If Halloween Is Fading, Day of the Dead Is Rising

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 11/7/09

Having put Halloween in the rear view mirror, I have to say the steady stream of trick-or-treaters at my front door last Saturday night was more like a trickle. And that goes for what I saw on the street as well.

Where were all the little ghosts and goblins? While trick-or-treating with my youngest daughter and our usual group of friends, it was quite obvious that the numerous decorated houses with multiple jack-o'-lanterns, spider webs and 2D witches clinging to the trees in years past were few and far between. In their place were deliberately dark porches, sans decorations.

I am not alone in this observation; my friend Dave in Florida said this was the first Halloween that he had candy left over.

As I called dibs on his remaining fun-size Almond Joys, a sense of sadness came over me. Is the act of going house-to-house begging for candy on Oct. 31 becoming a thing of the past, like pet rocks, Red Ball Jet sneakers and disco?

Life has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, and the world isn't as safe as it once was.

But where there is a yin, there is a yang. Whereas Halloween may be losing its popularity, another timely tradition continues to become more prominent every year.

Day of the Dead is a Mexican and Mexican-American celebration of deceased ancestors that occurs on Nov. 1 and 2 and coincides with the similar Roman Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

Day of the Dead celebrations are gaining in popularity, proven by the many parades and parties that now take place about this time every year. Many artists find this spiritual celebration captivating and that's reflected in their highly whimsical and colorful art that is found at craft shows, gift shops and museums.

This weekend you will find a plethora of folk art commemorating Day of the Dead at the Arte de Muertos Expo at the Santa Ana Star Casino.

Hank Estrada is the creative energy behind Arte de Muertos Productions, and although the event is relatively new, it's already a sellout.

"Just within its first year, the Expo has grown to become New Mexico's largest assemblage of Day of the Dead artists ever," Estrada said. "Our artists come from all over the state. We have now even attracted artists from the neighboring states of Texas, Arizona, Colorado and old Mexico."

I attended their summer event and ended up spending more than I had planned on a couple of folk art pieces that were not Day of the Dead-inspired.

"We pride ourselves in featuring both traditional and contemporary examples of art," Estrada said. "Among this year's Expo, artists will be representing the art forms of papier mache, carpentry, glass, jewelry, masks, mixed media, feather craft, and even a local woman who makes authentic coffins," gleamed Estrada.

I saw this craftswoman at the July event, and if you can get over the shock of seeing coffins at an arts and crafts fair, the artwork is really beautiful.

One of my favorite authors, Antonio Garcez, will be at the Expo today signing his collection of ghost story books including his latest book, "Colorado Ghost Stories."

"The Expo has a great atmosphere, a real sense of family and fiesta," Estrada said. "We have lots of music, and today, we have numerologists, Ouija board psychics and tarot card readers."

Honor your ancestors or just get a jump on your holiday shopping and check out the Arte de Muertos Expo today or tomorrow. I'll be the one with the skull-painted face with too many shopping bags to carry.

Quote of the Week: "The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future." — Stephen Ambrose, historian, 1936-2002

Some Candy Little Ghosts Won't Touch

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 10/31/09

I hope everyone survived last night's pranks during Devil's Night, or as they say in the north, Gate Night, and no one has to clean eggs off of their windows or smashed pumpkins off of their front walks. With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, I can only imagine how many parties filled the night. My loyal readers may remember last year's Halloween column, in which I explored the truth about what your costume says about you. So, all you French maids, Tarzans and witches, we know what you are really trying to tell us.

Besides pumpkins, costumes and pranks, the most important part of Halloween has to be the candy, and we all know it. Haven't we all sneaked Mounds bars and Almond Joys from our children's stash when they weren't looking?

Yes, Halloween begins that time period that goes through Jan. 2 when temptations like candy, stuffing, pumpkin pies, Christmas cookies, pecan pies and champagne are ever present and our willpower is put to the test.

I thought one's sweet tooth is supposed to subside as one gets older and mine has, to some extent. But there is just some candy I still cling to. Huffingtonpost.com has come out with "The Nine Grossest Kinds of Candy No Adult Should Give out on Halloween," and I take issue with some of them.

In clarifying their study, they mean gross as in "no one wants to eat them" not gross as in, "I can't believe I let my child put that in their body." The article goes on to say that Pixie Stix are gross in the latter sense but kids love them, so they didn't make the list. Here are the ones that did:

• Wax Bottle Candy: Just bite off the top and suck out the artificially colored and flavored water sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, then chew on the wax for the rest of the afternoon. Sold by the pound on amazon.com, I don't see a problem here.

• Necco Wafers: A roll of flavored, multi-colored wafers that some may say have a chalky taste and texture, (much like original Tums, but thinner). Who cares? These babies are fat-free.


• Pumpkin Candy Corn. This one I have to agree with. The pumpkin shapes are too much for one bite and tend to stimulate the gag reflex.


• Fruit-Flavored Tootsie Rolls: I agree with this one. You don't mess with the original.


• Circus Peanuts. This one hits too close to home. I will agree Circus Peanuts have an indistinguishable chemical and/or paint aroma, which is really sugar, corn syrup, coconut, gelatin, salt and artificial flavors. I have yet to outgrow this one.


• Bit-O-Honey. I never liked this one — not so much for the flavor as it was just a boring piece of candy. A conservative, tan-colored piece of taffy with crushed almonds just says yawn.

• Root Beer Barrels: I am just stupefied about why Root Beer Barrels made this list. This is one of the best candies ever. I dare anyone to e-mail me and tell me you don't like Root Beer Barrels. Nobody can eat just one.

• Gumdrops: Or dare they call them "spice drops," this old standby really should be relegated to grandmother's candy drawer and gingerbread houses only.

• Sesame Crunch: I have to admit this is one candy I have never tried, nor do I want to. Peanut butter, honey, corn flakes and sesame seeds just sounds too healthy.

It's Halloween, and I hope everyone has a safe and happy day, and may you get all the candy you every wanted.

Quote of the Week: "But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted. He lived happily ever after." — Willy Wonka.

Volunteering

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 9/12/09

Much like the volunteers who erect houses for Habitat for Humanity, the same sort of house building took place yesterday in the form of temporary dog kennels at two PetSmart locations in town. Volunteers started turning out Thursday evening to unload trucks and put together makeshift kennels for a three-day dog and cat adoptathon.

Events like this don’t just happen by themselves. And they don’t happen by hired laborers who get down on their hands and knees to build cages, fill water bowls or drive animals hundreds of miles and reverse the whole process on Sunday. They happen by the dedication of volunteers who don’t expect anything in return other than finding loving homes for the stray, lost and abandoned animals of our state.

New Mexico’s largest no-kill animal shelter, Watermelon Mountain Ranch (WMR) is hosting a fall adoptathon this weekend at two PetSmart parking lot locations: Coors west side location just north of the Cottonwood Mall and 350 Eubank Blvd., NE. This adoptathon promises to be a big event with lots of purebred and not-so-purebreds coming from dozens of shelter and rescue groups from around the state including Espanola Valley Humane Society, Siberian Husky Rescue of New Mexico, Rio Rancho Animal Control, A.I.M Rescue, Raton Humane Society, Enchant-MUTTS Rescue, Animal Amigos, Northern New Mexico Humane Society, Clovis Animal Rescue, Hobbs Animal Services, Arizona Animal Welfare League, Colfax County Pet Rescue, SPOTS, ANEW and Santa Fe Pit Bull Rescue.

It's interesting to see how a large number of shelters & rescue groups from all over the state converge under one tent with their animals and work so well together to accomplish so many adoptions in one weekend. A well oiled machine is what it takes to get 300-600 puppies, small dogs, big dogs, cat and kittens into new homes in one weekend.

Connie Kuresman knows what it takes to put together adoptathons like this one, she is the Mobile Adoption and Special Event Manager at WMR. Connie and her volunteer crew are out every Saturday in the Walmart parking lot at Southern Blvd. and Unser with a new group of homeless dogs looking for warm homes. It takes a team to run the WMR mobile adoption unit, a team of volunteers who take their precious Saturdays and dedicate them to helping the animals. “I have a very close team and we are all friends. I couldn't do it without everyone who faithfully shows up every Saturday to help me,” says Kuresman. “It is so wonderful to see these dogs go to their new homes with their tails wagging,” says Kuresman, who is always looking for new volunteers. If interested please call (253) 951-0207.

