, 00:10:41.929 --> 00:10:45.269 dealing with them and breakers. And but for right 00:10:45.269 --> 00:10:49.570 now, people who are anyone who is even if you 00:10:49.570 --> 00:10:52.690 don't even admit that you have an addiction issue, 00:10:52.850 --> 00:10:54.769 maybe you're just spending a little too much 00:10:54.769 --> 00:10:57.669 money and you're like, why am I doing this? Go 00:10:57.669 --> 00:11:00.389 to CollectorsMD. What's the first thing they 00:11:00.389 --> 00:11:04.570 can expect from the website? Yeah. So if someone 00:11:04.570 --> 00:11:07.240 were to. be introduced to CollectorsMD right 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:11.899 now with, you know, no knowledge or understanding 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:14.740 of what we are and what we're doing, here's what 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:16.279 it would feel like straight up. No corporate 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:19.279 fluff, just, you know, straight up from a new 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.620 member that we're introducing into our community. 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:24.340 They'd find a real community of collectors who 00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:27.470 get it. People who have felt the same pull of 00:11:27.470 --> 00:11:30.330 ripping packs late at night, the same pit in 00:11:30.330 --> 00:11:33.090 the stomach after overspending, the same guilt 00:11:33.090 --> 00:11:35.690 of hiding packages from family, all these things 00:11:35.690 --> 00:11:39.929 we've all done, right? Not you, Doc. I know you 00:11:39.929 --> 00:11:42.889 mentioned that you don't have the problem of 00:11:42.889 --> 00:11:44.830 addiction, which is great, but the fact that 00:11:44.830 --> 00:11:47.110 you are - I have the problem of getting rid of 00:11:47.110 --> 00:11:51.049 stuff. Yeah, I just, I hoard it. I have problems 00:11:51.049 --> 00:11:53.629 getting rid of it, although I've gotten rid of 00:11:53.629 --> 00:11:55.850 seven and a half million cards over the last 00:11:55.850 --> 00:12:00.029 decade. That's incredibly impressive. It's also 00:12:00.029 --> 00:12:04.809 staggering. I mean, I've probably sold, handled, 00:12:05.070 --> 00:12:09.429 bought, you know, whatever the case may be, millions 00:12:09.429 --> 00:12:13.000 of cards over the last five years or so. you 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:16.279 know, to be able to track that is really interesting. 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:19.600 So anyway, the real difference with CollectorsMD 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:22.580 is you don't have to explain yourself. Everyone 00:12:22.580 --> 00:12:25.860 already understands. And so we run weekly peer 00:12:25.860 --> 00:12:27.779 support meetings every Wednesday night. That's 00:12:27.779 --> 00:12:29.860 something we would introduce, you know, this 00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:33.220 individual to. Video is optional. You can share 00:12:33.220 --> 00:12:35.000 what's on your mind or you can just sit back, 00:12:35.019 --> 00:12:38.100 listen and realize that you're not alone. Nobody's 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:40.909 keeping score. It's not therapy. I'm not a licensed 00:12:40.909 --> 00:12:44.129 therapist or a doctor. It's just merely support. 00:12:44.389 --> 00:12:47.309 And sometimes support means being in the room 00:12:47.309 --> 00:12:49.450 while others tell the stories you've been too 00:12:49.450 --> 00:12:52.960 afraid to admit out loud. We always say you have 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:55.360 to heal in community. We have to heal in community. 00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:58.799 We can't heal by ourselves. We also put out content. 00:12:58.940 --> 00:13:01.080 So we have daily reflections, which are essentially 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:03.860 quick journal entries. They're quick reads that 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:07.179 feel like, you know, a reset button for your 00:13:07.179 --> 00:13:09.940 mindset, things you can carry with you when the 00:13:09.940 --> 00:13:12.820 urge to rip comes up or when you need a reminder 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:15.019 that collecting can and should be intentional, 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:18.500 not compulsive. We also have a daily group chat, 00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:22.759 which is extremely active. 40 plus members now. 00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:25.480 These folks are encouraging each other. They're 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:28.740 sharing their wins. They're venting over their 00:13:28.740 --> 00:13:31.179 setbacks, which, you know, relapse is a huge 00:13:31.179 --> 00:13:35.320 part of the journey. And we we get that. We accept 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.360 that. And, you know, we we are are with those 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:41.620 people, you know, or they're just being there 00:13:41.620 --> 00:13:43.600 in real time when someone needs to be talked 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.500 down from buying into that next break. It's a 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:52.830 really great. That's that's great. It's great. 