Book review: Eerie new mexico

September 11, 2020January 11, 2022 Posted in Books

If we’re honest we will all admit to having heard something go bump in the night. Chills race down our backs! Or a shadow races around the room and makes our our mouths go dry. It’s human nature to be wary of the unknown. Hollywood has tapped into our fear factor and made billions off horror movies. The big screen gives us just the right amount of shiver. We’re ever so grateful we’re not the idiots going into the darkened spooky house. We’re not the shivering girl standing alone in the hall listening to footsteps on the stairs. And haven’t most of us – at least once, if briefly – seen inexplicable lights dart across the night sky?

In Eerie New Mexico, author Ray John de Aragon delves into events that have happened over the years that make us think twice.

“Did that really happen?”

“Did I really see that?”

“Are my troubles the result of getting the Evil Eye?”

Well, okay you probably don’t think about that last one, but maybe you should. In Eerie New Mexico, the author explores superstition, the unusual, the supernatural, and old wives’ tales that seem to have a grain of truth, or as the very least, send a cautionary message.

Inter-mixed with history, he recounts folklore passed down from generation to generation, altered and embellished over time. Some tales have the charm of a scary story told around the camp fire. Others cause an in-drawn breath of horror. De Aragon weaves historical fact into the narrative while calling attention to rituals and celebrations based on a deep belief in the spiritual, the unexplained and the unknowable.

So, dig into the Wonders of the Invisible World with tales of Mal Ojo, Bolas de Lumbre, Raising the Dead (it may not be what you’re thinking), the Dark Side of the Moon and Children of the Stars. Check out the Mystical Missions with stories of Spirit Master, A Holy Ghost, Mystical Hermit (think Hermit’s Peak), Ascending Spirits, the Passage to Strangeness (corridos el muerto had me closing the book and regrouping), New Mexico’s Inner Superstitions, and the morality tale of Patas Chuecas.

This is a lively book, despite there being a lot about death, but as the author wrote in the section entitled, Homeland Overview, “Everything in existence is interconnected and interrelated between life and death.”

At 150 pages, it’s a quick read chock full of interesting tales and lots of New Mexico’s forgotten or ignored history.

Eerie New Mexico is published by History Press and sells for $21.99. It will be available for purchase after its release date of Sept. 22.

Zoom in to an interview with the author on Sunday, Sept. 27, 4-5 p.m. Registration is required. Please register below. You will be sent a link to the Zoom event, A visit with the author, Ray John de Aragon.

Thank you for being a reader/subscriber. It is my goal to present informative, interesting and creative content on this site. Your likes, shares and comments are welcomed and hugely appreciated. I am an indie author of six books and two chap books of poetry. Check the BOOKS tab to find out more. Follow me at www.vandermeerbooks.com, https://www.facebook.com/vandermeerbooks, Amazon Author Central. I frequently write about my town, Las Vegas, N.M. Occasionally I use interesting and helpful content from other sources. I also invite guest posts. If you have a topic you would like to share, send to fsharon@msn. com.

Author Ray John de Aragón on writing and his latest book

July 2, 2019January 10, 2022 Posted in Books

Ray John de Aragón is a writer who uses careful research and stories to bring life to New Mexico’s deep and wide history, whether he is delving into fiction, writing nonfiction, or creating a melding of the two. De Aragon broadens the horizon of his prose in every book he writes. He is prolific and dedicated, taking storytelling to the next level. History is the story of a people, a region, an event. In the foreword to New Mexico in the Mexican-American War, by Ray John de Aragon, former first lady of New Mexico Clara Apodaca writes: New Mexico Hispanic women have blazed trails in all walks of life – government, business, education, the arts and the military… The myths this book shatters will hopefully lead to a better understanding and appreciation of the real history.

In this Q&A, author de Aragon talks about his latest book and his journey as an accomplished author of history, myth and the magic of New Mexico.

Q: Talk briefly about what you’re doing now, in addition to writing.
Ray John: Right now I’m only concentrating on my writing. I’m at the point in my career that national editors as well as publishers are very interested in my work, and that is quite exciting.

Q: What drew you to write about New Mexico legends, history and folklore?
Ray John: Coming from northern New Mexico I grew up hearing about our Hispanic heritage, history culture and traditions. I decided that writing about the history, folklore and legends that have been passed down for many generations in local families should be my focal point.

