Thanks Neil!

The other day as I was leaving work, I was offered a ride by one of the fellas who transports people all day in one of those little golf-cart-type vehicles, to the parking lot, the cancer research center, and hospital...to and fro, all day. I thanked him but told him I'd better walk. He said; "Ah c'mon, why deny yourself first rate service?" Neil is typical of the other drivers; retired military, enjoys helping people and being of service. Yeah, that sounds like a veteran of war to me. I told him he drove a hard bargain and couldn't resist his enthusiasm so I hopped in the buggie and joined a few people already seated, and away we went.

A cool evening, early November in the high desert, nice, clear, crisp evening, the sun... so lovely, silently setting, keeping time with the rhythm of the moment, life in motion, activity all around as workers, hospital personal, security guards, parking lot attendants, visitors to the hospital and people starting another shift, propel themselves about, moving from place to place under a bright, beautiful, half moon, swollen with luxurious light ~

In the middle of all this I notice two little, golden-haired, puddin heads. They sat in front of me with who, I figured to be their mother. She spoke with an accent, maybe South Africa, the Netherlands, not sure, really doesn't have any bearing on the story. I asked the mother if the little boy and little girl were twins after figuring out if they could be about the same age. They seemed like they were about four years old. I had to ask outright; "Do we have twins here?" Mother said; "Yes, we do!" with a smile that lit up her face. "I'm a twin, too," I gushed, "and I have a twin brother!" The twins and mother turned to take a look at this other twin. I asked how many minutes apart the twins are and she said, "one minute." "Cesarean huh?" I asked. Mother nodded in agreement. I mentioned Mark being four minutes older than me and I've been told that, in some cultures like Nigeria and elsewhere, if you wait it out without your "womb mate" and end-up the last one standing so to speak, the last one out, that you are considered, more patient, wiser, more mature, therefore the oldest. I must have mentioned two or three times during that little trip, lasting only a few minutes, how special twins are. My heart filled to the top, actually overflowed with the magic of the moment, as time and space rushes by. When joy and sadness mix, it makes for a curious, wondrous concoction, serendipity exemplified~

As I unlocked the door of my pick-up, to go home, I happened to look up, behind my left soldier, where the early evening, fat, half-moon shines it's magnificent smile and light on me. I wondered if the dark side of the moon this evening was any less the other half of the moon, because it couldn't be seen. I realized right then... that even tho' I can't see Mark, I know he is here, there, somewhere, somehow, then, now and into the future we go, forever twins. It's gotta be, I tell myself to make sense of his absence with the presence of a half-moon, knowing the other half of the moon is there, still attached and very much a part of the whole. Way cool connection. I'll take that as a kiss from the heaven's, sweet, soft whispers from on high, from the center, outside, inside out, all around, up and down... messages, signs, signals, warnings, writing on the wall, wings waving with arms full of love, light, laughter ~

So yes... Thanks Neil, for the ride, thanks so much...first rate, for sure!

Here's to You Mark! Happy Birthday to You!!

Mazz - Que Me Lleven Canciones

Of course, I'm thinking of you today brother.
A toast to you for sharing with me, some of the most memorable times of my life.

Just a Thought

I wonder what it would have been like to grow-up without you? I thought maybe we were the only twins in the world for a while. Mark and Mary... so well taken care of, spoiled and made to feel special. I felt sorry for other kid's who would never know the uniqueness of having a constant partner to grow-up with, double the goodness, double the joy of life as our childhood lived-out in tandem. With so many unspoken understanding's... what a strong, irreplaceable bond we shared, unbelievably simple yet unforgettable moments that made us feel good about our twin connection. How could we not feel special and glad to be one another's twin? You represented twins well and to this day, still very much considered, an outstanding twin brother overall. Thank you very much for the great memories!

Froggy

A bowl of corn flakes, a piece of toast, maybe some chocolate milk and we were off to see Froggy. Froggy lived next door in Fofo and Florence’s backyard in the wishing well that was made of rough mortar and baseball-size rocks.

The wishing well was falling apart. It was more than half-way filled with dirt and a variety of items like small broken pieces of charred wood and tiny pieces of concrete along with chunks of thick, green, brown and blue colored glass.

An old wooden fence separated the backyards. We had to slide one of the loose slats over so we could walk through. Just a few more steps away… our friend, our comrade and much to our delight; Froggy waited. Our treasure and gold mine of joy, serendipity!

One could sit comfortably on the short stack of lumber next to the well to lean over and look inside. There was plenty of space for someone to sit on the wall of the well and it was the most perfectly wonderful place to be in the world.

The day Mark and Mary, four year old twins, setting off just after breakfast, venturing on to hunt, not exactly knowing what they were hunting for. What a discovery! Froggy was all but weathered, brittle, broken bits of discolored sponge nestled, cozy and comfy.

