designers are the flakes of this industry
over the years I've heard every excuse in the book, recycled and reused to the point where I refuse to pay up front for anything anymore.
Top Designer Flake Excuses - please feel free to add your own
1) family member died/in hospital/contracted some life threatening disease
2) hurracaine/tornado/floods/locusts/fire/plague of rats hit the area
3) internet "down"/cut off (most likely not paid for)
4) pet got ran over/broke a leg/died/grew an extra head/attacked my mom
5) icq "not working"/lost logs/lost contacts/didnt get my messages
6) pc crashed/windows died/lost backups/blew up/grew wings and flew away
7) family member or partner on drugs/gone AWOL/in car crash/joined religious cult