July 27, 2006
The girls are flying in tonight from Puerto Rico. Tomas and I are picking them up at terminal four at nine, then we’re retiring to the Bob Boze Bell Suite at the Westin Hotel for our annual free weekend (this is our sixth year and we have one more). For an explanation as to why it’s called The Bob Boze Bell Suite and why it's free, check out last year’s posting in the archives.

Going to meet with Bob Newman of the Westin about several BBB paintings, actually prints, that have been stolen from a pavilion (it’s outdoors), and they want to replace them.

Bob and Trish Brink are driving to Santa Fe today for a getaway. Both do so much for True West it’s not even funny.

Dan Buck Sent Me This And I Laughed Out Loud at The 2 Fast 2 Furious Capsule
They write better by writing shorter.
By Jack Shafer
Posted Tuesday, July 25, 2006, at 7:05 PM ET
www.slate.com

“If you want to write better, an old mentor of mine once said, write tighter. Pick the fewest possible words, he said, and rely on compression to make your ideas explode off the page. He wasn't thinking about the film capsules in the New York Times' daily TV listings when he shared this wisdom with me, but he could have been. Outside the Times classified pages, nobody does more with the English language with less space in the paper.

“The capsules spend 20 words—and usually fewer—to pass informed judgment on movies. Even if you never intend to watch any of the films, the capsules make for good morning reading. Consider this taut kiss-off of The Matrix Revolutions: ‘Ferocious machine assault on a battered Zion. Stop frowning, Neo; it's finally over.’ Appreciate, if you will, the efficient setup and slam of the 2 Fast 2 Furious capsule: ‘Ex-cop and ex-con help sexy customs agent indict money launderer. Two fine performances, both by cars.’ And for compression, it's hard to better the clip for the Julie Davis feature Amy's Orgasm. It warns potential viewers away with just four syllables: ‘Change the station.’"

Our Style Editor Jane Bischoff requested that I document the events I have been to where I showed off my Wrangler ensembles so she can send it to her rep and get more Wrangler clothing for me. Here’s a smattering:

• Wore Wrangler Boot Cuts and long-sleeved Wrangler shirt and tie to Golden Boot Awards in Beverly Hills, August 12, 2005. Wilford Brimley said to me, “Nice ass, son.”

• November 17-19, 2005: wore my Wrangler ensemble for two days of shooting True West Moments for the Westerns Channel. Taped in Tombstone and Tucson. The mayor in Tombstone yelled at me, “Tell the truth!” and I took this as an endorsement, or at least a statement, on my new look.

• June 2, 2006: Wore dark blue Wrangler shirt, white tie and Wrangler boot cuts as Grand Marshal of the Meade, Kansas Dalton Days Parade. Literally dozens of people turned out for this and cheered me. Well, I guess some of them waved would be a more accurate description.

• Attended the End of Trail Festival outside Albuquerque, New Mexico and was a featured speaker in the big tent. Of course I wore my Wranglers, and while speaking, slapped my ass several times exclaiming, "These puppies are free! And I know how to get more of 'em!"

• July 16-19, 2006: wore Wranglers throughout southern Arizona, and for my speech at the WOLA Convention at Sierra Vista. A top secret writer said to me while there, “Now I understand why your dogs eat your hats.”

There’s more, of course, but you get the idea (sorry Jane, I'll turn in a real one, I promise).

“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.”
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow