It’s that time again – when I review the past year and reflect a bit and look towards 2025. I do like to see what I did versus the goals that I set out to accomplish for myself back in January of 2024. 

This post will also be where I set my 2025 goals for Life, Golf, Miniatures, & Other Distractions (after all that is the subject of this blog of mine since 2015). I use these goals to guide and motivate me, but I have seen that others can appreciate this type of post. 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 2024 goals?

Paint 365 figures or more

I thought that would be a stretch – but in the end I destroyed that particular benchmark, setting yet another personal high for the number of miniatures painted in one year ever. These were mostly figures for Wars of Ozz.  I managed to paint 556 miniatures – 126 more than I did in 2023!

Complete 2 brigades of Quadlings for Wars of Ozz

I’ll give myself a B+ here, as I painted up all the Quadlings that I currently have – 3 regiments of infantry, 2 batteries of artillery, one witch, and 3 individuals that can be brigade or army commanders. That is 79 figures in total, 1.24 25-point brigades’ worth. At some point I’ll get the Quadlings some cavalry.

Complete a brigade of Whim Whim & Noobi for Wars of Ozz

I think I get an A+ here as I painted up all my Whim Whim and Noobi in 2024. That army now is made up of of 7 regiments of infantry (5 Whim Whim, 2 Noobi), 4 cavalry regiments (all Whim Whim), 3 wizards (2 Noobi, 1 Whim Whim), and 7 individuals/leaders. I painted all of these except for 1 bannerman which was a gift from Buck Surdu. That is 216 figures in total, nearly three 25-point brigades’ worth, making them the largest painted contingent in my collection at present.

Complete a brigade of Temujicans for Wars of Ozz

I think I get another A+ here as I painted up all my Temujicans in 2024. That army now is made up of of 5 regiments of infantry, 4 cavalry regiments, and 3 individuals/leaders. That is 142 figures in total, exactly two 25-point brigades’ worth, making them worthy opponents for the Whim Whim.

Continue to run and play more games – and continue tracking them too

I ran a total of 30 games (all Wars of Ozz) in 2024 as a GM(I think I get an A+ as that is nuts). As for games played, I get a C- as I only played in 6 games.

Attend and run games at conventions. This would include TotalCon38, HAVOC, COLD BARRAGE, MAYHEM, HUZZAH!, HMGS Fall In, EllisCon, and others…

My 30 games that I GM’d came from these conventions. I was proud to have been awarded not one but TWO best of convention awards – one for HAVOC (the Award) and one for HUZZAH! So at least an A…ok A++😁

Complete one more scenario for my scenario booklet for Civilizations Collide

Total F here – never got to it.

Paint up a platoon from Wargames Supply Dump for Combat Patrol™ 

Total F here again – and sorry yet again Roger! With Ozz being a priority, I never got to it.

Try to get my Nomonhan WaT project off the ground. Note I said “try”. Again…

Same as last year…F. Maybe this year.

Get the Mass Pikemen more active

I have not been able to do this well at all. I do see many at conventions, which occupy a lot of my winter time. Once golf season starts, that takes precedence. I’ll try better this year.

Have another nice trip to Florida

I think A++ – our trip was amazing to Clearwater Beach and Orlando was a blast!

Post on the blog 50 times or more – make them of good quality

I think I get a B- here, as I think my output dropped a bit. I made 32 posts in 2024. Quality – well I let the readers determine that!

Be a good blog follower – still a goal but one that I cannot measure!

Ditto on this grade-wise – trying my best.

Have multiple Zoom chats with fellow hobbyists

Probably a C. Could do more and hope to this year.

Go to a golf school and get my golf handicap down below 16

As shown earlier , I did go to a golf school in Orlando -AND benefited greatly from lessons there. But, I think I made more progress with our club pro, Jim LeBlanc at Quail Hollow Golf and Country Club. My handicap went down to 16.1, so I’ll give myself an A-.

Update the Tour of the Brookfields on my blog.

This worked very well at sharing information with the players and documenting each of the six regular tournaments and the FINALS. I think A is appropriate.

Play golf (in season) at least twice a week – get in 80 rounds

A+ here – as you saw, I had 102 rounds posted (some were 9-hole rounds of course), plus around 10 other events of 18 holes (scrambles).

