Time moves quickly.
As of the last post, I had just bought a new house and things would start changing in my personal life. As it was, things became hectic and I found less interesting things to post- much less make videos of. The Batreps in particular I felt got repetitive. And not just that, but a chore to complete that was taxing in ways unacceptable. They always were supposed to be an outlet for a creative need. When it stopped being that, and became a burden, the videos stopped.
But I haven't given up on the hobby- Not at all. I still encourage and advocate building the social environments you want to see. Be friendly. Be social. Don't hide away your nerdy habits all the time. As that was always a sort of core of the Batreps as well- to reach out. The loneliness didn't have to be carried alone. Find your games or live vicariously through other means if you have to. That being, when the Ouchies Batreps started the Memphis environment made it particularly hard to find a local game. It was easy to feel isolated in your interests.
Chimera tackling an Avatar in a local "advanced tactics" demo game.
And boy howdy has the Memphis environment changed. In recent years we've gone from just one hobby store/pawn shop that didn't really cater to the hobby to 3 stores in the local area with space and players in abundance. Tacked on to that are several more stores just outside of the Memphis area and a thriving tourney scene in the tristate if you care to drive. Memphis is in a gaming boom the likes I've never personally witnessed.
Hell, I found a local Battletech community that exists outside of the Batreps. Can you imagine that? The game felt all but dead, a sort of dinosaur Mark and I carried on, and there are now independent communities flourishing in the local area.
It's amazing.
I wouldn't have guessed when I last posted. It's easy to believe we are unyielding to the moments passing us. But just as the Memphis community has changed, so have I, in the intervening time.I've painted many new armies. I've engaged in several new systems. I've even developed a healthier balance in my life kicking both alcohol and more strongly asserting for a better work/home balance.
I've even consistently won Infinity tourneys (to my flabbergasting surprise). But as local veterans pointed out, "I'm not being cursed by the camera".
I'm not going to make promises. I'll post more 'Reps when the mood suits.
Keep eating those rascally cheerleaders.
