Albuquerque, NM

Guess what? It is blooming WINTER! Photos by Mary MacIntyre AND IT IS COLD! Snow hasn’t melted yet and cats have left lots of tracks. In the valley of cold and wind, hearts wander randomly, ah we will have a white Christmas, the heat must run too often: in days of cold remember the daffodil and the promise of spring.

Tonight while most folks were glued in front of their TV’s, I enjoyed a long ride home and witnessed the celebration of Christmas lights. Most lovely. I imagined thousands and millions of people celebrating the traditions of Christmas. Some perhaps even moving beyond the mania of mass consumption. (I’m somewhere in low level consumption) All these lights blaring : Remember Christmas! but how many people leave the safety of the TV net to go out and see their neighbors’ efforts? Is their life outside of the TV habit? Where do our faith and loyalty reside? Concrundums.

Just want to say Yeah Redskins in the Sunday win. I was at a party on Sunday and everyone else wanted to know and someone grabbed a cell phone to look it up while another ran over to the computer. I am out of the loop: one can’t even wait for the news later: the score took precedence over the party and people. One person dedicated a good part of his visit playing music via his Ipod.

My other awakening was to listen to grown men at work discussing the latest games on XBOX and online. These are pressing issues on their minds while real wars are being waged. Big time electronic entertainment that Americans don’t want to live without. Anybody take a quiet walk in the woods anymore? Oops, but be sure to bring the cell phone in case you get lost. Be sure to take a break to remember Christmas, ackowledge your faith, perhaps even say a prayer or sing a Christmas carol before the big games and the incessant cell phone chatter. News on the street is that my church is housing some women and children who are homeless: overflow from the shelter. Apparently a lot more women are homeless this year. Say a prayer for them.

This week Santa Fe Baking company has a lot of old CW favorites, and Ryan Mcgarvey and his band (again), so I just cut out part of their update: MAKE PLANS NOW TO ATTEND
THE SFBC PUB & GRILL NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY!
MONDAY NIGHT, DEC. 31, 2007
with
JOE KING CARRASCO

A native to Texas, Joe King Carrasco, the acclaimed king of Tex- Mex, who sings and plays guitar, has devoted his career to the Tex-Mex rock and roll sound of the 1960’s, combined with the Latin influences of Tequila Reggae and the cumbia- surf- ska sound , which he performs nightly in beachtowns, all around the Puerto Vallarta, Mexico area, where he has been living , on and off the last few years. In 1979, Joe formed the group, “The Crowns” and invented a musical style called “Nuevo Wavo” They went on to have much success in New York City’s underground club scene and were soon signed to Stiff Records, out of England and participated in The Son of Stiff Tour, which has since become a movie. They were one of the first American acts to appear on MTV, featuring their Euro hit “Buena.”
Since this time, Joe has toured extensively throughout Europe, Central America,Bolivia and Colombia, as well as the USA and Canada, consistently delivering high energy performances, where dancing was the “numero ono” priority. He, also toured with many groups such as the POLICE, the GO Gos, and The English Beat. He is a member of the Texas Music Hall of Fame, former MTV host, has appeared on Saturday Night Live- TV Show, recorded with Michael Jackson and The Texas Tornados, and has recorded 14 cds, all available at Joeking.com. His songs have been recorded by the likes of Freddy Fender and Manu Chao. These last few years he has acted in countless independent films and has become an up and coming filmmaker, with his first directed feature, “ Rancho No Tengo” coming out in Fall 2007. The soundtrack, with its “West Texas Style,” and all original songs, written by Joe, is being released at the same time. In early 2006, he moved to beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with his three Jack Russells, and joined up with the legendary group ‘The PV Allstars,” led by Roy Hollingshead on drums, Mike Cervantes, on bass, and Gil Hermanon sax. Joe likes to play and write music as much as he can, in the tropics, on the beach, where every night is Saturday, and the West coast of Mexico, seems to fit all of that. When he has time off, he can be found exploring, in his trusty 1994 Nissan Pathfinder, with over three hundred thousand miles, the twisty backroads fom Coahuila all the way to Chiapas, chasing down good inspiration for another Tex-Mex song.
CHAMPAGNE TOAST at MIDNIGHT-PARTY FAVORS-SILLY HATS!
8 PM-ALL AGES-$10 ADVANCE/$15 DOOR
www.joeking.com

NEXT WEEK & BEYOND AT THE SFBC PUB & GRILL
WEDNESDAYS IN JANUARY 2, 9, 23
OPEN MIC. NIGHTS
HOSTED BY FRANK PALUMBO
MON-TUE-WED DECEMBER 24-25-26
CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
SATURDAY DECEMBER 29
The DOROTHY BOYS
MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007
SFBC NEW
Anybody want to drink some home brew micro Brewery Beer? It’s wainting for you at Santa Fe Brewing Co.

blogsville: www.about-tulsaok.com
I ate too much fudge today.
www.momisteaching.com

More later…Mary