New Period Rant

I was shopping at my local game store, The Source Comics and Games, and was working my way through the Old Glory Seven Years War figures in 25mm when another customer decided I was the perfect victim to begin a conversation with. The gist of the ten minute conversation was as follows:
Them “Hey I see you are buying Seven Year’s War Figures that is a project I really want to get going.”
Me “Sorry Hessians for the AWI”
Them “So you are not interested in a SYW project.”
Me “Not really, but what do you have in mind?”
Them “25mm SYW it the bomb.”
Me “What rules and basing”
Them “TO BE DETERMINED”

Now there is nothing wrong with spotting a guy checking out the SYW figures in the store and going “Hey I see you’re checking out the SYW figures and I am kind-a interested in the period can you help me out?” But “To be determined” gosh dang do I hate that answer, it drives me insane [short drive and I know the way]. if you are SOOOOO interested in a specific period you must know what caused your interest. Did you see a game and like the figures, do you like the uniforms, did you find the perfect rule set, is that what your wife demanded you paint? If you can’t answer what you’re interested in how do you know you’re interested?

So you want to get me interested in a project here are some helpful hints:
1) Have a plan. A plan is more than I want to do SYW a plan is a sketched out idea on what you want to accomplish. I want to do 1:50 SYW game using Piquet is a plan. It is just as important to know what you don't want to do for the period. Not interested in a skirmish game, not interested in 1:10 game and you want units to be battalions rather than brigades. All that information is extremely helpful.
2) Paint some figures. Yes it is your plan so you need to take the lead. Paint up at least one playable force. That means if you want to play BAR (1:10) you better be ready to have 300 plus figures painted, or if you want to play Fredericks Battles you only need to have 120 figures painted.