I was visited in a dream by Hunter S. Thompson

A few nights ago, I was day-dreaming about designing a jacket on neighborhoodies.com (a really fun diversion, if you're ever so inclined). Using their design tool, I geeked out plastering a coat with quotes from Hunter S. Thompson. I decided my creation needed a typewriter and looked through the collection of clipart on the website. They didn't have a typewriter, but you have the option to upload your own image. I next turned to the internet to look for a public domain typewriter image. I found some that I liked, but all the images were copyrighted from what I could tell.

In this search, it occurred to me that maybe I should buy a jacket from an official site tied to the estate of Thompson, to benefit his family and to not rip off the words that I admired. I looked around for some official apparel but couldn't find anything that I liked and wasn't even sure that the items I saw were official anyway. And then I reflected that this whole line of thought is pretty freaking un-gonzo. I got way far up into my head thinking about this jacket and eventually gave up and went to bed.

In my dreams that night, I found myself riding shotgun in the iconic red convertible in the Californian desert "somewhere around Barstow," as the story goes. Behind the wheel was a Hunter Thompson as he looked in the early 70's, driving safely, sanely! There were no drugs and no bats. Instead, Hunter and I were having a conversation. I wasn't intimidated or nervous, and his speech was smooth and natural. We had a relaxed exchange of thoughts about intellectual property and about how all art is derivative and so no one can really rip off anyone else. He said he thought it was admirable that I would worry so much about copyrights and fair use. He was telling me, basically, not to worry about the jacket and to use whatever quotes I wanted.

Then I woke up.

Now I feel compelled to complete the jacket design since it has been sanctioned from another dimension by a vision of Hunter S. Thompson.