marjorie says...
Big kudos to Maggie for our new look as we begin our fourth m-pyre year. She spent a lot of time pulling it together, while Mikaela and I offered input from the sidelines. Along with the cosmetic changes, we’ve decided that in the future m-pyre should reflect that we really are pretty well-rounded individuals, not just political nerds. I have to admit, I’m afraid that despite Maggie’s kind words about me this is going to show just how one-dimensional I can actually be. But I’m willing to let me be me. :-) After all, it does mean more exposure to the fullness and the coolness of my two blogging friends. In the future, expect to see a range of topics, from nonsense to daily living to…as ever…our serious nerd selves.
As our range expands, I hope there will be a series of blogs that get across an inkling of how amazing it is to watch in motion the Maggie fusion of smiles, fabulous clothes, and killer smarts. She strikes a great balance between enjoyment of life and serious engagement with her world. If I were to give Maggie an assignment for the next blogs she would write, here’s what comes to mind:
- A photo essay of a Maggie shopping spree through Dallas. But she should wait for me…I want to tag along.
- The Dallas landscape. As much as I lament that Maggie and I no longer live in the same city, I am very excited to see Dallas through her eyes. Tell us what you see Maggie.
- A look at “Big-Texas.” You know, everyone likes to talk about how big the hair is in Texas. Well, in fact, it isn’t the hair…it’s the head. How prevalent is this phenomena, Maggie? Mess with Texas, please.
- Texas football. How do the crazy Texans stack up to the crazy baseball fans?
- To watch Maggie make soup out of two ingredients is pretty impressive, and no one should ever turn down an invitation to have a bowl. It’s always fabulous. But…does this mean that Maggie can make a mean Texas chili? I admit it: this is a burning question for me.
Ok, so obviously, I’m quite interested to hear Maggie’s take on Texas while living in Dallas. It should be entertaining. But beyond this, we will all count our lucky stars if Maggie writes more from that deeper, thoughtful side that is so compelling. I’m always amazed at the warmth that infuses her commentary about the most serious and, at times, painful things. This is what makes her a great writer. I’m so glad she is re-energized for the future here in our little neck of the internet woods.
Something tells me I’ll be pining for a long time to come for regular Mikaela commentary about local planning processes. Don’t let her silence on m-pyre in this area fool you. She’s right in the thick of it. One day I hope she makes her observations about the intersection of culture and place into a book. Until then, if we’re lucky maybe we’ll get more blogging from the broad spectrum of Mikaela’s life. Mikaela is a true community activist, someone who gives back to the programs and institutions that have given to her, and who works tirelessly behind the scenes for projects she feels strongly about. I’m her introverted housemate who simply watches the whirlwind move in and out of the house in amazement. Anyone who gets Mikaela on board their project is a lucky one indeed. I would love to hear more about the areas she’s so committed to: what makes them special, why they’re so important to our community, and why they resonate so strongly with her. And, while she tirelessly promotes other poets, Mjae is a great poet in her own right. I hope she’ll share more of her original poetry here on m-pyre. Beyond poetry and activism, I’d also like to hear her perspectives on how faith grows and intersects with secular life, not to mention quantum physics. Regarding God (or not), faith, the cosmos…Mikaela is endlessly deep and she comes from a very fresh place. As someone who grew up in an environment with a highly articulated conception of God, I find myself quite curious about her exploration of these areas. Maybe with a little coaxing she’ll write about them. Finally, I just want to say… you haven’t seen coolness until you witness her handle something like “the volcano.” If you were there you know exactly what I mean. I’m so glad we’re housemates, blog-mates, sappy movie-mates (Eric gets the life-mate designation now so my honorary spot as date to the corporate holiday party is over).
As for myself, I’ll try to keep up with my two friends on m-pyre from my increasingly pleasant perch here in Albuquerque. I’ve got a touch of the vagabond in me, but this place may just not let go. I look forward to another m-pyre year. Be sure to say hello (or tell me I’m wrong) anytime. I love to chat.
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