September 23, 2003
More computer problems. I tried posting today’s blog from the office and a nice little box told me AOL is not accepting my browser any more. Robert Ray came in, loaded up one, didn’t take (or, more specifically, it took, but then wouldn’t recognize my old computer), went to his desk, pulled out something, loaded that. Eventually, I could get online, but I could only read one E-mail and then the screen went blank. I just hate this stuff!!!!

More problems at home. Studio lights blew out. Can’t find problem in fuse box, plus studio cooler doesn’t appear to be getting any water. Called Steve at Grant’s Appliance. He showed up tonight at 6:15 (still waiting for verdict).

Big staff meeting at 8:30 this morning. Lots to talk about, both good and bad feedback. Read a couple letters, one praising us and the other damning us.

Mike Melrose wanted to go over next year's travel issue. He forced us to come up with some new angles. I like that about him.

Jana back from vacation. She’s working on a big photo project. She’s really quite amazing and it looks like it’s going to be a benchmark piece. We also received a batch of letters from fourth graders writing to the U.S. government on why Vera McGinnis deserves a postage stamp. One little girl said Vera deserves a stamp because she “was the first woman to ride a horse.” Jana laughed until she cried, or maybe it was the other way around. We were touched. May run a page of the letters, they are priceless.

Several of us went to lunch at Satisfied Frog (Jana’s fave place). Had the Caesar salad and an iced tea. Bill came and it was $71 for seven people. I put in $10 but then realized The Old Restaurant Group Law: the larger the group, the less each person thinks they owe. Everyone was putting in $10 but that only got us to $70, and no tip (should be $84 total). Put in another $5. Too much for lunch. Irritating.

Wrote up all the extra info Gus and I have gleaned for the Pinkerton-Youngers gunfight. Got to get the artwork finished. Hanging out on three images. Meghan and R.G. hounding me now. Here’s what Mark B. had to say about some of our names at the mag: “Bob Brink. Mike Melrose. Roland Robertson. Bob Bell. What is this, the alliteration publication?” Yes it is.

”When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.”
—Eric Hoffer