Win my flight in the Club Championship

Fell short here again, but I was more competitive than in 2023. Bad play on Day 2 sunk me.

Defend in the Club Derby

That definitely did not happen – my partner Tom Orszulak had an injury, and the virus finally got me and knocked me out of any possibility of playing.

Be a competitive golfer

I’d say I was – I did tie Matt Stepanski for 1st place in the year-long quest for the Quail Hollow Sunday Sweeps “Fedex Cup” run by Dennis Rice. I think I was competitive overall – helped by a dropping handicap.

Be a good friend

I guess so. Always a work in progress!

Personal Highs in 2024

1. Recovery from knee surgery.
2. For the third year in a row – the Florida trip and golfing with my wife Lynn – and she continues to get better. Her teams actually did better in the Tour of the Brookfields than I did!
3. Clearwater Beach, Florida. Wow!
4. Getting together with the Jeffers and Surdus in Florida.
5. Getting together with family especially my Mom, my daughter Ellen and my granddaughter Tabitha.
6. Winning my first “Dave” award for my Wars of Ozz game “determined to be the best game at the HAVOC (Convention) that year. The criteria for the best game includes excellent concept and execution in game play, and player enjoyment.”
7. Winning my first “Best in Convention” award for my Wars of Ozz games at the HUZZAH! Convention in Maine.
8. Knocking out 556 figures for the Wars of Ozz!
9. Having EXCELLENT wingmen in Brad Gosselin and Leif Magnuson at MULTIPLE conventions.
10. Getting together with Dave Wood, Buck Surdu, Greg Priebe, Chris Palmer, and Duncan Adams, Eric Schlegel, and all of the other HAWKS in person.
11. Getting together with Fitchburg High School buddies Bob McNamara, Phil Schoenig, Peter Collette, and St. Bernard’s HS pals Mike Sullivan, and Eddie Tarka (and Tom Orszulak) to honor our late friend Leo Thibault, who passed away way too young back in 2007. Best part was getting his widow Sandy there to surprise us all at the end.
12. Being on the Committees for the Tour of the Brookfields tournaments and the New England Service Academy golf tournaments.
13. Amazing Halloween Party at Quail Hollow!
14. Great get together for an Army-Navy game watch party with amazing friends!
15. As a team, tying for first place for the Fedex Cup at Quail Hollow.
16. And again, being with my wife Lynn, every day (seriously, and she won’t likely read this).
17. Retirement is GREAT!

Personal Lows for 2024

1. COVID. 
2. Army losing to Navy…not personal, but always feels that way!
3. Life’s been pretty good otherwise!

My goals for 2025

Well, its time to set my Life, Golf, Miniatures, & Other Distractions goals for 2025.

1. Have a great Florida trip again.
2. Paint 500 figures or more.
3. Continue to run and play more games – and continue tracking them too.
4. Attend and run games at conventions. This would include TotalCon, HAVOC, COLD BARRAGE, HMGS COLD WARS, MAYHEM, HUZZAH!, HMGS HISTORICON,HMGS FALL IN, EllisCon, and others…
5. Get the Mass Pikemen more active.
6. .Complete the Musculite faction for Wars of Ozz.
7. Complete the Professor Nitpik faction for Wars of Ozz.
8. Complete the Ix faction for Wars of Ozz.
9. Complete the Noland faction for Wars of Ozz.
10. Paint up a cavalry regiment for the Harvest and the Quadling factions.
11. Complete one more scenario for my scenario booklet for Civilizations Collide.
12. Paint up a platoon from Wargames Supply Dump for Combat Patrol™ .
13. Try to get my Nomonhan WaT project off the ground. Note I said “try”. Again.
14. Paint SOME tanks.
15. Post on the blog 40 times or more – make them of good quality.
16. Be a good blog follower – still a goal but one that I cannot measure!
17. Have some Zoom chats with fellow hobbyists.
18. Get my golf handicap down below 14.
19. Update the Tour of the Brookfields on my blog.
20. Play golf (in season) at least twice a week – get in 90+ rounds.
21. Win my flight in the Club Championship.
22. Win the Club Derby
23. Be a competitive golfer.
24. Be a good friend.

Of course, again I must say THANK YOU to all who make the time to read this blog and comment on my stuff, craziness, and madness – Have a Happy 2025!

And now – time to get on it Mark!

Oh yeah, need more of this…