Planet JH 12.14.16

JACKSON HOLE’S ALTERNATIVE VOICE | PLANETJH.COM | DECEMBER 14-20, 2016

Under the Puffy Coat

Exploring the sex lives of locals in a ski town.

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2 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

Elizabeth Kingwill,

MA/LPC

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Counseling:

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OLD TIME PACK TRIPS ON HORSEBACK: THE WONDER AND ADVENTURE, by Doris Platts. Hand-lettered in the author’s traditional style, with full color photos, this was her final contribution to the valley she loved, completed just before her death in 2015.

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JACKSON HOLE'S ALTERNATIVE VOICE

VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 49 | DECEMBER 14-20, 2016

13 COVER STORY UNDER THE PUFFY COAT Exploring the sex lives of locals in a ski town.

Cover photo illustration by Cait Lee

4 OPINION

20 CREATIVE PEAKS

6 REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

22 FREE SPEECH 24 IMBIBE

8-12 THE BUZZ

30 SATIRE

18 MUSIC BOX

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December 14-20, 2016

By Meteorologist Jim Woodmencey The first two weeks of December was like being on a weather roller-coaster ride. The month began with dry weather and seasonable temperatures. Followed by a good dump of snow, with 7 inches in town and 17 inches in the mountains on December 4th.

Then it got cold, like Arctic cold. Followed by a warm-up and then another dump of snow, with around 6 inches in town and two feet in the mountains this past weekend.

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Overnight low temperatures so far this December have gone like this: On December 4th, the low in town was 21-degrees, above zero. On December 6th it was 21-degrees, below zero. That’s a forty-two degree temperature drop, in two days, then, the thermometer bottomed-out at 24-below zero on the morning of December 8th. By December 12th, it had climbed all the way back up to 20-degrees above zero for the morning low in town. That was a forty-four degree change in four days.

Afternoon high temperatures were also up and down, hitting a high on December 4th of 31-degrees, dropping to a high of only 4-degrees two days later on December 6th. It warmed up to a high of 37-degrees by Saturday December 10th, marking a thirty-three degree improvement within four-days. Comparing the lowest low, of minus 24-degrees on December 8th, and the highest high, of 37-degrees on December 10th, that translates to a 61-degree temperature rise in just two days.

NORMAL HIGH 28 NORMAL LOW 6 RECORD HIGH IN 1921 59 RECORD LOW IN 1972 -33

THIS MONTH AVERAGE PRECIPITATION: 1.5 inches RECORD PRECIPITATION: 5.9 inches (1964) AVERAGE SNOWFALL: 17 inches RECORD SNOWFALL: 47.5 inches

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DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 3

Jim has been forecasting the weather here for more than 20 years. You can find more Jackson Hole Weather information at www.mountainweather.com

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4 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

GUEST OPINION The Right Side of History It’s time to be brave, to speak out, and to take a good hard look at ourselves and what we can accomplish together.

BY JOSI STEPHENS

JESSICA SELL CHAMBERS PHOTO

I

was living in downtown Oakland California when Barack Obama won his first presidency. Sitting at my computer, hitting refresh every few minutes, I waited for the inconceivable to happen. Would a black man really sit in the most important of chairs? Would he put his coffee on the most hallowed of desks? Would a black hand hold the pen that had the power to change the world with its ink?

I didn’t need to look at the computer screen to know when the results came in. I felt it. The vibration in the air built slowly into a wild frenzy, the streets filled up with hooting and hollering revelers. The town levitated.

I have never in my life experienced the energy of an entire city in a state of joy. It was unbelievable. It was victory for a community of people that had never won, had never looked at a man of power and seen their own reflection in his determined but weary face. I will never forget what the streets of Oakland gave to me that night.

The memory has and will continue to sustain me in times of confusion and loss. It is what held my head up in November when people voted with hatred and fear, not heart. It is what moves my feet forward when the road ahead is dimly lit, and it gives me precious hope today as my country does its damnedest to rip itself apart, limb from limb. I have seen how powerful we can be when united, what we are capable of when our arms are linked and our hearts are sure.

Over the past year I had removed a certain type of person from my life. I unfollowed, unfriended and divorced myself from the people that started showing signs of support for President-elect Donald Trump and those like him. Rather than engaging in discourse (however heated) with those who posted or said the frightening crap that is now commonplace, I just cut them out.

In hindsight, this was a terrible mistake. I stood on the tracks and refused to look in the direction of the coming trains, somehow thinking that kindhearted truth would prevail. What I didn’t know was that truth had become so fluid, murky and fleeting, like the smoke from a trash fire.

I was not the only one that allowed the election results to take me by surprise. I sat smugly in the echo chamber of my curated life, so sure that ignorance wouldn’t win. And I was wrong. Not just concerning what was about to come but that those who facilitated it were willfully ignorant or nasty.

Yes, the loud and hateful few that push the agenda of the “alt-right,” a white nationalist movement, and its yucky counterparts are comfortably ignorant. That is a fact. And damn nasty to boot. But other folks supported Trump because they could see no other way. Just like the people of 2008 in Oakland, the disenfranchised, poverty stricken Americans, who felt so removed from the shiny

The sustained and collective efforts of water protectors at Standing Rock ultimately halted the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline... for now. prosperity that everyone but them seemed to enjoy.

Is it really that surprising that a reality television star could appeal to so many? He speaks many Americans’ language, plays on people’s fears, offering that quick unbelievable fix that some crave. The demographic that supports Trump is largely poor and uneducated—two things that when put together equal desperate circumstances.

It is a twisted and strange thing to me, this elevating of such a crass and obvious liar. But when all the cards are laid out, I understand how it happened. When quicksand is slowly swallowing one’s life, it is hard to blame the person who takes a hand from the devil. Choices that are made in desperation tend to be ill-informed.

Albert Einstein once said, “An empty stomach is not a good political adviser.”

There are many ways to go hungry in America.

As Trump continues to populate his White House with crooks, goons and oddities, each one ranker than the last, we the people hold our breath. Even some of his staunch supporters look on with confused expressions.

America has become the most watched reality television show ever, all of us waiting to see who gets voted off the island. We’ve been punked. We’ve been slimed. We are a laughing stock. What on God’s green earth do we do now?

The only thing that America has ever had in spades is foolish pride. So let us use it now. Let us take pride in our land, the vast stretching glory of northern America proper.

There are immediate battles that can be fought by us here and now. Some have watched and some have participated in the stand off against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Most recently 500 veterans were called to create a human barrier between police and water protectors. Two thousand showed up and within a day POTUS handed down what I think of as a stay after months of peaceful resistance.

Information continues to surface concerning the ETP’s plan on ignoring the ruling but in the meantime, victory.

How sad it is that we have to fight so hard to wrest American soil from such bloody, greedy hands. But we

did and we will, together. Standing Rock is proof positive that when people unite for a cause they can achieve the seemingly impossible. There is power in small groups with pride, however foolish, in our country.

Whether we like it or not, our eyes are open now. We see how our flyover states have been ignored, how we have stopped truly seeing the people around us, the needy, the uneducated. If for some reason you don’t see how we got here, then I suggest taking some time to ponder this. We owe each other that much. It is our great privilege to be citizens in a country that baked the pursuit of happiness into its Constitution. A part of that right is responsibility to the country as a whole, not just the entitled parts. We failed at that but we are not beyond saving.

I look around me and I see peaceful protests, people standing up against hate and bigotry. I see women protecting other women from harassment and assault. I see good men doing their part in this battle as well. I see the hard war on black lives coming under the spotlight.

And for the first time in so very long, I see people not looking the other way. It’s not perfect, it still needs so much work, but we the people can drop the foolish part and feel the pride alone. The kind of pride that comes from participating, from helping, from understanding and most importantly, from forging unity where there was none. I felt so frustrated, so lost in all of this until I forced myself into action. There are so many things we can do when we work together, be it locally, globally or somewhere in between. We are powerful when we unite.

Let’s take comfort in that. Let’s get to work. Let’s fill the streets with the energy of love and the pride of a people together as one. I promise you, it will feel damn good. PJH

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of this newspaper.

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DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 5

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6 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK Return to Chaos Why I packed up all my things and left Jackson Hole.

BY NATOSHA HODUSKI @natoshahoduski

NATOSHA HODUSKI PHOTO

W

alking on the pebbled shore of Chios, I am distracted by the cold. My toes curl around the rocks, pant legs rolled up around my ankles as I step into the Aegean Sea. Some of the people I love best in the world came from there, and my eyes scan the Turkish coast with its rock-hewn cliffs and low-hanging clouds, wondering how many people its shores will still release to us. The wind picks up, and I can’t help but notice that it’s a very different kind of cold than the Jackson Hole winters I’ve become so accustomed to.

The Greek island of Chios is part desert, part anecdote on the changing economic structure of a once great empire. The cold becomes more intense because it has nothing to do with the temperature.

The refugees that have been stockpiled in Souda Camp on Chios are realizing more and more everyday that this is a nightmare with no end in sight, as we try to finish “winterizing” the camp. For now, they are stuck here in small containers, with limited access to food and health care, no work, no forward motion. We do what we can to help them dust off the sediment of permanence.

I hadn’t intended to come back to Chios. I left in the middle of November to head back to Jackson because the shoulder season was over. It was time to go back to my regularly scheduled life.

But when I flew home it was on the heels of a tragedy in Souda. The night I left, a Greek white supremacist group, Golden Dawn, attacked the camp. They fired Molotov cocktails and stones down on the crude dwellings that about 850 refugees call home.

More than 60 people were arrested (all volunteers and refugees–not a single member of the Golden Dawn party), three refugees were placed in ICU, and hundreds spent the next week homeless and freezing on the icy shores.

I video chatted with several of my friends on the island while it was happening. They were cold, huddled in shoddy blankets on the shoreline. This exact sort of violence is why they fled their homelands. One of the worst things was how calm so many of them looked, unfazed

The tents that Syrian refugees call home on the Greek island of Chios. even. As though their last belongings were not burning in Kristallnacht style behind them.

Back in the U.S., a constant stream of messages and photos of the situation haunted me. The most troubling was a text I got from one of my friends who had been thrown in prison. “Natosha,” it read, “I lose hope. I do not believe I will know happiness in my life.”

Khaled is in a prison in Athens right now without charge. He has been there almost a month since the attacks on November 17. He has no rights, no representation, no mobility, no court date even. He is just left to wait.

Peel back the veneer of just about any soul, and you will find an unspoken ache waiting to be named. In Souda, there is no veneer. The wounds are in the shape of red, layered scars and the chaos of broken hearts.

Recently I spent two days living in a friend’s guest room when I returned to Jackson, barely registering that I had made it back to my favorite mountains. Life was just as I had left it at the beginning of October, but somehow returning to it made me feel like a stranger. I constantly woke up in the middle of the night with fists clenched.

Because I knew, for God’s sake, I couldn’t listen to one more billionaire bitch about the quality of his dogsled ride

at the high end hotel where I was working. Because for one moment I had known real suffering.

Jesus, I wanted to shake people. Don’t you know I have held the hand of that orphan who made me believe in souls again, because his is so broken? And there was no way to explain it—not in a way that made anyone believe Khaled was worth saving, or even worth five extra minutes of their time—because the Broncos were on, and he wasn’t as real as football.

I literally ached for that little island with its toilet-paper-incapable sewage systems and its mad-hatter drivers.

I missed the tangible relief that we could offer when there was never a blanket big enough to cover all the suffering.

So, suddenly, impulsively, I was packing up everything I owned, driving 1,300 miles across the country to drop it all off at my parents’ house before jumping on a plane back to Chios.

And now, here I am back on that island with the UNHCR tents always in my periphery. The grooves of this rocky shore feel like my fingerprints, and not one laugh is taken for granted. PJH

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THE BUZZ Sheltering JH Renters Will tenant protections move the needle on the valley’s historic housing crisis?

BY JESSICA SELL CHAMBERS

J

ackson Hole’s housing woes are plentiful. However, members of the housing advocacy group Shelter JH see a way to start tackling what some view as the impossible. Though there may be a battle ahead to implement tenant protections, they could help temper a housing crisis that continues to force more and more people out of the valley.

Having canvassed in Jackson neighborhoods in the early fall, Shelter JH organizers reported an overwhelming response from folks asking for renter protections.

A Shelter JH participant who preferred to remain anonymous said he heard stories of tenant mistreatment.

One person in a month-to-month rental recounted a landlord unwilling to fix her heat in November. The tenants could not afford to pay for both the repair and rent.

“Without a lease they felt vulnerable, and they had no course of action to take to fix the problem. This sort of unbalanced relationship between landlords and tenants is causing serious issues in a place like this, where moving is not always an option,” the Shelter JH canvasser noted.

An attorney in the group researched possible solutions. On November 18, the Jackson Town Council received a letter from Shelter JH. It recommended the council examine six tenant protection ordinance measures: notice requirements, maintaining a level of habitability and repair, non-discrimination and fair housing, non-retaliation against tenants seeking protection, standard lease content, and rent stabilization. At a council workshop on November 21, councilors advised town attorney Audrey Cohen Davis to research the suggestions further.

Shelter JH policy chair Christine Walker signed the letter to the council. Walker, former executive director of the Teton County Housing Authority, believes “the easiest ordinance to pass is requiring landlords give adequate notice” before evicting a tenant, not renewing a lease, or for a rent increase.

