Sidetracked Charley

Window Shopping Here we are at the end of February. I had hoped to have my duplex unit rented by now. But I don't. Fortunately the universe has been providing the extra money I need to make ends meet if just barely. It would be wonderful if I could sustain and grow that extra income and get the duplex rented to reliable tenant. Spring is beginning early it seems and there are things I want and places I would like to go and I am tired of the static of winter. I want to bloom and grow and branch out. Though frankly I haven't a clue about the direction I want. I know I need to wrap up some things that have been hanging out and then propose a plan for myself. At my age can it be long range? Or should I stick with 5 year segments. Still there are days that 5 years seems very, very long range. And not all that desirable with my current budget frankly. Having lived through the best of the economy I am finding the worst of the economy oppressive. News reports say there are hop...

Mount Rushmore When I went to school, sometime shortly after the dark ages, we had Washington's Birthday and Lincoln's Birthday. The south never celebrated the latter for various not-forgotten-history reasons. And at some point the federal government thought it made sense to put holidays on Monday. The only holidays not effected by this move to maximize the three day weekends available in any calendar year were the 4th of July (which for obvious reasons is always on the 4th) , Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Commerce loves this trend because it gave rise to the Monday sales event. And so on this day ads abound for Washington Birthday Sales. Lincoln has been forgotten because it does not promote well in the south. And perhaps it is appropriate that this day be known for huge sales in the name of our first president because he was also the father of the expense account . . . and padding the expense account. Lincoln, btw, was our 16th president and the first Republican...

Frost and Fence by J. Binford-Bell It has been a strange day. And a strange February. It began with freezing fog and frost on a variety of surfaces creating a winter wonderland. Then it began to snow but the temperature was 37 F and it melted and dripped from eaves and trees. Now as the temperature drops ice sickles are forming. February has been a series of such storms if that is the word for them. None of them have given us more than an inch of snow which has lasted for only a brief period of time. Still it is moisture. But February is generally a lot more moisture. It and March can be when we get the biggest snow falls. Snow that comprises much of our mountain snow pack to prevent fires in the winter. Everyone already is taking of a hopefully wet May to make up the difference. The weather bureaus seem as daunted as we do. Yesterday the forecast on NOAA was for snow through Wednesday though only an inch a day. Now there is no snow forecast beyond today. Definitely climate...

Stations of the Cross by J. Binford-Bell Since January came to a close my life has not been my own. It seems to be over scheduled with all manner of things to do and people to meet. Way, way busier than I am used to by a long shot. And not with a schedule of my making really. I have had to bend to the scheduling requirements of others. I am a morning person. I prefer to get the majority of my major tasks out of the way before noon. Leaving my afternoons to work quietly on the computer or with sketch books or veg out watching streaming video. And by 6 p.m. I want to roll up my sidewalks, ignore the phone and wind down for bed. I will admit to sometimes hitting the bed at 7:30 with my kindle and the fur kids. As a self-employed artist this works for me. But as a landlord trying to get my duplex rented it hasn't worked. I find myself sitting up and waiting for someone to show between 5 and 6 to see the place. And to make sure they don't miss the place I have all the lights...

Standing alone against the night I first noticed this behavior here in the mountains of New Mexico so I cannot speak for it occurring elsewhere or not. But here we all seem to go to ground right after Christmas. Almost as if the demands of that season put too many stressors on our social networks and manners. The only communication there is seems to be via social networks, hallow e-mails, and a phone message or two. No lunch dates, no running into each other at the store, or in Santa Fe (oddly enough us mountain folk seem to meet up there a lot), or get together requests. A drive through Angel Fire to the post office reveals no friendly cars or known associates. Nor is the post office its normal meet and greet site. Then suddenly, somewhere around the 25th of January heads pop up not unlike a ground hog checking on the weather. You see old friends at a Taos grocery store restocking on depleted supplies, get an invitation from a friend for a girly night pot luck, call a friend t...

Winning Coach a Symbol of Penn State If I were the editor in chief Heads would roll A pedophile and an institution Of higher learning And dare we venture lower moral values linked in bold type. There once as a time When being a sports star Did not excuse amoral behavior We expected so much more of our icons. And we knew better than praise their resumes on national news. We buried their shame Oh, so quietly and rightly In the back page obits below the fold. J. Binford-Bell January 2012 The exercise this week for Jingle Poetry at Gooseberry Gardens was to take a headline from the New York times and write. I did.

Red Sky in the Morning I do want to pretend all will be well when things are going well. I believe that if I prepare for a rainy day that day will come. And my history seems to have proven me right by in large. So what is wrong with preparing for a sunny day? If the pantry is full and there is a prudent reserve in the bank why won't it work just as well for a celebration as a rescue? On some level I always seem to prepare for the worst but am totally surprised when it comes. I seldom, if ever, throw away a document or receipt I think I might need to prove my point. And I am a great person for following every critical conversation up with an e-mail or letter. So why don't I put them nicely in folders as I go along instead of having to scramble to get all my documentation lined up. Why do I want to whistle in the dark? This morning finally totally sure that my tenant was not going gently into that other apartment complex in a far away city (even though her move was her ...