So 28 days from today I have two huge events in my life, first is the first (of many I hope) Blog-Con. The second is my 40th Birthday. I did not plan for both of these to be on the same weekend but now they are I am very happy.
I feel that Blog-Con and BfC have for me been a completing of a circle, I have often writen about my early hobby life and said before what a huge part of my life Wargames has been (for anyone who missed the posts a quick summery..
I worked in the wargames industry (GW Manager) and I continue to fund my hobby by commission painting). Why do I feel I have circled back well pull up a chair and I will tell you. I grew up on a Service Camp (RAF Akrotiri) and while the place was all a young lad could want the people (service families) change all the time I arrived in 1980 and quickly made some great friends, in those days I was playing war.
But within 3 years my friends Dads were posted away and this pattern I could see was going to continue, my answer was not to make good friends, don't get me wrong I made friends but I always knew they would leave. My one constant once I started wagaming was the club in total I was at the club for 8 years and while the face's would change the club feel remained, in fact we had several gamers who reappeared on second tours. I loved my weekly club nights and holidays would be filled with all day games or busy painting sessions at home.
As with us all life gets in the way of hobby you get a job, marry have kids (which can be fun) [I look half asleep at Melissa's graduation because I went straight from work and managed to not fall asleep in the warm hall while speeches were done in Welsh and English.]
but always in the back ground was my wargames. I am now fully reinvested in the wargames world (my body has put an end to any silly sports I would think of playing (even if my mind still thinks I could play a mean game of rugby)).
But I still have this habit of keeping friends at arms length, that was till last winter and Curts Winter Painting challenge. This made me interact more with the bloggers I already followed and let me meet many more. You all know the results, Blog-Con, Bloggers for Charity, and the Community Currency are all ideas that have been fed by you guys.
I really feel that I am back in a great wargames club, and just like the club of my youth the face's will change. Bloggers will step away for a break or a rest. Some bloggers find little time to get a game or live in wargames isolation, you prolific gamer/bloggers may not understand what these guys get from reading you batreps and drooling over you battle pictures, but I understand. In our Bloggers club we have all you could possibly need we have guys with in depth knowledge of most eras we have world class display painters we have world class gamers and world class army painters. I am not daft enough to think we will all get on all the time but the joy of the blogosphere is you choose who and how you interact, but I again plea to you all to take the time to comment on posts or even just G+1 the post I know what a boost it is to a blogger when he loads up his dashboard and sees a new comment, it is not going too far to say you can change some ones day. We all live hard lives in only this year I know of bloggers who have lost jobs and suffered illness but I get a little smile when I see a new post or comment form one of my Blog mates who may have been off the scene for awhile.
So for me Blog-Con is like my old weekly club night when I may not have known who would be their each week but I knew that whoever was would be looking for the same thing I was, a great game and some good crack. If you are on G+ why not come along and join the Bloggers Wargames Group it is just another tool for us to interact with each other and share ideas, you will find while it is not a forum you can get some quicker reaction to comments.
So In conclusion if you are still with me thank you for staying through another of my monologue's but please take away the message of my post, the Internet means that as a wargamer you need never be alone, while you may not be able to table top wargame over the Internet (yet) you can make some great friends who share your hobby passion what ever period it may be.
Peace James
I feel that Blog-Con and BfC have for me been a completing of a circle, I have often writen about my early hobby life and said before what a huge part of my life Wargames has been (for anyone who missed the posts a quick summery..
 |
| Met my wife in a wargames club, |
 |
| wargames turned my Dad into my best friend too, |
I worked in the wargames industry (GW Manager) and I continue to fund my hobby by commission painting). Why do I feel I have circled back well pull up a chair and I will tell you. I grew up on a Service Camp (RAF Akrotiri) and while the place was all a young lad could want the people (service families) change all the time I arrived in 1980 and quickly made some great friends, in those days I was playing war.
But within 3 years my friends Dads were posted away and this pattern I could see was going to continue, my answer was not to make good friends, don't get me wrong I made friends but I always knew they would leave. My one constant once I started wagaming was the club in total I was at the club for 8 years and while the face's would change the club feel remained, in fact we had several gamers who reappeared on second tours. I loved my weekly club nights and holidays would be filled with all day games or busy painting sessions at home.
