Muse Views

November featured artist at Tohono Chul Park Gallery-- Me!

2010-11-09T07:45:00.003-07:00

I am proud and honored to have been chosen as the November featured artist by Tohono Chul Park. A special grouping of new mosaics are on display in the park's gallery space, which is open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Although you can tour Tohono Chul Park's magnificent gardens anytime, the big event for November is Holiday Nights, November 26-27, the weekend of Thanksgiving. The park will be decorated with lights and lighted sculptures, and a holiday exhibit + the featured artist exhibit of my mosaics will be in the gallery.

Check out the Tohono Chul Park website for directions and calendar information.

Buy Local: Tucson Open Studio Tour 2010

2010-10-31T21:18:00.003-07:00

Over 200 artists are participating in the fall Tucson Pima Arts Council Open Studio Tour this weekend--November 13-14.

As usual, my midtown mosaic studio will be open both days 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. I will be showing mosaic wall hangings, mosaic shrines, jewelry, and photography.

The Open Studio Tour is a great opportunity for Tucsonans to meet local artists, visit where they work, and see demonstrations. The free, self-guided tour provides a perfect opportunity to buy unique, affordable, and locally-made gifts for the holidays. Most artists have very small businesses. Cash and checks are universally accepted. Occasionally Pay Pal and credit/debit cards are also accepted. (I accept cash, checks, and Pay Pal.)

This year's exhibit featuring the work of Open Studio Tour artists is at Tucson Jewish Community Center. An artists' reception will be held at the JCC on November 11 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. The JCC exhibit is open to the public Monday - Thursday 5:30 a.m. -10 p.m.; Friday 5:30 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Here is a link to an alphabetical list of participating artists and maps. The November issue of Zocalo magazine, which can be free around town, also has a map of the tour and a list of artists.

The Glow in Oracle, Sept. 24-25

2010-09-19T22:04:00.003-07:00

As the moon approaches fullness in the fall, you know it's time for the temperature to cool off in Tucson, it's time to think about your All Souls Procession costume, and it's time for The Glow in Oracle.

The Glow is a lighted art walk by the full moon. It is hosted by the Triangle L ranch in Oracle, Arizona. Southern Arizona artists display lighted sculptures, and local musicians provide the ambiance. This year, 50 artists and 20 musicians will be participating. My sculpture, Flower Power, will be included.

Check out the Glow website for specifics. It is a wonderful night time activity for the family. Here are links to other years: 2007, 2008, 2009.

Second 2nd Saturday is tomorrow downtown

2010-06-11T11:35:00.002-07:00

Saturday, June 12 is the second installment of a new downtown Tucson entertainment event-- 2nd Saturdays.

Fashioned after the successful Downtown Saturday Nights from the late 1980s (but with more business influence), 2nd Saturdays is a collection of free arts and music opportunities scattered around downtown. The inaugural event in May 2010 drew an estimated 10,000 people to downtown, and the organizers hope the June event will be just as popular.

From 5:30-10 p.m., 16 musical acts will perform on multiple stages around downtown, and five popular Congress Street clubs also will feature live bands. In addition, the renovated Fox Theatre will offer free admission to Creedence Again, a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover band.

Pop-up retail vendors like KXCI's CD store also will be located throughout downtown.

Who says there's nothing to do in Tucson in the summer? Bring the family and come downtown for some fun tomorrow.

This article originally appeared in my Baby Boomer Examiner column.

Tohono Chul Park A to Z

2010-05-19T06:34:00.005-07:00

Tohono Chul Park-- a desert garden oasis on the northwest side of Tucson-- is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

To commemorate this event, a new exhibit opens in the gallery on May 20-- Tohono Chul Park A to Z. Each piece of artwork represents a letter of the alphabet and a unique characteristic of the park.

I'm proud to say that three of my mosaics will be included in this exhibit. For the letter S, I will be showing two companion pieces: Sunny Days and Starry Nights (above). For the letter T (for tree), I will be showing Palo Verde-- Arbol de Flores (below).

The artists' reception will be Thursday, May 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The show will run from May 20 to October 3, 2010.

Bohemia Opens New Store on 4th Ave.

2010-04-21T17:48:00.004-07:00

Tomorrow-- Thursday, April 22-- Bohemia will be opening a new store at 417 N. 4th Ave.

In case you have been living under rock and have never been to Bohemia, it has been voted the best gift shop/gallery in Tucson for several years in the Tucson Weekly's Best of Tucson Poll. Unlike many gift shops in Tucson, Bohemia carries only goods made by artists-- no Chinese imports!

Bohemia's Art Bodega will be part of The Little Village on 4th Avenue. The Little Village is compromised of Bohemia, Cafe Passe, and two new businesses. The Little Village will be a great stop for coffee, gifts, art, curiosities and a little chow.

The opening celebration will be from 6-10pm and will include an amazing music line-up! The Tryst, The Awkward Moments, Hans Hutchison, Fell City Shouts and more will perform on two stages. It going to be a rockin' night! The featured artists in the cafe gallery are Liz Vaughn and Gavin Troy!

I'm pleased to say that my mosaics will be showing at the Bohemia's Art Bodega--in addition to their main store on Broadway Blvd.

Nourish your little piece of the desert with rainwater harvesting

2010-03-02T08:00:00.002-07:00

Five years ago I bought a 740-square-foot dump in midtown Tucson with a large yard full of goat head burrs and Bermuda Grass. Maybe I was a victim of too many episodes of HGTV design shows, but my plan was to transform this territorial adobe into a cute little home with a yard full of desert-friendly plants, fruit trees, and a vegetable garden-- all irrigated with rain water and grey water.

In 2007, the first phase of my remodel was to add a master bedroom suite, utility room, and covered patio-- increasing the house to a modest 1240 square feet. The second phase-- which began in 2007 and is continuing-- was to capture rain water and transform the wasteland that was my yard into a garden retreat. (The attached slide show details this process in photos.)

Before I started the process, I attended a rainwater harvesting workshop at Stone Curves Co-housing. I spent two weekends digging trenches and installing a cistern with the help of local rainwater harvesting guru Brad Lancaster, landscapers from Technicians for Sustainability, and other volunteers.

Armed with new how-to knowledge, the first step was to design my addition to divert rain water to a future cistern. The entire roof of my home and the addition was sloped toward one scupper on the west side of the house. The patio roof was slanted toward the trees on the east side of the yard.

The second phase was digging-- lots of digging. I dug large tree wells around three major trees, a pomegrante bush, and a desert hackberry in my backyard. I even dug in the rain, which is a curiously refreshing exercise in the summer. It also gives you a very clear idea of where the water is and where it goes once you start digging.

The third phase was to hire a contractor to install gutters, downspouts, and drainage pipe on the patio. Initially, three of the trees were watered with grey water from a washer in a shed in the back, and the other two were watered with runoff from the patio roof.

The fourth phase in January 2010 was to finally install a 900+ gallon cistern, dig a cistern overflow ditch, and add more gutters on my out buildings. With all of the rain that we have this winter, it has been very exciting to watch the cistern fill up repeatedly and overflow into the ditch, carrying the water to other trees. It's also been rewarding to plant bedding flowers and know that I am not wasting city water when I care for them.

The final phase will be to attach the cistern to my existing drip irrigation system and to plant fruit trees this spring and maybe a garden after the summer heat.

Using rainwater and grey water helps our desert environment by allowing you to use less ground water, thus reducing your environmental footprint. If you want to learn more about the process, I highly recommend that you read Lancaster's book, attend a workshop, and buy a good shovel.

'Art that Heals' Opening at Tohono Chul Gallery

2010-02-26T07:30:00.001-07:00

Art the Heals is the theme for Tohono Chul Park's upcoming show, which will open on March 11 and runs through May 16. Exhibit organizers received more than 400 entries for the juried show and chose 72 pieces--including my mosaic shrine "Letting Go Is True Freedom" (above).

The gallery will host an opening artists' reception on March 11, 2010 from 5:30 - 7:30. Tohono Chul has a reputation for high-quality exhibits featuring local artists. Stop by the park for the art and a show of spring flowers in the gardens.

Spring Open Studio Tour

2010-02-16T07:36:00.006-07:00

The Spring Open Studio Tour will be March 13-14 this year, and my midtown studio will be open both days from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. I'll have dozens of new mosaic designs, photo greeting cards, and beaded jewelry for sale. As a show special, I'm offering earrings and selected necklaces as 2 for the price of 1. Cash, check, and Pay Pal accepted.

More than 100 artists will be participating in the tour. The list of artists is online and will be printed in the March issue of Zocalo Magazine.

The Studio Tour is a great way to support local art and Tucson's economy. Buying direct from artists is very affordable because you will not be paying gallery consignment fees or show costs. Stop by my studio and say "hi".

Tucson Examiner: Do More with Less

2010-01-04T21:49:00.007-07:00

How can we live better in tough economic times? Try doing more with less. In my most recent Examiner article, I give suggestions for simpler lifestyles and ideas for creating useful items (like the yard light pictured here) from discarded items.

Cascabel Community Fair 2009

2009-12-11T07:11:00.005-07:00

The Cascabel Community Festival was last weekend. Cascabel is a ting community along the San Pedro River, east of Tucson and north of Benson. This was my fourth year as a vendor, but I have been to Cascabel many, many times since the early 1980s. Here is a story about Cascabel in the Tucson Examiner.

Tucson Examiner: 'As Is' Art Yard Sale at Central Arts Gallery's new location

2009-12-01T21:29:00.003-07:00

Central Arts Gallery moved out of its Congress street location last weekend. This weekend, it will reopen at its new location in the Citizen's Warehouse. Here is a link to an Examiner article about CAG's first event in its new home-- "As Is Art Yard Sale."

Tucson Examiner: What Is Our Shared Vision for Downtown Tucson?

2009-11-29T12:47:00.003-07:00

Downtown Tucson has gone through several boom and bust cycles since I moved here in 1981. In the past week, three galleries on Congress Street closed their doors--Dinnerware Artspace, Central Arts Gallery, and Rocket Gallery. A sign of a bad economy? No, they were all viable art enterprises. These three galleries, Tooley's coffee shop, and three other businesses are closing their storefronts on Congress to make way for a sports bar. To read more, check out my story in the Tucson Examiner.

Wind Dancer Design One-Day Sale - Central Arts Gallery

2009-11-20T19:59:00.004-07:00

On Saturday, November 21, I will be having a one-woman special show at Central Arts Gallery from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The exhibit will feature my jewelry and mosaic designs. All earrings will be buy-one-get-one-free.

Central Arts Gallery is located at 274 E. Congress St. There is free parking on the street and in back of the gallery. Come on down! Buy local this holiday season.

Tucson Examiner: Swinging in the Old Pueblo

2009-10-13T08:05:00.005-07:00

Anyone who has followed this blog knows that I am an avid dancer and that I have been dancing all of my life. have written several posts about dancing in Tucson.

Last week I posted just two articles on Examiner.com about dancing venues in Tucson-- an article about the Tucson Swing Dance Club and an article about Mr. Boogie Woogie.

Here we are dancing to Mr. Boogie Woogie last Friday night. He is a phenomenal boogie woogie piano player from The Netherlands. He'll be in Tucson until mid-November. Check out the Examiner article for a link to his schedule.

Tucson Examiner: Are You Ready for Halloween?

2009-10-06T17:34:00.005-07:00

Halloween is not just a day in Tucson, it's a season! Are you ready? Here are some costume tips for adults in my latest article in the Tucson Examiner.

Put on Your Art Walkin' Shoes

2009-10-02T06:50:00.005-07:00

Put on your art walkin' shoes for two major art walks this weekend-- The Glow in Oracle and The Big Picture in Tucson.

The Glow is a lighted art walk by the full moon. Artists primarily from Oracle and Tucson exhibited lighted sculpture for the walk. In addition to the art, there will be outdoor music venues. Check out the website like for photos from past years, including my La Mano Mas Poderosa mosaic shrine from last year. The Glow is Friday and Saturday night from 7 - 11 p.m. at the Triangle L Ranch. Two of my shrines-- Letting Go and Here Comes the Sun-- will be shown in the Adobe Gallery. I also have a number of pieces in the Triangle L Gift Shop.

The Big Picture is Saturday night from 6-10p.m. in downtown Tucson. More than a dozen Central Tucson Gallery Association member galleries will be open-- including Central Arts Gallery, where my work will be showing. Check out the CTGA website link for a list of member galleries. Now that the 4th Avenue underpass is open, it's much easier and safer to visit the galleries along 6th Street, as well as those along Congress Street.

Be aware that Club Crawl is also happening downtown on Saturday night. For those of you who like art and music-- this is a perfect. For people who want to bypass the music, some galleries on Congress may have their back doors, allowing access from the parking lots south of Congress.

True Stories Opens at Central Arts Gallery

2009-09-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

True Stories, the latest exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, opens this Saturday, October 3, with an artists' reception from 6-9 p.m.

It will be a big night in downtown Tucson with the Club Crawl and the Central Tucson Gallery Association gallery tour. If you don't want to buy a wrist band for the music, come early for the gallery scene. Or, if you're into music and art, downtown is the place to be this Saturday night with multiple art galleries and multiple music venues.

At Central Arts Gallery, I am exhibiting a collage of 10 environmental photos entitled True Stories from Earth. Sunset on the Andes (above) and other images from Hawaii, Colombia, Colorado, and Arizona are included. The Earth's true story is one of diversity, survival, interdependence, resilience, death, and renewal. It's our responsibility to teach this story to future generations.

Tucson Examiner: Is Sex Becoming Too Expensive?

2009-09-27T13:03:00.001-07:00

$1500 per year for sex? Is sex too expensive? Read my latest article in the Tucson Examiner and learn what you can do about it.

Tucson Examiner: Gloves and hankies: lessons from the 1918 flu pandemic

2009-09-25T09:09:00.001-07:00

Will the H1N1 flu be as bad as the 1918 influenza pandemic? Who knows? Here are some flue prevention tips from my Grandma, pictured here with Grandpa. They survived the 1918 flu.

Tucson Examiner: Drinking Liberally

2009-09-16T08:02:00.001-07:00

If you're interested in progressive issues, Drinking Liberally is the place to be in Tucson on a Thursday night. Check out my article on Drinking Liberally in the Tucson Examiner.

Tucson Examiner: You Know You're a Baby Boomer When...

2009-09-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to a humorous top 20 list about Baby Boomers and old hippies. I wrote this for the Tucson Examiner. Feel free to forward and comment; I know there are items that I forgot. Several readers have already added more items. Enjoy.

Tucson Examiner: Art in downtown Tucson this weekend

2009-09-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

There are several great art events happening in downtown Tucson this weekend (September 11-12). Here is a link to an article I wrote for the Tucson Examiner.

I recently joined the staff of Examiner.com, a national citizen journalism project. Look for more Examiner posts on Muse Views in the future.

Celebrate the Underpass with Underground Art

2009-08-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

It seems as if the 4th Avenue underpass has been under construction forever!

This Thursday, August 20, hundreds of Tucsonans will celebrate the opening of the wider, brighter underpass which will reconnect 4th Avenue and Congress Street.

The Central Arts Gallery invites everyone to celebrate the opening of the underpass with Underground Art.

Express yourself by creating your own underground art. Central Arts Gallery will set up tables on the sidewalk in front of the gallery at 274 E. Congress St. from 3:30 - 7 p.m. The gallery is providing paper, markers, crayons, poster paint, and sidewalk chalk; you provide your creativity and ideas.

How do you feel about the 4th Avenue underpass finally opening? How do you feel about downtown? About art downtown? About construction downtown? How is all of this change affecting your life? This is your opportunity to express your joy, sadness, frustration, fear, excitement, whatever in words or pictures.

Underground Art created at this event will be hung in a special display at Central Arts Gallery through September 5. It will be displayed concurrently with Erotic Stimulus Package, the gallery’s latest show. Underground Art created by Central Arts Gallery members also will be exhibited.

