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Friday, June 13, 2014Friday Clippings From Our Newsroom Floor Dear Joe, I want to thank you for the work you do on your blog. Finding informed, insightful, quality commentary and examination of New Mexico politics is a rarity, but your blog is all of these things. I'm a political junkie and I've relied on you as my primary source of information on local and state politics for a decade now. The detail and effort you put into your blog is what attracted me to it and has kept me coming back. However, your blog also holds a special significance for me now. My great aunt Mary was also a political junkie and, despite her age (she was born in 1920), a very avid Internet user. She and I would talk on the phone for every Sunday and inevitably the topic of conversation would be politics. =She was born in Russia and immigrated as an infant to Canada as her parents fled the revolution. She lived her life in Vancouver. I was born and bred in Santa Fe. I met my great aunt in person only once, but we spoke on the phone every Sunday without fail from 2001 on. She would tell me of Canadian politics, of which I had very little personal knowledge. I would try to tell her about New Mexico's world of La Politica, but wasn't terribly informed on the intricacies, until I found your blog that is. I shared you with her in the lead up to the 2004 elections, and she found your writing very compelling and entertaining. Our weekly conversations almost always featured something you wrote about that week. New Mexico politics became a hobby of my great aunt, and she soon was subscribing to the electronic ABQ Journal, the New Mexican, and so on, but your blog remained her preeminent source of information. She was fascinated with our little corner of the world, even though she never visited here. My great aunt Mary died in 2011 at the age of 91. This morning, while reading your blog, I caught myself thinking for a moment "I can't wait to hear what Mary has to say on the primary," looking forward to our Sunday chat. After a moment of sadness, I composed myself and a feeling of joy came to my heart. The joy came from what you did to bring Mary and I closer. So thank you for being so good at what you do that you gave me something special to share, something that meant more to me at the time than I realized. I will continue to read your excellent blog, but with a sentimentality I never expected to have. Thank you again. That's quite a humbling letter and deeply appreciated, Jonathon. It seems Aunt Mary had a very personal connection to politics. She and her parents had to flee their native Russia because of political upheaval. Americans often dismiss politics as unrelated to their lives. But as Aunt Mary's life shows, politics can turn on a dime and with it the personal fate of millions. We can never afford to stop paying attention--and as your touching letter demonstrates--we can often do it with joy. AT THE MOVIES For the weekend ahead, film reviewer Eric Lucero says: Tom Cruise’s, Edge of Tomorrow (3.5 out of 5 stars) is his best work in the genre. The Fault in Our Stars (3.5 out of 5 stars) is a great flick for millennials. And Chef (3.5 out of 5 stars) is convincing, comedic and a satisfying food truck romp.  It's no exaggeration to say that next Friday night (June 20) you have the welcome opportunity of tasting the best food and wines in New Mexico and at the same time contribute to the welfare of New Mexico's children. Vintage Albuquerque is now in its 23rd year and this Friday night's "Grand Tasting" at the National Hispanic Cultural Center can't be beat. Details:If you can only attend one event and a casual outdoor party is your thing, the Friday Fiesta can’t be beat. Over 30 wineries will pour over 100 wines with local restaurants cooking up perfect compliments for your culinary pleasure, truly a mouthwatering culinary extravaganza! A silent auction featuring wine, art, jewelry and other goodies provides perfect shopping opportunities for those who want to take home a piece (or pieces) of the action. Vintage Albuquerque supports arts, music, dance, theater and other artistic education programs. Our benefactors have had a tremendous impact on New Mexico children throughout the years, and we are happy to support their efforts and successes. The list of restaurants participating is enough to make the mouth water, so treat yourself. Tickets to the June 20th Friday evening Grand Tasting are $85 and can be purchased here or at the event which runs from 6 to 9 pm. This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2014. Not for reproduction without permission of the author |
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