Oh sure Froggy was quiet, we didn’t care, we managed to communicate and talk about everything and nothing at all. We enjoyed the company of our friend and getting lost in the magic of youthful innocence. Those lifeless pieces of dried up sponge came to life. Our special little friend was as old as time and as brand new as the first light of day.

The short visits seemed so timeless. We reveled in our little self-contained flights of fancy where our imagination took us to far away places, questions answered, observations made and wishes granted. Froggy enhanced, entranced and enchanted the lives of two little people forever. I hope you have known a friend like Froggy somewhere in your life as well.

Mark and the Music

When Mark was a boy he dreamt of getting a band together and calling it “Mark and The Markers,” maybe headlining on The Ed Sullivan Show or American Bandstand. It was a short-lived dream and the American public was denied the thrill of ever seeing Mark and The Markers appear on national television.

Apparently his interest in basketball and baseball distracted him enough to make him forget about his musical aspirations. It wasn’t until 1983 that Mark, minus The Markers, made his radio debut at KANW after successfully completing a radio broadcasting class at T.V.I..

Mark saw this prospect as an avenue to play his favorite music, the music of Santana, Tito Puentes, Malo, War, Tower of Power, Gloria Estefan, Jose Feliciano, Axteca, etc. This also presented Mark with a challenge and an exciting “hobby” to dabble in on his days off from his job at U.S. West.

As it happened, Mark hit the ground running and quickly earned a regular spot on Saturday mornings at 89.9 KANW FM. Mark was ecstatic about the opportunity to introduce listeners to “The Latin Magic Hour” which began at noon following “The Spanish Show.” Disappointment followed after a few years of his popular noon time program as it was canceled for supposedly not attracting enough listeners. I thought about that as I savored every drop of the recent telecast of the First Annual Latino Grammy Awards Show. It was Mark's hope that one day he would be allowed to revive “The Latin Magic Hour.”

Mark turned his full attention to “The Spanish Show” and relished the idea of waking-up the “gente” of New Mexico. Songs like “Las Mananitas,” “Crei,” “Flor de Las Flores,” y “Arriba Nuevo Mexico” became his wake up calls for family and friends across the state. The dedication and request line rang off the wall and Mark needed help answering the calls. That’s where I came in. He figured since we were classmates in the radio broadcasting class, and being his twin sister, I had the minimum qualifications necessary to join him on Saturday mornings. Our Saturday morning chitchat and banter included quibbling over whose turn it was to bring in the breakfast burritos. All the sibling-sass was actually embraced by the listeners.

Mark began to think of ways to showcase the musicians and music of New Mexico. Drawing on his own wits, determination and resources, he organized the first “Latin Music Festival,” From obtaining an appropriate venue to accommodate the event, insurance, sponsors, security, to parking, food, beverages and rest rooms. Mark covered all the logistics. Entertainers like Roberto Griego, Al Hurricane & Jr., Chris Abeyta & “Lumbre Del Sol,” and “Red Wine” eagerly rallied around Mark in support of his endeavors from the get-go. Non-profit organizations became benefactors of the proceeds earned from the concerts and Mark was glad to be able to put back into the community.

Mark blazed trails in his efforts to promote New Mexico music and he was a champion of the highest caliber in satisfying the hardy appetites of his beloved fellow New Mexican’s who were hungry to hear and see their hometown, musical favorites. Little Joe Y La Familia, Ram Herrera, Jose Feliciano and Tower of Power were among the internationally known musicians brought in, as people gathered at local parks and plazas by the thousands to celebrate the savory music.

What mattered most to Mark besides his precious Nancy, Mark, Maria Elena and Sophia, was the music. Listeners taped the music and Mark took pride in knowing that the distinctive flavor of New Mexico was being heard all over the world. During the Persian Gulf conflict in 1992-93 men and women from New Mexico wrote to request songs and make dedications to their loved ones back here, at home. We received the most endearing correspondence from those deployed out at sea aboard carriers and ships. The musica nortena, including the rich, rancheras, cumbias, and mariachi sounds resonated in barracks and battalions across the other side of the globe.

All of Mark’s time and energy devoted to promoting the music was done on a volunteer basis. The rewards of his hard work were priceless. Mark and I became part of the hearts and homes of our family of listeners, and that is what kept the fire going in Mark. His infectious enthusiasm generated an excitement about New Mexican music that was awesome to witness.

Mark’s relentless pursuit of promoting la musica de la gente was stellar and was done with a combination of respect, humility and pride for the people who played and listened. Today Mark is regarded by many in the local and international music industry as a good-humored man of integrity and remains our “Mark of Excellence.”

by Mary Ellen “Maria Elena” Ipiotis
September 2000