Trash Can in Paradise, Pahoa, Hawaii (above) is one of my photographs which will be in the Underground Art exhibit.

Erotic Stimulus Package

2009-08-01T10:04:00.001-07:00

Erotic Stimulus Package-- the latest exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery-- opens Saturday, August 1 and runs through September 26.

Four of my photographs, including: Holding On (above), Afternoon Repose, Thursday Morning, and Bound for Love are included in the show.

As an extra treat, CAG artists will be serving banana splits at the opening from 6-9p.m.

The Leonine Life: Light My Fire!

2009-07-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Tucson's fourth Ignite Tucson event will be this Thursday, July 30.

For those of you who missed my February presentation on Lovers I've Never Met, you'll have a chance this week to see my new presentation on The Leonine Life-- honoring the sun in Leo. It will include some tips on getting along with the King of Beasts and tidbits about international and local celebrity Leos.

IGNITE Tucson is an evening of 5 minute Power Point presentations on innovative topics. The last event was a blast. There were several humorous presentations mixed in with a few serious ones. Ignite Tucson will be 7-8:30pm at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. in downtown Tucson. For a $5 donation, you get an evening of eclectic entertainment and all the popcorn you can gobble. If you're thirsty, there's a cash bar.

Come downtown and celebrate the sun-- and my birthday!

Chubasco: Water, Water Everywhere!

2009-07-23T07:43:00.002-07:00

The Chubasco! exhibit will open at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop on Saturday, July 25. This annual show celebrates the monsoon season in Tucson. My photograph-- Watercourse Way-- will be among those on exhibit. I took this picture on the beach in Playa Blanca, Colombia.

The artists' reception is 7-10 p.m. at Raices, 218 E. 6th Street on July 25. Many of the artists will be in attendance-- moi aussi. Who knows? Maybe it will rain for the occasion! Come on down and check out a gallery-full of art on the theme of water, rain, and monsoons. Food and drinks will be available by donation. Support the arts in Tucson!

Chubasco! will run from July 25 - September 12, 2009.

Blogger in Paradise, part 2

2009-07-18T09:48:00.001-07:00

I'm back from Hawaii, but there is a lot more to say about the trip-- the 2 sides of the Big Island, the surf, the turtles, Japanese fashion in Honolulu-- and many more photos. I swear I'll post more once I get my photo collection straightened out.

For now, check out my facebook Hawaii album!

Blogger in Paradise, part 1

2009-07-01T17:09:00.002-07:00

Greetings from Hawaii-- where time means nothing and I've forgotten what day of the week it is.

I arrived in Honolulu last Friday (June 26) and met up with Alex and her friends Stephanie (who lives in Tucson) and Rachel (who lives in Honolulu). Rachel was gracious enough to let us stay in her tiny Honolulu apartment for a few days while we explored Waikiki (above) and Waimanalo Beaches (below).
Here is Alex strolling out to the Pacific Ocean with a boogie board. At right, we're waiting for the bus to take us to the beach.Waikiki was nice, but strewn with tourists snapping photos and watching the locals surf and boogie board. Waimanolo was much prettier and less crowded-- far more locals than tourists.

On Sunday, we flew into Hilo Airport on the Big Island, where I rented a house for 10 days. The house looked gorgeous on the Internet. It is very pretty and well-appointed in real life but also very close to the lava flow-- which is probably why it was so cheap to rent and also probably why there is a for sale sign in the front yard. The location was not what I had expected; I really wanted a view of the water from the porch. The only view of the ocean is from the second story meditation room-- and only if you're standing up. (This seems like a real architectural mistake. It's a great meditation room, but while you're seated, all you see is the wall.) The house is very comfortable and the location-- at the edge of the lava--is very quiet. It was a bit disconcerting when we first drove to Kalapana and found the road blocked with lava and an "enter at your own risk" sign. I haven't walked out to the lava flow yet, but my vacation mates have.

Our first day here-- after we found the house-- we went to the drumming circle on Kehena Beach, a black sand clothing-optional beach. (I was really surprised to see so many clothes on the clothing optional beach but whatever.) The drum circle was the quintessential old hippie meets young hippie experience. There were probably 20 or more drummers and other percussionists plus some random other musicians-- one guy on a flute, one on the ukulele, and one on trumpet. Alex and I and a few other women danced around some while they played and others watched the drumming, the dancing, and the ocean waves.

The drumming started to wind down as the sun began to set, so we decided to try to find the Hare Krishna Farm for the regular Sunday night feast, gathering and inspirational message. Again, we drove and drove, but finally stumbled upon the right one-lane country road to take us there. I wish I had had my camera for these two events, but I didn't think pictures would be appropriate.

The kirtan was awesome! I had always wanted to go to one of those in Tucson but have never made it. The Krishna band -- led by the main guru singing and playing guitar-- really rocked. In addition to the guitar player, there was an Indian woman on electric keyboard, an electric guitarist, a ukulele player, and a conga player. The guru led the all-ages crowd in several call and response chants. Everyone danced, swayed, hopped and/or meditated to the music which filled the room. There were a couple of short prayers-- with everyone kneeling with our heads touching the floor-- and a short Krishna lesson about karma, past lives, and the unity of all living things. (It went right along with the Buddhist Tantra book that I had just finished.) Afterwards, we had a giant vegan feast-- lentils, rice, greens, homemade pizza, chocolate cake, and water. I was stuffed. Alex introduced Stephanie and me to Guru Greg (who has a Krishna name which I have forgotten and probably couldn't spell anyway). He and King Coconut-- one of the main men in the drumming circle-- both remembered her from when she lived here six years ago.

On Monday, we went to the warm pond to swim in the morning. It was a luxurious thermal pond right off the ocean. After swimming, we went to Big Ed's Farm, where Alex lived for six months, six years ago. That was an eye-opener. Since she ran out of batteries not long after arrival, I had not seen many pictures of the place. If you look up "rustic" in Wikipedia, there will be a picture of The Farm. It is basically acreage of weeds, trees, lean-tos, and abandoned vehicles. People find The Farm through Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOFing). The idea behind WWOOFing is that people volunteer to work on organic farms in exchange for room and board-- no pay. There doesn't seem to be much work going on on Ed's Farm. Mostly college students hang around and live on meager rations until they're tired of eating rice, beans, and mangoes, taking showers with a hose, washing their clothes by hand, and swatting flies by day and mosquitoes by night. A rustic lifestyle in paradise is an experience that they will talk about for the rest of their lives, though. (Above, Alex and Stephanie pose in The Farm's open-air kitchen.)

After The Farm, we went to Lava Tree National Park, which was very beautiful but paled in comparison to the farming adventure and swimming in the warm pond. We ended the day with a drink a a dive bar in downtown Pahoa.

Renewal and Evolution

2009-06-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 6 marked the one year anniversary of the Central Arts Gallery, a cooperative gallery in downtown Tucson. The new exhibit, Renewal, marks the culmination of a year of ups and downs. Although the gallery membership has changed several times during the year, a core group of artists--who are now friends-- has kept the gallery alive and fostered its evolution. I'm proud to say that I am a member of that core group and proud of what Central Arts Gallery has accomplished this year. It hasn't always been easy-- far from it-- but it has been rewarding.

I have three photographs in the Renewal show: "Watercourse Way, Playa Blanca, Colombia,""Still Live on the Beach, Playa Blanca, Colombia" (above), and "Abundance, Pinos Altos, New Mexico." I also have a few pieces on the Small Works Wall: "Bano en Paraiso, Playa Blanca, Colombia"(at right), "Wandering, San Carlos, Mexico," and "Flow with Me."

Renewal will be at Central Arts Gallery, 274 E. Congress, in Tucson from June 6 - July 25, 2009. (My apologies to Spanish speakers. I couldn't figure out how to do a tilde on blogger.)

Mujeres Exhibit Opens at Raices

2009-05-01T07:53:00.001-07:00

The Fifth Annual Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres exhibit will open at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop tomorrow, May 2. This is always a great show with many eclectic works by women artists. I have been attending this exhibit for years, but this is the first time my artwork has been included.

Nude Blinds will be at Raices from May 2 through June 13. The opening is Saturday evening from 7-9 p.m. The work of more than 40 Southern Arizona women artists will be included in the show. Come down and see what the gurlz have to offer.

Saturday is also the First Saturday Central Tucson Gallery Association Art Walk. In addition to Raices, my work also will be showing at the Central Arts Gallery, where The Same Story exhibit continues through June. Follow the CTGA link here for a list of member galleries. Most-- in not all-- will be open Saturday night for the art walk.

Mom, President Obama, and Corporate America say, "Wash Your Hands"

2009-05-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

A good capitalist can always find a way to make a buck-- even at the beginning of a worldwide pandemic. For the past week, the swine flu has been all the rage in the news-- new cases popping up in different countries and dozens of deaths in Mexico, where it may have originated. On the news, you see people trudging along the streets wearing masks.

Today, in my e-mail box I received a three-day coupon for anti-bacterial hand soap from Bath and Body Works. The headline -- in hot pink-- read: Mom says, "Wash Your Hands!" Of course, the ad is capitalizing on two events-- Mother's Day (next week) and the flu.

How clever of them to turn this problem (a potential worldwide pandemic) into a marketing opportunity. Although they're not using any scare-tactics about the flu specifically in their ad, the "wash your hands" mantra is being repeated continuously by the media and public officials. The only scare tactic in the ad, really, is the short-term lifespan on the coupon (three days)-- buy now!

I must admit, I did print out the coupon, and maybe, I'll wander past a mall sometime in the next three days and take advantage of the sale. I really like Bath and Body Works lotion-- smells great and has a really rich texture-- but I almost never buy it because it's soooooooo expensive.

I didn't go for the online shopping suggestion in the ad. Who buys hand lotion or hand soap online? I want to smell it and touch it-- duh. Also, I'm a cheapskate. I don't like to pay for shipping, and in order to get free shipping, you have to buy $65 worth. That's a heck of a lot of lotion and soap. Who would do this? Maybe, if you're a guy with several sisters, daughters, ex-wives, and/or girlfriends-- who all happen to be moms-- this would be a good deal. You could polish off your Mother's Day shopping with a few clicks and not have to leave your computer. No last minute trips to Fry's next Sunday to grab a bouquet and a Happy Mothers' Day balloon!

Normally that would be the end of this clever post, but I just looked at my e-mail again. Not to be outdone by Bath and Body Works, I just received an ad from Victoria's Secret for lotion (no anti-bacterial soap). At VS-- again a three-day coupon-- and for $50, you can get free shipping.

Now the question is: do you want to buy $65 of lotion + antibacterial soap OR $50 of lotion + stylish clothes and fancy lingerie for Mom? And if you procrastinate, you can always go to Fry's next Sunday. They'll have plenty of flowers on hand.

Carbon Neutral: Waste Not, Want Not

2009-04-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow-- April 22-- is Earth Day. It's one day a year when some of us think about the Earth, what humankind is doing to it, and how to ameliorate the impact of civilization on our environment. We used to manufacture goods in the US, but we have become a country of debit-ridden consumers. Waste and hyper-consumerism have been taking a toll on our environment for decades. Now, our current economic crisis has brought to light the folly of our wasteful, short-term, profit-oriented, consumer-driven lifestyle. Maybe this crisis is a good thing? As a country, maybe we needed a womp upside the head to wake us up?

To celebrate Earth Day and demonstrate art can be created from items that most people would discard as junk, Dinnerware Artspace is hosting the Carbon Neutral exhibit.

I have submitted a few pieces for this show:
- Lighting the Way (above) is a sculpture made from discarded solar tubes (from my home remodel in 2007), shapely Trader Joe's soup cans, and LED light rope.

- Re-cycle is a mobile made from bicycle parts and other seemingly useless metal do-dads.

- Tiles of Tiles (below) is a three part tile piece made from discarded porcelain, terracotta, and natural stone floor tiles. It can be used as a trivet or a table top, or it can be mortared into a wall or floor.

- Last but not least is a quilt that I made from old blue jeans. With a blue jean top and a flannel remnant backing, this is by far the warmest quilt I've ever made.

The opening artists' reception for Carbon Neutral is Wednesday, 5-8 p.m., and the show runs through Saturday, April 25. I guarantee the show will open your eyes to new uses of items you may be discarding.

Downtown: The Same Story But Not the Same OLD Story

2009-04-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

Downtown will be hopping tomorrow night, with many galleries will be open for the Central Tucson Gallery Association's First Saturday event.

Here are a few gallery highlights for Saturday evening, April 4.

The Same Story opens at the Central Arts Gallery, on Congress St., tomorrow with an artists' reception from 6-9 p.m. I have three threesomes (photos, not performance art pieces-- tee hee) in this show: Wild Thing, I Think You Move Me is dance in motion; Caution: Drummers warns of the perils of dating drummers; and Downtown is a funky tribute to downtown Tucson.

I peeked at the show before it was hung, and there is a wide range of art, as usual. A few artists have chosen this theme to make political statements. Carlos Encinas' Dollar Store Art display presents a sarcastic view of the cheap-is-good mentality. Patrick McCardle's portrait of President Obama being threatened by a snarling bulldog is thought-provoking when you consider the pervasive in-fighting in Washington, DC. The Central Arts Gallery show will also feature an art raffle.

Pollos de Pueblo continues at Dinnerware Artspace on Congress St.. If you were too cheap to pay $5 to see the chickens last Saturday, you can check out this fun show for free on April 4, the closing day. This is a fun show with many eclectic interpretations of the theme.

Fuerte continues at Raices Taller 222, on 6th Street. This show commemorates Cesar Chavez's birthday, which was March 31. The Raices event starts at 5 p.m. with a "Pay the Rent" potluck.

Many of Tucson's galleries are struggling to keep their doors open these days. Please help Tucson's artists keep our art scene alive by buying art, attending events that request a modest entry fee, or simply throwing a few bucks in a donation jar. Every little bit helps.

This is only a small sample of exhibits that will be open. I hope you will take a stroll downtown-- along Congress and 6th Streets-- to enjoy our lovely spring weather and Tucson's vibrant art scene.

Close Up the Honky Tonks-- Not

2009-03-30T19:42:00.001-07:00

I began dancing in honky tonks at a very young age. My parents were both dancers. In fact, they met on a blind date at a big band swing dance in the 1940s at the Cedar Point ballroom and danced together for 40+ years until my father moved on-- to that big ballroom in the sky.

I can remember being 3 or 4 years old and going to the bar with my father and my brother who was a babe in arms. He and some of his friends were laid off-- during a past recession. My mother had gone back to work to help support the family, and Dad was our caretaker. On occasion, in the afternoon, Dad would pack us into the Chevy and go downtown for a beer-- well, probably more than one. Dad laid Jim-- wrapped up in his baby blanket-- on the bar, and I socialized with the bar flies. The geezers at the bar would give me money for the juke box. I would punch in the numbers and dance around the bar. (This begs several questions. 1) Is this how I learned my letters and numbers? Play C17, Pammie! 2) What was my favorite song? Elvis? Johnny Cash? Karl Perkins? There was a lot of great music back in the mid-1950s. 3) Did God make honky tonk angels? Or not? 4) Was I born to be a honky tonk woman?)

My parents used to have dance parties in the late 1950s and early 1960s in our basement-- a cool place in more ways than one-- or at my Aunt Nan's place "at The Lake." (Lake Erie, that is). When the parties were at our house, my cousins and I would sneak down the cellar steps to watch our parents dance, drink, and smoke cigarettes. Since the Powers/Fox descendants are English/Irish (respectively), there was always a bar set up at the dance parties. The favorite of the Powers clan was bourbon (most likely from Kentucky-- like Jim Beam or Heaven Hill) + whatever mixer they had (probably Pepsi). "The cousins" were supposed to be sleeping, but hello, who could sleep with all of that loud music? Since I was the oldest cousin, I most likely led the other six astray. (I gotta find those pictures of my parents, aunts, and uncles swing dancing.)

