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Here are a few celtic warriors I painted up for the celtic themed rpg campaign I am starting up. The two on the left are the villain and his right hand man, and the warrior on the right is my character. The belt pouches and quiver strap are GS

Hi there, this is my new just-finished etude. Join my Patreon, my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/story1000suns/ and my FB https://www.facebook.com/ivan.melnikov.nakatan/

For my fellow Canadians (and several other nations of the Commonwealth that also served):

My vein tried a stealth and evasion check this morning. The nurse rolled a natural 20 with advantage! (same nurse as last week) She got her blood sample.

Has anyone else ever come up with an absolutely brilliant, phenomenal character idea with such perfect personality and backstory, only to realize... You have nothing to use them in. And then you begin forming a whole new story, just so you can use this character. What can I say, we geniuses have it hard.

The current center-piece of my Demonic Army, a Balrog "Balor." This is "Errtu, Balor" from the Legend of Drizzt D&D Board Game. I painted him up about a year ago and he was one of the first huge minis I ever attempted. There's a lot that I wish I'd done better looking back on it, but you have to make mistakes to get better! More Photos Below Spoiler: Check out the rest of my Blood War project HERE.

Well that was interesting. The CT scan showed some growth, maybe? typical experience says that the error margins for these scans for me has been about 5 mm and the growth was 3mm. This was also the first time the dr didn't use one of the 2 contrast dyes. all of this means that something or nothing could have happened. (Team chaos for the win) Anyway, the doctor did agree that it wouldn't hurt to take a month off between thanksgiving and new years so that I can heal some of my skin issues and feel a little better before restarting the medication so at least I don't have to worry about some of this over the holidays and I will hopefully have some more energy. So nothing unusual I guess, not great news, but not catastrophic either. Take a month off and start the whole thing over again in January. It also means I don't have to try and schedule a doctors appointment during the holidays. As always, thanks for listening

Well, that didn't take long. Already hit my first snag on the "gnolls steal tanks" idea. Or more appropriately, Toghara appears to have run into a snag... ^he's as tall as that piece is wide o_O I'll get a thread going once I get my desk cleaned up, and start on various things. But yeah, maybe gnolls don't quite fit 1/48 scale minis, and 1/35 might have been a better choice. Blacktongue doesn't fit in the hatch of the LAV either, hmmmm. Either I'm about to wind up posting in Chaoswolf's conversion thread sooner or later, or I'll have to rethink a few things first... Shoehorning gnolls into such tight confines does kind of feel appropriate though, since the very basic idea was "gnolls STEAL tank(s) for a joy ride"

Listening to what most people would consider downright depressing music - e.g. My Dying Bride, Tiamat, Elegeion etc

Pretty sure the kids in Grump's afterschool game have just met with the ogre that annoyed Julie so much. She wasted half an hour before realizing that ALL he was doing was wasting her time, and enjoying it. Which confirms my suspicion that we will be meeting him again. A smart, annoying, SMUG bastard of an ogre,

I just had this idea for a Deoxyribonucleiosaurus, or DNAosaur for short.

Feeling down is pretty easy this year. With all the changes we've all faced in 2020, it's pretty much a sure thing everyone has hit a low point. Weather, Covid, economy, riots, news cycles, social media, isolation, stay-at-home orders and on and on. So many things have changed in a single year. My motto this year has been, "it could be worse." Each time i hit a wall or feel like I'm dealing with a lot, i try to put perspective on my situation. Everyone has to face struggles and some are harder than others, but when your in the moment it can feel like you're dealing with something that's unique. How you deal with it may be unique, but the situation is often not. Seeking positivity is a challenge at times, but it fills the soul more than the alternative. Recognizing what brings me joy or helps me recharge has been a great outlet to keep myself going. Fishing, camping, biking with my daughter, writing letters to friends (yes, i still do that), or just even getting up a little earlier to have a cup of coffee. Change is difficult and this year really pushed me to a limit. However, finding new means of creating routines to help me push through all the chaos or inconsistency has been really helpful. I gave up Facebook back in 2012 and look at that like it was the best thing i could have done. Much of the distrust, stress, anger, and wasted time i get from so many around me stems somewhere from Facebook. If anyone is feeling low, first thing I'd remove is time spent there. If you notice a positive change after a couple weeks, then pull back further until your finally weaned away. Having genuine dialogue with those close to you, picking up the phone (not texting), or like i said earlier writing a letter, is infinitely more rewarding. In short - seek positivity and create routines that negate the chaos. "It could be worse" has saved me from spiraling into dark times.

Watch something funny or cute, like Community or Card Captor Sakura.

