September 28, 2005
Worked last night until around seven, tryiing to knock a hole in the massive undertaking of creating 220 tags for the artwork. Very tedious and tiring.

Left the house this morning at 6:20 A.M. to drive down into the Beast. Avoided the freeways and just went down Scottsdale Road all the way to Clear Channel Headquarters to make a morning appearance on the Tim & Willy Show. As I was ushered down the hallway, it looked like a radio version of an auto mall, with all of the Clear Channel radio stations in a row, Beth and Bill on KEZ, KOY, and on and on until we came to door number six, which houses the Hattrick Man and crew. Did three breaks, an eternity in today’s radio, and got in some good plugs for the artshow. Lots of laughs with the Boys. We go way back. Then turned around and drove back out to Cave Creek. Got to the office at about nine

Mark Boardman drove in from Indiana on Monday. He got a place out at I-17 and the Carefree Highway. Today is his first day at work. Nice to have him here. He adds another voice to the editorial mix.

We got a nice thankyou from author Richard Wheeler who won our Best of the West category for writing. He also had this to say:

“The traditional western does seem to be in a parlous state, with so many mass-market lines abandoning the field, and sales at a pathetic low. I know of one outstanding western novelist whose most recent mass-market sale was only about 6,000—this in a nation of three hundred million.

“I do believe the historical western novel will survive and may become the main source of fiction about the early West. I hope to be a part of all that. We have barely begun to tell the true story of the American West, or depict its legendary people. So here's to the future, and here's to you, True West, for all you've done.”
—Richard S. Wheeler

During a break on KNIX this morning Willy asked me if I was running for office in Prescott. I laughed. Then I got this Email when I got back to the office:

“I was in Prescott today and saw a sign that read "Reelect Bob Bell for Town Council" Is there something you are not telling us?”
—Debora Gifford

The short answer is no, but I must say there seems to be a ton of Bells cropping up all over the landscape. I have noticed that there are a whole gaggle of actors on tv shows with my last name. Just a coincidence, or evidence of a nation’s decline?

“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”
—Ray Douglas Bradbury