After my Dad passed, Mom said her dancing days were over, but I hope my she still dances around the living room when she plays He'll Have to Go or her Patsy Cline 8 track tapes.

Anyone who knows me or has read this blog knows that I dance at least twice a week-- usually more. You name it, I dance it-- east coast swing, west coast swing, blues dancing, multiple varieties of two-step, waltz, salsa, merengue, bachata, villanato, cha-cha, free style-- even the polka (which I was born to dance, since I am half German and grew up in Northern Ohio).

In recent years, I have really gotten into going to The Maverick-- one of the best honky tonks in Tucson, as far as I'm concerned. Growing up, I was not into country music-- at all. Although I remember my father playing Johnny Cash on the record player in the late 1950s, country, bluegrass, and, of course, polka, were were totally un-cool in the 1960s. For me, music was the Rolling Stones, The Doors, and Chicago blues (especially Paul Butterfield) back then. In the 1970s, I remember listening to Merle Haggard some. (Us hippies got a kick out of I'm Proud to Be an Okie from Muskogee. And I'll let you imagine what we did while singing along!)

I really developed a taste for country and western music when I worked in Benson in the early 1980s and could get only the Benson radio station (KAVV-- The Cave) or the Wilcox station on the radio in my office. Listening to The Cave every day, I began to appreciate country music-- for the danceable beat and the creative lyrics. Now, of course, I get my country fix at The Maverick, the Cactus Moon (now that Robert Moreno is there), and on KXCI-- particularly Rose Lady's show.

Recently, I purchased a wonderful CD-- Dwight Sings Buck-- Dwight Yoakum, that is. This is a great CD of classic country songs. I love his rendition of Close Up the Honky Tonks. Unfortunately, Dwight-- or most likely his record label-- doesn't want to share, so I can't embed it. I really like his version, but I take issue with the way the honky tonk woman is portrayed in this video. Hello, she should be wearing jeans.

In some ways, this song reminds me of my dancing girlfriends and myself, but I believe that any one of us would turn in the honky tonk dancin' for a steady dance partner.

Pollos de Pueblo

2009-03-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 28, Dinnerware Artspace will host Pollos de Pueblo-- an eclectic art event loosely based on chickens-- chickens themselves, chicken dinners, chicken legs, chicken feathers, chicken feet, chicken dance-- you name it-- maybe even chicks in feather boas. Who knows?

Initially, I wasn't going to enter this show. As George Constanza would say, "Chickens? I got nothin'." But when I heard that the topic would be "broadly interpreted", I decided to submit my recent photograph entitled "Eggheads" (above). These are cascarones.

Pollos de Pueblo will run from March 28 - April 4 at Dinnerware. For more details, check out the Dinnerware website or the story in Thursday's Caliente, which I can't link it because the Star won't let me! (Haven't they heard that the web is all about sharing?)

Rumor has it some live chickens from Dunbar Springs will make a guest appearance at the opening on March 28, from 6-9pm. This may be the first time in 100 years that real chickens have walked the streets of downtown Tucson. Don't miss it!

Any, while you're downtown, stop by the Central Arts Gallery (just east of Dinnerware) and catch the closing night of Spirit's Journey. (I'll be at both places.)

Lovers I've Never Met

2009-02-26T17:58:00.001-07:00

Friday evening, February 27, is the third Ignite Tucson, and I'm going to give one of the presentations. My topic-- Lover's I've Never Met-- focuses on men whom I've met online but have never met in person. For the most part, I've never even seen pictures of them, but, based upon common interests, we have formed friendships in cyberspace.

During the past year, I have met dozens of men and women online and have dated several-- men, that is. What did I learn from my year of online dating? Here are some random thoughts on cyber love...

You Don't Have to Pay to Play. There are many ways to meet interesting people online (eg, blogging, listservs, social networking) without joining a dating site with a monthly fee. Investigate before you offer your credit card number.

Profiles. You really don't have to write much of a profile to get dates. In fact, a great picture or two and a few, well-chosen words is all you need. Depending upon what type of person you are seeking, you should carefully choose a screen name and a headline for your profile. I found that leaving everything else the same, I got different responses by playing around with these seemingly minor profile components.

Lies. Both men and women lie on their profiles. I read a research article in the New York Times about a study of social networking and online dating websites. It said that men lie about their height and age, while women lie about their weight. Being the naive and trusting person that I am, when I first started participating in online dating (again) a year ago, I was surprised how many younger men were corresponding with me. Eventually, I found out they weren't younger at all; they were just lying about their ages. One guy I dated even lied about his astrological sign. Now I study the photos and don't pay any attention to the listed age. A hint to the guys: if the woman has big '80s hair in her profile photo, it's most likely a photo from the '80s.

Chemistry. What is that little sparkle that you see in one person's eyes but not in another's? Chemistry goes beyond the physical and the intellectual, in my opinion, and into the primal realm. There is some hidden attraction that I feel for some men (or women) but not others. It is inexplicable but real. Unfortunately, online chemistry doesn't always translate to in-person chemistry.

Compatibility. Chemistry may get you into bed with someone, but for anything more than a few dates, a basic compatibility in lifestyles is necessary. Being an old hippie, I try to be accepting of others-- regardless of their social class, education, religion, race, sexual orientation, or ice cream flavor, BUT accepting them for who they are doesn't mean I want to have an intimate relationship with them.

Alternative Lifestyles. For years, social conservatives have been wringing their hands about gay marriage and trying to demonize gays and Lesbians and separate them from the mainstream as "different from us". Well, I'm here to tell the Bible-thumpers in Kansas that there are LOTS of other lifestyles that are "different" from yours! I was married for 18 years, so I figured I had some things to learn about dating when I emerged back on the scene, but I had no idea there were so many combinations of relationships out there.

Emotional Unavailability. This is a concept that I have experienced many times in my dating life but didn't have a label for until recently. During the past year, I've met (online and in person) a number of men who are available to just about anyone physically but emotionally available to no one. By the time one reaches my age, you know many people -- both men and women-- who have had unhappy relationships and/or marriages that have taken psychological tolls on them, leaving them very wary of involvement. It is my hope that these people continue to grow past their hurt.

Be Realistic and Be Yourself. Often people jump into relationships with the first person who pays attention to them, they latch onto that person, and they pretend they are someone else to gain acceptance. Not a good idea. One of the most important lessons I have learned is to be myself. I accept myself and my body, and I believe I project this self-confidence. I don't hide my true self, and I hope the people whom I meet are not hiding their true selves either.

The Four Agreements. This is a great book, and I think the basic agreements are helpful in developing any type of relationship: be true to your word; don't take anything personally; assume nothing; and always do your best.

Wandering Through Dreams: on Congress Street

2009-02-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

Spirit's Journey, the latest exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, will open this coming Saturday, February 7, 2009, with an artists' reception from 6-9 p.m.

Two of my pieces will be included in this show: Wandering Through Dreams (pictured here) and La Mano Mas Poderosa mosaic shrine. I'm proud to say that both of them are on display in the windows of the gallery. I'm also exhibiting jewelry and smaller clay pieces at the gallery for this show, which runs through March 28.

The Central Arts Gallery opening is just one of many scheduled for this Saturday downtown. Many galleries along Congress Street and 6th Street will be open this weekend as part of the Art Safari, organized by the Central Tucson Gallery Association. So, if you missed seeing Bound for Love at the opening of the Amores Perros erotic art show two weeks ago, you can catch it on Saturday at Raices Gallery.

Come downtown and support the arts in Tucson! Here is a list of participating galleries from the Tucson Citizen and a very thorough write-up in the Tucson Weekly.

Central Arts Gallery: Born Again

2009-02-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have been a member of the Central Arts Gallery (CAG) since it began in May 2008. CAG is a cooperative gallery whose membership has fluctuated during the past 8 months. As with all cooperative ventures, it has not always been very cooperative. One of the inherent problems (or benefits, depending upon how you see it) with cooperatives is that everyone has a voice, and there is really no strong leader, no boss, who has the final say-- just members. Unfortunately, this means that some people always speak louder and longer, and the meek don't always speak.

Yesterday, CAG had a membership meeting which was a delight. The gallery has several new members, and with this new blood, the group has turned a corner, in my opinion, and become a truly cooperative venture. Many, many new ideas were bandied about yesterday. Look for announcements here of upcoming events.

The next show-- Spirit's Journey-- starts this coming Saturday-- more on that later in the week. This exhibit will be a little different from the others because member artists will be showing more pieces. In addition, the gallery has added a Small Works Wall, which displays art that is being sold for $100 and under. There are also prints and jewelry (including some of mine) for sale at the gallery.

Night of 1000 Drawings: Revisited

2009-01-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

Dinnerware Artspace will host Night of 1000 Drawings again this year. This eclectic fundraising event is Saturday evening, January 31, from 6-9 p.m. You can check out the web link here for more details. Local artists-- comme moi-- donate small, unframed prints which are sold for $10-100 right off the wall. Last year, my friends and I really enjoyed this event. I donated two photographs and bought a really beautiful acrylic painting for $40. Such a deal for original art!

These are the two photographs I am donating this year.

Amores Perros: Bound for Love

2009-01-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

Bound for Love, a new photograph of mine, will be included in the Amores Perros exhibit at Raices Taller on 6th Street.

This show is being billed as an introspective on human sensuality; Bound for Love fits well with this theme because it is a provocative glimpse at submission.

Amores Perros begins this Saturday, January 24, with an artists' reception from 6-10pm and continues through March 7, with a grand re-opening on February 14, Valentine's Day.

Two More Hours!

2009-01-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

I am almost speechless with anticipation and excitement of today's transfer of power from a failed presidency to a new one representing hope and change. After eight years of marching backward in time socially, economically, and politically, America is finally ready to move forward again. You know, of course, that the forces of darkness are going to try to bring down Barack Obama at every turn because their focus is political and ecomonic power-- not what is best for our country. Obama needs the solid support of all progressives. Today is a day of celebration for us. Tomorrow we have to join with him in taking steps to repair our country on many levels. Si se puede!

[Author's note: I have to add that Jim Blackwood's show on KXCI today has been an inspiration to me in writing this piece and the one below. Check the music links above. He played these tunes this morning. Also, the image above is Change Has Come to America by Kate Pearson. It is part of Dinnerware's Soup of Change exhibit.]

Soup of Change: Don't Miss It

2009-01-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Art, Politics, and the Soup of Change opened at Dinnerware Artspace last Saturday. I am an artist and a gallery junkie; consequently, I attend many art openings, but this is one of the more provocative exhibits I have seen in a while. It is the perfect show to span this historic time in our country-- the last few days of a failed administration and the first few days of our new dawn. Don't miss it! Here are a few images from the show, which ends January 24, 2009.

At the top is Bushilter, a floor cloth by Greg Schoon. This was a very dramatic piece. I particularly like the cross inside of the swastika and the swastika inside of the cross.

All types of politics were represented in the show, including sexual politics. At left is Brilliant Marketing Opportunity by Jerry Jordan.There were many images that included Bush, Chaney, and the hooded prisoner from Abu Ghraib Prison; they didn't pose together, though. At right is The Ugly Americans by Diane Kleiss Aldrich.Another piece that spoke to me was American Why? by Maurice Grossman. Even though (no offense, Maurice) it looks like artfully arranged pieces that were lying around his studio, I like it-- especially the faces lying in the sand.

As someone who believes watching television is a worthless, mind-rotting past time, I had to include Comfortably Numb by Jim Jones in this blog post.

All in all, a great show. If you're downtown this week, stop by Dinnerware and check it out.

The Soup of Change: What Would Jesus Do?

2009-01-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

Art, Politics, and the Soup of Change will premier at Dinnerware Artspace tomorrow January 17, 2009.

Political art by dozens of artists will be featured-- including my mosaic wall hanging "What Would Jesus Do?" A detail picture of the piece before it was assembled is shown here. My mosaic contrasts Jesus' teachings of love and kindness with what some people are doing in the name of religion (ie, waging war, allowing poverty to continue, fostering hatred against other people).

The opening is from 5-8 p.m. on January 17, and the show runs through January 24. Soup created by the artists will be served at the opening. Bring your own bowl and spoon. Be prepared for an event that will challenge your taste buds, as well as your mind.

Sexuality: What's Your Flavor?

2009-01-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

The other day, as I was pondering the complexities of life and eating ice cream, I had a revelation: Ice cream is the perfect analogy for sexuality.

In street slang, people who are super straight, heterosexual, and -- shall we say --unimaginative in the sack are labeled "vanilla". If we use vanilla as a starting point for this analogy, what would be the opposite? Dark Chocolate Fudge, perhaps? What would a Dark Chocolate Fudge person do that a Vanilla person wouldn't think of? Oh, the possibilities!

Then I started to think: What am I? Certainly, I am somewhere in between Vanilla and Dark Chocolate Fudge.

After much thought, I concluded that I am Mocha Almond Fudge (which also happens to be my favorite flavor). I'm a little off-color and a little nuts. I have sinfully delicious, lusciously dark, random and unpredictable swirls that will kick up the endorphins. I'm stimulating enough to keep you alert and dark enough to give you a rush. Sexy, huh? Who needs Rocky Road (always the drama queen), when you can have the sophisticated and delightful Mocha Almond Fudge?

So, what ice cream flavor are you? I'd love to hear from you in the comment section. If you're shy, use the anonymous option, but then, of course, the rest of us are going to think you are really Vanilla. :-)

Rock 'Ur Ass Off: Remembering Blues Man Sam Taylor

2009-01-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

A week ago, the world-- and especially Tucson-- lost a blues great-- Sam Taylor.

I grew up listening to blues music back in northern Ohio. Chicago style blues was everywhere, since Cleveland is just down the street-- so to speak. In my teenage years, I was rockin' in my bedroom to the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Koerner, Ray and Glover-- just as often as the Rolling Stones.

After I moved to Columbus, I frequented the blues clubs. The Dave Workman Blues Band with Willie Pooch was one of my favorite groups. These were my wild child days-- hanging around with musicians and other artists, staying up late, dancing with abandon, partying back stage. (Fond memories, for sure.)

When my significant other and I moved to Tucson 27 years ago, I thought we would never find blues in the Southwest as good as it was back east. Fortunately for us, KXCI, the local community radio station, started up not long after we arrived here. It continues to offer a variety of programming-- including great blues and updates on local bands and clubs. Through KXCI, we discovered Sam Taylor.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, we often heard Sam and his band at local clubs like the Chicago Bar and the Boondocks and regularly listened to his KXCI radio show. He electrified the room with his raw signing voice and down-home Chicago blues. Every night, he would start the gig by asking the crowded bar, "ARE YOU READY TO ROCK 'UR ASS OFF?" And, of course, we all enthusiastically replied, "YES!" and proceeded to do just that. It didn't matter if you had a partner or not. Everyone danced and boogied the night away.

Sam often played with Heather Hardy, an electric violinist. I always thought they seemed like as odd couple on stage-- the aging blues man dressed in black with a small leather cap on his head and the young, professionally trained violinist-- but musically they made a great duo.

Tonight at the Boondocks, Heather and other Tucson musicians will say "good-bye" to their soulman-- Sam Taylor. I'll be there rockin' my ass off-- along with many other fans.

See you on the other side, man.

Palm Springs: Dancing with My Stars

2009-01-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

On most days, you can find me wearing a comfortable pair of blue jeans at my home on the range, but last night I was in Palm Springs, gliding across the dance floor in a low-cut, black dress, my sexy silver heels, and my rhinestone bling collar.

I spent New Year's Eve, dancing the night away in the arms of strangers. As they held me, I could feel their strong hands on my bare back-- pulling me in, then pushing me back. Dance is such a metaphor for life, I thought.

