However, these ARE strange times, and even though lock down restrictions are now easing, it looks like it's still going to be months before I'll be able to get back to work on the live music scene.
Over the last few weeks though, I've lashed together a 'home studio' set up and recorded several shows for a couple of online radio stations - it's not been "paid work" (sadly), but it's 'kept my hand in' .
It's not all been singing and dancing though, and I've managed to dip my toes in the water (pun intended) with age of sail naval wargames as part of my Flintloque campaign,
and you can read how I got on HERE.
I've also tried out a few sets of rules for my Blade Runner campaign, and it looks like Cindy is back, and in the company of a "retired" Blade Runner and a Console Cowboy!
The campaign has re-started with the game the above pic was taken from, but I haven't posted it up yet. After chatting to Stevie over on The Game Cupboard blog, I'll be migrating this cyberpunk setting over there as of this post.
"....... and in other news", I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I was replacing the quarry section on the garden railway, and the Permanent Way gang have completed the works during the recent sunny spell.
Lots of raw concrete in the photo, but we're in "the growing season" so I'm sure it will all mellow down before too long.
My humble apologies to everyone for my tardiness, both with this post and comments on yours.
Until next time,
Sorry to hear the work was unpaid Greg, hopefully you will be able to have some earnings from your music soon, your naval games look excellent, and good to hear your resurrecting your Blade Runner campaign.
ReplyDeleteYour railway looks like it's been getting plenty of attention, and nature will surely help round off the concrete soon
Thanks Dave, the lock down is REALLY tough from a financial point of view, but of course life isn't all about money - thankfully!
DeleteBeing able to potter along with various projects helps to cope with missing the social interaction we're used to. It's all a case of keeping spirits up, since "time flies when you're enjoying yourself", and things will be back to 'normal' before we know it! :-)
Hopefully all of your unpaid work will pay off at a later date Greg, the Blade Runner set looks wonderful & I love your outdoor train-set concrete & all :)
ReplyDeleteCheers Frank, from a "business" point of view I suppose the shows will serve as 'advertisements' and organisers will keep us in mind when it's time to book live acts again :-)
DeleteThe Blade Runner set is the first outing for the Battle Systems cyberpunk set which SWMBO kindly bought as my birthday present - I'm really impressed with how versatile the kit is, and I reckon it'll see plenty of use in upcoming sci fi games :-)
I have just started a garden railway and it is really interesting to see yours. The buildings look the part, can you tell me a little more about them?
ReplyDeleteMany thanks and welcome to my humble blog :-)
DeleteThe lineside buildings (shelter and Station Master's house) are in-scale concrete castings from garden railway suppliers - I'm afraid I've had them so long that I can't remember the manufacturer's names.
The castle ruin, church and houses are concrete garden ornaments picked up from garden centres and car boot sales. I've placed them at the back and on a slight rise to try and "force the perspective" and give the impression of distance.
Everything is left outdoors permanently, and from experience, concrete buildings are THE most resilient to the ravages of nature, resin kits are a close second (but assemble them with car body filler instead of any form of glue), and steer clear of ANY mdf kits - even the ones that claim to be "weather resistant" :-)
I have a really old station building made from marine ply, and it's only because of its nostalgic value that I regularly go through the chore of "treating" and repainting it.
There's some more views of the line in previous posts,
http://thewargameaddict.blogspot.com/2017/11/interlude.html
Good to hear you are still around, doing things and even getting a game in.
ReplyDeleteNo where else to go during lockdown Joe :-)
DeleteIn all seriousness though, the whole experience has turned out to be a strange journey.
What started as a "wargamers utopia" (all this available hobby time!!), has at times felt more like a "curse" - 'I MUST get some painting or modelling done', even when I'm not really in the mood or there's something else that needs doing around the house.
I've certainly made a huge difference to my hoard of unpainted minis and unbuilt kits, but I also feel that I have way too many projects on the go! (which in itself prevents things getting "done")
Yeah it must be real tough for a real pro musician like yourself. I remember when I tripped over a green bag full of equipment and broke/dislocated my shoulder really badly... course it was right at the beginning of the gig season and a ring of booking all lined up. The whole tour had to be cancelled** (as I was the lead singer and guitarist). Course, bills piled up and never got met or anything, and we had to take out a loan just to fix that.
ReplyDelete** luckily for the lads, they managed to find a replacement for the first half of the season.
I`m looking forward to your Blade Runner, immensely. I have a massive new project to add to TGC as well and hope you will be joining me in that one (more about that in email).
Suffice to say, lovely to see a filler post here, and when you DO do one of your magnum opus here, its always well worth waiting for.
These ARE strange times Stevie. As much as I can empathise with your injury situation (I've missed strings of gigs in the past through daft injuries or illness myself in the past), it's kinda "normal". This whole lockdown situation is off-the-scale not normal with the amount of time we're away from work.
DeleteInitially it was just a case of withdrawal symptoms from the "buzz" of performing and the social aspect of the job (balanced to some degree by the respite provided from not spending long hours in the van!), but as the weeks have turned into months, with no clear end in sight yet, the practicalities of "making ends meet" have overshadowed the other aspects of not working.
Thank goodness I (like all other gamers) have a stockpile of projects on the go :-)
Email received and responded, and the muse pendulum is tracing its return arc, so 'normal service' will resume once again with the blog posts :-)
The Blade Runner will be a welcome read when you get round to it. I've been playing around with stop motion video and am trying to put together a short film around the concept of a Cyndee. I doubt it will get too far, it's quite a lot of work and I'm well out of my depth.
ReplyDeleteI'll go and have a look at your link to the ships. Apart from the financial side of life I hope the rest is going well.
Take care,
You've grabbed my interest with both "Cyndee" and "stop motion" John :-)
DeleteThe former because I'm well 'into' the cyberpunk genre at the moment - in most part due to the anticipation of Cyberpunk 2077 being released later this year, and the latter because I had a dabble with stop motion filming on my garden railway some years ago (total failure because of the light fluctuations outdoors), and it's still a thing that interests me.
I'm looking forward to hearing (and hopefully seeing) how you get on :-)
We're coping ta, and I hope things are good in your household my friend.
The garden railway looks great.
ReplyDeleteTony
Thanks Tony, still plenty of "work" to do where Mother Nature has been running rampant, but it will be nice to sit with a brew in hand just watching and listening to trains running by once we get into summer 'proper' :-)
DeleteA quick word for the pathetic scammer who continually uploads his or her stupid click bait ridden drivel to my comments section-
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for ransom I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you stop scamming my blog and go now that'll be the end of it.
If not I shall place the blackest curse imaginable on your soul and it WILL find you!