Mike Watt's latest album, Hyphenated-Man, is not about the past. "It's kind of a meditation on me in middle age," he says.

PECOS—Every year at this time, school buses from across the state chug into Albuquerque. Their purpose is the New Mexico High School Basketball Championships. For Louis Sanchez, it’s a time of one regret-filled memory.

Kenneth Ellis III had a handgun in one hand and a cell phone in the other as he stared down the barrels of nearly a dozen guns wielded by police officers. He gripped a pistol tight against his right temple and waited for his mom to pick up.

We all knew fallen boxing idol Mike Tyson would end up on a reality show. It was inevitable. The only question was: Which one? An embarrassing turn on “Dancing With the Stars”? A rage-fueled meltdown on “Celebrity Apprentice”? Turns out we were all wrong. Who could have imagined Mike Tyson’s comeback would materialize in the form of a reality show on Animal Planet?

If you’re looking for a by-the-numbers revival psych band wearing paisley shirts and Cuban heels, don’t bother with The Shivas. If, however, you prefer a faithful ’60s sound taken to the next level, look no further. The Shivas is what you seek. Like the Hindu deity for which the band is named, this group is the Destroyer. That is, destruction in its highest form: transformation.

The economy is in bad shape. Collective bargaining is under attack. Unemployment is high. The country appears to be headed for another Great Depression.

Marjorie Neset is a self-described "obsessive traveler and geographer." In 2008, a research grant landed her in Maputo, Mozambique, to investigate the local dance scene. There she connected with Panaibra Gabriel Canda—one of the country's foremost dance figures. A few weekends ago, Neset found herself on an 800-mile road trip from Los Angeles to Albuquerque, delivering Canda and his guitarist, Jorge Domingos, to the 11th annual installation of Global DanceFest.

Brad Brown grew up in a family that made a tradition of giving. Two years ago, a Martineztown neighbor arrived at his door with a pair of shoes to sell: The man needed the money to buy food for his family. Brown’s concern took immediate form when he gave his partner, Mike Griego, a birthday present—a Roadrunner Food Bank mobile pantry in Martineztown. A seedling fund of $100 got it started, and it’s since become a community commitment.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Dear Mr. Astrologer: Like the god Prometheus, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to people who sometimes make awful use of it. As punishment, the gods chained me to a rock on the beach, and arranged for an eagle to come daily to eat my liver. Luckily, the liver grows back every night. Unluckily, the eagle always returns to devour it again. I'm used to it by now; it doesn't hurt as much as it once did. But I'm still eager to get out of my predicament. Any suggestions? Aries in Limbo." Dear Aries: Your rescue is scheduled for no later than your birthday, possibly before. In the meantime, the best thing you can do to prepare for your release is to feel gratitude for all you've learned during your ordeal.