Deadlines and Promises

Sadly the above are two things that I have come in conflict with in the last couple of months. Last year I agreed to build a large scale model for the local Heritage Society to present to the local airport. . eventually it was agreed to build a 1/6 scale Douglas World Cruiser. No real date was given as to when it would be due, but the end of 2002 was hinted at. However I ended up having to move, and also acquire the tools and materials necessary to construct said DWC (coming soon to an IM page near you). After much procrastination I began it just before Christmas .. by now the deadline had become February. ... February became April, which became June and now that I have begun to paint it prior to final assembly, I have been told that the big unveiling is rescheduled to September, so I need not rush.

However, for the last six months, this project has been on my mind from the moment I wake until I go to sleep. . At times I thought it would never get done, and how could I have taken it on, which leads to the second half of the title. ... Broken Promises.

Both my partners, Chris B-R and Michael Benolkin, and myself receive large volumes of email each day, and while we try and answer them all, we do occasionally slip up and for various reasons either fail to reply, or forget to follow through with something that we promised. For myself, this is sometimes an article that someone has submitted. While it may be a common occurance for us to have something online, or in print, it is very easy to forget how exciting it is for someone new to see their work online. Therefore, I really do apologize to those whose work is either misplaced, or due to conflicts with outside deadlines, held over to another month.

This is part of the reason that we added Matt Bittner and Al Superczynski to the editorial staff of IM. Al and Matt have enabled us to have a steady stream of material that just would not be there if Chris, Mike or myself had to do it up while maintaining 'real' life existences.

So deadlines are good, but they do need to be reasonable .. promises, hmm .. those too. I promise to try and be more prompt in my replies. .. really, I promise.