Whether it’s riding a bus up to Denver with the RRHS marching band or building kennels for WMR or making sure an insurance binder is intact for the Corrales Harvest Festival, volunteers are as essential to our community as water is in the desert.

Word is there will be loads of puppies and small dogs out there today and tomorrow. You might find me in the tent cuddling the cats, walking dogs or filling water bowls. And please, if you see me standing in the adoption line with another dog in my arms, remind me I already have two at home.

Quote of the Week: “Unselfish and noble actions are the most radiant pages in the biography of souls.” -David Thomas

And One Band Becomes Two

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section 10/17/09

Last spring when it was officially announced that Cleveland High School was opening in the fall, a wave of unrest and sadness rolled through the marching band practice field at Rio Rancho High School. There was a crack in the universe and the unthinkable became reality. This tight knit group of musicians who had memorized the Rams’ fight song together, played numerous football games together and had competed together against other schools was now going to be split in two.

When the band camps started in August in the scorching sun, there were now two marching bands at two high schools in Rio Rancho for the very first time. Keith Gilbert took the helm at Cleveland High School and had the daunting task of bringing together former RRHS band members and creating CHS’s first marching band ever. Kurt Schmidt, Director of Bands at RRHS did what he does best and continued the tradition he created in the award winning marching Rams; albeit somewhat smaller in size now.

Football games happened and each band grew stronger and better as the weeks went on. Coming off the heels of the Pomona Marching Band Festival in Arvada, CO in September, the RRHS marching band competed in the NM Pageant of the Bands last weekend at Manzano High School in Albuquerque. Twenty-four marching bands from around the state strutted their stuff and flashed the brass including newly formed CHS. I have to admit it was a little melancholy seeing former RRHS kids wearing Cleveland uniforms. But this was Cleveland’s debut in a competition and everyone was eager to see just how powerful the Storm would be. Turns out the band was more like a tornado.

RRHS band took first place in their class. They also won Best Drum Majors, Best Color Guard and Best Percussion. CHS took first place in their class. They also won Best Color Guard and Best Drum Majors. Rio Rancho sweeps two classes with two high schools and you could hear the roar for miles.

I teared up every time Rio Rancho won an award. I teared up every time Cleveland won an award. What was even cooler than the teams winning was how the once-teammates-now-rivals still cheered each other on whole heartedly and in a way, were still one team. These bands may be from different schools but they now find camaraderie being from one town. Change can be hard, but not impossible.

For those of you who didn’t make it to the Pageant of the Bands last weekend you can catch the performance on YouTube; just type in RRHS marching band. Or better yet head on down to UNM today where both bands are competing in the 2009 Zia Marching Band Fiesta at University Stadium along with 32 other high school marching bands from NM and surrounding states. It is truly a fun event to see and I suggest if you are not doing anything today, go cheer on our town’s marching bands. Your last chance to catch both bands will be Friday night, October 30 at RRHS when the Rams take on the Storm. It will be the first time the two high schools play each other. I can feel the excitement already.

Go Rio Rancho! Go Cleveland! We’ll all be in the stands today cheering you on. Pom pom in one hand, hankie in the other.

Quote of the Week: “Marching band today isn't your grandmother or grandfather's marching band where the band walked out onto the field, stopped and played a couple of songs and walked off the field. These students are moving thousands of steps at high tempos all the while playing an instrument or using a piece of color guard equipment during one show.” - John Mashburn

Corrales Harvest Festival

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 19/19/09

What does a hat wearing llama, a country western singer, a jewelry maker, a red t-shirt wearing tractor driver, a bun wearing wiener dog and you and I all have in common? We are all going to be enjoying the crisp fall air at the Corrales Harvest Festival next weekend.

Kicking off the festivities next Saturday morning is the ever-popular Pet Parade. The Halloween costumes are out now and I know they make all kinds to fit your four legged friends so there is no excuse why all your kids shouldn’t be in the craziest and most colorful event of the festival. “We are gearing up for our best Pet Parade ever,” said Jasmine Tritten, Coordinator for the Pet Parade. “Children and pets of all ages, sizes and breeds are welcome to walk Corrales Road on Saturday morning and show off their imagination and animals. Bring any sized pets. We have even had crickets in the parade, believe it or not,” said Tritten.

There will be judging and prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place in four categories: Most Colorful, Prettiest, Funniest and Most Unusual/Strangest. For those not walking the walk, your place will be on the sidelines with cameras firmly in hand.

One of my favorite parts of the festival has to be the Mercado Aniguo. Didn’t get to Spanish Market in Santa Fe last July? Here’s another chance to see some of New Mexico’s top Santeros at the Old San Ysidro Church during the festival. Talk about beautiful art in a beautiful setting. The Old San Ysidro Church, listed on both the state and national register of historic places, is a classic example of New Mexico Hispanic village religious architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. Hispanic artists will be selling retablos and bultos (arts of the santeros or saint makers, which are carved wooden statues of the saints and pictures of saints on wooden boards), weavings, embroidery, tinwork, furniture and carved wooden crosses, just to name a few of the treasures that will be for sale. You know where to find me.

A new event of the festival this year is the highly anticipated Harvest Festival Horse Extravaganza on Saturday. Local horses and riders will be demonstrating equestrian disciplines including dressage freestyle, western reining, Horsemanship, Vaulting, Jumping, Roping and a special Equestrian Flamenco Dance Routine. Be sure to get there early so not to miss the grand entry of costumed equine breeds from around the world including Andalusians, Appaloosas, Arabians, Drafts, Friesians, Haflingers, Icelandics, Lipizzaners, Miniatures, Morgans, Mustangs, Paints, Pintos, Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, Quarter Horses, Rocky Mountain Horses, Saddlebreds, ennessee Walkers and Thoroughbreds.

Runners don’t miss the Corrida de Corrales, a 5K or 10K run on Sunday morning. If you haven’t walked among the giant cottonwoods in Corrales, you don’t know what you are missing. A run through the flat, shady, dirt trails along the tree-lined acequia through the heart of beautiful Corrales is a must. I may skip the Reeboks and put on my moccasins, grab a latte and enjoy a laid back morning stroll. Walkers are welcome, you know.


Talk about a top rate festival, there is something for everyone. “The arts and crafts fair this year is the best we’ve ever had, said Chip Babb, president of the Corrales Harvest Festival. “Our entertainment lineup includes Chris Dracup and Tommy Elskes, the Duke City Swamp Coolers and many more. We have a corn maze, petting zoo, pony rides and a pumpkin patch. We also have some great food vendors as well: JP's Custard Cart, Jimmy Yepa's Navajo Tacos, Kettle Korn and much more. Check out our website,” said Babb.

So head down to the village next Saturday and Sunday, hop aboard the Corrales Rapid Transit, a.k.a. a John Deere tractor ride and make your way to La Entrada Park. My poster and t-shirt designs were chosen to represent the festival this year and I will be signing posters at the admissions booth from 10am-12pm both days. Come out and say hello. I would love to meet you.

Quote of the Week: “Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.” -William Cullen Bryant

I Was a Stranger in a Strange, Storm Trooper-Filled Land

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section Saturday, September 05, 2009
I've never been one to shy away from new experiences — and don't even get me started on my first and only whitewater rafting trip.

But I was a stranger in a strange land last weekend as I accepted an invitation from a friend of mine and drove down to the Albuquerque Grand Hotel to attend Bubonicon 41, my first science fiction/fantasy convention. I jumped in with both feet, grabbed my press pass and tried not to stare.

Let me just say that I am not a science fiction fan. Personally, my literature genre of choice mostly falls under the categories of nonfiction and biographies. But I will admit I used to love watching "Lost in Space" and my favorite, "The Twilight Zone." So, on the surface I may have been a "stranger," but my inner Rod Serling came shining through about a half hour inside the door as I began to assimilate on the inside.

"There's zombie face painting," suggested the alien maiden in the crowd after overhearing me explain to Francis Hamit, my fellow geek and host for the day, that I felt under-dressed in my jeans and white cotton shirt amid the Imperial Storm Troopers, slime maidens and zombies.

