That's the problem with waiting to until something is perfect before shipping it.  People's raise their expectations, believing that more time means that you have given more blood, more sweat, and more tears.  But "perfect" is relative, while "on-time" is absolute.

Ship late because you are pursuing perfection and inevitably you disappoint.  We just spent eight weeks having hard wood floors installed when, according to the original Scope of Project, it was supposed to take two weeks.  I suppose it is possible our eight-week floors look better than our two-week floors would have, but I don't know.  I'm still seeing red.  

After a two-week job, I might never have thought to walk the house searching for imperfections, but an extra six weeks later, I needed reassurance there was a reason we endured the inconvenience that we did.  Richard and I walked every square inch of our house looking for problems in the wood flooring, and as you know, when you search for problems you will most assuredly find them.

Better to ship on time.  No ifs, ands, or buts.

Saturday was National Bird Watching Day, the holiday for which my Fancy Flours cookies were supposed to be baked.  The cookies were completed on time, but (lizard brains feast on the word, "but") the night before I was scheduled to feature them, I convinced myself they would look much cuter if photographed in a bird's nest.

The cookies are done, but they could be so much better.

I could photograph them on my kitchen table, but they would look so much better photographed in a bird's nest with some faux birds.

I don't have a bird's nest or faux birds, but I could get what I need at Hobby Lobby.

Hobby Lobby is closed, but I could buy myself more time by writing about something else.

Who knows what kind of mess that will create since our topics are scheduled, but who cares, I'll worry about it later.

I finally took the picture that was supposed to redeem my turtle cookies, but still they look no better than they would have if I would have shipped on time.

Better to ship on time.  No ifs, ands, or buts.

Here's your chance to ship on time...

Yesterday we posted the name of a worthy recipient for our Yellow Envelope Project.  Take ten minutes sometime today to ship him a note of recognition.  Don't procrastinate shipping, believing that you will find more time later to write a "better" note or that you need the "perfect" yellow envelope or the "right" sheet of cheery stickers.  Ship today knowing that Tommy would rather find something in his mailbox than nothing.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

And, if you still have steam... visit us in the Community Forum, labeled Today's Post and share your clever idea for how else we might use the turtle cookie cutter.  If I like what you have to say, I might just ship it to you.... on time.

Shining off until tomorrow...