Fairfield Baseball Repack Opening!

I'm back with another box (pack?) opening! And, I'm back with another video version! I promise that at some point I'll return to the more normal blog style box openings. (Unless you'd prefer them this way? Leave a comment with your preference) But, I opened a bunch of stuff at once, and cleaned up the massive mess before remembering to take pictures of it all. So, I'll have to wait on that.

As for this post? These Farifield repacks are so odd. There’s almost no information about what may be inside. They mention baseball cards, and they mention old packs. But, what sorts of cards? What types of packs? Is it enough wax to make it worth ripping? And there’s only one way to find out. Luckily it’s not that expensive and easy to give it a try. Or…not. See for yourself. The big hits? Hall of Famers like Ryne Sandberg and Rickey Henderson. And, luckily, Topps Stadium Club packs are always fun to open. But, overall, I wouldn’t waste your time unless you really have an itch to open some wax. (Same goes for the other sports options they offer. See for yourself, I opened a football version on YouTube as well)

Oh, and if you head over to my YouTube channel, please like and subscribe so I can bring you more great content like this!

Aubrianna Mayette Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Aubrianna Mayette is passionate about self-harm awareness, a talented singer, and the current Miss Northwestern Vermont's Teen. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. 

So, let's see what happens when Aubrianna Mayette visits Section 36!

What made you decide to compete for the Miss Vermont’s Teen crown as Miss Northwestern Vermont’s Teen?

I decided to compete in the Miss Vermont program last year. I wanted to do something for my community and once I got into the program. I fell in love with the girls that I compete with.  They’re like a whole new family I didn't know I needed. It's a place where I can relate with girls my age and see what we are all trying to do for our  communities. 

What is something that Ginger Ragaishis is doing as Miss Vermont’s Teen that you would like to emulate?

One thing for sure that I would emulate as Miss Vermont’s Teen from the current Miss Vermont’s Teen, Ginger Ragaishis is her social media.  Her online appearance is impeccable  and I would like to do the same. By doing in person appearances it does help me spread word around the community and state but by having a social media presence will help me spread the word about my CSI further and quicker.

What do you enjoy about performing your talent on stage?

I love to sing. I have sang in the chorus ever since I was in 3rd grade. When I am singing I feel comfortable and safe. It's a part of me that I like to share with others. I feel like music brings people together and by the end of the day that's my goal.

What can you tell me about your non-profit The Orange Ribbon Project?

The Orange Ribbon Project is a non-profit organization I created to spread awareness about Self-harm. We provide information to teens and other young adults on how to get help if they do have thoughts of self harm. Along with other techniques of how to help in stressful situations so they don’t hurt themselves in emotional distress. We also explain to adults such as parents,grandparents, other guardians,and teachers of why teens and other young adults self-harm. So when a teen or young adult asks for help they don’t feel judged or not understood. This is extremely important to me because I was a self-harmer for three years because of bullying. Before I got help I was a wreck. I thought everyone knew and was judging me along with a feeling of not being understood. That's why I want to create a space where teens and young adults can feel safe in their communities. Especially when I started to see this issue in my school and no one was talking about it. So I started the Orange Ribbon Project and started to hand out trigger bags which have fidgets and other calming objects to help the person to calm down in emotional distress. It also has information to help the teen or young adult can reach out to.

If you could be a Disney Character for a week, Who would you choose and why?

It's funny that you mention that because I work for an event company called VT Charming Events,  where I actually work playing Disney Princesses. So that's a tough question to answer.  I guess I would have to go with Belle from Beauty and the Beast because as a kid I could relate to her. I was a kid who loved to read books,care for her family, and lived in a small town where everyone knows everyone.

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you would especially like to experience?

As a part of a family where baseball is all we talk about all year round I would say I would love to go see a Blue Jays game with my dad. My dad has been a fan of the Blue Jays for years, my dad and I have bonded over the team so I think it would be an amazing experience to go to. I have also sang the National Anthem for Vermont’s own Vermont Lake Monsters so I think having an opportunity to sing the National Anthem at a professional baseball game would be a bucket list item, Especially if it was a game where the Red Sox played the Blue Jays. My dads parents and brother are all big Red Sox fans. We are planning to see a game this summer, right now we are trying to decide between Fenway or NYC. 

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I hope she's able to get to a game!

As always, I want to thank Aubrianna for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with her during her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on. 

Thanks again Aubrianna, and good luck in the future!

2022 Donruss Optic Blaster Break!

Time for a different blaster this time around, and a different way to do it. I had a box of these lying around, so figured it was time to give it a try. I don't usually love these unlicensed cards. But, in the constant search for cards, and variety, these can be a nice option. How did it go? There's only one way to find out.

But, it's a new way this time!

You see, as you may know, There's a Section 36 YouTube channel. Up til now, it's just been sitting with a couple guest videos. While those were great videos, it was a pretty pathetic channel. I decided to change that and give the channel a new card-related life and purpose. I'll be posting box breaks, pack breaks, and other card related content. Since it's Section 36, there will of course also be a Red Sox flair to it all. There have been several "shorts" posted already, which you may have seen on S36 social media. Today was the first video. I hope you enjoy it. And I REALLY hope you'll like, subscribe, and tell your friends. Not completely defined on the plan moving forward. But, I'm going to guess at least 95% of the content will be someone in the Section 36 family opening packs/boxes/etc. Maybe 4% will be other videos involving cards in some way, and 1% guest videos from music and life in general. 

Here's the first video.

 

Like I said, please consider liking/subscribing and spreading the word. That first 1000 subscribers would be great to take care of.

I promise I'll remember to turn my camera evetaully. :)

How did your box go?

Erica Parks Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Erica Parks is passionate about animal justice, a talented dancer, and the current Miss Greater New York's Teen. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. 

So, let's see what happens when Erica Parks visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Greater New York’s Teen crown?

I was incredibly honored to be crowned Miss Greater New York’s Teen. The weekend was an amazing experience all around: I currently live on my own in NYC and attend the Institute for American Musical Theatre, but my parents and my puppy got to come visit and see me compete! Having them there was so special, and it was extra special getting to celebrate my new title with them! And of course, I had to get myself a sweet treat the next day before heading to rehearsal for my school’s Winter Concert. 

How did you select your CSI, “Paws for a Cause”?

I wanted my CSI to work with animal justice because of how much my dog, Pippa, impacted me. Pippa was a pandemic puppy, because of this she never got to socialize during her puppy phase and instead developed anxiety. I was fighting my own anxiety simultaneously, so we learned to come out of our shells together, which ultimately brought our family so much closer together. I developed Paws For A Cause to provide shelters with the resources they need to get animals into their forever homes to help other animals impact their humans in the same way my dog impacted me. Since then, I’ve had the honor of passing my own piece of animal protection legislation, and have signed a national partnership with the ASPCA, where I advocate for animal welfare at the federal level. 

You started your own business, “Dancer’s Designs Costumes”. How did that come to be?

I was a competitive dancer until I was ten years old when I decided to start acting and dancing professionally. Costuming was always my favorite aspect of both realms. During the pandemic I desperately needed a creative outlet. I saw a TikTok of a dancer unboxing her solo costume for the season and I said “I could make that!” so I did! I ordered a few rhinestones from Amazon and took an old leotard and bedazzled the heck out of it. I posted it to my social medias and was overwhelmed with positive responses. I then decided at fourteen years old I was going to open my small business. I’ve since sold over fifty custom and ready-to-ship costumes, and made every talent costume I’ve ever worn while competing in MAO. I’ve even gotten to bedazzle a few crown boxes! I would also love more than anything to see one of my designs on the Miss America stage, and would be honored to work with any delegate who reaches out to me!

You were able to play the role of “young Mackenzie” in the wonderful Disney+ movie Godmothered. What was that experience like?

The experience I had working on Godmothered was far from what I expected. In hindsight, it really shifted my perspective on the entertainment industry and taught me a lot about myself as an artist and as a person. 

You’ve published a children’s book, “Pippa Finds a Friend”. What can you tell me about it?

“Pippa Finds A Friend” follows the story of my dog, Pippa, as she learns to face her fears by stepping outside of her comfort zone by making a new friend, and how that brought my family so much closer together. I’ve found since publishing the book it not only encourages families considering adopting a pet to take that leap of faith by showing the positive effects it had on my family, but also helps kids step outside of their comfort zones and to make new friends. I got to read it to my third grade teacher’s classroom during winter break, and I had a student raise her hand and tell me how much the book helped her after her pet had passed, and encouraged her family to start the adoption process for a new cat. In addition, I’ve gotten to donate it to numerous libraries and local bookstores, and it has been auctioned off in a raffle basket for Angel Flight New England. It even made Amazon’s top 5 list for New Pet Book Releases its first week. I know this is only the beginning for this book and I could not be more excited to see where it goes next!

Is there a feature or activity at a Red Sox - Yankees baseball game that you would especially like to experience?