00:13:52.909 --> 00:13:56.009 And hopefully. Yeah. And hopefully everybody 00:13:56.009 --> 00:14:00.049 that's that's listening right now and just one, 00:14:00.129 --> 00:14:02.649 you're very sincere. You're very you're very 00:14:02.649 --> 00:14:04.710 passionate about this and you're you're being 00:14:04.710 --> 00:14:11.259 honest. But honesty is where I come from. I created 00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:14.159 this whole channel and everything I put out is 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:17.159 just about honesty. Whether people like it or 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:20.820 not, it's just raw and honest. What you're doing 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:25.480 is about that. Which is why when I saw you on 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.559 Geoff Wilson's show, I went, I need to talk to 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:34.090 him. I appreciate you reaching out. And I understood 00:14:34.090 --> 00:14:37.529 what you're trying to do with Geoff, but he runs 00:14:37.529 --> 00:14:41.409 a business and he can't make money unless gambling 00:14:41.409 --> 00:14:47.990 exists. Well, there is something to be said there. 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:50.830 And there is one last thing I want to mention 00:14:50.830 --> 00:14:53.470 regarding CollectorsMD. That's really important, 00:14:53.590 --> 00:14:57.419 a key takeaway. We're here to tell you. you know, 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:59.480 we're not here to tell you to quit collecting. 00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:02.659 We don't want to cancel the hobby or cancel break 00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:05.860 culture altogether. CollectorsMD is simply here 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:09.820 to remind you why you started and it's to make 00:15:09.820 --> 00:15:13.080 sure the hobby feels like joy, which is what 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:15.980 it should be, not a burden, right? Not a nuisance. 00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:18.179 And sometimes the first step is just showing 00:15:18.179 --> 00:15:21.220 up. So with that being said, go ahead. No, I 00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:24.120 appreciate that message. It's so important. And 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:29.000 so here's what I would, like if possible so what 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:35.419 i think i hope that everyone who is even on the 00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:38.120 margin if you're just like you know what i'm 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:41.919 just i'm just not in control of how much i spend 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:44.399 or i go to the store i see the box and i'm like 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:49.440 oh i should get that box join collectors md only 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:54.389 because i think The reset, the mindset, the mentality 00:15:54.389 --> 00:15:58.350 of being in control of what you decide to do 00:15:58.350 --> 00:16:02.289 is so important. And I'm glad that you said that 00:16:02.289 --> 00:16:04.389 because it's not about getting rid of the hobby. 00:16:04.470 --> 00:16:06.629 It's not about and it's not about complaining 00:16:06.629 --> 00:16:09.789 either. It's about doing things with intention. 00:16:10.090 --> 00:16:13.970 I want to buy a box because I want to buy the 00:16:13.970 --> 00:16:17.649 box, not because I'm chasing, not because I want 00:16:17.649 --> 00:16:22.309 the hit. I try to communicate these ideas to 00:16:22.309 --> 00:16:25.190 my audience that you really should, if you buy 00:16:25.190 --> 00:16:28.110 a box, a modern box, you should know at going 00:16:28.110 --> 00:16:32.070 in, you're never going to get a hit. Just buy 00:16:32.070 --> 00:16:35.929 the box because you want the cards. Right. Yeah, 00:16:35.990 --> 00:16:38.730 that's really well said. I think a lot of people 00:16:38.730 --> 00:16:41.190 go into it with a mindset where they just want 00:16:41.190 --> 00:16:45.289 that big hit. Obviously, they want the card that's 00:16:45.289 --> 00:16:47.950 going to help. paver the box and then some, but 00:16:47.950 --> 00:16:50.629 they also want the acceptance and the acknowledgement 00:16:50.629 --> 00:16:54.110 of the breaker and the chat and the camaraderie 00:16:54.110 --> 00:16:57.230 that comes with this culture. And a lot of those 00:16:57.230 --> 00:16:59.990 people might not even realize that's what they're 00:16:59.990 --> 00:17:05.130 subconsciously looking for. Validation. And CollectorsMD, 00:17:05.190 --> 00:17:09.109 because it's a community, you will get that same 00:17:09.109 --> 00:17:12.109 feeling without losing all your money. That's 00:17:12.109 --> 00:17:14.250 a great point, Doc. I appreciate you saying that. 00:17:14.410 --> 00:17:18.210 I do want to quickly go back to what you brought 00:17:18.210 --> 00:17:22.390 up about Geoff Wilson and Fanatics and Whatnot 00:17:22.390 --> 00:17:26.950 and all these companies that are ultimately in 00:17:26.950 --> 00:17:32.950 it for revenue, right? And I personally believe 00:17:32.950 --> 00:17:36.190 that the hobby can coexist with gambling -like 00:17:36.190 --> 00:17:40.130 mechanics, break culture, but only if it's honest. