March 27, 2004
Just got back from a long walk with Kathy and the dogs. Very pretty out. Saw a beautiful cardinal chirping away down in the creekbottom. Pretty groovy day so far.

Finally got on track to do the four versions of Custer’s death for the June issue. Have several paintings I want to do, including what I call the “snow scene.” As converging troops approached the Custer battlefield the next day they thought the hills in the distance were covered with patches of snow. It wasn’t snow.

Somewhat on overload because of the three fronts we’ve opened up: one is Volume II of Classic Gunfights with the top secret theme (20 gunfights to write and illustrate by July); two is the Northfield bank robbery 32 page supplement and art show which needs 25 original paintings by June; and three is the next issue and six pages of Custer due in 10 days. Not to mention the artwork for the Westerns channel bits, or the new True West Maniacs Club logo.

Other than that, not much to do around here.

Daniel developed a pretty strong cover of the real Wild Bill Hickok and Keith Carradine as Wild Bill, smooshed together at the ears with the subhed: “HBO’s #*@%! Deadwood. Authentic?” Everyone is buzzing about whether the cussing in the show is authentic to the times. I think the answer may surprise some people, dammit.

Lots of feedback on potential new t-shirt ideas. I may take a poll on the site here to determine which designs and slogans to start with. However, sometimes polls don’t necessarily give you an accurate snapshot.

“Statistics are like bikinis: they show a lot but not everything.”
—Lou Piniella

“How far would Moses have gone if he had taken a poll in Egypt?”
—Harry S. Truman