Angela Tarango

I’m a fast reader and once I’m in a book, I’m IN. And it goes by in this way for me that is immersive in my imagination: I see scenes and hear the characters talking and moving and it’s like I fell into some kind of portal. Audiobooks don’t do that for me. Or videos.

But Kara it’s still 96 degrees outside… why can’t we have nice things like temps in the 80s?!

One of my besties makes the most baller black bean dip. She always like “it’s easy to make” trying to share the recipe and stuff but I be like “no no it’s best from your hands.”

But much of the older part of my town (Whittier) was destroyed or badly damaged. We just didn’t know at the time and she joked with us and kept all the kids from freaking out and I think back now on how absolutely professional that woman was.

I took the bus in elementary school. I was on the bus waiting at a stop when we experienced a large earthquake- Whittier Narrows in ‘87. Our driver calmed everyone and took us to school. I never knew anything was really wrong at the time because she handled it so well.

I had the exact same thought this morning.

It’s that time of year in central Texas when everyone else is talking about the coming of “fall” and you steel your soul because you still have two more months of heat before it cools down in any meaningful way.

Having some autumnal envy. It was 101 for the later afternoon drive home. Sigh

For me it was History of Jazz which is in the same vein.

Those are the big names who do it broadly. If you want the people who specialize specifically on the Pentecostal side of Christian nationalism (currently majorly influential on this admin) I have a different list of names, so DM me.

@bradleyonishi.bsky.social is your man. He’s been doing it for a long time on his podcast Straight White American Jesus. Also @antheabutler.bsky.social and @kkdumez.bsky.social (I’m American religious historian so these are the big names in the field. They all are very busy people)

As someone who grew up there, lots of people think So Cal is one thing but the locals know it’s another. People are genuinely friendly. My 82 year old dad has neighbors who come and chat with him on the daily. Also make sure you eat all the different ethnic foods because that’s what we excel at.

History of Jazz. Loved it, and now whenever I hear jazz on the radio I feel like I at least know things about the style being played, instruments or musician.

The mainline Protestant breakfast tacos before services in the historic southwestern Latino Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches are something to behold (and yes I might be writing about the importance of food in congregations this way.)

I’m actually working on your mouse sampler! (The blue fabric is brighter and icier looking in person.)

That memorial got me. It hits hard. It’s so well done and it’s really, next to the Vietnam war memorial, an example of what a memorial should be. Also you get the sense of how in the middle of the city it was when it happened.

Well it’s official now, the email has gone out— I will be one of the Editors of Church History starting this summer. Brandon Bayne and I will be holding down all of the American Christianity section— for submissions related to ALL of the Americas. I’m really excited!

Young Gen x or “Oregon Trail” generation— we didn’t but my parents did earthquake drill me as a kid. Had to keep shoes near the bed at night, knew where to duck and cover and learned how to turn off gas to the house if I was home alone. Californian and my town got trashed in a quake in ‘87.

A tuxedo cat looking straight at the camera with a funny little smug frown on his face

I give you Lenny being a defiant lil bastard who mean mugged me after I told him to stop chasing his sister. He’s adorable AF even when acting like a toddler.

These are all so beautiful. I really like the poncho— did you use a pattern or did you free hand it?

Ooooh what is the name of the pattern? That is so lovely- your color choices are spot on

Oh I’m so sorry. So so sorry. Thinking of you and yours.

I’m so sorry, he was a big handsome fellow and now doubt, a good friend.

"An ambitious, thoughtful, personal, and much-needed work on how Diné have interacted with and embraced Mormonism and the complicated ways they navigate their own paths as Diné dóó Gáamallii." Review by @atarango1.bsky.social in Mormon Studies Review scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/msr/arti...

I learned how to navigate LA county with the Thomas Guide from the time I was about 10. When my mom had to take me with her in the period of meetings before the semester started in late summer my job was to listen to the radio, see if any freeways were backed up and re-route as needed.

Oh no don’t listen to that friend.
1. Text her
2. Be kind and forthcoming
3. Offer to make her really a good steak and see what happens

Kosher Dodger as a kid because I had a friend whose dad had regular tickets and they were Jewish so her pops would buy me a kosher Dodger when they would take me with. The Tijuana is also really good and artery clogging.

And threw some food out away from the campsite to lure it away. It worked. But yeah when they told me this I was like “why you go camping in Donner Pass?!” (It was the early 70s, before my time.)

Also my parents had a brown bear almost peel their camper open like a tin can in Donner Pass. As in my dad watched the claws dig through the metal as he held his gun and shouted for my my mom and brother to climb into the truck’s cab and run. Luckily another camper distracted the bear