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:43.359 about what's what, and if collectors are given 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.079 the tools to protect themselves. Right now, there 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:49.599 are no safeguards that exist. And so here's what 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:52.059 it would take for coexistence, two realities 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:56.000 to coexist for it to actually be safe. Number 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:59.420 one would be clear lines, okay? The industry 00:17:59.420 --> 00:18:01.839 needs to stop blurring the language. Breaking 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:05.539 is gambling, and everyone knows it. label it, 00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:08.220 regulate it, and give consumers the information 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:11.619 they need, the odds, the risks, the disclosures, 00:18:11.660 --> 00:18:16.559 the warnings, the resources, so people can choose 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:19.140 with eyes open instead of being sold entertainment, 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:22.460 okay? Number two is real guardrails. Casinos 00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:26.180 and sportsbooks have self -exclusion tools, deposit 00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:29.299 limits, responsible play disclaimers and messaging. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:33.859 Those things exist for a reason. Well, I'm gonna... 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:37.319 One, so here's a couple of things I want to do 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:40.900 at the end. So I have some background. So I have 00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:43.759 10 years in politics as well as over 20 years 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:46.279 in education. And there's a whole bunch of stuff 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:49.380 that I would love to be able to do with your 00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:52.880 community and group towards those back end stuff. 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:56.119 The first thing that you haven't even said, and 00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:57.799 you didn't say it on Geoff Wilson's show because 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:00.819 I think it's sort of like an assumption. The 00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:04.450 biggest issue is that it's illegal. For children 00:19:04.450 --> 00:19:10.829 to gamble. Yeah. I mean, you want to talk about 00:19:10.829 --> 00:19:12.890 it? I didn't use the word illegal, but I said 00:19:12.890 --> 00:19:15.990 it's well, no, I actually clipped it in a video 00:19:15.990 --> 00:19:18.990 today. Under 21, you're not allowed in a casino. 00:19:19.450 --> 00:19:22.950 Right. But the problem is in order to make it 00:19:22.950 --> 00:19:25.750 illegal, we need to create clear lines. We need 00:19:25.750 --> 00:19:29.500 to like. Well, I've actually, so just to give 00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:32.039 you, so on my channel, and I have said this a 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:33.940 couple of times. So again, it's not widespread 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:37.380 because I have, I just surpassed 2 ,500 subscribers. 00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:41.400 So I'm not, I'm not big, but in order to have 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:43.440 the guardrails that you're talking about, we 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:47.400 need two separate types of products. We need 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:50.559 to go back to traditional wax, which is series 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:53.039 one, series two, where there are no lotteries 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:56.680 in there. It's just base. You can have some short 00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:59.579 prints or inserts, but it's just it's primarily 00:19:59.579 --> 00:20:02.839 base. And then you have higher end product, which 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:04.940 is your sweepstakes and your, you know, your 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:08.579 odds, which is so that there's a known entity, 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:11.539 especially for parents, that it's like this is 00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:14.059 the kid stuff. And then this is the gambling. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:16.759 This is the adult stuff. Right. Because right 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.339 now, I feel like they tried to do that. Yeah, 00:20:19.380 --> 00:20:22.319 they've tried to do that. They've tried to create 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:26.619 a. A separation between hobby product and retail 00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:30.380 product to your point. Yeah, but that's, that's, 00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:33.460 that's called, that's, that's not a separation. 