A funny thing happened while watching some theater...

Last night, my Drama class and I watched the 1957 film of a staged performance of "Oedipus Rex". It's a fascinating version of the play to see. The masks are eerie and beautiful and the acting is top notch.

But the film is interesting on other levels too. For one thing, although my students were upset that I made them watch the credits, they were shocked and amazed when they saw William Shatner listed (so was I). How old is this dude!? Well...with a bit of research (see link above) I found out that he was born in 1931 (in Quebec of all places). There was no way I thought that was him in the movie, but sure enough, it is listed in his credits. And...he was already 26!?!

Other interesting things for me in this version of the play was that it was translated by William Butler Yeats, one of my favorite poets! And, another actor in the play was Douglas Rain, who later was the voice of HAL 9000 in "2001: A Space Odyssey". Douglas Rain and William Shatner in the same production? Well...I...guess....that....doesn't.......surprise me........at....all. And before any of you Trekkie readers get on my ass about it, I know Shatner was a classically trained actor, and I am a big fan of his. Especially his latest album: Has Been. Seriously. A definite keeper! No, I mean it. Really.

The Omnigatherum...returns!!

Hey now,

Ed recently sent this out to all of The Omnigatherum readers out there, so I thought I would pass it on to you as well. For those of you who do not know what Ed and I(ok...mostly Ed) do over there, check it out! Also...please send the following messege to any who you feel might be interested in submitting or reading the journal. Thanks!

Readers,

After a far too long absence, the Bibliothecary blog returns, featuring links to the best and most interesting essays, articles and reviews of books and literary life. I cast a net into the depths of the internet and give you the links to the most enjoyable reading.

And the push is on to get The Omnigatherum web-journal off the ground. We're now welcoming submissions for the inaugural issue. We are looking for well-written prose, unencumbered by critical jargon. Basically, we enjoy reading essays that reflect the perceptions of intelligent readers. Our goal is to create an omnigatherum, so choice of subject matter is wide-open: essays about literature, about the reading experience, about literary history, about rare editions, about book culture. For further information, feel free to contact us. And tune in to the Bibliothecary Blog for updates on our progress.

Prosit,

Ed

In a Space...

Hello fellow stargazers and welcome to another installment of, "They're doing what in New Mexico!?!?" Yes this is the place to be to find out the latest news on what can only be described as the cutting edge, the finger on the pulse of the galaxy of events that is New Mexico.

If you are not impressed with the already comsicallatousness of this fair state, the nuclear testing sites, the myths and legends of alien landings and storage, or the Very Large Array of satellites lining the wild New Mexican frontier, then perhaps I can wow you with two, yes two new points of intrigue to sway your attention.

Yes, living in a town without professional sports can be a drag. Everybody has their own team and their is hardly any camaraderie to be found. But rest assured New Mexican sports fans, help is on the way! Just a few short days ago, a major announcement that will revolutionize sports in the state was made: The city of Las Cruces will be home to the Rocket Racing League World Headquarters!

We are not talking little kids making little rocket racers here folks. We're talking really super rich big kids spending millions of dollars on big rockets!! And the best part is, their really big rocket race will be held each year right in my backyard!

But wait...there's more! How about a 225 million dollar private space port in Southern New Mexico also. Sure...we can do that! You've got it right, New Mexico has made the arrangements for Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Spaceport to be right around the block. Now people in Southeast New Mexico will actually be able to see spaceships on a regular...well...every once in a while basis!

Oh you gotta love it. And, rumor has it that Roswell is planning a gigantic alien amusement park...or something!

Not to toot my own horn...

basically because I would be afraid where I would have to push, but I just had to share this with you folks. This semester, I was supposed to teach 3 sections of Rhetoric, One section of Types of Literature: Drama, and one section of Western Literature I. Well...Unfortunately, my Western Lit class didn't make it. It had one person signed up for it. Part of the problem was that both of my Lit classes were offered at night and neither of them count as anything more than an elective. We also offered way too many Lit classes this semester. So, the end result was I needed to take a class from an adjunct, which I did feel bad about, but hey, it happened to me so many times that I couldn't feel too bad.