If I would have known cats are a very popular subject in the fantasy genre, I would have worn my calico ears and tail I keep at my desk.

After seeing some very dead-like zombies in the hospitality suite munching on Triscuits, cheese puffs and M&Ms, I didn't think the joke would go over well when I picked up my 11-year-old daughter at her best friend's house all bruised and bloodied.

Next, we sat in on the History of New Mexico: Land of Oz panel discussion with speakers Terry England, Sally Gwylan, Victor Milan and Pati Nagle and moderated by Pari Noskin Taichert. The discussion was very interactive with lots of audience participation.

The question was posed to the many science fiction and fantasy writers: "What is unique about New Mexico and what are the creative seeds that spawn so many stories?"

One zombie wearing Levi's and gold hoop earrings offered her observation that shrimp brine live in the desert. Yes, the small sea creatures do live right here in our land-locked state and when it rains, they grow legs, mate and die.

Many others chimed in on New Mexico's very inspiring weather. Some thought our isolated thunder storms were unique and amusing, and how it could be raining at your house but sunny down the street at your neighbor's. A star maiden commented on our triple rainbows and our distinctive snow storms and dust storms that can be accompanied by thunder.

Another stimulating part of our culture that is more prominent here than in other parts of the country is the Day of the Dead tradition and that our dead ancestors inhabit our bodies during the celebration, entering through our mouths when we eat. Now if that doesn't conjure up a great science fiction short story, I don't know what does. Pass the sopaipillas.

For those zombie wannabes out there who are looking for another chance to get out the face paint, put on your musty clothes and head over to the Guild Cinema on Central next Friday for the 2008 horror/comedy "Dead Snow." But don't worry about your safety; the Sandia Mountains apparently are a barrier against all kinds of negativity thanks to the Harmonic Convergence that happened in '87.

May the force be with you.

Quote of the week: "Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." — Captain Kirk.

Tell the City Where You Want To Shop

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 8/22/09

Surveys are very popular on the Web these days, and many of my clients have requested surveys on their own Web sites. It's a great way to pick their customers' brains and find out what their favorite cake flavor is or how they can improve their motocross track.

Facebook is notorious for quizzes and surveys, which I try to avoid, fearing that after taking the "What's your hippie name?" I inadvertently tell the whole world I am Tiny Tim. I did put myself out on a limb and took the "What dead rock star are you?" as did my 16-year-old daughter.

Turns out she is Jim Morrison. Hello? I surveyed out as Jerry Garcia. Go figure. I never was a huge Grateful Dead fan, and if I had to pick, I see myself more as a Rick James. Or maybe it's just his song "Super Freak" and memories of dancing on the beach with naval aviators at Fort Story, Va., in 1982 that I relate to.

But, I digress.

As part of the development of a comprehensive retail plan, the city of Rio Rancho has published an online survey of its own, asking residents which retail and restaurant chains they would like to see in the City of Vision. I took the survey, and let me just say, it definitely raised my level of anticipation.

The survey asks residents to select their level of desirability from highly desirable to no interest for a variety of restaurants, clothing stores, furniture and electronic stores, sporting goods and entertainment stores and department stores.

The first category is women's clothing stores, and among the prospects are Chicos, American Eagle, Ann Taylor, Pac Sun, Coldwater Creek, Talbots and Gap. I am almost salivating at the thought of having a Talbots or Ann Taylor this close but fear it is just a dangling carrot in front of my nose.

Next came the shoe store question: DSW, Jarman Shoes, Naturalizer, Famous Footwear and Payless shoes. Being a woman, I checked "Highly Desirable" on each one.

On the grocery store question, I remembered how many years it took to get a Trader Joe's in my former town in California, so I put a hopeful check mark next to Whole Foods Market and TJs anyway.

Ruth's Chris Steak House? Somehow I cannot imagine one of those in the state. But Macaroni Grill, Panera Bread, P.F. Chang's and Cracker Barrel (I go for the Mallo Cups) are easily doable.

Do we want furniture and electronics stores? Of course we do. American Home Furniture, La-Z-Boy, Ethan Allan, Best Buy: check, check, check, check.

Do we want a Pier 1, Cost Plus, Crate & Barrel, JoAnn Fabrics, a Hallmark store and a Michaels? Absolutely.

I suppose we could use another sporting goods store, and I'll take a Barnes & Noble and a multiplex movie theater. And while we are at it, why not make the movie theater an IMAX?

The best part about the survey is the comments box at the end where it allows you to add your own write-in candidates. I think the city should make it easier for businesses to set up shop here. I think a Dave & Busters would do well here, a grown-up version of the Chuck E. Cheese eat and play restaurant. I would love to see a children's zoo and more local restaurants from Albuquerque open up branches here.

The survey runs until Sept. 18 and will be used to entice more businesses to the community, so I say, as a resident of Rio Rancho, go to ci.rio-rancho.nm.us and make your opinion count.

Quote of the week: "She's a very special girl. The kind of girl you want to know. From her head down to her toenails." — "Super Freak" by Rick James

ART & COPY Movie Trailer - I've got to see this documentary!

As School Starts, We Look Back

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 8/15/09

Summer is officially over with the start of the 2009-10 school year Friday in Rio Rancho.

Starting school before Labor Day is a hard pill to swallow for me, having always started the new school year the Tuesday after Labor Day. But with year-round school and schedules shifting nowadays, seems kids west of the Mississippi see starting school in August as normal as Christmas in December.

Psychologically, for kids there is much to do to prepare for a new year of school. Many kids will be going to new schools, including Rio Rancho Middle School and the new Cleveland High School. The angst, the worry, the anticipation of a new adventure sends some kids sky high and others under the bed with fear.

"Where are my classrooms?" "Will I find my friends?" "What time do I start?" "What if I have to sit alone at lunch?" "When is my lunch?" "When do I get my violin?"

Emotionally, the thoughts and worries kids are dealing with right now are hard. Think back. I am sure everyone can recall the butterflies.

For parents, it is more of a physical marathon that goes on in the weeks leading up to the first day of school. Oh, sure, ask any parent and they will tell you it is an emotional roller coaster for them as well. As parents, we will miss the "SpongeBob" marathons, or Bob-a-thons as I call them, the lounge lizard mornings and trying to get our summer vacationers up before noon, and those sweet, bored faces staring back at us asking, "What can I eat now?"

My recent weeks have sounded something like this: "Do those jeans fit?" "They are too tight, you can't get them." "How many new shirts do you need?" "Are you sure that is within the dress code?" "What's wrong with pink polka dot Converse high tops?" "What about a backpack?" "Why not this one?" "We still need to get all the paper and pencils and calculators." "I'm here to pick up my daughter's class schedule." "How do I change her schedule?" "Your computers have been down all week?" "So, when should I pick up her new schedule?" "Where do I pay the band fees?" "Yes, I bought a yearbook already." "My registration fee total is $175? You're kidding."

As my daughters were wrapping their minds around the concept of school these past couple of weeks, synchronicity blew through my Facebook pages and a few high school classmates and a former swimming coach found me. Nothing like a little icing on the collegiate cake to remind you what back-to-school is all about.

It has been 30 years since I have seen or heard from Coach Howenstine, and from his Facebook profile picture, he hasn't changed a bit. Although this good natured, smiling man had the kindest things to say, seeing his face still makes me nervous, and waiting to hear him announce the workout: 10-400s on the 6:30 descending from the 5:30. Go!

"I have often wondered what happened to you," wrote Coach Howenstine. "And after reading your blog, I now have somewhat of an idea."

It's funny how 30 years can change a relationship from a teenager and coach to two adults sharing tales of their lives and families.

"I will never forget you with your mouth wired shut," coach wrote, reminding me of the time I broke my jaw in a car accident the week before the valley championships and he lost his team captain. Coach Howenstine is coaching again and the captain of his team this year is the daughter of my former teammate. Circle of life.

I am sure everyone out there has an interesting story about high school. Send me your favorite, goofy or embarrassing school memory to match mine and hopefully I will get enough to write a follow-up column soon.

