Hi All,
Here is the USA Thanksgiving has come and gone and I wanted to take the chance to quickly reflect on the past year, and some things to be thankful for. The structure of the hobby, and the endless cycle of new releases, and big shiny models, can distract us from some of the things that really matter. Thus, I think it’s beneficial to take a time-out and think about what we should be thankful for.
1. Family:
These days family has a very expansive meaning, and it is exactly that broad meaning that I am grateful for. I am thankful for all the family members who have tolerated and encouraged us in our hobbies, from the spouses and partners giving up their significant others for whole weekends, to the grandmothers indulging their grandchildren with strange, grotesque kits, to the friends patiently waiting for us to finish our monologues about this guy “Magnus” who didn’t do anything wrong. Many of us here have benefited tremendously from the support of others who have helped us to become the players and collectors we are today.
2. The Community:
While there are many people to be thankful for, in this group I want to specifically thank the small business owners ans club organizers. Running a gaming store isn’t an easy task and war-gaming minis are renown for their slim margins. Many stores don’t charge players for use of their space more games and provide terrain and accessories free of charge. Club organizers often have the thankless job of organizing tournaments, crusades, and other events for the simple enjoyment of the player base. There are many people, in both of these categories, who are responsible for each of us being introduced into our various games. Without their patience, support and enabling, how many of us would have given up or never gotten into the hobby in the first place?
3. Camaraderie:
Let’s face it many of us are a little odd. We can argue if this is because everyone is odd and war-gaming just makes it more obvious, or if if war-gaming simply attracts more odd people. Regardless of which is true, these games provide an opportunity to socialize and support a lot of people who would otherwise be isolated. While some of these individuals are not always pleasant to be around, I think these hobbies can provide an under-appreciated role in providing communities for those who would otherwise be very lonely. I have been blessed I that there have always been active 40k/Sigmar communities around me whenever I have moved and this has eased the transition immensely. Having a shared hobby to celebrate can get you connected into a community and help makes some IRL friends in an increasing disconnected world.
Conclusion:
I hope you have enjoyed my little list. There are certainly many more things to be thankful for, but these were some of my more cogent thoughts. I would love to hear from all of you about what things you are thankful for?
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