The habitability issue, requiring landlords to ensure a minimum standard of livability, such as working heat

and appliances, “may be easy to pass but complicated to regulate,” she noted.

Implementing such a measure would likely take hiring someone to oversee the process or mandating another office, such as the inspection department, to conduct inspections for rental health and safety.

In order to do that, the town will have to embark on a likely long and arduous process of detailing inspection parameters.

Walker suggested the road ahead requires dialogue and education.

“A good first step would be to educate landlords and offer tools to improve their units, offer assistance with leases,” she said. “A landlord might not be aware of situations they’re putting their renters in.”

The hardest area to gain traction, she noted, would be a rent stabilization measure. But she cautioned it would be used only to prevent egregious rent hikes, like the 40 percent rent increase at Blair Apartments in summer 2015.

Mayor-elect Pete Muldoon was an early organizer of Shelter JH. During the election he was vocal about the need for tenant protections. Muldoon was quick to point out Jackson has never had a “free market” in housing. He cited the need for protections because renters are currently at a disadvantage and “can’t take their business elsewhere.” He stressed the importance of avoiding unforeseen consequences with future protective ordinances.

“We need to figure out the details, and make sure we’re not doing more harm than good,” he said.

Councilman Jim Stanford was unable to attend the November 21 workshop when Shelter JH’s suggestions were discussed, but he says he is “hopeful the full council will be able to effectively address the issue after the new year” and find fair tenant protections. He said he read some good input from community members regarding tenant protections but is hesitant to weigh in until the staff returns with answers on legality of the measures.

Stanford and Councilman Bob Lenz had both asked that tenant protections be added to the council agenda back in May when they were informed about the Virginian Apartment evictions. There had also been reports at the apartments of tenants doing their own repairs.

Lenz highlighted the need to talk about protections for displaced residents in the case of new developments. Multiple homes on a lot that formerly housed six people replaced by homes that house a fraction of the people is problematic, Lenz said, especially when those former occupants aren’t given enough time to find new housing.

He said it’s worth talking about tenant protections especially in Jackson’s intense and limited rental market. When asked about tenants who have to make their own repairs or leave, Lenz said, “You can

always move out.” He then paused, seemingly aware that such a response begs the same question of where to go next.

For Councilman Don Frank, ensuring all stakeholders are in a conversation about renter protections is paramount. He is waiting for town and county legal staff to explore renter protections and precedents, but he is also cognizant of potential issues. Frank says he wants to be fair.

“Rising labor, materials and cost of living everywhere impacts both tenant capacity to match housing resources with income,” he said. “Similarly, landlords face increases in goods, services and maintenance burdens.”

Councilwoman Hailey MortonLevinson did not respond to a request for comment via phone and email.

Grand Teton Property Management oversees properties throughout Jackson Hole. Owner Christina Korpi is licensed and regulated by the Wyoming Real Estate Commission, as well as federal fair housing laws, in order to manage and lease properties owned by others.

GTPM already uses general guidelines and uniform practices for leasing and habitability that provide for equitable and fair processes. Some of these rules apply to private property owners and others do not.

Korpi said she is bound by law to provide leases and other such contractual measures and local ordinances would not change much for her business. She was uncertain how new ordinances would affect private citizens. However, she stressed: “Leases are just smart.”

Implementing tenant protections is likely to have some opposition in the valley. But some of the likely foes were not totally anti-renter protection.

Jackson Hole Tea Party’s new executive director Kerry Winterer says he too believes the way forward would be through extensive dialogue. Guided by the principles of free enterprise and limited government, Winterer said JHTP could likely support a non-discrimination measure or

any other measure that didn’t tread on property rights. Rent stabilization, or giving a tenant the right over an owner to extend a lease, he said, was questionable.

Organizations like Shelter JH, Winterer said, are well intentioned, but he fears they are not fully thinking things through. He expressed concern with the unintended consequences of some of the protective measures, a view also shared by some members of Shelter JH. “Just because the town can pass an ordinance doesn’t mean they should,” he said.

When asked about local businesses suffering due to housing insecurity issues, Winterer suggested landlords and business owners sit down to problem solve between themselves.

There have been several vocal opponents to perceived expansion of local government. One of the more prominent groups is Save Historic Jackson Hole.

However, even SHJH is alarmed by news of some local rental practices.

SHJH’s Jake Nichols stated in an email that the organization is generally opposed to renter protections and they feel state statutes offer enough protection for both owners and renters.

However, SHJH is troubled by isolated incidents of unfair evictions, subpar, unhealthy or unsafe living conditions, or fear of retaliation for repair requests.

Nichols reminded that landlords can be “victims of inconsiderate renters who bolt from their agreements or cause damage to property that is ultimately the owner’s responsibility.” A lease is beneficial for all parties, he added, and rental caps are acceptable for government subsidized and government provided housing.

Town attorney Cohen-Davis declined to comment until her office formally presents information at a scheduled town council workshop on February 21, 2017. PJH SEND COMMENTS TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM

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DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 9

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

10 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

THE BUZZ 2 Us vs. Them How some Wyomingites are working to break cultural stigmas and setting an example for other towns in the Cowboy State.

BY SARAH ROSS

W

hat do people lose when they immigrate to new places?

Leah Vader has lived in Gillette for 20 years, where she’s worked as a wildlife biologist, environmental educator, and interpretive guide. Vader’s maternal lineage is German, but besides “some German words and recipes,” few remnants of this history remain.

Last week Vader participated in the Gillette event, “Welcoming the Neighbor: The Stories We Share,” focused on part of the Wyoming populace often underrepresented: “the other.”

In the only state in the nation that does not have a refugee resettlement program, events like these hold special weight. Gillette also happens to be the Wyoming town where an anti-Muslim group formed in response to the construction of a mosque. The group held a Quran burning in August.

Legacy of ‘other’ Before talking about “the other,” the two dozen or so attendees were asked to reflect on their own histories.

Each person was given identity cards and prejudice cards. “The prejudice card might say something like ‘your kid is being harassed in school for speaking Yiddish.’ And the identity card might have something about a family tradition,” explained co-organizer AJ Bush, a pastor at First United Methodist Church of Gillette.

At different checkpoints, participants had to give up an identity card in order to lose a prejudice card. “This is the process of becoming white,” Bush said. “European Americans had to lose an individual sense of identity to become a white group. There is a sense of loss of cultural identity in that assimilation.”

At the event, Vader reported that one person said she’d heard that “immigration without assimilation is invasion.”

Vader said it is those beliefs that demonstrate the need for these conversations. “We need to look in the mirror and understand how this language demonizes new arrivals to the country just as each wave has been demonized before.”

Wyoming’s past and present fears For German immigrants in the U.S., such as Vader’s family, assimilation—which allows for the possibility to forget history—did not always happen. In 1755, Benjamin Franklin lamented the Germanization of Pennsylvania.

The “aliens” refused to learn English, and unlike the proper white “complexion of the English,” Russians, Swedes, and Germans were “of a swarthy complexion.”

An anti-German sentiment was renewed during the First World War. According to Frank Van Nuys, a professor who has taught at University of Wyoming, those with German heritage in Wyoming were harassed and arrested by “vigilance communities” supposedly curbing

anti-American activity.

Grace Raymond Hebard, an expert in the “Americanization” of immigrants, taught dozens of transplants the language, customs, and history of their new home. However, her work often tipped into xenophobia.

“There is no such thing as an American-German,” she said in 1921 to a group in Cheyenne. “Either they are for us or against us and they cannot be both.”

She also deemed those from southwest Europe “less educated, not skilled in industry, impoverished and lacking in ambition.”

Today, fear of difference is reflected in the language used by Wyoming politicos. After last year’s Paris terrorist attacks, Governor Matt Mead called on President Obama not to accept refugees. His press release stated that no one “should have to endure the threat of terrorists entering our borders.”

Equating refugees with terrorists is a dangerous and inaccurate conflation, warned Suzan Pritchett, an attorney and professor at University of Wyoming.

Of the 859,629 refugees resettled in the U.S. since 2001, three have been convicted of planning terrorist attacks on targets outside of the United States and none were successful. Pritchett writes that the fear of difference can be used to justify human rights abuses.

History demonstrates this.

In 1939, the U.S. turned away a ship filled with Jewish refugees, and in 1942, 100,000 Japanese Americans were detained in internment camps. Fourteen thousand of those were at Heart Mountain in Wyoming.

Fear of difference incited the 1885 Rock Springs Massacre of 28 Chinese miners. As reported by the Wyoming State Historical Society, 150 white miners surrounded Rock Springs’ Chinatown, burning down 79 buildings and injuring 15. Though they were immigrants from Ireland, the Netherlands, and England, they felt Chinese immigrants were taking their jobs. When the governor met with the white miners, they demanded that no Chinese workers be allowed in Rock Springs again, and that no white miner be arrested. Chinese workers were blocked from entering the mines, unable to buy food at stores, and not given back wages. Most were forced out of town. No charges were filed against the killers.

Prejudice still takes form in Wyoming. Vader’s wife works in the coal mines around Gillette, and has heard “the n-word and racist jokes on a persistent basis,” and has seen “KKK” scratched into the walls of a portapotty at work.

Fear of the other may be preventing Wyoming from responding to a current day humanitarian crisis as a new wave of terror hits Aleppo, Syria. In the last few days, President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces have nearly reclaimed the entire city, leaving ruin in their wake. Mohammad Abu Rajab, a doctor in Aleppo, said in a voice message to The Guardian, “Aleppo is being destroyed and burned completely. This is a final distress call to the world. Save the lives of the children and women and old men. Save them. Nobody is left. You might not hear our voice after this. It is the last call, the last call to every free person in this world.”

‘We are afraid of what looks different’ Bertine Bahige, a math teacher in Gillette, was a Congolese child soldier for two years before escaping to a refugee camp. Arriving to Wyoming more than a decade ago, he’s asked government officials why there isn’t a refugee resettlement program and advocated for creating a center for refugees. His activism has been met with

resistance.

“It’s been a rough few years,” Bahige said during a refugee and immigration policy panel held earlier this year at Heart Mountain.

Bahige says he is scared to open his email. “The conversation has soured into intimidation and death threats.”

His supervisor has received calls from people advocating for his departure. “I’m not trying to change Wyoming, it gave me home, it gave me hope for my kids,” he said, but “I want my daughter to grow up in a community that says it’s OK to be different.”

Bahige says the conversation about refugees has unearthed something in Wyoming’s culture. “We are afraid of what looks different. What about us makes it hard to look at what is different and uncomfortable?”

Tom Reeder, a state representative from Casper, co-sponsored legislation that would have approved a refugee resettlement plan. It passed in the Wyoming House but failed in the Senate.

He says he continues to receive 300 to 600 emails a day from people who oppose the program.

At “Welcoming the Neighbor,” the conversation was around embracing difference through self-knowledge.

“People may not have day-to-day experiences with those who are different, but if I can look back and see that in some point in my history, my family was ‘other,’ that becomes a bridge of empathy for those around me who are different,” explained co-organizer Samantha Gupta, a Unitarian Universalist community minister and scholar of ecological psychology.

Part of this self-knowledge can be painful for some. It can bring up feelings of guilt and anger. “If you are curious,” Bush said, “you’re going to find things out, and the things we find aren’t always happy, and then we retreat.”

It is in community that we are harmed, and in community that we will heal, Gupta said.

Bahige might agree. “The most important thing we can do is have honest conversations, we need to break the barriers” and end the rhetoric of “those people over there,” he said.

Language that dehumanizes the other, that labels all refugees or immigrants as criminal or dangerous, justifies their harm.

There are times Bahige says he wonders why he opened his mouth. “I could have been a great math teacher and no one would know about my past. At the same time, that’s not truly who I am,” he said. “My past made me who I am today. It helped me be a great teacher; it makes me say I came from the worst place and if I can do it you can. So let’s have that honest conversation.”

Participants in “Welcoming the Neighbor” had conversations that parallel Bahige’s call. By exploring their own histories, they learned more about how they became who they are, and how they can move forward.

“It was such a relief,” Vader said, to have rare space for sharing, going out of comfort zones. “Everyone had some sort of experience with hate or harm.”

Gupta hopes events like these can continue in Gillette and across the state, helping people build compassion for themselves and others to move into action.

It’s not about guilt, fear, or anger, she said. It’s “how can you become more fully human? How can you enter into more authentic relationship with yourself, your history, your family, and your community?” PJH

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Ecret-Say Ode-Kay

NEWS

By CHUCK SHEPHERD

n Another animal survives with mouth-tomouth: In November, an 18-year-old man who allegedly tried to steal koi carp fish from a holding tank (pending their return to a pond at Castle Park in Colchester, England) botched the job, resulting in the deaths of most of them, including some of the oldest and most visitor-friendly of the species. Park rangers managed to rescue several, and one ranger even gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to three carp. (A biologist told BBC News that carp are noted for surviving on low oxygen and might not have needed the mouth-to-mouth.)

OF THE

American gangsters traditionally use euphemisms and nicknames (“Chin,” “The Nose”) to disguise criminal activities, but among details revealed at a November murder trial in Sydney, Australia, w a s that members of the “Brothers 4 Life” gang might have used “pig latin.” In a phone-tapped conversation played in court, one of the men on trial was overheard cunningly telling a henchman that a colleague had been “caught with the un-gay in the ar-kay.” A helpful witness then took the stand to explain to the jury that the defendant thus knew there was “a gun in the car.” At press time, the trial was still in progress.

