February 6, 2007
I have a head cold. I think I got it a couple weeks ago, fought it off, but it came back after the art show last Saturday out in Fountain Hills. It was for the Artistas Vaqueros group of which I'm a member and I had a grand time, talking with all the artists, especially Carlos Hadaway, who goes by the nickname "The Arizona Kid." I met a ton of people and perhaps one of those handshakes did me in. Stuffy head, tickly throat, headache, etc.

I saw a rare sight on yesterday's bike ride, a bobcat. He walked right across the road just below our house. He was about 100 yards out, but he was a muscular little fellow. I wouldn't want my dogs to tangle with that little bad boy. Later, he waltzed right across the front yard and around by the chicken house.

Speaking of the chickens, got two eggs today. I've been making up their damn little straw beds every night so J.D. won't gig me. Of course they kick it all out on the floor of the chicken condo, then poop all over the brooder. If that isn't a metaphor for having teenagers, I don't know what is.

Robert Ray called me on Saturday and told me he thought the cover was fine (Banta Fed-exed a sample cover to his house). So they went back on press in Kansas City.

Had a staff meeting this morning and played a little contest. Carole printed out all of the employees who have worked here for the past seven years (there have been 85, including Deena Bell, who sold ads briefly back in 2000) and I told the staff that the person who identifies the most ex-employees (what did they do at True West), will get a prize. Second prize will be a free lunch with me. Of course everyone asked what the first prize was, and I said, "Lunch without me." They all laughed and we bailed in. Some of the names were quite obtuse, like Atilla, which is the actual given name of one of our printers. I'm not making this up, his name is Atilla, as in the Hun. Actually a nice guy who gave us credit when no one else would. Of course, everyone got Mike Melrose (Sales Manager!), and some suprised me, like Betty Huff (only Robert Ray remembered her as Marcus Huff's wife and she worked in shipping and other capacities). Other names that stumped almost everyone were, Jay Steiner (regional sales guy), Mare Rosenbaum (editor), but Abby actually got Patty Talahongva (a Native American writer and editor). One former employee's name elicited this response: "Convicted felon!"

Robert Ray got second place and Abby Pearson gets to take a friend to lunch.

Onion Headline de Jour
How Could I Get My Wife's Funeral So Wrong?

"I always wanted a brain, so I finally married one."
—The Arizona Kid (Carlos Hadaway)