The energy of our bodies mingled, as we felt the music and each other. The ruffed hem of my form-fitting dress fluttered in the breeze as they spun me around the dance floor like a top-- twirling again and again on the toes of my dance shoes-- then stopping short as they pulled me in-- smiling devilishly, gazing into my eyes, knowing they controlled me. As my hips undulated, I pranced and kicked, my silver shoes glittering under the brightly colored lights of the dance floor. I watched them follow the movements of my body with their eyes, as we remained connected sometimes only through the tips of our fingers.

When the music demanded, they bent me back. My painted toes reached for the ceiling, my eyes pierced theirs, and they held me tightly, as I fell into their arms, helpless.

In dance, as in life, connection is everything-- the gaze, the smile, the touch, the energy. When the follow feels the connection, she will do whatever the lead wants her to do.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
P.S. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve. Happy New Year. Here's to dreams come true. Look for more updates (hopefully) from the West Coast Swing Convention in Palm Springs.

The Cyber Life

2008-12-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Many times in the past few weeks, I have been reminded of the old Joni Mitchell song lyrics You Don't Know What You Got 'Til It's Gone.

The day before my vacation in November, my home computer died-- again. It had the same symptoms as when it died in June--OK one day, dead the next. To add insult to injury, while I was on vacation, my laptop decided to stop accepting my broadband antenna. Great. Instead of being able to access the Internet anywhere I could get a signal on my Verizon phone, I had to scout around for Internet cafes or unsecured networks to latch onto with the wireless card. (Let me tell you I was jonesing for a Crackberry during those dark wintry days in Ohio. I longed to hear from my friends and family in Tucson. Why did I return that cute red Crackberry back in February? What was I thinking? I didn't think I needed 24/7 access to the Internet. Ha! It was a jittery time of withdrawal.)

When I got back from vacation, I contacted the techie who fixed the computer just a few months earlier. He said that the 5-year-old motherboard was shot and other parts would fail in the new future. He suggested that I let go of the old machine once and for all. On Christmas day--after much pleading with him-- I got my new computer. It is such a joy to behold-- fast, quiet, sleek, my black beauty. I love it!

In recent weeks, I had become a fixture at Ike's Coffee Shop on Speedway. Their free WiFi (which works 85% of the time) led to completion of 2 coffee cards and consumption of too many chocolate scones for breakfast. :-)

I was surprised at my reaction during those few weeks without the Internet at home. I really missed it! I love blogging, reading blogs, reading online news, and e-mailing (as many of you know!)-- especially since I don't have television reception at my house.

Yesterday and today, while installing my software on my new computer, I have been contemplating the Cyber Life.

At Brake Masters yesterday-- yes, the car needed repair also!-- I read an interesting article in a 6-month-old Newsweek. (My reading choices were an old Newsweek, the apartment guide, or sports magazines!)

Anyway, the techie author was talking about his addiction to e-mail, Instant Messenger, text messages, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and his multiple blogs. He waxed poetic about being able to continuously update his friends and business contacts and about receiving similar messages from them. "I'm hungry." "I'm going to eat at Joe's." "I'm going dancing." "I'm bored." (You get the idea.)

Although he really enjoyed all of these technology-based forms of communication and used them to their fullest, he found himself in an existential quandary. Just because he and his friends could continuously update each other with often minute, inconsequential life details, should they? Is communication through a mechanism like Twitter or Tumblr really communication? Or is it just noise? Just another distraction in our bustling technology-based lives?

This lead me to analyze my own communication habits, as I languished at Brake Masters--without my laptop. (Did you know Brake Masters on Grant has free WiFi? If I had only known!) As mentioned above, I enjoy blogging and e-mail, and I use text sometimes because my friends do. I have 5 e-mail accounts, 3 IM screen names, a Facebook account, a few online dating profiles, 3 meet-up memberships, and dozens of online accounts with software vendors, retailers, banks, and other businesses. Consequently, I have a notebook of passwords.

Recently, I've become more enamored with Facebook and social networking communication tools. I use Facebook to keep in touch with my friends, to flirt, to waste time on silly quizzes, and to promote my artwork.

What is fascinating to me about Facebook are the tiny glimpses of people's lives. Most of the posts are answers to the question: What's on your mind? There were hundreds of answers to this question. When I'm off of Facebook for more than a day, I am shocked at what I had been missing! One friend said that she and her hubby were hiding in their bedroom because a sleep-over was taking place at her house. (I thought this sounded a little funny, but I'm assuming that she meant one of her kids was having a sleep-over.) Another friend was knitting. Someone was freezing in Chicago. Their posts always prompt me to post or comment.

In other words, there is a lot of chatter going on, and I have only 70-some friends. My thoughts come back to the question posed by the Newsweek author: Just because we can continuously update each other with often minute, inconsequential life details, should we? I must admit I am engaged by the chatter and the photos on Facebook and on blogs. Some of my "friends" on Facebook are really acquaintances. My blogging friends are people I've never met. Reading little snippets of their lives is helps me know them better.

My conclusion is that, although these messages are tiny bits of people's lives, they are valuable in that they help friends, family members, and acquaintances stay in touch and learn about each other in a non-threatening way.

Dancing in Ohio

2008-11-29T13:40:00.001-07:00

For the past week I have been in Ohio visiting relatives. While in the Heartland, I've also have had a few dancing opportunities.

Early last week, I was in Columbus. First let me say, the weather SUCKED-- rain + snow + grey skies. Aaaahhhhhh, the memories of driving Interstate 71 under terrible conditions danced in my head as I carefully maneuvered my rental car through the snow flurries. Monday and Tuesday, the weather threatened to slide into freezing rain, but luckily, I was spared. Freezing rain is one of the main reasons I moved to Tucson in 1981.

Anyway, I digress. Monday night I went to the weekly dance of the Columbus West Coast Swing Club. It was a blast. My friend Maru (former roommate from the Phoenix 4th of July convention) and I made plans to see each other while I was in Columbus. She is such a sweetie. She called ahead and told the swing club organizers that I would be there. Everyone was very friendly and I had several great dances that night. The Columbus swing club dances in the Bowties lounge at the Ramada Inn on Sinclair Road. The dance floor was about 1/4 the size of the Women's Center where the Tucson Swing Dance Club holds its weekly dance, but there were plenty of dance partners. (That's the important part of any dance!)

The only dance that really sucked was with a very good dancer. Ironic, huh? I had seen him dance with others, so I asked him to dance the cha-cha. I love the cha-cha and believe that it is one of my best dances. He started to dance (and didn't do the started step-- which surprised me-- since he seemed to be sort of "ballroom"). Anyway, the problem arose at the very beginning because he was TOTALLY off the beat. Ok, I took music lessons from 3rd grade through my freshman year in college. Plus, I have always had natural rhythm. According to my Dad said, the Irish have natural rhythm.) Whatever. All I know is that is nearly impossible for me to dance off the beat. I naturally kept trying to get on the beat. (Sometimes guys will start off wrong and adjust.) This dork just said, "LET ME LEAD" and shook my arms. We struggled through the dance. I think he was impressed with my moves when we were apart, but when he was holding me it was... well... messy.

Today, I left my home town of Amherst, Ohio, for Twinsburg, Ohio, south of Cleveland. I registered for one day of the C.A.S.H. Bash (Cleveland Akron Swing Hustle) convention. You can tell how exciting this convention by the fact that I am in my room blogging!!!! It took me forever to pack this morning, so I got here aroun 10ish-- just in time for the tail end of breakfast. I took one workshop with John Lindo, who is a great dancer. (He actually won the champion contest at the 4th of July convention. For a very large man, he's an absolutely great dancer.) So, the workshop and the dancing beforehand were good. The afternoon dancing was slow, so I came back up to the hotel room. The dancing goes until 4a.m., so maybe people are napping. There are some really good leads here, so I'm looking forward to great dancing later. BTW, the off-beat cha-cha dancer is in Cleveland. (I saw him watching me shaking my booty earlier today.)

So, far my 2 complaints about this convention are:
1) The music is boring. (No blues. No country. And, although it's not my fav, no electronica. The music in Cleveland--- and also the music in Columbus-- is primarily slow disco. Yuck. The dancers are also very "ballroom". West coast swing is much wilder and free-form in the west. Hey there, dance partners, I miss you!)
2) They don't have enough place setting for all attendees to have dinner! How lame is that? Only the people who signed up for the whole weekend get dinner. So, I guess I'll do room service. I was looking forward to mingling during dinner, so I could strike up acquaintances with more dance partners.

Overall, I was underwhelmed with the C.A.S.H. The dinner dance was very "ballroom" and mostly couples. The music stunk-- mostly sort of old-fashioned disco swing (in there is such a thing). No country music and very little blues, which is perfect for swing dancing. I longed for the dance scene in Tucson!

NOTE: A general rule of the web is to search carefully. I searched for "Columbus swing club", so I could link the dancing venue to this blog. Note that I forgot to put the word "dancing" into this search string. This is what I came up with. They didnt' have THOSE types of clubs in Columbus when I lived there!

All Souls Procession 2008

2008-11-29T13:39:00.001-07:00

As usual, the All Souls Procession was an amazing event again this year. Although this post is dated November 29, 2008, I'm actually posting it on December 27, 2008-- due to multiple computer problems in recent weeks.

I had a real scare regarding my DOD pics. I prepared them for uploading a few days after the procession but didn't actually upload them to the blog or to Flickr and didn't back them up to my external drive. My bad. When my computer crash, I was really sweating it. Luckily, the motherboard was bad and not the hard drive. If it had been the hard drive, I would have lost my DOD photos and other recent images. Yikes!

I'm just uploading a few here. (Yes, that's me with my Roma look on the right.) Log onto my Flickr account to see Day of the Dead photos from 2007 and 2008. Cheers!

Studio Tour Recap

2008-11-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

The studio sale went well this weekend-- lots of visitors-- far more than last year. Sales also were good. Here is a picture of my cute, little studio. Below are some of the mosaics I had for sale.

Buy Local: Reduce the Carbon Foot Print of Your Holiday Shopping

2008-11-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend, November 8-9, Southern Arizonans have a great opportunity to view and buy local arts and crafts. More than 150 local artists are participating in the Tucson Pima Arts Council (TPAC) Open Studio Tour.

Artists all over town will open their studios to visitors from noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. The TPAC website offers a tour map and an alphabetical list of artists.The Studio Tour is self-guided. With the map, you can pick artists that are in a certain part of town, or if you are looking for a particular artist, you can use the alphabetical list to find their studio address. There are so many studios clustered in the midtown, university, and downtown areas that you can bike the tour-- a real reduction in your holiday shopping carbon footprint. (A friend and I did this one year and it was loads of fun and great exercise.)

My midtown studio is one of the stops on the tour. I have several new mosaic designs and tons of jewelry for sale. Stop by, have a snack, and check out the specials including buy one pair of earrings, get the second pair half off. TPAC has created a full color calendar that includes maps and artist descriptions. Some locations-- including my studio-- will have these available for tour guests.

Dia de los Muertos: Altars and Artwork on Display at Raices

2008-11-05T21:22:00.001-07:00

Each year in honor of El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Raices Taller 222 Gallery hosts a unique show of commemorative altars and artwork. This year, I had the honor of creating an altar honoring my father and grandparents. Assembling the altar was a moving experience. As I dug through old photos and mementos, I realized that every piece of the altar -- from the red nail polish to the can of sauerkraut and the chocolate cover cherries -- tells a story about my family. The opening was last Saturday, November 1, 2008 and runs through November 22.

Election Day 2008: Watching History Unfold

2008-11-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

I probably should have put this post up yesterday-- election day-- but after the election of Barack Obama, I was too busying partying with Democrats across the country and progressives around the world. As Ronald Reagan would say, it's a new day in America!

I took yesterday off of work to volunteer to help the Pima County Democratic Party Get Out the Vote Effort. I have never seen so many people at the headquarters. There must have been 60-100 people making phone calls asking people around Southern Arizona if they had voted and/or turned in their mail-in ballots.
There were so many volunteers that some of us were outside under a tent making phone calls. Gabrielle Giffords, our Congressional delegate, and some state legislators stopped by to cheer us on. Here I am-- near my outdoor calling post-- with Gabrielle. After 4 hours of phone calls and some free food, I drove around looking for long voting lines to photograph but couldn't find any. I went home for a few hours, and later in the day I joined my fellow Drinking Liberally peeps (below) at Gentle Ben's for an election watch party. Drinking Liberally is a national organization of progressive political nerds who get together weekly to kibitz about politics and progressive issues. As the excitement mounted, we all headed over to the big Democratic Party Party at the Marriott nearby. The celebration at the the Marriott was amazing. The ballroom and most of the lobby were packed with noisy, excited Democrats of all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. Two big screens of election results and music by the Wayback Machine entertained the crowd. As we watched Washington, Oregon, and California turn blue, there was a roar from the crowd, and the election was declared for Obama. Men and women alike began cheering, screaming, hugging, dancing, crying, and offering high-5s to each other. It was exhilarating. I think the pictures tell the story.

Early Voting: How Cool Is That?

2008-10-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

I just returned from dropping off my early mail-in ballot at the local City Council Ward 6 Office. Today is the last day in Arizona for early voting. I was shocked how many people were waiting in line to vote or dropping off completed early ballots. About 25 or so people were waiting in the noon-day sun to vote--before election day. Nina Trasoff, our local city council representative, and her staff were busily putting out chairs to keep the voters comfortable. Nice touch.

When my brother and I were kids, I can remember waiting in line in bad weather (in Ohio) with my mom when she went to the polls after work. It's great that we now have early voting in person and by mail-in ballot.

Now, let's get the rest of the voting hassles and barriers out of the way! I heard on NPR that the US has the most constrictive, convoluted voting system of any democracy in the world (ie, voting on a weekday, requiring registration in advance, requiring identification, challenges to voter registration, etc.) For example, Here are some items that I believe should be changed.

1) Do away with the electoral college.

2) Standardize voting procedures. It's absurd that in some states counties make the voting rules. Come on, people, can't we agree on nationwide procedures? Other countries can!

3) Make paperless voting systems illegal.

4) Make your birth certificate your voter registration. I heard Michael Moore on Democracy Now today. He said that everyone born in Canada is automatically registered from day 1. Seems like a simple idea that would actually save a lot of money. Only naturalized citizens would have to be registered.

5) Mandate shorter campaigns! In most countries, they campaign for 6-8 weeks. Why do we need 2 years?

6) Make campaigns publically financed... period.

Regarding next Tuesday, all I've got to say is, "Si, se puede!"

Image credit: I love this illustration of Obama. I saw it on the Free Will Astrology website. Here is the blurb about the illustration: "Artist Scott Siedman created this painting of Barack Obama, titled 'The Man from Illinois,' as a tribute to this extraordinary candidate. By placing him within the traditional American "heartland" mythologies, he celebrates Obama as a son of the Midwest, linked in metaphor to the land, to books, and to the possibility of connecting to Lincoln's 'angels of our better nature.' Prints are available at scottzart@earthlink.net."

New Feature: the Blog List

2008-10-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

I was busy last night adding by Day of the Dead post and pictures (below) and updating the format of my blog. I added a new feature-- a Blog List-- below on the right.

I had always had a list of blogs and websites, so what's the big deal you ask? The big deal is that the blog list not only shows the blog name but also shows the last post and when it was made. In some ways, this allows blogs to act more like social networking sites. It helps me (and other readers, I hope) keep up with posts on other blogs.

So, any of you who are reading out there, if you you read my blog and you have a blog, maybe we should link using this new Blogger feature? Let's talk...

El Dia de los Muertos

2008-10-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

One of the most unique holidays in Tucson is El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Historically, November 1, the Day of the Dead, has been a day where primarily Hispanics honor loved ones who have passed on. They bring food, drinks, music, flowers, and momentos to local cemetaries and have parties or picnics graveside.

