Saddle up, brother- we're going to Iowa!

With the presidential campaign in full swing, my top pick, Barack Obama, within striking distance in Iowa, and with my butt planted firmly on my grandma's bar stool, I had an epiphany yesterday. It seems as though those who receive the call to action realize it all at once. My entire family,save for my father who I maintain has a latent support for the candidate, has taken an enthusiastic approach to supporting Senator Barack Obama's candidacy for the presidency. My mother and brother were involved early on in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area, working to spread the word on the Senator's agenda and why he made the best person for the U.S.' top post. I, more recently, have taken the lead in starting a group called 'Gallup For Obama', to rally the passionate, yet somewhat disorganized support for Obama's campaign that exists in Northwestern New Mexico. It seemed quixotic, then, that, at the height of primary season, with ballots being cast in less than one week in Iowa, that I should remain silent in Michigan, simply reading, writing, and hoping for an Obama win in the first contest, while he, and thousands of others, had hit the Hawkeye state to work day and night to ensure victory.

'Damn it!' I thought. Michigan is not that far from Iowa. Why don't my brother and I pack a bag, buy a Greyhound ticket and head south?!" Coming up with no good answer, here I am, sitting at a coffee shop, having just booked a ticket to Des Moines for 01 January to spend the final two days of the Iowa primary season working hard for the candidate I think holds the key for changing our country's fractured political state. What may have sealed the deal for me was an article in 'Atlantic' magazine's December edition by Andrew Sullivan outlining, in an incredibly articulate, passionate, and, most importantly, compelling manner, the reasons why, not only is Barack the top candidate in either party in the '08 presidential field, he also represents a 'generational' candidate with the unique set of tools necessary to bridge our divide and also tamp down anti-U.S. sentiment across the globe, particularly in the Islamic World.

Many things in the article stood out, and spoke to, me, but I want to post here a few points that struck me in a particularly strong way. First, describing one of Obama's strongest assets, Sullivan describes how the candidate's 'face' would in and of itself play a solid role in securing our country. Take a look:

"What does he offer? First and foremost: his face. Think of it as the most effective potential re-branding of the United States since Reagan. Such a re-branding is not trivial—it’s central to an effective war strategy. The war on Islamist terror, after all, is two-pronged: a function of both hard power and soft power. We have seen the potential of hard power in removing the Taliban and Saddam Hussein. We have also seen its inherent weaknesses in Iraq, and its profound limitations in winning a long war against radical Islam. The next president has to create a sophisticated and supple blend of soft and hard power to isolate the enemy, to fight where necessary, but also to create an ideological template that works to the West’s advantage over the long haul. There is simply no other candidate with the potential of Obama to do this. Which is where his face comes in.

Consider this hypothetical. It’s November 2008. A young Pakistani Muslim is watching television and sees that this man—Barack Hussein Obama—is the new face of America. In one simple image, America’s soft power has been ratcheted up not a notch, but a logarithm. A brown-skinned man whose father was an African, who grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii, who attended a majority-Muslim school as a boy, is now the alleged enemy. If you wanted the crudest but most effective weapon against the demonization of America that fuels Islamist ideology, Obama’s face gets close. It proves them wrong about what America is in ways no words can."

Much and little has been made about Obama's opposition to the war as a state senator in 2002. Much has been made by those who claim that then State Senator Obama is weak on defense and not even willing to authorize military force at a time when our country's security is seemingly clearly in danger. Little has been made by those who attempt to tamp down the courage of Obama in taking an unpopular position because a: he was a lowly state senator, and his decisions are, as such, not as consequential as U.S. senators, such as Clinton and Edwards, both of whom voted to support the war. In this bold statement from 2002, Obama keenly discounts both criticisms. Take a look:

"I don’t oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war … I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars."

Five years on, it would be extremely hard for someone to doubt the accuracy and wisdom in Obama's forecast. Undetermined cost? Yes. Occupation of undetermined length? You betcha. Fanned the flames of the Middle East and encouraged the worst impulses of the Arab World? Si, senor. Not opposed to all wars, he says he is- simply, dumb wars. Has the Iraq War been dumb? Hmmmmm...

