Well, it finally happened. I tested positive for COVID on May 19th.
Best as we can figure, I got it on the flight back from our friends' wedding. I took off my mask to have my soda and pretzels and I guess that was all the time needed.
Thankfully, I didn't get it too badly; it felt like all I had was a bad cold (yay for being vaccinated and boosted). But it also made me super tired. I think part of the reason for this was because I'd been dealing with Shingles and Post-herpetic Neuralgia just a few weeks before. I've spent most of the last week and a half in bed...too tired to even work on minis. But Teresa has been awesome during this whole thing and was kind enough to look after me.
Really, the worst part was that I had to postpone a long-awaited trip to Las Vegas. Cancelling all of my reservations hurt.
But yesterday I finally tested negative for COVID!
I'm still pretty tired and have a bit of congestion, but I'm definitely feeling better than I was just a few days ago. Thank goodness too! I'm pretty sick and tired of being sick and tired.
A few weeks ago, I became aware of a fun new challenge making the rounds on Instagram: the Paint Pot Challenge. I love quirky little competitions like this so I decided to take part!
Thankfully I have a lot of old Citadel paint pots (which were a requirement) and plenty of bits. I also came across an old piece of terrain that I'd started years ago and figured that it was perfect for a little vignette. I could go on more, but I think this piece really speaks for itself.
Here's hoping there's a similar competition next year! 😀 I can't wait.
I’m visiting my family in California for a few days after not seeing them for nearly 3 years. One of our traditions is to visit Old Town San Diego, which we did yesterday. Since this isn't really a travel blog I'll spare you the details...but it's got some super cool sites like the Whaley House, El Campo Santo Cemetery, and the Old Town Model Railroad Depot (I'll write about it some day). It also has some really great restaurants (Barra Barra in particular is our favorite).
Anyway, I digress.
After dinner, I realized that we were close to Game Empire San Diego…the sister store to the now-closed Game Empire Pasadena (now Odyssey Games...going to see if I can hit that before I fly out on Saturday). It was at this particular store's previous location that I played my first game of 40k in 2007 with my friends Kyle and Ben. I was visiting them in San Diego and I still remember how much nerdy fun was had. We were also successful in getting the store to sing “Men of Harlech” as my Praetorians were having their last stand against the mighty Valhallan horde.
This was my first time back in 15 years.
I only had about 40-45 minutes to look around before the store closed, so I couldn't comb through the bits bins as carefully as I normally would. But I did manage to find a few things...including a pile of skulls and a figure that looks like John Travolta from Pulp Fiction. The used book section also yielded some Bolt Action goodness!
Also, the display cases had one of the largest collections of Praetorians that I’ve ever seen in person! I seem to recall a much smaller collection in 2007...perhaps the ranks were bolstered after the XXXII Praetorian's massacre that fateful day in 2007.
All in all, it was a nice little visit! Next time I'm in San Diego I'll definitely need to spend a little more time here.
Today we said farewell to Jimmy, my longtime painting buddy. I’m really going to miss him...he was such a special little cat. If you've read this blog for any length of time, you're probably already familiar with how much Jimmy meant to me.
For years, he would come into my hobby space and either a) demand to be picked up and held or b) jump up into my lap himself. Once he lost the use of his back legs 2 years ago, he'd still come downstairs to squawk at me (he didn't meow like most cats) and tell me it was time to finish up. He definitely had a large personality!
Saying goodbye to Jimmy was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. It, however, was time and he let us know that he was ready. At least and Bogey are reunited at the Rainbow Bridge now. 🌈
Meanwhile, it seems that Gizmo has now assumed Jimmy's hobby-related duties. 😸
Making the rounds on Instagram is something called an “ovelist.” Apparently it’s a sort of way to chart your hobby goals that got its start last year. Again, I’m all about jumping onto bandwagons and made one for 2022.
Some people are listing nine or more, but I’m keeping it simple at 6 (I know myself a bit too well). I pretty much have all the figures I need for these…got to whittle down the Pile of Shame!
I've been seeing the hashtags #artvsartist and #artvsartist2021 making the rounds on Instagram lately, and I'm always willing to jump on a good bandwagon! These are just a few of the figures I've done over the last year between my time in Virginia, Washington, and New Mexico.
Given all the chaos of this year, I confess to finding it hard sometimes to sit down and work on stuff. Sometimes months went by without me picking up a paintbrush. I'm striving to be better at this in the New Year, as I really do enjoy the sense of accomplishment in finishing a figure (let alone an entire project). Let's see where the hobby takes me in 2022!
As we get closer to the holidays, I finally did something I've been wanting to do for a long time: set up a miniature Christmas tree for my hobby space. I actually ordered it last year, but it was backordered and didn't arrive until mid-January 2021.
But this year, after finding some miniature glass ornaments and tinsel from Target (the lights are built into the tree), I finally got a chance to set it up! Shortly afterwards, I found a set of four Dept56 pewter toy soldier ornaments from their Tiny Trimmings line. I immediately snatched them up. As you can see in the photo below, they're not very tall....maybe 1.5" at most.