Quote of the week: "On Friday we'll be jacked up on the football game. And I'll be ready to fight. Were gonna smash 'em now." — "Be True to Your School," by the Beach Boys.

Six Year Old Has a Heart of Gold

As Appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 8/8/09

When one thinks of a typical 6-year-old girl's birthday party, one imagines lots of pink and purple. Usually a big jumpy is inflated in the backyard, probably a princess castle or 'Finding Nemo' theme. And of course presents, clothes, crafts and anything Hannah Montana nowadays.

But one little girl wanted to give instead of get last week at her sixth birthday party, and she did it in a very big way.

Taylor Remington is a 6-year-old from Rio Rancho with a heart of gold. She didn't want another typical birthday party. This year, Taylor didn't want her guests to bring presents for her. Instead, she asked the guests to bring dog food and cat food so that she could donate it to Watermelon Mountain Ranch.

According to Jim Putnam, IT manager at Watermelon, the ranch sees generous donations from young people every so often. A local Eagle Scout is about to begin his project to beautify the patio area of the cattery (Earl's Catnip Inn) by painting boards and rafters in rainbow colors.

"Several times, we have been the recipient of donation drives instigated by very young members of the community. Sometimes it has been for money, sometimes for goods, but this would be the youngest donor we have ever had," Putnam said of Taylor.

Christine Remington called me up last week and thought she had a great idea for my column. Her daughter was having a very unusual sixth birthday party, one unlike her first five, and she wanted to share her story. "We've been reading a lot about how so many animals are at the shelters right now," said Christine, Taylor's mom. And Taylor came up with an idea.

"Taylor did this on her own," said her dad, Sean. "In lieu of gifts, she thought to collect food for homeless pets, she had the idea on her own," said her proud dad.

The Remingtons drove out to Watermelon Mountain Ranch and delivered the goods on Wednesday. As I walked around the property, the need for donations became clear as an endless stream of animals made their presence known, with curious barking from the dog cottage and the high attitude diva stares coming from the cattery.

"Our trunk is full of donations, 350 pounds of toys, biscuits, food, kitty litter, you name it," Sean said as he unloaded the numerous 50-pound bags of pet food.

"She hasn't just helped our animals, she has helped the whole state," said Sophia DiClemente, founder of Watermelon Mountain Ranch. "Our Chuckwagon Food Bank project, based here in Rio Rancho, supplies pet food to over 15 shelters around the state, from Las Cruces to Springer," DiClemente said.

When asked how it feels to give to the cats and dogs that need it so much, Taylor replied: "It makes me feel happy."

Taylor's goodness is contagious. One random act of kindness can spread like wildfire. As our young citizens learn to reach out and help others, they acquire a habit that will last a lifetime. This feeling will spread from child to child and truly help make this a better world.

Way to go, Taylor. Who's next?

Quote of the week: "While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." — Angela Schwindt

Snail Mail Is Slowly Slithering Into Sunset

Al was the only mailman I remember ever delivering our mail while I was growing up.

When Al was sick or away on vacation, a total stranger delivered our mail. He or she wore the same blue uniform but walked faster, didn't smile and definitely would not ring the bell and hand our letters to us with a warm smile. No, the substitute mailmen coldly placed our mail in our mailbox and left — what nerve.

Al was like one of the family. My sister and I would leave notes for Al in the mailbox every once in a while. My mother gave Al a 13-ounce pink tin of Almond Roca every year for Christmas. Nowadays, things are so different.

Do you have an "Al" or a stranger delivering your mail?

Who gets mail anymore? I mean the traditional paper letters that gets delivered to your mailbox out front. Snail mail is slowly on the decline, and although it has to be saving some trees, I find it terribly sad.

I still exchange picture postcards with my former neighbor who became a pen pal when I left home for college long ago. I have saved almost everything she has ever sent me. Real treasures I will keep forever.

With the decline of snail mail comes the decline of the snail shells. Yes, you know these. Those familiar squat blue mailboxes on the corners that you used to try to cram your little brother into, those are known as snail shells and they are disappearing right along with snail mail picture postcards.

The U.S. Postal Service says it is removing "underperforming" mail boxes from the nation's streets, mailboxes which collect less than 25 pieces of mail a day. During the past 20 years, 20,000 big blue boxes have disappeared as the volume of mail declines. Snail mail is a dying venture because Americans are paying their bills online, sending holiday greetings online and communicating through short e-mails rather than the old-fashioned pen and paper.

That downward trend is only accelerating. According to an article in the Washington Post, the Postal Service projects a decline of about 20 billion pieces of mail the next two years, going from a high of 213 billion pieces of mail in 2006 to 170 billion projected for 2010.

Nowadays much of our mail appears in our inboxes on our computers. The infrequent paper cut from opening an envelope has been replaced with carpal tunnel. Click. Click. Click. Delete. E-mail is instant gratification, and I will admit I like it.

It does have its drawbacks, though. It has no tone, no emotion to convey and comments can easily get misinterpreted, unlike the way a handwritten note with hand-drawn characters can. Who has heard of printing out typed love letter e-mails and saving them? OK, I have, but it's not the same as a hand-written "I love you," I swear.

No snail mail. No snail shells. No Al the mailman. It all goes hand in hand, and what is next? Gone are the friendly faces who deliver the handwritten notes of love with Hershey's candy bars tucked inside (thank you, Kay). Gone is the personal connection and gratitude knowing someone took the time to write a note, put a stamp on it and put it in a snail shell with your name on it.

As long as snail mail is around, you can count on me to help keep it in business.

Quote of the week: "For want of the nail the shoe was lost. For want of the shoe the horse was lost. For want of the horse the rider was lost. For want of the rider the battle was lost. For want of the battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horse shoe nail." — Horse Shoe Nail

Ice Cream and Camp Maqua; It's Definitely Summer

The other day I met a bear, out in the woods, oh, way out there. And while I was out there, I saw that Alice the camel had five humps.

Are you on to me yet?

If you ever went to summer camp, chances are you recognize those words as songs you may have sung while eating your beans and weenies in the dining hall.

Nothing screams summer like the ice cream man, high utility bills and summer camp. I had a blast from my past last week during an afternoon of treasure hunt antiquing. I was quite taken aback when I came upon the exact same tin watering can I had as a child, same little girl motif, same rust.

I was even more stunned to find an old J.C. Higgins aluminum water cooler with the red top, just like the one my grandpa had back in Ohio so many years ago.

But the timing couldn't have been better when I came upon an army green foot locker like the one I used to pack for camp every summer.



There it was sitting on the floor in an antique shop on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, just like it used to lay at the end of the bunk bed in that cold cabin in the woods in upper Michigan. Of course, I had to open it to see if it had the same interior as my old one. Sure enough, it did.

Was I about to discover the wool blanket, mess kit, travel toothbrush and Cutter's bug spray next? All of a sudden, I could smell the mildew that would seep from the laundry bag that hung on the bunk next to my trunk.

It was getting to be too much, so I pressed on, trying to escape memories of cooking hobo stew over a modified Folgers coffee can, but it was no use. Camp Maqua was back.

Revelry blasted over the loud speakers at the crack of dawn, and that meant it was time for the "hoppers" in the cabin to get up to the dining hall and set the table for their cabin mates. The "apple polishers" stayed behind after the meals to clear the tables and clean up. All campers were up at the flag pole for the raising of the colors every morning before pancakes and sausage. Pranks were to be expected, like the time the horseback riding councilor's bra went up the flag pole with the flag.

Everyone's favorite class was the crafts class, of course. We were girls. My sister and I bestowed exquisite gifts upon my parents, including a Popsicle stick keepsake box with a blue marble handle, handmade sand candles and an endless supply of lanyard key chains.

The nightly ritual began when everyone gathered their soap, towels and toothbrushes and headed to the "brownie" to get ready for bed. Girls crowded around the communal circular sink known as the bird bath and stepped on the foot pedal to activate the fountain effect.

Ah, fifteen girls in their pink flowered bathrobes brushing their teeth together and wishing they were home in their clean clothes watching "The Partridge Family." A memory burned into my mind forever.

When the sound of taps came over the loud speaker, it was lights out. All the happy campers were worn out from their nature hikes and junior life saving classes and ready to go to sleep until a flash light flicks on and a voice begins, "It was a dark and stormy night ..."

