#Sierra tucson

[dietpillsanddietcoke]

Incarnation

Is the Devil incarnate in me?

Is this urgency to Die the Devil working in my mind,

or is it God's answer to the pain

I’ve tried so long not to claim?

Is the Devil incarnate in me?

perhaps this affliction 

is the deep-seeded conviction

that nothing can unremember 

unless I unremember me.

Is the Devil incarnate inside?

Has he evicted God from the caverns of my mind?

warped my hopes into ashes

let a plague run rampant

till I’m left with nothing and no options

except to kill the hurt with fire.

But if I disintegrate the pain

will I crumble under the shame?

of asking

how?

And asking

why?

did I ever end up this insane?

Is there a light in this Darkness

or has he made in me his home?

how can I demolish the Devil

without also taking my own?

Can a child of God be used as a pawn 

in this war I'm not sure can even be won?

is the Devil incarnate in me? 

do I live unalive 

or try to surmise

how to make what’s done be Undone 

and take leave?

have I fostered this Insanity?

welcomed the disease with open arms?

after one too many breakdowns

it's hard to prove the Devil wrong.

"choose happy,"

"cheer up,"

"you can pray this away,"

(but will God even answer after how far I've strayed?)

the pastors say "yes"

and the priests say "confess"

I ask what Guilt to divulge 

when the done that's been done

was done when they did it to me?

is He truly incarnate inside?

people say I used to have beautiful eyes.

Now they're vast void and broken,

like the Devil, they've spoken.

Do I have what it takes to survive?

Does this Devil know what he's done?

created in me this pull that's impossible to shun?

breathed Death into spaces 

I used to hold vacant

hoping only for God and his son.

But what Holiness would encroach

into the wasted space beyond reproach?

What God would even try

in me to find

a single spot that’s not ticking time

expectant to die?

why would God seek a way

when I'm unwilling to pay?

Releasing the Devil, I fear

means staying alive’s a lot less clear

He’s scary, it’s true. 

I know that. It’s true. 

But what’s even more frightening is imagining

life wholly new.

See I’ve lived for years wanting only to die

Have these emphatic thoughts all along been Devil’s lies?

After years of our waltz

Of the Him pointing out faults

His taunts ceased to sting

And instead transformed into an Offering.

Because if I believe him first,

Then no one else could say worse.

And that’s a Devil that’s comfortable for me. 

But why should I stay?

So goes the refrain

To hear more from a God who proudly claims

Of floods

And famines

And wretched father-son-games?

No. I said no!

I don’t want to know

Don’t want to sow

The seeds of Sacred Silence, and so

Keep out, Holy One!

I seek no comfort in your show.

Your platitudes and play

Are not enough to make me stay.

For I’d rather die with the Devil 

Than lay false claim in your name.

[aztarion]

Give me some fun facts about Soledad rn or I’ll do something…dunno what yet…

im sorry i took so long getting to this T_T thank you for asking!!! this went off-road many times with me overthinking it i just couldn't save it but hopefully it's still readable, i tried to do a mix of character and meta while not repeating anything from prev asks and then it kind of morphed into a weird bio lmao

her full name is Solona ‘Sol’ ‘Soledad’ Castillo; born 1/11/72 and raised in soledad, california, until her parents moved to sierra vista, arizona. died embraced 1/11/98, so forever 26 (and chronologically a fresh 48 during the events of Night Road).

by that time in 2020 her mom and dad have both passed and her older brother is 52; he runs their dad’s mechanical repair workshop there. she absolutely still does the sad little drive-by late at night every couple of months if she's in the area on a job (surgical mask on and hood up of course). i hc that julian, while keeping an occasional spying eye on her during the 10 yr absence, also looks out for her brother and sends business his way unbeknown to her lol

she ended up 3/3 fully blood bonded to julian in the beginning while they worked for the cam, and julian was 2/3 bonded to her. his “wasn't it romantic?” comment -- yeah literally too romantic, get back to work and feed the big underground nosferatu both of you 😤 i like that headcanon personally as another reason why he would cut contact so suddenly with sol when they were in a relationship — to break the bond on both sides; he could obsess strictly over 2100X and her desires would be completely her own again

another headcanon i'm sorry... after the diablerie of aila and the intense guilt that came with the act, plus julian (her sire) abandoning her and essentially straining and forcing their bond to fade, she gains the bulimia derangement. i paired that with the siren predator type lmfao. so very um dramatic all around when shes having a bad night. she restricts to bagged blood for like ten years working as a courier and just resigns herself to being perpetually dour and unsatisfied. i like to write her easygoing and much more lively when she's with julian during their work for the local camarilla, like the reality of her new condition hasn’t really sank in because omg julian's sooo fun and woah this world is crazy but at least julian's here he's gonna change everything or something (she believed in his vision and ideals even if she didn't fully grasp the scope at that time -- like she was on board at least. bless her she had 2 intelligence). she then becomes very muted pre-night road while the bond fades and the uglier, lonelier facets of being a vampire surface; having to pull together an independent undead existence for herself, trying to control her beast while feeding exclusively on bagged blood as job payment, then a little more tearing at the seams upon arriving in tucson during night road (resentment, guilt, anger, desire, longing, hunger for something that won't have a plastic aftertaste, all rushing back and blurring together at once; not so good a grasp on those when she’s been keeping herself numb and isolated and constantly on the move for a decade). behind everything she is desperate for connection

