Looking down on the US-Mexico Border, a black fence across a desert basin

2024 is off to a strong start: the January recap

January 27, 2024 /

Welcome to my first What’s Been on Your Calendar post of 2023! I went into my holiday break last month recovering from COVID, exhausted, and struggling to figure out how to rebalance my life so it wouldn’t grind me into fine powder by April Fool’s Day. Then I rested, took a short road trip, spent some time in nature… and felt renewed. January has been the best month I’ve had in awhile. I’m not sure what made the difference but my money’s on rest and spending time really thinking about how best to prioritize the many demands on my time and energy. I’m also not sure how long this new period of invigoration will last, but I’m going to ride the high while I can. Hopefully this strong start will set the tone for the rest of 2024. Before we dive into the January recap: This post is part of the What’s Been on Your Calendar link party, hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb.

Writing

Short story chosen for “best of” anthology

Awhile back I teased some forthcoming big news, both here and in my monthly newsletter. I think it’s OK to share it now. My short story, “The Fine Print,” has been selected for the Best of Deathlehem Vols. 1-9! I don’t know the release date yet–I think the publisher, Grinning Skull Press, is still tracking down authors and getting contracts signed–but as soon as I do, I’ll share it. And as soon as the book is out, I’m going to give away a print copy to one of my newsletter subscribers. If you want a shot at winning this fabulous prize, sign up for my newsletter.

You can learn more about “The Fine Print” here.

Other writing news

I’m not writing anything new right now, but I’m making slow but steady progress on revising Delta Dawn (I might even finish before I’m eligible for Social Security… maybe). I’m somewhere in the first 1/4 of Act 2. Like I said: SLOW progress.

I’m also editing a scholarly monograph as part of my day job (yes, I just did that a year or so ago. I’m a glutton for punishment). First drafts of chapters are due next month, so I suspect my poor Delta Dawn characters will be stranded in Act 2 for awhile.

Travel

I haven’t traveled more than about 10 miles from my house all month, so that’s this section done.

Just kidding. I really haven’t traveled more than about 10 miles from my house all month, but I’m going to share some pics from my late December road trip to southeastern Arizona, since it happened too late to be included in my last recap post.

Patagonia Lake

Our first stop was Patagonia Lake State Park. We spent a couple of lovely late afternoon hours here, when the lighting was just about perfect for photos. These are just iPhone snapshots but they turned out mostly OK.

Lake with buoy in water, rocky shoreline, and low hills in background
A couple stands on a rock with a lake in the background
Lake with beach in foreground, dried reeds along the water, and low hills in background
Arched wooden pedestrian bridge over water
Pontoon boat on lake with desert hills in background
Steep, arched wooden bridge surrounded by trees and shrubs

And then there was this lovely bit of ridiculousness just outside the park entrance:

Yellow diamond-shaped deer crossing sign to which someone has attached a similar sign with a picture of Santa on his sleigh. A string leads from Santa's hands to a red dot on the nose of the deer on the deer crossing sign so he looks like Rudolph guiding Santa's sleigh.

Poor Rudolph gets stuck doing all the work.

Coronado National Memorial

I’m a national park fangirl, so I often drag Long-Suffering Husband to remote corners of the US that contain small units of the National Park Service. And they usually turn out to be lovely and/or fascinating places with few crowds and much to appreciate. Such was Coronado National Memorial, which sits about 20 miles outside Sierra Vista, Arizona, on the US-Mexico border.

Sign at entrance to Coronado National Memorial
Yellow and black sign from National Park Service that reads: "Smuggling and/or illegal entry is common in this area due to the proximity of the international border. Please be aware of your surroundings at all times and do not travel alone in remote areas. Report suspicious persons and/or activities to the National Park Service. Call Non Emergency: 520-803-3555. For Emergency Call 911.

The sign in the second photo warns visitors about smuggling and/or illegal entry associated with the border.

We spent a couple of hours at Coronado, mostly hiking a winding trail up a hillside to Coronado Peak. Here are some views from the trail (click image to enlarge):

Dirt trail on the side of a desert hill
Desert hills with dry grass in foreground and the US-Mexico Border in the distance to the left
Two dead trees on hillside with desert basin in the distance
Group of yucca on a hillside amid dry grass, one with a tall, dead bloom spike. Desert basin in the distance.
Rocky hillside and dead tree with dry grass in foreground and desert basin in the distance
Looking down on the US-Mexico Border, a black fence across a desert basin

The thin black line in the picture at the bottom right (stretching from the hill in the right foreground through the middle of the photo) is the border wall.

View from the top of Coronado Peak:

Panoramic shot of a grassy hillside, hilly desert basin, and blue sky streaked with wispy clouds

The Park Service provides a book of reflections at the peak:

Gray metal box with "NPS" written on the lid and "Reflection Box" written on the side
Black notebook with "Book of Reflections" hand printed on the front in purple

I loved this entry so much I took a picture of it. It was unsigned so I can’t credit the author.