Several years ago, a band of local artists started the All Souls Procession in Tucson to honor the dead. What was once a small rag-tag procession around downtown has turned into two weeks of events, with a huge procession as the finale. The link here goes to the main website and calendar for this year's events. The procession itself is November 9, 2008.

Last year, I walked in the procession (in costume, at right) and took tons of pictures with my Nikon Cool Pix. That camera has a "party" setting which allows for two flashes within one long time exposure. I used this setting for most of my procession pictures. At top is "Danny Boy, the Pipes Are Calling"; this photo will be hanging in the Go Boldly Exhibit at Central Arts Gallery in November. There are some here and more on my Flickr site. I'm looking forward to seeing how my new Nikon digital SLR does at the procession this year.

On the weekend, my daughter and I shopped around on 4th Avenue for costume accessories for this year's procession. I bought a red petticoat and long red satin elbow-length gloves. What fun! Stay tuned for 2008 DOD pictures.

Nail Art: a Small, Personal Protest

2008-10-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

In this highly charged political year, we all have our own ways of expressing our poticial views. Some people have yard signs or bumper stickers. One of my friends decided to express her views with nail polish.

'Tis the Season to Forsake the Chinese Children and Buy Local

2008-10-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

It's almost Halloween in the US, which means it's time to start shopping for the holidays! :-)

Seriously, folks, with all of the economic doom and gloom, retailers around the world are quaking in their fur-trimmed Santa boots for fear that we will cut back our holiday spending this year. Although I agree that prudent shopping is a good idea, I'd like to suggest that you forget about buying cheap goods made in the world's sweat shops and instead shop locally for your holiday presents.

Tucson has many fine artists, crafters, galleries, and gift shops, which all have one-of-a-kind locally handcrafted goods that would make memorable holiday presents.

Besides shopping the local galleries and gift shops that have regular business hours, there are art openings and arts/crafts shopping opportunities in the coming weeks-- including the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour, the Tucson Museum of Art Holiday Craft Market, the 4th Avenue Street Fair, and the Cascabel Christmas Fair.

Here is a list of art openings where you can buy or view my work:

- My studio will be open for the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour, November 8-9, noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. I have several new mosaic pieces and lots of jewelry for sale. I will be offering a studio sale special on jewelry and beaded wall hangings-- buy one piece at the regular price and get the second piece (of equal or lesser value) at half price! Such a deal. You know what I always say, "You can never have too much jewelry!"

- Celebrate Life mosaic wall hanging at the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour Preview Exhibit, October 23 - November 6 at Galeria Mistica, 2318 S. 4th Avenue. Artists' reception on November 6, 6-8 pm.

- Dove of Peace mosaic shrine at the Artists for Obama Exhibit and silent auction, Saturday, October 25, 6-9pm at Representative Raul Grijalva's Campaign Office, 452 S. Stone Ave.

- Danny Boy, the Pipes Are Calling digital photograph in the Go Boldly Exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, 274 E. Congress St., November 8 - 28. Artists' reception on November 8, 6-9 pm.

- Mi Corazon, Mi Vida mosaic wall hanging currently showing in the Basically Simple Exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, 274 E. Congress St.

- I also will be participating in the Cascabel Holiday Fair again this year, December 6-7.

As the dates approach, there will be more details on these future shows.

In addition to these special events, I have a number of mosaics at the Bohemia, Tucson Museum of Art Gift Shop, and the Triangle L Gift Shop.

So with all of these opportunites, I urge you to forsake the Chinese children this holiday season and buy local!

New World Order?

2008-10-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

To date, I have resisted the urge to comment on the collapse of the financial markets in the US because the story was evolving too fast for me to collect my thoughts. Now it's not just the US economy but the world economy that is crumbling. This is a fitting end to George Bush's disastrous presidency.

I heard one promising story this morning on NPR. Nicholas Sarcozi, president of France, called for a complete overhaul of the world economic system. The current world banking system was devised after World War II. According to the NPR story, the new world order will rely less on the health of the US economy-- good idea-- and it is likely the Europeans will play a larger role in developing the system-- also probably a good idea, since our politicians seems to have a hard time making politically unpopular decisions that could help the country but cost them their jobs.

Mulling over all of the recent ups and downs and bailouts, there are a few questions I still have:

1) Who ever thought it was a good idea to allow financial institutions to borrow $30 for every dollar they had in the bank? That's not banking. That's gambling.

2) If the banks had been a little more lenient with defaulting homeowners a year ago, wouldn't everyone be better off now?

3) Will our new president and Congress have the guts and know-how to solve the crisis and cooperate with other countries?

4) How many more financial instutions will be saved with taxpayer funds?

5) Who will want a bailout next? I heard one NPR comentator say that unless business turns around in a major way in the next year, GM and Ford will go under. They are expecting the automakers to ask for bailouts next. I really object to this. It was their bad decison to continue to make primarily gas-guzzling vehicles. They should be held responsible.

6) Is capitalism dead?

A final word... here is a link to a thought-provoking NPR story, "Are We Teetering on the Edge of Depression 2.0?", comparing the current state of financial affairs to 1929. You should check it out to see the pictures of the tent cities, if nothing else. Chilling.

New Work, New Show

2008-10-03T08:43:00.001-07:00

Basically Simple, the new show at the Central Arts Gallery will open Saturday, October 4. The artists' reception will be from 6-9pm. This is a special evening because the Central Tucson Gallery Association is holding an art walk that evening. Several galleries along Congress Street and 6th Street will be open for the art walk. I have contributed Mi Corazon, Mi Vida to the show. Stop by at 274 E. Congress to view the new work, enjoy eclectic conversation, and have a glass of wine.

On a personal note, I have been very busy in the studio. I finished several new pieces last weekend and have been busy distributing them to galleries and shops around town. Bohemia, the Triangle L Ranch Gift Shop , and the Tucson Museum of Art all have a whole new set of mosaics. Here is a photo of new work in the final stages.

Takin' It Back

2008-09-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

In the midst of all of this turmoil, we have to keep a sense of humor. Here are a few laughs.

Takin' It Back with Barack, Jack: a video for swing voters.

Seeking a President Who Gives Goose Bump's So's Obama: Jed Bartlet's Advice by Maureen Dowd

My Fair Veep by Maureen Dowd

McCain-Palin: Can Liars Really Be Reformers?

2008-09-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

With all their talk about religion and family values, you'd think that John McCain and Sarah Palin would be just a tad more honest in their campaign strategies. Maybe even follow the Golden Rule.

Since that disgusting, fear-and-smear convention, the two have been spreading lies on the campaign trail, on the Internet, and on television. Are the American people dumb enough to buy these lies? Unfortunately, they believed George Bush's lies, and look where we are now.

Can liars be reformer? Personally, I don't see these two personality traits going together. Is lying a Christian value? They didn't teach it in my Sunday school. Is someone who has been in Washington for more than 25 years, an outsider, an agent of change? Nooooo..... who's he trying to kid?

Blizzard of Lies is a great editorial by Paul Krugman in today's New York Times. Here's an excerpt:

"...I’m talking, instead, about the relationship between the character of a campaign and that of the administration that follows. Thus, the deceptive and dishonest 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign provided an all-too-revealing preview of things to come. In fact, my early suspicion that we were being misled about the threat from Iraq came from the way the political tactics being used to sell the war resembled the tactics that had earlier been used to sell the Bush tax cuts.

"And now the team that hopes to form the next administration is running a campaign that makes Bush-Cheney 2000 look like something out of a civics class. What does that say about how that team would run the country?

"What it says, I’d argue, is that the Obama campaign is wrong to suggest that a McCain-Palin administration would just be a continuation of Bush-Cheney. If the way John McCain and Sarah Palin are campaigning is any indication, it would be much, much worse."

The Glow: Lighted Art Walk in Oracle

2008-09-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Glow at the Triangle L Ranch is this weekend-- September 12 and 13-- in Oracle, Arizona. Two of my pieces, including a large alter-- La Mano Mas Poderosa (above)-- will be included in the gallery at the Glow.

The Triangle L Ranch is an old Arizona dude ranch. Each year in the fall the ranch hosts the Glow, a lighted sculpture walk. Lighted paths lead visitors around the grounds. Along the paths is a wide variety of sculptural pieces; more delicate artwork and pieces lit with candles are displayed in the adobe barn gallery. The event also features live music. For information and a map, check out the link. Here are three pictures from last year's Glow.

Desert City Swing

2008-09-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Desert City Swing Convention in Phoenix. It was a blast. This is a smaller event than the 4th of July west coast swing convention than I attended, but it was still lots of fun. This convention is set up differently from the other in that all of the workshops are included in the registration price, but you have to pay to compete in the dance contests. This was a great deal for me because I enjoy the workshops. Between workshops and open dances, I danced most of the day on Friday and Saturday. Photo at left shows two of the champion dancers showing off their moves. Below, the champion men line up to dance in the final showcase.

This convention was held at the Point Hilton Squaw Peak. One benefit to this location was the close proximity of the guest rooms to the convention center and the Lantana Grill, the main restaurant. Although the architecture of the Point can't compare to the Arizona Biltmore (where the other event was held), the Point was very convenient location.

Sarah Palin: The Anti-Environmentalist

2008-09-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the hundreds of you who have read my previous post, "Sarah Palin: The Anti-Feminist". Her are some links related to Palin's deplorable environmental views and more reasons why she is unfit to be a Vice President, let alone President.

All God's Children: This isn't really the name of this video by the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, but it should be. This is a video clip showing how Palin has promoted the brutal killing of wolves and other predators in Alaska. I guess Alaskans have learned nothing from the mistakes made by the lower 48 states when predators were mercilessly exterminated in the early 20th century. We're still trying to fix that bungle down here. Predators are part of God's plan, hello. They serve a purpose in the fabric of life. It also shows a frightening lcak of compassion for animals that she sued the federal government to take polar bears off the endangers spieces list. Below is a photo of an Alaskan who wanted to shoot this bear "because he was there", but the poor bear dropped over from heat exhaustion first. Climate change? That's just a theory. That's just science. Who believes in that?

Why not Rape Alaska? Isn't that God's Will?: An editorial about Palin's "energy policy". The delegates chanted it at the convention, "Drill baby drill." The Republicans are all for continued use of fossil fuels and raping the environment to drill to the max.

Green Candidate: Of course, I'm not referring to her. Here's an interesting editorial by Thomas Friedman on voting green.

Top photo credit: Climate Progress

Bottom photo credit: The eco-Enquirer

Sarah Palin: the Anti-Feminist

2008-09-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin blah, blah, media hype, blah, blah, blah, snappy soundbite, blah. Ever since her scathing pit bull speech last week at the Republican National Convention, I have been mulling over my blog comments regarding the new VP candidate.

I have been a Hillary supporter for a very long time. I believe that many people thought we were supporting Hillary because she is a woman. To me, that shows a lack of understanding and an unwillingness to look at issues--not just at personalities and gender. I supported Hillary because she is and has always been a strong support of women's issues (ie, choice, health care, education, equal rights, equal pay, etc.) She was (and still is) my gal.

When she lost the primary, many pundits said Hillary supporters would vote for McCain. I thought that this was a crock. Obviously, their policies are about as far apart as humanly possible. Apparently, the McCain camp believes that having a woman on the ticket may bring some Hillary supporters over to their side. (We just voted for Hillary because she was a woman, right? Wrong!)

Since the close of the Republican National Conventions, there has been a flood of media coverage about the McCain/Palin ticket-- the illegitimate child, the down syndrome baby, the pentecostal beliefs, the earmarks, the bridge to nowhere, etc. Here is a sampling of my favorite articles and videos.

I see Sarah Palin's nomination as pandering to women voters, and red neck men who voted for Hillary. In The Mirrored Ceiling, Judith Warner talks about Palin's nomination and the trend in American politics to cast votes based upon feelings and likability rather than issues, policies, and what is best for our country. Arianna Huffington also had a great article, Sarah Palin: A Trojan Moose Concealing Four More Years of George Bush. This article focuses on how the Palin media hype has distracted the media and the American people from the fact that the McCain/Palin is more of the same, not change.

In Sarah Palin Gender Card, Jon Stewart shows how the Republicans slammed Hillary when she said she was being unfairly treated by the media, but now say that people are being sexist when they raise questions about Palin.

The maverick/reformer label for the McCain/Palin ticket is ludicrous. In Palin and McCain's Shotgun Marriage, Frank Rich shoots holes in the maverick/reformer lies. Palin is a reformer who hired a lobbyist for her small town; this resulted in $27 million in earmarks. Hmmmm.... someone should ask her what the American people bought for that $27 million investment in Wasila, Alaska. Another part of the Republican shtick is that she "took on big oil" in Alaska. On the radio today, they said that her gubernatorial inaugural ball was paid for my oil companies. Where is the "taking on big oil" part? Maybe she took them as dance partners?

In John McCain's Big Acceptance Speech , Jon Stewart compares McCain's campaign promises to George Bush's 2000 campaign speech. In some cases, they used the same words! It is amazing that people are buying these lies again. McCain has been in the Senate for more than 25 years; he voted with George Bush 90% of the time. Change??? B.S.

In Then There was One, Thomas Freidman reveals the McCain/Palin ticket's anti-environmental policies. I almost puked when the convention goers cheered, "Drill, baby, drill." I also was appalled to learn that Palin sued the feds to take polar bears off the endanger species list. What happened to the all God's children of Christianity? Animals are part of God's kingdom.

Finally, I believe that this presidential election season will change American politics forever. It will no longer be a rarity for a woman or a person of any color besides white to be a viable candidate for president or vice president. Hurray! Maybe we have moved beyond rule by old white men.

All I can say is, Vote Obama! Stop the war. Save our country from irresponsible Republican spending and kick-backs to the rich.

Photo credit: Kodiak Konfidential (Check this blog out to hear what one Alaskan blogger thinks about his governor.)

Acts of Self-Confrontation: Opening August 23

2008-08-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

The latest exhibit for the Central Arts Gallery is Acts of Self-Confrontation. This eclectic show will open on Saturday, August 23. The reception is 6-10 p.m. Tucson blues master, Tom Wallbank, will perform an acoustic set from 6:30 - 7 p.m. My latest shrine Letting Go will be included in the show. Stop by for some art, music, wine, cheese, and conversation.

Denver: Ready for the Democrats

2008-08-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Denver, all I can say is that I really blew it. I made my reservations without checking the calendar closely. I went to Denver the week before the Democratic Convention. I missed all of the action, the Democratic Party dignitaries, and Obama's great stadium speech! Oh, well. I did enjoy my trip to Denver and a visit with my four cousins who live in the area.

I had a wonderful hike in the red rocks area (above). I also enjoyed hiking around downtown Denver. On the Thursday before the convention started, the city was all dressed up for the big show. The gardens around the state capitol building were breathtaking (bottom). I enjoyed the public art-- especially the giant blue bear looking into the convention center window. I wonder what he thought of the speeches?

What really impressed me about downtown Denver was the transportation system. I was staying with my cousin who lives south of town in the suburbs. She suggested we talk the light rail train into downtown. We parked at a free lot not far from her house and took a 15-20 minute train trip into the heart of downtown. The ticket was $3.50 round trip, and the price included transfers to buses and other trains downtown. The park and ride lots in the suburbs were free, but the lots downtown were $8-10 per day. Great pricing structure to encourage ridership. The trains were clean and fast.

The light rail took us right past the convention center and dropped us off at the 16th Street Mall (below). When my cousin first talked about this, I thought it was just a mall, but no, it was a long strip of shops and businesses on an open air pedistrian mall. Only pedistrians, the light rail line, and bicycles are allowed on this strip. Very nice, well-planned, well-excuted. All I can say is: Tucson, what are we waiting for?

On the way back to the burbs at rush hour, it was standing room only. Denver has 6 or so lines now. A light rail line from Colorado Spring to Denver and a line to the new Denver airport are being planned. A line to the airport is a great idea since it is way the heck out of town. For more pictures of Colorado, check out my Flickr site.

