February 12 2003
Finally got untracked with artwork yesterday. Finished two gunfight pieces for Classic Gunfights at about 11 A.M. Feels good. Stayed with it and knocked out a couple of whores also.

Received the biggest check ever from NSFS, our subscription service. Almost $10K for one week. This is record territory and makes me very happy. We are finally getting the broad circulation we need.

Went back in to office at one. Bob McCubbin’s special package arrived with two great photos of Bass Outlaw. One has rarely, if ever, been published and shows a Texas Ranger's camp with all of the Rangers mounting up, including Bass in front of his saddled horse. Just a stunning image. Laid it in, and tweaked copy with Gus. Worked until around 5:15 when Kathy picked me up to go into town for our Conversational Spanish class.

Ate at Rolbertos. Had the carne asado burrito, Kathy had a bean burro enchilada style ($7 cash). Ordered in Spanish and began by saying, “Soy estudiante de Espanol” (I am a student of Spanish) and this made everyone behind the counter grin. They were all quite helpful and corrected me when I said, “Quanto le debo?” (How much do I owe you?) and said it should be “Quanto te debo?” (our teacher told us either is correct, but the te is more familiar).

Class was fun. Learned some of the follies of Gringo-ization. Alto actually means high, but it ended up on stop signs as a bastardization of the anglo “Halto,” and since the H is not pronounced, Alto. The teacher told of being in a taxi in Mazatlan and as the driver approached the hotel, he yelled “Alto,” which the drive took to mean "higher," or “raise your speed, “ so they shot by the hotel at about ninety.

Another misconception is our own “Parada del Sol” which everyone in the Valley thinks means “Parade of the Sun.” Actually it means “Stop the Sun,” so I guess our teacher could have said, “Parada el taxi.”

Went by Aaron Bros. on the way home and bought some more watercolor paper ($31 biz debit). Got home around 9:46.

"The person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused."
—Old Vaquero Saying