Adepticon 2017.....and my plans

Adepticon is this weekend in the Chicago area…..huge tournament scene in the Midwest.  I’ve been asked by a number of people of when I’m going to return to Adepticon and some of the other larger Midwest tournaments.  

I missed most of the tournaments in 2014 by choice as I was doing a lot of kart racing and just wanted a break from the tournament scene and I had pretty much stopped playing any miniature games on a semi-regular basis as I was just not having fun doing it.  I always planned to return in 2015.

 

But, then I was diagnosed with an Acoustic Neuroma on the left side at the end of 2014/early 2015, essentially a benign growing tumor in my head, pressing hard up against my brain stem.  That turned my world upside down.  I was given the option, to put off the surgery for as much as a year, but like I do most things, I said what is the next available date, I'll take that one, and meet it head on swinging.  At the time we did not know if it was benign or a malignant cancerous tumor, the expert thought it was benign but growing.  And, it led to one event of 11 hours of major surgery on my head.  The closest thing to brain surgery that you can probably have without it actually being brain surgery, involving 5 wonderful doctors and many nurse from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, along the way.  The surgery left me a lot of problems from recovery and relearning how to do many of the things that we take for granted day to day.  It also led to nerve issues, to left eye issues, depth perception problems, to 100% hearing loss on the left side, to headaches, to having 6 screws in my head, to having a loud continuous infernal hissing in my deaf ear that will never go away, to balance problems, etc.  I’ve had a lot of issues especially in loud and noisy environments that make it to the point that it’s like sensory overload for my right ear, where I just can’t hear anything.  That is getting better, I am adapting to all of that.  It is however likely that I will never be out of the woods escaping what is left of the tumor on my facial nerves next to my brain stem. 

All that happened and kept me away in 2015, then the last remaining gaming system that I frequently played, Warhammer Fantasy Battles completely changed to something that I’m not really into.  Somewhere in there the local hobby store closed, because the Owner died of a heart attack and caused the loss of our major congregation point in the city.  And then a new place took over the scene, but has a history in the area of being the place where you go for illegal drugs, I want and can’t have anything to do with that.  So, I was and as far as that goes still am kind of stuck without anything really ready to play, at least anything that is currently popular at the moment.  I still know I will have issues in those noisy convention halls and probably always will.  I don’t really have an answer for when I will return, if I return, and to what degree do I return.  2016 came and went and you did not see a lot of activity from on the blog as I was still having issues with the left eye, but it was improving, ever so slowly.

I do miss the tournament scene, hanging with my buddy Mike Butcher and others, playing games with friends and acquaintances from across the Midwest, competing in the paint competitions, etc.  I have some major things that I still want to do.  I believe that I have adapted to a point that I can at least function in those noisy environments.  

So, with that all said, there are some changes planned in 2017 as to where I’m going with things.  I’ve begun thinning out my Warhammer Fantasy collection and have many things that I will be selling including bits and partially converted items.  I’m going to concentrate on projects that I seriously want to do.  The historical’s aspect of the hobby is not changing for me, that is something that I enjoy doing still and will continue doing.  I’m also exploring the possibility of returning to the 40k world, which means I need to step my airbrush game, which is something that I do want to do as well.  I’ll still be racing karts just about every weekend from April to the end of September, that isn’t going to change, even though my lack of balance is hurting my performance on some tracks in particular, and my physical fitness is probably at an all time low. 

I may not travel to Adepticon 2017, Mike will be there, but I hope to triumphantly return in some manner in 2018.

As I move forward, I’m always reminded by something Teddy Roosevelt was credited with saying…its sort of been my creed of recovery...and I am still recovering albeit slowly, and in defiance of people who did not think I could some of the things that I'm doing... “....The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievements; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither defeat nor victory.”  
I don't quit being who I am....as always much more to follow....and thanks to those of you who read and follow my blog as well.