September 7, 2004
Napoleon Dynamite, I think so. Here’s a shot of Tomcat in his apartment looking, oh, so, ahem, dynamite.

Debora wants to know what book I’m reading. It’s called “Becoming A Category of One” by Joe Calloway and it’s about how competitive today’s markets are. It used to be that quality would set you apart but not anymore. Everyone makes a good car. Even Hyundai has a 100,000 mile warranty. As an example of how you set yourself apart as a category of one he gives the example of Les Schwab Tires in the northwest part of the U.S. They are famous for “running to the car!” That’s it. Someone thought up this zany idea that when a customer comes in, you run to meet them. Pretty simple, eh? They are quite famous for this and, according to Mr. Calloway, they have the business to prove it. So, I asked my staff this morning, “What’s our version of running to the car?”

As another example of being a category of one, he speculates that most of us can spot and ID the logo for Columbia Pictures (Lana Turner in a toga with a big ol’ bic lighter), or the MGM lion, but what kind of movies do they make? Can you name any? I can’t either. Now think of Disney. Ahh, family fun, Bambi and Boogie Nights. No, wait, that’s another film company. But anyway, you get the picture.

Did you hear that Seligman, Arizona nipped Canyon State Academy last Friday night 116-108? No, this isn’t a basketball score, this is eight-man-football. It was 38-32 at the end of the first quarter. The score would have been higher, but the Seligman coach said, “We were afraid to score. We knew we couldn’t stop them and they might come back, score, and then kick an onside kick.” So they ran out the clock (with over three minutes left). Vincent Alvarado (Hey, don’t the Alvarado’s own the Sno-Cap Drive-In?) put up some big numbers: 500 yards of total offense (219 rushing, 255 returns, 70 passing) and had a hand in 12 touchdowns. He scored six times on the ground, four on kickoff returns and threw for two more touchdowns. Friday Night Lights, indeed.

Today I’m trying to get all of the loose ends together before the big midwest roadfest. Tomorrow, Mike Melrose and I are flying into Des Moines and then on up to Charles City for the parade in my honor (thanks Andy Melrose!). On Thursday I’m dropping in on my Auntie Doris in beautiful downtown Osage, Iowa, then we are motoring through Forest City (where I was born in a log hospital), Thompson (where my grandpa’s farm was), Buffalo Center, Lakota, Swea City (where I got hit in the lip with a snow shovel), Armstrong (where they sewed my lip back on), then up into Minnesota, landing at Medelia for lunch and Mankato to see Rex Macbeth and ultimately Northfield on Thursday night for the Defeat of Jesse James Days festival and book signing.

I’ll try to keep you posted on the road but if I miss a day or two, I imagine you’ll survive.

““Accuracy bows to usage.”
—Casey Tefertiller