Hmmmmm. It is definitely NOT listening to depressing music…. It is almost never talk it over with friends / family / allies. ( None of them want to hear me whine . . . ) I guess I try different things until something works: Give up on what is depressing me and do something, anything else ….? Ignore a problem until it goes away (sometimes no matter what ya do ya make it worse so, do nothing) Create something; draw; sketch Stare at things 1000 yards downrange until the sad goes away… or at the walls Sleep it off

Today work announced that they will be giving out a $300 thank you for not dying from covid* bonus. It makes the Pit Fighter 4K printer bundle quite tempting. *Not exactly how they phrased it.

Not Scottish, but I can offer a word of unknown etiology! Manky (adj.) - Mildly to moderately disgusting; see also gross. Like a kitchen sponge when you haven't used it in awhile. Or the state of your inbox after a two-week vacation. Huzzah! --OneBoot :D

Add an oversized engine, back tires, exhaust, and an 8 ball shifter after cutting a hole in the roof like the gnoll tore it open. When in doubt as to scale, I find going the route of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth works well.

That probably would have been wiser, I agree. The more I think about it though, the more I'm seriously getting "Challenge accepted" vibes. Not going to lie though, there is some nervousness about such a task, but on the other hand whenever have I liked an "easy" project.... Definitely going to be interesting to reshape that gnoll on the left in the pic with the LAV though - he's the one I want as my driver! I have a distinct suspicion I'm going to need to pick up a saw... Well, that or a Bones version of Toghara. Hmmmm, gotta think a touch longer on that one. Oooh, am I glad to see that. Here's hoping it's still available in the spring!

New paint scheduled to be released this month.

It's unseasonably warm here. Yesterday was in the low 70s, today is supposed to be just about the same. Last year at this time, we had snow on the ground.

I don't think I have a "best" way. Just the occasional coping mechanism that have their own drawbacks. Like over eating, or spending way too much time on YouTube. Exercise does help, but properly done it takes a lot of time. And I don't like feeling sweaty afterwards.

Exercise. Preferably something that requires me to be focused on what I'm doing and present in the moment, not something that lets me turn my mind off and run on autopilot (cause then moody thoughts happen).

Pray and read scripture, then go fishing with my son.

[Sigh...] Yes. I have plenty of character concepts I want to play, but don't have a F2F gaming group in the area. Latest idea is a good-natured dwarf professional barber/beard groomer. He'd have some skills in alchemy and nature to come up with new salves, beard oils, perfumes, and the like. Make every client feel like a king/queen.

Wow!? For the first time Tamiya products utterly fail me. Tamiya Mark Fit (Strong & Regular). I've been a Mircoscale & Walther's user forever & figured I'd like to try some modern products dealing with modern model decals. Strong is suppose to be like Microscale red & it doesn't even soften a decal. So now I've got to try & find my bottles. Hopefully I can find em later tonight or tomorrow & the decals I applied will conform after they've dried..ugh. It doesn't help the decals I'm using are old & hard to apply, even thou they are from the top company in the decal business (Cartograph). At least I got to test out the new portable heater & it works great!!

Sad: Angels - Sarah McLachlan - reminds me of my mum who died as a result of a car accident For My Fallen Angel - My Dying Bride Happy: There are a few, but I can't think of any off the top of my head There's also a Theatres des Vampires song that goes like that...can't remember what it's called though, I think it's on their 'vampire chronicles' album Of which the Inkubus Sukkubus cover is a significantly better song That's it...see aforementioned Theatres des Vampires song, former housemate called it the 'scary smurf' song

So I'm at the stage where I need the decals for this kit I'm working on. It's been months since I saw that sheet. As I bought the sheet from a modeler off a board I'm no longer a part of. Anyways, I got the decals & put them in a "safe" spot & of course they went missing. I opened a box today & there they were & even in a plastic sleeve I stuck them in to preserve them so yah I'm feeling this right now. Off to the garage!!!

WHO DISTURBS MY SLUMBER?!?!? Oh, right it's you @ManvsMini, well I guess I forgive you Here's a word which is applicable for today- "Drookit" As in, this neko was definitely drookit when they got home from their run this morning. It was also blawin' a gale and ah slipped an fell oan ma hip which was embarrassing cos the park was totally hoachin' wi dug walkers. Here's a photo of a fellow drookit Scot, he wears it a lot better though We actually use that word a lot here! It's funny how many of our words are about negative things

Oooh, I've been wondering what colors would be in this! I hope there will be individuals offered. I've got six of those, and feel that the "Clears" are for a different type of painter than I am--So I'm only keen on three. Still, it's great that Reaper is releasing these sets! I hope they continue.

Here are the rest of the Aftermath miniatures- all of the antagonist crews

I think some of those things would have to be added by the military before it was stolen. I don't quite see gnolls hot rodding a stolen vehicle, however, since I'm taking Borderlands and what little I know of Mad Max as inspiration... They very well may have done just that.

maybe they need to steal an open top truck?

