Giving Thanks for Democracy Denotes Action, Not Polite Passivity
It’s been another crazy week for our nation, with many pundits weighing in. One voice in particular resonated: “In many American homes, discussion of politics has become verboten…sacrificing the value of discussion to keep the peace…We can no longer afford to permit those around us to bury their heads in the sand and pretend this […]
Republicans, Publishing & the Dearth of Professionalism
Never-ending insanity from this presidential-administration has me sickened and frustrated, especially with the absolute lack of integrity shown by those in the legal and media professions (of which I’ve both been a more ethical member, not that it’s hard) as they continue to flagrantly enable every constitutional and ethical outrage. An atrocious ongoing reality that […]
Democrats Platform Planetary Protection, Not Patriarchal Sexist Religion
I am a Democrat for many reasons, not the least of which is the Democratic party promotes environmental protection and environmental justice on its platform. You know what isn’t on the Democratic platform? Promoting a patriarchal god. And for good reason. The Founding Fathers included separation of church and state as part of the First […]
From DC to NM: Smokey Bear Evokes Childhood Nostalgia
I knew him as Smokey the Bear, the National Park Service mascot who told us kids, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires,” on Washington DC’s local radio station, WMAL. And this week I visited a place not far from my New Mexico abode, with an unexpected surprise. An endearing and nostalgia-evoking connection to my childhood […]
Wicked Awakening: Fantasy Meets Gruesome Gaslit Reality
This week I watched Wicked, Part 1, a musical fantasy film from last November, having no idea that Part 2, Wicked: For Good is set to release in less than a month on November 21. Seeing Wicked brought to mind one of my rubber stamps for paper crafting—oft mentioned in my Other Worldly series—which says, […]
No Kings: Passionate Perseverance Triumphs Petulant Pettiness
I did the No Kings thing yesterday in Alamogordo, New Mexico, proud to be part of an estimated seven million passionately patriotic Americans across the nation. And I’m so glad I didn’t let fear or cynicism stop me. Because it matters when we show up. It matters because being there brought hope, happiness, and unwavering […]
Celebrating Authors, Artists, and Southern New Mexico Local Color
Saturday was a celebration of Southern New Mexico serendipities that began with a psychedelic sunrise over the Sacramento Mountains from my own front yard, culminating in the surreal, downright otherworldly, landscape of the Organ Mountains in Las Cruces. I embraced local authors, local artists, and local color that even included a lowrider in the historic […]
If Only the Small-Minded Could Comprehend the Vastness of the Universe
As I remain painfully aware of this presidential administration’s manufactured conflicts and outright constitutional corruption taking place in various locales, including the city of Portland, OR, where I have close ties, I’m also mindful of the monumental legal ramifications of the Texas trial regarding desperate Republican gerrymandering taking place in nearby El Paso—because the now […]
A Gypsum Gift and the Gift of Friendship
Last week I visited what is now White Sands National Park as of 2019, a wonderous and, quite frankly, seemingly otherworldly gift from white gypsum located in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico, where I have also now resided four months and counting. I’d been to the park when it was still a national monument […]
Fiction As a Form of Healing Hope? Boy Howdy!
On Thursday I read an online Writer’s Digest article one week after it was posted on 9/11. Not only was “The Healing Power of Fiction: Turning Pain into Prose,” by author and peace negotiator Somia Sadiq, well-timed after a difficult two weeks, it also stood out as perhaps the most profound and validating piece ever […]