Anyway, there were not many classes that were appealing to me to take. The obvious choice would be another Rhetoric, but I had it in my mind that I didn't want to teach four writing classes this semester after I did five last semester. So there was the dilemma. Some of you know that one of my goals here at ENMU-R is to start a theater program. One problem with starting the program is to convince the "powers that be" that there is a need and that it could be profitable. The profit, in their minds, stems form the interest and need.

The online theater arts class had filled to the max which is a good start, but the onliners don't come to campus too much and don't really count towards starting the program. Long story a bit longer, there was a beginning acting course that was being cancelled because only four people signed up for it. In my eyes, not being able to get 8 (the minimum) students to take the course would be a sure sign that it isn't needed. So, I made a deal with my boss: Give me two days before you cancel and I'll get you four more people to take it (and I would teach it). She said okay and also said she would let the class go through even if there were only six in it!

Wow...I am rambling on this...sorry... I'm always up for a challenge and surely never like being told, "I told you so", so I hit the campus on a two day campaign to recruit two students. I stood outside registration, went to all my friends that work on campus and hung out in front of the advising office. In short, I was pathetic...but also somehow strange and beautiful.

End result: 16 people signed up for beginning Acting, a promising start. Thanks for listening!

Kinda Kilngon

I was watching the documentary on Star Trek fan(natics) the other day called "Trekkies" and I have to tell you, it scared the dilithium crystal outta me! Don't get me wrong, I like the show and the movies. I've seen the original show and was hooked on "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine". The other two shows lost me. My point is, I think the whole Trek thing is kinda cool.

But these people...they live their lives based on the show. They wear uniforms, Star Trek uniforms, to work and believe they are part of that world. Now I'll admit, when I was a kid, I'd read a comic book and imagine I was like Spiderman or Green Lantern (I still read the comics, but rarely do I pretend to be the heroes). But to live your life as if you were in some large movie?

The Klingon folks are the best. Not only do they pretend to be part of this fictional world, they pretend to be aliens in it! I found some interesting things on the net that shows what I am speaking about. For instance, did you know they actually created a Klingon language? It's real. You can learn to speak and read it. In one of the movies they made reference to not really reading Shakespeare until you have read it in the original Klingon. Well...now you can find the Klingon Language Version of the World English Bible. Yes...jump right up to that sight and read your favorite bible passage in Kilngon. If that doesn't cook you Gak, if you think that it's kind of neat, I offer this to you: Klingons For Christ Jesus. This web-site gives you an overview of why those loveable warriors would be Christian!

For my Philly Phriends out there, did you know the Klingons have invaded your neighborhoods? Yes, if you are lucky enough to catch them, there is the Klingon Klez - Out of this world Jewish jam! Jewish/Klingon music for the masses!

One of the best Saturday Night Live skits I remember is when William Shatner hosts and they have him at a Trekkie convention. He blasts the faithful by telling them all to get a life and asking if they have ever even kissed a girl. Well...here is a Klingon wedding to answer his question. You gotta love it. Now if you will excuse me, I am due in 10 forward for a date with a blue chick from the omega quadrant. I hope I don't drink too much Romulan ale!

Reading with eyes closed

Just was thinking about this yesterday and I was wondering if anybody else had some thoughts on the subject. I had a coupon for a few free downloads at a place called audible.com, so I surfed over there the other day to check it out. They have a super wide variety of books, magazines and newspapers available as audio for download. Since I had 3 freebees, I decided to download some books and put them on the old i-pod.