Q: How do you carve out time to write when you are already busy with other work?
Ray John: I am a full time writer. Turnaround on my books from conception to release is six months. I have two other contracts. I have eighteen published books that sell quite well. That keeps me very busy.

Q: Which is the most exciting, the writing or the research?
Ray John: Both the research and the writing is just as exciting. Finding material that has not been previously published, and getting these new findings out to the public eye is truly fruitful. Especially so, when I receive great reviews on my work, and pleasant comments.

Q: What have you learned about yourself in the course of developing story or project lines?
Ray John: I’ve learned that my writing skills have developed professionally. I published my first book nationally when I was 28. I listened to and followed the excellent advice I was given by S. Omar Barker and other established authors, and got published. I feel I have grown in my work to the point that my writing pretty much goes directly from writing to publishing.

Q: You are an oral storyteller in addition to being a writer. Which is more challenging?
Ray John: Both working as a presenter and writing are very challenging. I get tremendous joy from both when I accomplish what I have set out to do. For example, if a presentation is followed by enthusiastic questions, loud applause, and great comments after, that is very enjoyable and very satisfying.

Q: Which do you get the most enjoyment from and why?
Ray John: My New Mexico history books are centered on correcting much of the misinformation, fabrications, falsehoods, and fiction that has been passed on by previous writers as historic fact about the Spanish/Mexican history and eras of our state. I wrote about New Mexico in the Mexican American War to clear up this distorted history.

Q: Some of the illustrations note they are from The Author’s Collection. How does collecting historical memorabilia help you in writing?
Ray John: I have always been interested in historic photos, images, diaries, and documents. When I was eleven years old my father had a large case with family photos from Las Vegas, NM and environs, and documents and papers dating as far back as the eighteenth century. Once when my folks were not at home, I took this case down from a high shelf and went through them. My father got home and caught me. Rather than being punished, he said if I was interested I could have them. I have been collecting since then. Many of those first family photos and documents are in my books.

Q: What do you want your readers to know about you?
Ray John: I like for my readers to know that I have always striven to reveal the truth about our history, not the wild ideas someone came up with at one time that has been rewritten, or quoted by others and then endlessly perpetuated. They also theorize about what may have happened, rather than spend hours researching.

Q: More about your writing experience and where your books may be purchased.
Ray John: My books are available on-line, through national book chains, through New Mexico state local bookstores, or as E-books.

The book I’m completing now is New Mexico Land Theft, a History of Fraud and Deceit. I believe this will be another eye-opener. I like for people to also read the actual words from both the protagonists and the antagonists in my books. Thereby they can reach their own conclusions, not the biased and prejudiced interpretations written by many others. When I read what Abraham Lincoln said about the War with Mexico, I was stunned. I just had to quote his words.

Last October when my Haunted Santa Fe was released, I had thirteen book signings, four radio shows, two TV shows, and I was covered by several national publications. The most in one month in my career. This July I’m featured in Albuquerque Magazine and I have four out-of-state book signings.

More about Ray John de Aragon

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New Mexico

June 21, 2019January 10, 2022 Posted in Books2 Comments

Summer sky

summer arrives, no simple browns or blues –
rambling plains and mountains covered with
evergreens, shrub and scrub, dusty ocher
touched with rusty reds and sage greens –
the arc above cerulean, vivid and pure,
streaked at times with wispy clouds
or contrails of fighter jets making training runs
as the day settles into mellow yellow dusk –
fade to black, lit by millions upon millions of stars,
incomparable, magnificent, no light pollution to steal their glow
let the splendor of night go on forever,
but Mother Nature has another plan as the first rays of sun
burst across the horizon, bringing into sharp relief
hills, lowlands, trees, mountains soldiering across the horizon,
morning has broken, a new day begins

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5 Reasons you are important

April 17, 2019January 10, 2022 Posted in essay

Volunteers Wanted

When I go to meetings, I often see the same faces. These are dedicated folks who believe in making a difference, and who believe there is a difference to be made. They Will Rogers sometimes suffer criticism instead of praise for their efforts, but this does not deter them. They show up, give their opinions, lend their support, stand up for the promise of a better tomorrow, and forge ahead. They volunteer for business groups, animal welfare activities, social justice causes, civic improvement organizations, and anything else you can think of that will make your life and mine a little better. They don’t get paid, and most go unrecognized. These engines for change are the lifeblood of a vibrant community. If you aren’t currently working for the betterment of the community as a volunteer, here are a five reasons you might want to come to the next meeting of interest to you, and sit down at the table.