00:20:33.579 --> 00:20:36.279 That's called making an excuse. Everybody knows 00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:39.599 what's going on. I'm in agreement with you. I'm 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:41.319 just telling you like what we've, what we've 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:44.970 heard from. And the only way, the only way that's 00:20:44.970 --> 00:20:47.809 ever going to happen is if we get the government 00:20:47.809 --> 00:20:50.089 involved. That's the only way. And there are 00:20:50.089 --> 00:20:52.450 folks in our community that are actually involved 00:20:52.450 --> 00:21:00.349 in, you know, all sorts of, there's a case that 00:21:00.349 --> 00:21:04.190 is currently open in, there's a class action 00:21:04.190 --> 00:21:07.130 in California. Okay. I won't go into too much 00:21:07.130 --> 00:21:10.309 detail, but. But I will put it this way. If you 00:21:10.309 --> 00:21:12.390 have anybody in your community, and I'll put 00:21:12.390 --> 00:21:14.529 this out to everybody in my community, if anybody 00:21:14.529 --> 00:21:17.390 works in government, I can actually help you 00:21:17.390 --> 00:21:20.009 write legislation, because that's what I used 00:21:20.009 --> 00:21:23.869 to do, write legislation to get this into law. 00:21:24.450 --> 00:21:27.170 And this is a win -win. There's not a politician 00:21:27.170 --> 00:21:29.009 that would be like, yeah, we want to screw kids. 00:21:29.250 --> 00:21:31.609 No, no, no. They're going to protect kids. The 00:21:31.609 --> 00:21:34.750 problem is that the people who we want to reach 00:21:34.750 --> 00:21:37.920 are not in the hobby. Politicians don't collect 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.460 cards. Politicians don't care about anything 00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:43.319 that we're doing. This is a fringe right now, 00:21:43.380 --> 00:21:45.980 even though Fanatics is trying to 10x the hobby, 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:50.480 and it has grown. But the majority of people 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:53.539 in the United States have no idea what we're 00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:57.039 talking about, which is also why anybody that's 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.920 watching this, go to CollectorsMD. I'm putting 00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:03.599 the link in the description. Go there. Join. 00:22:04.329 --> 00:22:08.450 So it's a community where you can get the feeling 00:22:08.450 --> 00:22:12.549 of being part of it. It's got chat. It's got 00:22:12.549 --> 00:22:15.569 weekly sessions. It's got where you can talk 00:22:15.569 --> 00:22:20.049 about cards without losing your shirt. You don't 00:22:20.049 --> 00:22:24.589 have to pay money to be part of something. That's 00:22:24.589 --> 00:22:28.829 what CollectorsMD can do. And I think this is 00:22:28.829 --> 00:22:32.890 really positive for everybody. Again, the episode 00:22:32.890 --> 00:22:35.769 or the video I just put out, because this will 00:22:35.769 --> 00:22:38.470 probably go out next week. So the episode I did 00:22:38.470 --> 00:22:41.309 a few days ago for you guys, I talked about like 00:22:41.309 --> 00:22:43.829 the positivity in the hobby where people wanted 00:22:43.829 --> 00:22:46.130 to be gatekeepers. We don't need gatekeepers. 00:22:46.269 --> 00:22:48.769 What we need is support. We need people who look 00:22:48.769 --> 00:22:51.730 out for each other. This is a team. And if we 00:22:51.730 --> 00:22:54.750 take a team approach to it where everybody says, 00:22:54.950 --> 00:22:58.630 hey, are you okay? Hey, it's okay. You don't 00:22:58.630 --> 00:23:01.460 need to buy that box. Why don't you come? Why 00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:03.500 don't you go to a session? Why don't you talk 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:05.819 to other collectors and other people that are 00:23:05.819 --> 00:23:07.819 in the hobby who are like, you know what? I just 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:10.099 I spent a thousand dollars. Why did I do that? 00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:14.200 And one of the things that I try and, you know, 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:17.299 I'm certainly I'm open to doing. I don't know 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:19.720 if you do guest spots within the community, but 00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:23.220 I like to at least people understand that. Just 00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:27.960 look at the dollar amount. If you buy two blasters 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:32.160 at retail. That's 50 bucks. If you just took 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:35.559 that $50 and bought the one or two cards you 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:40.279 want, you'd be so much happier and you wouldn't 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:42.259 have wasted your money. Of course. But people 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:44.940 want the thrill of the chase. That's what they're 00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:46.019 seeking. And that's what they - Well, that's 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:48.039 the addiction. It's the old wax. Right. That's 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.220 the addiction. Right. If you look at it black 00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:51.799 and white, of course, that makes the most sense. 00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:54.519 People would rather hit the card than buy the 00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:57.059 card. There's two things I want to bring up. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:59.259 One, as it pertains to the legal side of the 00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:01.579 hobby, things like regulation, gambling laws, 00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:05.460 enforcement. That's not necessarily our lane 00:24:05.460 --> 00:24:08.160 at Collectors MD. We advocate for those things. 00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:11.180 But, you know, I'm not like an attorney or a 00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:15.000 lawmaker. You know, there are advocacy groups 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:16.920 who are much better positioned to tackle that 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:19.599 fight. Our focus is a little bit different. We're 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:21.910 here for the collector who's hit a wall. The 00:24:21.910 --> 00:24:24.049 person who wakes up realizing the fun has slipped 00:24:24.049 --> 00:24:27.450 into compulsion or who feels the stress of, you 00:24:27.450 --> 00:24:29.250 know, overspending and hiding packages from loved 00:24:29.250 --> 00:24:31.009 ones, all the things we talk about. We're not 00:24:31.009 --> 00:24:33.130 drawing up legislation. We're not, you know, 00:24:33.170 --> 00:24:36.730 we're just trying to help people reset, find 00:24:36.730 --> 00:24:38.910 accountability, find healthier habits right now. 00:24:39.029 --> 00:24:42.230 The legal and structured or structural reform. 00:24:43.789 --> 00:24:46.230 conversations are really important and we welcome 00:24:46.230 --> 00:24:48.829 others to lead them. But CollectorsMD exists 00:24:48.829 --> 00:24:51.690 for the human side, for recovery, support and 00:24:51.690 --> 00:24:54.349 community, because while laws might change someday, 00:24:54.450 --> 00:24:56.990 and hopefully they do, collectors need help today. 00:24:57.130 --> 00:24:59.309 So we can't just, you know, sit back and wait. 00:24:59.390 --> 00:25:02.589 We need to address this head on immediately right 00:25:02.589 --> 00:25:04.930 now. And that's what we're doing. And the other 00:25:04.930 --> 00:25:07.309 thing I wanted to talk about is how CollectorsMD 00:25:07.309 --> 00:25:09.450 is, you brought up a good point. You know, this 00:25:09.450 --> 00:25:11.710 is a group effort. CollectorsMD has never been 00:25:11.710 --> 00:25:15.519 just about me. Alyx Effron, as the face of CollectorsMD 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:18.640 or anything like that, you know, I'm not an egotistical 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:22.319 person at all. It's always been about the group. 00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:25.559 The whole point is that it's a peer support effort. 00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:29.140 When people come into our meetings, they aren't 00:25:29.140 --> 00:25:31.660 walking into a lecture or listening to one person 00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:33.859 talk to them. They're stepping into a circle 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:36.279 where everyone's voice matters. Where listening 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:39.069 is just as important as sharing. And some weeks, 00:25:39.130 --> 00:25:41.670 you know, a member story or reflection might 00:25:41.670 --> 00:25:44.109 hit harder than anything I could have ever written 00:25:44.109 --> 00:25:47.690 myself. Other weeks, you know, it's the quiet 00:25:47.690 --> 00:25:49.769 presence of someone just showing up that makes 00:25:49.769 --> 00:25:52.849 all the difference, right? So the power of CollectorsMD 00:25:52.849 --> 00:25:55.549 is all in the collective. It works because we're 00:25:55.549 --> 00:25:58.470 all in it together. We're trading honesty for 00:25:58.470 --> 00:26:01.150 honesty, accountability for accountability. So 00:26:01.150 --> 00:26:04.650 it's not my movement. It's not my company. It's 00:26:04.650 --> 00:26:06.849 our movement. So I want to make that really clear. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:10.480 I'm glad that you said that. And so here's the 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.700 thing that I want to end with this. And again, 00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:16.200 I appreciate all the time. I want to make sure 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:18.859 that anybody that's watching this, listening 00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:25.079 to this, understands that real impact of if you 00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:31.000 are buying packs weekly, monthly, you just have 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:34.480 this routine. Again, I am working on a book of 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:38.039 trying to help. fix the violent nature of schools. 00:26:38.339 --> 00:26:41.839 And the problem that we have as human beings 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:45.200 is once we get into routine, it's very difficult 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:48.940 to get out of it. And what addiction does is 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:53.259 it creates a routine that you can't break. And 00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:56.839 what you can, if you even feel it a little bit, 00:26:56.940 --> 00:27:02.640 go to Collectors MD just so you know, like Alyx 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:06.839 said, you're not alone. You are not alone. Just 00:27:06.839 --> 00:27:10.359 go and just be a part of it. You don't have to 00:27:10.359 --> 00:27:12.119 say anything. You don't have to do anything. 