she has a good control on her beast thanks to that (monastic? lmao) decade (and high willpower/composure/resolve), until returning to tucson and stirring aila’s presence; the strange link to lettow, julian showing up, old memories and feelings that aren't even always her own now gathering on this very carefully crafted veneer like plaque. also suddenly having a ghoul and her own assets to worry about kind of freaks her out due to her own existential uncertainty and not really trusting herself. not even really knowing who she is. and she really likes elena right off the bat; she usually puts herself in more danger as to not risk her ghoul in the exact situations one would find themselves needing a damn ghoul in — she is literally the worst kindred ever in terms of priorities and self-preservation

speaking of her beast, it's very much that of a scorpion or snake… yes blunt-object-to-the-back-of-the-head-symbolism with some of her tattoos 😭 she stays lowkey, tries not to put herself under circumstances that would provoke or overly strain it, can keep it in check relatively well due to avid practice being a loner control freak, but when it snaps it's like an inland taipan. actually one of my fav moments playing with her in night road: so she chooses to continue feeding on blood bags in tucson, but when she finally had the opportunity to indulge with her predator type and a live target in dallas, she fucking got a critical success and killed them T_T this was after impulsively kissing julian back at the apartment d'espine allows you to stay at while in the area too. real in-character off-the-rails moment rip

i mentioned before but under the composed exterior she tries to present, she intensely seeks connection to something or someone. unfortunately the way she sees it: lettow is drawn to her because of the remnants of aila lingering within her -- also she literally ate his girlfriend, she's still not ok with that even if he forgives her because of course i gave my vampire oc morals and a guilty conscience (meanwhile cobie is eating people whole like twice a day); julian has no issue using her for whatever despite his affections, and elena is literally blood bonded to her, which sol is constantly thinking about elena's feelings and best interests — its a little bit of a sore spot for past reasons...

she gets on well with dove and begrudgingly really likes carlos (they absolutely cuss eachother out in very aggressive spanish one minute but he will pass her the roach the next) and she simped so bad for invidia caul — i think sol’s type is just a combo of super intelligence + willingness to engage in unethical experimentation lmfao. she's like omg noooo i don't understand wtf you're saying and that's sexy to me also your actions make me feel bad and are very ‘end-justifies-the-kind-of-morally-bankrupt-means’ but i cannot deny if they work out the ‘end’ would be really beneficial to kine and kindred... woe… hashtag conflicted and a little turned on. but she's very drawn to people who are idealistic or driven in an inherent ‘i want to help then i'll have purpose’ way. also the thrill. omg im just psychoanalysing her at this point sorry. this bitch would easily be indoctrinated into a cult is what it all boils down to + the extreme loyalty means she'd probably end up the cult leader's right-hand arm man his everything his confidant his best friend his silly rabbit 🤦‍♀️

also a follower in the streets but more of a leader in the sheets who said that

ok random stuff... she has those brown eyes that when she was human would glare almost red-orange when caught in straight sunlight; super deep chestnut, it only comes through under certain fluorescents these nights

very thick long hair; naturally has a kink/wave to it, quickly prone to returning to that state even when straightened, esp in the southwest's heat. usually loose when in tucson or dressing up, or braided ponytail on the road/job which i am so afraid to draw

nails are sharp like mini claws unless she’s specifically clipped them after rousing. they extend obscenely when she pops protean. i need to draw her fangs but they’re feline/kittenish: weirdly long and thin like staple punches, and again when she pops protean they extend like a snakes

her character color scheme runs warm-dark: black, brown, ochre, sienna, umber, burnt orange, deep shades of red, and maybe some random olive. style-wise it’s a mixed bag of practical minimalist and sleek; street and active wear, the occasional gold-ruby-emerald or leopard print dolce & gabbana-esque gaudy accent. very feminine on top; skin tight, low cut, corseted or cropped, paired with something oversized; men’s beaten-soft leather jackets, vintage driving jackets, or blazers. pants go either way: form fitting or baggy and belted depending on whatever silhouette she wants to cut. think of like the swaggiest 70s cuban drug lord/80s gangster restyled on 90s supermodel Naomi Campbell or something. with formal-wear i really like her in off-shoulder stuff. i try to draw her tattoos more in art bc it makes her more fun to look at but as a courier she wears driving gloves and long pants/boots to cover them up, and baseball caps or large sunglasses (yes at night. loser) to keep herself mostly unidentifiable

THANK YOU FOR ASKING ABOUT MY BLORBO!!!! :'3

prev info/asks jic: 0 , 1 , 2

[opspro2005]

From Bill Melugin at fox news: "BREAKING: 13,000 apprehensions of illegal immigrants by Border Patrol in Tucson, AZ sector in a single week. Large numbers of adult men from Africa crossing there this week, and mass street releases underway. Our team saw some dropped off at a Dollar Tree store in Sierra Vista."

