Phoenix wasn't really a disaster. I was the youngest person at the conference by at least 10, maybe 15 years and most people there were CEO's in their 50's. It was daunting, but I didn't feel totally and completely terrified and I spoke at the meeting several times since I was the only New Mexico person. Even the talking in front of people went well.

The meeting itself, while much of it was boring, was overall very interesting because it was about serving Hispanics, especially recent immigrants from Mexico. There were three guys from a large credit union in Mexico and they spoke only in Spanish. I understood some of what they said and a translator filled in the rest, but by mid-afternoon on the first day, I was spacing out, entranced by their rolling r's and the graceful cadence of the language. There is something magical about the Spanish language that makes me feel at home and like a foreigner all at once.

On day two, a man who was a big-shot in Presidente Fox's campaign spoke. He was incredibly charismatic and convincing. By the end of his talk about why credit unions are on the verge of a revolution and why credit unions need to take Mexican culture into consideration when serving "New Americans" I was ready to follow him around and be his disciple. He was one of those people whose eyes disappear when he smiles and who wins you over after saying exactly five words. Everybody else in the room seemed to feel the same way because they all batted their eyelashes when near him (even the men) and needlessly dropped his name in conversation. Eg: Q: "What are you having for lunch?" A:"I will be having lunch with Juan today" Q:"What time is it?" A:"Oh look it's Juan." and Q: "What do you think about the weather?" A: "When I was talking to Juan earlier..."

Instead of following the man home, I grabbed my bags and checked out of the hotel. Then I hopped into my first rental car and drove to the airport. That's right, I rented my own rental car for the first time. Oh the joy of being 25.

I am still determined to find a way to incorporate my love of the border and border culture and Mexico and New Mexico into what I do...updates when I come up with something.

Now I am back home and I got a bucket of work dumped on me today and my shoulder hurts from stress. It's also freezing and rainy out. Ugh.

My little brother is 20 today. 20. My little brother is 20. How did that happen?

Happy Birthday Dustin.