Lets see who is watch...

Hey guys, well it has been a while since I posted here last, or actually on my regular gaming blog too. After Mike's wedding was over and everything had been taken care of and they were off to their honeymoon, I decided not to take anything to serious (out side of work) for the rest of 2010, and that is exactly what I have been doing. I have been taking it easy, enjoying life, catching up on TV series that I am behind on (using Zune and Netflix) , and just generally relaxing. And I have to say it has been fun. I paint when I want and don't have deadlines. I go out and game 3-4 times a week and I have been having fun with board games and deck building card games and avoiding (for the most part) those miniature games I tend to take way to seriously.

Now the question is, what do I do come January? Do I get back on course and starting working on the Steam Punk Ork army I have been talking about getting ready for the Nova Open this year? As the tournament season looms with events kicking off as early as Feb next year do I focus on getting something new done so I can get in some games and prep for it? Or do just sit back and do what I have been lately? I have been enjoying the no deadline approach to my gaming of late, but then again, I haven't really gotten anything done but increase my started but unfinished models quota to finished models.

I guess I will need to get serious again.

Self Limits

What does it mean to know ones own self limits? Does it limit you in what you can be or what you can do? Knowing that from time to time you need to take a personal day in order to keep your sanity, or to hide a slip in your external shields. Does it protect you from yourself or allow you do hide? I'm not sure, but when I know more I will let you know.

Pain in the Butt!

Well I got a short one for you today. I have a real pain in the Butt problem and it actually is a pain in the Butt. On Saturday I was up in PA for a 40K tournament. Saturday Morning, while walking to my car I slipped on some ice. My arms were full of models and rulebooks and all sorts of goodies so I couldn't twist and fall properly for risk of damaging something for the tournament that was starting in 20 minutes over at the mall across the street. So I fell backwards, right onto my tail bone.

Man does it hurt! Sharp pains when transitioning from sitting to standing, constant dull throb even after taking 800mg of Ibuprofen and trouble sleeping at night. I am hating life right now because of this pain in my Butt!

WTF?

Okay, so if you are coming from facebook you know what is going on, if not here is the scoop. I work 10 - 6:30 Monday through Friday at an office in Vienna. Usually around 2:30-3:30 I take my hour long lunch break and go sit in my car, eat my lunch, and read a book at a spot were the road expands and a sidewalk starts near the entrance to a neighborhood about a mile from my job. For those that know the area it is over in the back roads between OLGC (a private catholic school in Vienna) and Freedom Hill Elementary.

I choose this location for 3 reasons: 1. It is about 2 minutes from my job so if someone calls me and needs me to come back I can be there quickly. 2. It is a sunny patch of sky but has a tree I usually park my car under that keeps me shaded and the scenery around in pleasant. 3. It is quite, with not a lot of traffic or people walking around to distract me.

Well today I was sitting there, snug in my car trying desperately to get to the end of the Novel I am currently reading as I want to move onto something else and it is getting painful to read when a man walks up the street towards my car, pulls off his hat and stops by my window, motioning me to roll it down. Gosh I think, what could this be about and oblige.

"What are you doing here," the man asks me?

"Eating my lunch and reading my book," I reply.

"You know, there is a school down the street and a bus stop over there, don't you?"

"Yes," I reply, "I come here to, as I said read my book and eat lunch. I work about a mile away and come here to get away and think about other things."

"Ever though about going to a parking lot instead?"

"I don't like parking lots, to many people walking around and cars coming in and out, distracts me from reading."

"Well so you know, the parents around here have observed you and we have your description and license number and if anything happens around here the police will be coming to talk to you," he says. "Seems kind of odd you coming here every day if you don't want something, no offence but eat lunch somewhere else."

That was about the gist of our conversation, he then dawned his hat and headed back down the street to his house I am guessing. I am shocked? WTF? Can't a guy sit in his car and read a book and be left alone? Not in the streets of Vienna it seems.

Time to find a new place to each lunch.

Valentines Day

(pic used without permission, original by phenomdesire taken from Deviant Art)

So it is here again, my least favorite holiday of the year, Valentines day. What a crappy day it is if you don't have someone. But that is not really what this post is about. For the rest of the year I will posting some history (an interest of mine) about each major holiday as it arrives.

Valentines Day History.

There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.

Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers. There was often a social gathering or a ball.

I hope your V-Day was pleasant with you significant other, lover, mistress, or one night stand ;). I probably spent the day playing Halo and painting or something... See you next time.

Back to work...

That is right, after a what 6 day... no 6.5 day weekend I'm back to work. Snowaplosa or whatever the news was calling it is over. Of course I guess saying I had a 6.5 day weekend isn't quite right either, as I was actually worked 2 half days Monday and Tuesday and did some work from home on Wednesday and Thursday, so I guess it has not really been a weekend per say, though it did feel like it.

I got to stayed up late which I haven't been able to do lately do to my Diabetes and the likeliness that I wouldn't get up on time the next day, I played lots of Halo, and even got some painting done. With another weekend looming suddenly I don't feel free anymore. The rest of this month is pretty much planned out for me. Tonight I have Roleplaying at Brian's. Tomorrow, my Saturday has me helping a friend run a Warmachine tournament up in MD. Sunday, Valentines Day, has me doing the bachelors thing again and spending the day gaming or painting probably.