For the record, 13k illegals are basically equal in size to one US Army Division. We're being invaded, and we're doing nothing about it. And we don't even know how many illegals have gotten away, undetected. At last count, over 40k chinese military-age males invaded, along with 1000's from African countries. If you can't see that these are sleeper cells, waiting to be activated, then I wish you the best of luck on your next trip to a shopping mall, or large sporting event, you're gonna need it.

[zilabee]

“I had a real bad alcohol problem. Very few people in the public—no one in the public—knew my problem. We could hide it from them. We could go out and put the bow tie on, and we could wave to the cameras and they’d say, ‘There he goes, good old Ringo.’ But we’d be maintaining at those moments. We’d be dashing home right after it.” [...]

Ringo’s alcohol addiction was so strong that he drank himself into oblivion on the flight to Arizona. “I landed drunk as a skunk at the clinic,” he said. “I drank all the way and got off the plane completely demented. I thought I was going to a lunatic asylum. 

I thought I’d gone too far and they were going to put me away in a little cell and forget about me. Instead of that, they put their arms around me and loved me and told me it [would] get better. ‘Give us a chance,’ they said. With God’s help a day at a time it certainly has.” 

The five-week course of treatment reportedly cost $35,000 per person. Upon their arrival at [The Sierra Tucson Rehab Center], Ringo and Barbara were put in separate rooms with no televisions or phones. “Eight days in, I decided, ‘I’m here to get help because I know I’m sick,’” Ringo said. “And I just did whatever they asked me and, thank God, it pulled me through.” [...]

Ringo and Barbara were given no preferential treatment. They worked at assigned menial jobs, did their laundry, cleaned ashtrays, and were in bed early. They also attended group therapy sessions and counselling sessions. 

“Until I got to the clinic I didn’t realize I was from a dysfunctional family,” Ringo said later. “We had parties, everyone gets drunk and passed out, and that’s part of life. My mother always told me that when I was nine, I was on my knees crawling drunk. A friend of mine’s father had all the booze ready for Christmas, and we decided to try all of it. I don’t remember too much. That was my first blackout. 

“You always think you’re witty on alcohol and cocaine,” he said. “You think you’re so witty that you decide to tell the same story over and over and over and over and over again. To the same person. I meet people now . . . and I think, ‘God, was I like that?’ And a little voice inside says, ‘Yes, you were.’” 

Ringo: With a Little Help, by Michael Seth Starr

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Arizona Luminaria:

Miguel Gómez hovers his hands over the deep nail-scrapes on the fallen palm trunk. The nail-dragged furrows were etched into the wood by a jaguar. Quietly, patiently, Gómez studies the scratch marks. And then — nails down, fingers spread — he mimics the motion the cat made on the trunk. 

Gómez has followed jaguar tracks, investigated their kill sites, heard them roar, and — on remote trail cameras — he’s captured them hundreds of times. But, outside of captivity, he’s never seen a living jaguar. “They’re smart,” Gómez said. “They know that it’s best for them to stay away from humans.”

As a wildlife biologist specializing in jaguars for 18 years, Gómez has spent the last 15 years at the Northern Jaguar Reserve in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Sonora. Currently, at least a dozen jaguars, including two cubs and five or six females prowl the protected 56,000 acres managed by the Northern Jaguar Project. 

Gómez works in the remote and jagged Zetasora mountains and the surrounding canyons of the Sierra Madre mountain chain in eastern Sonora. It’s a region where jaguars have roamed for thousands of years. They were hunted to the brink of extinction but now, thanks to the work of Gómez and others at the Northern Jaguar Project, there are about a dozen regular jaguars living in or near the reserve. That work, which began in 2002, shows ranchers it’s in their interest to protect instead of hunt the jaguar, and is changing the way people think of both jaguars and the natural environment. 

Advocates consider the project a success and seek to expand jaguar protections to parts of Sonora and into Arizona and New Mexico. But federal regulators, a border wall completion and the cooperation of U.S. ranchers are all potential obstacles for growing the population on this side of the border.

Fighting to protect the jaguar has been an up-and-down battle for decades. As individual jaguars have loped across the border and into Arizona from México in the past decade and a half, advocacy groups have been taking to the courts to make sure they can survive. After land was set aside as protected habitat for jaguars in 2014, the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity sought to expand land area and push for reintroducing the big cats.       

After rejecting the center’s petition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in May, eliminated nearly 65,000 acres of the 640,124-acre protected jaguar habitat in Southern Arizona. The agency followed a court order that came after a decade-long legal battle set off by a mining company challenging a previous designation of protected jaguar habitat. 

More recently, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans to open roads in Arizona’s Chiricahua mountains, part of the Coronado National Forest. In response, the Center and four other environmental groups sued to give jaguars a chance to roam without vehicle traffic. 

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[winterpinetrees]

Into the Honest Desert (The Gap Years Part 18)

June 30th 2019

Las Vegas, NV

The road trip resumes. How does one write distinctive dialogue? How does one write (risky, involving an elf) romance? I can do neither and I must do both. 