If that isn't enough, consider the following statement that a: shows how the generational divide between Obama and Clinton leaves the latter more prone to be afraid of, and divided from, right-wingers than the former and b: backs up Obama's statement in a July debate that he would readily negotiate with so-called global pariahs immediately upon taking office (and why it represents a politically divisive stance not to do so):

"A generational divide also separates Clinton and Obama with respect to domestic politics. Clinton grew up saturated in the conflict that still defines American politics. As a liberal, she has spent years in a defensive crouch against triumphant post-Reagan conservatism. The mau-mauing that greeted her health-care plan and the endless nightmares of her husband’s scandals drove her deeper into her political bunker. Her liberalism is warped by what you might call a Political Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Reagan spooked people on the left, especially those, like Clinton, who were interested primarily in winning power. She has internalized what most Democrats of her generation have internalized: They suspect that the majority is not with them, and so some quotient of discretion, fear, or plain deception is required if they are to advance their objectives. And so the less-adept ones seem deceptive, and the more-practiced ones, like Clinton, exhibit the plastic-ness and inauthenticity that still plague her candidacy. She’s hiding her true feelings. We know it, she knows we know it, and there is no way out of it.

Obama, simply by virtue of when he was born, is free of this defensiveness. Strictly speaking, he is at the tail end of the Boomer generation. But he is not of it.

Partly because my mother, you know, was smack-dab in the middle of the Baby Boom generation,” he told me. “She was only 18 when she had me. So when I think of Baby Boomers, I think of my mother’s generation. And you know, I was too young for the formative period of the ’60s—civil rights, sexual revolution, Vietnam War. Those all sort of passed me by.”

Obama’s mother was, in fact, born only five years earlier than Hillary Clinton. He did not politically come of age during the Vietnam era, and he is simply less afraid of the right wing than Clinton is, because he has emerged on the national stage during a period of conservative decadence and decline. And so, for example, he felt much freer than Clinton to say he was prepared to meet and hold talks with hostile world leaders in his first year in office. He has proposed sweeping middle-class tax cuts and opposed drastic reforms of Social Security, without being tarred as a fiscally reckless liberal. (Of course, such accusations are hard to make after the fiscal performance of today’s “conservatives.”) Even his more conservative positions—like his openness to bombing Pakistan, or his support for merit pay for public-school teachers—do not appear to emerge from a desire or need to credentialize himself with the right. He is among the first Democrats in a generation not to be afraid or ashamed of what they actually believe, which also gives them more freedom to move pragmatically to the right, if necessary. He does not smell, as Clinton does, of political fear."

Finally, Sullivan closes with an incredibly powerful and duelistic look into what vorers face when they hit the polls this primary season. Take one final look:

Clinton Presidency:
"The paradox is that Hillary makes far more sense if you believe that times are actually pretty good. If you believe that America’s current crisis is not a deep one, if you think that pragmatism alone will be enough to navigate a world on the verge of even more religious warfare, if you believe that today’s ideological polarization is not dangerous, and that what appears dark today is an illusion fostered by the lingering trauma of the Bush presidency, then the argument for Obama is not that strong. Clinton will do. And a Clinton-Giuliani race could be as invigorating as it is utterly predictable."

Obama Presidency:
"But if you sense, as I do, that greater danger lies ahead, and that our divisions and recent history have combined to make the American polity and constitutional order increasingly vulnerable, then the calculus of risk changes. Sometimes, when the world is changing rapidly, the greater risk is caution. Close-up in this election campaign, Obama is unlikely. From a distance, he is necessary. At a time when America’s estrangement from the world risks tipping into dangerous imbalance, when a country at war with lethal enemies is also increasingly at war with itself, when humankind’s spiritual yearnings veer between an excess of certainty and an inability to believe anything at all, and when sectarian and racial divides seem as intractable as ever, a man who is a bridge between these worlds may be indispensable.

We may in fact have finally found that bridge to the 21st century that Bill Clinton told us about. Its name is Obama."

Folks, I can't sit by and watch and hope that the candidate I believe can change the world gets elected. And so, on January 1st, I'll hit the road heading for Iowa. I will do my best to ensure that the coming generation has what it needs in terms of a leader who can unite a fractured county and restore the U.S.' image in the eyes of the world. Our choice is clear, and I urge each of you to take action.

Holday reflections and resolutions for the new year

1. Always be on time.
2. Develop a working understanding of cricket.
3. Cook something different at least three times a week.
4. Don't say what you don't mean, and always say what ya' do.
5. Help a Democrat win election in New Mexico's Second Congressional District.