I have only had a few experiences with audio books and honestly they have not been too great. I guess I have a really low attention span. Both times I have tried listening to books were during long rides from Dallas to Philly (or viceversa I can't remember). I listened to Hemmingway's complete short stories and Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces". Please don't ask me any questions about either...I didn't retain a gosh darn thing. Not only that, but the experience did not have the desired effect I had hoped for: staying awake during a long 24 hour drive. Not to worry, I didn't fall asleep or anything, but I did have to turn the books off and listen to some loud music instead.

Anyway...I was wondering if anybody has had success with audio books and would share some of the secrets to their success with me.

Happy MLK Day.

Back in the saddle

Hallo Spaceboy!

Well...I am back in a city called Roswell, New Mexico. Yes, only two flights and a three hour drive from the civilized world of Philadelphia. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions as a rule, but I have decided to not make fun of Roswell too much this semester.

As I get to know more people in this town, and have friends to hang out with who are from the area, I have realized just how cruel I can be. For example:

I will try my best this year not to make fun of Walmart. I will not comment on the fact that the most crowded day of the month there is the day wellfare checks come out. I realize that is not nice (though really...you don't wanna go there the day those checks come out. People are on marked-down prices like Oprah on a ham). I will try also not to make fun of anybody while I am with them in a Walmart, by making snide comments about why I wouldn't buy things like a $2,500 TV at Wallmart, or why I would buy brand name paint for a dollar more opposed to the Wallmart brand. I realize that is just shallow and elitest. I'm sure that if you bought a TV at the Wallmart for $2,500 it would work just fine (but if you have that kinda scratch for a telly...why are ya shopping at the Wallmart?).

I will try not to make fun of the lack of cuisine offered in this megacity. Mexican food is great. I love Mexican food. Green Chiles are the food of the gods. Everything should have green chiles on it not matter if you are at a Mexican, Italian or even Thai restaurant.

I will try to keep my snobbery about what constitutes 'expensive' restaurants to myself. I realize now that $4.99 for dinner is not cheap. It's reasonable. And those unreasonable places that have meals priced in the $9.99-$18.99 range are just out of their minds. Sorry Pasta Cafe. Do you know how many tacos you can buy for $18.99!?!?!?

I will try not to whistle old Speghetti Western sounds when a tumbleweed rolls across the road in front of me. I realize now that that could be viewed as obnoxious and that the tumbleweed is a national treasure that we should treasure (although...when I drove in from Albuquerque, it was so windy in Roswell that the dust made it very difficult to see and the tumble weed were out of control. I literally got hit by at least ten of those things from my car to my door. Mad Max...you got nothin on us!).

I will try not to stress out about creatures that shoul only be found in nightmares and on hallow's eve but can be found in your bathtub. If the children of this town are not affraid, why should I be? Of course the children of this town seem to already versed in how to make a flamethrower in the likely event they do see one of these nastys in their tub. I will try to make friends with the local inhabitants of the land...the tarantulas, scorpions and snakes. Because let's face it, why shouldn't we be friends with things you need an antidote for?

Oh, I could go on forever making resolutions, but I don't want to make any promises I won't keep (and I need more ammo for next year), so I will stop there. I should mention that when I got home I found no such creature walking around my place, though I suspect they will be back. That is why I have been practicing the Hulk stomp pictured.

Happy New Year to all and to all a good fright.

As Doctor Claw always says...

GADGET!!!

Yes. I will admit it. I am a huge gadget fan. I just can't seem to help it. I always want the latest computers and any cool gizmos that whoever might be pushing. I bought the PSP (Playstation Portable) a while back and never really used it too much until just recently. Now I am addicted. I upgraded my phone to a Treo 650, wich does just about anything that you could ask from a phone/pda/web-browser/camera.

But by far the coolests of gadgetry so far for me is my i-pod. Originally, I didn't see the big deal. But now that I have one and have realized the full extent of it's power, I bow to the greatness of the i-pod. A machine smaller then my cell phone which has the capacity of storing up to 60 gigs! That's roughly 15,000 songs! 181 hours of video! A gazzilion pictures! Now that's what I call power.

