Wild West native Building chones.xyz and nurturing the infinite garden Moon illustration by Paloma Lockett.
WTF BorrowLucid
WTF BorrowLucid Borrow, as in, ultimately we don’t get to take anything with us. Lucid, as in, let’s not sleepwalk. Reaching for a key, as in the keys to the kingdom and we can get our own damn key. WTF Chones Growing up, my family always said “chones,” which is Mexican slang for underwear. Good little Catholic girls don’t say panties. Since Chones, ecosystem weaving, does work for attention curation, then what’s better than to call it undies? WTF BorrowLucid Substack Inspired by Herb Caen, I...
WTF BorrowLucid
WTF BorrowLucid Borrow, as in, ultimately we don’t get to take anything with us. Lucid, as in, let’s not sleepwalk. Reaching for a key, as in the keys to the kingdom and we can get our own damn key. WTF Chones Growing up, my family always said “chones,” which is Mexican slang for underwear. Good little Catholic girls don’t say panties. Since Chones, ecosystem weaving, does work for attention curation, then what’s better than to call it undies? WTF BorrowLucid Substack Inspired by Herb Caen, I...
Dancing and Tear Gas
R and I exited Metro at China Town station in Los Angeles. We had been to my cousin’s graduation party near Pasadena, where most of us were following reports of ICE movement throughout Los Angeles County. Standing on the China Town Metro station platform, the view of downtown felt more ominous than it looked, except for the fog rolling in and six helicopters. The platform held groups of protesters, people who carried signs about ICE and oligarchy and wore comfortable clothes for a late spring...
Dancing and Tear Gas
R and I exited Metro at China Town station in Los Angeles. We had been to my cousin’s graduation party near Pasadena, where most of us were following reports of ICE movement throughout Los Angeles County. Standing on the China Town Metro station platform, the view of downtown felt more ominous than it looked, except for the fog rolling in and six helicopters. The platform held groups of protesters, people who carried signs about ICE and oligarchy and wore comfortable clothes for a late spring...
Don't Stand like Gang Bang
Last summer, I took a series of buses out to the desert to meet up with my cousins. One of the transfers was in San Bernardino. While I stood in the shade, a man walked towards the bus stop and sat in the shade near me. He looked like he didn’t have access to regular health things, like nutrition and hygiene. He nodded towards my feet and said “gang bangers stand like that.” I quickly readjusted my feet and told him thank you for letting me know. He replied that he stands like that too. Thank...
Don't Stand like Gang Bang
Last summer, I took a series of buses out to the desert to meet up with my cousins. One of the transfers was in San Bernardino. While I stood in the shade, a man walked towards the bus stop and sat in the shade near me. He looked like he didn’t have access to regular health things, like nutrition and hygiene. He nodded towards my feet and said “gang bangers stand like that.” I quickly readjusted my feet and told him thank you for letting me know. He replied that he stands like that too. Thank...
Alms
Recently, I walked across town to a medical appointment. I took my time with it, because it was 11 miles round trip and a lovely day. At one of my rest points, while sitting outside, near a fountain, and drinking a coffee that I had just purchased from the Starbucks a few feet away, a woman asked me if I needed any money. I told her, “no, but thank you.” She doubled down and asked if I’m sure and if I was homeless. I replied that no I’m not homeless. She asked again if I needed any money and ...
Alms
Recently, I walked across town to a medical appointment. I took my time with it, because it was 11 miles round trip and a lovely day. At one of my rest points, while sitting outside, near a fountain, and drinking a coffee that I had just purchased from the Starbucks a few feet away, a woman asked me if I needed any money. I told her, “no, but thank you.” She doubled down and asked if I’m sure and if I was homeless. I replied that no I’m not homeless. She asked again if I needed any money and ...
Lost Balloons
When my son was young, we lived up in the hills, a bit away from the nearby suburb. Almost daily, we’d wander in the brush. We tried to guess which animal left tracks in the dirt, usually coyote and deer, but also racoon and bobcat, and once a mountain lion. We’d notice the changes in the seasons and look forward to when it was too cold for rattlesnakes to slither above ground. Down where the rain water would bring sand and dry branches to collect around tall shrubs, every so often, we’d find...
Lost Balloons
When my son was young, we lived up in the hills, a bit away from the nearby suburb. Almost daily, we’d wander in the brush. We tried to guess which animal left tracks in the dirt, usually coyote and deer, but also racoon and bobcat, and once a mountain lion. We’d notice the changes in the seasons and look forward to when it was too cold for rattlesnakes to slither above ground. Down where the rain water would bring sand and dry branches to collect around tall shrubs, every so often, we’d find...
Welcome to Paragraph!
Learn how to make the most of it.