I grew up in the Boston area, I served as Miss Boston’s Teen 2023, so going to a Red Sox game was always an exciting experience. Ever since I was little my Mom and I have wanted to meet and get a picture with Wally the Green Monster, so that is definitely high up on my list. Something incredibly special about Fenway Park for me is that my sophomore year of high school, our football team played their Thanksgiving game a few days early at Fenway Park, and I was on the Varsity Cheer Team and got to go cheer on the field, we even got to sit and warm up in the Red Sox’s dugout at halftime! My whole family got to attend the game and although it was less than twenty degrees outside, it was a night I will never forget. I will say, now that I live and hold a title in New York, I do feel obligated to have a little bit of support for the Yankees so maybe one day soon I’ll make my way to see them play (against the Red Sox in their cheering section, of course).

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So very cool that she got to cheer at Fenway. Hopefully she meets Wally someday. He's a cool monster.

As always, I want to thank Erica for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with Erica during her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account and her personal website. They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on. You should also be sure to check out her book and grab a copy for yourself.

Thanks again Erica, and good luck in the future!

Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year from Section 36!

I hope you all made it through 2023 and are excited to see what 2024 will bring. I know I'm ready to make 2024 the year this here blog gets back to its roots and finds its way again.

I made 126 posts in 2023, which is a step up from 2022, but still not where I'd like to be. I'd like to get that number back up so you all hove more from me to read. I'd much prefer to live in the 150-200 post range which is three a week. Let's see if I can get back up there.

And the types of posts will hopefully improve. I admit to mailing it in a bit with the blaster breaks a lot this year. As much fun as it is to open packs, the posts are really a cheap trick when there are so many of them. Especially when the Sox are giving so many topics to dive into, I really have no excuse for not exploring them. Expect to see more, and feel free to call me out on that.

On the bright side, those posts still included interviews, having conducted nearly 60 in 2023 with Muss America and Miss USA titleholders. I think they're a lot of fun, and enjoy hearing input from those types of fans. If you enjoy the interviews too, that’s wonderful. If you don't, hopefully once or twice a week isn't too intrusive and I can keep that up.

The Section 36 store also had a great 2024. More people keep buying shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, and whatever else. I'm always humbled whenever a sale goes through. Hopefully you've enjoyed all the pictures people have sent in wearing their gear. With any luck, both sales and picture submittals will increase in 2024!

Hopefully 2024 is a continuation of my blogging perspective to help me find my voice or my place in this wide world. I still didn't write about the team itself as much as I would have liked. But, I am still a Red Sox fan. I like talking about the team, and about collecting their memorabilia, and reading the books, and talking with their fans. It's called a Red Sox fan blog for a reason. Because it's by a fan, about being a fan. Whatever type of fan that is.

And some of that includes Social media.

And is also some of the reason for my lack of posts. If I have a free hour, searching and commenting on social media is sometimes easier, and more attractive, than writing a post. I need to refocus a bit.

How will those social media sites get even better in 2023?

I’m glad you asked.

Once again, Instagram is probably the place I’ve seen the most movement in the past year. It’s been so much fun connecting with fans and visitors through that site. For Section 36, in the past I have posted exclusively pictures I have taken. It’s a way to enjoy different views from a Red Sox fan. I've continued adding pictures people have submitted of themselves holding a “I’d Rather be in Section 36” sign, or pictures of themselves with Section 36 gear. (So, if you were wondering how you could appear on the Section 36 account, that’s how.) It’s been a great way to add variety to the feed, and publicize some great pictures people have submitted. And the best part? The account keeps adding followers and seeing more interaction, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Here's hoping that number keeps growing. If you’re one of the followers, thanks! If you’re not, what’s keeping you?

X is, well, obviously diminishing. The Section 36 account is still one of the best ways to share links to posts directly. links to posts here on Section 36. It also converses with fans, especially during Red Sox games to over 1100 followers.

Threads is working on being a replacement. It's just not quite there yet.

Facebook provides fun opportunities.

I find it’s a combination between Twitter and Instagram. It can post links and pictures with ease, and has the ability to allow sharing with friends. The Section 36 page will post links to every post here on Section 36. Facebook is also great for pictures, so it posts pictures that I’ve taken. It’s also a prime spot to post pictures submitted by others. So almost every picture someone submits of themselves with Section 36 behind them, or in Section 36, or holding a “I’d rather be in Section 36” sign, or with Section 36 gear gets posted there. Section 36 has more than 500 likes and adds more all the time, which is great!

Beyond that?

I'm hoping to get the Section 36 YouTube channel rolling again. It has been stagnant for a bit after posted a few videos from titleholders. This year I'd like it to get into posting wax rips as well. There are already a few of those videos posted. Be sure to check them out. (And, of course, like/follow)

Section 36 also has a presence on Snapchat and Pinterest, although I honestly have no idea why. Maybe in 2024 I’ll figure something out. Feel free to follow/add to see the progress! In fact, follow all of Section 36 on all social media accounts.

It’ll be a lot of fun.

Hope that's OK with you.