Happy 200th Birthday Crazy AZ Grilfriend

February 14, 2012

Went into the Beast early today for an appearance at the big birthday bash at the state capital. Big stage right in front of the capitol building. Met Karl Eller (the guy in charge of raising money for this year's event), Dave Pratt, Rex Allen, Jr. was there, as was Marshall Trimble and Dolan Ellis (the three musicians are flying to Prescott Valley for two shows tonight at six, then back to the Civic Plaza for the big Fandango tonight), Sandra Day O'Connor, Ed Mell and Governor Jan Brewer (who looked at me and said, "Hey!" which is what I do when I see someone I should probably know but haven't a clue who they are).

Gave my comments at 10:45 about how in state years, Arizona is really a precocious, young teenager, prone to acting out, acting immature and throwing temper tantrums. So Happy Birthday Crazy AZ Girlfriend!

Afterwards went to the Matador for huevos rancheros ($12), then around the corner to visit my buds at the Arizona Republic (that would be Phil Boas, Ken Western, E.J. Montini and Doug MacEachern) then up to the Heard Museum to the see the new Geronimo show ($15, or $13.50 with the senior discount). Then over to La Posoleria to meet Thomas Charles, Pattarapan and Kathy for lunch, then out to Scottsdale to meet a big dog in the comic biz and then out to Paradise Valley and the art store for art supplies ($78 biz account). Got back to the office at four.

Of course, the Arizona Republic published their big Arizona Centennial Issue with mucho coverage. Here is the smei-final on my full page:

One of the jokes, above, was changed at the last minute (the HOA one) and this version doesn't have the disclaimer at the bottom, which throws a bouquet to the Phoenix New Times.

"One hundred years from now, on Arizona's bicentennial, it could be that our great-grandchildren will look back on 2012 and say that reaching the 100-year milstone was the moment Arizona recognized that maturity requires responisibility, and that we approached our second hundred years with a more settled, more cautious, more judicious approach to deportment and decision making.

"Naaaaaaaaah."

—E.J. Montini