The Obligatory New Year's Post

I should start by saying that I am not going to miss 2012. The year was pretty good for me professionally, but only in the way that means I spend a lot more time working and less with my family. Personally, this year has been an unending string of hardship for my entire family. This year we've dealt with natural disasters, serious illnesses of all kinds, death, suicide and unemployment. The consensus this year has been that we all just need a break and feel like, with 2013 beginning, we all deserve one.

In terms of hobby, this year has been a very mixed bag as well. While I have been able to keep this blog going, I have not been able to grow the following of this blog and have not grown my presence online as I would have liked. I was not able to spend time at any events this year and have done very little gaming and not much painting. Beyond that is my disappointment in Puppet Wars, which has been doomed to some kind of  purgatory in favor of some card game with baby Hitler.

The good news this year is that I believe I have really become a better painter. I have been working very hard on wet blending techniques and using fewer inks. When working on a base the other day I though to myself "I can't remember the last time I drybrushed".

So what's ahead in the new year?

I do have some definite gaming resolutions:

• Finish painting my current Puppet Wars Collection
• Finish painting a tournament-worthy Malifaux crew(s)
• Play an actual game, of anything, at least twice a month
• Attend at least one large event (my wife and I are looking forward to a long Adepticon weekend without the kid. Of course....Gencon is only a couple hours down the road).
• Build a Malifaux table and terrain

I think these are realistic goals. What do you think?

More to come.

-Nick