I admit to being a member of the instant gratification club. I send something off and I want an instant acknowledge, preferably a positive one. So, you know, I hate waiting.But on several potential assignments, I have been doing the patient waiting dance. For one client, I have been waiting on two or more potential assignments for over a year now. Not his fault, he answers to a variety of masters and no one can make up their mind. Still, it’s something I’m really looking forward to.I was asked to work on something back in September, even signed a contract. I began work and delivered the first portion as expected. However, another party to the deal said no and everything stalled. But this was after months and months of waiting for some sort of a decision.Two weeks ago I was asked about possibly working on something and the editor has blown off three different phone appointments to discuss the assignment.Now, to be fair, I have people waiting on me. Aaron Rosenberg has been patiently waiting for a block of my time to open up, and the muse to strike, so we can continue a collaboration that began some years back. And Paul Kupperberg is probably waiting for me to reread something we worked on to see how much dusting off it needs before it can see print. (Of course, I am waiting on Aaron and Paul to work with me on the next phase of ReDeus so I guess we’re all a little guilty of procrastination.)In the meantime, I have helping out a pal by working on something that is different, somewhat creative, time consuming and sort of fun, sort of tedious. At least this assignment pays and there’s more to come after this if I can make the schedules work.