Golden, Colorado: The Town the Coors Built

2008-08-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

The first time I visited Golden, Colorado, it was 1973. Golden was a sleepy suburb of Denver, and I was a new college graduate on my way to San Francisco to make the scene. That was a time when Coors was a local brew-- not available in Ohio. I remember sipping Coors in a small pub and enjoying the crisp mountain air on a sunny September day.

I've been to Golden a few times since then, but on a recent trip to Colorado, I was surprised to see how much Golden had grown and developed. Golden still has a small town feel, but it is a decidedly upscale small town feel. The downtown (above) has been spiffed up with a new park along the river (bottom), several downtown condo buildings, an historic park with re-enactments (below, right), restored historic homes (below, left), lots of public art, street musicians, a few small museums, and many bustling shops and restaurants. In the top photo, you can see the river-front condos on the right and the Coors plant in the distance. Detractors would say that Golden has been gentrified. OK, yes, it's been gentrified, but as a downtowner, it was heartening to me to visit a city with a vibrant downtown full of people enjoying the interesting things to do. In honor of that day back in 1973, I sat at a sidewalk cafe with my cousin, sipped an ice cold beer, and enjoyed the clean mountain air and the views.

Modern Ghost Towns

2008-08-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

Rising gas prices and falling housing values are causing major shifts in American lifestyles. Some people are driving smaller cars and parking the SUV in the driveway, while others have purchased scooters, motocycles, bicycles, or bus passes. A signifant number of Americans have chosen not to act; in particular, many are putting off home purchases.

An interesting article on the MSNBC website discusses the woes of builders who planned to build far-flung developments (like the one pictured above). Overbuilding in a soft market has created modern day ghost towns. The development pictured above was slated to include 179 homes, but only 15 have been built. Homowners quoted in the article lament the lack of sidewalks and "safe" places for the kids to play. Oh, my gosh, their chilren are forced to play in fields and vacant lots! They also are worried because other houses are not packed in tightly around them. What's wrong with fields and elbow room? People who live in the country seem to like it.

When I was growing up, my parents' house was the first one to be built on our street. There are many family photos of our little Cape Cod surrounded by dirt and weeds. For a few years, ours was the northern most house in our small town. I can remember playing in the fields next door and picking wild strawberries-- a little bit of the country on the ourskirts of town. I also can remember being said when the last vacant lot on the block was replaced with a house and a lawn. Ok, there may have been poison ivy and bugs in those fields, but for us kids, it was FUN.

Marry Me! I Have Health Insurance!

2008-08-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Marrying someone to obtain health insurance is yet another example of how screwed up our health care system is. In Health Benefits Inspire to Marry, or Divorce, the NY Times offers vignettes of people who are making matrimonial decisions based on the availability of health care benefits.

I really don't know what to say about this except that the foreigners who read the NY Times must be either laughing at our collective stupidity or shaking their heads in disbelief.

On NPR this morning, the commentator said that the health care insurance fixes that both McCain and Obama are proposing are not significantly different from the proposals that were suggested back in 1992 when the Clintons tried to push universal coverage forward. Hmmmmmm.....

Maybe availability of health insurance coverage should be added as an personal attribute on the online dating sites:
Hair: auburn
Eyes: brown
Height: 5'3"
Build: average
Health Insurance: yes

Everything We Didn't Do

2008-08-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

As everyone knows, energy costs have been climbing steadily for several years. Gone are the days when I could fill my Toyota for $12. The last time I filled it, the tab was over $40.

As gasoline prices topped $4 per gallon, behaviors started to change. More bicycles, more scooters, and fewer SUVs and trucks are seen on the streets today than a year ago. As a result of actual behavior change on the part of Americans, prices have fluttered down a bit. After all, oil producers don't want to kill the goose who laid the golden egg by starving it; they want the goose to be fat-- if not happy.

In a previous post I lamented the switch in behaviors and policies after the energy crisis of the late 1970s. In last week's NY Times, Thomas Freidman posted an article entitled Flush with Energy. I didn't read this article when it came out, but this morning I realized it had been the most e-mailed article for several days in a row. Hmmm... if that many readers are interested enough to forward, I should read this.

Wow... Freidman's article chronicles changes in every-use behaviors in Denmark-- more bicycles, more wind energy, taxes to discourage oil dependence, and incentives to encourage develop of new green technologies. The Danes did everything we didn't do. With these changes, Denmark has gone from 99% dependence on foreign oil in 1973 to 0% today.

Pan across the ocean to the US, where we started to change our behaviors in the 1970s, and then went back to our old ways (and beyond) after Ronald Reagan's don't-worry-be-happy administration. Several Democratic presidential candidates have talked about behavior change and incentives for green energy. No one has mentioned the T word (taxes) or the S word (sacrifice), though. It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds in the future-- especially this winter.

What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

2008-07-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

I ran across this website full of little quizzes. I love these things. I guess it reminds me of the quizzes that the women's magazines used to have-- years ago when I used to read those magazines. Anyway, I took the "What Musical Instrument Should You Play?" quizz. The answer: accordion. Ironically, I learned to play the accordion when I was in the third grade.

You Should Play the Accordion

You are eccentric, funky, wacky... definitely one of a kind.

People have trouble putting you in any one particular category. You definitely have your own thing going on.

You are a born entertainer. No wonder you'd be perfect as an one man (or one woman) band.

Your musical influences likely cross all genres - and blend together in a very unusual way.

While you are definitely offbeat, you also enjoy tradition and influences from the past.

It's just your style to take an old fashioned instrument like the accordion and make it uniquely yours.

Your dominant personality characteristic: your total lack of inhibition

Your secondary personality characteristic: your interest in obscure activities and subjects

What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

Central Arts Gallery Opening: Life on the Edge Exhibit

2008-07-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

The Life on the Edge Exhibit will open at the Central Arts Gallery on Saturday, July 26, 2008. My photograph "Braodway: On the Edge of Fame" (above) will be included in the exhibit. Centrals Arts is at 274 E. Congress St. in Tucson. The free opening reception is 6-9 pm.

Central Arts Gallery is a cooperative arts project featuring the work of more than 40 Tucson artists and is a member of the Central Tucson Gallery Association.

John McCain and the Internets

2008-07-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

The New York Times recently interviewed John McCain at length about different issues, including what kind of conservative he is, what kind of Christian he is (who cares about these two points?), the current banking crisis, the Internet, and many other topics.

I was taken aback by McCain's comments about the Internet. Clearly, this guy is not qualified to be president in the age of rapidly expanding technology. Other people show him websites. He's LEARNING to go online himself. And he doesn't use e-mail. Here is an exerpt from the interview. The whole transcript is linked above.

"Q: What websites if any do you look at regularly?

"Mr. McCain: Brooke and Mark show me Drudge, obviously, everybody watches, for better or for worse, Drudge. Sometimes I look at Politico. Sometimes RealPolitics, sometimes.

"(Mrs. McCain and Ms. Buchanan both interject: “Meagan’s blog!”)

"Mr. McCain: Excuse me, Meagan’s blog. And we also look at the blogs from Michael and from you that may not be in the newspaper, that are just part of your blog.

"Q: But do you go on line for yourself?

"Mr. McCain: They go on for me. I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself. I don’t expect to be a great communicator, I don’t expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need – including going to my daughter’s blog first, before anything else.

"Q: Do you use a blackberry or email?

"Mr. McCain: No

"Mark Salter: He uses a BlackBerry, just ours.

"Mr. McCain: I use the Blackberry, but I don’t e-mail, I’ve never felt the particular need to e-mail. I read e-mails all the time, but the communications that I have with my friends and staff are oral and done with my cell phone. I have the luxury of being in contact with them literally all the time. We now have a phone on the plane that is usable on the plane, so I just never really felt a need to do it. But I do – could I just say, really – I understand the impact of blogs on American politics today and political campaigns. I understand that. And I understand that something appears on one blog, can ricochet all around and get into the evening news, the front page of The New York Times. So, I do pay attention to the blogs. And I am not in any way unappreciative of the impact that they have on entire campaigns and world opinion."

I don't believe anyone can truly understand the scope and power of the Internet and related technologies if they have never surfed around and discovered it for themselves. McCain's statement is almost as scary as W's reference to his familiarity with "the Internets" several years ago. How can this man lead us into the future?

Update: Several other bloggers have had fun with this issue and commented. Here are a few links.

Back from the Dead...More or Less
McCain Discovers the Internet, Fire and the Wheel
My Mom is Better than John McCain

Ghost Bikes: A New Twist on the Roadside Shrine

2008-07-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dangerous intersections across the southwestern United States and Mexico often are adorned with roadside shrines marking someone's passing. Around Tucson, a unique type of roadside shrine has now appeared-- Ghost Bikes, white bicycles that mark locations where cyclists were struck and killed.

As an avid cyclist and an occasional bicycle commuter, I think the ghost bikes are a poignant reminder to motorists and cyclists alike; we all can be more careful and respectful of each other on the road.

Photo credit: Arizona Daily Star.

Travel Trials and Tribulations

2008-07-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't flown anywhere since my trip to Colombia last winter, but I have been browsing around looking for deals on future trips to visit relatives and friends. I was surprised how many flights listed overnight connections. For example, I wanted to go to Mazatlan this spring. Several American Airlines trips included an overnight stay in Dallas: Tucson to Dallas one day, Dallas to a variety of locations in Mexico the next day. Basically, these flights took longer than driving to Mazatlan!!!! Oy.

With gas prices continuing to climb, I see this situation only getting worse in the future. Recently, the Tucson airport announced dramatic cutbacks in direct flights out of Tucson beginning this fall.

To combat these inconveniences, consumers and entrepreneurs are getting creative. One company is marketing a Mini Motel one-person tent for stranded travelers. I wish I had had one of these a few years when I was stranded in the Washington National Airport. I found out that my flight had been canceled around 11 p.m.; my new flight was early-- 5 or 6 a.m. I thought it was silly to find a hotel for a just few hours. Little did I know how noisy and uncomfortable the night would be. Airports no longer allow passengers to sleep in the carpeted gate areas. The airline gave me back my luggage and made me (and several other poor souls) go outside of the secure area. There were no comfortable chairs; no chairs that faced each other (so I could prop my feet up); no movable furniture; no carpet; no couches. Plus all night long the cleaning crew drove a HUGE, incredibly loud floor polishing machine back and forth the length of the terminal. The stranded tried hard to snooze, but it was really tough.

Now that airlines are trying to actually sell trips with planned overnight stays, I wonder if airport sleeping has improved. Obviously, we all can't afford to reserve hotel rooms. Maybe I'll buy a Mini Motel.

Photo credit: The New York Times

Sacred Datura: 2008 Update

2008-07-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

My huge Sacred Datura plant from last season is back this year-- along with several offspring around the front yard. The original plant had a blooming season this spring, looked a little sad during the high heat in June, but now is popping back with the wonderful rain we have been having. It looks as if it will have another blooming season soon. The offspring were too small to bloom earlier, but look great now. Something is chewing on them here and there, but I haven't spotted any horned worms. (See the 2007 photos and posts about my infestation.)

When looking around the Internet this morning for other Sacred Datura posts and articles. I found this interesting MMWR from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A woman prepared hamburgers and sprinkled in some Datura seeds. She realized her mistake and removed the seeds. She and her husband ate the burgers. Read the story to find out what happened. (Hint: She should have thrown out the burger meat.)

Also, here are some beautiful pictures of purple Sacred Datura.

Dancing and Dementia: Dance as if No One Is Watching

2008-07-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

It's pretty obvious that I am a dancing nut, but that is not why I entitled this post "Dancing and Dementia." I have always been a dancer-- even as a little kid. My parents met on a blind date at a dance!

Amidst all of the bad news about war, poverty, and high gas prices, today's NY Times has a blog about the benefits of dancing, "Dance Even if No One Is Watching". The author refers to a YouTube video of Matt Harding doing a goofy dance at different locations worldwide. The locations range from the spectacular to the mundane. Along the way, many different types of people join him in the goofy dance. For me, the video shows the universal appeal of dancing and music.

In addition to plugging the video, the author gives several health benefits of dancing, including a 2003 New England Journal of Medicine article that reported reduced dementia among older people who danced. Here is a similar article on the benefits of dancing from Psychology Today Healing Arts blog.

When I go dancing, there are almost always more women than men on the dance floor. Obesity, depression, high blood pressure, and now dementia can be prevented (or at least reduced) with dancing. What more reason do you need to start dancing, guys?

Modern Love

2008-07-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Obviously, if you have been reading my blog, you know that I am a regular reader of the New York Times. Although I occasionally disagree with some of the columnists, I think that the online Times is a great mix of hard news and entertainment features. In my opinion, one of the more entertaining columns is Modern Love.

This column does not appear daily; in fact, it seems to appear randomly. The other day I searched the NYT site to see if there had been any recent stories. I found several new Modern Love articles including a series written by college students who entered a NYT contest. The Times wanted to learn about Modern Love on college campuses. What's ironic to me is how applicable they are to me, a woman of a certain age. I have linked to four winning student entries here.

"Want to Be My Boyfriend? Please Define" This article is the winner of the NYT Modern Love college author contest. The author is a very articulate co-ed who tries to define dating, hooking up, and relationship expectations.

"Let's Not Get to Know Each Other Better" This article by a college guy is, in some ways, the "answer song" to the post above. It reminds me of one of the running jokes on Seinfeld: Is this a date?

"My Dropout Boyfriend Kept Dropping In" I was laughing out loud while reading this article about the afraid-of-the-dark boyfriend who decides to be voluntarily homeless. This guy "didn't need" an apartment (or the expense of an apartment) because he had a girlfriend with one. It reminded me of an old beau who "didn't need a car". Yeah, right, didn't need one until he wanted to buy groceries or move. He didn't need a car-- just a girlfriend with a car.

"Instant Message, Instant Girlfriend" I thought this one was fascinating. The self-described dweeb woos women using IM and e-mail because he is uncomfortable face-to-face communication. On IM, he transformed himself from "an overweight, overdressed frog to a charming, handsome, technology-savvy prince."

I hope you enjoy these humorous but also poignant views of love and relationships.

July 15 Update: Rather than add yet another post about relationships, I decided to update my Modern Love post with a link to an article by Ben Stein in today's NYT. "Lessons in Love by Way of Economics" is thoughtful but somewhat tongue-in-cheek. It includes several pearls of wisdom including: don't buy junk bonds, do your research before investing, long-term investment pays off, and the size of your return can be directly correlated to your investment.

Image credit: New York Times

West Coast Swing Dance Convention

2008-07-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I experienced an almost perfect 4th of July vacation. For those of you who think a vacation isn't perfect without a fishing pole, you may as well bail on this post right now because there were no fishing poles at the 27th Annual 4th of July West Coast Swing Dance Convention at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.

The convention did feature two of my favorite activities-- dancing and shopping. I say it was "almost perfect" for 2 reasons: 1) it was 112 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix, and 2) I was a tad intimidated by the expert level of west coast swing dancing by many of the other convention attendees. Despite the oven-like heat and a few bouts of shyness, I had a great time, learned a lot, danced a lot, met new dancing friends, and was inspired to improve my west coast swing technique.

The convention is sponsored by the Greater Phoenix Swing Dance Club. They did a great job of organizing the convention, keeping everything on time, and hosting hundreds of swing dancers from all over the world. (One tiny suggestion would be a more detailed program--especially for the newbies like me.)

The Biltmore was a fantastic location. I have always wanted to see the Biltmore because I am a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright and historic architecture. It was designed by one of his students Albert Chase McArthur.
You can see the FLW design influences everywhere-- the mission style furniture, the desert earth tones, the art deco touches, the use of distinctive angular repeating patterns in the rugs, woodwork, artwork, and block. Very cool. I took TONS of pictures, which will be uploaded to my Flickr site in the near future.