As with us all life gets in the way of hobby you get a job, marry have kids (which can be fun) [I look half asleep at Melissa's graduation because I went straight from work and managed to not fall asleep in the warm hall while speeches were done in Welsh and English.]
but always in the back ground was my wargames. I am now fully reinvested in the wargames world (my body has put an end to any silly sports I would think of playing (even if my mind still thinks I could play a mean game of rugby)).
But I still have this habit of keeping friends at arms length, that was till last winter and Curts Winter Painting challenge. This made me interact more with the bloggers I already followed and let me meet many more. You all know the results, Blog-Con, Bloggers for Charity, and the Community Currency are all ideas that have been fed by you guys.
I really feel that I am back in a great wargames club, and just like the club of my youth the face's will change. Bloggers will step away for a break or a rest. Some bloggers find little time to get a game or live in wargames isolation, you prolific gamer/bloggers may not understand what these guys get from reading you batreps and drooling over you battle pictures, but I understand. In our Bloggers club we have all you could possibly need we have guys with in depth knowledge of most eras we have world class display painters we have world class gamers and world class army painters. I am not daft enough to think we will all get on all the time but the joy of the blogosphere is you choose who and how you interact, but I again plea to you all to take the time to comment on posts or even just G+1 the post I know what a boost it is to a blogger when he loads up his dashboard and sees a new comment, it is not going too far to say you can change some ones day. We all live hard lives in only this year I know of bloggers who have lost jobs and suffered illness but I get a little smile when I see a new post or comment form one of my Blog mates who may have been off the scene for awhile.
So for me Blog-Con is like my old weekly club night when I may not have known who would be their each week but I knew that whoever was would be looking for the same thing I was, a great game and some good crack. If you are on G+ why not come along and join the Bloggers Wargames Group it is just another tool for us to interact with each other and share ideas, you will find while it is not a forum you can get some quicker reaction to comments.
So In conclusion if you are still with me thank you for staying through another of my monologue's but please take away the message of my post, the Internet means that as a wargamer you need never be alone, while you may not be able to table top wargame over the Internet (yet) you can make some great friends who share your hobby passion what ever period it may be.
Dude that graduation pic is so cute. Seriously :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little envious of anyone who knows other hobby people "IRL"... I have never been social about this stuff but a good war games club must be a lot of fun!
Well said young chap!
ReplyDeleteVery well said James!
DeleteVery well put James.
ReplyDeleteThat was a good read and well done.
ReplyDelete28 days away, jeepers I need to get my skates on.
ReplyDeleteReally looking forward to the weekend
Good points too
Ian
I am looking forward to Blog Con mate and meeting up with all you chaps.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! As military brat, I too know about cycling through towns and people, and the mark it leaves on you. It sounds like you've got a lot of great things going. To steal a line, these are the days to remember!
ReplyDeleteVery proud of all you have done and all you are planning to do
ReplyDeleteGreat family photos, James. Best, Dean
ReplyDeleteSuper photos, James, and fantastic thoughts. Lots in there to be very proud of, Sir!
ReplyDeleteCheers, mate!
ReplyDeleteJames, thanks for sharing this personal history. Clearly, you're a man who loves his family, his friends, and his hobby.
ReplyDeleteBloggers (and wargamers!) often have a reputation as a prickly, even curmudgeonly lot, but since I began blogging in earnest around three years ago, I have found nothing but goodwill and encouragement.
We are privileged to live in a time when, as you have so rightly pointed out, advances in communication mean we can always share ideas and experiences with fellow hobbyists.
Thank you again for articulating what many of us feel, but all too few of us openly express!
Hear hear Ev! I've been trying to think of something to add but you've said it all and said it well.
DeleteWhat a great post - I count not agree more.
ReplyDeleteI think our particular corner of the 'blogosphere' is exceptionally encouraging, friendly and motivating than the vast majority of forums. After all, have a look at the routine flaming at TMP to see that the internet can reflect a whole range of personal interactions, not just the good ones. But blogs seem to be something different. Maybe because they are more personal, people interact with one another more positively.
I've met a two wargame bloggers in my travels, and wish it could be more.