Homebase Goodies?

Bank holidays are days that require an outpouring of our devotion to Mammon, or so is my understanding. Whilst buying a can opener in Homebase earlier (yep, I'm singlehandedly helping George Osborne and David Cameron get this collection of countries we call the UK back to the good old days) I saw some interesting guff on the paint section. It would be good to give them a whirl, but I'm a cautious man. Anyone ever seen them and regretted/enjoyed doing so?

Also, here's a picture of my niece looking like Elton John:

eBay Fury

I'm beyond furious. My adventures in eBay have just reached a low point.

It's well documented that prices for old Citadel figures have gone up and up. Or at least it's been well documented that aside from increased popularity in retro gaming, particular individuals have inflated the market through quite ridiculous BIN prices or stupidly OTT postage costs, etc. In spite of this, I've still been able to pick up some odds and sods on auction, though I'm quite resigned to having to pay £4-5 for some items I'd have expected to pick up for £2-3 previously. No great shakes there, and I'm not going to throw my toys out of the pram when I'm lucky enough to live in a lovely house with my lovely wife as funded by our thoroughly decent (and seemingly quite secure) jobs, when the vast majority of the world's folk are a damn sight worse off. So against that backdrop, and to show I have at least a modicum of perspective, my complaint is pretty peevish really. However, it's a point of principle that has got me frothing at the chops, and I think I need to vent it.

Before I go any further, I have to admit to the possibility of a certain amount of hypocrisy in naming an eBay seller (ye_alchemist) in this post. I have previously voiced annoyance at the assassination of alexchattaway on another blog (in fact on THE blog for retro gaming, collecting and painting, Realm of Chaos 80's - long may it thrive) as I felt then as I still feel now that people will pay if they want stuff, so if alexchattaway puts high prices on his items and they sell, then kudos to the man. And that's actually where my gripe is a little different and I'm maybe not all that hypocritical in publishing this post after all.

In brief, I have been watching a Citadel female chaos warrior piece on eBay for a short while, with a BIN price of nearly £15 and postage of £2.50. I can't remember if the piece appealed to me as it's from the McDeath scenarios or as it was a very similar one to a piece from said scenarios. Anyway, whatever the situation, and as there was also a Best Offer option, I dipped my toe in with an admittedly cheeky £1.50 bid. Unsurprisingly, it was rejected. No counter offer came, so I stayed with the cheeky bids and offered £2.50. No surprise when that was also rejected. No counter offer again. So I went back in with an offer of £3.50, or £6 overall when you consider the postage. Not completely unreasonable if the guy wanted a quick sale. So I pressed the confirm button to put that final offer to the seller, but was met with something I've never seen before: a message that said I am blocked from bidding on the seller's items!

So message him I did:

And the proof I've purchased from him before (I assume it's a him - sorry if I'm being presumptuous):

Considering the speed with which the seller responded to my offers and then blocked me, I'm surprised that there has been no immediate response to my message. I left a little time for a resolution, but none has come forth as yet. So I'm taking to the blogosphere to vent my frustration. 

I'm in a few circles on Google+ and I follow quite a few blogs, but I'm not hugely involved as I struggle with time and motivation. But I'm an avid fan of oldhammer and I happily pick up stuff that I'll one day paint, though at the speed I do that it'll be years before I get a substantial body of work. What I'm saying is that I care a lot for this stuff, but today has pissed on my chips mightily. I thought the community to be better than what I've experienced today. I'll keep on keeping on, but this seller has shown me a different side to the hobby. I'd go so far as to say that the seller is an absolute cock. 

Anyway, here she is in all her glory, and I hope the seller accidentally damages her and gets fuck all for her:

Edit: Well here we go, she's not a McDeath personality, but she is definitely enough like her to have caught my attention:

Third Wanted Piece In One Week

Who is this guy? I wants him:

Also Want One Of These Orcs

Fraser did a wondrous job on it:

But of course that's not Fraser's. This, however, is the real deal:

But £6 for a figure on ebay? It's a toughie. That paint is beautiful and thick, so the metal should be near pristine. Be fair, I'd pay that much for wine without batting an eye lid.

Update: managed to win this wee feller for £5.50. Grand stuff.

I Want One Of These Orc Champs

Really fancy tracking this guy down:

 If you sees its, lets me knows...

Update: Nailed it. £6. Can't get over the current prices on eBay, but them's the markets.

Mind Blown

Never seen anything like it in my life. Rugby heaven. Don't mind the boys losing a championship like that. Wales had a shot to nothing and almost took it. Ireland and England both superb. What a way to sign off the championship. 

Millimetre By Marvellous Millimetre

I pinched an hour out of my busy schedule to daub a smidge of paint upon my current miniature, getting a bit of flesh laid on and stuff. He can be seen further down below.

As an aside, last Saturday I was fortunate enough to attend a very enjoyable evening bash at which I found myself sat opposite a man of the cloth. Doesn't happen very often that, so I took the opportunity to ask a lot of questions about the church, faith and doctrine. What boggled my mind was the lack of study in a large Anglican (Church in Wales) parish. I got the impression that high church - whether Anglican or Catholic - doesn't really want to encourage the laity to tax themselves too much with the detail of Christianity. I think that with my background in a non-conformist church, coupled to an ongoing interest since leaving that scene half a lifetime ago, I was able to talk to the guy on a level he doesn't get to talk on too often. As an agnostic/verging-atheist, I would have loved a meatier conversation, but I wanted to reciprocate his tidy attitude. Looks like we'll end up in each other's company for a whole week next year as we're heading off for a family wedding in Cyprus. Interesting times ahead!