Ideas

Ideas are the seeds of change. Without ideas, there would be no iPad, iPhone, or iMac. There would be no interactive notebook that responds to a touch. There would be no music, no art, no books, no invention of any kind. It all begins with an idea. If you think your ideas aren’t important, think again. You can and will make a difference, but only if you are at the table.

Perspective

I’ve been at the table many times, perhaps too many times, some might say. My perspective comes from my frame of reference. I still believe my perspective has value, but so does yours. When decisions are being made your thoughts count. If you aren’t present, those thoughts won’t be heard, not because your perspective is being ignored, but because you aren’t there to present it.

Kick the lid off the box

It is an unfortunate fact of organizations that sometimes leaders become mired in procedure and process and forget their primary purpose, whatever that may be. The board and membership ages. Individual members become complacent or overburdened. In either case the lid must be kicked off the box so new energy, new leaders, new members can come pouring in. Leadership development is as critical as new ideas. Your presence and participation as a new volunteer can make that happen. You can learn from and be mentored by seasoned volunteers.

Your Experience

Nobody brings to the table what you bring. Your experience at every level will help inform and define the organization you become involved in. You will get out of it exactly what you put into it. Your experience will make the organization better and stronger for your participation.

Self-development

Getting acquainted with people you don’t ordinarily encounter is an excellent way to expand your horizons. Their energy, their ideas, their dedication will energize you, inspire you, and broaden your creativity. Studies have shown that people who are more involved and engaged in life are happier. Volunteering is good for you. So, come to the table. Be a part of making your community great. Just as seeds need water and sun to grow, organizations need your fresh ideas, perspective, and experience. They need you to kick the lid off the box and pour in your creativity and energy. And isn’t it encouraging to know you will benefit from the experience?

Thank you for being a reader/subscriber. It is my goal to present informative, interesting and creative content on this site. Your likes, shares and comments are welcomed and hugely appreciated.

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Q&A With Sharon Stewart

August 16, 2016January 10, 2022 Posted in Arts, Inspiration2 Comments

Making a life with photography

According to Sharon Stewart’s website bio, photography is in her genes. Her Great Great Aunt Sadie, Quaker, was a commercial photographer in 1880s Iowa, having a studio with another Quaker woman. Stewart says the impetus of her photographic work is service and beauty. Her Agua y Fe: Water and Faith series is on exhibit through Labor Day at the Plaza Hotel’s Ballroom Corridor Gallery in sponsorship with the Las Vegas Arts Council.

ORP: What brought you from urban living to a more rural lifestyle?
Sharon: My birthplace on the frontera of southernmost Texas with Mexico was imbued with agrarian expanses and fecundity, a languid pace of living, and small town familiarities. I studied finance and economics at the University of Texas, Austin and moved to Houston to begin my photographic career. This served well, though I longed to dwell back with the cycles of nature whose elemental forces resonated with me rather than the densities of the city. Looking for a home in the Mora Valley was a five year endeavor, and yes, finally finding a place in Chacón, the shift from living with three million to three hundred (people) was swift and welcome.

ORP: Your website bio refers to your photographic purpose. Talk about that and how it has shaped your work.
Sharon: Having completed a photo narrative on grassroots environmental activism in Texas, which gave voice to the concerns of salt of the earth folks protecting their land, air, water, culture from the ill effects of industry and the government’s hazardous waste practices, I was a bit discouraged by the realities of what we do to one another in the name of profit. When I moved here, I took a long look at why I was photographing, and ultimately, the answer was to serve history, this coming from strong service ethos that runs in the Stewart family line. Certainly the Toxic Tour of Texas was an activist/advocacy piece with the photographs being used in legislative testimony, published in the daily and environmental press, exhibited in libraries, shopping centers, and museums throughout Texas. Turning to a quieter life, photographing the rituals and traditions of Hispano New Mexico and the acequia culture in El Cerrito continued in the vein offering a view into lives aligned with the land and community. I had begun the El Agua es la Vida project three years before moving to Northern New Mexico, and it expanded with the exploration of the village life over the course of two decades, something I term Slow Photography, a commitment to the narrative through time. These photographs are part of the Water in the West Project and Archive residing at the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona. The Mora Valley narrative, Exit West: A Cultural Confluence, began upon my arrival and will continue through my life here. A major focus has been to place these images in archives and special collections at universities in the American West for scholarly research and teaching purposes.

