May 18, 2005
We had a big election yesterday and I forgot to vote. Got tied up at the office, went straight home, had three messages from Kathy, but by the time I got them the polls were closed.

Robert Ray and Abby are at a Photoshop seminar all day today. Can't wait to see what they've learned.

I don't know why, but I have gotten more comments in the past four days from people who have seen me on the History Channel. When we were in Flag at Tomcat’s bar-b-que at least three of T’s friends came up to me and said things like, "Hey Dude, saw you on the History Channel at two in the morning." And "You look bigger on tv, Man." In fact, when we were coming back from breakfast on Sunday, Tomas took a cellphone call from Kendra. She was yelling into the phone, "Your dad is on tv right now!" Hmmmm. Here’s an Email I got today:

"My wife and I were channel surfing last night and saw the description for 'Modern Marvels' was Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid and Jesse James. Not exactly modern, but marvels in their own right. Intrigued, we turned it on and there was your face and voice and a rather sharp looking red shirt.”
—Jim the Reader Bolek

Got a phone call earlier this week from a fellow publisher who is interested in merging mags. Interesting proposition and worth considering.

Johnny Boggs has written a wonderful history of poker piece for us and I want to illustrate it with a sepia photo of an authentic looking female gambler spreading out a royal flush on a green felt table. Shamie Maxwell is providing the authentic cards. John Beckett is providing the model (she looks a bit like Alma Garrett from Deadwood) and Jenny Smith is going to provide the authentic female attire. I got this question from Jen this morning:

Bob,
Give me a bit of background info on Poker Alice. What class of woman was she? I can then find the appropriate top for her to wear. Sounds exciting!!!!! I love doing things like this!!!
—Jen

Jen,
Poker Alice was busted for prostitution in the 1920s and there is a famous photo of her with a cigar and no teeth, looking more like a grizzled grandma than a sexy cardsharp. Still, she is the epitome of the female gambler, has a great name, possibly looked good when she was younger, we don't know.

I want to thread the needle somewhere between fantasy and authenticity. I definitely don't want the Miss Kitty look, but I would love to have a French whorehouse Toulouse Latrec type gal, haughty and stylish but whorish nonetheless.

Probably the best fantasy image ever is that damned Soiled Dove book cover illustration. She's sexy, she's smoking, she's got a flimsy something on. What is it? So, be creative, and don't be hemmed in by being too literal. I want an authentic fantasy. I want people to look at this photograph and say, Wow! I've never seen an outfit like that before. Could that be real? Did they really wear that? Must look inside! Must buy issue! Must buy subscription! Must buy a gift subscription for everyone I know!!!

Or some version of that.

"No man is wise enough by himself."
—Plautus