……………

Brian has realized that this is the island of the lotus eaters, and he really hopes that doesn’t make him Odysseus. He and his friends have spent the past nine days on the Las Vegas Strip, a few manicured miles of electric lighting that promises safety with its high population density. They left once, rediscovered the mythical horror of plague, and then turned right back around. They need vaccines, they need allies, and they need a goddamn plan. Would Brian rather risk death than stay here and wait in luxury for the end of the world? Once he rode his bike off of a woodland trail and tumbled halfway down a mountain before stumbling back out with a mad grin. He’s been hurt in fights more times than he can count, and only learned to stop once he was on a school wrestling team and seeing blood meant pausing the match. Once he swung a crowbar at an enemy soldier so hard that its ribcage shattered and it bled out into the pavement. He’s more of an Achilles than an Odysseus. He’s not desperate to make it home. 

They’re in different rooms now than when they first arrived, for the sake of secrecy. The humans have a suite of their own again, but most nights one of those beds is empty. Brian is political-dynasty-rich and a varsity star. He knows that everyone up to and including the media think he’s some manipulative jerk for sleeping around. Zerada… Zerada is a very different sort of situation. The noblewoman might as well be Circe, minus the ability to turn ancient Greek sailors into wild animals. She’s ninety-four and basically a princess and if this is a horrible choice, then he is the one that’s going to pay. Honestly though, Brian’s already on a deadly quest to save the world. In the shadow of such a stupid, self-sacrificing decision, he’s not going to bother with second thoughts. If he gets turned into a pig, then Clay and Sierra can laugh at him once he’s back to normal. He’s having a good time. He’s not an idiot. He promises. 

They’re all ready to leave this place.  Clay’s been distraught since they saw the victims of Project Excalibur, and Sierra can’t stand the noise. The three of them have been working to see where other elves might be. If they like to hide in ruins and forgotten villages, then the American West is full of possible locations. There’s so few people out here. That’s the problem though. Marin and Zerada have been very clear that their enemies know exactly where they’ve been staying, they just won’t risk an attack because there are so many people nearby. They will be hunted the moment they step out into the desert. Brian remembers the attack in Vya, that little Nevada ghost town. Clay mentioned the place to a local in another town just before he was charmed, and he assumes that the boy told on him. Of course, they also need to gather allies while maintaining utter secrecy. 

Their only advantage is speed. Sierra’s car (The Audacity, for the years it took to make) is electric and the elves can charge it while they move. It can seat five, but it certainly won’t be as comfortable. She’s confident that it can handle going a hundred miles per hour, and that she can make repairs if it comes down to it. With illusion magic and relatively desolate highways, Brian’s told everyone to expect that pace. What that actually means is that they could get to Salt Lake City or Tucson by tonight, or easily reach the Atlantic Ocean by the Fourth of July. If they make up their plans as they go, the elves think they can outrun Ishtar’s forces. They’ll have to change roads often, travel constantly, and be ready for an ambush, but it’s possible. All of that sounds less stressful than finals week, so Brian’s down for it. 

They’re leaving today, even though Zerada has booked the rooms for another night. Hopefully they’ll be lost in the shuffle of tourism and the elven government won’t notice they’ve left. Even as they leave the city, disappearing into the crowd remains their only hope. The United States of America has a population of nearly three hundred and thirty million. That’s a third as large as the entire elven world. Without data sorting algorithms (advanced technology breaks down around magic. He’s heard Sierra talking with Marin about the details), tech like license plate readers and facial recognition becomes far less useful. They’d still totally have been caught by now without Marin’s illusions, and they still have to take precautions. 

The team has split up to do some tasks of their own. (jokes about not splitting up in a horror film have been shockingly rare).  Sierra and Marin are trying to check the car for tracking devices, though the pair might have gotten distracted. Clay’s taken on the job of organizing Marin’s messenger bag so they can actually find things in the heat of the moment, and Brian’s back in the room leaving a paper trail. On some level, he and his friends got into the colleges they did because of their fathers, but they are also very good at what they do. While Marin and Zerada ran off to wherever, the three of them scanned the entire Mountain Time Zone for places where elves might hide. There’s an old rocket testing facility in Utah surrounded by industrial waste, an abandoned site once used for creating chemical weapons, and, of course, thousands of square miles of not-quite untouched wilderness. He’s packing up most of their research, but leaving a little behind. Surely the elves will search their room soon. 

The plan is to stay in the desert for a while longer.  However, most of what he’s leaving behind points north to Idaho and Montana. He’s no spy (he’s just read a few books about them) so his work isn’t anything particularly good. He imagines a bunch of paper-pushing bureaucrats in a place that looks straight out of Middle Earth getting fed up with the misinformation, but they probably won’t fall for it. Either way, they’re heading for the hottest region in the nation, and he’s worried how well Marin can handle it. He’s agile, but weak. No, not weak. The elven prince is fragile. Brian remembers his carnival duel against him and how Marin never lost a game about accuracy or balance. He’s certainly an athlete, just not the same type as Brian. 

There is a quick beep from the door. He bolts upright, hand moving to the holster on his belt. The door swings open. A tall woman smiles back at him. Zerada Adust. Brian slowly moves his hand away from the gun and smiles. Her hair is loose and she wears a stylish cut-out shirt that is probably as red as his blushing face.

“Don’t go and do Ishtar’s job for her,” she laughs. “Are you almost done? It’s about high noon”. 

