It struck me today that most of my recent photos have been of cats, various foodstuffs and other items found ’round the house, and as a consequence you may think I never leave the place. Not true.
For example, instead of hewing strictly to my deadlines, today I broke out a mud-encrusted Steelman Eurocross and went for a short ride in the sunshine, up to around Mesa and 31st, where the bike path gives some spectacular views of the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak.
Then I rolled back to the ranch and whipped out the cartoon marking my 20th anniversary of drawing same for VeloNews. And no, you can’t see it. Not unless you’re a subscriber, a buyer of newsstand copies, or patient.
Back in 1989, I was running out of rope at The New Mexican in Santa Fe and less interested in cartooning than in the VeloNews managing editor’s job. I applied for it, got an interview, and was turned down for my lack of magazine experience (12 years of newspapering as a reporter and editor was worth exactly jack shit).
But the Trio — the troika of owners, which then included Felix Magowan, John Wilcockson and David Walls — said they would have no objection to my banging out some editorial cartoons for the mag. That worked out pretty well for all of us, “us” not counting the advertisers, various functionaries at cycling’s governing bodies and anyone else with an impacted sense of humor. The Trio hired Tim Johnson as ME, and a fine job he did, too, before they airbrushed him out of the company portrait. And I got to poke fun at people for 20 years.
I wouldn’t have lasted 20 months in that ME’s job. Too much like work, don’t you know. And I’ve always been much better than Tim at pissing people off.
Late update: Speaking of work, as I reached one milestone an old friend and colleague reached another — fellow writer and copy editor Hal Walter learned today that two weeks hence his services will no longer be required at The Pueblo Chieftain. The job was beneath him, true — The Chieftain should be printed on soft, perforated rolls of tissue and hung in toilet stalls so that it may be put to the use for which it is best suited — but nevertheless it paid in American money, so Hal will be examining his options, as he has a wife, son and several dogs, cats and burros to support. You can keep up with his doings via his blog, Hardscrabble Times. Indeed they are.
Mad Blog Media 
First, we love the cat photos so don’t stop adding them. One of your cats look identical to ours so we share what’s going on there with our cat, Buddy. Secondly, the loss of newspaper jobs has affected a couple of my very close friends so I appreciate the stories of how your friends are coping. I’ve often wondered what starting over would feel like, but I’m too chicken to take the leap. Our friends on the other hand, have no choice. Will be interesting to see what happens next for all. You know what the “glass half-full” people say about when one door closes, another opens… Sharon
That’s a spectacular photo, and reminds us all of why we humans, with our inerrant way of screwing things up, are unworthy of living on Ma Earth. Good luck, Patrick.
Guess I’ll have to spring for that issue of VN to see what you did…
Meanwhile, the roads are finally clear enough to break out the cross bike and pedal my fat ass off to work without worry of ending up horizontal under an F-350.
A pessimist says the glass is half empty.
An optimist says the glass is half full.
An engineer wonders why the glass was built to 2X design specs.
Khal: concur on the photo. Go to Hardscrabble Times and check out the banner shot.
Here’s a shot that should suit everyone, cat-lovers and scenery fiends alike: the late, great Chairman Meow promenading along the rail of our deck in the Wet Mountains outside Weirdcliffe, with the Sangre de Cristos in the background.
Twenty years? You’re a freakin’ institution!
Nice photo on that link, SteveO’