January 1, 2005
A year ago today, we were winging our way back from Spain and a fab four New Year's Eve at Fred and Heidi Nolan's home in Chalfont St. Giles, England.

Last night we went over to the Tumalo's for a New York dinner of lasagna and wine. Met a guy (also named Tumalo but I’m not sure they are related) who claims he and his wife basically started the jeep tour biz in Phoenix back in the late seventies. I asked him if he knew Flint Carney and he said, "Is there anybody who doesn't know Flint Carney?" That made me laugh. Flint is half-Native American, all clothes horse and a longtime jeep tour guide who has posed for scenes in many of my books.

Woke up this morning to a bright and beautiful day. Supposed to rain again tomorrow, but it was quite nice out. Desert is a bright green and the coyotes look fat and sassy.

Worked on several drawings of the Drew's Station robbery. Also did a Jesus as Clint Eastwood sketch ("You talkin' to me?") for an upcoming piece.

At about 3:30 drove up town to get some cranberry juice for Kathy (she's convinced she has cancer of the kidneys, which is different than cancer of the everything, which she often has). Town packed with New Year's Day Trippers, El Encanto, Satisfied Frog, The Hideaway, Buffalo Chip and Harold's were packed with tourists and flatlanders. Got the cranberry juice at Bashas' ($5.09 cash, no tip).

Read quite a bit of the Growing Your Business book. Some highlights:

• Plan to fail (nothing ever goes like the projections or business plan. Look failure in the face and innovate. Questions keep a business alive).

• Plan to be around for a hundred years. Or longer.

• A good business has interesting problems, a bad business has boring ones.

My goal is to be more pro-active this year and attack our "interesting" problems with vigor. The book is quite inspiring (thanks Karen!).

"A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction."
—Rita Mae Brownn