December 11, 2009
Met Wonderful Russ and Danny Z last night for dinner down at the Keg Steakhouse in Desert Ridge. Both Russ and Danny are cancer survivors and of course I had my own scare, so we yukked it up quite a bit, although Russ and Danny got to comparing Blackberries and started texting each other at the table and then timing how long the signal had to "go to the moon and back." That in itself was funny, but you kind of have to know them. Danny is a legendary concert promoter, knows Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Bonnie Raitt, ad infititum and has photos on his iPhone of him and Sir Paul at a party. Amazing.

Lynda Grager, our subscription supervisor, often keeps me up to speed on subscriber comments, like this one:

"Glenn Allen from Richmond, VA called to subscribe today. He asked me to tell you that he really enjoys your True West Moments on the Western’s channel and to keep doing what you’re doing with the magazine and don’t let people forget the Old West no matter how modern this world gets!"

GP, Glenn Allen, GP.

Meanwhile, I worked on a raw sienna patina painting this morning. As I've mentioned before, the quest is to get an honest note without contrivance or artificiality sneaking in. Not easy to do, or, I should say, it takes skill and training and a repetitious mantra ("Shut off the left side of the brain! Do it! Shut it off! I mean it!!"). Got this semi-honest wash at about eight A.M.:

Went home for lunch and while I ate, I studied this little patina painting, imagining what it might be. Is that a stormy sky? Is it a desert wind storm? Took a crack at it and whipped out this little version:

It's the Mexicali Stud. Neat little story. Can't wait to pursue it further after we get Mickey in the can. Gee, I wonder what ol' Abbey has to say about that?

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view."
—Edward Abbey