Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Promoting a couple of things, and trying to stay motivated.

I wanted to take the time today to promote a few blogs that have come across my radar. First, as you may have heard, The Laughing Ferret is having a pretty spectacular giveaway over on his blog here.

Since I am perhaps one of the worst offenders for using the word that rhymes with imp in reference to blog promotion, I feel  that precludes me from entering the contest. My use of it is not to promote a certain lifestyle etc., but really just to be a little campy. Perhaps I need to re-think it, I don't know.

I any event go and join his blog and read some interesting stuff, see some fantastically painted miniatures, and maybe win some swag.

Second, while I am promoting things, I'd like to bring your attention to a blog that is really quite good. At last check Lost Wargamer in HK had only 6 followers. I find this quite shocking as he paints quite well, sets up a nice table, and is playing out a very interesting Zombie/ Weird War II campaign at the moment. Do yourself a favor and check him out.

I'm dragging my feet on my minis right now. I took the day off from exercise and thought I'd get a lot done, but it hasn't happened. On the plus side I've dropped 2.6 % body fat in the three weeks since we started and only lost  about 2 Lbs in body weight. I'm in 63rd place nationally within the Club and 3rd among the men in my club. Not too bad.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, nothing feels right to put up today. Take it easy.

14 comments:

  1. Well, he's up to 8 now - so well done on the *promoting*. ;-)

    Staying motivated can be a problem for everybody. Don't beat yourself up too much if you end up taking a few days off. You're mojo will be back soon enough...

    Your exercise programme regime is going really well: remember that and focus on the positive.

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  2. Our friend in HK is up to nine now so he shouldn't be feeling quite so lost.

    If you paint when you don't want to, chances are you'll make a mess of something. Don't force it and you'll be fine. There's so much more to life than just painting leads.

    The exercise is doing plenty of good things besides encouraging weight loss / reducing body fat: heart, muscles, digestive system etc., etc. Sounds as though you're on the right track so just plug away at it. If you miss a day here and there it's no big problem.

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    1. Thanks Gary. I'm just trying to push myself to finish something as that seems to be my main issue. A lot of partially completed figures lying around here.

      I've already proven to myself several times that I can play hurt, so I have no problem with giving myself a rest now and then. Just lamenting the missed opportunity of making progress on the marshaling of forces.

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  3. Thanks Sean, and no issue, u can enter, heck, u *are* entered as far as I'm concerned ;) You can use whatever words you want & comfy with, I just didn't want to see 'pimping' and 'laughing ferret' together (i'd feel like I would be endorsing the concept)- the phrase is a pet peeve like nails on a chalkboard, but certainly not proscribing someone who uses a phrase at other times for whatever reason, just trying to keep my contest free of a phrase I think has harmful affects,but in general I have little notice or concern what subcultural affectations people take on for themselves and what they do... if it's not directly messing with anyone else that is, not saying I have no issue with human traffickers or assassins ;)Ah you probably know what i mean ;) I'd be insane to judge a person for the words they use -intent matters more than words, I just wanted to leave a void of that word since I personally feel it's harmful. I know some may think words I use are 'wrong' like 'taking the lord's name in vain' where to me it's just an instinctual phrase rooted in a religion I have no belief in- it doesn't mean anything, but someone else could take offense even if I don't intend it- I'd understand if they didn't like hearing it, or not want me to advertise with the phrase, as long as they don't judge me as a 'bad person' because I don't think about the word the same way they do. And same for me here with this issue, so count yourself entered for goodies ;) (sheesh was that long- language isn't easy to dissect)

    I'll check out that other blog. and good work on the exercising. I need to get back at that, I've had a pretty bad year being often at low emotion and very sedentary, feels miserable to the miles a day I was walking a couple years ago when out of the country.

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    1. Thanks LF. I get where you are coming from. As for the exercise I highly recommend some. I find there are times, most days really, where the act of losing myself in the exertion really does clear away whatever funk I'm in. Reserve a time for yourself each day, 30 minutes is all you need. It's an investment in yourself.

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  4. For what it's worth, I can assure you these issues are commn to many of us. I keep side projects on the table to boost my mojo sometimes. These ar eprojects with no deadline, which are part of no big project or whose progress won't affect anything. I do whatever o want on these and don't feel compelled to achieveing glorious achievement on them. They're just here to relax and they often tend to be my favourite models in the end. There are times we finish a lot pf projects and it fuels us with a remendous amount of energy and sometimes we don't, it's just a hobby (apart from pros I mean ;)).
    Exercise on another hand tends to benefit from a mental little kick in the butt. I ride 20 km on bike whatever the weather each day to get to work and sometimes I don't feel like going to my Kendo dojo to be evn more exhausted, but I do go anyway and never have I once regretted going afterwards. lessons learnt on pain seem to be the most valuable.

    Anyway, what I mean is motivation is like a tide which comes and goes and community is what matters when the tide is low...

    Cheers Sean

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    1. Thanks JB. These days it's less about glorious achievements and more about getting something on the table top. I just need to push myself to complete the final step.

      20K per day on the bike is no joke. You don't see most in the states biking that much per week. I bike about 2 miles per day to and from my kids school and supplement with ~12 miles of running. (Wow I need to increase my mileage). I too enjoy the feeling of completing a Martial Arts class. I'm down to only once per week now and have had a nagging rib issue which makes it hard to take hits and throws. I think I've turned the corner on that.

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    2. Well take good care of yourself and here's a load of smiling friends to cheer you up ! It's just one step after the other no matter how long between each step like Cedric and LF said.


      ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫
      \o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/

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  5. Thank you Sean, I wondered what happened suddenly with the extra followers. As said on the blog, if we have the chance to meet, drinks are on me!
    Suffice to say that I blog for the sake of keeping the motivation up. It's easy to stop projects. But it is also normal to have breaks. Hobby is for pleasure not a chore. Take your time to rethink priorities, get your son involve too, that will make two of you instead of one.

    Now, thanks to you, I got pressure to make the next episode... Arg!

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    1. Hey Cedric. Thanks, I've never been to HK my wife's family comes from there and Taishan (Toisan). Who lnows maybe someday I'll make it there.

      Yes the hobby should be a pleasure and I should get my son more involved.

      Just post when you are ready, you obviously put a lot of time and thought into your scenarios. I just thought that more people should know about what you are doing. It's good stuff.

      干杯

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  6. Thanks Loki. I think a little bit each day is the way to tackle it.

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  7. Sean,

    I have no words of advice....but hang in there anyway! Your blogging is an interesting read - I've been following it for a while - I think I was about follower number 30. I have hobby "lack of motivation" periods all the time. My longest was 8 years but I get them for a few months here and there. I must admit one of the things that got me to playing is I decided to give up on painting (lack of time - which did I prefer and I enjoy playing much more than painting). What I find more frustrating is rather than lack of motivation getting in the way, but when work gets in the way of everything (as it has for the last fortnight).

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    1. Hi Shaun, thanks for the encouragement. I am loathe to completely write off painting as I do enjoy the creative aspect. But I do need to balance that with some actual game play.

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