Pondering a Plethora of Spectacular and Sometimes Puzzling Petroglyphs
On Friday I finally made it out to the Three Rivers Petroglyphs, a historic landmark just twenty miles down the highway from me, and an enchanting spot fondly remembered from twenty years ago when I visited this area known as the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico. Because, if you didn’t already know, I’m a […]
No Room at the Inn for Modern-Day Scrooges
I’m trying to decorate this weekend and get into some Yuletide cheer, but I’m struggling like so many Americans who actually have a heart and care about basic human decency. Unlike those who cheer on the pain and indignity incurred by others—and those who are the cause of such inhumane atrocities. Within 48 hours of […]
Writing High and Low: Smashing Subjective Takes on Fantasy Genre
Needing a break from reading horrific news and wasted hours attempting to get my laptop to recognize my printer and wanting to smash both, I read a Writer’s Digest online article, “The Appeal of Genre Smashing for Readers and Writers,” and unfortunately it also made me want to smash something. Well, perhaps my reaction wasn’t […]
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 […]