November 5, 2002
Wrestling with rent isssues. We are considering a move to Carefree to Kathy’s building where we can get 3,200 feet of office space for under $3K a month. We had a meeting in my office yesterday with Carole, Bob Brink, Dave and Doreen. Went quite well. They were understanding and told us to take it. I love our building and I think there is some advantage to having consistency, but if we sign a five year lease and can save $150K. Yikes!

Wonderful Russ had a funny line when he first walked into the BBB suite last weekend. He walked around the living room past all the Boze paintings, didn’t comment, came around by the couch, pointed at the stereo and said, “They really paid attention to the small details—it’s a Bose stereo.” Very funny, understated, timing perfect, and of course you had to be there to hear Russ say it in his commanding, over-the-top voice.

Got an E-mail regarding the poor showing of Jennifer Tilly issue (see November 2 posting). Lucinda P. wrote, “I know you went to great expense, but it wasn’t one of your best. I bought it in Tombstone on vacation two weeks ago. But one of the things I like about True West is its apparent willingness to be different. Keep up the good work.” We are having a reader’s poll meeting today to determine what to make of the stats. Women readership actually went down. This is troublesome considering how much energy we expended in the past year, adding departments and items that were aimed in that direction. Perhaps Lucinda has the answer: we need to do a better job in those areas.

Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve started singing to my chickens. I’ve got two cranky hens left and when I approach the chicken house in the morning, I start singing, “Hey baby, Que Pasol!” They aren’t really responding to it, (maybe it’s too Mexican for them, although they are Aricanas). Tomorrow I may try Jerry And The Pacemakers’ “Fairy Across The Mercy.” (I know, I know, it’s “ferry,” or is it?)

“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.”—Hunter S. Thompson