“Yeah, I was just checking to make sure we hadn’t left anything important behind”. He feels this need to justify himself to Zerada, but why shouldn’t he? She has the easy confidence of a person who knows she is the most important person on a team. It’s been a long time since Brian was the star. 

“Sorry to drag you away on this quest. There isn’t much where we’re going”.

“You have no idea how human you sound. I’m from a desert family, and they love this stuff”. She leans against a wall and says something with what he guesses is a fancy elven accent, “our burden as nobility to preserve the worlds”. 

“But you wanted more”. It’s not a question. He’s already heard about Zerada’s love for all things new and thrilling. It’s a desire he recognizes, and what drew him to her in the first place. 

“I do”. 

“So the desert is it?”

“So the desert it is”.  

He gathers the few items that aren’t already with Clay and brushes imaginary dust off of his shorts. Brian has no delusions that Zerada is a kind woman. He is a passing interest to her, a boy clever and attractive enough to have earned some of her time on this deadly mission. He tells himself she would sacrifice him in an instant to save herself. It’s almost refreshing.  He throws an arm around Zerada and gives her a kiss. There’s no debts or legacies, just two people in the same space with no reason to do anything else. Unlike Clay, he is not a person with a need to plan. Worrying about something bad just hurts you twice, right? 

He finds the other three members of the party gathered around the car on the top level of an underground parking garage. The ceiling lights are dim and warm, but the car itself has Back To The Future style rear doors and cool fluorescent accents. It’s a prototype from her father’s company. It had too many flaws to go to production, but she and her mom tried to fix one themselves. The Audacity, as the Brackens call it, looks like a spaceship. It matches the Vegas Strip, but not the infrastructure underneath it, and it will be all too recognizable out in the desert.  Sierra unplugs the charging cord and tosses Brian the keys. (Luckily, the curse has mostly affected her left arm). The car can more or less drive itself but always obeys the speed limit. 

They take their seats and the doors swing down into place. Brian is the driver, his sleek black sunglasses resting on the dashboard until they get to the surface. Zerada has been offered the passenger seat again, mostly because no one dares to take it from her. Clay and Marin sit by each back window, and Sierra is in the middle. He puts the car into drive. Clay fiddles with a paper map and passes it forward. Their first stop is a state park less than an hour away, just for fun. 

The car radio crackles to life as they leave the garage and reach the surface.

“New stop or new state means new music!” Brian says triumphantly, as he’s the next one in their rotation. The radio is still set to Sierra’s 80s rock.  He prefers modern pop, specifically the more hip-hop side of things. He’s not really musical though. The Vegas Strip is a road lined by hotels on either side. All of that flair has been replaced by square buildings and dust by the time that they pull onto the Las Vegas Freeway. Nothing ahead of them rises higher than three stories above the dry ground. He can see mountains ahead, and the skyscrapers of The Strip are clear in his rearview mirror. 

They drive. He expects that the scruffy bushes and bare stone hills will be very familiar after the next few days. The whole situation is strange with Zerada in the car. She upsets the balance. Before, it had been the three of them and Marin the outsider, but he was nervous and willing to adapt. Zerada is calm and stunning and when she takes his hand while he leaves the car on autopilot he can almost feel Clay and Sierra sharing a look from the back. In an attempt to avoid talk shows, (it's fun to listen for celebrities they've met, but one host mentioned Sierra and ruined her entire day) they hear three Billie Eilish songs in ten minutes. Sierra puts her headphones on and Marin starts to argue that he has CDs in his bag. Brian shoots back that they’re all jazz and blues recordings from 1970 at the latest. Marin corrects him on the genres but not the time period. Two stops or states from now, it will be his turn to choose the music. 

After thirty minutes or so, a crag of rock rises from the tan desert. It is such a vibrant red that it looks almost like someone changed the saturation and hue of a photo. It looms beside them like a breaking wave and Brian doesn’t need his directions to tell him that they have almost reached their first stop. It’s the hottest part of the afternoon as they pull their car beside a standing rock in Valley of Fire State Park. They can’t stay for long. They need to be far away by the time they set up camp, and the heat feels like stepping into an oven. Still, he wants to hike and bike or climb the smooth sandstone. Dry heat isn’t like wet heat. He never realizes just how high the temperature has climbed until he stops for a rest and realizes that his mouth feels like he’s been eating the sand. He drinks from a water bottle and looks up. 

A metal staircase clings to the side of the rock. There are some other tourists nearby, or standing at the top. The metal railings are too hot to hold as the five of them climb the steps to a platform overlooking a slanted rock wall. He’s no geologist, but the rock is covered with a black tarnish, and that tarnish has been scraped away to show symbols. There are humanoid drawings, animals with horns, and geometric shapes. A sign calls them petroglyphs, rock carvings, and explains that they are about two thousand years old. Thirty human lifetimes, or just four elven ones. Marin and Zerada can trace their families back at least twice that far into the past. He stares at the carvings, and then back at the tourists, and down to the shining car. He’d been hoping to double back to the Grand Canyon at some point, but suddenly Brian has no desire to feel small. He rests his head on Zerada’s shoulder on the way back down. This, at least, is important. 

