Golden

picture the warmth
the sun
pure joy
when gold boldly
meets your eye
a field of bliss
sun kissed by God
and sweet clouds
in painted skies
feel the love
precious daffodils
surround your heart
with light
a field of gold
sun kissed by God
and the power
of His might

by Felicia Lujan
3.25.2017

♡Photograph of flowers from my mama. She recently told my sister and I, “when you feel stressed out, think of a field of daffodils.” The flowers she sent us, opened beautifully. She was also my inspiration for this poem.♡

Drink the Fire

God built this soul to withstand fire. No burn shall sear the skin.

Forged in flames from Earth to sky. Never injured by your sin.

So treat me bad. Polish your smile. I understand your game.

Good built this soul to withstand fire. He gives me strength to endure pain.

by Felicia Lujan
2.2017

Anyway

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

~~~Kent M. Keith, The Silent Revolution

Archivists’ and Records Managers’ Identities

This post is a good read. I completely agree with #2, as #1 is a reflection of professional ignorance! The articles cited at the end are interesting as well.
~~F

Archivists’ and Records Managers’ Identities – Two Opinions: Different Species or United as One?.

Not for the Weak

Strong, powerful men are
not scared to run with
strong, powerful women…
only a weak minded man would
prefer soft and submissive.

An Author Inspired by the “Keeper of the Records”

••∆ Susan McDuffie and Felicia Lujan in Albuquerque, New Mexico ∆••

I just adore Susan McDuffie. This New Mexico lady is an award winning mystery author who has been inspired to write by a connection to her ancestral lands and her family’s role as “Keeper of the Records.” Given my professional history, you know I have to love that right? How can I not adore a women who has an obvious admiration for record keepers and history?

Susan and I met up at a crime writing extravaganza a few weeks back. In 2011, she won the New Mexico Book Award for “Best Historical Novel.” In 2014, she was a finalist in both the Historical Fiction and Mystery categories. I do love me some creative women! What’s kinda funny is that over the last decade, a good handful of people from out-of-state have asked me if I’m Scottish because of my accent. Interesting… I know.

From Susan’s Medieval Mysteries web site…

Susan’s childhood interest in Scotland was fueled by family stories of the McDuffie clan’s ancestral lands on Colonsay and their traditional role as “Keeper of the Records” for the Lords of the Isles. Although Keeper of the Records may in fact have been a tedious position, it all sounded incredibly mysterious and intriguing to Susan. On her first visit to Scotland she hitchhiked her way through the Hebrides. Her initial visit to Colonsay and the Oronsay Priory ruins planted the seeds for her medieval mysteries.

Crime Writing: Here is to a Killer Future

Yeah… I would say crime writing is a viable option for me. I knew that before I worked and attended day one of “Finding Your Inner Sleuth.” It was a great day. I love learning and with every bit of knowledge I get, I feel more and more empowered. I want to be both a physical and intellectual monster! I’ll be Queen of Iron and Ink!!!

All of the presenters did a great job today! I had such a good day. My bosses keep pushing me to write a book, and I’m getting closer to jumping. I love that I have found my place in the world of writers. I fit in there like hand-n-glove. I learned some interesting things from Detective Mark Manary, Christine Barber, Dr. Irene Blea, Laura Sanchez, and Don Bullis.

I’m looking forward to working in Albuquerque again tomorrow! I wanted to share some of the photos from today and a few of the more interesting things I learned. Here is to a killer future of crime writing!!!

Interesting things about Detective Mark Manary:

å He went into homicide work because he is the survivor of an unsolved cold case. In 1989, his father was murdered.

å His career in law enforcement started as a military cop with the Air Force.

√• He went to a Handwriting Analysis School, where he “learned so much about writing and the use of words.” 💜’ed that!!

å He is President of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP- Albuquerque Lodge#1).

å He had to read and look at data for six months straight to get up to speed on the West Mesa murder cases.

√• His first step as lead in the 118th West Mesa Murders Task Force was to secure the records room. He allowed only two keys. 💜’ed that!!!

Interesting things about Author Christine Barber:

√• She is an amazingly smart woman, former journalist/editor, and friend who I have known for years. 💜 her!!!

å She took the show hands down today!!!

å Her current research into the West Mesa murders will likely give Detective Mark Manary great tips.

√• She is working with an anthropologist who is using scientific techniques to conduct soil analysis for potential West Mesa murder burial sites. 💜’ed that!!!

√• As part of her research for her new book “Rules of Survival,” she has completely emerged herself into the world of sex workers in Albuquerque.

√• She is now publishing the “Bad Guy List.” It is a freaky scary, but informative printout which highlights Albuquerque’s criminal activity.

√• She knows a lot more than anyone I know about serial killers, sex acts, what they cost, who is involved, and the dark fate of Albuquerque’s sex workers.

√• I met Christine years ago… not as an archivist, but as a writer. I invited her to the archives to conduct research for her book “When the Devil Doesn’t Show.” That book is about David Parker Ray, the “Toy-Box Killer” from Mountainair, New Mexico. He was a suspected serial killer. Though no bodies have ever been found, Ray is said to have murdered at least 60 people between Arizona and New Mexico. Together, Christine and I uncovered possible burial locations on mining property owned by Ray.