It’s that time again – when I take a look back and see how well I did – or did not do – versus the goals that I set out to accomplish for myself back in January of 2023. This post will also be where I set myself some realistic (and hopefully challenging) benchmarks/goals for 2024 in the areas of Life, Golf, Miniatures, & Other Distractions (after all that is the title of this blog since its inception back in 2015!). It’s more for my own motivation, but I have found that others have enjoyed the ride (especially the spreadsheets for Roger and John!) – so here we go.
2023 was, like 2022, one very busy year on multiple hobby, golf, and life fronts. I did set some pretty aggressive goals for all aspects. Some were around gaming, some around hobby production, some were around golf, and more.
How did I do versus my 2023 goals?
Paint 250 figures or more
Well, I blew goal that out of the park and had my most productive miniature painting year ever – mostly Wars of Ozz figures obviously! I managed to paint 330 miniatures – 128 more than I did in 2022.
Complete a brigade of Winkies for Wars of Ozz.
This was a big part of the 330 – 107 Winkie figures painted – and much bigger than just a single brigade! 1 witch, 3 leader bases, 1 cavalry regiment, 1 artillery battery, and 5 infantry regiments as shown below.
Complete a brigade of Land of Harvest creatures for Wars of Ozz.
I really fell in love with the Great Land of Harvest figures – and painted 111 of them. 4 leaders, 1 witch, 9 infantry 1egiments, and an artillery battery. This was close to just not 1 brigade but 2+ brigades.
Run and play more games – track them too.
Yes indeed, I did both run AND play, and track them as well. I attended and ran games at several conventions and club nights. The conventions included 2023’s TotalCon37, HAVOC, HMGS Cold Wars, HUZZAH!, HMGS Fall In, and EllisCon. I also played in several. All tallied, I played as a player in 12 games – 8 Wars of Ozz, 1 Feudal Patrol, 1 Axis & Allies Miniatures, and 2 Eagles and Empires games. I acted as GM for no less than 20 games - 9 Wars of Ozz, 10 Feudal Patrol (Mesoamerican era/Spanish Conquest skirmish, and 1 What a Tanker game.)
Complete the scenario booklet for Civilizations Collide.
That’s a miss – though I have written 10/16 scenarios.
Complete my terrain for Wars of Ozz, games.
So far, I have to say that’s completed, with a final assist from Guru Dave down under.
Paint up a platoon from Wargames Supply Dump for Combat Patrol™ .
I want to get there – and someday I will Roger!
Try to get my Nomonhan WaT project off the ground. Note I said “try”.
Nope – not enough time, but this stays on my list.
Get the Mass Pikemen more active.
I think that happened at about the same rate as last year, so not more active, but active.
Have another nice trip to Florida.
We had a nice escape from dreary cold New England to sunny warm Florida for fun and Golf School. Also got to get together with Buck Surdu and play Eagles & Empires.
Post on the blog 48 times or more – make them of good quality
I exceeded this – mainly because I started using the blog for The Tour of the Brookfields golf tournaments – to share information and to share results. As we do have a Facebook page – but not everyone is on it – this blog became crucial to sharing information. Also, this kept it free from the FB bots that, for example, decided that a post of a winning putt “violated community standards”. I posted on the blog 54 times - a good average for me.
Be a good blog follower – still a goal but one that I cannot measure!
Always on the list – but others can decide (like you dear reader).
Have multiple Zoom chats with fellow hobbyists.
I had a few very nice ones – can always do more.
Go to a golf school and get my golf handicap down below 18. This time.
Well, did hit the school, and I barely got under 18 – but done!
Yes! As shown above, I managed to get to 17.6.
Update my golf tournament progress on my blog – either as posts or a page or both.
OK, I did not record my individual tournament progress – though I did start to use the blog for the Tour of the Brookfields, so I’m going to say yes. Certainly, I left off most of the club tournaments that I played in, but still posted a few. It certainly rained – A LOT.
Play golf (in season) at least twice a week.
Exceeded this as I had 86 handicap rounds plus maybe 8-10 others that were scrambles.
Win my flight in the Championship.
Nope – not even close.
Be a competitive golfer.
I had my moments – and did do well in the annual Club Derby. Knee injury in August (and playing on a bad leg) did not keep me down too badly.
Personal Highs in 2022
- For the second year in a row – the Florida trip and golfing with my wife (she’s getting better)!
- Getting together with family especially my daughter Ellen and my granddaughter Tabitha.
- Winning my second “PELA” GM award at HMGS Cold Wars for the Battle of Lake Texcoco.
- Winning my third “Al” award for the game with the most stunning visual appeal at the Battle Group Boston HAVOC Convention for the Wars of Ozz!
- Knocking out 330 figures and terrain for the Wars of Ozz!
- Having EXCELLENT wingmen in Brad Gosselin and Leif Magnuson at MULTIPLE conventions.
- Getting together with Dave Wood, Buck Surdu, Greg Priebe, Chris Palmer, and Duncan Adams, Eric Schlegel, and all of the other HAWKS in person.
- Getting honored by Old Glory by them putting my painted Great Pumpkinheads on t-shirts!
- Being on the Committees for the Tour of the Brookfields tournaments and the New England Service Academy golf tournaments.
- Having fun Zoom chats.
- As a team, winning the Club Derby with Tom Orszulak by one stroke over 36 holes over two days.
- And again, being with my wife Lynn, every day (seriously, and she won’t likely read this).
Personal Lows for 2021
- Knee injury in August.
- Knee surgery in December – though that’s a long-term plus for my golf game (I hope).
My goals for 2024
Well, its time to set my Life, Golf, Miniatures, & Other Distractions goals for 2024.
- Paint 365 figures or more.
- Complete 2 brigades of Quadlings for Wars of Ozz.
- Complete a brigade of Whim Whim & Noobi for Wars of Ozz.
- Complete a brigade of Temujicans for Wars of Ozz.
- Continiue to run and play more games – and continue tracking them too.
- Attend and run games at conventions. This would include TotalCon38, HAVOC, COLD BARRAGE, MAYHEM, HUZZAH!, HMGS Fall In, EllisCon, and others..
- Complete one more scenario for my scenario booklet for Civilizations Collide.
- Paint up a platoon from Wargames Supply Dump for Combat Patrol™ .
- Try to get my Nomonhan WaT project off the ground. Note I said “try”. Again.
- Get the Mass Pikemen more active.
- Have another nice trip to Florida.
- Post on the blog 50 times or more – make them of good quality.
- Be a good blog follower – still a goal but one that I cannot measure!
- Have multiple Zoom chats with fellow hobbyists.
- Go to a golf school and get my golf handicap down below 16.
- Update the Tour of the Brookfields on my blog.
- Play golf (in season) at least twice a week – get in 80 rounds.
- Win my flight in the Club Championship.
- Defend in the Club Derby
- Be a competitive golfer.
- Be a good friend.
Of course, MUCH thanks to all who make the time to read this blog and comment on my stuff, craziness, and madness – Happy 2024!
And now – get busy Mark!