bio

here is a cutted and pasted letter that I just emailed to a friend whom I haven't talked to truly since 10th... 11th? grade. we ran into eachother at Chase's. I think it makes a nice blog, even for people I talk to all the time.

so,

a shot in the dark I suppose. I've heard something like every 5 years the cells in the human body completely replace themselves by natural processes. If so, then you and I are completely different people than who we were when we last spoke. Strange thought, feels somewhat correct, but at the same time the past is a fickle friend, no?

Last time we [briefly] saw eachother was at Chase's memorial. Molly and I were talking about Chase last night. I really miss him. something like Chase dying, such a good man as he, would naturally pull us all together. and for one weekend it did. for one weekend I think we all thought how easy the good life would be. stay in touch with your friends, maybe even move into a neighborhood or town with all of your friends. make a modest living. support eachother and appreciate eachother. and yet, here I am not staying in touch with friends, not living near friends, searching for who knows what?

biography then: Molly and I are living in las cruces, new mexico, a town of 100,000 people, 40 minutes from el paso. we moved down here together because I found a cool job as a ceramics teacher at an arts high school (Alma D'Arte Charter High School for the Arts, whew). Molly didn't have anything lined up but did have a little cushion of savings, so we decided to stick it out and come down together. It's been a real blast, especially for me, and my contract is due to expire in July. Molly found work as a tutor in an AmeriCorps program, but has since moved to a more managerial position in the same program. We live in a beautiful house in the middle of the desert and it feels like a completely different culture and country. I guess it's still america.

I had a good day at school today. I lectured both of my classes about artistic production and education. Most days I don't talk much and we just work. Today I was introducing a new project so I was a chatterbox. my first class was very receptive and we had good contributions to the discussion. I think many of those kids will be thinking about that class tonite. my second class was less receptive, perhaps due to their shortened attention spans, but it still went pretty well. being a teacher is strange, but I still try to just be me and it's working out pretty well.

jeez, what to say? things are good. I'm completely lost, but that can be expected. I have ideas about the future, but nothing solid. MOlly and I are solid, so that is good.

we come home from work and cook vegetarian stuff (tonite was meatless-chorizo tostadas and red wine), I blog, molly blogs, we try to plan stuff for the weekend. New Mexico is rife with weekend excursions. It's really something down here. OUr friends are mostly my coworkers right now, but we try to stay in touch with friends back home.

check out these sites if you want more molly and joe minutiae:

my blog: www.j0eb0t.blogspot.com

molly blog: www.mollyetta.blogspot.com

pictures of our life: follow the "pictures" link on molly's blog.

I feel like I haven't said anything, but this thing is getting long. I feel like doogie howser. time to log off and roll the credits.

hope you and mark are well,
joe

ps write back