New Year’s 2017

2016 is no more and another new year’s day is upon us. For me, I am not sorry to see the old year go. It was a mixed year when we lost many a good person and saw political upheaval which will probably change our lives. We can only hope 2017 will be better. With the new year comes to the traditional call of New Year’s Resolutions. I personally am wary of the idea of resolutions. After all, as a rule, we generally know what we should be doing, so why aren’t we doing it every day? If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing now.

However, I’ve had a few resolutions of my own running for a while now - I see these not as goals to be completed but as a continual process of improvement. Losing weight isn’t really about dieting but eating healthily in the first place. ‘Keeping fit’ isn’t something you do to get fit and then stop, but an ongoing process to keep you healthy. Looking back at my blog post from New Year’s in 2015 and 2016, I had six resolutions - so how well have I done in 2016?

(Resolution 1) To try and improve each issue of WS&S and (Resolution 2) To keep experimenting with new articles in WS&S

The magazine has done very well with excellent growth in our subscriber numbers in the past year alone. I’m generally happy the direction we’ve taken, aided by feedback from our readers. We are also experimenting with new articles, including Henry Hyde’s new column in the latest issue covering putting tactics and strategy into wargaming. After all, the magazine is called Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy!

I’ve been generally happy with the themes, my two particular favourites were Napoleonic Russia (I managed to have no French in that issue), and Monsters of Myth and Legend (as it was totally different to what we’ve done before). I am however thinking of other ways to make the themes less dominant and increasing the general overall content.

Napoleonic Russian special.

(Resolution 3) To improve my painting technique

My painting record has not been great this last year. I’ve done a little, but not half as much as I’d planned. The quality has improved, however, as I finally admitted to myself that I need glasses to paint with and have invested in a pair. I am long sighted, so have been painting with miniatures further and further away from me (almost at arm’s length). The addition of a pair of glasses means I can actually see the detail of what I’m painting.

One of the more unusual things I’ve painted in 2016.

(Resolution 4) Improve my timekeeping

This has improved in some areas. I’ve been meeting my work deadlines much better but still find it hard to devote more time to my hobby. My gaming has also suffered slightly, mainly due to friends not being as available as they used to be for wargaming. This has been partly because some have had to work longer hours to make ends meat and others due to illness.

There’s nothing like a deadline to focus the mind. I’ve joined the Analogue Painting Challenge again to help as a focus.

(Resolution 5) To lose weight

I’ve more weight (another stone) but still need to do more. If I lose another three stone, I’ll be back to my ideal height to weight. While my progress has been poor, at least it has been in one direction. I should really add ‘and keep fit’ to this resolution.

(Resolution 6) To blog more often

I’ve kept up a good number of blogs, so I have been blogging regularly. There have been some times I’ve been busy and my blog count has fallen. So there’s room for improvement here. However, we’ve now started a new Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy podcast.

WS&S Podcast Logo

I’m sticking with these resolutions for 2017 and will probably revise them for 2018.

What new resolutions do you have for the new year? Gaming related or otherwise?

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