00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:16.240 Just know that if you do get into trouble, you 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:17.859 can just kind of like, all right, you know what? 00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:21.240 I got to deal with this now. Because the last 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:23.880 thing, certainly that I want, and it's obviously 00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:26.779 the reason why you started CollectorsMD, is I 00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:29.339 don't want someone to get themselves in so deep 00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:32.680 that they don't know what to do anymore. That's 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:36.299 the danger. That's the danger that I see and 00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:39.819 I don't want. I want people to know that you're 00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:45.680 okay. You're in this with other people. Hopefully, 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:48.900 hopefully you can get control over what's happening 00:27:48.900 --> 00:27:52.299 and then bring your loved ones into this because 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:57.009 support needs to be more than one person. It's 00:27:57.009 --> 00:27:59.410 not just CollectorsMD and I'm done. No, no, no. 00:27:59.930 --> 00:28:03.650 CollectorsMD is part of a whole plan. You'll 00:28:03.650 --> 00:28:06.250 have CollectorsMD as a community support group. 00:28:06.349 --> 00:28:08.349 You have to then bring in some loved ones and 00:28:08.349 --> 00:28:10.670 say, look, I'm dealing with this. And they can 00:28:10.670 --> 00:28:13.490 then provide you with more support. But I think 00:28:13.490 --> 00:28:16.569 that in terms of the entire. program, I think 00:28:16.569 --> 00:28:20.329 CollectorsMD should be in everyone's conversation 00:28:20.329 --> 00:28:23.430 as to, and even if you don't have addiction, 00:28:23.710 --> 00:28:26.230 even if you're just somebody who's like me, who's 00:28:26.230 --> 00:28:28.049 like, you know what, I have difficulty letting 00:28:28.049 --> 00:28:32.150 go of stuff. I think joining makes sense because 00:28:32.150 --> 00:28:35.529 it is about community. And this is a community 00:28:35.529 --> 00:28:38.470 of people who love cards just like you. They're 00:28:38.470 --> 00:28:42.359 the same as you. even if you don't have a problem. 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:45.380 And so therefore, if you don't, you can also 00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:49.460 provide support to someone who does. And that 00:28:49.460 --> 00:28:53.200 way, especially if it grows big enough, there 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:57.200 can be these subchapters within each state and 00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:00.160 within each location. That's what we're working 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:04.019 towards. We're actually rolling out the Collectors 00:29:04.019 --> 00:29:08.490 MD. um location in uh Colorado in the coming 00:29:08.490 --> 00:29:10.730 weeks which is really exciting i'm actually based 00:29:10.730 --> 00:29:15.250 in jersey so um just spreading uh presence across 00:29:15.250 --> 00:29:18.190 the country on the west coast is just it's it's 00:29:18.190 --> 00:29:20.990 really really uh terrific thing so i have a few 00:29:20.990 --> 00:29:24.650 things um Doc that um i want to share uh first 00:29:24.650 --> 00:29:26.849 of all thank you so much for the support uh truly 00:29:26.849 --> 00:29:32.069 um you know grateful and humbled by all the kind 00:29:32.069 --> 00:29:34.190 things that you're saying about what we're doing. 00:29:34.970 --> 00:29:37.509 You know, one thing I want to bring up is one 00:29:37.509 --> 00:29:39.849 of the biggest issues collectors have faced for 00:29:39.849 --> 00:29:43.049 years, if not decades, whether it's sports cards, 00:29:43.309 --> 00:29:46.970 Pokemon cards, or any other chase -driven collectible. 00:29:47.029 --> 00:29:50.130 It could be sneakers. It could be watches, handbags, 00:29:50.390 --> 00:29:54.609 NFTs, you know, digital packs or loot boxes in 00:29:54.609 --> 00:29:57.880 gaming, right? They've all sort of felt like 00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:59.960 when they're struggling, this sense of isolation. 00:30:00.339 --> 00:30:04.240 People were sitting alone in their rooms, ashamed 00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:06.779 and embarrassed to admit that what started as 00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:08.720 a hobby had turned into something that felt more 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:11.099 like an addiction. They weren't just, you know, 00:30:11.099 --> 00:30:14.579 hiding purchases from their loved ones, their 00:30:14.579 --> 00:30:17.019 spouses, their family members. They were hiding 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:20.079 the truth from themselves, convinced nobody else 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:22.759 could possibly understand, right? That shame. 00:30:23.309 --> 00:30:26.410 kept people quiet for far too long. And in that 00:30:26.410 --> 00:30:28.809 silence, the cycle only got worse and worse, 00:30:29.029 --> 00:30:32.049 especially as break culture was introduced. No 00:30:32.049 --> 00:30:34.329 community, no accountability, no safe outlet. 