Theme Week: Better Know a Blogger (Fuji from Chronicles of Fuji)

Welcome to "Better Know a Blogger" Theme Week here at Nachos Grande.  About a week or so ago, I put out a call to any interested bloggers to answer a short questionnaire that I had prepared.  The goal of the questionnaire is for all of us to get to better know some of the various personalities on the blogs!  I hope you find this Theme Week as much fun as I did - and hopefully you'll learn something about your fellow bloggers as the week progresses!

1. Your name (or alias):  Fuji
2. Your blog website:  http://sanjosefuji.blogspot.com/
3. What kind of collector do you consider yourself (team collector, player collector, set collector, etc.). Why do you collect that way?  

I pretty much collect a little bit of everything.  The bulk of my collection is probably centered around teams (Oakland A's, San Diego Padres, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and San Jose Sharks) and players (Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Jackie Robinson, Steve Carlton, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Michael Jordan, Joe Sakic, and Ryan Miller).  However I also enjoy building sets, as well as collecting on-card autographs, inserts, and memorabilia cards of hall of famers.  Oh one more thing... I also enjoy adding cards to my vintage binders as well.  I guess I collect so many things, because I love so many types of cards.  Unfortunately, it's a pain in the butt to organize... but oh well... the pros outweigh the cons.

4. In your opinion, what could the major card companies (Topps, Panini, etc.) do to make your style of collecting better for you?

I'd like to see a few changes.  First, I'd like to see them reduce the number of sticker autographs and event-worn memorabilia cards.  At this point, they've flooded the market and there are enough out there for me to have my fill for the next five to ten years.  Another thing I'd like to see is the card companies reducing the number of products they release.

5. What is your favorite part of your collection?  This could be one specific item, or a binder of cards, etc.

My favorite part of my collection would be my 1970's Topps sets.  So far I've collected the 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1979 sets.  But one day, I hope to own the 1973, 1974, 1977, and 1978 sets too.  The goal is to own one set from 1972 to 1980 since those were the childhood years before I entered the hobby.

6. Most of us have a favorite song that we like for no good reason – heck, it might even be embarrassing.  Do you have a favorite baseball card that might fit that bill?  

Wow.  Tough question.  I guess I'd go with my 2009 Goodwin Champions autograph of Kristi Yamaguchi.  She's a local sports hero and I've had a huge crush on her since the mid 80's.

7. If you were forced to part with your entire collection except for one card, which card would you keep?

Easiest question since you asked me for my name and blog.  My 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson.  Simply put... it's the most beautiful card in my collection.

Image source: http://www.vintagecardprices.com/pics/66741.jpg

8. Many of the blogs (including my own at times) seem to decry Topps’ lack of vision and creativity.  Can you think of something creative that could be done for an upcoming card set? 

How about cards embedded with game used sunflower seeds?  ;) 

9. What is your profession?  How did you end up there?  If you are in school, what do you plan to major in and/or what job do you hope to get after graduating?  

I've been a teacher for the past seventeen years.  I grew up wanting to follow in my father's footsteps and become an engineer.  But my college counselor recommended I take an early childhood education class and I had a great time.  I ended up volunteering at a preschool the ball just kept rolling.

10. What is your favorite place that you’ve ever visited?  Why?  

2nd easiest question.  Hawaii.  It's beautiful, I have a lot of relatives there, and they have the best food in the world.

11. Many of us have favorite foods or customs that are somewhat local to where we live.  Do you have any such things that you particularly love?  A website link to specific products would be spectacular.  

Hmmm... local food and customs.  I guess I'd go with the Gilroy Garlic Festival, where you can get anything from garlic shrimp to garlic ice cream.

12. Do you have any other hobbies besides card collecting?  

Like cards, I collect a little bit of everything:  sports figures, comic books, star wars action figures, LP's, and even video games.

13. Tell me something interesting about yourself (that we haven’t covered in the first twelve questions).

I ask my students the same thing!  We usually play two truths/one lie, where they end up coming up with two interesting facts about themselves and one made up fact.  Anyways... here's one of the facts I use:  I'm related to an Olympic medalist (Evelyn Kawamoto won two bronze medals at the 1952 Olympics).

A big thanks to Fuji for answering my call for volunteers for the theme week!  I have to admit that I am intrigued by the Gilroy Garlic Festival.  My food question may not be all that interesting to many readers but for me it was one of the highlights of the questionnaire!  I'm a big fan of different types of foods so I was hoping to learn about some new goodies and in that regard Fuji didn't disappoint.  I've never been to Gilroy before - but perhaps I can make the trek there sometime in my lifetime (and if I do you better believe it will be for their Garlic Festival)!

I'm also interested by Fuji's collecting interests - his love of Kristi Yamaguchi from the 80s is probably not all that far off from someone's love of Kate Upton today...  Well, besides the fact that Kristi was an actual athletic talent while Kate Upton only dates athletic talent.

Thanks once again to Fuji for all the insight!  There are still more Better Know a Blogger posts coming in the near future!