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after well over a decade off. I’ve difficult time indeed and I 3
been heavily involved in the sport hope this issue has
during that time but just not enough variety but it was a
playing. I’m still adjusting to far bigger struggle than normal.
being a “has been” and the pas- I had an absolute disaster
sage of time and gathering age when I was away and after a
has a lot to answer for! week’s work (90% of the mag),
Moving on - Postage - will my laptop fell to the floor and my
overseas subscribers please note memory stick snapped in two.
that a single magazine sent by Rock bottom or what and
COVER PHOTO surface mail (presumably a slow for a second I even considered

This Month’s photo shows some boat to China or wherever?), now abandoning the magazine alto-
play in the World Masters final costs £2.60 per magazine. Airmail gether and forever. However
in Belfast. This is the first time (I is £3.50 - OUCH! after an hour or so’s attempts I
think) that I’ve produced a cover This means that sending 4 managed to get a temporary con-
that is landscape and thus “the issues per year costs a minimum tact and downloaded the Sum-
other way up”. of £10.40 plus envelope & labels. mer issue but nothing else.
However, it was such a de- In contrast it’s about £4.40 to UK It needed four hands, I held
cent photo that I thought I would subscribers, leaving £5.55 for the memory stick together whilst
experiment with it and see if any- printing, which is around £9.00. Yvonne worked her laptop and
one was bothered by the Land- Thus leaving a minimum my right hand and thumb were
scape view? It will not become shortfall of £4.45 for each and completely dead after 6 minutes
the norm but for the right photo every subscriber and this does of downloading.
I may do it again. not include all the costs I incur. All subsequent download
This illustrates just how im- attempts failed and it was a mir-
SHORT MAT CHAT portant advertising is in the end acle that I got the Summer work
There seems to be a silly myth and we should support all of our downloaded. My Guardian Angel
around that I’m quite efficient advertisers, as without them pub- was certainly watching over me
BUT nothing could be further lication of the magazine would for those 6 minutes.
from the truth and I want every- cease immediately, as I certainly In my move back to Red-
one to appreciate the fact. could not make up the whole ditch the scorecards from the
Quite often I’m running shortfall. English Nationals have disap-
around like a headless chicken Any surplus (Yeah!) in one peared, so you have a truncated
and I’m also getting somewhat year is rolled over to the next to report in this issue. If they turn
forgetful. Pensioners are allowed help the following year’s costs as up the remainder of the report
to do this I think? making a profit out of SMI is cer- will be in the next issue.
Also, there are those who tainly not my intention. I am still willing to send out
think I sit with an empty desk Some years I have certainly a free complimentary magazine to
and if I don’t reply within a day had to dig very deep to cover the any county who gives me their
or so, they start chasing and may magazines losses. However, I club address’s so I can send them
be ill-tempered in doing it. have managed to keep the maga- out individually.
Remember the words of my zine going for over 20 years now Indeed, the future of the
first paragraph and have some unlike many others that have magazine partly rests on the suc-
pity, especially as I have moved fallen by the wayside but it will cess or failure of my request as I
three times in 18 months and not run forever. need more subscribers. Only two
have now ended up back where I This is why donations are counties have done this so far.
started. very welcome, especially from DONATIONS WITH
DONATIONS WITH
Any move is traumatic and those paying by standing order. If RENEWALS ARE ALWAYS
RENEWALS ARE ALWAYS
I have to re-set my office up and some of you would amend your VERY WELCOME AND IF
VERY WELCOME AND IF
I have also moved my large stor- standing order to £11.95 that YOU WISH TO ADD A
YOU WISH TO ADD A
age unit three times. would help greatly or perhaps POUND OR TWO TO YOUR
POUND OR TWO TO YOUR
RENEWAL I WON’T
I have to work on my clas- pop a donation in the post? RENEWAL I WON’T
COMPLAIN!
sic car and I’m especially pleased Having moved back to the COMPLAIN!
that I’ve come back to playing Midlands, it has proved a very Weaf