From: poehland%phvax.dnet@SMITHKLINE.COM
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: ATARI CLASSICS: Update & Personal Notes
Date: 13 Aug 92 15:04:29 GMT

From:	PHVAX::POEHLAND     12-AUG-1992 19:32:19.98
To:	INET::"comp-sys-atari-8bit@ucbvax.berkeley.edu"
CC:	POEHLAND
Subj:	ATARI CLASSICS: Update & Personal Notes

I just re-posted the press release announcing the birth of Atari Classics (there
always seems to be a few folks who don't get the message first time around).

Yesterday I began receiving letters from people who were missed in the Mail
Campaign; their names are being added to a list of people who will be sent
those extra copies of the Premier Issue that will be produced in our first
print run this coming Fall.

My apologies to those people who tried to contact me last week following the
initial announcement of AC's birth.  I was- uh- indisposed.  I'd like to share
with you denizens of the Net a little of the situation surrounding the final
moments leading up to the official creation of the magazine.

Back in June I submitted to Unicorn Publications a written outline detailing my
vision for the organization & operation of the magazine.  All during the month
of July there was a lot of backfield scrambling as discussions with Unicorn
proceeded & various questions/problems were addressed, resolved, & incorporated
into the plan (which is now known as the Atari Classics Publication Manifest).
By the end of July we had pretty well reached an agreement in principle, & had
arrived at the point of committing signatures to paper with a little money to
lubricate the machinery of progress.

In the meantime my physician (alias "Dr. Moreau") had scheduled me for recon-
structive sinus surgery at 7:30 AM on August 3.  Wouldn't you know it, all the
final preparations for AC coincided with all the preparations I had to make for
going in the hospital (one of these days I'm gonna lay bare hands on the Murphy
Demon & choke the devil out of him).  So on the weekend of Aug. 1-2, I had to
really hussle my butt.

On my way to the hospital at 6:00 AM Aug. 3, I stopped at the post office to
drop off a 2-day air package to Unicorn containing all the final papers.  A few
hours later I was under the surgeon's knife, dead to the world, undergoing
a procedure called turbinoseptaplasty (reconstruction of bones in the sinus/
nasal cavities to allow proper breathing & permit the cavities to drain 
properly).  I had been assured by the quack it wouldn't hurt much.  Boy did I
buy the Big One!

If any of you have ever heard any nightmare stories about sinus surgery, let
me just assure you they are all true.  Especially the more exaggerated horror
tales.  For the first 48 hours I staggered around feeling like I had kicked in
the face by a mule.  The Mother of All Headaches.  Also toothaches.  Plus a
little barfing as the anesthetic wore off.  Just a wonderful little picnic.

I got home Aug. 6 a little the worse for wear, barely able to speak.  I called
Unicorn that night & was gratified to hear they had received my package & it
was OK to release the announcement about AC.

Whoops- that was Aug. 5, not 6.

I had planned to spend the rest of the week calling up folks & recruiting for
staff positions at AC while I was recuperating at home.  Mother Nature had
other plans for me.  Right after releasing the announcement, my condition sorta
took a nose dive (if you'll excuse the pun).  I totaly wimped out the next 2-3
days.  There's just some stuff you can't argue with, no matter how tough you
are.

But by Aug. 9 I was coming back strong.  Lean, mean, & ready to kick butt.
Since then I've been making a number of personal phone contacts, & AC is about
25% up to strength.  We don't yet have the critical mass of warm bodies needed
to begin work on the Premier Issue, but I'm managing to reel in staff people
at the rate of about one a day, so we are getting there slowly but steadily.

If all continues to go well as it has for the past few days AC will be at
critical mass in another couple weeks.  Things are looking good!

About that doctor.  Let's see, yeah, it's a little hazy but with a few practice
tries I think I'll be able to tie a pretty good noose. 13 coils, right?

     - BEN POEHLAND
       The Alchemist

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