For the next few weeks, I will be importing every CD I own into this cigarette case sized machine in hopes to never have to play a disc again. To date, I have put about 250 tunes on it, but I have a ways to go. The best part is, it goes anywhere I want to use it. Sure on a plane ride I can pop in those ear buds and escape, but I can also plug it through my stereo, computer speakers and probably the best part...in my car. Wow.

So in review...i-pod: very cool.
(this messege brought to you in part by Apple Computers, makers of the i-pod)
*product warning: possible side effects of using i-pod technology might include shameless promotion of apple products, memory loss of what it was like before i-pod. People with a history of 8-tracks, cassettes and cd listening should consult a professional regarding if i-pod is right for you.

Only one thing better then no Eagles in the playoffs...

And that's those no good, stinky, drug dealing, women raping, coke sniffing weasels in Dallas.

I have never before in my life rooted against the Eagles before. But yesterday was a new experience. Not only did I root for them to lose, but I rooted for a division rival, the Redskins, to beat them!

Why, you ask? No...not for a better draft pick. Instead, after seeing Carolina destroy the prentenders known as the Falcons, I knew the only way to keep the 'boys out of the playoffs would be for the Eagles to lose. So there I was, cheering every Eagles sack, cringing at every Eagles score and cheering each and every one of their turnovers.

Yes. I hate Dallas. Nothing is more clear to me then that. Now all I need is a Penn State win, a Notre Dame lass and any team with a Vick on it to lose and it'll be a happy new year!

Happy New Year

Heard ya missed me, I'm back. Sorry it's been a little while, but business and laziness are predictible bedfellows.

Anywho, happy new year to all the peeps out there. I hope you had a good holiday. I will be starting to post regularly again at once. I had no idea how many people were reading (since y'all hardly respond), but now that I do, here we are.

More to follow in 2006!

D.

Look in the sky; it's a bird; it's a plane....

It's a university course in comic books!?!? That's right spidey friends. Yours truly along with an all-star group of two other profs will be offering a course next semester called Comic Book Design. The course is designed to have three parts: cultural historiography and character design, drawing forms and art, and computer art, design and layout. Hopefully it will fill up with students and get to be a regular thing.

That's one of the advantages of being at a smaller school. I really have the freedom here to make suggestions, be outspoken and experiment. This semester they started me off slow by giving me 5 composition courses. I like them, but 5 is a few too many and I have been craving something more juicy. Already for next semester I have myself scheduled to teach Intro to Western Lit. 1, Special Topics in Lit.: Drama, the comic course and an online comp course through a local prison.

I just figured I would write about something positive for once and let you know what the work sitch is like. BTW...allthough I will be on a tight budget for ordering any books for the comic class, I would love to get some suggestions from any comic readers out there. I have a short list already, but I'd like some more input.

Also, I will be in Philly Wed. 10/26-10/30. Unfortunitley it is not for the best reasons. My grandmother died on Sunday and I am coming in for the funeral. For those of you who knew my "Bubby", you already know she was a great women: kind, loving, independent, tough, giving, and every other positive adjective you can think of. She will be greatly missed.

Enough pepper to sneeze at!

First, let me recap quickly my trip last weekend. I already mentioned the grand canyon, but we also made it out to the petrified forrest and painted desert, The VLA (very large array), Fire Valley, and to White Sands National Monument.
All were very cool in their own unique way. And that's really it when you get down to it about New Mexico...it's unique. The terrain changes here are mind boggling. There are mountains that look like giant rocks, montains that look like giant forrests, deserts of pure plains and nothingness, Black valleys of lava rock and white sand dunes that seem to go on into infinity. I guess that's what they call it the Land of Enchantment. And then of course there's Roswell.

