About

It all started in 1999 when I bought the internet domain Landofenchantment.com.

This period of time was near the peak of the “.com” bubble, when owning the coolest internet domain(s) was all the craze. Amazingly, no one had yet scooped up the “.com” that bears the official logo of the state of New Mexico.

Over the years, what to do with Landofenchantment.com has been an ongoing conundrum for me. Then, in early 2020, I heard a discussion on a podcast that struck me. The conversation was about the role of myth and story in culture and society in general. This conversation sat with me for some time, until one day, the idea occurred to me: what about turning Landofenchantment.com into a site of stories about New Mexico?   

Stories Connect Us

As a photographer, I have spent years exploring New Mexico with my camera. I started to think about all of the stories I have from these experiences and from living here. Then, I began to share my idea with friends and acquaintances. As I did, something really interesting happened. I would learn fascinating things about the people in my life and their connection to New Mexico that I had never known before.

Through stories, we learn about our culture and the culture of our neighbors, as well as our history and geography. Regardless of age, cultural background, political beliefs, etc., what we all have in common is the place where we live. Stories become great connectors that transcend the normal way we relate to one another. We learn both the good and the bad. With the rich and diverse culture and history of New Mexico, there are a lot of stories to be told and a lot to learn about our home. The role stories have in culture plays a particularly important part in grounding us and reconnecting us to our place and to ourselves. A story not told, a story not recorded, not passed down, is a story lost.   ­­

The stories here will vary greatly, though they will all have some connection to New Mexico. There will be stories about the state’s history. Many stories will be short memoirs about a chapter in the author’s life. Some will be written by the storyteller themselves, not necessarily professional writers. Other stories will be written by professional writers. There will be an emphasis on stories about the visual and musical artists who bring so much life and color to our state. Some will be long, some short. All, hopefully, will leave you at least just a little more connected to this enchanting place we call home. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Seth Jacob