I also found some artificial poinsettias at Michaels for 40% off...
The set consists of four toy soldiers, of which three are distinctly British: a Grenadier Guard, a Life Guard, and a Yeoman Warder (popularly known as a Beefeater). The last figure appears to be George Washington holding a musket. It's an interesting choice, but I'm not complaining.
They came in plastic boxes that say "Made in Taiwan." I don't know exactly how old they are, but I estimate them to have been made in the 1970s-1980s based on that fact alone.
The paint jobs are a little sloppy in places, but I still appreciate the fact that these are nonetheless hand-painted. They're unique because of that. I'm still in search of appropriately-themed miniature ornaments for the War Room but I feel that this is the start of a nice little collection.
Apologies that my posts stopped somewhat abruptly back in September: Moving Day came a lot quicker than expected and it's been a flurry of activity since then. I started my new job in late-September, and we moved in to our new house shortly thereafter. We still can't quite believe that we're homeowners. 😲
As with our last places, I have my own hobby space. The War Room is still being unpacked (yes, even after 3 months) but I'm determined to keep it in order this time.
Thankfully it's not quite this bad anymore...
But as you can see from photos taken before the moving truck came, it's actually a fairly spacious room. And it's already been approved by Jimmy and Gizmo too (the latter of whom loves to curl up in the window).
Unfortunately my desk didn't quite survive the move, so I've had to get a new one. I actually think I like this one a bit better due to all the storage allotted by the cubby holes. Many thanks to Teresa for doing the bulk of the des assembly....I absolutely hate putting furniture together.
I've also bought a few new desk accessories as well: a large cutting mat that covers most of the desktop, LED lights with magnifying glasses built in (seen above), and a 10" portable DVD player that I've already tested with Kelly's Heroes. Now I'm looking into shelving for the closets for even more storage space.
It's a work-in-progress, but I'm really happy with how the War Room is shaping up. This isn't even mentioning the home improvement projects Teresa has planned (of which there are several). Her most recent project was replacing a recessed light in our entryway with something that better fits the Southwest.
In terms of projects, I'm currently working on stuff for The Silver Bayonet, a game of gothic horror set during the Napoleonic Wars. I'm hooked...and the figures from North Star Military Figures are absolutely fantastic! But more on them in a later post.
Here's some unexpected news about my FLGS, Eagle and Empire.
It was announced on Facebook yesterday that the store's owner will be retiring on October 1st. It's certainly well earned! The shop has been serving Northern Virginia gamers and hobbyists since 1987...a good run to be sure. While Doug (the owner) is working with someone to reopen the store elsewhere, it seems like the shop as it is now will cease to be.
A screenshot of the announcement on Eagle and Empire's Facebook page.
I know I'm leaving for New Mexico next week, but I'm not going to lie: I feel pretty sad about this.
The storefront today.
I started going to Eagle and Empire shortly after I moved to the DC area in early 2013. My friend suggested we check it out one day and I've been coming ever sense. When we moved to our current place in 2017, it was just 10 minutes away from the shop (much to Teresa's chagrin at times).
Eagle and Empire has been my most-frequented FLGS of all time and holds a very special place in my heart. I've spent countless hours (and countless dollars as well) here over the years. I'm going to miss it dearly.
But, all of my sentimentality aside, I wish Doug a very happy retirement! He's absolutely earned it after 34 years in the business.
It's become a common sight over the last couple weeks to see boxes of discards sitting outside our house. Pretty much all of this stuff has been coming from the basement, and I'm pleased that so far everything has been taken (I really hate throwing away perfectly good things). Even an unopened, rolled mat of model grass was snatched up within hours; I was really convinced that no one would want that. Thanks for proving me wrong, Jefferson Manor! It also really helps that we live on a fairly busy street too.
The big thing now is the mini fridge. It's served more as an extra table in recent years and I don't feel that I'm going to need it in our new place. It might take a while for this to find a home....but if my old, slightly used set of Mount Vernon Christmas cards can find a new home, I'm pretty certain that this will too.
Look at that...I have space now!
And hey, it's cleared out some more space in the basement! That's particularly good since the movers are coming next Monday. So we have about a week to finish sorting, organizing, and purging stuff before it gets packed up and shipped to New Mexico.
UPDATE
So yeah….the mini fridge got picked up in the middle of the night. 😂 That’s dedication.
I mentioned in my previous post that I've been working on some figures for a new game called Sludge. It's been a nice little creative outlet between cleaning, packing, work, etc. during this time.
But what is Sludge about?
In short, it's an ahistorical game set in a doom age of black powder. It's all about "gore, horror, brutality, and faith" as the official website states. It's all very grimdark. There's a heavy emphasis on kitbashing to create unique armies using historical and/or fantasy miniatures. It really doesn't matter what figures you use for Sludge. For me, it's been a nice way to use up bits from my pile(s) of shame and bit boxes. I've been wanting to make up my own nations for wargaming for a while anyway, so this certainly scratches that itch!
