Category: Humor Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN-10: 1608444589
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 116
Copyright: April 2010
ISBN-13: 9781608444588
In this sequel to "you Don't Need a Passport to Move to New Mexico" the ride continues s you further explore the wild, wacky west that is New Mexico. "Home on the Strange" introduces you to some of the odd sights, both natural and man-made that are part of The Land of Enchantment's bizarre landscape. Ecclectic yard decor, other worldly visitors, awesome natural wonders and kooky roadside curiosities combine to make New Mexico seem like a whole different world! Meet "Sunny" the dinosaur. The 4:10 Roadrunner and find out why the state's motto is "It Grows as it Goes". Are there really aliens in New Mexico? You Betcha! All this and much more can be found in the pages of "Home on the Strange"!.
Excerpt
From Weird NJ to Weird NM
The majority of New Jerseans will, without too much prodding, eventually admit it’s a pretty weird state. Often disregarded as little more than a large suburb of neighboring New York City to the north or Philadelphia to the southwest, it is the butt of jokes, a subject of derision and best known for its funky smell along the length of its well-known and much despised turnpike. It was long the home of the horrific traffic phenomenon known as the traffic circle, a death-defying demolition-derby inspired roadway design which has scarred many a motorist for life as well as the home of its very own official State Monster, the Jersey Devil.
New Jersey and its residents have taken their state’s weirdness in stride and even celebrate it. The publication of a popular magazine called “Weird NJ” is a testament to this (and a personal inspiration to me…) so as a native-born New Jersean, I too have come to have an appreciation for the odd, unusual and downright bizarre. I was firmly convinced that no state could compare to New Jersey on a weirdness quotient, much less beat it… until I moved to New Mexico and had to admit I just might have been wrong…
As weird as New Jersey was, I am quickly coming to the conclusion that New Mexico could give it a serious run for its money weird-wise. Sure, the Garden State has the Jersey Devil, but New Mexico not only has the renowned aliens and UFOs of Roswell, but also sightings of mini-dinosaurs, Bigfoot, chupacabras and jackalopes; tales of mythic thunderbirds and giant river serpents and supposedly genetically-engineered creatures known as “cabbits”… a cross between a cat and a rabbit. The Land of Enchantment is also home to the infamous Taos Hum, the inter-dimensional Lordsburg Door, the miraculous baffling staircase of Santa Fe’s Loretto Chapel and a number of mysterious rocks carved with strange glyphs… one purportedly of ancient Mediterranean origin long before Columbus or anyone else came here.
I have seen more bizarre and monumental sculptures of the oddest things made from the most unusual materials scattered along the roadways, examples of artistic expression that often defy description or belief and met real-life characters that if I were to write about them, I would be accused of making them up because no one would believe me. I have gotten in the habit of always carrying a small digital camera with me wherever I go so I can document at least some of my weird sightings to prove to skeptics that I’m not exaggerating, although with my experience as a graphic artist and proficiency with the program Photoshop, I might yet have difficulties in convincing some of them.
In regards to odd sights, Mother Nature has gotten into the act as well by blessing New Mexico with some of the richest assortment of natural rock formations I have ever seen in one place. There are stone arches, balancing rocks, rocks that look exactly like teepees, a battleship, a cathedral and a camel… all easily recognizable as such without having to squint or stretch one’s imagination one bit. There are extinct volcanoes and ice caves… right next door to each other, and hot springs and rivers so mineral-laden that they’ve formed a huge deposit of calcium carbonate that has created a natural dam over time. How much more strange stuff can one pack into a single state?
All I can say is it’s a good thing New Mexico is so big. With all the strange stuff I’ve seen in the short time I’ve lived here so far, a smaller state would be crammed to bursting trying to contain it all. New Mexico manages to spread it all evenly throughout its vast area so that no matter where you go, you’re sure to see something strange. I don’t know if most native New Mexicans realize what an unusual state they live in, but I think they do indeed appreciate it nevertheless. They may not celebrate its weirdness the way New Jerseans do, but to them, its uniqueness is what simply makes it home.
A naïve councilman and a down-on-her-luck single mom try to save their county’s last stand of forest from greedy developers and a dysfunctional government.
Thirteen Sick Tasteless Classics, Part II is adult literature featuring adult language and situations that satirizes thirteen famous novellas and short stories. It is Jay Dubya's sixteenth ebook.
