Thanks to my ongoing treatment for prostate cancer, I seem to be rather busy and often very tired at the moment, and it has made me realise that I might just be trying to do too much. As a result, I have reviewed my current wargaming projects.
The projects that I am certainly going to continue working on are:
- The Franco-Prussian War of 1810
- The Belle Époque project
The projects that I am going to work on intermittently are:
- The Second Portable Wargame Compendium
- The Portable American Civil War Wargame book … although I do intend to publish David Crook’s American Civil War Naval Wargame rules
The project which is definitely going to be put on hold is my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project
As I suspect that any medical treatment I have to undergo over the next few months is going to have an impact on the amount of time I have to devote to wargaming and wargames-related activity, this seems to be a sensible course of action for me to take.
"For everything there is a season". Peraps this is a season to rest a bit more and worry a bit less about finishing things.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, if years from now, some loose ends are left behind you, perhaps 1some 0,000 years from now someone will come upon some your works and notes and get great satisfaction in trying to decode and understand it and get the urge to finish it?
Ross Mac,
DeleteOver the last few weeks, and especially since I began taking Erleada, I seem to have felt physically and mentally tired. I understand that this is one of its side effects, and as it looks as if I will be taking this drug for some time to come, it was only sensible to make some changes to my wargaming life. By having fewer projects on the go at the same time, I hope that I will find it easier to pace myself.
Will my ramblings still be around in the future? They may be … and if they are, they would have ensured me a degree of immortality.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteVery wise. You want to use your projects as an enjoyable distraction, not a hard chore to be completed however you may feel.
Priorities are after all only priorities. You can always change them to suit your level of energy.
Go easy on yourself and only do as much as you feel you want to.
regards
Paul
Paul Leniston (Paul),
DeleteIt was the realisation that I was becoming more and more mentally and physically tired, and was having to make an effort to do things that I normally found easy to do, that triggered these changes. You are right that priorities are just that, and can be changed or reordered as and when I want to.
Thanks for your very sound advice … which I will be taking onboard.
All the best,
Bob
Priorities change even in the best of circumstances. Focusing on your health, and not pushing too hard, can't be a bad thing for a while. Hope all goes well with the treatment.
ReplyDeleteBigLee,
DeleteThanks for your kind advice and support. Wargaming is helping me to cope with my treatment, but if I invest too much time and effort into it, there is a danger that it might become counterproductive.
All the best,
Bob
The issue is not too many projects, just too many active projects. How many you have active will obviously be dependent on time and health issues, but it's nice to have the active ones waiting in the background. Hopefully you will soon be well enough able to allocate more project time.
ReplyDeleteRob Young,
DeleteThanks for your kind comment.
The problem I find with being a wargamer is I have more ideas for projects that I can handle. In my current situation, setting myself some priorities and putting a few projects into the back burner for the time being makes perfect sense … but I must admit that it was a bit of a struggle to do it!
All the best,
Bob
I know what having too many projects is like, and I can also sympathize with the times it feels more like work than play. Of course you must take care of yourself, but hopefully you can continue those projects that are enjoyable or distracting from your troubles. Stay safe.
DeleteJennifer,
DeleteThanks for your kind words. I knew that things were getting a bit too much when I began to think ‘I need to do some work on … ’ rather than ‘Great, I can do some work on … ’.
All the best,
Bob
Hello Bob: I don't comment here as often as I should but I pray that your treatment goes well. Take the time you need to rest and let things work through your system. I'm sure a clearer mind and more energy will be there for you soon. Cheers and blessings, Michael
ReplyDeleteMad Padre (Michael),
DeleteThank you for your kinds words and prayers. They are appreciated more than simple words can express.
Funnily enough, since I wrote this blog post I’ve already begun to feel more positive. It was almost as if recognising that there was a situation developing that needed to be dealt with - and then writing about it - helped to ease the burden.
All the best,
Bob
That sounds a sensible plan Bob. We all need to strike a balance between stuff we need to do, the stuff we like to do and the things we need to do to get to do the things we like to do. Your situation has brought it into sharper focus.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing is you have this wonderful, diverse and distracting hobby.
All the best,
Chris
Nundanket (Chris),
DeleteBoth your comments are very true!
I’ve always been a bit of a workaholic, and I was determined not to vegetate when I retired. I had hobbies that required me to be mentally active, but as I am prone to turning them into work rather than pleasure if I am not careful, I need to take a break and reassess the situation every so often.
The cancer treatment has had more impact on me than I expected, and the time to reassess matters became due. Now that I have made my decision about which projects to work on and which to put to one side, I am already feeling far more positive.
All the best,
Bob
When one starts to feel pressure to complete projects they become work, and therefore are less enjoyable. There is wisdom in stopping to smell the roses from time to time. I wish you all the best!
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteCheers! I am doing exactly what you suggest … and I’m already beginning to feel the benefit!
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteIt is good to hear that you have put a limit on the number of key Projects - this will help to get things done. I tend only to have one Project at a time- I tend to work on it until it is entirely completed to my satisfaction. My present Project is in 6mm - Marlburian Imagi-nations...and I'm enjoying it greatly. Stay well there in London. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteIt made a lot of sense to cut done on the number of active projects I had on the go at once … and having made that decision, I’m already feeling more motivated and less stressed.
I’ve been following your current project with interest, and only wish that I was able to paint figures that small.
All the best,
Bob
Just as long as you keep that creative mind of yours active ;)
ReplyDeleteGeordie an Exile FoG,
DeleteIt certainly needs it at the moment!
All the best,
Bob