2021 Hobby Resolutions

 Happy New Year's Eve everyone! Take heart....2020 is almost behind us! 

You might recall that last New Year's Day I made a post with a lengthy list of hobby resolutions for 2020. It was ambitious to be sure, but I figured it was doable at the time.

Yeah...nothing on that list got finished. D'oh. 😑

So instead of potentially having a repeat of that for 2021, I think I'll just resolve to enjoy the hobby, paint more frequently, and just have fun working on the projects that strike my fancy. 

Oh, and to clean up the basement War Room too. I've been putting that off for a good while now, but my friend Mannie's toy soldier studio has been a real inspiration! I think it will go a long way in helping me to actually get started on the tidying up and organizing. I also have some ideas that I think will really add some nice character to my workspace.

Mannie's Toy Soldier Studio

About a month and a half or so ago, I had the pleasure of visiting my good friend (and recently retired colleague) Mannie at his home near Frederick, MD in a socially distanced manner. The two of us bonded over the years over many shared interests, including military history, cartooning, Star Trek, and - of course - toy soldiers. You should also check out his awesome blog too!

After years of hearing about his toy soldier studio, it was great to finally see it in person. Of course, I realized after I got home that in my excitement I completely forgot to take photos. Mannie was kind enough to send me these, as well as allow me to do a write up about the studio.

To the envy of many a hobbyist I'm sure, Mannie has his own little building in the backyard. It's decorated in an appropriately patriotic and military manner, complete with miniature toy cannons guarding the door. This is just a taste of what's to come.

Once you step inside, you're in a whole other world. Toy soldiers line the shelves and display cases. But there's way more than that. If you look up you'll see there's a "hole" in the ceiling (complete with stars!) to represent "imagination going through the roof," as Mannie said. The entire space is decorated in such a way that I was transported back to a time when I played "Civil War" with the kids on my street and was just getting interested in military history.

Of course, what would a toy solider studio be without toy soldiers?

Lots of really cool stuff, right?

Mannie's latest project centers around the Battle of Guam in World War II, fought from July 21 to August 10, 1944. He was stationed on Guam in the 1970s and spent many hours exploring the island and finding relics from the battle. Mannie's making great progress, and you can keep track of developments on his blog. So stay tuned!

Overall, I was very much inspired when I left the toy soldier studio. It's a space dedicated to the fun and imagination that drew many of us to toy soldiers (be they 54mm, 28mm, or 15mm) in the first place all those years ago. It's a wonderful place and I feel really privileged to have had the chance to see it. 

Thanks again, Mannie! My imagination was certainly going through the roof the entire time! And I definitely feel we can all use a little inspiration going into 2021. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

I too will be hiding in an air shaft until 2021.

This has been a heck of a year to say the least, so here’s hoping that today is a peaceful one filled with the spirit of the season!

Weihnachtszeit ist Erinnerungszeit

After my last post, it's nice to have something good to write about. Today we received a box of Springerle cookies from my mom and sister! These traditional anise-flavored cookies are a holiday tradition in Southern Germany, and Mom grew up with them thanks to Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Abel. She and my sister revived the tradition last year, and my wife and I are big fans!

One of the designs is of a German soldier (Picklehaube and all!) in the pre-1916 uniform. Mom bought the mold from a seller in the Bavarian town of Pleinfeld, Germany. She got it with me specifically in mind. 

As you can see (courtesy of Mom's blog...seriously please go check it out), the mold is made of wood and has some definite age to it. It's not made of plastic like a lot of modern ones seem to be. It was definitely quite a find! 

The rest of the cookies look really awesome too! As you can see, there's a wide variety of designs including Santa Claus (der Weihnachtsmann), Christmas trees, and snowmen. And they're all made from traditional wooden molds like the soldier. It's certainly gotten festive in the house all of a sudden! 

Thanks again, Mom and Jessie! This is exactly what Teresa and I needed right now. 😁

Is This Year Over Yet?

 

Due to an administrative snafu, my job at Castillo de San Marcos just fell through. 2020 is really going out with a bang, isn't it? Guess I should start unpacking my paints and supplies.

I'm still moving forward with my plans for a 28mm War of Jenkins' Ear army though. I'm all about those obscure conflicts. 

Castillo de San Marcos

I hinted at something in my last post by saying that there was potentially something big coming down the road. Now it's happened and I can tell everyone what it is!

I've accepted a position at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in Saint Augustine, Florida! I've dreamed of working here for a long time and now I finally have the chance to do so. I don't have an official date yet, but I'll likely start there in early February.

I'm going to miss working my the awesome team we have at the National Mall, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to do so. I'm going to miss the DC area and all the friends we have in it too. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I'm absolutely terrified. But I think this will be good in the long run (for personal and professional reasons). Did I mention that I'll also get to fire cannons in Spanish? But I'm really not looking forward to packing everything up...especially my explosion of miniature stuff in the basement. 

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update IV

"It's been a long road getting from there to here..."

Well, it's been a long time! I wrote my last COVID update about six months ago and so figured I was overdue for another.

Last time I ended on a bit of a down note by announcing that Jimmy had cancer. At the time he wasn't doing well at all... Teresa and I thought that he only had a few weeks left.

Jimmy had other ideas.

