I decided to take a big step today. My horizontal stabilizer has been hanging in a cradle on my hangar wall for over five years. Its presence in my hangar was a constant reminder of my uncompleted airplane project. It has silently marked the time since my employer's bankruptcy and has been, in a way, a symbol of all my career frustrations. Despite my employer's continuing financial difficulties and my career's instability, I decided to jam a stake through all the demons.

With the help of a friend, I leveled the fuselage, removed the horizontal stab from the wall, and clamped it in place on the fuselage. I spent an hour studying the tail-mounting process in the assembly manual and reading the plans. Very satisfying. I now know I WILL finish this airplane, no matter what happens to my career.