Whether your campers are enjoying day camp, music camp, sleep-away camp or sports camp, it's what summer is all about. Just don't let your hoppers and apple polishers off the hook when they get back.

Quote of the Week: "Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, little birdies' dirty feet, all wrapped up in, pretty purple porpoise pus, and me without my spoon. But I've got my straw." — "Gopher Guts"

The Eagle Has Landed....

Remembering the First Awe-Inspiring Moonwalk

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 7/18/09

With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, the famous moonwalk has brought back memories from when he first performed the dance 27 years ago on the Motown 25th Anniversary show. But there is another moonwalk making an anniversary this week: the real moonwalk, performed by Neil Armstrong 40 years ago this Monday as it was broadcast on televisions around the world.

Where were you when you watched Armstrong's boot touch the lunar surface? I was sitting with my mother on our couch in the living room. I still remember to this day feeling so nervous for the astronauts wondering if they were going to sink into a quicksand-like surface or land safely on hard ground. But that's an 8-year-old girl for you; a mother in the making even then.

Landing on the moon made us one with the world and it was like magic. But watching the space geeks at Mission Control in Houston riding an emotional roller coaster had to have been one of the high points. These young baby boomers brought home the human element. When they looked worried, we were worried. When they threw their arms up in the air in victory, we cried.

"Apollo 11: The Untold Story," an article on www.popularmechanics.com, is filled with quotes from the young men who were part of history; sleepless news correspondents and operations engineers, flight directors and even astronauts themselves telling their personal tales of those historical days in the summer of '69.
Robert Sieck, spacecraft test and launch operations engineer, Kennedy Space Center said, "Since I was the backup engineer, I was not out at the Cape. I could watch the launch with my wife and my 1-year-old daughter. The highway was absolute gridlock, and the cars and trucks weren't trying to move. Everyone was there to watch history. The vendors were sold out of everything—no more T-shirts, caps, buttons or pins. People were pulling plugs of grass from the side of the road and stuffing them in Ziploc bags as souvenirs."

After a three-day coast from earth, Apollo 11 entered the moon's orbit and circled 11 times before attempting to land. Watching the lunar module get closer to touchdown and eaves dropping on Mission Control questioning the safety of landing was when everyone stopped breathing.

"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed," Armstrong announces, breaking the tension in the control room as a controller tells the crew "You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue, we're breathing again."

Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would spend two hours on the moon July 19, collecting souvenirs and leaving a few of their own; an American flag and a plaque that reads, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." I would be fortunate enough to see two of the souvenirs in my lifetime: a moon rock at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and the actual space capsule at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., Much smaller than I expected, I might add.

With less than 20 percent of its employees under the age of 40, NASA Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation calls the space agency "mono-generational," meaning it is composed almost entirely of members of the Baby Boomer generation. I think its time to reignite the spark of awe there once was in our space program and inspire a new generation to shoot for the stars.

Quote of the Week: "There is a photograph that shows splashdown inside the control room. There's a guy standing by the console with a huge piece of paper. That's me. I got the signatures of everybody in that room and in the back room. Every time I did that I would ask them their age. Well, I sat down and ran it out. The average age the night we had splashdown was 28." When Space Shuttle Atlantis left Earth on May 11, 2009, the average NASA civil servant's age was 47." H. David Reed, a flight dynamics officer during Apollo 11.

I had this Chuck Mangione album...right along side my KISS and Cheap Trick albums

Americans Are Suckers for Pitchmen With Accents

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal, Rio Rancho section 07/11/09

The phrase "Sell the sizzle, not the steak" is the old adage that the advertising industry creatives live by. Executives have been honing their skills for years trying to figure out what is going to make average consumers go out and spend their hard-earned dollar on something they didn't know they wanted until they were told they couldn't live without it. And one way to do it is to put a big personality out front to make the product sound like the answer to all your prayers, aka the pitchman.

How many young people out there bought their parents a ShamWow for Christmas last year? I know my youngest daughter wanted to buy me one, and my nephew actually did give my sister one. How could they help themselves, those poor innocent consumers? Watching a captivating commercial every half hour on the television and a slick salesman like Vince telling them they needed one for "the shower, the boat and the RV." Those kind-hearted, gift-giving urchins didn't stand a chance.

Pitchmen have been shouting at us since before television existed, but TV only gave them a bigger audience. Even Jack LaLanne, the exercise guru of the '60s, is hawking his Power Juicer, beauty products, belt buckles and T-shirts. I remember I used to watch Jack Lalanne on TV when I was young and home sick from school. I would turn on his exercise show (it was in black and white) and dunk my Oreos in my milk as he counted out the repetitions. He was persuasive in getting me to hold on to a chair and do leg lifts every now and then, but mostly I just waited to see if Happy, his white shepherd dog, would come onto the set. A Power Juicer? If Jack Lalanne says it's good, it has to be.

It was sad news to hear Billy Mays died recently. Everyone knows Billy Mays for OxiClean. Billy Mays for Orange Glo, Billy Mays for Kaboom. With a very recognizable presentation voice, you knew when his commercials came on without even seeing the screen. I have to admit, I couldn't take Billy Mays in the morning. He may have been very successful at his career, but that decibel is not acceptable before the noon hour.

What is it with Americans and the English accent? For some reason, we just attach authority to it no matter what the subject is. Take the other big pitchman out there, Anthony "Sully" Sullivan. You know him for products such as the Swivel Sweeper, the TapLight, the Smart Chopper, the One Sweep, the Natural Bra, the Jet Tan, the Slimming Pants, the Glass Wizard, the Laser Straight, the Westinghouse StickUp Bulb, the Grater Plater, the Point 'n Paint and the list goes on and on.

There have been many famous pitchmen over the years who have begged for your money. Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy's fast food chain, was the pitchman for his own company. Remember Florence Henderson and her "Wesson-ality?"

Bill Cosby was one of my favorites. He used to pitch Jell-O brand pudding for years. I still have my Old Weird Harold plastic pudding cup in my cupboard from the '70s. I am sure my granddad saved countless box tops and sent away for it, just like he did my Tony the Tiger spoon; which is in my silverware drawer right now.

But wait, there's more! Remember John Cameron Swayze for Timex? How about Madge the manicurist for Palmolive dishwashing liquid — you're soaking in it.

As long as there is life on the planet, there will be pitchmen standing in line to sell you something you probably don't need. So don't get out that credit card too quickly, unless of course, he has an English accent.

Quote of the week: "I talked, I yelled, I hawked, and it worked! I was stuffing money into my pockets, more money than I had ever seen in my life." — Ron Popeil, maker of the Vegomatic.

Jack and Happy

We Could Be Doing Much More To Stop These DWIs

I am having a hard time keeping my composure and anger intact in respect to the recent accident by an alleged drunk driver who killed four children in Santa Fe.

It didn't matter that they were young and inexperienced drivers. They didn't stand a chance.

If the suspect was indeed drunk, consider it another in a long line of senseless crimes caused by selfish people who have no care or concern for anyone else in this world but themselves.

When I was 17, my girlfriend and I were hit head-on by a man driving the wrong way on a one-way street. The driver was leaving a bar in his late model Cadillac around 9:30 p.m. on a Friday night, and we had just left the ice cream shop in our sub-compact Dodge Colt. Upon breaking the windshield with my head, I suffered a concussion and broken jaw.

We were both banged up pretty badly, but lived. We were lucky.

Unfortunately, many of us know someone who has lost a loved one.

I have some friends who lost their daughter four years ago in another senseless accident. She was 18 years old, and the accident happened the night before she was to go away to college.

Their sadness, confusion and torture is easily seen on the pages of a Web site where her parents, friends and strangers leave little heartfelt messages to their deceased daughter, telling her how much they miss her, how she would have liked the recent trip to the beach, and how they are still trying to come to terms with losing their only daughter who meant the world to them, just like all of our children do.

The notes left by the girl's mother are the hardest to read as she tries to "move on," like she is advised. But as you read her messages, you can see that after four years it still feels like she lost her daughter last night. She sees the notes from her daughter's friends who have gone through college and are now graduating. Friends tell the girl about their marriages, their babies, their new careers in exciting fields — all things the girl's mom and dad had hoped for their daughter.

