June 21, 2003
So far the voting on the “I Dig Billy” T-shirts is unanimous: you all prefer the full length Billy (although one vote was for the slogan: “Where’s Billy?”). If you haven’t voted please check out yesterday’s journal entry, click on the vote "right here” and send us your thoughts. I really enjoy your feedback and forward them to the staff.

And speaking of feedback, here’s Emma B.’s response to the reader’s suggestion that I get out of the biz (see June 18):

“When they call you a jackass, it just means that they care. I bet nobody calls the editor of Atlantic Monthly a jackass. Okay, so maybe that wasn't as comforting as it could have been...”

Ha. Actually, the salutation, “Dear Sir: You are the biggest jackass in the history field. I recommend you get out at once,” has become a catch phrase at my house, and as I was going to bed last night, Kathy repeated it out loud from memory and we laughed ourselves to sleep. And I’m thinking of using it on my editorial page. After all, I already use the image of a jackass kicking his heels high in the air (see the last 15 To The Points).

And not to blow my own horn too much, but you have to admit it would look pretty cool on a tombstone as well:

Here Lies Bob Boze Bell
The Biggest Jackass In The History Field

Besides, in the history field a jackass is a step up on the food chain.

"By all means marry: If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."
—Socrates