I'm gazing at a gorgeously vibrant Sonoran desert landscape adjacent to my friend's patio; the valley to the southeast below is a sea of city lights. Winds are gusting up to 20, 30 miles per hour. It’s election night. Seashell chimes dance and sing upon the winds’ insistence. The saguaro stands firm, the agave’s points don’t dull. But I feel dulled, I feel sad, then I feel terror. The electricity in the atmosphere, the aggressive movement of the air – how divided is this country? Can we unite in … [Read more...]
On the Precipice of History: 2016 World Series
It's twilight on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. I'm listening to Game 6 of the World Series on the radio, sitting on the back patio of my rental looking at houses for sale online and distracted by wanting to read last Sunday’s New York Times and fill out my early ballot. But, I’m transfixed on radio waves, occasionally popping in the house to watch some replays, and coming back out here to write. Through most of my life, I haven’t much cared for baseball. I played it as a kid (yes, baseball. The … [Read more...]
From The Year 2003: How Would You Categorize These Tucson Bands?
I'm working on a grad class project for LIS 515 - Information Organization - and I am dedicating my studies to KXCI. The first assignment is to: "identify a collection of resources that (a) you are very familiar and knowledgeable (b) need to be (better) organized (c) has a community of users who wish to access the resources." Amanda Shauger thought KXCI's Locals Only would be a good fit. She was right. But, I am not totally "familiar and knowledgeable" with all of the bands listed below. … [Read more...]
Once Upon A Time
Once upon a time, I was an athlete. Swimming was my sport, and I was pretty decent. I made the state competitions in fall of 1992 as part of a 4x50 freestyle relay team. At 16-years-old, swimming at the UA’s Hillenbrand Aquatic Center was a dream come true! I really didn’t know how I got there. I dismissed the daily hours of training that enabled my body to perform. But, I was used to dismissing myself. It goes with the territory when body shame and self-worth issues are implanted at an early … [Read more...]