Mariano Velez

INKBLOTZ

  • The Thing About Palm Trees

    Palm trees grow in warm places all over the world, but somehow they got branded as California’s signature accessory — like aviator sunglasses for the landscape. They aren’t even native to most of the state. The tall, spindly Mexican fan… more ›

  • When Memories Come Visit

    Memories have a way of sneaking up on you. One moment you’re stirring coffee, waiting for the light to change, scrolling through TikTok, and then — suddenly — you’re somewhere else. Somewhere you haven’t been in decades, but it feels… more ›

  • Tinkering

    Once upon a time, every kid was a tinkerer. We learned by unscrewing things, prying them open, poking around inside. Radios, bikes, door hinges, cassette decks — if it rattled, clicked, or hummed, we had to know why. There were… more ›

  • Why We’re Holding the Line on Phones and Dress Code

    As both a parent and a school administrator, I often stand at the intersection of two worlds. At home, I want my own kids to laugh with their friends, make mistakes, learn from them, and discover who they’re meant to… more ›

  • Homework: An Epic in Four Pencils

    (A Poem in Slightly Crooked Lines) I sat at my table at quarter to four, With four little pencils (I might need one more). A worksheet of fractions stared back at my face, Like a dragon who’d swallowed my free-time… more ›

  • Between Covers, Beyond Pages — From Reader to Writer and Back

    Awaiting the publication of my first book has changed something I never expected: the way I hold a book in my hands. I’ve always loved books. As a kid, I devoured them. In college, I would lose hours wandering the… more ›

  • Sleeping In: A Universal Law

    Sleeping in is not a character flaw. It’s not laziness. It’s not poor planning. It is a cosmic law, etched into the fabric of existence—right up there with gravity and Wi-Fi never working when you need it most. No one… more ›

  • Grills, Jerseys, and Armchair Geniuses: Why Fall Rules

    Fall is my favorite season. The summer heat finally packs up and leaves, and cooler weather slides in like a welcome relief. Hoodies return, pumpkins appear everywhere (sometimes in places they really don’t belong), and—most importantly—football season takes over. Sure,… more ›

  • The People in Our Lives

    I got to thinking about friendships recently—not the surface kind, but the ones that quietly (and sometimes loudly) shape who we are. I’m not even sure what sparked it. Maybe it was the long road trips to gigs and the… more ›

  • The Pause Between Words: How Nothing Becomes Something

    There are days when I simply cannot think of anything to write. Writer’s block isn’t just the absence of words—it’s a heavy stillness, like standing in a quiet room where nothing moves. You sit there, pen in hand or cursor… more ›

  • On Stage with La Gran Señora

    Being a mariachi musician, you learn that every gig carries its own rhythm. But this one—this was different. It was more than performing alongside a star.More than shaking the hand of someone people call a legend.It was… everything. The day… more ›

  • First Days Without Cell Phones in School

    Over the past few years, it’s become obvious: our students were living in two worlds at once—the real world, and the endless scroll. Heads down, thumbs flying, eyes glued to screens; friendships measured in likes, self-esteem dictated by notifications. Social… more ›

  • 17 First Days

    I’ve been an educator for 25 years.The first day of school has always been important—Always special.Always something to celebrate. But 17 of those 25 years carried a different kind of weight.Because for 17 years, I got to share that first… more ›

  • Waking Up, (or Almost Sleeping)

    Ahhh, sweet slumber. The kind where your body finally stops twitching from yesterday’s chores and the blanket has molded perfectly to your shape. I’m out cold, dreaming of nothing, floating in pure bliss. Then it begins. A faint sound. Far… more ›

  • Conversations With That Guy In The Mirror

    A funny reflection about my reflection. We all have that voice in our heads—the one we consult when making decisions, psyching ourselves up, or talking ourselves out of regrettable choices. Sometimes it’s calm, sometimes it’s nagging, and sometimes it’s downright… more ›