Tag: life

• Under the Friday Night Lights

  Oct 12

  There’s something almost magical about a fall night at Calexico High, warm and humid, with a light drizzle turning Belcher Field into a glistening diamond under the Friday night lights.… more ›

• The Curiosity of Curiosity

  Sep 29

  Curiosity is one of the first languages children learn. Long before they master full sentences, they’re pointing, tugging, and asking questions in a hundred different ways—“What’s that?” “Why?” “How come?”… more ›

• A Writer’s Manifesto

  Sep 23

  (Or Am I Just Rambling?) I remember, when I was still a teacher, how I answered the question: What makes a good writer? I always said, “Just write every day.… more ›

• Rain, Memories, and Mischief

  Sep 22

  Not too long ago, I wrote about memories and how they have a way of popping up when you least expect them. Maybe it’s because I’m — how shall we… more ›

• The Thing About Palm Trees

  Sep 21

  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… more ›

• When Memories Come Visit

  Sep 16

  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… more ›

• Tinkering

  Sep 14

  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,… more ›

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

  Sep 12

  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… more ›

• Homework: An Epic in Four Pencils

  Sep 12

  (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… more ›

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

  Sep 9

  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… more ›

• Sleeping In: A Universal Law

  Sep 8

  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… more ›

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

  Sep 7

  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… more ›

• The People in Our Lives

  Sep 2

  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… more ›

• The Pause Between Words: How Nothing Becomes Something

  Aug 31

  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… more ›

• On Stage with La Gran Señora

  Aug 24

  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… more ›