These constitute my tentative resolutions for the year 2008. Other ideas with which I'm toying around include learning an instrument, preferably one with strings, penning and sending through snail mail at least one letter per week, and giving up coffee (Hah! Forget that!). Seriously though, at the beginning of any year, it's fun to resolve to do things (and not do things) that can make a real and positive impact in and on our lives. Last year, I made a few, some held through, and I'm better for it. For example, I felt compelled to keep traveling to differen countries, a habit I'd christened in summer '06, before the commencement of this blog, and which I happily continued and manifested into trips to Nicaragua and an upcoming venture to the Middle East. Yee-haw.

Now, home, recouping, and feeling inspired, I've resolved to, once more, try to take the beginning of the new year, as a cause for self-improvement. A key difference, and one that, I think, makes this task even more important than in years past, is that, now, my self-improvement can and, I think, will, improve the lives of dozens of other, incredibly special people- that is, my students at Church Rock Academy.

Every day, they look for a leader who is well put together, passionate, and, most importantly, deeply cares about them and their development as students and people. I do, and I want to show them better that I do. I've started this trend by getting a hair cut yesterday. Cleaning up a chaotic mop of curls will help me be a better teacher in at least two important ways. First and foremost, seeing your students is key- yeah- seeing your students is key. Removing the locks from afront my eyes assists in making this a reality. Secondly, I will look more professional, which could allow me to garner support for my classroom from outside entities, such as philanthropists, district policy makers, and others. I'm not a conformist, but if it means giving my students more opportunities to succeed, I'll shave my head, gosh darn it!

So, hope with the new year and a call to action cloud my mind as December 25th turns to December 26th, two days before my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary. Wow! That's a lot of years! It's amazing and admirable that they've kept things together for so long. It's been a union not without trial, but they've managed, and my brother and I are better for it. By the way, my brother is a young man now, and growing like crazy. He's wicked smart and funny as heck. I'm stoked by him and cannot wait to see in which direction his life will turn. He's a talent to say the least.

Now, I feel compelled to discuss two of my best friends and most faithful blog readers- Elliot Bell-Krasner and Brock Boven. First, let's talk EBK.

Elliot is a unique soul and invariably makes a strong impression on people due to his enthusiasm, which is of the ultra variety and which I find both inspring and compelling. He is a senior at GW with many prospects. After having wrapped up an incredibly successful semester working for Senator Kennedy and the Senate Education Committee, he'll transfer to the National Education Association for a paid internship working on issues related to No Child Left Behind. As if that weren't enough, he's also a successful Sunday school teacher at a local synagogue, which offered him a full-time gig teaching after graduation. Elliot has a great deal of leadership experience, including inside the classroom, that would benefit him as a Teach For America Corps Member. a position for which he is also in the process of applying. One day, Elliot will serve his country as an elected official. He's currently serving the students of GW's Columbian School of Arts and Science as one of their student senators. The record will show in May that they were much better off having his services than they would've been without them.

On to Brock 'the Rock', not 'rock, chalk, Jayhawk', Boven. I've known Brock since my senior year of high school, when I moved to Portage, Michigan from Las Cruces, New Mexico, not really knowing anyone and having no idea what to expect. I arrived in my first hour physics class like a fragile dumpling (o.k.- I have no idea what that means, but I felt like writing it anyway- ignore the diction, and move one), or a kid without a plan. I noticed a short, skinny kid to my right who looked all of 12-years-old. In all fairness, despite his vastly more muscular physique, Boven still looks 12- sorry, Bov! Anyhow, in the early throes of the schoolyear, I was convinced Brock didn't like me. We didn't talk much in physics or in the other class we shared- accounting. However, we did share some mutual friends, which led us to eat together at the same table during lunch. We bonded, finally, when we discovered a mutual interest in launching bits of bread sticks at unsuspecting students sitting nearby. Upon establishing this unbreakable bond, a new friendship, nay, a brotherhood was formed that lasts to this day.

