Hi everyone,
After getting back into the Pokemon game after 30 years (I collected Base set, jungle and fossil when I was a kid) I think i kind off found my groove.
My re-introduction to collecting was getting some Pikachu with the grey felt hat slabs. After that I started on a slabs journey. I bought some Umbreon, mew, 151 things. Mainly following the mainstream. After that Mega Evolution dropped and I started opening packs again. That brought back the real joy. That also started a masterset. I wanted to collect every card in the Mega Evolution set. I started watching some Youtube videos about pack openings, mastersetting and just regular grown ups (like me) who really enjoy Pokemon cards.
I also found out about grand mastersetting. Which was unfortunate 
Long story short. I stopped looking at Pokemon slabs as an investment and started doing what makes me happy.
To limit myself a bit in a sense that I don’t go out and picking up everything I can find I have put on some direction in what i do I have some rules:
- Mastersetting is my main thing.
- I can have a top 10 Slab collection. No more than 10.
So far this is the state of my collection
- Mega Evolution masterset (7 cards needed)
- Phantasmal Flames (2 cards needed)
- Ascended Heroes (12 cards needed, only 1 god pack )
- Perfect Order (12 cards needed)
- Chaos Rising (starting masterset next week with opening 50+ packs)
What I found out pretty quickly was that my heart goes out to the original Kanto region. Those are the Pokemon I grew up with and just makes me more happy. So that brought me to the set 151! And yes, I have decided to Grand master set that one.
So I have started that and I am getting along pretty decent.
Personally I like making memories more than getting the best deals. Trading with people, going to shops and just talk, opening a pack and getting a hit. Those are the things that make me happy.
That being said, I will update this topic with pick ups, new mastersets, and stuff like that.
And that also brings me to my final project. After going around on Youtube a bit I found some people who are collecting all cards of a Pokemon. And that was something I was drawn too. With mastersetting there is a sense of urgency to it (for me personally). And with collecting all cards of a Pokemon I don’t feel that urgency, because it’s always changing with new cards. That made me think which Pokemon is my favorite? There are so many…
In my busy city life I have found out the last couple of years I can really enjoy going to nature. Riding my gravelbike, going fishing and bird watching. That paired with my original love of the first 151 Pokemon got me to Bulbasaur. So that means I will collect all Bulbasaur cards ever made!! I got a great binder for it, and got placeholders for all the cards. Now I just have to start picking up Bulbasaurs left and right.
A couple of weeks ago I was opening Perfect Order and I pulled the IR Talonflame. With my love for bird watching I was blown away. So I guess what I am trying to say is I will also collect all Talonflame cards ever made 
Long story, but I hope you will enjoy my journey as much as I do. And wish me luck 
