EdgeofGloria

I guess there's a book out called American Dirt which is getting criticized because it was written by a white woman about a Mexican woman fleeing Mexico because she's getting chased by someone involved in drugs or something. I haven't read the book; I'm just going on what I've seen online so far. Apparently, Sandra Cisneros endorsed the book, which really pissed off Alisa Valdes Rodriguez. Read the brilliant blog post, “Auntie Sandra's Cabin: Why No One Should be Surprised Sandra Cisneros Endorsed American Dirt .” It's a fascinating read, and parts of it made me think, “right on.” It's also sort of summed up why the so-called “voices of their people” quasi-academics/writers have never really appealed to me. I can't identify with them. I grew up in the Midwest the daughter of a government worker and a restaurant employee. I grew up wanting take figure skating, gymnastics and ballet lessons, which I never did as a kid. I was able to finagle horse...

I've never met Brandon Vaughan, but I feel like I know him. I did an interview with him almost three years ago. Time flies! Read on for an entertaining look into one of the PacNorthwest's best writers! Also, there's important advice regarding stuff you should not do during your first year of sobriety, because Brandon has done all three. Learn from the man, kiddos. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- How's the sobriety? Still off booze and cigarettes? This week I’ll be forty-one months sober. To me, that simply means I’ve almost lasted three and a half years without touching a drop of alcohol. Which isn’t shit, frankly. If I allow it, my sobriety will evaporate. I can’t relax for a moment in recovery. Sobriety is a fucking full-time job. In order to remain sober, I constantly evaluate, process, observe, and remain self-aware. I stay vigilant. When something feels off, I run a system check using the H.A.L.T. method. Am I H...