I learned that Boven, despite his Michigan roots, is a Southwesterner at heart. Indeed, his golf talents had taken him to a few tourneys down in the SW, and he told me he was planning to compete in a tournament in my native Las Cruces. I shared with him some info. on the place, including locations of fine-dining at which he and his pop would have to stop. He also visited New Mexico State University and, enjoying his time there, put it on his list of prospective colleges to which to apply come the next schoolyear (Boven is one year younger than me). Happily, he decided that NMSU was the right fit for him and, today, he is a senior Aggie, on his way to graduating with high honors and having carved a strong niche within the school's geography department. He will have his choice among several quality grad programs from Geographical Information Systems, including an offer from NMSU to stay and do his masters work for free. Boven has developed into an incredibly thoughtful, intelligent, and caring person, and I am grateful for his friendship. And even though I continually kick his ass in ping-pong, he's even improved substantially in this area. Who knows, perhaps an upset is in the making!

Cheerio from Kalamazoo,

(A comfortable) --Daniel

Between Odds and Ends

When we lose someone close, several assumptions we had about life and its equation fly to the wind. Why and how could the same force bringing people together to fall in love, engendering joy in the heart of a mother as she delivers a baby into the world, or exuding a sense of hope so strong it seemingly cannot perish, also create a devastation and grief of such a severe nature that it forces us to rethink our most basic suppositions about the point of existence. Call it an existential crisis if you like, but when someone, especially a teacher, mentor, and loving family man, is taken from this Earth prematurely, one cannot help but wonder why. What is the broader, positive take-away here? I understand that some, indeed most, of life's important lessons are nuanced and we cannot find meaning in them at the surface. However, after scavengering for hours and days after one of my best friends and mentors was taken, I remain baffled by something could have decided that it was his time go. And so, at a time of unprecendented hope and excitement in my life, a tragedy of immense proportion gives me pause and forces me to reflect on existence and its guiding force.

I am mad. I am sad. Also, I want answers. If my friend, someone who by any interpretation was living life the 'correct' way dies, then what reason is there to live in that way? Persons of faith say that life's true blessing lies in the great beyond. To some extent, I agree, but it is still perplexing to think about how this man, who, in his work as a physical therapist, teacher, mentor, and father, was depended upon by hundreds of people, could better serve out of this world than within it.

One thing that I cannot espace and that brings me comfort is that innate in all humans, I believe, is a deep and sincere desire to do well unto others. This is our purpose. Though our connection to these natural inclinations are sometimes muddled by the societal injustices like poverty, racism, violence, and other forms of horrendous discrimination, our noble urgings do not leave us. It is the battle of human kind to rid the world of vices that detach persons from what their own mind and body know to be true and right. Even without any great guiding force, this inclination does exist within all of us and seems to represent a sufficient cause for noble, kind behavior towards others and to live a life devoted to creating an equitable world.

As I struggle with the tragedy of my friend's death, my heart goes out to his family, whom he loved best. It's both right and good to think deeply about the possible lessons associated with any of lives event, whether tragedy, triumph, or other, however there exists an inescapable truth here that two daughters and a loving wife are without their hero. And this, no matter how you look at it, is a tragedy.

Reflections on a Snow Day

As I look out over a snow-covered street in a corner booth at a cafe in Gallup, New Mexico, I am given cause to take to the keyboard and share reflections on what is going on at this point in my life and adventure fresh out of college.

It's been some time since I last blog, reflecting a flurry of activity in both my personal and professional life. To ensure full disclosure, I'll first reel off a bland list of those things in which I've been most involved of late, and then try to give a more eloquent description of a chosen few.

First and foremost, of course, I am a teacher and work daily to become closer to, and effective for, my students. Seventy-five fourth and fifth graders pass through portable 21 at Church Rock Academy Elementary School each day, and I am happy to try to provide them with a new kind of knowledge and hope, traits they will need to succeed and lead a meaningful, satisfying life.

Secondly, I find great pleasure in the opportunity to continue pursuing my political interests in this new home. I could not have chosen a better year, politically, to return to the Land of Enchantment. With Senator Pete Domenici planning to resign his seat after his term expires in January, 2009, all three of NM's U.S. House Representatives have tossed their names into the rings as a possible successor, leaving three Congressional seats up for grabs. Along with a good friend and close political colleague, I have been hard at work in putting together a proposal to work on the campaign of a Democratic candidate seeking the seat in NM's 2nd Congressional District. It has been my friend's and my goal and hope for many years to see our district return to the blue, and we have dreamed of making a real impact in that process together. Now, we might get out chance. We have wrapped up our proposal and plan to meet with the candidate personally before I leave for Michigan on December 23rd.

