Lists

I am in a list making mood. There are lots of things I’d like to write about, the 2016 election, gun control, perception, my weekend, but while the spirit is willing the creative juices are lacking. So, on to the project list. I have a lot of projects on tap. Some, such as my dragon storm plans, have been shelved awaiting more favorable circumstances. Others, like rebuilding the man-cave, need some key “thing” to happen. Others have just been set aside and never seem to get priority.




In no particular order, my current working list looks something like this:

• Clean up the man cave. Get rid of the extra furniture. Pick up some more shelving and work space.

• Switch my computer over to the new laptop I’ve had for the last year.

• Build a functional 50 point warmachine army with all the accessories, storage, models, and books.

• Flesh out our preparedness kit including further redundancy, personal protection, and medical training.

• Build a dedicated active shooter response kit.

• Complete work on my modular Ruger 10-22 takedown project.

• Complete work on my perfect pocket pistol project.

• Clean out the kitchen/bar area and consolidate. Reload and refill the bar spinner. Reorganize flatware for maximum use.

• Set a date for Deathquaker to base and varnish my 4th Indian army.

• Get my French FOW army painted and stored.

• Learn how to play poker at a base level. Run one small tournament for the friends group.

• Play through at least three full bloodbowl games. Acquire at least one assembled and painted team.

• Learn at least two new easily prepared health conscious dinner preparations.



This list is far from exhaustive. For my purposes a “project” is something with a simple clearly articulated goal—a readily achievable endgame. I have plenty of ideas, initiatives, plans, sitting on the back burner; but none of them have a visible victory condition. These are the front burner projects—the stuff I need to get done this year.

The limiting factor on half of these projects is money. The two firearm projects required $300-$400 each plus some quality time with a gunsmith. I’ve purchased the raw materials for the warmachine army—it only remains for me to get them painted and assembled. The preparedness kit and active shooter bag need components which I have to budget for. I have one bloodbowl team and will likely be picking up a few more. Part of my promise to myself is that before I take on new projects, I have to take care of my existing priorities. In some ways, budgeting for these projects has helped a lot. I’ve had to plan much more than in the past, but I expect to finish a lot more of my projects as well. Already, I’ve purchased all the raw materials to complete my warmachine army. Next on the list is my modular 10/22 project.

As for less resource intensive issues, I need to switch my computer over. That really needs to be my top priority. I’ve been ducking it for months because frankly, I don’t like change. I don’t want to have to learn a new operating system. So, by the end of June, I’ll be switched over, totally. This weekend I’ll start work on the man cave.

The challenge isn’t doing the tasks; most of them are relatively straight forward. The challenge is getting up the motivation to get started on the project in the first place—or getting started finishing them anyway. It always feels like I have 100 things to do and somehow these get set aside till last. That’s how I end up with a new laptop that I haven’t used in a year—well that and I don’t want to give up XP. They say writing something down increases motivation—here’s hoping.