December 2, 2006
Town buzzing with activity. Took the recycling up at about 11 and there were cars parked all over library hill (they are having a book sale and at least 100 of the books they are selling are mine, or True West's). And the Cactus Shadows Booster's Christmas Tree Lot opened today on the corner of School House Road and Cave Creek Road so there are cars all over that corner.

And on our street, Sherie was putting out Luminarios for a big party she and Mike are putting on tonight (she told me quite a few pilots are coming and they need "landing lights" to guide them in).

I started a list of all the things I want to accomplish this weekend and of course, it is ridiculous, but totally befitting an ADD mind.

Yesterday Brian Label called from Cowboy Legacy and over lunch asked me if I had sold the cover to the resource guide (this is the cover painting I am embarrassed by), and when he heard the price he snatched it right up. I guess this underscores the obvious: What Do I Know About Art?

As I sat down to write my list of things to do today I documented some of it with photos. Here we go. First off I needed to load all the plastic, paper, cardboard, tin, aluminum, dark glass, light glass into the back of the Ranger (below, left). Check that off. Next I need to take the dogs for a bike ride (Note, Buddy's look: "Now Dad? Now?"). Check that off the list.



Isolate and organize all the Billy the Kid paintings for Paul Hutton's big Billy show next spring in Albuquerque (below, left). Check that off. Organize and create a scene list for mule reference on the Top Secret Project (see art desk, below, right). Not done. In fact, as you can see, it's a total mess.



Build a fire in studio stove using leftover wood from chicken condo project (see stove, below, left). Check that off. Bring in a skip loader to shovel out all the artwork behind Buddy's chair (not done)



In random order here's some of the other tasks I want to get to today:

• Cull, or answer the 359 Emails from my AOL inbox (now you know why I haven't answered your Email)

• Start the '49 Ford

• Answer "Horny?" Email from signigicant other

• Do at least 30 sketeches and studies of mules utilizing excellent mule reference shot yesterday.

• Throw away bad art (gonna need that skip loader and a back hoe)

• find out why a certain bootmaker returned the painting I sent him

Not a bad list, but one that gives me fits. I try to stay positive about it, even though I know I'll probably be carrying many of these items until way into 2007. Gee, I wonder what the Old Vaqueros have to say about this?

"In the long run, the pessimists are right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
—Old Vaquero Saying