I should have stayed away from the model kit.

I was looking for a way to unwind after a long day. I don't know why it was long or hard. It's not like I got jinxed by hearing "I Don't Like Mondays" by the Boomtown Rats on the radio today or anything.

But I don't need to tell any more of the story than this: I got in a hurry, and I got burned.

The correct way to paint with a spray can is to spray a light, almost translucent coat onto your work, from a distance of about a foot. It helps to aim a little bit away from your work even.

Krylon commercials say no runs, drips or errors, but guess what? Shoot too much from too close, and the paint will run like Carl Lewis every single time.

So what next?

I'm going to go find a zipper bag, pour some Purple Power or Castrol Super Clean into it, drop the piece in there, let it sit overnight, pull it out, rinse it off, and be presented with clean plastic. Then I can start over.

So there's good news. At least starting over is an option.

In the meantime, I need to keep telling myself that you can enjoy a well-built model for decades, so it's worth putting a few extra hours into it.

Easier said than done.