It's almost 30 years since I last played tabletop wargames and painted minis.
Every Saturday, my big bro Jay and our friend Dave would go to Sheffield and pick up paints and models from the hobby store (Beatties) or Games Workshop. The latter was relatively new at the time and was how we discovered Warhammer 40k.
Being still at school, I didn't have much money, so my brother and Dave, who were both working, had many more miniatures, machines, and paints, but we still had a fun time.
Introverts like me are often drawn to the hobby because of these zen periods of quiet concentration, while still enjoying the games and stores as periods of socializing!
That calming, almost meditative, work is what drew me back now. It's nice to have something to do that is far removed from my daily worries and responsibilities. And, of course, now I have the budget to have a pretty nice army or 4 ;)
Dakka-dakka-dakka