WEIRD

Recurring Themes (recent incidents that are not “firsts”)

An “academic” paper composed entirely of gibberish was accepted for a lecture at the International Conference on Atomic and Nuclear Physics in Atlanta last month. Prof. Christoph Bartneck of New Zealand’s University of Canterbury said he began writing (using Apple iOS) by entering “atomic” and “nuclear” into his tablet and “randomly” following whatever “autocomplete” suggestions emerged. (Sample sentence: “The atoms of a better universe will have the right for the same as you are the way we shall have to be a great place…” Conclusion: “Power is not a great place for a good time.”) n Divorcing couples who cannot decide who gets to keep a treasured family home leave the decision to a judge, and in October, a court in Moscow ordered a couple to build a brick wall dividing in two their expensive house in an elite neighborhood. Apparently contractors’ measurements have been taken, and the couple has assumed dominion over their respective areas, even to the extent that a friend of the wife had become “trapped” on the husband’s side and prevented from leaving until she called emergency services.

Furthermore, the wife must have a second stairway built, as the existing one is on the husband’s side. n Jacques Rouschop, 44, went to trial in October in Ottawa, Ontario, denying that he had raped two sex workers—which he said was physically impossible because at the time he, at 5-foot-6, weighed 400 lbs., had a 66-inch waist, and a two-inch-long penis (erect), plus a painful hernia. He was not asked to “flash” the jury, but an examining nurse verified the details.

(Despite the lack of DNA evidence, video or a rape kit, Rouschop was convicted.)

n The debate over whether animals have “rights” enforceable by judges took a sharp turn upward in November when a judge in Argentina ordered the reluctant Mendoza Zoo to release a chimpanzee (Cecilia) to a sanctuary in Brazil because the zoo had denied her the “right” to animal “essence”—to socialize with other chimps (since her last two playmates had died more than two years earlier). Mendoza Zoo was heavily criticized following the death last summer of Arturo, dubbed the “world’s saddest polar bear,” since he had suffered an even worse fate, with no playmates for 22 years. n These days, body orifices seem hardly more unusual as storage areas for contraband than one’s shirt pocket, but it was news in Fort Pierce, Fla., in October when police said that Rosalia Garcia, 28, badly failed at handling glass crack pipes. Officers were called to a domestic fight in which Garcia’s boyfriend accused her of slashing him with her crack pipe, and later, while being booked on the charge, she told police she had another crack pipe in her genitals. Then, in front of an officer, she accidentally cut herself on the pipe as she removed it. n In America, tens of thousands of pedestrians are hit by cars every year, but rare is the driver who runs over himself. Periodically, News of the Weird updates readers: In October in Orlando, William Edwards, 28, leaving the Dancer’s Royale strip club at 2:30 a.m., started his truck, drove, fell out, had it run over his leg, and saw the truck drift down a street and into a home, injuring the occupant. Earlier in October, a 25-year-old man in Scugog, Ontario, backing his car down his driveway with the door open, fell out, had it run over his leg, and saw it hit two mailbox posts. (Both times, as in nearly every similar case, alcohol was involved.)

Thanks this week to Chuck Hamilton, Andrew Hastie and the News of the Weird Board of Editorial Advisors.

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n Judges can issue “material witness” warrants to lock up innocent people to ensure their trial testimony, but rarely do it to actual crime victims. In December 2015, the Houston, Texas, district attorney obtained such a warrant jailing a rape victim (“Jenny”) to secure her testimony against a serial rapist she could identify, because Jenny, exceptionally fragile, was hesitant. She finally took the stand, and the rapist is now serving multiple life terms, but Jenny’s added trauma (especially since police mistakenly placed her into the jail’s general population instead of a separate wing) provoked her to file a lawsuit against the DA, which is still in progress. And in November, likely to Jenny’s satisfaction, the DA, Devon Anderson, failed re-election.

n Victims in News of the Weird stories have been hit by “flying” animals that should not be airborne—even once by a cow (falling off a cliff) and once by a horse (that fell from a trailer on a highway overpass). On Nov. 17, in Clarksville, Tennessee, an unassuming pedestrian along Dover Road was smacked by a deer that sailed into him after it collided with a minivan. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital with broken bones.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

n A 23-year-old man in Tampa, Fla., was hanging out with his cousin in September, and nearby were a gun and a bulletproof vest—and the result was predictable.

According to police, the first man donned the vest and said he wondered whether it “still worked”; the cousin picked up the gun and said, “Let’s see.” The cousin, Alexandro Garibaldi, 24, was charged with manslaughter.

n More Sperm Wars: Most couples who create embryos to freeze for the future agree that the consent of both is required for actual use. Two former couples are on opposite sides of the issue: Actor Sofia Vergara’s ex-boyfriend wants their embryo brought to term (but she does not), and Missouri woman Jalesia McQueen wants two she created with then-husband Justin Gadberry brought to term (but he does not). In the latter case, an appeals court ruled for Gadberry in November (though the couple already have two children from frozen embryos). In the Vergara case, the ex, Nick Loeb, is trying for an extraordinary court ruling based on his “inability to otherwise procreate” (since two subsequent girlfriends adamantly chose abortions).

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

12 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

JESSICA SELL CHAMBERS PHOTO

THE BUZZ 3

Contraception Demand Rises In the wake of the presidential election, local providers say women are placing more focus on their reproductive health.

BY JESSICA SELL CHAMBERS

S

ince the presidential election, local women’s health and family planning providers have reported an increase in women looking for long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). Other women’s health advocacy groups, such as Wyoming Health Council and NARAL Pro-Choice Wyoming, have seen an increase in donations in the same time frame.

Some chalk it up to women’s fears over what a Donald Trump-Mike Pence administration portends for them, their insurance, and affordable family planning and birth control. Trump’s choice for Health Secretary Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) has a track record of limiting access to birth control.

When asked whether Emerg-A-Care has seen an upward trend of LARC requests Dr. Brent Blue quipped, “You mean because of Trump? I’d be looking for birth control too!”

While he could not confirm exact numbers, Blue noted a definite increase in the number of women coming in concerned about their health in general and their reproductive health since the election.

The same was noted at the clinic of nurse practitioner and midwife Theresa Lerch, where family nurse practitioner Lori Bowdler works. Bowdler confirmed they have seen “a definite and significant increase” in women looking for LARCs. Providers say women who depend on federal programs

for their reproductive health are also concerned. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services.

Wyoming Health Council is Wyoming’s Federal Title X family planning grantee organization. WHC contracts with sub-recipient agencies throughout Wyoming that provide family planning services and related preventive care, including breast and cervical cancer screening, HIV and STD testing, and referrals for other health and social services.

Because Wyoming has a high rate of uninsured people—approximately 12 percent of the population—Title X family planning clinics are often a main resource for primary care. WHC is also seeing more women asking for LARCs because of their efficacy and ability to last for three, five, or even 10 years depending on the IUD. According to Susie Markus, WHC executive director, the issues facing WHC and its sub-recipient clinics are threefold.

First, they try to provide the clients with the best fit for contraception, both preferentially and clinically. Second, Title X clinics provide family planning and related preventive care to anyone who requests service, with priority to low-income clients and often on a sliding scale. Third, LARCs are expensive for clinics to purchase, sometimes costing upwards of a thousand dollars. Because WHC clinics provide services and supplies at discounted or zero cost to low-income clients, this creates new financial strains, not taking into consideration statewide budget cuts.

So far, Teton County Public Health officials say they have not seen an increase in women seeking LARCs. However, that is not surprising to county nurse manager Janet Garland. Because Public Health caters to uninsured persons, there is no sense of urgency for clients to rush in and stock up, she said.

However, according to Jodie Pond, director of Teton County Public Health, the clinic is seeing a rise in demand for sexually transmitted infection and disease services, which often translates into family planning appointments and referrals. Pond said reproductive and sexual health are important for the overall health of a community and

includes prevention, awareness, and education, all things that can be improved. Pond cautioned the damage that slashing reproductive services may have on public health.

With Trump’s appointment of Price as Secretary of Health and Human Services women could have much to worry about. According to The New York Times, Price supported legislation to ban federal funds for Planned Parenthood, claiming some clinics used barbaric abortion practices. The same article quotes Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards saying Price “poses a grave threat to women’s health” and that he could undo decades of women’s health progress.

If Price had his way, the Times reported, millions of women could lose access to preventive health care services, free birth control under the Affordable Care Act, and could again be charged more than men for the same health insurance.

From a federal level, there seem to be no federal cuts planned for Title X, and many would argue that from a health and safety standpoint, there should not be.

When Pence, as governor of Indiana, defunded Planned Parenthood the state saw a huge outbreak of HIV in rural Indiana.

Wyoming could possibly see similar outcomes with coming budget strains if the wrong programs are cut. The Cowboy State only has one Planned Parenthood office in Casper, which, according to Wyoming Public Media, it and other clinics statewide are currently facing financial strain with the increased demand for LARCs. Donations to NARAL Pro-Choice Wyoming surged slightly following the election, according to its executive director, Sharon Breitwieser.

“We have not yet observed other notable changes post-election regarding women’s health care vis-à-vis a Trump presidency,” she said. “Of course we have heard a lot of overall, general concerns.”

Word of women’s marches in Cheyenne and Casper on January 21, the same day that the Million Women’s March is slated in Washington during Trump’s inauguration, has been circulating but details have yet to be finalized. PJH

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Y

ou may not know from its buttoned-up (flannel) appearance, but Jackson Hole is brimming with sexual energy. It is an intense community, comprised of people dedicated to flying down mountains with boards on their feet, climbing peaks, and eating up dirt trails on two wheels. People play with unparalleled vigor, and this translates to sexual exploits as well. For younger, unmarried folks, the transient nature of community means lots of short-term connections, or hooking up for one night. For those in long-term relationships, sex and its trials and tribulations don’t disappear with the pledges of commitment.

There may be a lot of nookie going on in the Tetons, but for such a hyper-physical place, folks here don’t talk much about sex. This area is behind the times when compared to other progressive cities that have public discourse about sexual health and sex education. It seems only when, say, a controversial speaker comes to the high school does this community have a conversation about sex.

Under the Puffy Coat

Meanwhile, in places like San Francisco, the mecca for sexuality of all kinds, you can take classes in everything from pole dancing to how to find your P-spot (prostate). In Jackson, these kinds of conversations take place in hushed tones behind closed doors, if they take place at all. For the party crowd, it’s more about getting drunk and bumbling into bed together.

Luckily, if you dig a little deeper, you can find some sexual health advocates and sexuality-positive individuals who have good advice. PJH has gathered a few of those voices here to talk about everything from casual dating to raising teenagers to forays into polyamory.

If you thought Jackson was tame when it comes to sexuality, think again. There’s a plurality of perspective sizzling here, inviting you to broaden your mind and empower yourself sexually.

Sex-positivity

Some people say what Jackson could use is an injection of sex positive culture. What does sex positive mean? According to San Francisco Bay Area erotica blogger BD Swain, sex positivity “starts as an awareness that sexuality encompasses a nearly limitless diversity of expression.”

“It requires a steadfast commitment to consent,” Swain said. “Sex positivity embraces curiosity of the sort that enables learning about sexuality, sexual expression, and the body (your own and other’s) in a way that actively rejects any kind of shame or judgment, and instead promotes acceptance.”

This echoes what one local “sexpert” has found in her dating life. PJH talked to a number of forthright individuals willing to share their opinions and experiences for this article. Some wished to remain anonymous, but their insights are helpful all the same.

Thirty-year-old Jennifer* said that the key to a fulfilling dating life lies in communication.

Exploring the sex lives of locals in a ski town.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 13

By Meg Daly @MegDaly1

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

14 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

“My dating experience has fallen into two categories, depending on how well I communicate,” Jennifer said.

“Category 1 is in the ski bum scene, just partying and hooking up. If I’m in that situation and I don’t communicate what I want and how I want to be treated, the guys have acted like they had license to treat me however they wanted.”

“Category 2,” Jennifer continued, “is when I communicate what I want and how I want to be treated.

That way I get more respect. The guys either rise to the occasion or bow out.”

But for some people, talking about sex kills the moment.

“It’s more awkward to propose sex with words,” said Frederick Reimers, 46.

Instead, Reimers uses body language to gauge his partner’s interest in going from talking to kissing. And that good ole social lubricant, alcohol, can be a helper.

“In almost every case when I’m on a date and cross the line from being acquaintances to something physical, there’s drinking involved,” Reimers said. “That’s just American life.”

“Drinking makes everyone’s body language a lot more accentuated,” he continued. “You don’t have to say the stuff. Your eyes can say a lot.”

Reimers acknowledges that at some point it is wise to “say the stuff.” As a heterosexual man, he uses the moment when the issue of birth control needs to be addressed to also ensure that both parties are still consenting.

“I usually ask, ‘What do you use for birth control?’

That’s going to tell me whether we are going there or not.”

But for many, the problem with fumbling around drunk in the dark after a night of partying is that even the subtle and necessary conversations about safe sex and birth control may not take place. A number of people interviewed said they’ve had the experience of waking up next to someone after a night of drinking and not remembering exactly how they got there or what happened.

Though sexual exploitation is an age-old danger, Jennifer noted the complexity social media now adds to the mix. “We live in an age when we have an endless amount of potential partners, with our phones and Tindr and dating sites. People can take their own actions a lot less seriously, and not necessarily see the consequences.”