Handwritten entry reading: "9/30/23 - The AZ Hikeaholics. If you watch the news and listen to politicians that have never been here, you'd have a much different idea of what the border looks like. This is an absolutely stunning landscape with rolling hills, mountain peaks, river valleys, and a picture of what wilderness and wild spaces we have left. Everything in sight is a survivor, including the people who lived and travelled here before us."

I’m not going to say much about border politics on here–this isn’t a political blog, and I’m not an expert on managing the US-Mexico border–but I will say this: I live an hour from the border. I’ve been close to the border, as I was on this trip. And nothing I’ve seen or experienced matches the hateful words spewing from the mouths of some of our politicians. Immigration to the US is a complex issue that requires tough decisions and deserves serious attention from serious people, not fearmongering and political grandstanding from opportunists and racists.

OK, moving on.

It was during the hike to Coronado Peak that I began to let go of stress I didn’t know I’d been carrying and decided to be gentler with myself this year. There’s something about spending time in nature that helps me gain perspective and get my head on straight.

In the hope of keeping my head on straight, I’ve chosen 2 words to guide me this year:

gentleness

joy

I will be more gentle with myself, hold myself to more reasonable standards, and try to cut out negative self-talk. I will also seek joy–joy in the everyday, joy in work, joy anywhere I can find it–and take time away from productivity to cultivate joy.

Cultivating joy is a great segue to:

The memery

I’ll just apologize for this first one up front:

I can’t believe I never thought of this one:

Laughing, you are.

OMG #4! I once walked through the living room and, without missing a beat, told my son to stop eating the remote. Didn’t even trip my WTF-o-meter till later. Then I was like, “Did those words really just come out of my mouth?!”

Speaking of living with weirdos:

Now let’s have some fun with Venn diagrams:

This is one of my favorite Venn diagrams ever:

And finally:

I’ll show myself out.

How was your January?

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14 Comments

  • Barbara Ann Mealer

    January 27, 2024 at 8:46 pm

    Loved the memery. Been busy revising, editing, redoing, and making trips to the hospital and therapy. (spouse is having issues. I’m just recovering from rotator cuff surgery.) Eventful month but nothing fantastic.

    • Janet Alcorn

      January 28, 2024 at 9:19 am

      Oof, sorry your spouse is having issues. I hope your recovery is going well. Do you have to trek all the way to Flagstaff for therapy or is there a closer hospital?

  • Debbie

    January 28, 2024 at 1:10 am

    Your post is a lovely positive start to the year! Did they really build a wall? I thought it was a political joke – but then I live outside the US. Your memery made me laugh, and that put your ‘hands in the air’ Venn diagram is perfect!!! I like your words joy and gentleness and think we all need some of that in our lives. Isn’t nature a wonderful healer? Thanks for joining us for #WBOYC Janet, it’s always fun to visit with you.

  • Joanne

    January 28, 2024 at 9:08 am

    I always love the memes! The photos are lovely. Both the state park and the national park site look wonderful.

  • Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com

    January 28, 2024 at 5:34 pm

    Congrats on your story being chosen for the anthology! I love your pictures of the desert. I hope to get back to Tucson at some point this year and spend more time really looking around. There is so much to see and do (and, of course, eat). I appreciated your words about the border. It’s a serious issue that is being treated like a political football.

  • Sue from Women Living Well After 50

    January 28, 2024 at 5:49 pm

    You have had a great start to 2024, Janet and well done on your short story selection. The national parks look wonderful and I love getting out in nature for walks to clear my head. Thanks for sharing your January with us at WBOYC? and look forward to reading your February catch up. have a great week! x

  • Christie Hawkes

    January 29, 2024 at 1:08 pm

    I love everything about this post, Janet. Your photos are stunning, and the memes are hilarious. I’m happy to hear that January was such a good month for you and wish you well in your intentions for February. I also am working on seeking joy in the everyday.

  • canyonwhispers773aad3b75

    February 9, 2024 at 9:45 am

    Hi, Janet!
    Happy New Year to you! You read more books than I did last year, I read 41. Your short story won at Arizona Mystery Writers? Yay, You!
    Sounds like you guys were up around Ramsey Canyon (beautiful area) if you saw a warning sign. Unless they’ve added more since I last ventured out that way. Have you been to the Singing Wind Bookstore out near Bensen yet? Since the passing of Winn Bundy, the original proprietor, her family has put the entire 500-acre ranch and Bookshop up for sale, but I think they’re still allowing visitors by appointment.
    Love your Memery 😉 Your innate positivity is a treasure!

    • Janet Alcorn

      February 9, 2024 at 8:29 pm

      Thanks! And yes, we visited Ramsey Canyon, and it was lovely. I haven’t been to the bookstore yet. I hope the family finds a buyer who will keep it going.