Also, I hosted a house party for Senator Barack Obama at my home last Friday. We had a good group of supporters of the Senator's candidacy for the presidency come out, and we learned important ways in which we can work to help him win delegates in the New Mexico Democratic Caucus, which will take place on February 5th. The meeting was conducted by three representatives from the group 'Grassroots Obama for New Mexico', and, at the end, one of them laid forth the idea that I take the lead in starting a group called 'Gallup For Obama'. There exists much support for Obama's candidacy in this part of the state. The key, in terms of translating this enthusiasm to votes and delegates for Obama, will be organization and mobilization. I am all too happy to comply with the representatives suggestion and am hard at work planning our group's first meeting.

Thirdly, I remain excited about my duties as head coach of Gallup High School's girls and boys tennis teams. We plan to begin practice in late January and match play in early March. In the mean time, I've been attending coaches meetings at the high school and reaching out to players around town (by that, I mean I've actually happened upon some players coincidentally across Gallup). My main goal right now is the planning of a tennis tournament here in Gallup (of which we currently have none) in order to a: raise awareness of our program, for which we hope to garner support and enthusiasm and b: raise some much-needed funds for our team. We could sure use them! I am excited about planning my first tournament, which I hope will become a perennial success in the community. I was hired to build a program at GHS and could not be more excited to stay involved in the sport I love in this way.

Fourth, I have become actively involved in my school's Steel Drum Band. Under the guidance of Director Randy Markham, our world-class music teacher at Church Rock who has spent the better part of the last thirty years as a professional musician, traveling the world performing, laying down scores for both movies and T.V. shows, as well as teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, a small group of students has taken up an instrument that, until now, was entirely foreign to them. Our band has performed at numerous locations, and I had the privilege recently of traveling with them and a fellow teacher to a performance in Albuquerque at an inter-tribal conference reception for a formed U.S. Attorney. In addition to the former U.S. Attorney, Regina Schofield, the conference was attended by several tribal presidents from across the country and other influential policymakers and philanthropists. Despite the luxurious and decidedly high-profile surroundings, our students were calm, cool, and entirely professional. They set up the entire stage, moving quickly and fluidly as they did so, and then brought a chatty room to a halt with their musical talents. Indeed, by the end of the night, we'd engendered a conga line and earned three full and separate standing performances. Proud, excited, and tired, the little musicians cleared the stage, packed up the truck, and drove home on a cold NW New Mexico night, arriving at school just after midnight (two things- when I say the students drove home, don't worry- none of them actually took the wheel! secondly, all except for one of the musicians were at school the next morning, only seven hours after returning from the trip!).

We received a groundswell of support after the performance, with numerous people approaching Randy, offering cards and pledges of support for future trips. It got me thinking about my time in D.C. working for Senator Bingaman. We often hosted large groups of dancers from New Mexico, who had come to town to perform at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Knowing what an impact a trip to the capital had made on the young persons I'd had the pleasure of hosting for tours of the Capitol building, I set about writing a proposal to the NMAI to secure a performance for our young ones. I know funding is out there and am excited to see if I can orchestrate this ambitious trip. It would, I think, leave a lasting and formative impression in their young minds.

Fifth, I am hard at work with my team plugging away on our campaign for the Youth Ambassador position of the 2008 class of 'Young People 4' fellows. My field manager is creating a winning strategy for the three days of campaigning, which will take place in D.C. in late January; I have submitted a stump speech for review to my communications director, and, with her go-ahead, I will record a video delivering the speech at my school, capturing stock footage of the special place where I work to be shown to YP4 fellows during the confenrece; and, as with any campaign, we are working hard to raise the funds necessary to optimize our field plan. So, if you've not already done so, we definitely would love to receive a little financial support from you (e-mail me for more information on sending contributions or the nature of our campaign effort, more generally).

