September 30, 2003
Very busy. Missed yesterday’s posting. Finally finished the introduction for the Classic Gunfights book at about 11 yesterday. Meghan is still finding mistakes in the Pinkerton-Younger gunfight, which went out the door with the magazine at three.

Big hub-bub over a list of names I quoted for the History of True West article which also appears in the new issue (Nov-Dec). One of my employees was quite upset at being left off the “shortlist.” I tried to explain it wasn’t a list of my best employees, but a list of people, if you took one person out, there would be no True West. I also pointed out that there were people on the list I don’t even like, but, looking back, they were integral to our survival at a critical time. Employee was still upset.

Kathy’s take is that my staff is too small and it’s like planning a wedding. You say you want to keep the guestlist small, but it’s either four or 400, there is no in-between. So I huddled with R.G. at 8:30 and he agreed on who to add to the list. I still have three or four who are not on it, and they’ll probably be upset now. Kathy’s right: it’s a big, fat True West wedding. Ha.

Update on pending items I often talk about in here:
• no word from the History Channel on the TV show. They are supposed to get back to us in October, so we’ll see. Bob Brink says, “Be patient young man, everything comes to the man who is patient.”
• The Westerns Channel is also considering a True West moment, but no word from them either.
• The Classic Gunfights book goes to press in two weeks. Good meeting yesterday to discuss our hangouts. Book is going to be very strong.
• The experimental plane that crashed last month in Carefree ran out of runway. The official report is that the pilot set down with only 25% of the runway left, when he tried to power up, the plane stalled. Just like business, only you lose your life, instead of your money.
• Thomas is enjoying all the “hot girls” in Spain. I assume he’s referring to the climate.
• I need to exercise my drawing muscle more. I go hot and cold, but I need a gym regimen where I draw everyday. Make it hurt, have fun.
• Deena brought a boyfriend home for dinner last night. He was nervous (this made me gleeful). Nice kid, a full blood Serb, ex-marine, major tattoos. I made my patented tacos (Taco Boze, patent pending). When he said he got out of the Marines just before his unit shipped out, for Iraq Kathy commented that he sure was lucky. He agreed. I then asked him if he was disappointed on some level that he didn’t get to go. He totally agreed. This was shocking to Kathy (this also made me feel gleeful).

"I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn't wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine."
—Bertrand Russell