Monday, December 02, 2002

December 2, 2002
Great morning. Talked to Tommy (who came in at three, had to get up at seven to go to work at El Encanto). Kathy has mapped out the courses he needs to graduate and there were some rough bumps in there (college level algebra) which made him and I groan (I’m not even in college but just the saying of the word out loud makes me ill). Went for a walk with Kathy and Peaches. Peaches got in a huge fight with Amie (Ratcliff’s dog who ambushed her as we walked by their stable), then she got into it with the two dogs of our neighbors down the creek. It was a real Yuppie dog fight.

Got a bunch of ideas on the walk, mostly about a time travel story I’ve wanted to do since the mid-seventies. What would happen if some history nut actually went back in time to 1881 Tombstone? I’ll bet it would be very funny. I’m thinking that OK needs to be in the title. Maybe No Way OK, Bad Karma at the OK Corral, Key word: OK, Kickin’ It at the OK Corral, Kickboxing at the OK Corral, OK Killers, D Day at the OK Corral, I’m Kidding OK?, Killed at the OK Corral, Historical Enema a the OK Corral, Emenem Is OK By Me (the rap version), OK By Me, French Kissing at the OK Corral. I’m only half-joking, hey, how about—Half-Joking at the OK Corral? Hmmmm, not quite there, but I’ll get it eventually. I want to tell the story of all the crazy, nutso, history goonballs I know and how they have so little clue about what really happened (and when I need extra accurate reference I can go look in the mirror).

I think I may have saved the florescent orange shooters piece (11:59). Hopeful, but need to move faster. Oops. No, didn’t save it, but ruined it.

Progress, but still too slow. I am still working on cover shooters and I wanted to finish by noon, so I could shift gears and knock out the other Dalton illustrations, but here I am plodding along (1:24). Sigh. Got to keep attacking. Painting very good, but I’m a long way from any goal (2:13). Got to shower and get ready for John Beckett coming at 4:30 to take our family Christmas card photos.

Took a shower, got the inspiration to do a different cover idea (a shower miracle), with a center broadside. Came over and quickly did a layout, measuring where the logo will go and having the center piece line down the middle. Put an orange background (or course), located a number of shooter reference photos.

Deena, Tommy and John Beckett arrived at about the same time (4:30). John shot us in the back yard (see digital image taken by Ken who is also a shooter and came with John), gave them the tour and paid John ($100 cash). Then had turkey dinner with kids. Very nice. They talked about all the dates they’ve had recently, not a real big problem I had in college.

Helped Kathy clean the kitchen, had a decaf espresso and started on the images of gunfighters going down the left side of cover. Got four in, including Wyatt Earp. So-so. Not sure it’s working.

Watched the Sopranos at seven. Second to last episode of season. Fun, really good. The kid, AJ is just a riot. Farting on his sister, just so real and funny. Tried to go back to work but it’s too late (8:20) really behind the eight ball now. I’ve squandered four days and finished almost nothing. Jesus Fucking Christ! Very angry with myself.

"History is a set of lies agreed upon."
—Napoleon Bonaparte