Author: Alyx Effron

Why Change Can Feel Threatening

It’s understandable why Collectors MD can feel uncomfortable to certain entities within the hobby ecosystem; breakers, resellers, content creators, platforms. That discomfort doesn’t come from accusation or judgment. It comes...

FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real

Fear is one of the most powerful forces in addiction. Not because it reflects reality, but because it convinces us it does. FEAR is often used as an acronym for...

Collector Spotlight: February 2026

Luke Kusumoto, @uberman808 This month, we’re proud to feature Luke Kusumoto (@uberman808) – one of our community members joining us from Hawaii and a collector whose range, perspective, and intentionality...

Toxic Positivity

There’s a version of positivity that helps us move forward, and then there’s the kind that rushes us past what we’re actually feeling. Toxic positivity isn’t about optimism itself. It’s...

Overcoming The Bridges We Burned

Active addiction rarely just harms us in isolation. It shows up in our words, our reactions, our broken promises, and the fractures caused when we disappear instead of showing up....

The Rush Of Getting Back To Even

During the throes of active addiction, I told myself I was always playing to win. That was the story I clung to. But looking back honestly, I can see something...

The House Always Wins With Wax

One of the hardest truths to sit with in modern collecting is this: the house always wins when it comes to wax. If ripping sealed product was consistently profitable, manufacturers, shops, and...

The Chase Within The Chase

One of the most overlooked parts of modern collecting is how many layers of anticipation the hobby has implemented into its structure. It’s no longer just about owning a card....

“The Hunt Is Greater Than The Capture”

Earlier this month, Josh Luber and Jesse Einhorn released a 30,000-word white paper titled, “The Blindboxification Of Everything“. Luber, co-founder of StockX and founder of Ghostwrite, brings clarity to what’s...

When One Addiction Feeds Another

For a long time, I didn’t realize I was stuck inside a vicious cycle. I thought I was just chasing enjoyment, opportunity, or momentum. But in active addiction, gambling and...

Feeling Guilty For Hurting When The World Is Hurting

There’s a subtle feeling of guilt that shows up for a lot of people in recovery. You look around at the news, the chaos, the suffering, the uncertainty, and a...

Super Bowl Sunday

Today is a day many of us, not just sports fans, have been anticipating and looking forward to for months; one of the biggest annual sporting events of the year,...