ORP: How has your purpose evolved from when you started?
Sharon: Initially I was recording the world as I encountered it. I have come to understand that what we see, observe, perceive is an aperture into the self, as tightly or as widely as we are willing to explore and share. Image creation can be a journey into self hand-in-hand with the human instinct to remember, gather, share, enjoin, act. So as I have come to see it, my “purpose“ has been finessed or perhaps honed over these many years of engaged seeing.

ORP: How did you get from being an aspiring photographer to actually doing it for a living?
Sharon: As for many in rural Northern New Mexico, making a living is a mosaic endeavor. I often say I make a life photographing.

ORP: When do you know you’ve captured the subjects of your photographs in just the way you want?
Sharon: Photographing is intuitive for me. Certainly intentionality and placing oneself in the image field is vital. Much of the joy in photographing is opening oneself to the unknown, being free in the not knowing and releasing the imposition of will or expectation on a situation. However, the narrative structure necessitates an understanding of relationships, economic and societal influences, cultural, religious and familial overlays, so I have drawn on my university training to scope an encompassing view of a chosen subject. There is also a calming resonance I feel when all the elements align for a signal image.

ORP: The Stewart photographs I’ve seen are primarily in black and white. Is that your preferred mode of expression and if so, why?
Sharon: My initial work was in color transparency, though with too much noxious chemical exposure in the Cibachrome color printing process, I moved to black and white. However, each subject has an appropriate expression through process, which determines my choice of using color or black and white, film or pixel.

ORP: Talk about the photographers who influenced you and how their work contributed to your photographic and career choices.
Sharon: Early on I studied the Dadaists and Surrealists and their alignment with chance, unexpected juxtaposition, and dream exploration—Man Ray, Merét Oppenheim, Hannah Höch, Marcel Duchamp, and by extension, Alexander Calder and his playful lyricism. In the black and white canon, Minor White for metaphor, spirituality and beauty, Edward Steichen for experimentation, Paul Strand for clear-eyed, compassionate observance and commitment to a finely crafted negative and print, Laura Gilpin for evocative landscapes, Dorothea Lange for social and economic justice. Their creative expression is synchronistic with ways I perceive the world, so I look to them as both partners and guides.

ORP: Realizing that each image has its own unique message, what do you want your photographs to convey?
Sharon: My intention is to open in viewers understanding and discovery by stimulating their imaginations and memories.

ORP: If you could use only one word to describe your photography, what would it be?
Sharon: Whenever I have been asked about a favorite anything, I respond that I have many favorites for as many different reasons. Same applies to my photographic expression. If you look at the bodies of work in the arc of my creative life, you will see work originating in the personal, the universal, the communal.

ORP: What motivates you to continue taking pictures?
Sharon: I cannot not take photographs, though I become more selective about when and where and what I photograph. Photography has taught me to see, not just look, see, and those observations aren’t always tangibly recorded.

ORP: Where have you exhibited and do you have current shows up locally?
Sharon: The cultural landscape images of Northern New Mexico, many of which are currently on view in the Agua y Fe: Water and Faith exhibition at the Plaza Hotel’s Ballroom Corridor Gallery in sponsorship with the Las Vegas Arts Council, have been exhibited at the New Mexico Museum of Art, NM History Museum, Office of the State Historian, Center for Creative Photography, Museum of Fine Arts-Houston, NM Capitol Arts Collection, Visual Studies Workshop, Houston Center for Photography, FotoFest International Biennial. Other work has been exhibited in Amsterdam, Belgium, Germany, South Africa, Cuba, Canada, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, D.C.

Learn more about Sharon Stewart and view her online galleries at www.sharonstewartphotography.net

____________________
Photographs: Sharon Stewart, used by permission

Las Vegas Ambassadors

June 22, 2015January 10, 2022 Posted in Arts, Life, Profile3 Comments

Southwest Detours owner Kathy Hendrickson stands in front of a car similar to the types of vehiciles the Indian Detour Couriers used to transport tourists into Indian Country.

