I immediately associated with John Perry's 'Structured Procrastination' the first time that I was shown it back in the early 2000s. I was not alone as lots of colleagues whom I have shown it to since have said, "That sounds like me!" His part tongue-in-cheek, part absolutely serious, if 'popular psychology' description of an oft-repeated human behaviour is a funny, interesting and thought-provoking read. I recommend it to you if you have not read it.
Home made trees and basing
In short, it's like doing the washing when you have study to do, tidying up before writing that report, doing anything else on the list before doing a pile of marking (those who have been in that caper may well be nodding now). Perry explains it better and goes into more detail in his brief essay. As I said, I recommend it.
For me, this becomes a situation where I have lots... and lots of things on the go at once. There are numerous lists and heaps of things that are 25–75% completed. It does not mean that things don't get done, but they are generally done in stages and over a looooong time. Hobby activities are a case in point.
So it is that this week I finished making some trees to use with my 1/32 figures and decided that it was time to apply basing material with a view to then finishing some figures for the Great Northern War. Most of the latter figures have been at the 70–80% finished since my game of Fraustadt/test of the Twilight of the Sun King rules back in May last year. My self-assigned focusses for this year are reading and getting figures prepared for First World War, 1916 in particular, and early 'Napoleonics', 1796 in particular. I am still going with these two 'major campaigns'. In fact, it was cleaning up my table in preparation of eventually having a go at a refight of the Battle of Voltri (10th April 1796) that lead me to say "It's time that I finished these d@mned trees that have been cluttering the table and acquiring dust and cobwebs." Similarly, it was preparing some Polish-Italian legion uhlans for 1797 and beyond (they'll be fine to bolster cavalry for Kosciousko's Uprising, but figures for that are a long, long way off at present), as well as my current reading of God's Playground: A History of Poland by Norman Davies, that lead me to look at completing some Polish hussars, infantry and from there the Saxons and Swedes that have been awaiting some attention since Fraustadt.
A photo that I used back in September on my other blog showing the partly completed trees at left-rear. Last week: home made trees, most prior to upgrading, showing the few, large pieces of foam that I had used initially. Material for foliage, some old foam c/- our older kelpie Xena who attacked it when she was a pup! Bits of foam, dipped in green paint. Smaller pieces of foam added to some of the trees. A couple of upgraded trees (with some smaller versions for 1/72, or as young trees in 1/32, in the foreground). This is looking a bit better, I reckon. Trees all done and arranged on the table. They still look a bit like sticks with hunks of foam attached(!), but are good enough for me. Some 1/32 German infantry shown for scale. View of the area for the game that I hope to have a go at on Sunday. The game will be another version of the advance after the first landings of the Market part of Market Garden, this time section/squad-scale rules.
The trees are done. This has me intending to have another little go with 1/32 Second World War (hopefully on Sunday evening).
I am half-way through adding my basing material to the Great Northern War troops. These have me planning another game of Twilight of the Sun King, this time a game of the Battle of Klissow (9th July 1702) using the simplified scenario from the Twilight of the Sun King scenario book two.
So, chalk up one (or is that two?) for Structured Procrastination!
Saxon and Swedish cavalry for the Great Northern War with basing material added (along with some Polish artillery that are undercoated only). Basing material added: Polish-Italian legion uhlans (circa 1797–1800) along with part-completed Poles for the Great Turkish and Great Northern wars (and some Austrians thrown in for good measure.
