AnnMarie McLaughlin

How many daily maneuvers do we expect our bodies to perform for us? How many blinks in an eye, how many bends in a knee? Our human bodies are complex machines worthy of tender care and that care is often referred to as “body work”. From massage with its many sub-categories and specialties to the Asian traditions of Jin Shin Do and Shiatsu, these are treatments that go beyond mechanics. Finding the optimum modality and practitioner is highly personal but if you’re ready to try it, chances are it’s available in Santa Fe.

“How do they do that?” If you’ve ever wondered how to compose a poem or use a potter’s wheel (without covering yourself in sludge), your next question may have been, “How can I learn to do that?” The answer is to take a class and in a curious town like Santa Fe; classes, workshops and seminars abound. Have a creative bent? Love literature? Wish you could make a molé as sublime as the one you tasted downtown? It’s all here.

Once upon a time I though Holistic Healing was a marketing ploy for hacks dispensing essential oils. That was BMC: Before My Conversion. I have a traditional doctor, a “western doctor,” as they become known once you understand the difference between a prescription and a manifestation, but he’s just there for physicals and the very occasional round of antibiotics. For everything else there’s an alternative therapy.

You already know the best ideas are simple ones. What could be simpler than inviting the children of Santa Fe to parade through the streets with their pets? Desfile de los Niños or the Pet Parade is just that and its charm is alive and well. The spectacle can look nearly impromptu, with some entrants ambling along costume-less, casually holding their pooch’s leash as if a friend has just said, “I know. Let’s have a parade!” This is small town entertainment at its best. It’s short, sweet and full of imagination.

There will be the usual school and civic groups who have put together themed entries, some with bands, but most participants are families and small clus...

Winning the lottery. We've all had the new house, world cruise, shopping extravaganza fantasy, haven't we? Well, imagine winning the lottery without even buying a ticket. That's essentially what happened for Santa Fe blacksmith Tom Joyce and Los Alamos chemist My Hang V. Huynh when they each received the infamous "Call" from the MacArthur Fellowship. The Call is the Fellowship's director telephoning out of the blue to tell you that you've been awarded a large grant. We're talking half a million dollars large.

"Shocking" and "surprising" is how our local Fellows refer to that phone call. So how much time did Joyce and Huynh spend sweating over their respective applications, portfol...