Part of the challenge about forthright sexual communication may stem from inadequate sex education earlier in life.

Dr. Neil Cannon, a Denver sex therapist, says that adults too often received negative messages about sex during their youth.

“If you could hear some of the things my clients tell me that their parents and churches taught them about sex it would blow your mind,” Cannon said. “Things like, ‘sex is dirty, women don’t enjoy sex, sex is a sin, nice girls don’t have sex, masturbation will cause you to become homosexual, masturbation will give you zits.’”

Cannon stresses the importance of comprehensive, non-judgmental sex education for people of all ages.

“We need this generation to be educated so they can enjoy the sexual part of their lives, and also so they can educate the next generation to be sex positive and

“If you could hear some of the things my clients tell me that their parents and churches taught them about sex it would blow your mind.”

- Dr. Neil Cannon

embrace their sexuality, not fear it or run from it,” Cannon said.

Jim Jenkins teaches physical education and health education at Jackson Hole High School and he is the de facto sex educator as well.

“All teenagers need to have a comprehensive, researchbased sex ed curriculum,” Jenkins said. “ The curriculum should talk about abstinence, but also talk about how to protect yourself if you choose not to abstain.”

Jenkins says communication is a life skill that teenagers need to learn, just like anything else.

“If you’re old enough to be doing these things, you’re old enough to have a conversation about it,” he said.

“Young people need to learn to listen to their partners and respect each other’s boundaries. This is especially true with young men in heterosexual relationships.”

Incoming school board member Annie Band has been an outspoken voice in support of comprehensive sex ed for teens. “If we want to move the actual metrics on teen pregnancy, disease transmission, delay onset of sexual activity, and support confident decision making by teens regarding their sexuality, comprehensive sex education is the only way to truly achieve this,” she said.

The facts support Band’s stance. Researcher Douglas Kirby, of the National Campaign to End Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, found that the majority of comprehensive sex ed programs for teens had positive results, including 40 percent of teens delaying sexual initiation, reducing the number of sexual partners, and increasing condom or contraception use because of the

Partnering up

In order to practice any tantric full body orgasms, however, it helps to have a partner. Jackson can be a tricky place to find one, according to people interviewed for this story.

Reimers has lived in Jackson off and on since 1991, and is now in a long-distance relationship with someone he met last year when she was on a ski trip in Jackson. The valley’s limited dating pool and transient population can lead to long distance relationships like this.

Thirty-year-old Anne Marie Wells has had her fair share of relationships that started here and then fizzled when a love interest moved. Now she thinks the relationship market is pretty bleak.

“In terms of looking for a partner, this town isn’t it,” Wells lamented. “Casual dating is all you are going to find.”

Wells pointed to the lack of affordable housing as being a factor in the transient nature of many younger people’s lives. When people can’t count on stable housing, it’s hard to put down roots and invest in a long-term relationship.

“I know personally for me now, my nanny position is over in June,” Wells said. “I’m not planning on staying around.”

Wells also expressed frustration with the kind of masculinity espoused in the ski-town scene.

“It’s this lumberjack, hunter, bro athleticism and I’m not into it, literally at all,” she said. “I don’t like being mansplained to or not taken seriously. It’s hard to find men who don’t follow that toxic masculinity.”

Erica*, 23, has a theory about Jackson masculinity.

“Many people come to Jackson for individualistic pursuits,” she said. “So they practice loving themselves. They are not interested in reciprocal love or learning about themselves.”

Erica is apparently not alone. Thirty-four-year-old Rachel* says she is done trying to find a partner in Jackson. After 11 years here she is taking a Jackson hiatus, in part to widen her dating pool. “I’m traveling the next six months and one of the reasons I’m branching out is that I’m concerned I won’t find a suitable male companion in Jackson.”

But men also reported frustrations trying to find a suitable partner in Jackson. Artist Aaron Wallis has lived in the valley for 10 years and he says he has had his fair share of dating highs and lows. Because he doesn’t fit the Jackson dude stereotype of a backcountry athlete with a closet full of plaid shirts, he feels that women don’t always know what to make of his artistic persona. From his perspective, Jackson women fall prey to age-old hetero stereotypes too—wanting to find a man to provide for them. Without a house or gallery representation to keep him in Jackson, Wallis is moving to Detroit next month and hoping to have better chances at finding a mate there as well.

“In a decade of being single in Jackson, you invariabley end up asking out all the single women.” he said. “They all talk about how much they love art and want intelligent men. But none of the women here read books and they all end up dating the same three kind of guys: the mountain jock, the entrepreneur, and the guy with family money.”

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 15

SKYE SCHELL PHOTO

education they received.

Carrie Kirkpatrick, program director of the nonprofit Raising Girls, says that talking to teens about sex takes finesse. “What most parents, myself included, tend to do is talk almost exclusively about the dangers of sex rather than it’s lusciousness. When we leave this information out, we are not giving them the full picture and then the entire message becomes suspect.”

With adults like Kirkpatrick, Band and Jenkins at the helm, the next generation of adults will likely be better equipped to communicate about sex and sexuality. For the rest of us, whose education and modeling may have been a bit lacking, there are ways to fill in the gaps.

Artist and educator Valerie Seaberg says the ancient Hindu practice of tantra can be a path for many couples to add more sensuality and pleasure to their sex lives. She holds a master’s degree in transpersonal psychology and has studied tantra.

“Tantra involves conscious practices that can hold polarities and opposites,” Seaberg said. “It cultivates an attitude of experimentation.”

Seaberg says that tantra can help people achieve a “flow” state, that feeling of oneness or ultimate aliveness that Jacksonites may associate with skiing, climbing or hiking.

“Tantra can make us like a tuning fork,” Seaberg said.

“It gives full body sensual pleasure. Being in those states can put us in a deep state of union with our partner and the divine.”

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

16 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

From Wallis’ perspective, if you don’t have money to take someone on vacation, you’re not going to be dating for long. “Jackson women expect to keep up with the Jackson lifestyle of traveling constantly to exotic locales.

There is nothing that makes a man more pedestrian or undesirable than actually living in Jackson through the off-season.”

For Charles*, who has lived in Jackson for 16 years, the pursuit of outdoor adventures is a factor in his dating life.

A 45-year-old single guy with a full-tilt profession and a passion for hunting, cycling, skiing and hiking, Charles finds himself trying to, perhaps unsuccessfully, juggle time for everything.

“I think the valley attracts people who have intense passions and that can be a plus and a barrier in dating,” he said. “The local culture complicates things with dating and trying to find a partner that is in sync with my hobbies and schedule.”

The Jackson obsession with hanging onto youth and being uber-fit, coupled with the valley’s iconoclastic bent, creates an interesting brew in the dating pool. All the hyper-individuality can make finding a mate challenging.

“Many folks here are the ones in their families who have broken the norms and rebelled,” Charles said. “I know I’m a weirdo and this valley is full of them, both male and female.”

Meanwhile, LGBTQ identified single people face the dilemma of an even more limited pool of potential partners. Wells identifies as queer, but just because she’s open to having a relationship with a woman that doesn’t mean she has an increased number of potential partners.

“There aren’t a lot of queer people who aren’t already in relationships,” she said.

On top of that, folks in the LGBTQ community do not have a designated place, or even a designated night at a local haunt where they can go to meet one another here.

Slow moves, slow talk

Once you’re in an established partnership, the concern shifts over time from how to talk about sex to how to keep things sexually vibrant. One married Jackson woman, Kim*, offered her advice to men, including married men: “Slow down.”

“My main piece of advice would be for guys to take their time,” she said. “Women love foreplay. However much you think you are doing foreplay, triple that time.”

From Kim’s perspective, the hardest thing to do is to tell your partner what you like or don’t like in a way that doesn’t make them defensive. She opts for having those conversations when she and her husband are not in bed.

However, Seaberg says you can structure those talks in the bedroom, with the right approach. She suggests trying an “exploration date.”

“Setting aside conscious time to be a couple is really important,” she said. “Put a time limit on the exploration date. Maybe an hour. Bring curiosity and openness, and a sense of safety and sensuality. The conversation might begin with ‘What feels good to you?’”

According to Cannon, nontraditional practices are cropping up more in couples’ lives. He says consensual nonmonogamy is on the rise as a way to keep things spicy in a marriage.

“An increasing number of people are open to the idea of open relationships,” he said. “A good example of this is in Denver, where there is an adult lifestyle club called Scarlett Ranch. Fifteen years ago it was a tiny place in the mountains. Today it is a large, posh facility that attracts thousands of upscale guests and members.”

One Jackson resident Jeff*, said that his open marriage has been a boon to his relationship with his wife.

“It reinforces the sense of security, trust and commitment in our relationship,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, my marriage is based on two principles: communication and allowing the other person to be themselves.”

More than one intimate relationship takes the pressure off of a primary relationship, according to Sue, 35. She has practiced polyamory for years.

“The idea that you have a finite amount of love to give is kind of bizarre,” she said. “It’s not like we have three kids and say, ‘too bad for those last two, I just don’t have enough love for them.’”

But the lifestyle isn’t easy, and Sue says it makes some people uncomfortable. “They don’t understand that it’s ethical non-monogamy, not just sleeping with a bunch of different people.”

Cannon says that couples looking to improve communication and develop a more sex positive attitude in their relationships have many options.

“People can go to an event at Scarlett Ranch and just watch,” he said. “Or go to a tantra workshop or a snuggle party. You can create your own boundaries and see what you see. These events offer a great opportunity to talk to other sex positive folks and feel safe and sexy.”

However, while it’s great to know you can be a sex tourist in Denver, Jackson is a long way off from having this kind of cultural expansion. The kerfuffle over where to house a strip club in Jackson could point to the community’s general squeamishness over sex. However, sweeping sex under the rug leads to other problems. As any LGBTQ person can attest: being forced into the closet does not make a person’s sexual appetite go away. As Sue opined, “If we look at the number of affairs, clearly sexual desire is there and people’s needs are not being met in some way.”

The other kind of safety meeting

All this talk about sex would be incomplete without discussing the risks involved. According to the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, the rate of chlamydia in Teton County is increasing. In fact the rate of sexually transmitted infections statewide are a “troubling” public health concern, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Chlamydia rates are associated with unsafe sexual activity and are used as indicators for other STIs. According to the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by St. John’s Medical Center, Teton County’s rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is 209 per 100,000.

This is lower than state and national rates.

However, the prevalence of STIs in the county is rising.

The gonorrhea rate for Teton County is 16.9 per 100,000, HIV is less than 5, hepatitis B is at 7.5, hepatitis C is at 36.7, and syphilis is less than 5.

Younger people are particularly at risk.

“We know STDs are more common in Wyoming among younger people, which was illustrated in the same report,” said Courtney Smith, a manager of the Communicable Disease Surveillance program with the Wyoming Department of Health. “Nearly two-thirds of chlamydia cases and half of gonorrhea cases nationally involved people between the ages of 15 to 24.”

If you’re sexually active and you want to decrease your chance of getting or passing an STI, condoms are of course your best friend. Condoms help with safer sex,

regardless of sex or gender, or who puts what where. Free condoms are available through the website KnoWyo.org, which also provides a voucher for free HIV testing.

While it goes without saying, reminders from organizations like Planned Parenthood never hurt: “Latex condoms are great safer sex tools for anal, vaginal, or oral sex. They’re easy to get at a pharmacy, grocery store, or at a Planned Parenthood health center. They’re cheap. And they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures.”

Perhaps a symptom of the party nature of a ski town, many of the men interviewed for this story admitted they weren’t apt to whip out a condom at a moment’s notice, but rather only in response to a woman’s request. One female respondent, Kate*, said that in Jackson she has never had a man offer to put on a condom. “If I don’t insist, it doesn’t happen and is never brought up,” she said.

But that’s not true of all men here. Forty-five-yearold Derek* said he always uses condoms. “Unless I’m in a committed relationship and then only after we’ve both been tested for STDs and she is on the pill,” he said.

If you’re not in a long-term monogamous relationship— and even if you are—it’s a good idea to get tested regularly for sexually transmitted infections. It’s cheap and easy to do. The current fee schedule at Teton County Public health is $10 for the office visit, $14 for a chlamydia and gonorrhea test, $15 for an HIV rapid test, $45 for a hepatitis B marker test, and $20 for a hepatitis C test. Again, the cost of these tests may be lowered or waived with an anonymous voucher from KnoWyo.org.

Once you’re armed with safer sex practices and good communication tips, remember these closing words from two local sexperts: Jennifer says take time to know thyself. “It’s about listening to myself on how I want to be treated by a partner, and not trying to be accommodating to them at my own expense. Life is a lot better when you figure that out.”

Listening to oneself coupled with listening to one’s partner makes for heightened experiences. Seaberg says Jackson residents are already well-versed in attaining a flow state in their recreational pursuits and only need a little practice to translate that kind of elevated attention to the bedroom.

