Zona

I love old cemeteries. they open up my imagination as to who the people were and how they lived, how they were loved, and how they became left behind only marked by monuments for us to see so many years later.

I wonder how they lived and loved and it strips me down to basic emotion without all the accessories.

Many lived long, many gone way too young, and who were the mourners on that day and how was the weather?

The only markers I've seen that had a cause of death were those who died violently. "Killed by Indians", "Massacred", "Hung by Mistake".

There was one exception for the woman who died in child birth in 1777 in Savannah, Georgia. I wept for her. I mourn all, but I wept for her.

Gabrielle Giffords lies in a hospital and, according to doctors, will survive her gunshot wound to the head.

The President flies in for a memorial at the McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus today.

Tomorrow a 9 year-old victim will be laid to rest.

One of the elderly victims died when he used his body to shield his wife from bullets. She suffered 3 gunshots to her leg.

Jon Stewart said that even though politics probably didn't play a roll it's troubling when the ramblings of the mentally troubled killer aren't too dissimilar to the rhetoric of those on the right.

Tom Brokaw said that we have to buy small bottles of shampoo to take onboard airplanes but the killer was able to buy a gun.

Tons of pickup trucks loaded with second-hand goods have headed to Mexico since I've been here. Most were part of the annual "Paisano" or "CalMex" holidays parade of Mexicans living the the US who head down to the interior to visit family. Some are a big group of more local Mexican residents who go to yard sales and swap meets to by used items to re-sell at their second hand stores.

The most common items are washers and dryers and bicycles. Bicycles and large toys such as plastic kitchens for little girls always bring a smile to my face. I always imagine the joy on the faces of kids whose parents can't afford new items but buy these used toys that are as good as new to a child who receives them.

I am in my room and my wife is in the air back to Utah. I am my own man again. Of course it was good to have her here for the holidays and she DID enjoy the Tiffany ring I gave her for her birthday. I finally feel like I got her something she deserves. I hate the holidays because I never feel like I was good enough to the family but this year I feel really good about what I was able to do for Magaly on her 50th.

So I'm alone again and I don't have to worry about anyone but me in town. I can relax and get back to working some overtime and raking in the do re mi.

It has been some time since I traveled. I used to travel 2-3 times a year and I ALWAYS love a hotel where I can see the TV from the toilet. Wifi is a huge plus too.