Blogging Thoughts and "Border Talk" Radio: Expanding the Public Conversation in El Paso

I am now settling in to the transformation from elected official to private citizen, to blogger, and now radio talk show host (my newest venture).  The private citizen part of it is a big relief because I am on a different legal standing in that the haters (bloggers, media, and such) cannot take liberties in writing or reporting about me because I am no longer under the scrutiny and public standing of being an “elected official”.  During this transition, I have had some good mentors who have shared many things, including remembering that although I am no longer an “elected official” I am still very much a “public” person with both admirers and haters and because of that, my exit from politics was not only watched, but my new ventures are also being watched by many, with interest and by some with envy. 

I believe these thoughts because no matter where I go, be it a Democratic function, community event, march, funeral, grocery store, or airport, people always ask “what’s next for Norma”?  The “next” has been a journey. There are many things that I have been working on some things more public than others. I am loving the opportunity to venture into blogging as I have always loved to write.  I had tremendous staff during my 14 years serving in the Texas legislature but I was also a pain in the you know what, because I always wanted to review and edit documents that were submitted to me for my final approval.  Sometimes a letter to an agency head, or an op ed for the El Paso Times would be delayed because I had to “Normaize” it. 

When I returned to UT to finish my degree after a 17 year  absence, my papers at the beginning were far from what they were when I graduated (Ramon Bracamontes, I wasn’t a “bonobo” attending the university for 20 years, I went BACK to finish my degree, hermano).  It was definitely a transition, dusting off the old college brain cells plus utilizing the writing center at UT was tremendous help!  I know I am not the greatest writer nor am I grammatically perfect (far from it) but I like the exploration and communication with words.  It is a new “weapon” is how I put it once (when I was mad at some blogger for saying lies about me), but it is a creative medium that has NO LIMITS!  I recommend anyone, anytime, to write, write, write.  To your kids, grandkids, parents, friends, enemies, frenemies, husband, lover, people you are mad at, express yourself with the written word. It is a lifter, you leave what is heavy in your heart or what is in your head, in the document you are authoring.  If anything, write for YOURSELF!

This bloggie and being a “blogera” I have discovered, gives me the freedom of expression in a whole different medium and I have come to realize that it is not necessary to always respond to every little opposing opinion or snide remark that is said about me. Lord knows that I have the haters and that they have done quite a butcher job creating an electronic foot print of who they would like people to think I am.  Fortunately, I can write in my own words MY STORY, the truth, what I feel, and I can critique based on my personal, political, and legislative experiences, as I see things and without anyone’s approval.  There is no right or wrong, it is my personal opinion.  It is the opinion of a Xicana with an “X” (my term of self), Latina (the term I choose that the government has given me), 2^nd generation El Pasoan, blue-collar background (I’m not a blue blood), born along the US/Mexico Border, dark skinned “India” and proud of my darkness and indigenous heritage and roots.    

And so I am blogging and have every intention of continuing to blog, and for the record, I WRITE MY OWN BLOG POSTS ALL THE TIME!!  I could use an editor or reader, because sometimes I just hammer at the keys and write what is in my head at the moment (like now) and don’t create a structure.  I intend to continue to blog opinion, based on my life experiences. I am in no competition with any other blogger in America or the world, I’m not trying to duplicate what someone else is doing, nor am I interested in defending myself perpetually because my haters have written another negative blog post about me. I will defend my reputation and standing in the community. I am very accomplished and will fight to preserve the work I did for El Paso.  It is public record, buried underground for now, but not for long.

And now, we add a new venture to my post elected official experiences, talk radio with the one and only “Paul Strelzin”. Yes me and “THE STRELZ”, an El Paso icon who is greatly marginalized and who’s voice has been silenced in the past for “saying what he thinks” on the airwaves, or supporting a candidate or two that wasn’t the advertisers or business elites candidate, and/or helping to influence an election because of his standing with the community because his opinion matters to others.  Yes, I get to be mentored, by the “Howard Cosell” of El Paso talk radio, “the mouth of the South”. The New Yorker from the “Bronx” who came to the Borderland, fell in love, married his girl, and made El Paso home.  The voice of El Paso sports, the voice of El Paso basketball giving UTEP and “The Bear” Don Haskins the famous “Minnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeer Ball”, the voice of baseball and the “Diablos” formerly known as the “Sun Kings” at the late great Dudley Field, and the voice of hockey and the “Buzzards”!  Yes I get to work with former Bowie Bear Principal Paul Strelzin and learn how to keep an audience on edge, how to agitate, engage, educate, inform the listening radio audience.  I get to learn the medium of radio with one of the masters of great talk radio! 

And so I hope to bring this new venture of talk radio to a fruitful level for El Paso and the Border, and as a business venture. It is an independent program, not a non-profit, nor politically funded (no super PACS), nor an Entravision sponsored program.  To succeed it has to grow, build audience, it is a “political talk” show and considering that every radio talk show in El Paso is (mostly) syndicated nationally and Republican leaning, “Border Talk” radio is local, independent programming, and Democratic leaning. We will also be promoting anything El Paso including the arts, music, culture, literature and anything community because Paul and I love the 915!

I’m excited about this new project.  The public conversation, the public debate, the opportunity to give the community another medium to vent, to discuss, to build, to demand, to create, to share.  So I hope you will join us in this new venture “Border Talk”!!    

Tune in Monday thru Friday, 10 am to 12 noon, at KHRO 1150 am. You can stream live too (listen from your laptop or work computer) by linking to www.khro1150.com. We are still working out the kinks, have had a great line-up of guests that includes Congressman Silvestre Reyes, former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez,  Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Councilman Trini Gonzalez and Speaking Rock Entertainment GM Karl Maahs, Joe Dorgan, Police Chief Greg Allen, Butch Maya, Democratic Chairman Danny Anchondo, and ERace3 with Bryan Guzman and Jaime Barceleau.  We have already been streamed in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Arlington, Austin, San Antonio, South Texas, Washington DC, Spokane, Washington, New Mexico, Mexico, Germany, and Osaka Japan (people have messaged us on Facebook with their location). We are utilizing the tools of social media, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, my bloggie, and we’ve been mentioned in El Paso Inc’s “Whispers” all this and we’re only one week old (4/22/12).  Even though Paul is adjusting to having a regular co-host, I’m blessed with the opportunity to learn how to host by my own show, working side by side with the BEST – Paul Strelzin. 

Stay tuned and tune in, it’s going to be a Borderland desert twister!!

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