Patronage

About once a month, if I’m on schedule, I’ll run ads for my books. Old habits. Besides, I desperately need literary representation. I was in the Half Price Bookstore, and for those unfamiliar with it, it’s a chain that originated here, or around here, or close to here, and it’s got a good business. Great place to scan the shelves for overpriced art books. Last year’s technology, books and software, and so forth.

I look through the astrology section, and there was one find, I think I wrote about this already, so I’ll skip it, about how there were notes in an astrology text. I’m glad I don’t find any of my own books there, but let’s be realistic, only one book of mine is about “astrology,” the rest are meandering tomes.

The problem with the Half-Price Bookstore (chain) is that they’re based on books that have already been sold, or the books are remainders. Remainders don’t pay royalty and don’t pay authors. I’m not an expert in contract law, never intend to be one, so I’m not going to posit that as fact, just a working hypothesis.

So shopping at the used book store is bitter-sweet.

Checking out, a blank sketchbook and a remaindered art book (one quarter the cover price), I noticed the kid working the cash register, his ink was poking out from beneath his t-shirt. I could see the Latin lettering on his right arm. I couldn’t make out the words. “Alea iacta est.” I asked. November Sagittarius. He let his sleeve fall back, obscuring the quote.

“Caesar,” he told me, “means ‘the dice have been cast.'”

Vote:

Cardinals:
I’m no football fan, that much is obvious. I am in Texas, and every year, when asked for prediction, I pick the Cowboys. That decisions is based on location, has nothing to do with reasoned, astrological art.

What I do recall, Cardinals moved to Phoenix (area) when I was in school. College. The Arizona State University stadium was where the Cardinals played, and the local college games drew more people than the pro team.

I also think some of the college players of that era were better paid than the pro team, but how much do I know?

I remember them as losers and laughing stock.