“If we devoted even a fraction of the time, energy and social currency we put into the mountains toward communicating with our loved ones … we’d be the most [sexually] aware town on the planet.” PJH

THIS WEEK: December 14-20, 2016

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15

n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Yoga 9:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Toddler Time 10:05am, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Teton Toastmasters 12:00pm, Teton County Commissioners Chambers, Free,

n Spin 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Center Stage: Theater & Story-crafting (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Christmas In The Village 4:00pm, Teton Village, Free, 307-733-2292 n Santa On The Square 5:00pm, Town Square, Free n The GRAND LOUNGE Grand Opening 5:00pm, Grand Teton Distillery, Free, 208-354-7263 n Open House 5:00pm, Gray Crane Studios, Free, 800-858-2114 n Apres Ski and Art 5:00pm, Diehl Gallery, Free, 307-733-0905 n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539 n Zumba 5:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Mental Health Support Group 6:00pm, Board Room of St. John’s Medical Center, Free, 307-732-1161 n Bacchus & Brushes 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $45.00, 307733-6379 n Los Colores: A Spanish Pre-K Art Class 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00, 307-7336379 n Protect our Night Skies 6:00pm, Spark JH, Free, 303483-8207 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Holiday Dinner 6:00pm, Senior Center of Jackson Hole, $0.00 - $10.00, 307-733-7300 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n JH Community Band Rehearsal 7:00pm, Center for the Arts Performing Arts Wing, Free, 307-200-9463

GOT SOME GRIPE-WORTHY ISSUES, OR EVEN… SOMEONE TO PRAISE? MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD WITH A LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

EMAIL EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM WITH “LETTER TO THE EDITOR” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 17

SEE CALENDAR PAGE 21

n Gingerbread House Decorating 6:00pm, Wort Hotel, $50.00, 307-732-3960 n Open Studio: Figure Model 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307733-6379 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Christmas Caroling on Horse Pulled Wagons 6:00pm, LDS Church, Free, 307-733-6337 n Richard Alston Repertory Workshop 6:30pm, Dancers’ Workshop, $55.00, 307-733-6398 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n ReStore the Holidays 6:30pm, Teton Habitat ReStore, $10.00, 307-734-0828 ext. 102 n National Elk Refuge Full Moon Walk 6:30pm, National Elk Refuge, 307-201-5406 n Trivia Night 7:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886 n KHOL Presents: Vinyl Night 8:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500 n Out of the snow with Bo 9:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886

Compiled by Caroline LaRosa

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

n Yoga 7:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $4.00, 307-739-9025 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n Fables Feathers & Fur 10:30am, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Free, 307-732-5435 n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Fireside Chat - Women’s Business Roundtable 12:00pm, Hansen Hall at St. John’s, Free, 512-277-5047 n Total Fitness 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Things That Go Boom: Science & Games (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Winter Open House 4:00pm, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Free, 307-733-9417 n Cocktails & Creatives 4:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500 n JHREA Holiday Open House 5:00pm, Jackson Hole Real Estate, Free, 888-733-6060 n Age Friendly Jackson Hole 5:30pm, Senior Center, Free, 307-733-7300 n Barbara Trentham Life Drawing 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307733-6379

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

18 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

MUSIC BOX Boundless Beats and Jams From après to late night, a dense winter of offerings is redefining the local music milieu.

BY AARON DAVIS @ScreenDoorPorch

“T

his is the most stacked winter lineup I’ve seen since living here,” declared longtime local Matt Donovan of Alpenglow Entertainment.

Donovan, a biased observer, is one of the local promoters responsible for shows coming to Town Square Tavern, The Mangy Moose, Knotty Pine, and Pink Garter Theatre this winter. But a quick comparison of yesterday’s musical offerings in the valley to today’s legitimizes this notion.

Ten years ago, winter touring bands were essentially playing three venues in Teton County—Mangy Moose, Knotty Pine and the Trap Bar. Times have a-changed. A dozen or so venues are now in play, and a burgeoning local band scene is feeding the fire.

Get Centered The Center for the Arts will host some killer musical acts this winter along with world-renowned speakers, variety acts, and broadcasts of performances from the National Theatre in London.

“Reggie Watts will be a highlight,” said Shannon McCormick, CFA talent buyer. “The Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, and Hayes Carll show is special because we built that as a one-night only show. Adding Nicki Bluhm to the Lukas Nelson show is also a one-of-a-kind show.”

The full lineup includes National Theatre Live: Frankenstein (Dec. 19), Rhythmic Circus! Red and Green (Dec. 27), blues-rock phenom Lukas Nelson + Promise of the Real with Special Guest Nicki Bluhm (Dec. 29), An Evening with Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, and Hayes Carll (Jan. 15), the highly popular Seven Things I’ve Learned: An Evening with Ira Glass (Jan. 21), National Theatre Live: One Man, Two Guvnors (Jan. 23), a storyteller and enlightenment event dubbed The Moth Mainstage: High Anxiety (Jan 29), ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro (Feb. 3), National Theatre Live: Man and Superman (Feb. 13), eclectic entertainer and comedian Reggie Watts (March 4), indie-folk band Elephant Revival (March 12), National Theatre Live: War Horse (March 13), and National Theatre Live: Coriolanus (April 9).

“National Theatre Live had very solid attendance last year, and our audience begged for its return. This year’s line-up of shows is pretty incredible,” McCormick said.

Tickets for the upcoming season are currently on sale at JHCenterForTheArts.org.

Pink is for Garter The Pink Garter Theatre kicks off its fifth anniversary winter series with local Grateful Dead tribute band The Deadlocks: Winter Ball (Saturday, December 17), followed by a New Year’s Eve run of Super Suckers (Dec. 30) and jazzy Chicago house heavyweight, DJ Mark Farina (Dec. 31). Check Farina’s Mushroom Jazz series and hear why the DJ and producer is a legend in the electronic sphere and beyond. The remainder of the lineup will feature a

The Supersuckers and Mark Farina are among the Pink Garter’s roster of winter acts. return of some favorites as well as some fresh blood. Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine just announced its annual bash (Jan. 20) featuring the iconic turntablist Cut Chemist.

Pop-folkster Brett Dennen returns Jan. 26 followed by a co-bill of electro-funk band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong with Sneaky Pete & the Secret Weapons (Feb. 2), roots-reggae veterans John Brown’s Body (Feb. 14), indie-rockers Lotus (Feb. 16), Jambase presents The Motet (Feb. 19), fifth anniversary party with Big Something (March 5), Donovan Frankenreiter with Grant-Lee Phillips (March 13), and the annual throw-down with The Infamous Stringdusters and The Ghost of Paul Revere (March 21). PinkGarterTheatre. com.

Full servings at the Tav Jackson’s classic late night joint, Town Square Tavern has beefed-up its nightly offerings to include local residencies. Those include Bo Elledge of Canyon Kids on Wednesdays, ‘slamgrass’ with BOGDOG on Tuesdays, and DJ WYOBASS on Saturdays.

The onslaught of touring acts include ZoSo: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute (Dec. 29) and Sneaky Pete & the Secret Weapons (Dec. 31) followed by a huge January that features The Drunken Hearts (Jan. 12), fiery Montana bluegrass band The Lil Smokies (Jan. 13-14), folk-grass quartet The Sweet Lillies (Jan. 19), Analog Son (Jan. 20), Kentucky rappers Nappy Roots (Jan. 21), over the top piano rocker Andy Frasco & the U.N. (Jan. 24), and the return of all-star band Nth Power (Jan. 31).

February and beyond offers Kitchen Dwellers with Gravy (Feb. 11), quirky folk-Americana quartet Shook Twins (Feb. 15), A-Mac DZ (Feb. 23), and TAUK (March 22).

TownSquareTavern.com.

Silver dollars and swingin’ The Silver Dollar will offer two swingin’ and two-stepping mainstays—Bluegrass Tuesdays with One Ton Pig and outlaw-country Thursdays with Major Zephyr.

Fridays and Saturdays feature two-night runs of rotating bands like Americana-rock quartet Screen Door Porch (Dec. 16-17), Dixieland jazz band Jackson 6 (Dec. 23-24), Papa Chan Jazz Trio (Dec. 25), and Pinedale’s alt-country and folk purveyors 6 Foot 2 (Dec. 30-31).

New to the weekly lineup is Local Sundays, featuring

predominantly local bands and geared towards the local working class. The re-shaped Songwriter’s Alley will showcase a double-bill of featured acts followed by an open-mic hour on three of these Sundays. Acts include Low Water String Band and Isaac Hayden (Jan. 1), Wyoming After Dark and Jess Camilla O’Neal & the Neversweat Players (Feb. 12) and Ian Thomas and Wyatt Lowe (March 5).

WortHotel.com.

A westside institution

The Stagecoach Bar in Wilson sticks to its guns: the 47-year residency of the legendary country/Western Stagecoach Band (Sundays) and the 20-year tradition of Disco Night (Thursdays), the latter of which offers $2 cab rides home after last call.

Intimate wintry vibes

Dornan’s has not released its full lineup, though Phil Round Trio will pay tribute on January 6 and 7 to the great Chuck Pyle, who used to perform a two-night run at Dornan’s every winter. A full house in which you could hear a pin drop is usually the atmosphere at this Moose gem, which also hosts the popular Jackson Hole Hootenanny 6 to 9 p.m. on Mondays.

For a full list of acoustic concerts in the 85-cap room, visit Dornans.com.

The dive lives

Waving the biggest American flag in town, The Virginian will feature a New Year’s Eve run with DJ Londo (Dec. 30-31) followed by Bob Stevens (Jan. 5-7, Feb. 2-4, March 2-4), Leadfoot (Jan 20-21, Feb. 10-11, March 31, April 1), Hog Island Ramblers (Feb 17-18), and Quinn Brown Project (March 17-18), among others. Open mic will continue on Tuesdays.

Moose Hockey sounds

Moose Hockey games at Snow King Center are a blast and the music element is the icing on the cake. The schedule includes Boondocks (Jan. 6-7), DJ Londo (Jan. 13-14), Black Mother Jones (Feb. 3-4), Misfit Moonshiners (Feb. 10-11), Instinctuals (Feb. 24-25), Mustard Tiger (March 3-4), and Lazy Eyes (March 10-11). Moose.PuckSystems2.com.

Knotty is nice Full of character, the Knotty Pine in Victor is celebrating 20 years of hosting live music. Every Saturday will feature a rotating cast of bands as well as Head for the Hills with Screen Door Porch (Dec. 31), Gypsy Moon (Jan. 14), Greg Creamer (Jan. 28), Teton Valley Foundation’s Great Snow Festival with One Ton Pig (Jan. 20), Screen Door Porch (Feb. 4, March 11), Galactic (Feb. 7), B-Side Players (Feb. 24-25), The Brothers Comatose (March 2), Punch Drunk Munky Funk (March 17), and The Werks with Cure for the Common (March 23). KnottyPineSupperClub.com.

Powder and music at The Trap The down-to-earth winter culture of the Trap Bar at Grand Targhee Resort is a favorite spot among locals.

While the dense lineup is too lengthy to print in its entirety, late shows include 80s hair band, 86 (Dec. 16) and Salt Lake City cover band The Divergence (Dec. 31). The remainder of the shows are 3 to 6 p.m. during après-ski and feature White Lightning Open Mic (Tuesdays), One Ton Pig (Dec. 17, March 4), Papa Chan Trio (Dec. 24), Cure

The Motet plays the Garter in late February. Elle Carpenter strums at the Vill, apres style, in January. for the Common (Dec. 29-30), Sneaky Pete & the Secret Weapons (Jan. 6), Boondocks (Jan. 13), Patrick Chadwick and Lauren Conrad (Jan. 16), Kris Lager Band (Jan. 20-21), Screen Door Porch album release (Jan 27-28), Chanman Roots Band (Feb. 3), Canyon Kids (Feb. 4), former Dirty Dozen Brass band guitarist Jamie McLean and his band (Feb. 16-19), Willie Waldman (Feb. 24), Mardi Gras Party with Dixie Kings (Feb. 27), Greenneck Daredevils (March 10), The Deadlocks (March 11), The Hooligans (March 18-19), St. Louis bluegrass/folk band Clusterpluck (March 25), Wildflower Moon (April 7-8), and Lazy Eyes (April 16).

Après-ski at the Vill Teton Village has one of the most happenin’ après-ski scenes in the country. Rooms that’ll be filled with music include acoustic acts at Four Seasons’ Ascent Lounge and K Bar at Teton Mountain Lodge, with bands at the Alpenhof Bistro and Mangy Moose Saloon. The Moose will have daily shows 3:30 to 6 p.m., except Saturdays.

Those local residencies include Major Zephyr (Sundays), Tucker Smith Band (Mondays), Maw Band (Tuesdays), PTO (Wednesdays), Stack & the Attack (Thursdays), Screen Door Porch (Fridays). Late shows at the Moose include Cure for the Common paying tribute to the lost legends of 2016 (Dec. 31), Elle Carpenter (Jan. 16), Landerborn and Austin-based backseat blues-soul with Garrett LeBeau (Jan 27-28), Hells Belles (March 4), and Greenneck Daredevils (March 11).

For more resources on local and regional happenings, check the events calendar at PlanetJH.com. PJH Aaron Davis is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer, member of Screen Door Porch and Boondocks, founder/host of Songwriter’s Alley, and co-founder of The WYOmericana Caravan.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 19

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

20 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

CREATIVE PEAKS

Local Flair

Vendors sling holiday gifts, a thespian returns with another work poking fun at Jackson, and artistic love letters abound.

BY KELSEY DAYTON @Kelsey_Dayton

T

his holiday season you have your choice of craft fairs and art shows, but Cocktails and Creatives is a little different. The evening event isn’t just about shopping—although you’ll find gifts for everyone on your list. “It’s also an awesome holiday party where I see all my favorite people of Jackson,” said Cassandra Skipitis, the art events coordinator at The Rose and Pink Garter Theatre.