Sixth, I recently took on a new position at my school entitled 'Student Support Team Facilitator'. The Student Support Team program is designed to offer extra support for students who struggle in the classroom due to academic, behavioral, medical, organizational, or other factors. The team consists of the student, a parent, school administrator, school councilor, SST facilitator, and, in some cases, other people such as community leaders, coaches, or other influencers. What we do is meet periodically to set goals and brainstorm solutions for the student to help them meet those goals. At each meeting, we review the goals, how the interventions (solutions) have fared in helping the student reach the goal and revise our plans based on the needs of the student. My job as SST Facilitator is to keep the lines of communication between teacher and all other members of a student's team as open and effective as possible. The job requires a lot of paper work and organization, but I am happy to step up and fill this spot for my school. I hope and expect to do well in this position.

Finally, there are the personal elements. Without wanting to go into too much detail, let me just say that I feel continually blessed by my colleagues at Church Rock, friends across the country and world, and family in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I receive support and guidance from veteran teachers and administrators at Church Rock and feel quite fortunate to be going through this experience with two other TFA students who are in there first year there, as well. Moreover, my good friend Andy, a third year TFA teacher at Church Rock who teaches the same students as I do, provides daily support, humor, and friendship. I feel blessed for the friends and family I have formed at Church Rock. From the teachers, to the cooks, to the custodians (with whom I've formed particularly close friendships), we are all in the effort of providing our students with every chance to succeed, together.

Moreover, I increasingly enjoy and feel connected to, my roommates. They are in a unique situation, teaching together at a particularly troubled schools. Listening to them recount oddities from their day makes me feel, on one hand, particularly fortunate to be at the school where I am, and, on the other, in total admiration of the commitment they continue to display toward teaching in a very difficult setting. My roommates are highly intelligent, humorous, passionate, energetic people, and I treasure the good fortune that allows me to live with them.

In closing, the love and strength provided me by family in Michigan sustains me through the hardship of teaching. I lament not being able to spend more time with my 14-year-old bro during these critical and critically formative years. However, his continual success leads me to believe that he's on a good track and what I can and should do is simply express encouragement, love, and that I am always there for him to talk or conspire, when need be. My father, like a rock (a quite comical rock), gives me everything I need, whether in terms of sending me contact information for a family member, forwarding an important e-mail, trying to book a flight, taking time off from work to pick me up at the airport, or having a conversation with me about the latest status of the sporting world. I respect my father greatly and admire the way that, through the years, he's been a pillar of dependability for my family. I strive to practice his discipline in my own life. I don't know if he knows how much I respect him and cherish his teachings. Perhaps the blogosphere will help convey the message. My mother, as always, fuels my creative being. Our discussions, up, down, heated, and often argumentative, invariably get me thinking and in a very passionate way. I take my commitment to politics from her. I also inherit my extreme dislike for racial, economic, social, and other types of injustive from my mother. She's inspired in me an inability to turn away from things that don't feel right. From her, I've receive unconditional love, a blessing without peer, and, as I move through life, I feel abundantly fortunate to have three people looking over and out for me, no matter where I or they may be. I find strength in my family and look forward to seeing and speaking with them on December 23rd.

Well, this 'bland list of those things in which I've been most involved of late' has turned into something of an essay. Such is the case, I reckon, in blogosphere, where ideas run unrestrained and the mind feels free to hash out its various weights and burdens. I actually feel I've benefited from typing out before me the things in which I'm involved. It is difficult to track them sometimes, and writing has a way of clearing and organizing my mind. Go blogs!

Finally, two things- first, I've started a new book, 'East of Eden' by the acclaimed author, John Steinbeck. Having read another novel by him, 'Of Mice and Men', I was attracted to this piece. He also writes about the Salinas Valley, close to which I was born and where the mom's side of my family has its roots. I find his language raw and intoxicating. His comments on the desires, hopes, shortcomings, and capabilities of humankind grip me. The beauty of his prose engenders thoughts on, and a new realization of the natural beauty of the world I thought I could have. The parallel in 'East of Eden' between the main characters and the biblical figures Cain and Abel makes this piece and its message timeless and instrumental regardless of year. I'm racing through it. Check with me to chat if you've read the book, too.

Second, a new light has entered my life. She's in Albuquerque and an implant from the charming, early-voting state New England state of New Hampshire. Finding it unlikely that I convey any semblance of my excitement toward this incredible new person who has come into my life, let me leave it with a simple thought- someone who gives you clarity of mind and silently compels you to be honest in an absolute sense makes you afraid. Fear and love, though, are close cousins, and I appreciate the excitement her thought gives me throughout the day.

Cheerio on a Gallup snow day,

--Daniel