Too much heartache that in most cases is preventable.

What can we do? In recent years, several U.S. states (including Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Virginia and Washington) have introduced legislation to combat drunken driving, including issuing unique colored license plates to designate drivers with criminal records for driving while intoxicated. Ohio issues bright yellow tags that contrast nicely on the road with their normally white tags.

Opponents of specialized drunk driver license plates bemoan the apparent stigma associated with having to wear the "scarlet letter." But isn't that the point? Since a fine and some jail time doesn't seem to discourage drunk drivers, it's time we upped the ante. It's time for a change.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's report on motor vehicle deaths, the Fourth of July is the second-deadliest holiday to be on the road. An estimated 53 percent of fatal Fourth of July crashes involve at least one drunk driver.

The top five most dangerous holidays to be on the road are:
1. Thanksgiving
2. 4th of July
3. Memorial Day
4. Labor Day
5. New Year's Eve

Please be careful out there today and get home early tonight. Be responsible. Be a defensive driver. And let there be no drunk driving deaths to report tomorrow.

Quote of the Week: "Road sense is the offspring of courtesy and the parent of safety." — Australian Traffic Rule.

Your Wanderlust is Calling You

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho and Westside sections 6/27/09

With summer in full swing now, vacation plans are being executed as families hit the open road in search of grand adventures, snow cones and suntans. Whether it is the biggest ball of twine, the Grand Canyon or the ambiguous "anywhere but here," it is summer and America is heeding the call of the wild blue yonder and escaping to new destinations yet unseen.

When I was young, I had a hard time falling asleep at night. Thinking music would help lull me to sleep, my mother bought me a Sony Digimatic Flip-Clock Radio for Christmas one year. This ultra-mod, state-of-the-art clock radio was white plastic, the coolest of the cool since all clock radios up until then came in black only. Four buttons on top; on/off, AM/FM, set/release, radio/alarm. The radio dial was backlit in space-age green and a soft amber-colored light lit up the black flaps with white numbers that flipped over one minute at a time. How can I recall such detail after all of these years? Because it didn't lull me to sleep. I knew every inch of that radio because I stared at it every night for years as I lay awake in bed carefully turning the dial ever so slowly in attempts to find the furthermost station in the tri-state area. It woke up the wanderlust embers that were smoldering inside of me from the bed I shared with my dog, in the bedroom I shared with my sister, in my little mid-Michigan town of Saginaw.

Wanderlust: A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel. We all have it and I think it is born within us, surfacing somewhere between adolescence and "get me out of here." Every night was like taking a trip and not knowing the destination. As the night grew longer, local stations would go off the air leaving the airwaves open for picking up the far away stations. The first time I tuned in to WJR in Detroit, albeit just two hours south of my bedroom, to me it was another world. I could hear the music the people in Detroit were hearing. I could hear commercials for local restaurants. I could hear their temperature and weather forecast for that night. Here was a bigger city for me to discover.

Soon WJR became an old friend. But when I found CKLW out of Canada, I thought I hit the big time. So what if it was Windsor, Ontario, just across the Detroit River, it was still another country for Pete's sake. Another big city I would eventually see.

My favorite discovery up until then had to have been hearing WLS in Chicago; a full 300 miles away. They had skyscrapers in Chicago, the Loop and the Sears Tower. But the coolest difference between Chicago and my bedroom? They were an hour earlier than I was. Another time zone. Score!

The greatest escape on my radio was finding WABC in New York City, 700 miles away. Talk about a big city. New York City made Detroit look like Saginaw, and I couldn't get enough. What did Broadway look like? Wall Street? Tunnels and bridges? And their summertime temperatures were so much hotter than mine. The wanderlust bug bit me hard, and I knew there was a world out there just waiting for me to discover.

If you haven't hit the road yet this summer and are in town looking for a little escape from your regular routine this weekend, head over to the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair at the state fairgrounds. On Saturday from 10a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. artists will be selling their glasswork, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, photography and much more.

Quote of the Week: "Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." — Jack Kerouac

In honor of Michael Jackson...

Should We Know Where Dangerous Dogs Live?

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section 06/20/09

Angel's Law is an Albuquerque city ordinance established to protect the public, especially young children and others unable to protect themselves from vicious attacks by dangerous dogs.

The City Council found that owners who allowed their dangerous dogs to run loose in the city or fail to safely and humanely restrain those dogs on their property are criminally and civilly liable for the harm those dogs cause.

The ordinance focuses on three items: potentially dangerous dogs, dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners. The ordinance sounds like a good one, a protective one that will help safeguard the public by fining dog owners who allow their dangerous dogs to run loose.

But when I heard this week that the city had posted a list of actual dangerous dogs in the city, their breed and their home addresses, I wasn't so sure anymore. The idea seemed too invasive, seeing those addresses published right out there for all to avoid. I almost felt like a peeping Tom.

But after giving this some thought, as a mother, I have to say I appreciate a list that lets me know where dangerous dogs roam wild and can potentially harm my children. It is much like registered sex offenders' lists that show actual addresses of these criminals and the harm they have caused innocent children.

The dangerous dogs list, which is available online at cabq.gov/pets/dogs/dangerous-dogs shows nine pit bull or pit bull mixed breeds and one German shepherd. Does it seem that "mean dog" and "pit bull" are synonymous, or is it just me?

To get a better under-standing of why the pit bull always seems to be categorized as a dangerous dog, I called Rick Dillender, dog trainer and owner of A Fresh Perspective Dog Training in Rio Rancho who, with his wife, Heather, work with individuals, humane societies and animal rescues in New Mexico, Arizona and Washington.

"It's breed discrimination," Dillender said. "Pit bulls may seem to be meaner than others because they are a powerful breed. Any dog, big or small, can be mean and aggressive if neglected."

I was skeptical as I listened to Rick explain that pit bulls get a bad rap these days because they are simply a more commanding dog.

"Do you know which dogs we see that are aggressive and tend to bite the most? Lap dogs," Dillender said. "This immediately reminded me of the Animal Planet show, 'It's Me or the Dog' and those little Pomeranian type dogs who sit on the wife's lap as the poor husband cowers in the corner with inconsolable rejection."

According to the Web site A Fresh Perspective Dog Training, dogs are first and foremost socially oriented pack animals. They are not meant to be isolated outside for long periods of time. Watermelon Mountain Ranch, New Mexico's largest no-kill animal facility, is one of the only animal facilities that does not kennel their dogs separately. In the "dog cottage" at the ranch, dogs are grouped in small numbers to foster sociability, which makes them friendlier pets to those who adopt them.

Robin Moskowitz, manager at Watermelon Mountain Ranch, said the occupancy rate right now is just about at record levels.

Many of the guests will be going out today to the satellite adoption site at the Rio Rancho Wal-Mart parking lot at Southern and Unser from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

But the fun doesn't stop there; Moskowitz proceeded to tell me "we just took in 20 bunnies, too."

Quote of the Week: "Like the reason a dog has so many friends, he wags his tail instead of his tongue." "The Reason a Dog" by Aerosmith.

The ants have pushed me too far this time...

The bag of Ruffles was on the center island! How they got over there, got the chip and got back to camp is beyond me. Well, I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore.

Advice for the Tough Times: Just Keep Swimming

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section 6/13/09

My father always told me, "Listen to your elders. They may not have as much education as you have, but they are older than you and have experienced more in life and therefore are wiser than you are."

He also told me I would never be as close to anyone as I would be to my brother and sister. That no matter if I grew up and got married, the fact that the three of us shared many of the same experiences together under the same roof for so many years and were there for each other most of the time makes that a unique and special bond no one can compete with.

At the time — my teenage years, as I recall — I thought I understood what he meant, but of course I didn't entirely.

I didn't understand how important it was to spend as much time as possible with my grandparents, because I would surely miss them when they would be taken far too soon.

I didn't understand the heartbreak of losing a parent and the instant maturity that comes with it. I didn't understand the humbling experience of losing a job or the confidence gained upon landing a new and better one after rounds of fruitless interviews and relentless searching.