The bustle of waitresses, the hum of conversation, and the clatter of dishes serve as background music as Kathy Hendrickson rushes into the restaurant for an interview about her new business, Southwest Detours. She has dramatic flare and while she isn’t wearing her Indian Detour costume, it’s easy to picture her in it: a burgundy Navajo-style velvet shirt, long dark green skirt, and silver Concho belt, boots, and a dramatic wide-brimmed dark green hat with a bronze hatband sporting the official Indian Detour silver badge. Her attention to detail lends authenticity to her presentations as a tour leader. And she loves the look.

Like restaurateur and hotelier Fred Harvey, Hendrickson is a natural born entrepreneur. She has a knack for talking to people and connecting with them. She also knows it takes more than having a knack for working with people to be successful. Being well prepared is essential.

“Allan Affeldt started the ball rolling by asking me to organize the Las Vegas Harvey Girls (like he has at the La Posada with the Winslow Harvey Girls), and do the tours. I took it to the next level, you could say, by starting my tour business,” Hendrickson said.

“Allan asked me to do tours at his two properties, Plaza Hotel and Castaneda Hotel. I had a conversation at the UWC to promote and do tours there. We started out calling them Harvey Girl Tours, but later put the tours all under the umbrella of Southwest Detours, which made better sense, since I do a lot of the tours on my own. When I have groups with 10 or more folks, I call on a Harvey Girl to help, or if someone requests a Harvey Girl to go on the tour.”

Harvey Girls and Detour Courier Hendrickson

The Castaneda and Montezuma Castle were Fred Harvey properties back in the day, and both used the services of Harvey Girls, dignified young women who were prim and proper, efficient, and dependable. The uniform of crisp black dresses with starched white accents at cuff and collar, and overlaid with a white apron, sent a clear message that the customer was first and service was paramount.

Hendrickson said she loves the Harvey Girls and the role they played in history. “They are charming, but that persona didn’t speak to me. And then I found out about the Fred Harvey Indian Detour Couriers. Now that appealed to me!

“Fred Harvey started the first chain of hotels and restaurants with an emphasis on quality and service. When train travel was slowing down in the early part of the 1900s, the Harvey Company began to explore ways to get people to the Southwest. The company promoted tours for railroad travelers that allowed them to leave the train and take tours into Indian Country. In 1926 the Indian Detours Company formed. It was only around for about ten years, but in that time the couriers – all highly trained and well-educated women – took thousands of people on adventures all over the Southwest. I looked at that history, that costume, and said, ‘That’s what I want to be!’”

Hendrickson officially launched Southwest Detours in March, and has already shepherded nearly 400 guests through the three historic properties. And she is just the person you want to lead your tour. She starts with scripted talking points, but does everything she can to make your tour unique and entertaining.

“I have two kinds of people on tours,” she said. “Most are not historians, but some are pretty knowledgeable. The knowledgeable guests sometimes ask questions I can’t answer despite all the research I have done. I like those questions. They help me add more to my knowledge base. I do a lot of reading and I’m always adding new information to keep the lectures fresh. I don’t want to say the same thing all the time, and I want to make sure what I do say is factual.”

Hendrickson is learning the business one day at a time. She has had a few surprises, but is not deterred. “I want to expand out and do tours in the surrounding area, but right now I’m putting my emphasis on Las Vegas. It’s more than going from one property to another. I talk about the history of Las Vegas, and take guests around to the neighborhoods where there are Victorian homes. I usually have one or two Harvey Girls with me when I have a group of ten or more. I’ve only lived here three years, but guests like it when someone like Martha Johnsen (a Las Vegas native and Harvey Girl) is along. She can fill in with what it was like growing up here.” Other members of the Las Vegas Harvey Girls in addition to Johnsen are Dee Clark, Becky Johnson, Virginia West, and Pam Buethe.

As the Detour Courier and company owner, Hendrickson – in addition to leading tours – is responsible for booking groups, overseeing development of the company, and creating interesting presentations. She said her affiliation with CCHP as a board member and volunteer has been valuable.

“It is through the CCHP archives and resources at the World College that I have learned new information about these properties and Las Vegas. It gives me more to talk about,” she said.

