Gaining Ground

So, for those who don’t know, I have my own Magic fan set. This set has been around now for going on a year and a half. I’ve worked hard in starts and spurts getting it finished. I have two more sets after this one planned, both have been in development for what seems like a hundred years.

I’ve never actually played any of the sets with cardboard. Sure I’ve printed out a few cards, and play quite a bit with online clients, but as for physically touching them, something would always come up and me and the Magic buds and we wouldn’t have time to cut them out and tape the designs to worthless cards. It’s a little dream of mine to play with these cards, but having the set complete in digital form is something to be proud of in and of itself, I think.

I mention this because today I got a very nice mention over at StarCity Games. Unfortunately it’s behind their Premium Users firewall and will be released to the rest of the world around January 27th, 2006. I’m just so sure you’ll be bookmarking it to see the two lines of which I’m mentioned come three months from now. Okay, stop laughing.

Anyway, having left the set dormant for a few months now, I’m reminded of those little projects that people have which are meant to dos. You’ve got em, don’t deny it.

I’ve meant to clean up the entire house.

I’ve meant to get my tires aligned.

I’ve meant to write a good short story or novel.

I’ve got so many meants that I should be rich by now. See? Puns aren’t just for kids anymore.

I love my little projects, particularly the time away from them. Removing myself from a fantasy card set lets me revisit with fresh eyes later. Think about avenues I haven’t explored. Introduce new ideas and themes and build on what’s there. Of course, non-creative projects are much simpler. You’re not going to get a lot pleasure in categorizing the rest of your books or DVDs, and you’re not going to experience a lot of satisfaction while you organize your closet. But the idea of making small leaps in short bursts is nice.

And, hell, it appeals the procrastinator in me. But let’s talk about that later.

See? Bad jokes, puns, I’m firing on all cylinders folks.

The best part of these short projects that are finished over a long period of time is twofold: One, it’s finally done, which is a great feeling (in creative endeavors) or relieving (in non-creative ones). Secondly, it’s rewarding to see completed milestones over a long period of time. As I have several projects in both of my jobs coming to completion right now, I strive to not only relish them ending (for the two reasons stated above), but also to try and enjoy the full throttle push that is necessary to finish them.

Fires of Heaven was, literally, months and months of work. Tedious, intricate bullshit that seems worthless to most even the most hardened fanboy. To say I have a deep respect for the guys at CCG companies who do this every day is an understatement. While my cards will never see retail distribution, they will see the light of a monitor, or a browser window. Matter of fact it’s one of my most popular features of this site. I don’t get a lot of mail about it, but correspondence doesn’t mean acceptance or appreciation, and I recognize that.

And that, my friends, is worth working for. Blogs are much the same way. I’ve built this little blog one word at a time. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s hard, and other times I just don’t feel like writing. But the most important thing is to write and work at it and post the damn thing already. No matter how bad it hurts. Because using that tenacity in other areas makes you appreciate the tenacity you’re currently exercising.

If none of this makes sense, that’s okay. Hard work pays off is the easiest and most accessable axiom from this post, a truth that is self evident.

But hey, like I told Noah in the forum discussion for the article, it sure is nice to be recognized for it.

And on my own I scratched your name
On the side of a bullet