Still alive!

Another month slips by without a post.....

This time I cannot even report work in progress; there's a definite lethargy and fending off of "the black dog" that's contributing. In addition, changes at work and the pressure to return to normal have made for an unsettling time.

The last couple of weekends have disappeared in a blur - just recovering from busy work weeks seems to be all I can manage, without much energy for anything else.

I see from other blogs that wargames shows have restarted; I have mixed feelings about attending. Even aside from any Covid issues, I have to admit my attendance had dropped off before the pandemic. I was finding most show uninspiring with only moderate interest. There's only so much shopping you can do and most games on show were becoming increasingly identical exhibitions of the "eye candy extravaganza" type. I have returned from a show before and read someone else's report where a game is mentioned and realised I cannot recall seeing it!

 Frankly, after a while wandering around a show, I seem to just screen out most of the games, unless they are actually "different" . I have concluded that my attendance at shows is as much a habit as buying wargames magazines! Very seldom do I get much out of the experience.

I recall early shows which often were something of a novelty. They increased dramatically in number in the last two decades. Even allowing for those that are no more, it's possible (or rather was) to attend a show almost every weekend.

What I do note is they have become very samey; same traders, same games, presumably same punters. Even the games are starting to look the same.

In the past I have really enjoyed some shows. Aside from the early ones where the novelty was enough, it has been shows where I met up with someone, saw a trader you rarely see who either doesn't have a decent website, offers good show deals or benefits from a physical presence so you can "rummage" around their goods ( think Irregular).

Aside from that, it was the finding a bargain or tracking down a kit or no longer produced item - very likely on a trader's stall than the overpriced jumble sale bring and buy...

I've even been where a particular game was on - I still remember the Mollwitz game at Partizan using Charles Grant's original Spencer Smiths. The fact that it attracted such attention at the time tells you a lot I think - because it was different and nostalgic all at the same time.

Enough naval gazing! I need to get on with something so I can post something of merit next month at least aside from pointless ruminations.