Time flies when you're (not) having fun.

 I think this has been the longest I haven't paid attention to this blog...
The past year has been...a thing. Sorry about that.

Between long covid, struggling to build up enough hours with that to be able to keep my job, two losses in the family within 6 months, and several other things, it's been a struggle to find the energy to hobby, let alone reporting on a blog about it. 

Things my change in the coming time though. 

Because I lost workable hours due to the disabilities/limitations from long covid, I've had to apply for disability, hoping to get enough disability pay to make up for the lost hours of income.  Just before Christmas, I was told my disability level was set at 85-100%, aka 'fully unfit for work'. Now I need to figure out with my current employer whether that means I can still work for them. Due to the holidays, illnesses and time off of various parties involved in that decision, as well as the unemployment office taking quite some time to send the official report confirming this, I won't know more until next Thursday. Luckily, this has given me time to mull over and get used to the idea, and, honestly, I'd be fine with either outcome.

So for the coming year(s) I'll either have more time and energy to devote to the hobby, but less money, or it'll be more of the past year. Which makes it a bit hard to plan ahead for the coming hobby-year...

Anyway, here's some things I hope I can work on the coming year:
-Battletech: Had the first game in decades the past week, and all involved enjoyed it. So I intend to paint more mechs, do some more terrain. Maybe try and make this a (semi-)regular thing. I'm finding it refreshing to have a "new" yet familiar universe to explore, play with giant stompy robots. In a setting that, while grim, and dark, isn't Grimdark and gothic all of the time.
-Roleplaying: After a year of mostly cancelled sessions and a player dropping out, I'm putting in extra effort to try and keep my Traveller RPG campaign running as regularly as the mutual schedules allow. I also want to do more with props and phys-reps.

Something similar has happened to the Iron Kingdoms RPG I play in, so for the time being that has become a monthly boardgame night.

If it does turn out I'll be on full-time disability pay, I would also like to have a go at reviving my long, looong-dormant Mythological Japan DnD Campaign.

-Space Hulk/Gallowdark/Necromunda:  While the spell of GW has been mostly broken in the past year, I do still like the setting and minis, even if the company, their current game and most especially their pricing, leaves me distinctly cold these days.  And I like tunnelcrawlers and skirmish games. If I do become a househusband, I'd like to work on my terrain and minis for these again, and maybe, finally, get some games in.

-Cyberpunk: Yeah, it still has it's magic for me. And, apart from terrain, it can be done in small bursts and manageable chunks.

-Dungeoneering/fantasy game: I still have fond memories of the year of near-exclusive focus on my fantasy mini collection. And it connects to my love of terrainmaking and tunnelcrawling. I have enough minis painted, I just need the dungeon for them to fight in.

-Terrain: I really miss building terrain.

-Gaming/meeting friends: This may be the most important/valuable one of all. Due to having to put all my energy in work/regaining job security the past year, I have become a bit of a hermit. In general, I want to game and meet up with friends more often, but energy has to allow it.

Anyhow, braindump done. Nice seeing you again, and until next time! Have picture of last weeks Battletech game as a reward for reaching the end of my ramble: