Alexis Hartz, Author

After staying a night at the Microtel Motel  in which I was over-charged and under-nourished, I continued down the road to Phoenix.       Minutes from my final destination I heard a thumping metallic sound, one loud enough to investigate.   Since I was stopped at the entrance to  McDowell Mountain Resort & Casino  I pulled in and slowly, carefully cruised into one of their large parking lots --- the very same large parking lot where they were hosting a high-end collector's car show.   Oh look at that photo! I had no idea how to even begin to fix that!  But several of the car dealers ( and their crews ) did, and quickly offered their help. Within minutes the rim was removed, and I was on the road in my car with instructions to return with 2 new rims and tires and a promise that the crew  would get me back on the road.  Now, I know that I have a God that takes care of all of my needs all of the time, but this was absolutely too good to be true.  Even a believ

I can see how people become alcoholics. This is my 6th day in my new location. New home. New job. New environment. Barely a town to around worth exploring. No friends.  No tv. No shopping. No new fiction to read. No lover. Just a cat. Yep.  I can see how someone could turn to drinking.  However, that’s not an option for me. My body just doesn’t tolerate alcohol. Never has. So, I have to find some other way to bridge this gap.  The gap?  You know, that time between endings and new beginnings. We all have them. The end of a relationship. The end of a job. The end of life for a loved one. So many times I haven’t noticed the gap because it’s been so full of drama, or cleaning up from the end, or the distractions created from the freedoms of the end that I’m into the new beginning before I’ve had a chance to even recognize what existed past the end. But this time I put myself in the gap on purpose.  Away from anything familiar so I could feel the ends and choose my beginnings, instead of fa