Booze and old Bill Murry movies.

I don't get down very often, but when I do these are what help most. First, I need to be alone. My wife struggles with this as when she's down she wants to be around people. But I need time by myself to recharge. If I can be at the track it fixes everything. I don't exaggerate when I call it my Happy Place. As soon as I arrive all of my outside stresses go away and it is like being in a completely separate world. If a beach is available, a couple hours there will do me a world of good. Doesn't need to be nice and sunny. A cold blustery day with big waves is awesome. If it is sunny and warm, a long drive with the windows down and the music cranked. Otherwise just spending some alone time puttering. I'll usually find something I've wanted to do and immerse myself in it (this could be hobbying, or computer stuff, or just series I've been putting off watching). When I come out the other side of that I'm usually feeling much better. And of course chocolate always helps. Sleeping it off doesn't work for me. It keeps me up and when I do sleep it is crappy. So the next day I'm still down but also cranky.

I don't know if I have a 'best', but I do have several different things that I do. Music, exercise/strenuous physical labor, reading a good book are all things that can give me something else to focus on.

I've been dealing a lot with stress and depression the last few years. Not sure I've come up with a best way. TGP's list is similar to mine. When it's at it's worst I try to just ignore it and focus on anything that let's me forget. When it's not so bad I'll go visit one of a few people I'm close too who have the same issues and we share our troubles make each other laugh. I like sad music and often watch war movies that can be depressing and that helps in it's own way too. Knowing there's people out there that have managed to get through much worse situations helps to get moving again. Physical work or exercise until I'm ready to drop. Drive myself to exhaustion so that I finally get some real sleep.

Usually doing something I really like like hobbying, walking with Brutus. My girl also can get me out of it, although sometimes when I'm really down it's better to sleep it off..

Keep digging deeper until you come out on top on the other side.

Baby Yoda is still adorable, the second time around. Just saying.

For the idea that started as "gnolls steal tanks, mischief and shenanigans happen" idea that will see things with a bit of a Borderlands vibe to it.... Two orders came in today... - Tamiya 1/48 JGSDF LAV, as well as Type 10 tank - WizKids Gnoll packs x3 (all three of them) - Blacktongue and two other Bones gnolls (forgot which ones they are) - Krokuta. Yup, a second one, because this one's GOT A TANK! Oh yeah, and a cameo of my spray booth too.

I haven't read any ronin stories, so I don't know if he is exaggerating or not.

That was how my witch in Grump's Regency game began. He wrote in a split, so I would get to play her, and seduce the Prince. He wrote in a romance plot, just so I could use her. When we left off, she was just about to give birth to their first child. If and when we pick up that game again, the Prince and I will be King and Consort, since the King his father was killed in the last adventure. Nudging Grump back in that direction is part of why I wanted the Archvillain not-mind-flayer ship. The next campaign is the next generation, I think and it will no longer be the Regency now that the Sleeper is on the throne. The Sleeper's in his chamber, the King is on his throne, the Queen is in the abattoir, and dances all alone. That stuck in my mind so well, and it changed when the King in Yellow came for his Queen, and she was dancing not alone. Poisonous, nasty be-yotch! ~~~~~~ Talking Grump into binge watching the first season of The Mandalorian. Grump and I disagree on that show. He thinks it is the best Star Wars since The Empire Strikes Back. He's wrong, it is just the best Star Wars, period. He also thinks that the Mando is going to die, it is a ronin tale, and that is how they end?

It's often entirely based off of what else I'm doing. For example, I don't consider "Zombie" as covered by Bad Wolves to be particularly sad but one time I was at work (spoilered for Reasons) Then that song comes on the radio and I have to commandeer a conference room for some good old fashioned screaming.

Now that I KNOW we are getting a resin printer, I have pretty much stopped trying to do miniatures on the CR 6. We are going to have a LOT of terrain though. I went to Thingiverse and looked for Mordheim, which led to Ulvheim, which led to a LOT of free terrain and buildings. Now my prints are taking almost as long as Grump's.

Grump was singing Cohen's Hallelujah as Louis Armstrong. I was going to yell at him for mocking one of my favorite songs, but, but by the time he was done, I was wishing that Louis Armstrong HAD sung it. It fit the voice, and made me want to cry.

Alright, now it's time for a post-apocalyptic RPG with D&D fantasy races.

Printed on my Ender 3. Giant Scorpion from the Empire of Scorching Sands KS. Threading is a bit of a problem but I'm quite happy with the layer lines.

Yah our COVID raise which was taken away in May or so goes to arbitration either this month or Dec. This is in due to our union, as it shouldn't have been taken away in the first place. We shall see what becomes of it.