The Duchy of Lürren is made of Perry Napoleonic Austrian bodies and more Foot Knight heads. I was initially unsure of their colors, but I tried the yellow and green look on a whim and was pretty pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. Their steel helmets are slightly rusted, in contrast to the verdigris of the Marconians. My wife says that these guys have a look reminiscent of the Rebel Alliance in A New Hope and Rogue One and I have to agree.
All told, I had a lot of fun working on these guys! They were also really simple to paint up too: just an undercoat of GW Dryad Bark over a black primer, the respective basic colors, a generous drybrush of GW Zandri Dust, and then a bath of GW Agrax Earthshade all over. After a few additional details, that was it!
It always amazes me what a simple drybrush and wash can do!
The rules for Sludge are found in Blaster Volume 3, which is made to order and takes a little bit to ship. Considering that we're leaving for New Mexico late next week, it just makes sense to wait (yes, I could get a PDF version....but I like having something physical to look through).
And so, I've finished my last-ever figures in the DC area. I'll pick up this project again once we're settled in the Land of Enchantment, and also start working on terrain as well. But for now it's time to finally pack away the paints, brushes, bits, and whatnot for the next few weeks. I just hope none of these guys break in transit (the wargamer's ultimate fear!).
Here's hoping that everyone (and everything) arrives to the new place intact!
UPDATE
Shortly after publishing this post, Guerilla Miniature Games posted a YouTube video on the basic gameplay and mechanics of Sludge. You can check it out below!
Yeah, I'm pretty excited about giving this game a try!
We’re less than 2 weeks away from our packing date, and work continues on clearing out. By this point I’ve filled several bags of trash, put two full boxes of things on the curb for my neighbors, broken down countless boxes, and started going through stuff in two corners of the basement. Progress is slow going…but I think it’s happening slowly but surely.
I feel like most of the time, though, I’m just moving stuff from one area to another. It’s a little disheartening to see my pile of sprues growing taller and taller. 😬
But I'm still doing a little bit here and there. I also think I’ve found a way to work on getting that pile smaller though. I’ll post about it more in a little bit, but I’ve found a new project that will help me use up some of those spare parts and bits that I’ve been accumulating over the years. It’s also quick, easy, and has been a welcome creative outlet in these anxiety-wracked times.
More on that next time though. You can head over to my Instagram and see what I’ve been working on for the game though. They’re proving to be my most popular posts in that platform ever for some reason!
My next big task, though, is to clear off my workbench....
Since May 2020, I've been part of a D&D-style Star Wars RPG group playing a game called Star Wars: Edge of the Empire. This particular campaign has been running for 3 years over 50 sessions, and follows the crew of a ship called the Infinium. Last night was our final session.
This was the first time I've ever participated in an RPG campaign, and it's been some of the best fun I've ever had! A lot of care went into the crafting of our "episodes," which even got an opening crawl a day or so before we met up. The stories and plots crafted by our DM were amazing and felt very much like an extension of the Star Wars universe. Mad props, Josh!
In-game, I was constantly amazed at the twists, turns, and predicaments the crew got themselves in to....and out of as well. The banter was great fun too. I'm really going to miss these sessions, but I'm very glad to have been a part of this group and make such good friends.
The crew of the Infinium.
My next RPG is going has a very, very tough act to follow. Joshua, Alex, Josh, Kyle, and Jacob....thanks for all the fun memories, guys!
This past weekend, I tackled the mess in the basement. It's something that I've been dreading for a long time but I couldn't really put it off any longer. Each day I had a simple goal: Saturday's was to clear off the folding table, and Sunday's was to clear up the floor in the center of the room. Baby steps.
One of my hobby friends came over once and said, "I love it! I wish my space could look like this!"
Regardless, I think I might be a little too creative? 😬
I've been coming to the realization that I need to do a better job of keeping things organized...and I'll do a better job of that in the new space. But for now, it's time to clean up and go through what I have now.
And yes, as several people have pointed out, my wife is an absolute saint.
Saturday dawned, and I admittedly wasn't thrilled one bit at the prospect of starting to clean out the basement. But my goal was simple: clean off the folding table.
But this was the result after about 3.5 hours. I used the 20/10 method on this, which is to say 20 minutes of cleaning followed by a 10 minute break. I was amazed at how quickly things went! Rachel Hoffman promotes the 20/10 method in her awesome (and irreverent) book, Unf*ck Your Habitat. I created a playlist (called "Get Crap Done!") and went to work.
Most things were sorted and put into bins, while others were simply thrown away. I'll never know why I decided to keep so many shipping boxes or opened blister packs, but that's another matter entirely.
Sunday's goal was to clean up the remaining clutter in the center of the room. This one took a bit longer to do, as I got distracted with ideas for the new space (you can see my Pinterest board here if you're so inclined). But it was worth it once I finished for the day!
There's still a long way to go, but I'd say it's a pretty good start. I think the key will be to keep chipping away at it until the movers come. My big goal is to sort everything out by type (sprues, bits, bases, etc.) and put them in a respective bin for later organization once we get to New Mexico. I've got a few ideas in mind for what I want to do.