For its fifth year, the event is doubling in size. Skipitis is opening the theater to accommodate almost 30 vendors selling creative and handmade wares.

Danny Blacker is returning to sell jewelry she creates from shotgun shells and feathers for her line, Blacker Arrow. Each piece is handcrafted and unique so no two look the same. Her work has become so popular it’s easy to spot on people around town.

Whitney Eliott is a “master-knitter.” Skipitis is such a fan of Eliott’s work, she’s already commissioned her to make a winter hat.

Rob Kingwill is another popular returning vendor. He brings his Avalon 7 gear, including breathable facemasks for skiing and snowboarding and other apparel.

Folks will also see work from artists like Kelly Halpin and Walt Gerald, who is currently the featured artist at The Rose. Jenny Dowd has a booth with her pottery.

New vendors this year include Sheena Dhamsania, who creates homemade body scrubs. She’ll share a booth with Rich Goodwin, selling his homemade bath bombs.

There are gifts for everyone at the event, even your pet.

On a trip to Mexico Julieta Lyall saw a man weaving ankle bracelets. She told him he’d sell more pieces if he made dog collars. The two partnered up and now she’s selling woven collars that can be custom designed with your animal’s name.

While perusing all the booths and chatting with friends and neighbors, patrons can enjoy cocktails from The Rose.

Blacker Arrow jewelry is among the local wares on sale at Cocktails and Creatives Wednesday. Mike Piggott hangs new work Friday and Andrew Munz is raising cash to make you laugh with I Can Ski Forever 3.

“It really has become quite a social event,” Skipitis said.

“It’s worth blocking out an entire evening, no matter how quickly you finish your Christmas list.”

Cocktails and Creatives, 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, December 14 at Pink Garter Theatre.

A path to eternal skiing Ben and Danny arrive to Jackson fresh from Georgia.

The stage is dark and ominous music plays as locals clutch their skis on stage. This scene, which shows the pride and sense of guardianship Jackson residents feel for their town, sets the stage for I Can Ski Forever 3, an original satirical musical about life in a ski town that Andrew Munz is working to fund and open in March.

I Can Ski Forever 3 follows the successful I Can Ski Forever in 2014 and I 2 Can Ski Forever in 2015.

Munz is trying to raise $15,000 by Dec. 22 via Kickstarter for the production. As of press time, he had raised less than $6,000.

With I Can Ski Forever 3, Munz is changing the format from a sketch show to a musical with a linear story. It follows two men who move to Jackson as they try to plant roots here.

“The ski culture has this personality that is easily identifiable and also very welcoming,” Munz said. “People come in from all over and find themselves embraced by the culture fairly quickly, as long as they are willing to change.”

The show also explores how Jackson changes in the eyes of the two main characters and through time.

Munz is acutely aware of how Jackson has shifted over time, and how it continues to change. He’s lived in the valley since he was 7 years old and sees people struggling to achieve coveted “local” status.

“It creates an interesting journey of identity that the characters go on,” he said.

The show will have higher production values—from musicians to choreography and dancers—than the two previous shows. It also will run four nights to offer more chances for locals to see the play. Munz is in talks with the Pink Garter Theatre and hopes to use its 350 seats for the four shows.

Creating a new show wasn’t hard. Jackson has so many quirks, there’s always fresh material.

“There are just volumes of things that are still untouched,” he said.

The new show, for instance, deals with the housing crisis, complete with a fantastical solution.

“It offers a tongue-in-cheek meta message that the show has touched on in the past, but we really swallow it whole this time,” Munz said. “The idea of ‘I can ski forever,’ is both a delusion and a badge of honor.”

Donate to I Can Ski Forever at kickstarter.com/projects/ munzofsteel/i-can-ski-forever-3

Odes to places and people, new and old

Don’t tell anyone, but sometimes when Mike Piggott is driving he keeps a sketchbook in his lap. Though he doesn’t attempt a masterpiece while behind the wheel, he’ll flick a few lines. There’s inspiration everywhere.

Piggott used that inspiration for his one-person exhibition, “I’m pretty sure I’ve never been here before,” which opens Friday at Tayloe Piggott Gallery.

The 14 oil and gouache paintings are new, painted within the last year and a half and inspired by road trips, walks in the woods, and the interiors of homes where he spends time.

“Almost every day is a new day and every minute is a new minute,” he said. “You can look at the same thing and it just speaks to you and gets more beautiful. This show is about that dialogue with where we live.”

The work is modern and intimate. In one piece chickadees float in space, wings folded. In another, yellow daffodils cast a red shadow. A tree branch’s leaves appear like camouflage in a field of green and blue.

Piggott draws the things he sees, no matter how simple.

The thread tying the work together is they are all inspired by the places he loves, whether it’s an owl hovering above a tree branch or watermelon slices on the floor.

“Life is just a mystery and I think the mystery is the fun part, that’s what makes us curious,” Piggott said.

In one of Piggott’s paintings, he creates a Cezanne-like tabletop that lifts to shift perspective. In another, two framed pieces of art hang on a wall, a nod to artists who have inspired him.

“I think every painting is a love letter to the arena of painting,” Piggott said.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve never been here before” opens with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, December 16 at Tayloe Piggott Gallery. PJH

Celebrate the season

n Aikido Classes 7:30pm, 290 N Millward, Free, 307-690-3941 n Major Zepher 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Salsa Night 9:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500 n Lauren Conrad & Patrick Chadwick 9:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n REFIT® 9:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-733-6398

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

n The Clay Surface: Focus on Design 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $120.00, 307733-6379

Saturday, Dec. 17th, 7pm CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 265 S. CACHE, JACKSON WY

Please bring a nonperishable food item for donation to the local food cupboard.

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DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 21

SEE CALENDAR PAGE 23

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

n The Clay Surface: Focus On Design 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $120.00, 307733-6379 n Sweetwater Gondola Opening 9:30am, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, 307-733-2292 n Sleigh Rides 10:00am, National Elk Refuge, $15.00 - $21.00, 307-733-0277 n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Drawn Together for the Holidays 11:00am, Trio Fine Art, Free, 307-734-4444 n Assemblage 1:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $65.00, 307733-6379 n One Ton Pig 3:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-353-2300 n JH Sports Winter Welcome 3:30pm, JH Sports, Free, 307733-2292 n Santa On The Square 5:00pm, Town Square, Free n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n Jackson Hole Community Band presents Annual Holiday Concert 7:00pm, Center Theater, Free, 307-200-9463 n Screen Door Porch 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Jackson Hole Moose Hockey 7:30pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $10.00, 307-201-1633 n The Deadlocks Winter Ball 9:00pm, Pink Garter Theatre, $14.00, 307-733-1500 n DJ N8 9:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886 n Ben Marshal 9:00pm, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, $5.00, 307-733-2207

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $4.00, 307-739-9025 n Portrait Drawing Club 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307733-6379 n Yoga 9:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Open Studio: Portrait Model 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307733-6379 n “Teton Food and Farm Coalition” Inaugural Meeting 9:00am, University of Idaho Teton County Extension office, Free, 208-354-2961 n Tai Chi for Better Balance 10:30am, Senior Center of Jackson Hole, $3.00, 307-7337300 n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Zumba 12:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Total Fitness 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Eat, Drink & Be Merry at Jackson Whole Grocer 3:00pm, Jackson Whole Grocer & Cafe, Free, 307-733-0450 n Fun Fridays: Self-directed play (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditoirum, Free, 307733-2164

n Friday Tastings 4:00pm, The Liquor Store of Jackson Hole, Free, 307-7334466 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Santa On The Square 5:00pm, Town Square, Free n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n Pam Drews Phillips Plays Jazz 7:00pm, The Granary at Spring Creek Ranch, Free, 307-7338833 n Club REFIT® with Tammy Bartlett 7:00pm, Dancers’ Workshop, Free, 307-733-6398 n Moose Hockey Game 7:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00, 307-2011633 n A Wonderland of Music Celebrating the Holidays at Walk Festival Hall 7:00pm, Walk Festival Hall, Free, 307-774-5497 n Free Public Stargazing 7:30pm, Center for the Arts, Free, 844-996-7827 n Screen Door Porch 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Fists of Funk 9:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886 n Late Night At The Trap: 86 9:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, $5.00, 307-353-2300 n Friday Night DJ Featuring Mr. Whipple 10:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500 n Ben Marshal 9:00pm, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, $5.00, 307-733-2207

with the Jackson Hole Community Band. We’ll play traditional and family favorites including winter suite sleigh ride, christmas vacation, rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and how the grinch stole christmas.

Join us - enjoy and celebrate!

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

22 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

FREE SPEECH •••••••••••

HAPPY HOUR

1/2 Off Drinks Daily 5-7pm

••••••••••• Monday-Saturday 11am, Sunday 10:30am 832 W. Broadway (inside Plaza Liquors)•733-7901

Symbols of Distress What it means to practice patriotism and dissent at the same time.

BY SARAH ROSS

I

n August, a Vietnam veteran in Iowa was arrested for hanging the U.S. flag upside down outside his home. The Fort Dodge Messenger reported that Homer Martz was protesting an oil pipeline being built between his land and his water well.

Martz faced a misdemeanor and a possible fine or minimum 30-day stay in jail for trying to “publicly mutilate, deface, defile or defy, trample upon, cast contempt upon, satirize, deride or burlesque, either by words or act” any flag or insignia of the United States or Iowa.

Insults to the national or state flag are also illegal in Pennsylvania, where a man was arrested in 2014 when he hung an upside down flag in protest of the Keystone Pipeline. Joshua Brubaker spray-painted the letters “AIM,” short for “American Indian Movement” on the flag before he was arrested. In his case, criminal charges were dismissed, and ACLU attorneys filed a federal civil rights lawsuit to secure damages for Brubaker and to demonstrate the unconstitutionality of desecration laws.

These stories call into question what constitutes desecration of the flag and highlights the recent coalescence of two groups that have a unique claim to American identity—American Indians and veterans—and their use of the flag.

Bartz’s arresting officer said it was “very offensive,” “disgraceful,” and “unpatriotic” to hang the flag upside down.

In contrast, a shirt with the words “Time To Get Star Spangled Hammered” does not induce the same ire. If the Boulderbased company Shinesty, home to “the most patriotic flag apparel on earth” is any indication, the flag can be used in virtually any way.

Shinesty sells everything from suits (made in China) to speedos to fanny packs, emblazoned with stars and stripes.

Anyone with an extra $14.99 can own a “Freedom Tastes Like Booze Collapsible American Flag Flask.”

The embrace of an ironic-but-not-ironic, in your face patriotism creates a market for shirts that say “Not Cocky Just Better” in red white and blue, and seems worlds away from, say, those who are arrested and tortured in the Chinese-occupied Tibet just for owning a Tibetan flag.

MARYELIZABETH PISTONO

Come check out your favorite NFL/College team on our 10 HD tvs!

But this jocular, consumerist relationship with the flag overshadows the fact that it remains a troubled symbol for many.

Traditionally, hanging the flag upside down is a sign of distress, a message Brubaker intentionally evoked.

“If I don’t have the right to hang that flag upside down, which means a sign of distress, which this country is in so much distress right now, then what’s the point of having it?” he asked.

Water protectors at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation also flew the American flag upside down during their resistance against the North Dakota Access Pipeline.

A member of the Cass County SWAT team removed one of these flags on December 2.

“They disrespected the very symbol that gives them the right to do that, and just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” said Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney.

But that “right” is actually very recent.

Native Americans could not vote until 1924, and myriad states blocked their votes until 1948. They did not have many rights, including that to free speech, due process, or protection against cruel and unusual punishment until the 1968 Indian Civil Rights Act. And until the 1996 American Indian Religious Freedom Act, many aspects of Native American religions were illegal.

It follows that the flag would be complicated for many who are not included in the values it is meant to symbolize, such as freedom and equality. The bombastic appropriation of the flag, as represented by consumerist goods with slogans such as “Back to Back World War Champs” highlights who the flag represents and who it leaves out.

About 55,000 Native Americans served

in the world wars where they were hardly seen as citizens, let alone “champs.” In fact, Native Americans have the highest per-capita involvement of any population to serve in the U.S. military, but they are accused of being unpatriotic when they communicate that their disenfranchisement continues.

Disrespect to troops and veterans is often cited as a reason that the American flag should not be desecrated. However, a recent forgiveness ceremony at Standing Rock reveals that many veterans believe that it is more disrespectful to stand behind a flag whose country has never fully granted equal rights to all.

As reported by USA Today, thousands of veterans vowed their support for those at Standing Rock, and asked forgiveness for military actions that wronged indigenous peoples. Wes Clark Jr., the son of General Wesley Clark, stood in front of bowed veterans and said, “Many of us, me particularly, are from the units that have hurt you over the many years. We came. We fought you. We took your land. We signed treaties that we broke.

“We stole minerals from your sacred hills,” he continued, “We blasted the faces of our presidents into your sacred mountain. Then we took still more land and then we took your children and then we tried to eliminate your language. We didn’t respect you, we polluted your Earth, we’ve hurt you in so many ways but we have come to say that we are sorry.”

Prohibiting an upside down flag does not erase or address the human rights abuses committed in its name. Honoring the voices of those who fly that symbol of distress and disenfranchisement might.

