March 11, 2003
I took a photo of the crowd at the Parker speech and I’ll have that up tomorrow. Right in the middle of the speech I picked up my digital camera and clicked off three panoramas of the audience. I may start doing that as a record and so you’ll know I’m not lying. Ha.

Big day in office. Got a call from Lori at Wild West at nine. I told her I was sorry. She told me they were on pre-press (prepping to print issue) and I told her that I had been on the receiving end of that situation and it’s not fun. She called me a “butthead.” I think she was kidding. As an artist I didn’t enjoy doing that, but as a businessman it was the right call.

Two of my old fraternity bros. came to the office around ten. Bill McClelland and Kurt Radke from Colorado. They were going to attend a Giants spring training game. I took them out to the house and showed them the cave and my studio. I stayed home and knocked out the two illustrations for Westin Hotel. Got back into office at 12:30.

Had a couple of bruised egos. Massaged those as best I could. It’s more than a little ironic that I would end up riding herd on a pack of egos. Of course in some ways it makes sense because in any ego race I would be vying for lead dog.

Got a great packet from Steve Gatto on the Peoria, Illinois findings about Wyatt Earp. Really fascinating stuff concerning him living in a brothel and being an “old offender.” It really affects our impressions of other aspects of Wyatt’s life. For example, in 1888 he is spotted on the road to a new mining camp called Harqua Hala (in Western Arizona, near Salome) and the newspaper reports he has a wagon load of gambling equipment and two unidentified women are with him. Prior to this new discovery one might be tempted to think it’s his wife and a relative. Afterwards logic leans towards two prostitutes. Of course this is supposition and not proof of anything. But where there’s smoke there’s controversy.

“I don't have a warm personal enemy left. They've all died off. I miss them terribly because they helped define me.”
—Clare Boothe Luce