“After a recent tour Martha pointed out that we are like ambassadors for Las Vegas. And she’s right. We bring people to town, usually they stay over, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and leave with a good feeling about Las Vegas. You can’t beat that!”

Kathy and Bill Hendrickson moved to Las Vegas after visiting here over a four-year period. “Bill wanted to live in a small town in Northern New Mexico. I wanted to live in a small town and close to Santa Fe. Las Vegas is perfect and we love it.

“Owning a tour business allows me to expand to other places in and around Las Vegas, but I do focus on Las Vegas since that’s what most folks want to tour. The Castaneda Hotel, Montezuma Castle and Plaza Hotel are the most requested.”

Southwest Detours’ subhead is, “Your Pathway to Adventure.” For your adventure contact Hendrickson at 505-459-6987, or e-mail info@southwestdetours.com. Tours vary in size from three to four people, up to a busload of 50. Fees available on request.

Thank you for being a reader/subscriber. It is my goal to present informative, interesting and creative content on this site. Your likes, shares and comments are welcomed and hugely appreciated.

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Homage to Las Vegas Historic Homes

June 11, 2015January 10, 2022 Posted in Arts, Life, Poetry

PAINTED LADIES

Bedraggled and empty,
her worn gables sagging
like an old woman’s wig,
askew and tatty.

Behind a scarred oak door
a dull wooden staircase,
marred wainscoting,
wallpaper stained and torn.

Oh, but the memories
that sing through her halls
telling of family history
full of laughter and joy.

Now restored, rainbow hues
dabbed on lintel, column,
dormer, cornice, pediment
and wraparound porch.

Oak door burnished to a shine,
beveled glass winking with light,
floors polished and golden,
the lady comes to life.

History begins anew
in the painted lady,
Victorian character and charm
dancing with memories made.

______________________

Thank you for being a reader/subscriber. It is my goal to present informative, interesting and creative content on this site. Your likes, shares and comments are welcomed and hugely appreciated.

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Lively Las Vegas

April 17, 2015January 10, 2022 Posted in Book Reviews

Thanks to the Las Vegas Arts Council, we are kept up to date on exhibits, performances, cultural activities, and much more. Their calendar of events is posted online and readily available for review. If you have an event you would like to schedule, call 425-0185 or e-mail a request for guidelines to lvac@lasvegasartscouncil.org. The Arts Council Board of Directors is dedicated to continuing a legacy of making the arts come alive. I thank them for their focus and planning.

If you would like to post a more in depth article about your event, or other topic, in One Roof Publishing for FREE, please contact me at fsharon@msn.com. Click on the image at left for a brief overview.

I want to clarify that One Roof Publishing has a mission of promoting activities and events around Las Vegas.

ORP promotes arts and cultural activities. This is an opportunity to talk about upcoming events so patrons will be well informed.
ORP will recognize the exceptionally talented people doing extraordinary work, by showcasing them and the unique creativity they bring to the intricate tapestry of our community.
ORP is a creative expression site. Please send your essay on subjects that interest you. Are you a history buff? A motorcycle restorer? A gardener? Would you like to share your travel story and photos? Are you an artist who would like to share your bio and photos of your work to a new audience? ORP is open to helping you promote you, your work, your passion, and links to your online presence. Send your information to fsharon@msn.com.
ORP is FREE. The only thing I ask is for you to subscribe to One Roof Publishing at no charge to you. You are not required to subscribe to submit a guest post.

In summary, you can write about something that’s important or interesting to you, and send it in for consideration as a guest article. If accepted the article will be placed in the appropriate category, along with your bio and contact information.

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5 Reasons you are important

March 17, 2015March 17, 2015 Posted in Uncategorized

Volunteers Wanted

When I go to meetings, I often see the same faces. These are dedicated folks who believe in making a difference, and who believe there is a difference to be made. They sometimes suffer criticism instead of praise for their efforts, but this does not deter them. They show up, give their opinions, lend their support, stand up for the promise of a better tomorrow, and forge ahead. They volunteer for business groups, animal welfare activities, social justice causes, civic improvement organizations, and anything else you can think of that will make your life and mine a little better. They don’t get paid, and most go unrecognized. These engines for change are the lifeblood of a vibrant community. If you aren’t currently working for the betterment of the community as a volunteer, here are a five reasons you might want to come to the next meeting of interest to you, and sit down at the table.