November 19, 2002
Office copies came yesterday. Got a bucket brigade going out the back door and unloaded about 3,500 January issues into the mail room. UPS guy had to call headquarters to get a release on us helping him (some new union deal).

Went over paper costs with Bob Brink. We were considering a lighter stock but the price break isn’t there.

Came home for lunch and did sketches for Dalton spread and cover. Got a good likeness of John Kloehr, the hero of Coffeyville. Need to translate it to big board today.

Worked hard on writing my editorial. Got several photos from home. Brought back my new video player. Robert Ray hooked it up to his computer and we fast forwarded the Monte Walsh tape to the place where George Eads as Shorty, pulls out what appears to be an 1888 Winchester shotgun. Captured four frames, chose one, Robert scanned it. Called Phil Spangenberger to confirm shotgun model, but he’s in Utah “teaching 50 guys in six hours how to handle firearms,” his wife Linda told me. I asked what movie he is working on and she said “Hidalgo,” which is a film we are touting in the very same issue. That led me to retitling my editorial “Coffeyville Connections,” and rounding up all of the if-I-saw-it-in-a-movie-I-wouldn’t-believe-it coincidences.

We got attacked last night by the Javelina-Hippo-Hos at about midnite. Peaches was barking, Kathy woke me up, we went out in our underwear but they had struck and left. I couldn’t go back to sleep. Mulled all of the work I need to do. Tried to turn my mind off, but the more I tried the more awake I became. Did come up with the subhed: “Life after Death Alley.” I became worried I would forget it, and decided I should get up and write it down, but the very fact that I should get up, was enough to bring on sleep. Ha.

“Make use of trouble. One of my favorite tricks for flipping my mind over to the optimistic side is to ask myself the question: "How can I use this?"
—Steve Chandler, "100 Ways to Motivate Yourself"