I’m just having fun...it’s where I belong

I find myself having a lot of fun transitioning into my role as a PhD student, particularly because I’ve embraced the comedy of our situation. The planet’s on fire (Lawrence, 2022), there’s toxins in rain even (Zenobio et al, 2024). We’re fighting fascists now (Robinson & Barrera, 2012). School doesn’t teach you how to fight back, and yet... the show must go on.

I've been having fun and letting my creativity loose,, so here's a parody song lyrics you might recognize:

PINK PONY CLUB= SAVE CLIMATE CLUB

I know they want me not to say that fossil fuels are causing fires burning in LA. And I heard on earth we cannot stay the billionaires want us to leave, they profit every day 

I'm having wicked dreams Of planting lots of trees, 

we’ve gotta save the seas, Reregulate fishing!

Wont make the boss man proud 

It's gonna cause a scene

 they see my poster n pins 

the fascists wanna scream 

but God, what have we done? 

Yeah the planets on fire , theres toxins in rain even, and

I don’t think  that its fine how we cut forests down 

So I'll scream it out loud and hope we…  save climate now

I'm gonna keep on screaming till we save climate now.

 I'm gonna keep on dancing down in forests and woods 

I'm gonna keep on hoping that we

Save climate now, save climate now

I think that we can change the game, shifting the economy, overconsumption shame,

compost, recycling’s always good, decluttering the landfill, and growing native food.

I'm having wicked dreams of planting lots of trees, 

we've gotta save the trees, From their absurdity, 

were fighting fascists now school doesn’t teach you how

 they sacrifice of our lands, profit in other hands

but God, what have we done? 

Yeah the planets on fire , theres toxins in rain even, and

I don’t think  that its fine how we cut forests down 

So I'll scream it out loud and hope we…  save climate now

I'm gonna keep on screaming till we save climate now.

 I'm gonna keep on dancing down in forests and woods 

I'm gonna keep on hoping that we

Save climate now, save climate now

I know, we've heard that it’s the end- that there is no solution to the dust storms here, my friend,

I know you cry and disconnect, but I'm gonna encourage you to not lose your respect,

but God, what have we done? 

Yeah the planets on fire , theres toxins in rain even, and

I don’t think  that its fine how we cut forests down 

So I'll scream it out loud and hope we…  save climate now

I'm gonna keep on screaming till we save climate now.

 I'm gonna keep on dancing down in forests and woods 

I'm gonna keep on hoping that we

Save climate now, save climate now

---

We presented this and the branches to roots ‘in the forest’ song at the International Day of Peace, where I got overwhelming support for the idea of developing a timebank for the local community. Timebanking, along with other grassroots efforts for ecological restoration will be the crux of my time in the Phd program, if all goes well. 

I'm very excited to weave the concepts I know well enough to write songs about, into longer educational materials that can help push community consciousness (Freire) towards a post-consumerist change. The work of ecological restoration directly impacts the awareness of natural systems, as involvement in volunteering on the ground in restored and wetland areas allows us to see nature's abundance! And even better yet, taste it!

So stay tuned as I try and decompose more songs by famous people, to talk about things we should totally talk about at the dinner table, and in therapy-- CLIMATE CHAOS, but also with a flavor of joy!

I'm tying together concepts that are innate in us, but long forgotten like reciprocity, time and values through my community work and I should also document my process, as an ethnographer so here goes an attempt to relate what's brewing in this cauldron!

ETHNOGRAPHY/ journal

This past weekend Oct 11th was DEERS Earth Science fair at UTEP and I wish I'd been on the list for entertainment too, cuz that's my target audience, but it was just such a relief to be able to see all the work by enough organizations and research groups to fill both UTEP Geology lawn and Centennial Plaza! Also this past week we trained some new Eco El Paso volunteers, and got started on the compost bins at KHP. Today Wednesday I had some health challenges but joined a great-minds-think-alike meeting with Alamito, developing their community garden, and setting down some goals to interweave. Highlights of the weekend were bringing a new friend to the musical Jam sessions I've been invited to, where we are playing some of Gene Keller's originals, a lot of modern and old folk music, and some of the parodies I bring too!

I need to clean through much of my writing and files, and proceed to editing so I can share what's cooking with more people! Stay tuned!