Editor's Note

Cheers, it’s Monsoon

As I'm writing this week's Editor's Note, there's a great rain outside, and we are almost at the finish line with what we call a hell week around the office. Usually we get the paper off to press by the end of the day on Monday, but the office is closed for Fourth of July.

That means we work on getting several papers out earlier. Yes, the week lives up to its name and we feel like we earn that three-day weekend.

It also happens to be my birthday, so at the end of hell week I was greeted with lots of birthday fun on my desk, reminding me that I'm lucky to even have a hell week and these wonderful people to share it with. The beginning of July has always had special meaning to me, besides my birthday. It's when eeggee's introduces the best flavor of the month—watermelon. This isn't up for debate.

It's also the beginning of my favorite time of year—monsoon. I love the powerful rain and the smell of creosote as the desert gets drenched. I also like having a logical reason to eat raspados as often as possible. And sometimes, I need to be reminded why I love this city. Just like you sometimes need to take trips with those you love most to reconnect, I look at the beginning of July like a new year and monsoon is a much-needed balm to ease a sometimes-aching heart.

So I have some birthday wishes: Tucson, I wish you love, so much that by this time next year it would be great if we could be considered the Western city of brotherly, sisterly-deserty love.

I wish you some solid community organizing skills to change unjust policies. And I wish you good health and walks up Tumamoc, and yes, time to reconnect with your family and those you hold close. In the end, in this beautiful gravel-lot city of ours, it's all we have. I'm just glad monsoon arrives just in time to remind me.

— Mari Herreras, mherreras@tucsonweekly.com