January 18, 2005
Had a phone interview with "The Cousin Eddy Radio Show" this morning at seven. Stood out in the driveway, watching the sun come up, talking on my cell phone to Cuz Eddy for about an hour. He loves True West and history so it was an easy gig. Coyotes ran across our north forty at one point, and I yelled at them during the interview. I think it added a certain Western flavor Cousin Eddy perhaps doesn't normally get in southern Illinois. If you are one of Eddy's thousands of faithful listeners reading this blog for the first time, read on, it gets worse.

I called Ed Mell this morning to warn him of the incoming copyright infringement painting and he told me he had already looked at it and doesn't see any resemblance to his work. Ed is either a big, fat liar or a blind pig.

Just kidding. Ed is a great guy and always supportive. Someday soon I hope to be as mature as he is.

Speaking of real art, had another art collector come in this morning and buy $200 worth of art prints (Val Kilmer as Doc spinning the cup), a CD and some other odds and ends right out of the store. Larry O., his wife and his driver then followed me out to my studio so he could see some of my unframed images to buy. He bought five paintings right off the floor.

Here's the kicker: he's dying of cancer. Survived five cancer operations, been on chemo multiple times. He was good for awhile, but now the cancer is back and is "everywhere." So he doesn't know how much time he has. You'd never know it. He was laughing and full of joy about owning some of my images. Amazing example of both how fragile life is and how some people are so resilient even as they stare straight into the face of death.

At about one, a big truck and two trailer's worth of river rock and sand came in the driveway and dumped both loads ($437 check to PV Sand & Gravel). Juan's got it all going on. I say "Ondelay Joven," and he smiles.

Need to get tough on certain business decisions. Not going to be easy. This is my growing edge. Need to show some sand.

"People do not lack strength; they lack will."
—Victor Hugo