Evidence of a hotly contested primary election, scheduled for Tuesday, abounds. One merely needs to drive down certain streets in town to see the competition.
     With only minor exceptions, local campaigns appear to be clean. In Santa Fe, however, candidates are accusing one another of removing or damaging the opposition’s signs. And in Rio Arriba County, a county employee was arrested after three elections signs were allegedly found at his house. He told police he had no idea how they got there.

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    The constant changes in the language, wrought by inventions, travel, cross-fertilization of cultures and, especially, wars, would make it difficult, say, for people who use 19th century language to adapt to today’s usage.
     Although modern technology makes it impossible for the average Joe to work on his car, men still lift the hood to impress their neighbors. Does anyone stranded on the interstate, hood up, have any idea what’s broken? True, raising the hood alerts others to your situation, but can you really get help, short of using your cell phone to call a wrecker?

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    With the New Mexico primary election scheduled for June, candidates are redoubling their efforts to gain exposure.
     Because of the interest in the Busy-Kerry battle in November, people in this area are getting involved as election fever hits.

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    Two past columns concerned levity, the idea of finding humor in an otherwise serious situation.
     That theme is fitting, as my mother typified the notion of taking an otherwise somber situation and injecting humor into it.
     Marie M. Trujillo, my mother, who died in October 2002, epitomizes more than motherhood. Seeing my mom in a nursing home, hours before she passed on to another life, affected me profoundly. They say that when death is imminent, people’s lives flash before them. But how about the survivors? In the time I spent watching her breathing become shallower, a torrent of memories came through me.

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