The vendors at the convention were amazing. There weren't very many-- maybe 10-- but they sold everything from orthotics to rhinestone-studded bras and discounted dance shoes.
I didn't buy a rhinestone-studded bra (although one of my friends tried to talk me into it) but I did buy sexy salsa shoes, not-so-sexy orthotics (at right mine are being made), flip-flops with arch support, and 2 sparkly tops. If any of you are swing dancers, I urge you to branch out and attend convention in your area. They are load of fun and great exercise.

The Perfect Match

2008-07-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

In astrology, your perfect match is the sun sign across from yours on the zodiac wheel. If you are a fire sign, that sign is an air sign; air feeds fire. If you are an earth sign, your perfect match is a water sign; earth and water make glorious mud.

Obviously in real life, relationships are a little more complicated. In yesterday's New York Times, Maureen Dowd contributed a story entitled "An Ideal Husband." I'm not sure why she chose to call it this, since easily it could have been entitled "An Ideal [Spouse, Husband, Wife, Significant Other, Partner, whatever]"; the advice applies to relationships, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Much of the article is based upon common sense advice from a priest who has been counseling married couples for decades. There is nothing earth-shattering about this article, but I do think that it is good refresher information for single people who would like to be someone's significant other. The big take-home message is to really get to know someone before you become infatuated with them or before you fall in love with being in love. (In other words, fall in love with the idea of being in a couple. Women do this all the time, in my opinion.)

Crushes don't last, according to Father Pat Connor, who adds, "Infatuation trumps judgment.”

Addendum: Several New York Times readers also were moved to comment on this article. Here is a link to some interesting letters.

Tobacco Farming and Rain Water Harvesting

2008-06-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

So you are asking yourself, "What the heck does tobacco farming have to do with rain water harvesting in the desert?" Those of you who are horiculturally astute may know that there are varieties of tobacco that grow wild in Arizona. The Native Americans have grown native strains of tobacco for centuries and use it in ceremonies.

Tobacco grows wild in the city of Tucson in yards and allies. You can find it particularly in older neighborhoods where many citizens have cultivated native plants and small patches of wildness. (Midtown and downtown can be contrasted with the dirt-colored suburban developments that are characterized by rocks, cement, and a few neatly manicured cacti. Meow.)

If you have seen tobacco growing in fields in Kentucky, you may not recognize the wild tobacco in Tucson. I can remember driving around Kentucky in the 1960s on vacation with the family. We passed miles and miles of tobacco fields. These plants were relatively short (3 feet) and had huge leaves. The tobacco plants growing around Tucson are much taller (up to 10 feet or more) and have hand-sized leaves and pretty yellow flowers.

A friend of mine planted wild tobacco in her university-area desert garden. These plants are at least 8-10 feet tall and offer a nice blind and shade her outdoor picnic area. One day while enjoying breakfast in her yard, I decided to become a tobacco farmer. On the west side of my yard, there is a 5 foot block wall that separates my yard from the two duplexes next door. Ever since I purchased this midtown property, I've been contemplating what beautiful, hardy, tall, fast-growing, drought-and-sun tolerant plant I could put there to screen my yard from the duplexes. Tobacco is that plant.

Lucky for my new seedlings, I also have the downspout from my roof on the west side of my house. If you read any of my rain water harvesting posts from last summer, you know that I planned to put in a rain water collection cistern. Well, that project hasn't happened yet. (Good news for the tobacco; bad news for me because that means I am still transporting rain water around the yard by hand.)

I have a rectangular garbage can that collects water from the downspout, but during a hard monsoon rain, it is filled in minutes. Last summer, the overflow created rivers and lakes in my backyard. (To see last year's photos click on water harvesting link on this blog). This spring, I created a trench from the rain water collection bin to the planting bed along the wall where the tobacco seeds will be planted. I have been waiting for the summer rain to plant my seeds. Thursday we had our first big rain of the summer season. It was glorious. Tomorrow, I'm planting my first tobacco crop.

George Carlin, Comic Genius

2008-06-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

This week the world lost a great comedian, George Carlin. Many media outlets have celebrated his life and his comedy by printing jokes and replaying famous skits. Having come of age with Carlin, it has been a fun-filled trip down memory lane. The New York Times published a few different stories on Carlin and several photos (including this one).

Rather than wax poetic about Carlin, here are a few of his one-liners... enjoy...

Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?

Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?

One nice thing about egotists: they don't talk about other people.

How is it possible to have a civil war?

If God dropped acid, would he see people?

If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown too?

If you ate pasta and antipasti, would you still be hungry?

If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "assteroids"?

Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of that song?

Where are we going? And what's with this hand basket?

If the "black box" flight recorder is never damaged during a plane crash, why isn't the whole damn airplane made out of it?

I'm not into working out. My philosophy is no pain, no pain.

I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.

You have to stay in shape. My mother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now, and we have no idea where she is.

One out of every three Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of two of your best friends. If they are OK, then it must be you.

Viva George Carlin!

VPL: Is It Really the Biggest Fashion No-No?

2008-06-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me know that I no longer watch television. More than 2 years ago when I moved to my current house, I chose not to subscribe to cable television and not to install an antenna in order to receive snowy local channels. (Note to Cox Cable: STOP sending me 2 pieces of mail each week. I'm not coming back!)

Truth be told, when I had cable TV, I used to like to watch shows featuring red carpet fashions-- among other things, of course. One night in the winter of 2006, I had an epiphany while watching the E! channel red carpet review. I had already seen the E! countdown of the biggest fashion no-nos with embarrassing examples from a variety of starlets. So, I knew that the biggest fashion no-no was VPL (visible panty lines). On the red carpet that night, a woman and a gay guy were talking with celebrities and then rating dresses, jewelry, hair, and shoes for the devoted E! TV audience.

My television epiphany occurred when the gay guy started asking every woman if she was wearing panties. (Of course, inquiring minds want to know; all of them were wearing tight, slinky dresses, and, of course, none of them had VPL.)

"Ohhhhhh...... why am I watching this?" was my first thought. Second and third thoughts were: he has no right to ask this question and why are they all answering him? With this, I turned off the TV and decided not to subscribe to cable after I moved. (Watching television is truly a mind-rotting exercise.)

Fast forward to the present. I work out at the gym 4-5 nights a week-- spinning, running, and weight lifting. These are high-intensity activities that produce a lot of sweat-- especially spinning. The other day, a male friend of mine noted that I had VPL. I refrained from making a crack about his disheveled workout attire, and proudly said, "Yes, I do." I proceeded to explain that I choose comfort and absorbency over fashion during workouts. So there, Mr. Tighty Whitey.

After a few weeks of watching other people spin (I'm usually in the back row), I have realized that I am in the minority on the VPL workout issue. Women of all sizes, shapes, and ages either do not wear panties under their bike shorts or stretch pants, or they wear thongs. How can they really workout like this? In particular how can they stand to run or spin like this? Is the fear of VPL another form of fashion slavery-- like outrageously high heels, boob jobs, and Botox?

Weeks of research and observation has led me to the conclusion that VPL is NOT the biggest fashion no-no-- especially in the gym. Sweaty workout pants--worn without panties-- are a much bigger fashion no-no. Gross....

Downtown Tucson: Another Comeback?

2008-06-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Tucson for 27 years. During that time, I have seen many changes in downtown-- some positive and some negative. (Yes, for those of you who live in the 'burbs. Tucson does have a downtown.)

I can remember walking downtown to shop at the old Jacome's and Penney's stores that once stood where the public library now is located. I also can remember the hey-day of Downtown Saturday Nights-- a downtown arts promotion program from the late 1980s. Hundreds of Tucsonans flocked downtown on the first and third Saturday nights to enjoy music, dancing, art, and shopping along Congress Street. (What happened to the enthusiasm of Downtown Saturday Nights and the businesses that used to be on Congress?) I also remember not too long ago when almost nothing was open on Congress Street except the Hotel Congress and the Rialto Theatre.

A small but determined group of artists and dreamers like me have been downtown supporters for years, despite multiple setbacks. Now, it appears as if downtown is rising again (even in the midst of the current traffic and parking nightmares). Along Congress Street, new shops and galleries are popping up next to bars and restaurants like The Grille, Sharks, The District, Tooleys, and Hotel Congress. The trolley tracks that will connect 4th Avenue and downtown are being installed. The city is helping businesses renovate the facades of the old buildings. There is progress.

Events like the Central Tucson Gallery Association's Summer Arts Cruise in June are bringing people downtown. Hundreds of people braved the construction to enjoy art, wine, music, finger foods, and good conversation. More than a dozen galleries were open along Congress Street, 6th Street, and 4th Avenue. (I currently have pieces in two of these galleries on Congress-- Dinnerware Artspace and the new Central Arts Gallery.)

I'm hoping that the artists, politicians, and downtown supporters will work together to wisely invest the Rio Nuevo funds to build a vibrant downtown.

Bushback Mountain: The Truth Revealed

2008-06-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

As the 2008 presidential campaigns gear up for the final contest, it will be interesting to see how John McCain re-invents himself. Although he has been portrayed as a moderate Republican with an independent streak, lately his speeches show how close his policies are to George Bush's policies. The picture above is from Alan Colmes' web log. Many commentators and bloggers continue to support Barack Obama's drum beat: McCain is running for Bush's third term. On multiple levels, the country can't afford Bush's third term.

Blog for Arizona has a very good historical account of McCain's decisions and his past connections to the Savings and Loan scandals of the 1980s (among other stories about McCain). Again, I am disapointed in the main stream media. Story after story about what Obama's minister said but nothing about McCain's role in this 1980s financial crisis.

Clinton Supporters for McCain: Fact or Fiction?

2008-06-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton ran an historic race for President of the United States. She inspired women of all ages with her campaign. Finally, a woman was a real contender for president. No matter how many times the media slapped her down, she came back. The constant barage of insults from wind bags on the left and the right--like Ed Schultz--just strengthened her core supporters.

Sadly, now Hillary's campaign has ended. The media who tried to kill her race is lauding her strength and courage, yada, yada, yada. (Just a few weeks ago she was a witch who wouldn't give up.)

These days the other big non-story attached to Hillary revolves around her supporters: Who will they vote for in November? Story after story reports that a significant percentage of Hillary supporters will vote for McCain. Personally, I think this is hogwash. Shortly after Hilary's concession speech, I heard a news report that 20% of her supporters say they will vote for McCain, who has a dismal voting record on women's issues. Ok, then, that means 80% will vote for someone else-- most likely Obama. Hello, why is the media focusing on potential defectors from the Democratic Party????? Obviously, it's because they're trying to paint this behavior as the norm.

A story in today's New Your Times puts this issue into perspective. It outlines how absurd it would be for a Hillary supporter to vote for McCain. Author Frank Rich describes McCain's pitches to pick up women's votes, but then adds, "... while the McCain campaign apparently believes that women are easy marks for its latent feminist cross-dressing, a reality check suggests that most women can instantly identify any man who’s hitting on them for selfish ends." tee hee.... you betcha.

Franklin and Jimmy: Where Are You When We Need You?

2008-06-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

If you've been paying attention to the news these days, you know that the US is in deep economic do-do (a technical term I learned in Econ 101 at OSU).

Bush, Cheney, and their Congressional Republican minions have run the economy into the ground with their tax-break-and-spend policies. They handily eliminated the Clinton budget surplus years ago and continue to build the LARGEST budget deficit in history. Their oil man perspective on energy and environmental policy has not only led them to ignore international treatees on reducing global warming but also to work against any regulations that would encourage fuel-effiecient cars or meaningful research into alternative fuels. Being "anti-big-government" (except when it pertains to gay marriage or abortion), they also turned a blind eye to risky lending practices, which have now created a stagering mortgage crisis across the country. If all this is not bad enough, gas prices are over $4/gallon in some parts of the US and rising; automakers are closing plants and laying off thousands of people; the dollar has tanked on world markets; the stock market keeps slipping; people are losing their homes and jobs; and the Chinese are beating the pants off us at our own games (ie, capitalism and conspicuous consumption of energy-- not baseball).

Whew.... what a list. So, why don't we have a parilentary system, so we could have voted these self-serving, self-rightous oil barons out of office before they destroyed our country? I digress...

Tonight, my question is: Franklin and Jimmy, where are you when we need you most? Of course, I'm referring to Franklin D. Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter.

In the 1930s, the US was in dire financial straits; there was a banking crisis; people were losing their jobs and homes; and stock market volitlity led to huge loses. Hmmmm.... sounds familiar! Anyway, what did FDR do? Did he send everyone a $300 economic stimulus check so they could buy cheap imported goods? Noooooo.... he created social programs to give poor, sick, and elderly people a safety net and created jobs programs to put people to work. The alphabet soup of public works programs created by FDR went a long way to fix and build US infrastructure-- roads, sidewalks, parks, dams-- while giving people the work, money, and self-esteem to rebuild their lives.

We have people out of work, and we have infrastructure problems. Why not put the two together?
1) Politicians lack political will and long-term vision to take dramatic steps (even if they would benefit millions of people).
2) Sending checks is easier and very popular in an election year.
3) Sending us $300-600 dollars to spend not only helps some citizens but also helps business-- if we buy something.
4) Giveaway gimmicks are good PR amongst the poor and less educated. (Ok, sorry to sound elitist, but given some level of sophistication, you recognize the stimulus package for what it is.)

So, I've made a case of FDR, but why, you ask, do we need Jimmy Carter, too? Those of us who were around in the late 1970s, remember the last "energy crisis"-- long lines at the gas pumps, rising prices. Jimmy made a series of presidential tough-love, tighten-your-belts speeches on TV. He called on the nation to reduce energy consumption and to work together to develop an energy policy that would reduce our dependence upon foreign oil. He encouraged us to buy fuel-efficient cars, turn down our thermostats in the winter (55 at night and 65 during the day), and put on a sweater. (He wore a sweater when he gave one of these speeches.) I drove a Datsun B110 in the 1970s-- 40mph. People used to brag about the milage of their cars!!!! (Check out his speeches on YouTube.)

What is our president doing about our current energy crisis? First of all, you can't call it a crisis or people would really panic (especially since they're losing their houses and jobs, as oil and food prices rise). Are Bush and Chaney (his boss) asking people to conserve? Hell no! (Conservation is for wussies; that's what Ronald Reagan taught us.) Their solution is more oil production and exploration-- here and in the middle east.

What would the US be like today if we had re-elected Jimmy and continued to work toward energy independence? Sigh.....Of course, Americans aren't into sacrifice so we elected Ronny instead of Jimmy. Ronny said that there had been a "malaise" in the country and that now (with him as president) it was "a new day in America". Ronny (the great communicator) was selling us a "Don't Worry Be Happy" philosophy and we bought it. Magically, big cars were ok again, the energy crisis was a thing of the past, and global warming was a theory. Almost 30 years later, gas mileage for most cars is worse than it was in the late 1970s. Thanks, Ronny, George I and George II for allowing us to burry our heads in the sand, while you and your friends profitted from our ignorance.

So gasoline is fast approaching $4/gallon here in Arizona and has surpassed that mark in some states. This will put a dent in summer vacations, most likely, but what will the price of energy be in the winter when people have to heat their homes? This is a very scary thought, but, of course, except for NPR, no one in power is addressing this. (Winter is after the election, and, therefore, too far in the future.)

So, where are FDR and Jimmy when we need them? Will Barack Obama or John McCain be the type of strong, visionary president that we need now?

Summer Art Cruise Opens June 7

2008-06-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

The Central Tucson Galleries Association Summer Art Cruise opens tomorrow. More than a dozen galleries in and around downtown will have artist receptions tomorrow night-- June 7, 2008. I'm proud to announce that I will have work in two of the galleries.

Suenos de Amor II (above) is part of the Big Ideas, Small Frames show at Dinnerware Artspace (264 E. Congress, Tucson) and Cascada de Luz (below) will be in the window at the Central Arts Gallery (274 E. Congress).

