Two years on line...
By Mario Covalski
To loving memory of my father Luis, who taught me the value of the honesty and the honor word. Thanks to help me, before... and even now.
If you are now reading this article, you have already seen our cover and know that Modeler Site is celebrating its second anniversary.
As the creator of Modeler Site, I have so many feelings I would like to share with you that this article would not be enough …. And besides, who wants to endure a long speech? Therefore, I will not extend the suffering of those people who decided to read this editorial.
Two years ago I was stuck at a point where I did not want to go any further but definitely did not want to go back. I'm not talking about money, I'm talking about personal accomplishments.
In this way I discovered a new aspect of modeling, an activity that I have been carrying out since my childhood: the edition of a means of communication.
After the first few months and the initial emotion, I became aware of the difficulties I would have to face if I wanted Modeler Site to be a project with a future and not just another hobby.
In this way, my son and I understood that the only way to carry out this project was to publish a professional magazine in a media where it is difficult to know who is who and where big projects with a significant investment of money and time generally coexist with weekend projects.
The first problem we encountered was to let our potential sponsors know that this project was not a weekend one, but a project on which we spend twelve hours a day in order to publish it every month on line, and that we needed support.
Some people, quite a few, understood our proposal … and maybe we can still change the opinion of other people in Internet with much work and sacrifice, and convince others as well.
But most importantly, I discovered that we should have an editorial line, and intellectual project, that goes beyond a virtual magazine. While walking this road I discovered many things about myself and modeling, some good and some bad. But I definitely know that plastic modeling must be at everybody's reach instead of being intended for a group of "experts" … who usually sell their secrets at a high price. Those of us who communicate ideas must tell the truth, and MS is absolutely committed to it.
Modeler Site is two years old, but our project needs five years to reach the level we wish. Our immediate goals are focusing on beginners, promote modeling among children and teenagers and be able to compensate our contributors as they deserve. These goals are really ambitious, we still have three years ahead of us to accomplish them and we need support from our potential sponsors and from all the people who know about modelling.
We will try to do our best in order to reach a turning point in modeling on Internet, where all people have a place and where business is separated from the ideas. If we do not achieve our goals, at least we will know that we have done our best to make our humble contribution to the world plastic modeling.
I cannot finish this review without mentioning all those people who have supported us and made their contributions for free and with great love for this activity. The list is really long and includes those who currently contribute or have contributed in the past to MS, as well as our sponsors.
I would like to mention the following friends who have believed in us, our ideas and our capacity to carry them out: thanks to all of them for the long conversations, where I received a big dose of optimism and knowledge and for all the help that made it possible for MS to be on line today.
Finally, my acknowledgement to all modelers for their disinterested love to this activity that discovers the best of all of us.
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