Not only has he pressed on, he's also spunkier than ever! This photo was taken just a week or so ago, and so you can see that he is quite alive and well. Jimmy's appetite is also the best that it's ever been! Despite the fact that he can't use his back legs, he still scoots around really well (his front legs are SWOLE) and can be quick when he wants to be. He's definitely a miracle cat!

I went back to physically being at work in July, though only for a few days at a time. In October the Washington Monument reopened so I've been in most days since then. Because of that, however, I really haven't had much of a chance to work on figures. 

That's pretty much been it. Nothing too exciting, I know, but there may be something down the road that will be exciting. But that's for another post! 

A Day Long Remembered: My First Introduction to X-Wing

 "Several fighters have broken off from the main group. Come with me."

Hey everyone, it's been a while! Hope everyone is doing well.  

Just realized that on this day in 2015, my friend Ben introduced me to the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game! I flew two TIE Interceptors and did fairly well as I recollect. The rest, as they say, is history.

There's also a comic by Dave Direman that I also think about fairly frequently.

Comic courtesy of Direman Press.

Mistakes were made. But it was all worth it! 

The Great Wargaming Survey 2020

It's that time of year again! The Great Wargaming Survey 2020 is up and it's time to let your voice be heard about the state of the hobby. I mean...it's not like we have much else to do what with the pandemic and all. 😑

Did I mention that they also give you a gift voucher for taking part? AND enter you into a raffle for some cool prizes?

 You can take the survey here!

* NOTE: I am not affiliated with the Great Wargaming Survey or WSS in any way, shape or form.

To Boldy Go...

For the last month or so, I've taken a break from miniatures and returned to one of my first hobbies from long ago: customizing action figures. I only ever did Star Wars figures though. But also I grew up collecting Playmates' line of Star Trek action figures and have come back to it after over 20 years. So I decided that I needed some random crew members working in the background and it seemed logical to start customizing again. 

These are all pretty simple head swaps. Since boiling water tends to discolor the plastic these days, I've been using a hair dryer. However, I had to use silicone sealant on a few because either the neck pegs broke off or the neck post was too thin. It works though.

Firstly, I wanted an Andorian for my crew. They're a classic alien species and were one of the founders of the United Federation of Planets. It's bugged me (and others) that they weren't seen in The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, or Voyager. I decided to make him a Command Division ensign because I wanted to have that sort of representation that we didn't get in the series. Beside him is a Science Division lieutenant.

I wanted quite a few Operations Division officers, as they seem to be the most ubiquitous aboard the Enterprise. Most of these figures were made from SeaQuest DSV figures that Playmates also put out at around the same time. I really wanted the figures to have that awesome 1990s hair that everyone knows and loves, and I was lucky to get a good deal on a lot from eBay. 

All in all, this has been pretty fun! I've got enough different figures now to satisfy my needs (though I still have a few bodies in search of heads...sounds weird taken out of context). I'll probably do a few more of these random crew members then call it good. 

Odyssey Games

In a surprising twist, it looks like Game Empire Pasadena may not be quite gone after all! It appears that it’s going to be reborn as a new store: Odyssey Games.

The new owner is a member of the Game Empire community and promises to continue its legacy. Everyone was always friendly there, be it staff or patrons. The vibe around Game Empire was a positive and friendly one to be sure.

The store is currently undergoing renovations and hiring new staff. They're really taking a lot of care in refurbishing the space and it's really nice to see. I can't wait to check it out the next time I find myself in California!

An Ode to Game Empire Pasadena

Okay, this one hurts an awful lot.

Game Empire has been my absolute favorite game shop for over a decade. Going up to Pasadena for games with Ben, or just going to hang out and scrounge through their amazing bits bins, it was always a friendly and positive vibe going on. A lot of that had to with the owner Chuck, who sadly passed away earlier this year. I found out yesterday that Game Empire is closing its doors permanently.

I always made a point of stopping by the shop whenever I was in California. I was always chomping at the bit to go. I’ve found some amazing things there over the years, but they pale in comparison to all the wonderful memories. 

The famous bits bins! 

I actually knew Game Empire through two locations. The current shop was their home after 2011 (I think). Their first space was considerably smaller, but filled with just as many awesome memories...such as when my lone rocket team blew up a Baneblade in an incredibly lucky shot.

Land o’ thousand games

It’s closing really hurts the most 

Thanks for the good times 

Campaign Against Cancer: Cancelled

Unfortunately the 2020 Campaign Against Cancer X-Wing Miniatures Event has been cancelled. Given everything that’s been going on in the world, I support the organizers’ decision full heartedly. Better to safe than sorry. Way better.

I would be lying, though, if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed. This is such a special event – and not just to me either. But there’s always next year. I suppose we’ll just have to raise double the amount in 2021!

Lunch Break Hobby Time, Part V

Nearly five years ago, I made a few wargaming hills while I was working on a (unfortunately abandoned) Peninsular War force. I recently modified them by adding a few sections of – wait for it – Italian seasoning to add a few interesting patches.

This in turn inspired me to use up the remaining insulation foam I’ve had sitting around since 2015. With a trusty little steak knife, I carved out a few more hills over my last several lunch breaks. The next steps are where I’m stuck: trying to remember what exactly I did last time (this is why I write things down now). Thankfully I did a post about them so that helps quite a bit. It’s also starting to come back to me as well...which is quite nice.