The Tucson Weekly has a comprehensive listing of galleries that will be open tomorrow evening beginning at 6pm. Come downtown to sip some wine, eat some finger foods, and hob-nob with an electic crowd.

Bucaramunga - the Last Stop

2008-06-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our last stop in Colombia was Bucaramunga to visit relatives and celebrate Christmas. Bucaramunga is on the edge of the Andes (below), and it very lush. It is not as big as Bogota, and not as old and quaint at Cartagena.

Bucaramunga is a cosmopolitan city with LOTS of traffic. I forgot to mention that in Colombia the traffie is fierce. Pedistrians have no right of way. I was nearly run down my a bus in Bucaramunga on Christmas Eve. I was crossing the street (in the cross walk, at a light). Two or three lanes of traffic started to make a left turn toward me. I turned sideways between a car and a bus in order to avoid getting hit. I could see Jorge on the median looking upward and crossing himself. I guess it worked; the bus driver decided not to hit me and stopped so I cross!!!!

We had an absolutely wild Christmas Eve shopping trip to a large, multi-story, open-air mall. We went to structure that looked like a parking garage. It had 5 or 6 stories filled with hundreds of little shops. Each floor had something different-- shoes, clothes, luggage and leather, toys, etc. The corridors were PACKED shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of people buying last minutes gifts. It was extreme shopping for sure. I bought a great pair of salsa shoes.

One day we took a drive up into the mountains. The Andes were magnificent. I've been to the Great Smokies, the Colorado Rockies, Mount Graham (10,000 ft), and many other mountain ranges in Arizona, but somehow the Andes seemed more impressive than any of them.

Playa Blanca: El Paraiso

2008-06-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

The most beautiful (and most challenging) part of our trip to Colombia was our time on Playa Blanca. We caught a mid-sized motor boat (below, left) at a market near Cartagena for our trip to Playa Blanca on Isla Baru. It took FOREVER for the boat to load and leave the dock. They didn't take off until the boat was full of people and goods for the island. The baby (below, right), sucking purified water out of a plastic bag, was one of our fellow passengers.

To say that Playa Blanca is primitive is an understatement. There is no running water for showers or toilets, no fresh water for drinking, and no electricity. Ok, to set the record straight, I'm not an overly prissy person. (That person would not have gotten on the boat at the market!) I have been wilderness camping in many remote parts of the US. I guess the differences between those experiences and my time on Playa Blanca were that: I was prepared for the wilderness camping (ie, plenty of water and food, the right clothes, bug repellant, my blankets, a tent with a floor, etc.) and I had a vehicle and could leave at any time. Once you're on Playa Blanca, you're there until the boat comes back.

Playa Blanca was remote and absolutely gorgeous. We spent our time there playing in the Cariabean, drinking ice cold cerveza, walking on the beach, and chatting. Our host was Mama Ruth and her husband. They own one of the many clusters of thatched roof buildings along the beach. She cooked all of our meals. The best fish I had in Colombia was Mama Ruth's. The beach at Playa Blanca was serene compared to Boca Grande (in Cartagena). Boca Grande was FULL of tourists and vendors working the tourists. There were a few bead, water, and beer vendors on Playa Blanca and some small groups of tourists. Unlike us, most of the tourists didn't spend the night there.

Our accommodations were rustic (above). The four of us stayed in one "room" in a thatched roof hut that had a sand floor and blankets and quilts for interior walls. The beds were minimalist, but after plenty of cerveza, I can sleep anywhere. Since there were no showers to wash off the sunscreen, salt water, and sand on my skin, the beds were a little sandy. At left is a picture of Alex with Mama Ruth; at right is picture of me, Jorge, and his mom Elsa.

Also here and far below are pictures of some of the signage. Apparently, a tagger spent some time at Mama Ruth's and dressed the place up with funky signage.

The best part of Playa Blanca was the absolutely devine starry night. The sky was deep midnight blue with thousands of stars, including shooting stars. I saw constellations that I have not seen in years. As we stood in awe on the beach at about 3 a.m., one of my companions remarked, "Es el trabajo del gran artista." (It is the work of the great artist.)

Playa Blanca is truly paradise. Unfortunately, there are corporate giants who are fighting to make Playa Blanca into another Boca Grande, with skyscraper hotels and condos on the beach. Mama Ruth and the others who offer hospitality on Playa Blanca are being threatened. For more on the politics of Playa Blanca, check out this link to the Save Playa Blanca blog. Above the sun is setting on Mama Ruth's kitchen.

Cartagena, Mi Querido

2008-05-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed touring the streets of Bogota, but I absolutely loved Cartagena. The two cities are very different. Bogota is a huge, bustling, cosmopolitan metropolis. Cartagena is very old and quaint. As the Lonely Planet Guide to Colombia says "A fairy-tale city or romance, legends, and sheer beauty, Cartagena de Indias in as addictive place that can be hard to escape. This is a place to drop all sightseeing routines. Instead just stroll through Cartagena's maze of cobbled alleys."
As with Bogota, there were many, old Catholic churches. Here is just one of them. My daughter Alexandra and I also toured a mountain-top convent that had been restored beautifully. You can check out more Cartagena streetscapes and pictures of the convent on my Flickr website.

Settled by the Spaniards in 1533, Cartagena became their main port on the Carribean. As such, it became a prime target for English pirates. The Spaniards build a wall around the city and a massive stone fortress. We walked all around and inside the fortress. It was impressive, to say the least. Here are just two views. The Caribean Ocean (below) was gorgeous. This is the view right outside of the wall of the old town. Boca Grande, a more tourist-oriented and more developed part of Cartagena, has a beautiful sandy beach, more suited for swimming, sun-bathing, and bikini-watching. We stayed in Cartagena longer than Bogota and really enjoyed the nightlife--especially the salsa dancing at Quiebra Canto. As with the salsa club in Bogota, Quiebra Canto was a very small second story club with hot music and enthusiastic dancers. Since all four of us are seasoned salsa dancers, we fit right in with the Colombians on the dance floor.

We also enjoyed bargain-hunting and haggling in the open-air markets and the many small shops in Cartagena. On practically every street, there were mercados packed with great deals on everything from flowers, fruits and vegetables to clothes, suitcases and electronics.

Since it was the Christmas season, Cartgena was awash with lights at night. I took tons of time exposures of the lights and us at night. On the left is the view of a dance club that was across from the Hotel El Viajero, where we stayed. On the right is Jorge cartwheeling near the bay.

As a true-blue Leo, I just had to end my Cartagena post with this picture of the "Casa Leo" in Old Town. As mentioned above, there are many more photographs of Cartagena and our Colombian adventures on my Flickr website.

Bogota!

2008-04-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's been a very long time since I posted. Obviously, the fall of 2007 was hectic with multiple art shows. After the Cascabel Show in December, I took 2 weeks vacation in Colombia! Yes, Colombia, the country. It was marvelous, exciting, eclectic, historic, luscious. I went with my daughter Alexandra, son-in-law Jorge (who is from Colombia), and my friend Rico. We had a blast sight-seeing, tasting regional foods, and salsa dancing in Bogota, Cartagena, Playa Blanca, and Bucaramunga. Above is an aerial photograph of Bogota, a teeming city of 9 million people. The photograph was taken from Monserrate, a mountain-top shrine and cathedral. It was magnificent. Rico and I took the cable car straight up the mountain, through the forest, while Alex and Jorge walked up with hundreds of pilgrims. Here is another view.

In Bogota, we stayed at the Playtypus Hostel. It was highly recommended by Lonely Planet. It was a very funky and eclectic place, and we met many travelers from all over the world-- Germany, Korea, Sweeden, France, Australia, Brazil, and one guy from California (the only other American and the only other nonsmoker). Here, Alex and Jorge pose in front of the Playtypus. I would recommended it if you want to stay in a cheap place in the Candelaria District, a quaint old section of downtown Bogota. The Playtapus is one of many hostels and old hotels in La Candelaria.

Since I am a fan of history and historic architecture, I was in my element, walking the streets of La Candelaria, drinking in the scenery, and taking pictures. This is just one of many streetscapes.

We visited several museums, including the Museo del Oro, the Botero Museum, and a museum commemorating Simon Bolivar. Here, Rico and I dance with some Botero dancers in the museum.

All over Colombia we tried many delicious and unusual breads. Here, Jorge tries one of them. Below, is a paneria with a selection of tastey carbs. We also sampled many Colombia foods and different regional drinks such as aguardiente, canelazo de fruitas, Cerveza Aguila, Cerveza Costeno, and chicha, an Incan alcoholic beverage made from fermented corn and pineapple. Below, Alex poses with a bottle of homemade chicha. She's wearing an antique jacket that she purchased in the open-air mercado.

The market was amazing. You could buy anything-- from food, jewelry, and electronics to a dead calf head. We spent several hours touring the mercado, munching on treats, and spending money.
We also saw many magnificent cathedrals, eclectic murals, quaint buildings, historic places, and hot dance clubs in Bogota. Here, Alex and I pose in La Plaza de Bolivar with the Christmas lights. For more pictures, check out the link to my Flickr photostream.

Upcoming Art Shows: Wind Dancer Design

2007-09-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

October is generally a busy month in Tucson. The weather is perfect, and the city is alive with students, snowbirds, tourists, and the desert rats who live here all year-- like me.

This October will be particularly busy for me. My mosaics will be in three upcoming jurried shows.

Contents Interiors, an upscale furniture and interior decorating store, is hosting an art show beginning October 6 and running through November 10. Two of my works-- Chilies on the Vine and Mi Corazon, Mi Vida-- will be in this show. The reception is Saturday, October 6 from 11 am - 3 pm.

The Tohono Chul Park Dia de los Muertos show runs from August 23 until November 4. There is a free opening reception on Friday, October 26 from 5-8 pm. In addition to the art show, there will be fire dancing, drumming, puppet shows and more.

Cascada de Luz (my mosaic waterfall-- as seen above and in earlier posts below when it was under construction) has been accepted into the Glow, which is October 25, 26, and 27 in Oracle, Arizona. The Glow is a very cool event at the Triangle L Ranch. In addition to a lighted, night time walk through a sculpture garden under the full moon, the event includes food, music and dancing. It's a blast! There are several bed and breakfast inns in Oracle for those who don't want to drive home.

November 10-11, Wind Dancer Design Studio will be open as part of the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour. More on this as the date approaches.

Sacred Datura: Night-Blooming Wonder of the Desert

2007-08-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Last night when I came home, the Sacred Datura plant in my front yard was in full bloom with 20 or 30 gorgeous white trumpet-shaped flowers glowing in the moonlight. What a marvelous, mysterious and powerful plant.

Sacred Datura tea is a hallucinogen and has been used by some Native American tribes in rituals. According to Wikipedia, it is a very powerful deliriant. The effects of ingesting Sacred Datura tea--which include seizures and death--are downright scary! It's in the deadly nightshade family and is said to be more powerful than peyote, psyllicibin or LSD.

Some agricultural websites ignore the plant's beauty and ritualistic and pharmaceutical uses, and call it a noxious weed. For example, this link says that the plant is toxic to livestock. (Ok, maybe this is God's way of saying that Sacred Datura belongs in the desert and cows don't?)

My plant has been plagued by large (3"+) caterpillars. Initially, my thought was to leave them alone because they would become butterflies or moths. Also, I thought they couldn't survive eating the Sacred Datura--not so. I came home from work one day, and they had done considerable damage to my gorgeous plant. No more Ms. Nice Guy, I thought. I moved 7 or 8 very large caterpillars to some Buffel Grass (a nasty pest plant) growing in the neighbor's curb lawn. Later that day, the caterpillars were gone. I don't know if they found a better home or if the birds found them. Today (Sunday), after the glorious blooms of Friday night, the plant again looked damaged. I hunted around under the leaves, and sure enough, the catapillars were back!!! I moved another 10 today to the weeds across the street. The above photo is one of the smaller caterpillars. You can see the stem he is on has no leaves.

Another species that seems to enjoy eating Sacred Datura is harvester ants. I have been fighting them ever since I moved to this house. I let them chomp away at it thinking that maybe Sacred Datura would kill them or at least keep them away from more vulnerable plants in my yard.

Anyway, I grow Sacred Datura for its beauty and desert hardiness. It just goes to show ya: one person's weed is another person's decorative flower or drug store. One animal's poison is another's food supply. Nature's funny that way.

Sicko: What a Movie!

2007-08-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

Tonight I went to see "Sicko", Michael Moore's latest documentary. What a powerful movie.

Several of my friends had seen the movie before me and had offered snipets of information about it. Although I sort of knew what to expect from "Sicko," I was overwhelmed by the movie and reduced to tears by the end. Yes, the personal stories were moving-- the guy who had to choose which finger to save, the couple whose medical bills forced them into backruptcy and their daughter's basement, the 9/11 rescue workers who were foresaken by our healthcare non-system, the little girl who died because care was refused, etc.

But above all of the personal stories, one commentary really hit home for me. An English gentleman said that American corporations and government want to keep US citizens fearful, uneducated, and disillusioned with the system because then they will be so pessimistic and hopeless that they won't vote. They fear citizens who are healthy, educated, and fearless because they can't be easily controlled. He explained that for Great Brittan free national healthcare came with democracy. (Huh? Aren't we the ones who are supposedly making the world "safe for democracy"? Isn't this our biggest export?) How come our democracy values money and corporate profits more than the health and welfare of its citizens? The current government hopes that we will stay uninformed and believe their big lie that the US has the best healthcare. A recent NY Times editorial offered a conservative but thorough comparison between our non-system and healthcare offer in other industrialized countries.

I liked "An Inconvenient Truth" and thought it was exciting how one movie could sigle-handedly push global warming into the collective consciousness of the American people. I hope that "Sicko" does that for healthcare.

Every adult in the US should see this movie and then take action: contact friends and encourage them to go to the movie; send e-mails or letters to legislators encouraging them to actually do something about the US healthcare scandal; blog about "Sicko" and healthcare in the US; send letters and comments to newspapers; march in the streets; and VOTE.

As Michael Moore said at the end of the movie, when are the citizens of the US going to think of "we" instead of "me"?

What would happen if the poor and disenfranchized citizens of the US all registered to vote and actually voted?

Wind Dancer Design Shrine in El Dia de los Muertos Exhibit

2007-08-06T21:13:00.001-07:00

One of my shrines has been accepted into Tohono Chul Park's upcoming Día de los Muertos: The Gift of Remembrance exhibit. The exhibit runs from August 23 through November 4.

El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a big celebration in Tucson. Historically, Mexicans have celebrated the day after Halloween as El Dia de los Muertos. They set up shrines in their houses to remember loved ones who have passed on, and they often go to the gravesites and have a celebration-- complete with food, music, flowers, and offerings.

Several years ago, some Tucson artists -- most notably the Puppet Works organization-- started holding a procession on El Dia de los Muertos. Following the procession, Flam Chen, a local-- but internationally famous-- fire dancing troupe holds a free performance.

There are three levels of participation in the procession: watch the parade (ok but that's not really participation), walk along the parade route in street clothes (ok, if you're too cool to wear a costume but also not in the spirit of the occasion), or full participation complete with costume and noise makers or drum-- very fun. One year, I walked the procession as La Llorna.

Here is a pic of my daughter (center) with her husband (left) and friend, on their way to the procession one year. If you want to learn more about the procession in Tucson or El Dia de los Muertos, check out this link. Day of the Dead

New Emblem for US Government

2007-08-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently sent this bit of news for my blog.

"The federal government announced today that it is changing its emblem to a condom because it more clearly reflects the government's political stance. A condom stands up to inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, protects a bunch of pricks, and gives a sense of security while it's actually screwing you."

Sad but true...

Everyone needs to vote in every election!

As Jim Morrison sang, "They got the guns. We got the numbers."