………….

I drove from Vegas to Valley of Fire a couple of years ago. The rocks really do look edited in person. Like this!

Also, to make it clear, Brian is an idiot. He is eighteen and he knows full well that Zerada specializes in charms, mental manipulation, and power. This will not end well. 

[newcountryradio]

New Country 27e jaargang  #T1230(S789) (C33)van 20 mei 2024  (wk 21) uitzending op Smelne fm & Crossroads Country Radio

Album van de week:  The Mavericks -   Moon & Stars  

Classic album: Willie Nelson – Always On My Mind      1982

Hits of the Year : 1992

Maandfavoriet : Randy Travis - Where That Came From

Maandartiest : Rosanne Cash    

3 in 1:    Dwight Yoakam    

Rosanne Cash - Seven Year Ache       *maandartiest

Tim McGraw – Please Remember Me     #1 25 jaar

Luke Combs - Doin’ This    #1 2022

Luke Combs – Ain’t No love In Oklahoma   (twister movie)

Jesse Daniel - Tomorrows Good Ol Days (featuring Ben Haggard).

George Strait – Mia Down in Mia .

Emily Nenni - Drive & Cry.   

Reba McEntire - I Can’t

Jordan Davis – Tucson Too Late  #1.

The Mavericks - The Years Will Not Be Kind  Album vd week

The Mavericks - Moon & Stars (with Sierra Ferrell)  *album

Mel Tillis – I Ain’t Never    Entertainer    1975

Doug Stone – A Jukebox With a Country Song

Faith Hill – The Way, You Love Me

Merle Haggard – Old Man from The Mountain

Randy Travis - Where That Came From favoriet 

Anne Wilson - Songs About whiskey   sofi

Willie Nelson – Last Thing I needed First Thing In The Morning  classic album

Willie Nelson – Always On My Mind   classic album

Carter Faith - Late Bloomer.

Erin Kinsey - I Ain’t Crazy.

Dwight Yoakam – Suspicious Minds      (3 in 1)

Dwight Yoakam – A Thousand Miles from Nowhere

Dwight Yoakam – Ain’t That Lonely Yet

The Mavericks - Overnight Success  album

Post Malone - I Had Some Help (feat. Morgan Wallen)   #1 album.

Kimmi Bitter. I Can't Unlove You

Miranda Lambert – Wranglers.

Lainey Wilson - Hang Tight Honey.

Hayden Baker - Don't Meet Your Heroes (feat. Brad Paisley)

Kane Brown, Marshmello - Miles on It (Truck Song

Rosanne Cash  - If You Change Your Mind   maandartiest

Guy Clark - Old Time Feeling    juweeltje

Scotty McCreery - Fall of Summer

The Mavericks - A Guitar and a Bottle of Wine        Album vd week

Wade Bowen – When I wanna Be wanted  (feat Hillary Lindsay)

Ben & Carmen - Over the years    Dutch corner

Savannah - For Reasons I've Forgotten  .  .Dutch corner.

Danny Vera -  Another Goodbye   Dutch corner

Wynonna – No One Else On Earth #5 1989

Collin Raye – Love, Me  #4

Garth Brooks – What She’s Doing Now #3

Brooks & Dunn – Boot Scootin’ Boogie  #2

Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart      #1 1992

Lost Dog Street Band - Son of Tennessee.

[thechembow]

A foot of rain in Southern California? Latest... forecast is dangerous

Feb. 2, 2024 - USA Today

"The largest storm of the season" is on the way for California, the National Weather Service said.

Indeed, the weather service isn't mincing words when it comes to the next big... storm that's forecast to slam into California over the weekend and into next week, using words like "life-threatening" and "dangerous" to describe the predicted onslaught of rain, snow and wind...

The weather service said the storm could dump a whopping 15 inches of rain on some parts of the Los Angeles metro area...

The jet stream has been very straight across the west, with the exception of eastern winds during the massive transmutation event preceding this series of storms.

The term "pineapple express" is a synonym for another pseudo-science term, "atmospheric river." Neither explains that high OR has caused the formation of rain clouds, which do not originate in one place and travel across the ocean, as they say. They originate over the land as well (see my last post). Water molecules are in the atmosphere and can be formed into rain clouds anywhere OR is high.

The weather has been extremely wet in Southern California, with more rain than snow so far this season. This is likely due to the heavy gifting of cities to the south in 2023, Albuquerque and Tucson, which received very thorough orgonite grids. This is encouraging more moisture from the south, bringing more rain than snow. We have had a mix of both in SoCal mountains. The Sierras and higher elevations in SoCal will see feet of snow with this system.

[lawitch]

Review of our sold out SF shows last weekend by KQED Arts 🖤

Dates with Jane's Addiction start this weekend!