00:30:34.470 --> 00:30:37.029 It was just people struggling behind closed doors. 00:30:37.190 --> 00:30:39.130 And trust me when I tell you, and I know you 00:30:39.130 --> 00:30:42.009 know this, but to your audience, there are thousands 00:30:42.009 --> 00:30:45.589 and thousands of people who have this problem. 00:30:46.190 --> 00:30:49.069 What's changed now is that CollectorsMD exists. 00:30:49.630 --> 00:30:51.789 The moment we built the space where people could 00:30:51.789 --> 00:30:54.509 talk openly, something started to shift in the 00:30:54.509 --> 00:30:57.509 hobby. Suddenly, collectors started coming out 00:30:57.509 --> 00:31:00.430 of the woodwork. You know, people maybe you wouldn't 00:31:00.430 --> 00:31:03.450 even expect. maybe some big -time collectors 00:31:03.450 --> 00:31:06.029 that have a really, really strong presence and 00:31:06.029 --> 00:31:08.869 voice in the hobby. And we're very private and 00:31:08.869 --> 00:31:12.109 confidential, so we don't share the names of 00:31:12.109 --> 00:31:15.410 members who join our meetings. But what I can 00:31:15.410 --> 00:31:17.049 tell you is that there have been a handful of 00:31:17.049 --> 00:31:19.250 people who have joined us who are well -known 00:31:19.250 --> 00:31:22.839 in the hobby. So, you know, they come out and 00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:24.599 they're sharing their stories for their first 00:31:24.599 --> 00:31:27.140 time, realizing all along they weren't alone. 00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:30.160 And the floodgates started to open, not because 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:32.980 the problem was new, but because finally there 00:31:32.980 --> 00:31:35.720 was a safe, stigma -free place for people to 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:38.160 be honest about it. And so that's the power of 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:41.539 community. That's the power of today's digital 00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:46.619 day and age, today's modern social environment. 00:31:47.230 --> 00:31:50.910 We're able to offer things that we weren't able 00:31:50.910 --> 00:31:54.369 to offer years ago, like a virtual meeting where 00:31:54.369 --> 00:31:57.049 people can meet from across the world, right? 00:31:57.170 --> 00:31:59.269 So we're proving every week that when shame breaks, 00:31:59.490 --> 00:32:03.069 connection begins. And once people connect, recovery 00:32:03.069 --> 00:32:05.890 can become possible. The other thing I wanted 00:32:05.890 --> 00:32:08.569 to, sorry, go ahead. Just on one point, because 00:32:08.569 --> 00:32:10.869 this is so key for anybody that's listening. 00:32:11.549 --> 00:32:16.150 You said it's powerful. but that's because it's 00:32:16.150 --> 00:32:20.410 empowering. The minute you speak or listen to 00:32:20.410 --> 00:32:22.549 someone else that's going through something that 00:32:22.549 --> 00:32:27.630 you are going through, it empowers you. So if 00:32:27.630 --> 00:32:29.869 you're on the bubble, you're like, I don't know, 00:32:29.890 --> 00:32:33.349 should I get involved or not? There's no harm 00:32:33.349 --> 00:32:38.869 in joining. You can join, you can go, you cannot, 00:32:39.109 --> 00:32:43.289 like it will only help. It can't hurt. There's 00:32:43.289 --> 00:32:46.970 no catch. That's the best thing about CollectorsMD, 00:32:47.049 --> 00:32:48.930 which is why I was like, you know what? This 00:32:48.930 --> 00:32:52.170 is only positive if we're really talking about 00:32:52.170 --> 00:32:56.490 positivity. What you're doing is a net positive. 00:32:56.910 --> 00:33:00.849 There is no downside. The only downside is, like 00:33:00.849 --> 00:33:03.769 you said, the silence and doing it in isolation. 00:33:04.089 --> 00:33:07.029 So what you're doing is really fixing that. So 00:33:07.029 --> 00:33:11.519 go ahead. Yeah, Doc, I appreciate it. I also 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:13.880 like what you said about, you know, folks who 00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:16.980 might not have a problem or might not necessarily 00:33:16.980 --> 00:33:20.279 be struggling with addiction can and should also 00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:22.799 get involved. We actually talk about this quite 00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:26.380 a bit in our meetings, in our recovery. There 00:33:26.380 --> 00:33:29.359 are actually two main lanes and both are completely 00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:32.380 valid and they both can coexist. For some people, 00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:35.519 the sustainable choice is abstinence. That means 00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:39.000 stepping away completely. No breaks. No boxes, 00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:41.880 no apps, no buy, none of that. It's like closing 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:44.680 the casino door for good or sealing the bottle, 00:33:44.759 --> 00:33:47.140 throwing it away. That's it. For these collectors, 00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:50.180 every rip is just too risky. Every just one more 00:33:50.180 --> 00:33:52.380 pack is just too tempting. It's too much of a 00:33:52.380 --> 00:33:54.779 slippery slope. And so abstinence isn't about 00:33:54.779 --> 00:33:57.839 punishment. It's about self -preservation. It's 00:33:57.839 --> 00:34:00.859 choosing peace over constant relapse. I personally 00:34:00.859 --> 00:34:04.500 self -excluded from gambling. In the state of 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:06.240 New Jersey, as well as New York and Pennsylvania, 00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:10.000 I can't gamble on these apps anymore. And, you 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:15.980 know, I've found so much, you know, freedom in 00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:18.940 that, like in that it was liberating because 00:34:18.940 --> 00:34:21.519 I no longer feel like I'm a slave to those apps. 00:34:21.639 --> 00:34:23.679 Now, obviously, we're talking about something 00:34:23.679 --> 00:34:25.940 entirely different where you can't actually do 00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:29.159 that. With that, I want to touch on. recovery 00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:31.480 and how it looks for intentional collecting. 00:34:31.659 --> 00:34:33.659 Maybe people like you, people who are involved 00:34:33.659 --> 00:34:35.860 in the hobby don't necessarily have a problem, 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:38.800 but want to look at it through a different lens. 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:41.480 And that doesn't mean going back to old habits. 00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:43.960 It means rebuilding a new relationship with the 00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:46.260 hobby. It's all about collecting with boundaries 00:34:46.260 --> 00:34:49.739 and purpose, focusing on cards or pieces that 00:34:49.739 --> 00:34:52.360 carry meaning, sticking to your budget, avoiding 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:55.539 high risk breaking and finding joy and connection 00:34:55.539 --> 00:34:58.409 rather than the chase. It's not quitting the 00:34:58.409 --> 00:35:01.510 hobby. It's about reshaping it. So neither lane 00:35:01.510 --> 00:35:04.510 is inherently better than the other. Recovery 00:35:04.510 --> 00:35:06.570 isn't a one -size -fits -all. It's not cookie 00:35:06.570 --> 00:35:09.130 cutter. What matters is honestly figuring out 00:35:09.130 --> 00:35:10.909 which lane is sustainable for you, which makes 00:35:10.909 --> 00:35:13.110 sense for you, and giving yourself permission 00:35:13.110 --> 00:35:15.690 to choose it without shame. And so at CollectorsMD, 00:35:15.769 --> 00:35:19.250 we respect both paths because both are about 00:35:19.250 --> 00:35:22.190 the same thing, taking back control and rediscovering 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:24.670 what collecting was supposed to... feel like 00:35:24.670 --> 00:35:28.829 in the first place. Absolutely. Alyx, I can't 00:35:28.829 --> 00:35:31.630 begin to thank you enough for what you're doing. 00:35:32.210 --> 00:35:35.929 Again, it's a net positive. For anybody that's 00:35:35.929 --> 00:35:38.309 thinking about how we can make the hobby more 00:35:38.309 --> 00:35:42.010 positive, Alyx is doing it. And if you have any 00:35:42.010 --> 00:35:45.829 ideas on your own, like how else you could be 00:35:45.829 --> 00:35:49.630 more supportive. First of all, join CollectorsMD. 00:35:49.650 --> 00:35:52.750 The more, the merrier. Honestly, the bigger it 00:35:52.750 --> 00:35:55.670 grows, the better the hobby gets because this 00:35:55.670 --> 00:35:58.849 is a community that's going to actually help 00:35:58.849 --> 00:36:02.989 people. And then on the back end with the larger 00:36:02.989 --> 00:36:06.409 community, then you have influence. But at least 00:36:06.409 --> 00:36:10.199 the community starts. from a good place. And 00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:13.800 that's the key is right now, there is no community 00:36:13.800 --> 00:36:18.400 that has a positive center at its core and CollectorsMD 00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:21.599 does. So hopefully everybody is listening. Again, 00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:24.820 Alyx, thank you so much. I really appreciate 00:36:24.820 --> 00:36:28.340 it. yeah no of course Doc um i'm really glad 00:36:28.340 --> 00:36:30.420 to see what you're doing and i'm glad we had 00:36:30.420 --> 00:36:33.019 the opportunity to to connect i again apologize 00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:35.739 for the sort of miscommunication we had in terms 00:36:35.739 --> 00:36:38.159 of uh scheduling this but i'm really glad we 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:41.199 uh we got it locked in and i'm excited to uh 00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:46.260 see the video, go live and have you share this 00:36:46.260 --> 00:36:48.539 conversation with your audience. Because I think 00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:50.599 it's one of the most, if not the most important 00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:53.219 conversation that people in this space need to 00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:56.079 be having right now. And the more that we can 00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:58.440 spread this message and get the word out there 00:36:58.440 --> 00:37:02.760 about what we're doing and why intentional collecting 00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:07.300 is so incredibly important, we're going to be 00:37:07.300 --> 00:37:10.920 able to... as a community collectively create 00:37:10.920 --> 00:37:14.000 a healthier and more sustainable future for this 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:14.960 hobby that we know and love.