June 1, 2003
Well,, the year is almost half over and I made a vow on Jan. 1 that I would clean my studio and get my life in order and it still is a pit (the studio and my life). Perhaps I need to order a variation on that famous tombstone epitaph, “Never Did Lose That Twenty Pounds.”

Yesterday I bailed into a Pancho Villa cover with the revolutionary bandit King holding a Winchester over his head, big, wide open mouth, no doubt yelling out “Arriba Hombres!!” (had excellent reference from a Mexican cinema poster book). Got the Mini Me saddle horn in, left a big hole, or neutral space, on the left side for type. It’s about half done. Got to be careful and bold at the same time. Hard to do. Woke up this morning obsessing about it. Finally came out at 6:30.

Also yesterday, Kathy, Thomas and I met at Desert Ridge to see “A Mighty Wind.” Ticket total was $19.50 (and that’s with T. utilizing his student discount!). Of course I flashed back to the State Theatre in Kingman where a Saturday movie was a quarter and if you could pass for twelve (something I could do when I was 19) you’d get in for 15 cents. How did those people make a living!? Back to the present, I got a small popcorn for $2.75, then we sat through way too many commercials, maybe ten minutes worth, before we even got to the previews. It’s oppressive. Movie was very sweet and clever (8.5). I really enjoyed it. Not many people in theatre, they were all lined up in front of “Daddy Daycare,” the new Eddie Murphy pile of dog doo doo (listen to me, I haven’t even seen it and I saw a little tyke running out of the theatre yelling, “I want to see Daddy Daycare again Daddy!” so what do I know?).

Afterwards we decided to go eat some Mexican food so we went to Shelmita’s, the place where our Conversational Spanish teacher took us for our final exam. Because of this new diet, I had to eat fish, so Kathy and I split the combo Pescado Especial ($28). Food was very good, but total was close to $60 with tip. Ouch! Too much money for a casual Saturday outing. When a movie and a meal wrecks a $100 bill, you know you’re not in Kansas anymore (Hello New York prices!).

I picture myself in our house on Ashfork Avenue, with the big B on the screen door. It's 1959, and I'm asking my dad, “Hey dad, can I have $100 to go see a movie?” I think you can easily visualize the look on my dad’s face.

I promise to post some of the new artwork and the Elfego sketches sometime this week, but keep in mind my New Year’s Resolution.

"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."
 —Theodore Roosevelt