Then next week I will be putting the finishing on my Howling Griffons army as I have a tournament in MD that Saturday, the 20th, and then Bill and I will be Pod Casting and paint Sunday the 21st. Then another week of list tweaking, painting, and hopefully some Malifaux or FSA and then I'm off to PA for the St. Valentines Day Massacre 40K tournament and GW GT Qualifer.

Then we get into March, which is already pretty full but is something I will talk about in the future.

Until next time.

Governments Closed, so what...

Hey guys, I bet several of you a celebrating that the government was closed today. I decide to come into work to get a jump on this weekend get in some extra hours. Besides, it is supposed to snow tomorrow and maybe Wednesday too so this is going to be a rough week for getting things accomplished at work.

How about everyone else, working hard or hardly working?

Mid Day, Snow Day

So, true to my post yesterday about procrastination I procrastinated last night, not getting the painting done I had planned to, but instead driving up to MD to pick up a copy of the Malifaux rules (Malifaux is a Miniatures Skirmish game made by Wyrd Games). I got hooked on Malifaux on Wednesday night when I tried the game out over at Dan's place. Pretty fun.

Then, again staying true to my procastinating nature, instead of going home and reading the book cover to cover, I watched some TV, surffed the web, and then went to bed. Man I need to focus more.

This weekend was supposed to be all about a 40k tournament down in Williamsburg and then the Super Bowl. Now it looks like I will be stuck at home all weekend do to a nasty snow storm hitting my area about now and lasting until Saturday night. With 18-24 inches of snow on the ground, I doubt I will be going anywhere till Monday.

However as luck has it my office is closing at 2 today, so if I am lucky, and the snow isn't to bad, I should be able to sneak a game of Malifaux in with Dan before I head home.

Wish me luck.

Procrastination

So I would like to talk about Procrastination (Wow, I can spell...). The big "P" is a big problem for me. On Sunday night I set a goal for myself this week. I was going to come straight home from work and paint Howling Griffon Space Marines all week till my army list was fully painted. Monday I was faithful to this. I went home, sat in my living room, flicked on some Anime, and painted Space Marine Tanks. While I didn't get any of them done, I did make some significant progress.

Then comes Tuesday night. During the day Redbox sends me an e-mail, letting me know Zombieland is out on DVD and ready to Rent. I did not get to see Zombieland in the Theatres and I really wanted to, so I go ahead and rent it. Well long story short I get caught up in watching Zombieland, get no painting done during the movie, and then afterwards feel to tired to do anything else and go to bed.

Then comes Wednesday. I find out that the tournament I planned to attend on Saturday (and my motivation to do all this painting) is probably not going to happen because of the impending snowapaloza (or so it is being called now, and which should really be called snowapaloza 2 for this season) which is supposed to last all day Friday and Saturday. Okay so the tournament is a no go, but I still need to get these figures done as I have 2 more tournaments this month, one on the 20th in Baltimore and one the weekend of the 27th & 28th up in PA. However my friend Dan, teh Mongoose, has been talking about Malifaux, the hot in game right now in this area that uses a deck of cards instead of dice to obtain results. So another friend of ours was at Dan's last night demoing the game for him and his fiance. So me being the procrastinator that I am decided to go check it out and ended up staying till 10. Eh, oh well another night of no painting. I did have fun though so I guess it is a wash.

But now I am thinking more about Malifaux then 40K. My juices are twisting and floating for another game (which I won't be able to get models for till next week) and it is all I can do to get my head back on to the 40K grind stone.


Well to make a long story short, this is a common occurance for me. The grass is always greener somewhere else I suppose, and that some place else seems to always be where I want to be. It is the short momments of focus where I really get a lot accomplished for anyone thing, but those momments are few and far between it seems. I wish I could find a way to focus better...

A fresh start

Hey guys, Jay here. Well I am going to give this Blog another go. My hobby blog, http://bloodandblades.blogspot.com is going strong as is my youtube channel, http://www.youtube.com/huronbh; but I have discovered that both have become very hobby focused and do not allow me to talk about what is really going on with me on a day to day basis or talk about things out side of gaming that effect my life. This blog hopefully will allow me to do that more.

A lot has happened in my life recently.

1. I was diagnosed with Diabetes which means changing my life style and priorities completely. This has been tough and I am just barely at the beginning.
   
2. I met a girl and after one date (which was great) she has constantly avoided meeting in person again but still craves my attention online.
3. I came very close to losing my job do to side affects from my Diabetes and I am on probation for the forseeable future which really ups my stress level.
   
4. Besides this, I am constantly battling with my finances and choosing to spend money here and there instead of saving it so I can travel more, which is something like I would like to.
5. My brother's Apartment building burned down last week, and though most of his furniture and his books were lost, most of his valuable stuff was untouched and after a good dry cleaning his clothes will be back in good order.
   

Wow, and all of that since December. Well now that you have a sense of what I will be talking about I will leave you with this thought, that I wrote down in one of those 25 things about you chains from facebook but describes my life pretty well.

"In general I see my life as a bunch of failures, missed opportunities, and missteps. However if I were not the failure I am today none of the things that are important to me would be in my life. How is that for karma."

-jay