No minis today but...

...it's for a good reason.

I've been out for the last couple of weeks, so I have been quite out of the world. That's why I hadn't noticed that Mr. Asslessman, the guy who runs wonderful Leadplague, has gently awarded me with a Liebster!

 

 

Thank you so much! It is always nice receiving such a nice attention, these things really encourage you to keep on blogging! So, you know how this works, trying to promote those small blogs you consider worthy of following.

But this is not all the glory, the power and the fame. Noo... When you get a Liebster Award you need to do some homework!

- Give 11 truths about yourself

- Answer the 11 questions asked

- Tag 11 new bloggers

So there I go!

 

11 truths about myself...

1. I'd go start with top of the secrets list, but... that's classified.

2. As I've cheated with the first one, I'll go for a personal one next. 'I didn't sign up for this shit!' pretty much covers my current situation at work, which I arrived a few months ago, nothing to do with my previous positions. Best thing happened to the moment has been this fortnight out of office.

3. But that means that things can only go for the better.

4. I am an optimistic by nature.

5. I also do not believe in relying on luck to change your life. You make your own luck.

6. This is not mine, but I love it: Things happen for a reason; sometimes the reason is that you are stupid and make wrong decisions.

7. I won't speak of my wrong decisions in life on this blog. If you want to phillosophate with me, you need beer. Good beer.

8. People say I'm f***ing stubborn. I say I'm... tenacious.

9. I should hear these people (on this and many other subjects), as they are most probably right.

10. I tend to scatter my efforts in too many projects at the time. I'd love to do so many different things. That's why I do not master any of them.

11. Time is my most valuable asset (I believe that's a consequence of the previous one), as it looks I don't have enough to achieve all I'd like to.

Now the 11 questions...

1. How did you end up spending a lot of time/energy/money on such a hobby ?

It all started... wow, about 25 years ago. I had to thought the number. I had been playing with toy soldiers even before, and even made foul attempts of painting them, as well as model planes and that stuff. But then a day I got HeroQuest as a present. And it all started there. It scalated to broader games and minis, then I knew about that thing called Rogue Trader, then I begun to collect minis, 2nd Ed shattered the world and I got lots of mates playing that... 3rd Ed made most of them out, but I somehow kept on collecting, if not playing. And collecting, and painting, and collecting, and... Then I got sick of changing rules every three games I played and turned myself to just painting and playing what I fancy at the moment. And here I am!

2. What or Who had been your major influence(s) over the years ?

 Wow, so many people! But I'll try to avoid the most obvious references about mini painters and game designers. I need to mention the 'Flight of the Dragons' cartoon movie and the D&D 'Endless Quest Books' collection. Those really transported me into fantasy worlds for the first time and made my mind develop all the things that came later (and are still coming). Of course no need to speak about Professor Tolkien, anything I could say simply would make no justice to him. Then I should talk about all the comics and books I have read and desired to have known about earlier. Wow, that should need an entry on its own...

3. What part of your hobby would you want to explore further on ?

Funny thing, as a matter of fact I'd like to draw again (I used to draw my naive amateur comics some years ago) and develop new stories, not just illustration. The last thing I did on that was a 40K related one, but I got sick of GW changing their IP upside down and left that. I miss drawing, not only painting minis. I have recently been drawing again after many years, but only anatomy, based on pics of classic statues, I needed to come back to the basics. So I have been painting a lot of dicks and boobs, right now I have quite a decent (indecent) collection of Greco-Roman pornography on my notebook.

4. What does this hobby bring you, what makes you keep it?

Usually some peace and relax, sometimes just evasion from RealLifetm, always the chance to create, to bring life where there was not, to develop stories and worlds, to realize that you can break dull monotony.

5. What part of your personality would you change if you were forced to?

The one that makes me comfortable with things. The day you accommodate to the things that upset you is the day you stop fighting for what you believe in. That happens to me and needs to change.

6. What animal would you be?
Hum, never actually thought about that one. Most probably an eagle, hawk or any other flying big bird (well, not specially thinking of vultures nor condors...). Horses and wolves also look nice to me. Hm, I guess I'm not being original here. I believe there are studies about what that means, not sure if I want to know... :P

Oh, wait! Do dinosaurs count on this poll? If it is so, there are a number of cool badass guys there!

7. Is your glass half empty, half full or twice too big?
I tend to see the bright side of life (whistle), but don't actually spend much time thinking about it. I guess I simply drink the glass and enjoy of it!