Anyway, when I got to work on Monday, I had a note on my door saying that I had won a raffle. I never win anything, so I was very excited by the news. I know I had entered a few raffles in the last few weeks that had various prizes; did I win the 500 dollars of food shopping? The 200 dollars from the historical society? The car!?!? The anticipation was unbearable. So...I called to claim my prize, and lo and behold, I won peppers (chiles as they call 'em out here). That's right a bushel of chiles. More chiles than any one man could eat or want (Noel, if you were here they would be yours). I'm not sure how many chiles a bushel holds, but I have been assured it is enough to keep me warm through the winter.

So...any ideas about what I could do with them all?

I did my first drive to Albuquerque on Wednesday night to meet up with my folks who are visiting for a couple of weeks. It took about three hours and it was boring as all heck. Like the drive to Dallas, there is nothing out there. At least it was only three hours.

Today we took a jaunt to the Grand Canyon. It took about 6 hours from Albuquerque. I have to tell you, for as amazing as the place is, I'm just not easily impressed anymore. Don't get me wrong, I had a good time. It is good enough for me to have the 'rents in to visit, but I don't think I could spend more than an afternoon at the grand canyon.

Tomorrow we head out to the Petrified Forrest, another ho-hum place I spent 20 minutes at about 10 years ago, and then we go to the VLA (Very Large Array) which I am looking forward to. I think I just like the drive more than the attractions. I like to get out there on the road, listen to some music, feel the wind on my face, smoke a couple of butts, and look around. Is that so strange?

Handy-Dan...Jackleg extraordinaire

The last time I saw anyone do something useful with a staple gun was Homer Simpson when he stapled Maggie's diaper. Otherwise, I don't see the usefullness. I guess you can staple pillows or curtains and all kinds of fabrics. Maybe you can make a nice stuffed animal for a loved one (watch out for scrapes and cuts if you hug it though).

For me, and my never-ending quest to get my little townhouse looking like a home, the staple gun has been useless. I bought one yesterday for $26.00. It looks just like the one pictured. I bought the smallest amount of staples you could buy for 3 bucks. I was a little put off that I had to spend 30 dollars for just one household project, but I thought, "hey, staple guns are cool...you never know what you'll use it for next."

While in the Home Depot, I had an electric stapler in my hand when an expert Home Depoter come over and asked what I needed the tool for. I explained to him that I needed to hang some telephone wire (I have only one phone outlet downstairs and it is in the kitchen. My Directv has to be hooked to a phone line and that's in the living room). He told me, "they make a staple gun that is made specifically for that job." I asked if he was sure and he said absolutley.

When I got home, I was excited to start the my stapling endeavor. I busted it open, filled the gun with staples, and thought out my plan of attack. I was so excited because for the last few weeks I have been tripping over that dang chord on the floor, spilling drinks, pulling the chord from the phone jack, and getting it caught on my front door (you can tell my place is giant, can't you?). All this was about to stop. Now I would only have an unsightly wire running across the ceiling.

After assembling the little bastard, I grabbed the phone chord and went to work. Poor little staple guys; I think they'll need therapy! Nary a one could muster the strength to make it through the wall. They couldn't even put a dent in it! I kept trying though...thinking it has to be me, my technique; I am certainly not one with the way of the staple gun. I changed hands, changed directions, tried different spots, and after about 20 minutes gave up and just watched the game.

It's amazing how one little failure can ruin your day. I had aspirations of getting other household things done that day, but after the dissappointment of the stapler, I gave up and put everything off. I have aquired more tools that I thought I could use and then they didn't work then I know what to do with! Rats.

Anywho...I'll be heading out to Albuquerque to meet my parents tonight, so I probably won't be able to post until Monday. See you then...

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dan

Today's post is dedicated to the New York Yankees baseball club.

You suck. Congats. When I think of how much money I save every year not owning the Yankees, it makes me very happy about the little bit that I have. As I watched them go down again to the Angels (for the moment, the greatest baseball team of all time...of course every team that puts the Yankees out of the playoffs owns that destinction for at least a day), I realized that the Yankees are not the "Evil Empire" that we Yankee haters like to believe.

