January 5, 2009 Bonus Blog
Last post on this site. Yes, we are moving to a more dynamic platform that is interactive. You will still be able to browse my postings since 2002 by going to http://truewest.ning.com and clicking on Blog Archive on the menu bar.

Meanwhile, let's take care of some unfinished business here:

When it rains it pours: in the Hualapais. Just got off the phone with Wally Wallapai (real name Rory Martin Majenty) who works for the Yavapai and Hualapai Tribes. Wally is related to Dehlia Majenty, who I went to school with. In the 1980s during my KSLX morning show days, we had Wally on during an infamous April Fool's show where we did a theatre of the mind "War of The Worlds" type show, the premise being that Indians had taken over Pima Road. Wally came on as a fictitious Native American activist (Wally Wallapai) and demanded reparations for all of the sins of the anglos. The show panicked many listeners, who in turn melted the Scottsdale 911 phone service. Two Scottsdale police officers came to the station and shut us down (we went to music, while the police took us to a room and interrogated us: "What were you thinking?" We weren't! We were just having fun).

As Promised: The Asmuses At Santa Claus



Last weekend I ran across a family photo of my grandparents at Santa Claus, Arizona. My father loved to drive out to this exotic little place (on Highway 93, about 12 miles north of Kingman) because they had great breakfasts. I think in this particular incident, we went after church. My grandparents, Carl and Minnie Bell were visiting from Iowa and on this trip they came with Carl's oldest sister, Annie, and her husband Lippo Asmus (an amazing, but true name, not sure I'd want to defend it on the playground). There we are, left to right: Lippo, Annie, BBB, Minnie, Bobbie (my mama), and Carl Bell. I think my dad took the photo. Behind us is my dad's 1956 two-tone Ford Fairlane. On the back of the photo it says: Taken Jan, 1959 at Santa Claus, Arizona."

Which would make it fifty years ago this month. Amazing. A half century. Of course, everyone, but me, is gone, including Santa Claus, which was a leaning wreck the last time I cruised by on the way to Vegas.

This year also marks our ten year anniversary for owning and revitalizing True West magazine (we started negotiations to buy it in April of 1999 and took over in September). When I told Robert Ray this morning, he said, and I quote, "I've never worked anywhere for ten years." He said it like he couldn't believe he got trapped here that long. Ha.

Inspired by a photo I saw in yesterday's New York Times, I noodled a study with Pat Garrett behind Billy the Kid standing near a campfire.



I like this lighting effect for a possible portrait of the two, and here's a closeup study of Garrett, looking a bit afraid of the Kid, or certainly wary:



As he should have been. And here are more sketchbook studies of Garrett:



I especially like the bottom, right-hand likeness of Garrett (taken from a photograph). These were done utilizing the great reference shots Kathy took last week. And by the way these are sketches 7,772 to 7,777. Four sevens. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Last night I did my six sketches and after a Billy the Kid sketch and a Garrett I noodled a tattered cloud effect I noticed over Continental Mountain around sunset. Not sure I nailed it, but I always learn from these exercises.

Well, this is it. We are going to a new site. All you need to do is click here and go register. See you there.

The Secret to Life (Kathy heard this on NPR):

• Want what you have.

• Do what you can.

• Be who you are.