Relationships are more important than Products

Probably the best time to pick up some new cards is at your local game store's prerelease. Not only do you get the packs (at around retail price) but you also get a cool foil prerelease card. You have the chance to win even more packs, too, depending on how well you can navigate the sometimes difficult labyrinth of the new sets color allocations and mechanics.

But sometimes you can't go. And as you get older, you find out you can go even less often. And the key, I have found, to coping with not going is to think about the real reasons you aren't going. Your time certainly hasn't shrunk…there are still 24 hours in a day. You make probably more money than when you were that free-wheeling high school or college student.

But if I have this whole separate world that is completely devoid of board games, card games and other diversions. And I enjoy that world in a way that surpasses these occasional card-based ruminations.

If I were going, what would I most want to get a copy of?

Probably Phyrexian Metamorph. He's ten tons of shape-changing terror, for the low cost of possibly 3 regular mana. Like 1 mountain, a Sol Ring and 2 life.

It is a rare, and it is very unlikely I would have even opened this guy in my packs. Plus I have an old-style record cabinet in my living room that is already brimming with magic cards. Brimming–literally. Occasionally I have to pull a card out that is sticking through the bottom of the door and sneak him back in at the top.

You probably do, too. Especially to the EDH-minded of us, these prereleases are also a time to reflect your fresh card-hungry mind back onto that pile. Because there's perfectly good cards in that pile. Cards you don't even know you HAVE, for pete's sake. While you are enjoying that sweet, sweet Phyrexian mana (no joke, you know how sweet it is!) always remember those other cards. Sitting like the toys from Toy Story 3 looking for someone to polish 'em off and give them a run through their paces again.

Plus, remember tomorrow is Free Comic Book day. If you have a kid, I command you to take them to the local purveyor ASAP. Preferably early. Phyrexian madness can at least wait for that evening, if not Sunday morning.

That is all, more posts to come on Monday!