PJH

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20

n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n REFIT® 8:30am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-733-6398 n Yoga 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Sleigh Rides 10:00am, National Elk Refuge, $15.00 - $21.00, 307-733-0277 n Toddler Time 10:05am, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Tai Chi for Better Balance 10:30am, Senior Center of Jackson Hole, $3.00, 307-7337300

n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Spin 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n The Maw Band 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n Make It & Take It: Themed Crafts (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Zumba 4:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Santa On The Square 5:00pm, Town Square, Free, n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539 n Total Fitness 5:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Cribbage 6:00pm, Valley of the Tetons Library, Free, 208-354-5522 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n Holden Evening Prayer 6:30pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n JH Classical Ceremony of Carols 6:30pm, JH Classical Academy, Free n Aikido Classes 7:30pm, 290 N Millward, Free, 307-690-3941 n One Ton Pig 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-733-2190 n B.O.G.D.O.G. 9:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886

FOR COMPLETE EVENT DETAILS VISIT PJHCALENDAR.COM

Food,

gl

s u o i r o

! d o o f

Yes,we Planetoids live to eat.

Look for our next foodie issue coming December 21st

Book now for discount rates of 20% off!

To advertise, contact Jen or Caroline at 307-732-0299 or email sales@planetjh.com.

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 23

n Yoga 7:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $4.00, 307-739-9025

n Sleigh Rides 10:00am, National Elk Refuge, $15.00 - $21.00, 307-733-0277 n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Total Fitness 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n After School Kidzart Club: Grade K-2 3:30pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $150.00, 307733-6379 n Tucker Smith Band 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n Movie Mondays: Films & Gaming (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Santa On The Square 5:00pm, Town Square, Free n Hootenanny 6:00pm, Dornan’s, Free, 307733-2415 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: Frankenstein 7:00pm, Center Theater, $10.00 - $18.00, 307-733-4900

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

n Sleigh Rides 10:00am, National Elk Refuge, $15.00 - $21.00, 307-733-0277 n NFL Sunday Football 11:00am, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307.353.2300 n Beautiful World Holiday Pop-Up Store 11:00am, Jackson Town Square, Free, 307-413-5847 n Sunday Silver 1:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $40.00, 307733-6379 n Holiday Spectacular ‘A Winter Wonderland on Ice’ 2:00pm, Snow King Ice Arena, $10.00 - $15.00, 307-201-1633 n Major Zephyr 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n A Wonderland of Music Celebrating the Holidays at Walk Festival Hall 4:00pm, Walk Festival Hall, Free, 307-774-5497 n Santa On The Square 5:00pm, Town Square, Free n Holiday Spectacular ‘A Winter Wonderland on Ice’ 5:30pm, Snow King Ice Arena, $10.00 - $15.00, 307-201-1633 n Stagecoach Band 6:00pm, Stagecoach, Free, 307-733-4407 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n Aikido Classes 7:30pm, 290 N Millward, Free, 307-690-3941 n Locals Appreciation Holiday Party 7:30pm, Wort Hotel, Free, 307733-2190 n Hospitality Night - Happy Hour 9:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

24 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

BEER, WINE & SPIRITS

Italy Under $20 The best bang-for-yourbuck vino.

BY TED SCHEFFLER @critic1

F

or the past few years I’ve wanted to visit Italy and sip my way through the country’s marvelous vineyards.

But I keep getting waylaid by places like France, America’s own wine regions and sunny beaches south of the border and in the Caribbean. One of these days, I will make it back to Italy. For now, I’ll settle for enjoying great value imports. Each of the Italian wines featured here sells for less than $20—some, much less, making an Italian staycation cheaper than you’d think.

Pinot grigio is the mother of Italian white wines and by far the most commercially successful varietal. One of my favorites—a great bang-for-the-buck—is Attems Pinot Grigio 2015 ($10.25). It comes from FriuliVenezia Giulia, the northeastern-most

region of Italy, bordering Slovenia and Austria. Attems has more tropical-fruit flavors and aromas than most pinot grigios, which can be insipid. By contrast, this one is rich, complex and brimming with ripe fruit—pineapple, pear and peach flavors, especially—along with crisp minerality. It makes for a pleasant aperitif but also pairs up well with fish dishes like halibut piccata.

Another extraordinary value is Mezzocorona Anterra Chardonnay delle Venezie IGT 2014 priced at (and this isn’t a typo) $5.99. It’s a new-ish product that isn’t easy to find in the U.S. This chardonnay is crisp, a little off-dry and closer in style to chablis than a big, buttery California chardonnay. Since it’s subtle and not bombastic, Anterra is a good partner for a wide range of dishes—a very food-friendly wine.

Italy produces some terrific rosés—called rosato in that country—and this is one of them. Don’t let the low price fool you; Tenuta Sant’Antonio Scaia Rosato 2015 ($12.99) is a world-class pink vino. Aged in stainless steel with natural malolactic fermentation, it’s made from 100 percent rondinella, exhibiting floral aromas and juicy raspberry flavors.

Another excellent wine from the same producer is Tenuta Sant’Antonio Scaia Corvina IGT 2014 ($12.99). I’ve written that Scaia Corvina is “one of the best Italian red wine

IMBIBE bargains on the planet.” Renowned critic Robert Parker agrees, saying in The Wine Advocate, “This exceptional value wine may well be the best deal in Italian wine today.”

Casamatta means “crazy house” in Italian, and Bibi Graetz Casamatta Rosso Toscana IGT ($12.95) would make for a crazy good house wine—one that is refreshing and not too serious, but eminently versatile and appealing. Made from 100 percent sangiovese using the Spanish-style solera method of blending the current wine vintage with previous ones, this might just be the ultimate pizza and pasta complement.

Speaking of pizza pairings, every household deserves an inexpensive, go-to chianti for not-sospecial occasions.

For me, t he ubiqu itous Ruffino Chianti DOCG ($11.99) fits the bill perfectly. Its blend of 80 percent sangiovese and 20 percent merlot produces fruity and floral aromas, with just enough acid and backbone to pair nicely with a wide range of foods, from hamburgers and grilled pork chops to beef carpaccio and Margherita pizza.

If you’re looking for a low-price, luscious wine that can serve both as an appealing aperitif and as an accompaniment for dessert, look no further than Moscato d’Asti Cascinetta 2015 ($16.99). As you’d expect, it’s made from 100 percent moscato d’Asti grapes, and weighs in at a very drinkable alcohol-by-volume level of 5.26 percent.

The pale-yellow wine is slightly frizzante (fizzy), with peach and ginger aromas. It tickles the tongue with subtle sweet stone fruit flavors. A very good partner for light, fruity desserts and even robust, creamy seafood dishes and pastas, this wine is ideal when you want something crisp and light to sip for contrast. PJH

SCOOP UP THESE SAVINGS

1/16TH COLOR AD Trio is located just off the town square in downtown Jackson, and is owned & operated by local chefs with a passion for good food.

Our menu features contemporary American dishes inspired by classic bistro cuisine. Daily specials feature wild game, fish and meats.

Enjoy a glass of wine at the bar in front of the wood-burning oven and watch the chefs perform in the open kitchen.

Dinner Nightly at 5:30pm

Local is a modern American steakhouse and bar located on Jackson’s historic town square.

Serving locally raised beef and, regional game, fresh seafood and seasonally inspired food, Local offers the perfect setting for lunch, drinks or dinner.

Lunch 11:30am Monday-Saturday Dinner 5:30pm Nightly

45 S. Glenwood

HAPPY HOUR Daily 4-6:00pm

Available for private events & catering

307.201.1717 | LOCALJH.COM ON THE TOWN SQUARE

For reservations please call 734-8038

• FREE PRINT LISTING (50-75 WORDS) • FREE ONLINE LISTING ON PLANETJH.COM • 6 MONTH MINIMUM COMMITMENT • $25 A WEEK CASH OR $40 A WEEK TRADE ON HALF OFF JH

CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE TODAY TO LEARN MORE

SALES@PLANETJH.COM OR 307.732.0299

Two- fer Tuesday is back !

Two-for-one 12” pies all day. Dine-in or Carry-out.

(LIMIT 6 PIES PER CARRYOUT ORDER, PLEASE.)

Featuring dining destinations from buffets and rooms with a view to mom and pop joints, chic cuisine and some of our dining critic’s faves!

ASIAN & CHINESE TETON THAI 11am - 9:30pm daily 20 W. Broadway 307.201.1472

PizzeriaCaldera.com

Serving the world’s most exciting cuisine.

Teton Thai offers a splendid array of flavors: sweet, hot, sour, salt and bitter. All balanced and blended perfectly, satisfying the most discriminating palate. Open daily. 7432 Granite Loop Road in Teton Village, (307) 733-0022 and in Driggs, (208) 787-8424, tetonthai.com.

THAI ME UP

Home of Melvin Brewing Co. Freshly remodeled offering modern Thai cuisine in a relaxed setting. New tap system with 20 craft beers. New $8 wine list and extensive bottled beer menu. Open daily for dinner at 5pm.

Downtown at 75 East Pearl Street. View our tap list at thaijh.com/brews. 307-733-0005.

CONTINENTAL ALPENHOF

Serving authentic Swiss cuisine, the Alpenhof features European style breakfast entrées and alpine lunch fare. Dine in the Bistro for a casual meal or join us in the Alpenrose dining room for a relaxed dinner experience.

Breakfast 7:30am-10am. Coffee & pastry 10am-11:30am. Lunch 11:30am-3pm. Aprés 3pm-5:30pm. Dinner 6pm-9pm. For reservations at the Bistro or Alpenrose, call 307-733-3242.

THE BLUE LION

A Jackson Hole favorite for 38 years. Join us in the charming atmosphere of a historic home. Ask a local about our rack of lamb.

Serving fresh fish, elk, poultry, steaks, and vegetarian entrées. Live acoustic guitar music most nights. Early Bird Special: 20% off entire bill between 5:30-6:0pm, Open nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations recommended, walkins welcome. 160 N. Millward, (307) 733-3912, bluelionrestaurant.com.

Serving inspired home cooked classics in a historic log cabin. Enjoy brunch daily at 8 a.m., Dinner Tues-Sat 5 p.m. and Happy Hour Tues-Sat 3-5:30 p.m. featuring $5 glasses of wine, $5 specialty drinks, $3 bottled beer. 135 E. Broadway, (307) 732-1910, genevievejh. com.

ELEANOR’S

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 25

Enjoy all the perks of fine dining, minus the dress code at Eleanor’s, serving rich, saucy dishes in a warm and friendly setting. Its bar alone is an attraction, thanks to reasonably priced drinks and a loyal crowd. Come get a belly-full of our two-time gold medal wings.

Open at 11 a.m. daily. 832 W. Broadway, (307) 733-7901.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

CAFE GENEVIEVE

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

26 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

FULL STEAM SUBS ®

FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT PIZZAS, PASTAS & MORE HOUSEMADE BREAD & DESSERTS FRESH, LOCALLY SOURCED OFFERINGS TAKE OUT AVAILABLE Dining room and bar open nightly at 5:00pm (307) 733-2460 • 2560 Moose Wilson Road • Wilson, WY

A Jackson Hole favorite since 1965

Large Specialty Pizza ADD: Wings (8 pc)

Medium Pizza (1 topping) Stuffed Cheesy Bread

$ 13 99

for an extra $5.99/each

(307) 733-0330 520 S. Hwy. 89 • Jackson, WY

European Dining

in Teton Village

The deli that’ll rock your belly. Jackson’s newest sub shop serves steamed subs, reubens, gyros, delicious all beef hot dogs, soups and salads. We offer Chicago style hot dogs done just the way they do in the windy city. Open daily11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located just a short block north of the Town Square at 180 N. Center Street, (307) 733-3448.

LOCAL

Local, a modern American steakhouse and bar, is located on Jackson’s historic town square. Our menu features both classic and specialty cuts of locally-ranched meats and wild game alongside fresh seafood, shellfish, house-ground burgers, and seasonally-inspired food. We offer an extensive wine list and an abundance of locallysourced products. Offering a casual and vibrant bar atmosphere with 12 beers on tap as well as a relaxed dining room, Local is the perfect spot to grab a burger for lunch or to have drinks and dinner with friends. Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am.

Dinner Nightly 5:30pm. 55 North Cache, (307) 201-1717, localjh.com.

LOTUS CAFE

JOIN US AT THE ‘HOF, THE ALPENHOF LODGE

BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER 307.733.3242 TETON VILLAGE

Mangy Moose Restaurant, with locally sourced, seasonally FRESH FOOD at reasonable prices, is a always a FUN PLACE to go with family or friends for a unique dining experience. The personable staff will make you feel RIGHT AT HOME and the funky western decor will keep you entertained throughout your entire visit.

Reservations at (307) 733-4913 3295 Village Drive • Teton Village, WY

www.mangymoose.com

20%OFF Good between 5:30-6pm • Open nightly at 5:30pm Please mention ad for discount.

733-3912 160 N. Millward

Make your reservation online at bluelionrestaurant.com

THE LOCALS

FAVORITE PIZZA 2012, 2013 & 2014 •••••••••

$7

$4 Well Drink Specials

LUNCH

SPECIAL Slice, salad & soda

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

TV Sports Packages and 7 Screens

Under the Pink Garter Theatre (307) 734-PINK • www.pinkygs.com

MANGY MOOSE

Mangy Moose Restaurant, with locally sourced, seasonally fresh food at reasonable prices, is a always a fun place to go with family or friends for a unique dining experience. The personable staff will make you feel right at home and the funky western decor will keep you entertained throughout your entire visit. Teton Village, (307) 733-4913, mangymoose.com.