More, they are a metaphor for our world today. A world where we see the rich bastards driving down the road in their Hummers and Jags; a world we we turn on the T.V. and see the red carpet rolled out for the superstars; a world where the heads of multi-million dollar corporations in their playtime toss money away to do reality T.V.. It's all there. We see it all around us. Our children watch it happen in front of there eyes and say "I want to be just like that when I grow up." But then we say, "money can't buy you happiness." But it is a hard sell. How can money not buy happiness when we see it bought and sold on the tube every single night?

Well...my only response is this. At the end of the day (or game as it might be), even though A-rod, Giambi, The Big Monkey Unit, Mussina and all the rest live large, if they bother to venture out into the real world in the very city they live in today, even those lovable, but slightly dirty New Yorkers, will have only one thing to say to them: You suck, ya bum!

And somehow, for whatever strange reason, everthing that is wrong in the world for a moment seems to be OK. Dream of sugar plums my friends. The groundhog has gone back into his hole and it is gonna be a good winter. Boo ya.

Cowboys will be boys

You would think that moving away from Dallas, I would be safe from the horrors that are Cowboys fans. But, sad as it is, this town is full of them. And following true to form, Cowboys fans that are not from Dallas tend to be worse than those born and bred there that at least have an excuse.

Already today I have had to endure the trash talk after yesterday's debacle. Now let it be known, I never do any trash talking before or after a game, but stikll I have to put up with the constant abuse. My only response is to say that when it comes to be playoff time, they are more then welcome to come watch the Eagles games with me when they have nothing left to root for.

On to other things...It has been cool and rainy here which is a welcome relief, albeit only to me. Everyone is scrambling for sweaters and jackets and seem not to know what to do with themselves when the temputure gets to 60. Me...I'm loving it. The mornings almost seem like mornings and not like you are in a perpetual 3:00 in the afternoon in summer. The rain did put the kabosh on many a fair goer this weekend, and I do feel bad for that since it seems the only thing to do here. I missed the fair completely though, so I guess I have something to look forward to next year.

If everyone out there could do me a big favor and think anti Yankees thoughts all day today, I would greatly appreciate it. All I want for Christmas is the Yankees not to win the World Series. So think Angel thoughts instead. And speaking of baseball...is there a bigger bunch of losers than the Atlanta Braves!?!? 15 years of domination and one world series to show for it. I think I am happier with the Phillies not making the playoffs then watching them lose in them every year!

The real Unreality?

"All that I see, seems so unreal to me,
Is it the truth or is it only fantasy,
Is it a dream or is it unreal reality?

All around me is such unreality,
Optical illusions as far as my eyes can see,
Is the whole thing a fake, or the ultimate reality?"

Thank you Dallas. I had a great time last weekend. Friends, food and women...my three favorite things! I'll tell you what...be careful what you wish for. I was begging to get out of Dallas for so long and now I struggle to find any time when I can get back there. Of course this is due more to the people I know there then the town itself, but it was a strange feeling to be back in a town with highways and hustle and bustle.

Then I came back to my world of grading papers and watching the old TV. Such is life. I do plan on going to the state fair this week though. Oh, and in case you all hadn't noticed...hockey returns tonight. Viva la NHL!! Go Flyers!!!

The road less taken (to Dallas)

Less taken probably is not the right way of putting it. Not taken is more to the point. I have been to and from Roswell only 3 times now, but each time I get on that one way highway (380), I am shocked that nobody is on the road. I guess it is in the wrong direction from anything really good when you consider that Ruidoso, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos are all the other way and closer than anything in the Dallas direction.

Anywho...I probably won't post again till Tuesday since I will be on the road and in Dallas for the weekend, but rest assured, there is no rest for the wicked. I just collected 80 papers that need to be graded and I will be taking them with me to get done. I do feel bad though leaving town on the big opening weekend of the Fare, but oh well....it will be here Tuesday. There is a parade on Monday that I will miss, but I have been assured that it is not much to see.