My best friend of 35 years offered up her words of wisdom recently in a care package she sent, along with tokens of love and encouragement to lift my spirits and get me through a rough time. She included some trinkets, the book "Swimming to Antarctica," some microwave popcorn and a packet of green Kool-Aid, just like the kind we used to make on our sleepovers in seventh grade. All meaningful items she knew would brighten my day and give me the encouragement I needed. Inscribed inside the book were the words, "Jenny, just keep swimming."

Advice is everywhere, and I feel the more we can share with each other to make the journey a little easier to understand, the better. So when I came across Regina Brett's 45 Life Lessons, it was something I just had to pass along, to maybe help ease someone else's load today. Given space restrictions, I offer 20 of her life lessons here. Visit my blog for the full list.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

I would have to agree with every one.

Quote of the Week: "So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit — It's when things seem worst that you must not quit." — "Don't Quit," author unknown

The ants are back....

They are at it again... I am going to calk their path and put an end to their bon fire party. (cursor down the page and see their first attempt on May 30 post)

Watch the World with Webcams

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho and Westside sections 6/6/09

Are you bored and maybe have a touch of cabin fever because the economy and high gas prices have kept you homebound? Your vacation is just a click away, my friends. Seems the webcam industry has exploded all over the globe, and every interesting (and not so interesting) spot on the planet is inviting you to click on them and enjoy a virtual vacation for virtually no cost — except the monthly Qwest bill.

The animal cams are a great distraction. You can find kitty cams, wolf cams, dog cams, hamster cams, elephant cams and many zoo cams online. Board your pets at Zoey's TLC Bed and Breakfast in Rio Rancho and while you are away swimming, snorkeling and seashell hunting, you will be able to watch your pet via the Zoeycam to make sure your furry friend is taking his naps and playing with his toys just like he does at home.

Earthcam.com is an Internet site that, you guessed it, has webcams from all over the world. In one click you can watch the yellow taxi cabs form a gridlock in New York, or see buses roll though the Plaza Mariano Moreno in Buenos Aires or even glace at pedestrians on a bridge in Ho Chi Minh City. But remember, Vietnam is 13 hours ahead of us, so you won't see much on camera if it happens to be night there. Everything is in real time.

Another very interesting — if not eerie — webcam is the Dealey Plaza Cam, a live streaming video of traffic flow in Dallas, Texas, as seen from the sniper's perch in the sixth floor window of the former Texas School Book Depository. Talk about standing in the footsteps of another. You won't find a better lesson in any history book written.

The fun never ends. Check out the weather and a bird's eye view of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Or see the majesty of Niagara Falls on one of their many webcams and relive the time you snuck off for the weekend with your college boyfriend to the popular honeymoon spot and, upon your return, having to convince your father you really, really did not elope. I think it took my dad all summer that year to believe that I was still single.

If you can't make it to Las Vegas, Nev., just click on one of the strip's numerous webcams and follow the excitement right in the people watching capital of the world. The Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel even has a webcam where you can watch Elvis officiate over couples tying the knot in theatrical-themed weddings; there is no lack of eye candy here.

A little closer to home, New Mexico has its fair share of webcams too, including downtown Burro Street in Cloudcroft, a Santa Fe Plaza cam, an Angel Fire ski cam and now a City Center cam in downtown Rio Rancho. Thanks to Oxblue and Edit House Productions, instead of driving all the way out to the City Center to see our downtown develop, simply click on www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/citycentercams and watch your tax dollars at work as Hewlett-Packard's new customer service and technical support center and the first building of UNM's West campus progress over the summer.

Speaking of webcams, why can't we put cameras along the river as to be able to watch our babies if the deadly current should take them away from us. God bless you, Hayes family. The whole community weeps with you. We all lost one of our own the day Corbin went missing. We wish we could sit in your kitchen, hold hands and cry together to get through this horrific time. May the love and support of the rest of us help comfort you now.

Quote of the Week: "Every move you make, every step you take, I'll be watching you." — "Every Breath You Take" by the Police

Top 100 Movie Lines in 200 Seconds

Advertising at its Best

Why do things only fall out of windows in NYC?

The ants are trying to burn down my house

It happens about once a week. A group of ten ants hoist a crumb up my kitchen wall and try to put it into my electical outlet. My kitchen is spotless, where are they getting the kindling?

Right after I snapped this photo, the pyromaniacs dropped the crumb and all fell to the counter.

Apparently a bright flash works just as well as Windex.

Marketing at Its Best

Being in the marketing/advertising field myself, I love to see a great idea.

To show business and marketing professionals they can improve their businesses with good ideas, two brazilians - Bob Ferraz and Marcelo Melo, working for Fisher (in Portugal) - created a gorgeous campaign for an unusual client, Mr. Felix, a homeless man.

Result: Silver in the Cannes Young Lions and a huge ROI for Mr Felix.

Watch the video below. Follow the subtitles in upper left corner.

It’s priceless!

Let's Be Frank: Hot Dog Season Has Arrived

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal, Rio Rancho and Westside sections 5/23/09
Not only is Memorial Weekend the unofficial start of summer, but it also kicks off a few other milestones: School's out for the summer and the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday. I remember going to the Indianapolis 500 time trials when I was little. It was loud, it was boring and we ate all the sandwiches we had packed in the cooler while we waited in the car in the parking lot for the gates to open. By the time we sat down in the stands, we were ready to go home.

Baseball season is upon us, and so are the thousands of pounds of hot dogs that will be consumed this summer. Yes, it is officially hot dog season as well.

Hot dogs are one of those mysterious foods like escargot; you don't want to think about what you are eating, just drown it in condiments and sauces and swallow.

Despite growing competition from other food options, ranging from sushi to tacos, hot dogs remain top dog, especially at baseball stadiums. According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Americans eat an incalculable number of hot dogs each year.

But depending on what part of the country you live in, hot dogs preferences are as unique as the dialect spoken. Midwesterners eat more pork and beef hot dogs than any other region of the country. The semi-vegetarian Westerners top the list for eating the most poultry hot dogs, and Easterners prefer all-beef hot dogs and consume more than any other region of the country.

New Yorkers eat more hot dogs than any other group in the country and when you buy your hot dog in the Big Apple, it comes served with steamed onions and a pale, deli-style yellow mustard.

Chicago dogs are layered with yellow mustard, dark green relish, chopped raw onion, tomato slices, topped with a dash of celery salt and served in a poppy seed bun.

Buy one in the South and you'll end up with your dog "dragged through the garden" and topped with coleslaw.

In the Midwest, get the mints out. Hot dogs are served with sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese on a sesame seed bun. Hey, that doesn't sound too bad. My Michigan is showing, isn't it? Someone pass the Tic Tacs, please.

Besides beer, a hot dog is a staple at ball parks and each one serves up their dogs their own unique way. Up at Coors Field in Denver, the Rockie Dog is of the footlong type topped with grilled peppers, kraut and onions.

The Fenway Frank as Bostonians know it, is the only dog to eat while watching the Red Sox. Boiled and grilled, the Fenway Frank is served in a New England style bun with mustard and relish. And for those of you who grew up in L.A., there is no equal to the Dodger Dog.

Let's not forget why Memorial Day was established in the first place. A federal holiday, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May to honor U.S. men and women who have died while in the military service. Be a proud American and carry on the tradition by flying your flags with pride. But remember, only at half-staff from dawn until noon when they are to be raised to full staff. Be safe.

Quote of the Week: "We like our beer flat as can be. We like our dogs with mustard and relish. We don't worry about the pennant much. We just like to see the boys hit it deep. There's nothing like the view from the cheap seats." — Alabama

Super Slow-Mo Cameras Reveal the World Inside Time- too cool!

Not All Commencement Speeches Are Bland, Dry

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Westside and Rio Rancho Sections, 05/16/09

Do commencement speeches really sink in with the graduates who they are intended for, or do the words of wisdom resonate more with the adults in the audience? Of the young leaders in the audience, how many are willing to listen to one more adult give them one more bit of advice? When really all they are thinking about is 1) How soon can I take off this hot cap and gown? and 2) Whose party should I go to first?