8. What would the 10 years old you would say of the present you ?
'Wooo, what a lot of minis! Can I play?'

9. What makes you really laugh ?
Life itself! And people taking life too seriously.

10. What is your top 5 songs or musics?
Of course rock is my main source of music. Anything having a guitar, a bass and drums makes my day. If I had to choose, I'd go classic (Old School) and I'd vote for Queen, for sure.
I have a soft spot for Celtic music, so almost anything in that direction gets an aye from me.
Classical music has also always been a main source of inspiration. I have always found magic in some pieces.
Can't forget about movie OSTs, I'm also highly influenced by those, as I'm also a big fan of movies/series/whatever.
So, any mix of the previous would get my seal of approval ;)


11. What are your top 5 reads?
First of all, Lord of the Rings. Quite obvious and didn't  have to think much about that. I guess no need to explain.
After that... Hmm. Classical literature. From the Iliad and the Dialogues of Plato to XIX Century literature of adventures. Wide broad, I know. I should concrete a little, but I'm afraid I am an omni-reader, can't avoid that. If I had to pick up a few of my favourites I'd say the Count of Monte Cristo or Les Miserables, apart from several books from the Spanish Golden Age (if you haven't read Cervantes, Lope de Vega or Pedro Calderón de la Barca, you really should pick a few of their works).
More... There are a few of modern adventure writers that have caught my attention. I don't know if Arturo Pérez-Reverte's work is wide spread out of Spain, but I believe he has done pretty good novels (I don't enjoy so much his current work, but that's another story). Though several movies have been filmed based on their books, trust me, they look totally crappy for me and have nothing to do with the novels.
Of course I have to mention sci-fi classics. Well, I also had a time reading almost only Black Library books, but I really enjoy wider scopes too, so I read almost anything related to sci-fi and some fantasy (time to recommend the Geralt of Rivia series too, BTW).
I'd close the list with comic books, that's for sure. Old School Marvel & DC classics, but I'm definitely for European comic. If only those collections had any kind of regularity... Every year I have to check if a new volume of Murena or The Scorpion comes out. Agghhh...

OK, now the list. 11 blogs (having less than 200 followers) I'd really like to promote. You know, there are lots of them. We all know that feeling. Just keep it up to 11. There I go, with no specific order or priority:

La Rana Bucanera. Amazing, awesome work by Eliezer Mayor. There is no work among all his production that had left me unsatisfied. Please go check his blog.

The Black Hole by Warlord Paul, another full time dedicated hobbyist really worth of your attention indeed!

Deathworld Adventures by Jonas, a truly lovely Oldhammer blog, both Fantasy and RT. I find it really inspirational!

Plástico y Metal, by Keyan Sark. You might have seen crossovers between our respective blogs. Though the blog is only in Spanish, he is more than fluent in English, so comment there, he'll answer!

Oldhammer on a budget, by ChicoDaSatanic. Full of charm and cool projects. And always on a budget. Just be sure don't let him speak about goats!

Sho3box, another example of well done work and creativeness. Yup, he has no "followers" as he is in Wordpress, but what the hell, he deserves my total recognition!

Oldhammer 40K, by LegioCustodes. The name says it all, go check his lovely Salamanders and his crazy battle reports!

Figurine Passion, by great Captain LOL. Not that he needs introduction nor promotion, his wonderful work speaks for him. Every mini he shows is just a piece of art.

18º de Port Belisario  by Lord Borjado, a wonderful example of zombie and post-apoc stuff, with occasional items for Imperial Guard. In Spanish again, but another English fluent speaker.

Warhammer for adults by Gaj barely can make it into this list as the blog has 196 followers at the moment, but couldn't avoid mentioning him. Remember when Warhammer was a game and not a marketing tool?

Oldhammer won't get much benefit of this award, I'm afraid, as most of my readers already know of it, but I can't less than recognize the amazing work made there for all of us who still enjoy the ways of old when approaching to games. The Old School is not a game, not a technique. It's a way of understanding the entertainment.

So this is the list! I must say that, if Asslessman wouldn't have awarded me, his blog would also definitely be on the list above. Thanks again, man.
Someday I must make another list with some other really enjoyable blogs I haven't been able to include today (Pssst, someone out there can award me again, I most gladly do another list, hehehe).

Now the awarded have a lot of responsibilities! Remember:

- Give 11 truths about yourself

- Answer the 11 questions asked

- Tag 11 new bloggers

My questions for you!

1. What do enjoy most of the 'tiny miniatures' hobby?
2. Is there anything that specially annoys you regarding painting minis/playing with them?
3. Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?
4. What do you regret in life of having done/not having done?
5. Do you dare to make an estimation of how many minis do you have?
6. Which is your most precious treasure among your collection?
7. What is that project you have always wanted to begin but have never done (so far)?
8. How many hobby projects are you managing at the same time right now?
9. What mini have you payed most attention to when working on it?
10. How did you end showing all this on your blog?
11. What are your most immediate projects so long?

Thank you all for reading all this! It's been a long text without pics! I'll try to compensate you for it soon... ;)

Cheers!