{"id":477,"date":"2015-07-24T00:12:33","date_gmt":"2015-07-24T05:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.andy-thomson.com\/?p=477"},"modified":"2015-07-24T00:12:33","modified_gmt":"2015-07-24T05:12:33","slug":"a-new-hobby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andy-thomson.net\/index.php\/2015\/07\/24\/a-new-hobby\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Hobby"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m a collector.<\/p>\n

When I was a kid I collected coins. When I got a little older I collected CDs and VHS tapes. I collected all of my favorite bands’ singles and albums. When I visited the US for the first time I discovered the state quarters and my coin collecting took off once more.<\/p>\n

Since moving to America I have discovered a\u00a0genre of game called a collectible card game (CCG for short) and I have been obsessed with one called Magic: The Gathering<\/a> for almost 2 years now.<\/p>\n

I had heard about Magic through an author I like but never played it but all I really knew was the name. After moving here I was keen to find a hobby to help me properly settle down. I looked around online for a well reviewed game store and drove there to buy some cards. They were awesome, advising me on what to buy and how to get started.<\/p>\n

\"wpid-img_20150712_125100.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At work I was becoming buddies with The Grish and told him what I bought, I will never forget what he said:<\/p>\n

Be careful man, they call Magic cardboard crack for a reason!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As it turns out those were wise words of experience but it’s a fun hobby and it gives me something to do every Friday.<\/p>\n

Back to that awesome game store I drove 30 minutes to buy my first cards from, little did I know I would end up moving into the area and Draxtar\u00a0would end up becoming my local game store (LGS).<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago there was a new set of Magic released. The weekend before the release there are special pre-release tournaments where you get to play with the new cards for the first time. The first of the five events over the weekend starts at midnight of Friday\/Saturday and is always a blast.<\/p>\n

\"wpid-img_20150712_151904.jpg\"<\/a>
Draxtar, my awesome LGS (obviously not the midnight event!)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This set (Magic Origins) big cards were a special creature card that flips over to become a more powerful card. For the first time in a year I managed to pull the most sought after card:<\/p>\n

\"wpid-wp-1437709308679.jpg\"<\/a>
Kytheon – creature side.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"wpid-wp-1437709308690.jpg\"<\/a>
Gideon – Planeswalker side..<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Anyway, next month when I am back in Scotland I am playing in an event in Edinburgh for the first time. I’m excited to play at home in a different environment. So as well as packing I am trying to figure out which deck to build to take with me. I really want to do well!<\/p>\n

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