Commencement speeches have a tendency to be on the dry side, and unless they are given by the Jay Lenos and Robin Williamses of the world, the speeches can be run-on and bland, with the memorable "aha" moments few and far between.

As I was researching this column, I wanted to find the best of the best in commencement speeches, and I found that some of them held me from beginning to end (Steve Jobs), whereas others could barely hold my attention to the second paragraph (insert any politician name).

So, in keeping within my allotted space on the page and for the sake of interest, I present my favorite excerpts for your review.

Marc S. Lewis, a clinical psychology professor at the University of Texas Austin, in a speech from 2000 said, "There are times when you are going to do well, and times when you're going to fail. But neither the doing well, nor the failure is the measure of success. The measure of success is what you think about what you've done. Let me put that another way: The way to be happy is to like yourself and the way to like yourself is to do only things that make you proud."

More words of wisdom come from Woody Hayes, Ohio State University's legendary football coach from an inspiring speech in 1986: "You'll find out that nothing that comes easy is worth a dime. As a matter of fact, I never saw a football player make a tackle with a smile on his face. Never."

Although U.S. presidents' commencement speeches tend to be rather low-key, I did find a speech by JFK that is among the better ones. In this often-quoted line from his 1963 address to American University grads, Kennedy sums up a collective perspective: "In the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

The most inspiring commencement speech I came across is titled "Find What You Love" given by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios, delivered to the graduating class of 2005 at Stanford University. He laments on losing top dog position at Apple Computers, the company he founded, and the humbling task of having to start all over again. In other words, lessons on survival.

Jobs said, "Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

Follow your hearts, dear readers, even if that means taking art history and oil painting classes in college when you're supposed to be taking calculus and business law.

Quote of the Week: “You will be judged by your gallop, not by your stumble.” – Bradley Whitford

www.jenniferhuard.blogspot.com

Motherhood Does Have Its Rewards

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho & Westside sections 05/09/09

With today being Mother's Day eve, I thought it appropriate to strip away the gingham and lace of motherhood and put the truth right out there on the TV trays: Going to the park is boring.

And since we're on the subject of confessions, I have another one: Once, I wiped baby's face with a kitchen sponge! There, after all these years, it feels good to get that off my chest. Go ahead, report me to social services. Besides, it was only once and just on the cheek.

When I was a few weeks away from giving birth to my first daughter 16 years ago, I can still recall an anxious phone conversation I had with my sister, a new mother herself. She was filling me in on how demanding a newborn could be, and I protested that I didn't want to be wanted 24 hours a day. Her response? "Too late now." Was that true? Was life as I knew it really going away completely? Ya baby, didn't you get the memo?

Ayelet Waldman's book, "Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace" strips away the righteousness and gives permission to talk about how hard motherhood really is. In other words, it is the conversation you have with your best friend at the kitchen table rather than the phony chit chat with the competitive moms on the sidelines at soccer practice. The reality is raising children is hard, and it's OK to say so. That is unless you are the Duggar family with 18 kids. Have you seen that TV show? They all play the violin together, feed each other, and wash each other with perpetual smiles on their faces. You can't tell me life is as perfect as it appears. One of those kids is going to run away and join a Tibetan monastery and live in solitude making beaded necklaces someday.

If the day-to-day life of motherhood isn't hard enough, Salary.com is out with its annual phantom salary of what a stay-at-home or working mother's salary would be if they were paid for gardening, maid, cook and nanny services.

According to the Web site and with calculated inflation, the job of "mother" should pay $122,611. But mothers everywhere know money doesn't compare to the real benefits we reap everyday with our children.

Children bring heartfelt humor and happiness into your life, the kind you cannot experience anywhere else. Like the time I was driving my then 4-year-old to gymnastics practice. Still lacking in the whole time continuum concept, she asked from her booster seat in the back, "When I get old enough to drive, can I drive to gymnastics?" Or the time she woke up one morning and exclaimed "last night was small." Then there is my youngest daughter who, to this day, swears I told her corn comes from monkeys (she is 10). She is also the one who once asked me the pointed question from the back seat of the car if the windshield wipers were on the inside or outside. Priceless.

To all the mothers who feel like they are treading water in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight, hang in there. Be proud of yourselves. It is hard to see now, but you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams for the hard work you are doing today. Like on your child's first day of kindergarten, she might turn to you and say, "I wish I was alive when you were a little girl so we could go to school together."

Pass the hankie and have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Father's Day is June 21. Spread the wisdom and send me the best fatherly advice you ever gave or received.

Quote of the Week: "Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs ... since the payment is pure love." — Mildred B. Vermont

Jennifer Huard -It's All Happening on Fox

I am going to ignore the fact that I have to share my 2 minute television debut with a t-shirt wearing, piano-playing feline and relish the fact that Jessica Garate featured this blog on KASA Fox 2, Albuquerque, NM on May 7, 2009. Meowwwww...........

The Unconditional Love Give-Back Project

This is a fundraising direct mail postcard campaign I designed for Watermelon Mountain Ranch (WMR), New Mexico's largest no-kill animal center. Join the monthly donation project and receive a WMR wristband or a LOVE tag for your pet. Check out their website for details at http://www.wmranch.org/.

Every Dog (or Cat) Has Its Day (or Week)

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal, Rio Rancho and Westside sections 5/2/09

Its ten o’clock, do you know where your cat is? That was on a magnet on my mother’s refrigerator for 25 years. The cat hated her and you can just imagine the ways he showed his contempt. She was the one who fed Spooker, nursed him when he was sick, pulled burrs out of his fur but who did he worship? My dad.

May 3-9 is Be Kind to Animals Week, so when you find an unexpected present in your shoes or on the stairs in the morning, just remember those sometimes cuddly balls of fur were put on this earth to make us happy.

It is also National Pet Week, and in the spirit of our furry friends you might want to check out Albuquerque’s newest pet grooming and training facility on the Westside, Jack and Rascal’s. They don’t sell pets per se, but rather everything one needs to spoil Scruffy and Fluffy. They do however adopt out cats and kittens from Animal Humane and usually have a few in the store at all times.

Samantha and Patrick Sanchez, along with Patrick’s mother Cynthia Knott opened Jack and Rascal’s on March 14 in the Shops at Montano right off of Coors. Taking the name from their two dogs; Jack, an American pit bull, and Rascal, a Siberian husky, Samantha says business has been great. “We have a full pet line including premium pet food, toys, treats, collars, leashes, you name it,” she said.

Along with the retail side of the business, Jack and Rascal’s offers training classes throughout the week including puppy training, basic, intermediate and advanced obedience classes, foundation for agility classes or private lessons in-store or at home for your convenience.

The Sanchez’s have a passion for saving animals lives and do a lot of work with the community groups including Watermelon Mountain Ranch Animal Center (WMRAC) and Animal Humane. “We just delivered 800 lbs of pet food to Watermelon’s food bank through our donation matching program in the store,” said Samantha. “Every pound or every dollar of pet food purchased and donated to the food bank, we will match it.” Their goal is to raise 2,000 pounds of food. So stop in, get a treat for your pooch and help out the homeless pets at the same time.

“We also take new and gently used pet beds, blankets, leashes, collars, and kitty litter and donate it to Watermelon too,” says Samantha, “so feel free to bring in anything you want to donate and we will make sure Watermelon gets it.”

WMRAC has opened a food bank and is currently supplying food to ten needy rescue groups around the state. They are also providing food for individual animal owners who are suffering hardships trough the food pantry at Casa Rosa in Placitas.

If you are in the market for a new pet this weekend head out to either PetSmart locations (Coors Bypass or Eubank & I-40). WMRAC has organized shelters from around the state to participate in the 2009 Spring Adoptathon.

“We have lots of puppies, kittens and small dogs ready to be adopted,” said Sophia DiClemente, executive director of WMRAC. “This event is in cooperation with the North Shore Animal League’s world wide adoptathon; over 2,000 rescue organizations in 26 countries are holding events this weekend around the world. The spokesman for the event is Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer from National Geographic Channel and we are so proud to be a part of it. We invite everyone to come out and find a new friend to take home.”

Quote of the Week: “How much is that doggie in the window? The one with the waggley tail. How much is that doggie in the window? I do hope that doggie's for sale” – Patti Page