MAR 05 || Bakersfield, CA - Mechanics Bank Arena, Theater and Convention Center *

MAR 07 || Tucson, AZ - The Rialto Theatre/Tucson, Arizona - SOLD OUT *

MAR 09 || Los Angeles, CA - The Hollywood Palladium - SOLD OUT *

MAR 11 || Reno, NV - Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino *

MAR 12 || Las Vegas, NV - The Chelsea*

MAR 18 || Edmonton, AB - Cherry Cult Fest

APR 25 || Arcata, CA - Cal Poly Humboldt - FREE

MAY 06 || San Luis Obispo, CA - Shabang

MAY 19 || Berlin, DE - Desertfest Berlin

MAY 27 || Angers, FR - LEVITATION FRANCE

* with Jane’s Addiction

(photo by Estefany Gonzalez)

[plethoraworldatlas]

 A wild jaguar has been photographed by federally run trail cameras in southern Arizona’s Huachuca Mountains at least twice this year. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service database that tracks jaguar detections lists two photos in March and May 2023.

“These photos show that despite so many obstacles, jaguars continue to reestablish territory in the United States,” said Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This is a wonderful reminder that these big cats move great distances across the landscape. It drives home the importance of protecting connected habitat for these elusive, beautiful felines.”

The photos were taken soon after former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s illegal shipping container border wall was removed from a critical jaguar migration corridor in the Huachuca Mountains.This is the second jaguar to be detected in the Huachuca Mountains since 2016. The first was a young male named Yo’oko, the Yaqui word for jaguar given to the big cat by students of Hiaki High School in Tucson. Yo’oko roamed the mountains in 2016 and 2017 but was photographed dead in Sonora, Mexico, in 2018

[dietpillsanddietcoke]

More Treatment

More treatment.

More insurance fights.

More flights to far-off distant places

…hoping I can find healing in their walls

More treatment.

More tremors.

More walking into vast unknowns.

More treatment.

More sleepless nights.

More crying till my eyes dry out.

More treatment.

More tears.

More retelling the same stories.

Until maybe…

(just maybe)

…their words won’t hold me captive anymore.

[heycabanaboy]

Terri Jean

G60, Grant Ross, Tucson, AZ Terri is a lab tech in Sierra Vista

Please do not remove the artist's name or signature. All rights reserved.

[runs-4-pinkcupcakes]

Hi Bunnies!

So I woke up determined to put an end to my endless eating. I knew I’d have a gain. But nope. I’ve lost 1.2 lbs. This doesn’t teach me any lessons. 😁

Traveling to Sierra Vista AZ (south of Tucson) for the long weekend. Plan to hike in Saguaro NP. Fingers crossed! No injuries. 😉

Happy Indigenous People’s Remembrance Day. Or What ever you call it these days.

💋

[jobkash]

Distribution Operations Internship | Tucson, AZ

Come to work and be ready to think on your feet, grow your skills, and embrace the many opportunities. Our Distribution Centers are the key to getting new products out to TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra, Winners, Homesense, and TK Maxx. To keep up with our ever-changing inventory, we stay nimble and adaptable. No day is the same, and that’s just how we like it. Every shift is a new…

[antiaging101-blog]

A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Rehab Centers in Tucson: Exploring Top Facilities and Their Unique Approaches to Recovery

Tucson, Arizona, is known for its stunning desert landscapes and warm, sunny climate, making it an ideal location for individuals seeking rehabilitation services. The city is home to several top-tier rehab centers that offer specialized care for a variety of addictions and mental health issues. In this article, we will explore some of the best rehab centers in Tucson, delving into their unique offerings, treatment methodologies, and why they stand out as top choices for those in need of help.

1. Sierra Tucson

Overview

Sierra Tucson is one of the most renowned rehabilitation centers, not just in Tucson but across the United States. Established in 1983, this center has a long-standing reputation for providing comprehensive, integrative treatment for substance abuse, mental health disorders, and chronic pain. Sierra Tucson’s holistic approach combines traditional therapies with alternative treatments, addressing the mind, body, and spirit.

Treatment Programs

Sierra Tucson offers a wide range of specialized programs, including:

Addiction Recovery: Tailored programs for alcohol, drug, and prescription medication addiction.

Mental Health: Comprehensive care for depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health conditions.

Chronic Pain: Innovative treatments for managing and overcoming chronic pain, often linked with addiction.

Unique Features

One of the standout features of Sierra Tucson is its integrative approach, combining traditional therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with alternative treatments such as acupuncture, yoga, and equine therapy. The center also emphasizes family involvement, offering programs that help family members understand the recovery process and support their loved ones.

Why It Stands Out

Sierra Tucson's commitment to a holistic, integrative approach makes it a top choice for individuals seeking a comprehensive path to recovery. The center’s luxurious, tranquil setting and expert staff further enhance its appeal, providing a peaceful environment conducive to healing.

2. Cottonwood Tucson

Overview

Cottonwood Tucson is another highly respected rehab center that has been providing care for over 35 years. Known for its serene desert setting and a strong focus on spiritual well-being, Cottonwood offers a unique blend of medical and holistic treatment approaches to addiction and mental health disorders.

Treatment Programs

Cottonwood Tucson offers various specialized treatment programs, including:

Addiction Treatment: Programs for substance abuse and behavioral addictions such as gambling and sex addiction.

Mental Health: Focused care for co-occurring disorders, mood disorders, and trauma.

Spiritual Renewal: Programs that incorporate spiritual guidance and practices to support recovery.

