I have been thinking I need to be a good ambassador for my state and let the blogging world know about “New Mexico.” (This could be to right previous wrongs where I have woefully led people astray about my home state, but I will tell you that story later.) So in the interest of education I would like to answer a few questions.

Q: Hey Nora, this “new” Mexico sounds great, the “old” one really needed to be upgraded... So tell me all about it?
A: Well, for starters we have removed all of those pesky oceans, no more hurricanes. We have a really large white beach full of sand aptly called “White Sands”, without any of those pesky water problems. Plus if you look closely at night you might see some bright flashes of light. (Don’t worry silly, they aren’t detonating atomic bombs here anymore.)
Q: I am into local flavor, what would you recommend?
A: Well I do recommend the Mexican food, really it should be called New Mexican food because it’s not the same as Mexico. And don’t worry the chile isn’t too hot, I haven’t had something burn my tongue in a while at a restaurant, and just ask my family, that means you can handle it too. I never make anything that feels like an atomic bomb went off in your mouth. (or do I?) In any case, I am fond of the enchiladas, tacos, con carne, asado, burritos, gorditas, tamales, and rellenos to name a few. Any regular dish that you would normally eat like lasagna, fettucine, hamburgers, seafood, ice cream, we will add chile to it. (I am not joking about the ice cream people we can all go down to Caliche’s and get a sundae with green chiles and pecans) It’s an addiction man, and by the way all you other New Mexicans, we have the best chile down here in Cruces, yeah I said it, what you gonna do about it?

Q: Is it true that New Mexico is the Land of Manaña?
A: Dude, I think I’ll answer that question tomorrow. Okay?

Q: Are there any cowboys in New Mexico?
A: There are still cowboys at various local outposts, you’ll know because they actually have bullshit on their boots.(There is probably some on the inside too, you know what I mean if you have talked to one.) Check out Hope, Cliff, House, and Pie Town to name a few towns you can find them in. You can also tell by the way they wear their hat, a real cowboy has to have his creased just so, and won’t be wearing a fancy one unless it is a formal occasion say like a 4-H dance. Don't mess with the unless you want to start a fight. (Oh, and by the way you won't see a self respecting cowboy line dancing either.) However, I don’t count people that just wear hats and boots for fashion’s sake. If you haven’t been bucked off a horse, dodged a mad steer, been attacked by a mean rooster and had to administer veterinary care to an farm animal, you don’t qualify in my book. (By the way, I have done all those things and I don’t consider myself a cowgirl. I am a big city girl now.)

Q: Why are all the names of all the towns so hard to pronounce?
A: So we can tell the tourists, from the locals. But because I am nice, I will give you a little help. Albuquerque (Al-boo-kirky, won’t be authentic sounding but close.) Socorro (So-core-oh, not Soccer-oh) Las Cruces (Las Crew-sus not Las Crutches) Pojaque (this one is easy Po-Hockey) Portales (Pour – tall- ess not Poor tales).

Q: Are there any Indians in New Mexico?
A: Uhhmm that would be Native Americans... they were here first you know. We are proud to enjoy our friends the Navajo, Hopi, Apache to name a few. Now I wouldn’t dare to call myself any kind of expert or scholar on the matter, but the culture of this state would much less interesting without them. So please come visit or read a book. Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko is great as is Death Comes for the Archbishop by Cather. Oh and if you want to buy some rugs, jewelry or other art, please make sure it is real and not mass produced in Mexico or somewhere else.

Q: How harsh is the weather there?
A: Depends on where you live, it is a big state. We do have some scorching heat down here in the southern half in the summer, but hey it’s not Phoenix! There are mountains, prairies, sand dunes, volcanic fields, lakes and one old dry river called the Rio Grande. Based on what I’ve seen of other rivers, only those of us who were raised in the desert would call it a Grand River. Oh and contrary to what some believe we don’t have saguaros (you know the cactus with the arms) and the whole state doesn’t look like a Wile E. Coyote cartoon (but we do have coyotes and roadrunners that say beep! beep!) It even snows here, not much where I live, but most every where else gets it.

Q: What is the deal with Roswell?
A: Wish I knew, that is one weird town. For the most part it is a completely normal small town. Yes it is small by most states standards, with a population of 45,000. However to me it was a “city” and since it was the closest town with a hospital delivering babies, I was born there. My husband tries to claim that makes me an alien. (Does that make Demi an alien too, she was born there also.) While people talked about the alien “encounter” it wasn’t a big deal until the mid 90’s when the 50th anniversary was approaching. My husband and I picked July 4th weekend 1997 to get married. Unfortunately that was the 50th year since the crash site and apparently every alien watcher in the world wanted to come be there and even though I was getting married a neighboring town, you couldn’t find a hotel room. We had to drive all the back to Las Cruces (180 miles) on our wedding night. Now the town totally capitalizes on the whole alien thing and they even have a new McDonald’s shaped like a space ship. Oh and for the record, the crash was really on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, more near Corona, now that is a happening night spot. (not!) Watch out for glowing cows! (oh but maybe that is from the atomic blast)

Q: Why do you keep mentioning Atomic Bombs?
A: The first one was detonated here, my Grandma remembers seeing the white light. It is one of our claims to fame. (Hey we don’t have that many, we have to cling to what we have got!)

Q: Why is everying in Spanish and English down there?
A:  Because we have two official state languages, and I like it that way. 
Spanish is a very big part of our history, we may be in America, pero we were part of Mejico first. Spanglesh is great, verdad?

Well hopefully I have answered all pertinent questions for today