By the time you read this, it will have been 30 days since the federal government shut down. I’d like to say that by now, something has changed—but this is America, where optimism goes to die in a subcommittee. Despite protests, strongly worded letters from federal employee unions, and a lawsuit from twenty-five states (including Arizona) demanding the...
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At almost the same time on Sept. 10, 2025, there were two fatal shootings at two separate schools: Evergreen High School and Utah Valley University. I walked into my classroom and quietly watched my college students scan their phones and share images with one another. As I set my notes down on the lectern, I made the decision that we wouldn’t have a normal...
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I cinch my camera strap around my wrist and quickly step onto the pine needle path that will take me to the ponds at Kachina Wetlands. It’s the first time I’ve been to Kachina since April, right before I had my hip replacement surgery. I’m looking forward to photographing the wild sunflowers that grow there, realizing that I have more photos of them...
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The containers are all washed and mostly returned to their owners except for my friend, Erica’s, baking sheet. It is still hard for me to ask for help, but Erica convinced me to accept meals from friends after my recent hip replacement surgery. She organized a meal delivery schedule, and, thanks to several friends, I was the grateful beneficiary of...
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I suppose most of us are comforted by the fact that when we travel we’re less likely to die in a plane accident than a car accident. But as I board my recent flight, I wonder when time runs out on that adage. Crossing the tarmac to the plane, I consider how small it is. The wind is whipping my hair into my face and my glance at the weather told me...
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