ATM Re: atm-digest V1 #814

[Atmj1@aol.com]

August 2, 1997

Important ATM Information


Having not had time to be on the net as I would have liked, I have not had
time to keep up the "goings on" on the ATM list. Undoubtedly, there are those
who have been speculating about the Journal's demise…..again. And with the
Journal coming out later each issue, I certainly can understand that.
However, there has been method in the madness of my silence that I could not
share until now. 

The stress of trying to run the Journal by myself has taken a great toll on
my financial situation, my health, and most of all my family life. As the
Journal was requiring that more money to go in than was coming out, I kept it
going with money from my family budget to the point where our reserves are
now all but depleted. 

Through stress and fatigue, I landed myself in the hospital in intensive care
once and have come close on two other occasions. More importantly, I have
learned that while I THOUGHT I was giving enough time to my sons, I was badly
mistaken. This point was driven home a few months ago when my youngest son
ran away from home. Four years ago, this same son wanted me to leave the
computer for "just five minutes" to show me his new radio controlled car. But
the Journal was late again and, as I had told him many times before, I told
him that I just didn't have time. With tears in his eyes, he turned away and
said "We were doing alright before you started the magazine, daddy."

Physically, financially, and emotionally I am a wreck. Nevertheless, I have
still been going to the wall trying to keep the torch up - thinking has never
been my strong suit. I have tried to locate corporate sponsors, I have
discussed selling the Journal to a couple of individuals, I have considered
downsizing, I have considered begging members for the help on which the
Journal was SUPPOSED to have been founded. 

Part of my negotiations has been with my employer, Captain's Nautical
Supplies. Thursday, after 5 meetings, the company president and I reached an
"agreement in principle" for Captain's to take over the publishing of ATM
Journal with me remaining as editor-in-chief. If this comes to pass - and he
is confident enough to allow me to put this on the net - we will be getting a
new lease on life with other hands to help with part of the workload. This
should free me up to work almost exclusively with authors, articles, and the
desktop publishing side of the business.

While this is refreshing - if not elating - to me, we are not out of the
woods yet. We have discussed some very positive things. These include:
enlarging the Journal, improving the quality of the photographs, having
larger press runs to cut per issue costs and ensure the availability of back
issues, increasing advertising, offering certain discounts on instruments,
accessories and telescope making supplies sold through Captain's, and last --
but not least -- helping me with the resources needed to get the magazine on
the street on a regular (everybody say "Amen") basis.

I will put more information on the net as soon as firm information is made
available to me. This should take no more than a couple of weeks. When
finalized, cards will be sent out apprising each member of the change and I
will offer the information to individuals running other ATM web sites as well
as offering the info to Astronomy and Sky and Telescope by way of press
release.

More Later,

Bill