I suddenly became interested in miniatures and painting again only a couple weeks ago. What flipped the switch? I think I just needed to jump into something old and familiar - something away from computers (although the irony of doing my entire research online and joining this community - but... that's different.)

I've been a musician all my life. Music is an integral part of me - and I go a bit nuts if I'm away from it too long. But I'm a creative person - and other things make me just as happy. Getting lost in taking photographs - it's a brief moment, magic moment of becoming one with the view in the camera. It's easier for me to get lost playing piano or bass or guitar - but photography... and painting also take me there.

Even stranger on my sudden flip back to miniatures is less than a year ago I was debating on whether to keep them! We were preparing to move from Illinois to Indiana for my wife's work and I was pondering giving them to my nephew who was just kind of dabbling in D&D. In the end - I decided they had too much sentimental value - packed them into boxes and kept them.

So we move to Indiana - my job transferred with me (yay!) and I worked from a new office and then 5 months later I got let go in a corporate "cost reduction" in October after 13 years with the company. I've been looking for a new position since then.

I think the miniatures is a return to something I loved - and it's "new" - really new now. So much has changed! Not only the internet to connect people, but so many smaller companies doing more specialized work.

I'm excited. I've gone a bit over-zealous here in my first week at Wamp. I won't post this often in the future as I'll have a job, and have paints! I'm holding off on buying until I get employed again. And of course, I'll be back heavily into music. I'm launching a new store and I own a small ambient music label.

But, the miniature bug has bitten me and bitten me good. I can't wait to get painting and learn from all of you!

John

p.s. It's been 20 years since I painted - here are two threads of my old figures and boxes:

* Two dragons I painted in the early 1990's

* More photos of old Ral Partha figures and boxes