Unique Features

Cottonwood Tucson is particularly known for its emphasis on spiritual renewal as part of the recovery process. The center integrates practices like meditation, mindfulness, and 12-step spirituality into its treatment programs. Additionally, Cottonwood offers a strong family program that involves family therapy sessions, workshops, and educational seminars.

Why It Stands Out

The center’s focus on integrating spiritual well-being with medical care sets it apart from many other rehab facilities. Cottonwood Tucson’s comprehensive approach to treating both the physical and spiritual aspects of addiction and mental health disorders makes it a preferred choice for those seeking a deeper, more meaningful recovery journey.

3. The Mark Tucson

Overview

The Mark Tucson is a leading outpatient rehab center known for its intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and partial hospitalization programs (PHP). The center provides highly personalized care, making it an excellent choice for individuals who need flexible treatment options that allow them to continue living at home while receiving intensive therapy.

Treatment Programs

The Mark Tucson specializes in:

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): Tailored for individuals who require more support than traditional outpatient care but do not need residential treatment.

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP): Offers a higher level of care than IOP, often serving as a step-down from inpatient treatment.

Dual Diagnosis: Specialized care for individuals dealing with both addiction and mental health issues.

Unique Features

The Mark Tucson is known for its individualized treatment plans that are carefully tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. The center offers a variety of evidence-based therapies, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and family therapy. The Mark Tucson also emphasizes the importance of aftercare planning, ensuring clients have the support they need as they transition out of the program.

Why It Stands Out

The Mark Tucson’s focus on providing flexible, personalized care makes it an ideal choice for individuals who need intensive treatment but prefer to stay in their home environment. The center’s commitment to ongoing support and aftercare also ensures that clients have the tools they need to maintain long-term recovery.

4. Sabino Recovery

Overview

Sabino Recovery is a holistic residential treatment center that offers a highly personalized approach to treating trauma, addiction, and mental health disorders. Located on 100 acres of lush, secluded land, Sabino Recovery provides a peaceful, healing environment that is perfect for recovery.

Treatment Programs

Sabino Recovery’s specialized programs include:

Trauma Recovery: Focused treatment for individuals dealing with PTSD, childhood trauma, and other forms of trauma.

Addiction Treatment: Comprehensive care for substance abuse, with a focus on the underlying issues that contribute to addiction.

Mental Health: Programs for depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders, often integrated with trauma and addiction treatment.

Unique Features

What sets Sabino Recovery apart is its deep commitment to holistic healing. The center uses a wide range of therapeutic modalities, including neurotherapy, equine therapy, art therapy, and somatic experiencing. This approach ensures that treatment addresses all aspects of the individual—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

Why It Stands Out

Sabino Recovery’s secluded location and holistic approach make it an ideal choice for individuals seeking a deeply personalized and private treatment experience. The center’s focus on treating trauma as a root cause of addiction and mental health disorders is particularly appealing to those who have experienced significant emotional pain in their lives.

5. Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital Behavioral Health Services

Overview

Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital is a well-known healthcare facility in Tucson that offers specialized behavioral health services, including substance abuse treatment and mental health care. The center provides a medical-based approach to recovery, making it an excellent choice for individuals with co-occurring medical conditions.

Treatment Programs

Carondelet St. Joseph’s offers a variety of programs, including:

Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment: For individuals requiring medical supervision during detox and early recovery.

Outpatient Behavioral Health Services: Provides ongoing therapy and support for individuals dealing with addiction and mental health issues.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment: Specialized care for individuals with both substance abuse and mental health disorders.

Unique Features

Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital offers the advantage of being part of a larger medical network, providing clients with access to comprehensive medical care alongside behavioral health services. The center uses evidence-based treatment methods and offers a multidisciplinary approach, integrating medical, psychological, and social support.

Why It Stands Out

The ability to provide integrated medical and behavioral health care makes Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital an excellent choice for individuals with complex medical needs. The center’s affiliation with a full-service hospital ensures that clients have access to the highest level of care throughout their recovery journey.

The Importance of Discreet Executive Transportation Services

For many individuals seeking treatment at these top-tier rehab centers, privacy is of utmost importance. Discreet executive transportation services play a crucial role in ensuring that clients can travel to and from these facilities with the highest level of confidentiality and comfort. Whether it’s for high-profile individuals, professionals, or anyone who values their privacy, executive transportation services provide a safe, reliable, and private means of getting to treatment.

Executive car services like Diamond Transportation are designed to be inconspicuous, with vehicles that blend in and drivers trained in maintaining client confidentiality. The use of executive transportation can also help reduce the stress and anxiety often associated with entering a rehab facility, providing a smooth and comfortable transition into treatment.

Conclusion

Tucson offers a range of exceptional rehab centers, each with its unique approach to treating addiction, mental health disorders, and trauma. Whether you are looking for a holistic treatment experience, a spiritually focused recovery, or a medically supervised program, Tucson’s rehab centers provide some of the best care available. The addition of discreet executive transportation services further enhances the experience, ensuring that clients can focus entirely on their recovery journey in a private and comfortable manner.

Choosing the right rehab center is a critical step in the recovery process, and Tucson’s leading facilities provide the expertise, compassion, and comprehensive care necessary to support individuals on their path to healing.