Dallasites, give me a call. I hope to see you all this weekend. Peace out.

I know that some of you have probably been wondering when I would get to a post about the Kinks. Actually, I have thought about it on rainy days, especially those days that there seems to be nothing going on in the Roswell world. But, I have been trying not to make this site just about things I like and more about how I see what's going on around me.

That being said, I ran across some interesting Kinks stuff yeasterday and thought I would share. For those of you who don't know, the Kinks are probably the greatest band...of all time. I'm not looking for an argument here; I know its my opinion, but it happens to be true. But...it's been a tough year for both Ray and Dave Davies (brotherly singer/songwriter, lead guitar respectfully).

Dave had a stroke earlier this year (or late last year) and has had to recover for a while. I can't imagine how it must feel to lose the ability to do what you love the most. Luckily, he has been recovering and plans to start playing again. He also hopes to reunite the band and do a tour. Of course it is up to Ray, and the odds of the two of them coming to an agreement about anything is long at best.

But what has really interested me lately has been the saga of Ray. Last year, whilst on vacation in New Orleanes with his girlfriend, they were robbed at gunpoint on the street. In true rock and roll god fashion, our hero dashed after the crook and ended up being shot for his efforts (I think it must be tough for rock and roll gods to get old and mortal). He ended spending his whole recovory in New Orleanes learning about the city. He started a program out there to get kids instruments so they could take up music in school and hopefully stay off the streets.

Flash forward to present. Ray is back in London, getting ready to release a solo album and tour his country. A few days ago, in the London Times, there was an article written by Ray where he gave his take on the Katrina tragedy and specifically on Sin City. I just thought it was an interesting perspective that he had. He did admonish the US for not being prepared and really laid it on about how it seemed the media in our country was surprised that there were poor people in New Orleanes. But, he also makes a plea that the world should help us. He is obviously not a Bush fan, but he comes right out and makes a good point: In four years, Bush will be gone, but the Katrina survivors won't be.

Anyway...I was wondering what any of you might think about this...especially when entertainment people start getting on their soapbox. I am so typically against it, but maybe its because my heroes seldom do it.

Taking out the cheese to place it in cheesy

Yes, this weekend was the big Chile Cheese Festival, right here in downtown Roswell, USA. I had heard there was a festival of this type, but I have to be honest, if someone didn't call and let me know it was this weekend, it would have gone right by the wayside. But, there I was; Saturday afternoon; Outside the Civic Center and Art Museum; salivating over the prospect of spicy peppers and soothing cheese. I know many of you are thinking this sounds like a great thing. I know my family and friends pretty well and most of yuo are chile and cheese lovers.

Well...don't mark this one on your calander for next year. The whole thing was a joke...a sad joke. I was so excitied, only to be crushed once again by the Roswellian powers that be. You see, I was there for a couple of hours, and while I did see some peppers being roasted, I saw no cheese. None. What I did see were a bunch of vendors selling their cheap useless wares. Ok, maybe some people like that kind of thing, but where I come from we call it a flea market; though this one was about one tenth the typical flea market size.

There was live music though and that was nice even though the women lead of the band couldn't hit any high notes and kept trying. I was assured that there were better bands at different times of the day. But I watched and listened to the sounds of Mexican-American music which seems like a great mix of folk, salsa and polka (all three I can get into if done well).

Another attraction that was offered was a wine tasting. There is a local winery that I believe is called Pecos Valley Vineyards (I'm sure you are all gonna run right out there to get some). I did do a tasting, but they had it set up like a drinking more then a tasting: Nowhere to spit; Which wouldn't be a problem so much is the wine was good, but unfortunitely, Pecos missed the mark.

All that being said, it is nice that there are so many things that go on in this town,. As small and rinkydink as they might be, at least there is an effort. I think I counted 15 different festivals of one kind or another that take place here during the year. Next week is the Eastern New Mexico State Fair. More on that to follow.