Appoint Yourself As The "Armchair Mayor" Of Your City... Then Tell Us Why We Should Vote For YOU!

Phoenix, Arizona is the largest metropolitan city in the Sonoran Desert, which is the only place where the famous Saguaro Cactus grows in the wild. The Sonoran Desert averages 3 to 15 inches of rain per year, making it the wettest desert in the world!

It may be the wettest in the world, but desert living requires some major adjustments for people, automobiles, animals and city engineers.

Increased water intake, adequate cooling systems, and stringent emergency measures all require forethought, daily implementation and perioidic maintenance measures. 

Join me on the journey through Phoenix to learn more about the pleasures; and perils of desert living!

This beautiful oasis at the Phoenix Zoo offers a cool resting place during hot summer outings at the zoo.

Welcome to Phoenix, Arizona
We're delighted you have chosen to spend some time with us. Our fair city is filled with a veritable feast of cultural diversity.

I invite you to journey with me as I continue to build the online tour of our town, and learn more about the beauties of the Valley of the Sun.

We're glad you're here!

Mayor Gordon lists his top three priorities for Phoenix as Public Safety, Education and Jobs.

His record includes the Light Rail, ASU Downtown, two new downtown hotels, expansion of the Phoenix Convention Center and the passage of an $878 million bond program.

Visit his website to learn more about Mayor Gordon.

Welcome to the Squid-Zipper Project

Now, with the help of the Squid Zipper, you can appoint yourself as the "Armchair Mayor" of your local zip code.

Are you as passionate about your local community as I am? There's a lot of work that needs to be done in our nation, and together we can change our country for good... one zip code at a time!

My neighborhood is Phoenix, Arizona; and I'm proud to be a transplanted citizen. Yes, I'm still a melting Buckeye, but I doubt that I will ever adapt to being outdoors in the scorchingly hot, desert summers...

So, when it's hot outside, I head for indoor entertainment. Our city is filled with enough activities and adventure to keep a Buckeye inside for the entire summer!

Do you think you can "govern" your zip code from the comfort of your computer chair? Let's find out!

Just follow the link to build your very own Squid-Zipper lens, and appoint yourself as the "Armchair Mayor" of your fair city. If you dream of changing the world for good, won't you join me? There is much suffering taking place in our country, and there's much work to be done!

As the "Armchair Mayor" of Phoenix, please allow me to be the first to welcome you to our fair city!

I have fallen in love with my new home, and hope that you will enjoy your visit as much as I am enjoying life in the Valley of the Sun.

It's extremely hot in the summer; but the winters and mild and wonderful!

There are approximately 3.2 million things to see and do in Phoenix, so stay tuned to the Visitor's Center for all the latest news and events in Phoenix, Arizona!

In a metropolis 4,000,000 plus, it's easy to feel overwhelmed when you're trying to follow directions!

If you know the layout of the city, navigating the huge volume of traffic is an easier task.

The city is laid out on a grid with a central reference point. You will find the streets on the east side; and avenues on the west side. Named streets run north and south, with a few variations to allow for circum-navigating a mountain or two!

It's a really clever design that makes daily driving in the city a much easier task!

A safety warning for drivers who are new to the city:
Beware of jaywalkers!

Pedestrians in Phoenix are notorious for crossing 6 lanes of traffic, and NOT at the traffic lights!

It's not uncommon to see parents pushing their infants and toddlers in strollers as they cross our extremely busy streets.

I find this practice to be completely appalling, but it a sad reality in our city! The dangers are apparent, so please be on the lookout when you are driving the streets of Phoenix and the surrounding areas.

Saguaro Cactus (c) 2007 All rights reserved

Homelessness is my passion because of my personal experience with it!

I am happy to tell you that the experience is behind me, but I am grateful for the knowledge and insight I have gained from my great mis-adventure. It was one of the hardest challenges I've ever endured, but I intend to glean the experience for every nugget of wisdom I can capture!

I intend to spend the rest of my life advocating for others who are still facing this most devastating life circumstance.

Clara (c) All Rights Reserved
Clara is made from a pair of sweatpants I was given while I was "living" in a homeless shelter. Her name is short for Clarity, because that's the real treasure that was uncovered during my experience of living life with no place to call home.

My goal is to assemble a Virtual Council of Armchair Mayors whose passion to help create social change in America is as deep, and intense as my own. I have several projects in process, and would love for you to join me as I continue to define and refine those projects.

Do you care about the weightier issues that our country is facing? Squidoo provides the platform for us to establish ourselves as the resident expert at whatever it is that we are the resident expert. In my case, my experience with homelessness is yet another opportunity for me to engage in my love for creative writing.

I believe communication is critical to solving our darkest social concerns, and I believe that social networking can become a priceless weapon in the war on poverty, homelessness and ever escalating numbers of incarcerated, addicted and broken-hearted.

We CAN make a difference, and I'm asking you to vote for me as one of the voices of clarity in the war on homelessness in America. We'll start with the United States, and as we heal, we will branch out to help address this issue for our global neighbors. You see, I believe my dark life experiences have all been founded in the plans and purposes that God designed specifically for me.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

A long dark road that leads to a glorious rainbow is a plan I can live with... if the twists and turns of your life have left you floundering, I invite you to consider the possiblity that God also has a good plan in mind for your life. You might experience a few bumps and bruises along the way, but believe me... God's Good Plan is an adventure in living that you won't want to miss!