MILLION DOLLAR COWBOY STEAKHOUSE

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

ENTIRE BILL

Serving organic, freshly-made world cuisine while catering to all eating styles. Endless organic and natural meat, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. Offering super smoothies, fresh extracted juices, espresso and tea. Full bar and house-infused botanical spirits. Open daily 8am for breakfast lunch and dinner. 140 N. Cache, (307) 734-0882, tetonlotuscafe.com.

LOCAL & DOMESTIC STEAKS SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK @ 5:30 TILL 10 JHCOWBOYSTEAKHOUSE.COM 307-733-4790

Jackson’s first Speakeasy Steakhouse. The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse is a hidden gem located below the world famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Our menu offers guests the best in American steakhouse cuisine. Top quality chops and steaks sourced from local farms, imported Japanese Wagyu beef, and house-cured meats and sausages. Accentuated with a variety of thoughtful side dishes, innovative appetizers, creative vegetarian items, and decadent desserts, a meal at this landmark location is sure to be a memorable one. Reservations are highly recommended.

SNAKE RIVER BREWERY & RESTAURANT

America’s most award-winning microbrewery is serving lunch and dinner. Take in the atmosphere while enjoying wood-fired pizzas, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. $9 lunch menu. Happy hour 4 to 6 p.m., including tasty hot wings. The freshest beer in the valley, right from the source! Free WiFi. Open 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 265 S. Millward. (307) 739-2337, snakeriverbrewing.com.

TRIO

Owned and operated by Chefs with a passion for good food, Trio is located right off the Town square in downtown Jackson. Featuring a variety

of cuisines in a relaxed atmosphere, Trio is famous for its wood-oven pizzas, specialty cocktails and waffle fries with bleu cheese fondue. Dinner nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations. (307) 734-8038 or bistrotrio.com.

ITALIAN CALICO

A Jackson Hole favorite since 1965, the Calico continues to be one of the most popular restaurants in the Valley. The Calico offers the right combination of really good food, (much of which is grown in our own gardens in the summer), friendly staff; a reasonably priced menu and a large selection of wine. Our bar scene is eclectic with a welcoming vibe. Open nightly at 5 p.m. 2560 Moose Wilson Rd., (307) 733-2460.

MEXICAN EL ABUELITO

Serving authentic Mexican cuisine and appetizers in a unique Mexican atmosphere. Home of the original Jumbo Margarita. Featuring a full bar with a large selection of authentic Mexican beers. Lunch served weekdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nightly dinner specials. Open seven days, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 385 W. Broadway, (307) 733-1207.

PIZZA DOMINO’S PIZZA

Hot and delicious delivered to your door. Handtossed, deep dish, crunchy thin, Brooklyn style and artisan pizzas; bread bowl pastas, and oven baked sandwiches; chicken wings, cheesy breads and desserts. Delivery. 520 S. Hwy. 89 in Kmart Plaza, (307) 733-0330.

PINKY G’S

The locals favorite! Voted Best Pizza in Jackson Hole 2012, 2013 and 2014. Seek out this hidden gem under the Pink Garter Theatre for NY pizza by the slice, salads, stromboli’s, calzones and many appetizers to choose from. Try the $7 ‘Triple S’ lunch special.Happy hours 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Sun.- Thu. Text PINK to 71441 for discounts.

Delivery and take-out. Open daily 11a.m. to 2 a.m. 50 W. Broadway, (307) 734-PINK.

PIZZERIA CALDERA

Jackson Hole’s only dedicated stone-hearth oven pizzeria, serving Napolitana-style pies using the

freshest ingredients in traditional and creative combinations. Five local micro-brews on tap, a great selection of red and white wines by the glass and bottle, and one of the best views of the Town Square from our upstairs deck. Daily lunch special includes slice, salad or soup, any two for $8. Happy hour: half off drinks by the glass from 4 - 6 daily. Dine in or carry out. Or order online at PizzeriaCaldera.com, or download our app for iOS or Android. Open from 11am - 9:30pm daily at 20 West Broadway. 307-201-1472.

SWEETS MEETEETSE CHOCOLATIER

Meeteetse Chocolatier brings their unique blend of European style chocolates paired with “Wyomingesque” flavors. Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, Sage, Huckleberry and Sarsaparilla lead off a decadent collection of truffles, Belgian chocolates and hand made caramel. Sample Single Origin and Organic chocolates at our Tasting Station. Open Weekends, 265 W. Broadway. 307-413-8296. meeteetsechocolatier. com

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9.

No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

WELLNESS COMMUNITY 13 WEEK RUN STARTS JANUARY 11 TH ISSUE

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L.A.TIMES “HANGING AROUND IN THE DARK” By Ed Sessa

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2016

ACROSS

72 74 76

DOWN

1 Like architectural drawings 2 *Lots opposite 3 Big name in civil rights 4 Burden

5 *Be blessed by Lady Luck 6 Like the flight of a boomerang 7 “Very funny” 8 Muckrakers’ subjects 9 Thumbs-ups 10 “All that is or ever was or ever will be”: Sagan 11 Result of a leadoff single 12 Order 13 *Traveled to Europe, say 14 Former TWA owner 15 Get fewer votes than 16 Red choice 17 Edmonton skaters 20 Rock formations that often meet in dark places, as illustrated here 25 TV classic “__ Three Lives” 28 Court matter 30 Little pigs, e.g.

34 Hurler’s stat 37 Future tweeter 38 *Annual postseason game played in Arizona 39 2016 FedExCup winner McIlroy 42 Trials for aspiring D.A.’s 43 *Go all in 44 Lemon-lime drink 46 “The Da Vinci Code” priory 48 To be safe 49 “Doesn’t do much for me” 51 Chaotic situation 52 Spanish airline 53 Vampire’s daybed 54 Alarm sounds 55 Arnaz-Ball collaboration 56 Fishing nets 58 Sherpa, usually 61 Indian dignitaries 69 Former Uh-Oh! cookies, now called Golden

70

Sigourney’s “Gorillas in the Mist” role 73 *”Sweet Love” R&B singer 75 Stadium cheer 79 Strong wind 81 *Middle Eastern staple 85 Marketing of pieces?

86 Title in a Poitier title 88 Tabloid twosome 90 Spleen 92 Earn 93 Hangout for the Dark Knight, and for creatures in the answers to starred clues 94 More diaphanous 95 Comes clean about 96 Fruit in a Poitier title 97 Half-baked 99 Condescends 100 Per person 101 Charlemagne’s domain: Abbr.

103 Grammar subject 104 First-class 105 Places to raise dough 108 Does as humans do?

110 Carbon compound 111 “__ want for Christmas ... ” 114 Fall behind

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 27

Turtle of comics and film Mouthy munchkins The Rams of the Atlantic 10 Conf.

77 Author Wiesel 78 Gather bit by bit 79 Lacrosse position 80 Half-moon tide 82 Skin coloring, briefly?

83 Raw fish dish 84 Capriciously, with “on” 85 Aphrodite’s love 87 One way to sit 89 Clothing store section 91 Poitier title role 95 Shapiro of NPR 98 Consumed 99 “Oh gee” 101 Big name in gaming 102 Strauss waltz subject 104 Portraitist Charles and his artist sons 105 Mars or Venus 106 Residential ending 107 Title awarded only once to a New Englander (Connecticut, 1933) 109 Last check, maybe 112 “Wicked Game” singer Chris 113 Shoulder neighbor 115 Knighted composer 116 Hint of color 117 DDE’s VP 118 122-Across user 119 Vibrant 120 Scornful look 121 Distress letters 122 Lock fixers 123 Alice’s workplace

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1 Disguised, for short 6 “I see” 10 Pipe material 13 Ham’s response 18 Terrible turnout 19 Spice holders 21 Yoko from Tokyo 22 Often harmful bacteria 23 Auto suspension component 24 Dresses down 26 Type of air passage 27 Like “Et tu, Brute?”

29 Close 31 NYC dance company 32 Garden plot 33 Explorer Ponce __ 35 Demagogue, e.g.

36 Liquid measures 38 Eponymous electrical units 39 Tease 40 Decisive parts of some NFL games 41 Floor in la maison 42 Color named for a flower 43 Louts 45 Space fillers?

47 Track official 50 __ nerve 54 Some audio books 57 Korean imports 58 “Baseball is __ percent mental.

The other half is physical”: Yogi Berra 59 Caribbean destination 60 Lascivious look 62 ’40s Giant manager 63 __ Sketch 64 “Mercury” coins 65 Where Tibet is 66 U.S. global monitor 67 Fried rice veggie 68 Hunk’s pride 71 Young __: political reformer

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

28 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

Finding Happiness

presence carried into in all of your interactions. Adopting the mantra, “My attitude is gratitude,” is a great way to practice savoring what’s right in life.

Practices to open your heart and train your brain.

3. Become resilient

R

ecently there have been important scientific discoveries about our hearts and brains and how they communicate with each other. These revelations show us simple ways to train our brains for greater happiness, without drugs or alcohol.

Four prerequisites for a malleable mind We now know the brain is very dynamic; it can be upgraded at any age, and it changes in response to internal training.

Neuroscience has identified four brain circuits that, when activated on a regular basis, will lead to measurable increases in happiness and wellbeing. Like with other personal improvements, a heartfelt desire to be happier combined with the commitment to implementing specific practices are required for activating these four internal feel good circuits.

1. Generosity Being kind, thoughtful, considerate, compassionate, and helpful to others quickly produces positive changes to our brain chemistry and instantly upgrades our happiness.

Generosity of spirit, thought, and action are expressions of love. They activate internal circuits designed to sustain positive emotions. This supports the evidence that we are hardwired to care for our fellow human beings and that caring for others is directly linked to our own wellbeing.

Studies have shown that practicing random acts of kindness, reaching out spontaneously to friends and strangers, extending a hand, a hug, opening a door, volunteering for causes we care about, and contributing to charities increase overall wellbeing, happiness and longevity. On a personal note, what made my day while grocery shopping earlier in the week was assisting a gentleman in a wheelchair by handing him a can of tuna he needed from a shelf beyond his reach. It was a simple, mutually uplifting act.

2. Savor the positive Being grateful is the capacity to focus on and revel in what’s positive in self, in others, and in all of creation. Practicing gratitude every day opens the heart, which simultaneously reinforces this particular brain circuitry. Training your heart and brain to notice what’s right builds a radiant inner

Resiliency is the ability to rapidly recover from adversity. Whether the challenge, hurt, or loss is something you’d consider large or small, feeling it fully and then allowing the energy to dissipate quickly is another key to happiness. The ability to let go, realign, and move forward returns us to happier states of being. Otherwise, holding onto hurt extends the pain long term, even for lifetimes. Think of a toddler who falls, sobs intensely, and then is easily comforted and smiles again.

(I am not inviting anyone to act like a toddler… just saying.)

Three activities that support body-mind resilience are regular meditation practice, yoga and martial arts.

4. Focus Mind-body-spirit synergy is so powerful when it is focused.

Scientists note that when the mind has the habit of wandering it is unhappy. Focus creates a surge in happiness, inspiration and fulfillment. A Zen proverb noted: “When walking, walk.

When eating, eat.”

And Steve Jobs said, “You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Check your focus anytime by asking yourself these two questions: “What am I doing right now? Where is my mind?”

On average, 47 percent of people are not paying attention to what they are doing or whom they are with. Meditation trains the mind to minimize distractions and maximize focus. Keep in mind meditation can assume active forms like yoga, martial arts, or long distance running. More traditional forms require sitting still in silence. Discover a modality that suits you, so you will do it often.

Sleigh bells and sadness “Tis the season”—you will hear over and over this month— “to be happy and jolly and cheerful and…”

Yet not everyone’s life circumstances allow for those emotions right now.

Even when the joys of the season appear eons away, you can still find peace. Start by intentionally practicing heartfelt generosity, gratitude, resilience, and focus, four scientifically proven ways to enhance feelings of wellbeing everyday, so you can feel better.

Of course, it is always worth noting: if you are experiencing prolonged depression, hopelessness, and are unable to sleep, focus, or motivate, please seek professional help. It works. PJH

Carol Mann is a longtime Jackson resident, radio personality, former Grand Targhee Resort owner, author, and clairvoyant.

Got a Cosmic Question? Email carol@yourcosmiccafe.com

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DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 29

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| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

30 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

REDNECK PERSPECTIVE SATIRE

Free Speech Protectors Hog Island defends the First Amendment.

BY CLYDE THORNHILL

A

Are you a discerning drinker who knows her scotch from her whiskey? When you’re talking bouquets, are flowers the last thing on your mind?

Then we want YOU. The Planet is looking for a drink columnist who likes to imbibe and write about it with authority.

EMAIL WRITING SAMPLES TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM.

battle is brewing between Hog Island Mayor-elect Ndogo Uume and community members over civil liberties. The mayor-elect recently tweeted that he favored revoking Hog Island citizenship for anyone caught eating tofu.

His tweet—“Nobody should be allowed to eat tofu. If they do, there must be consequences. Perhaps loss of Hog Island citizenship or year in jail!”—has both liberal and conservative civil libertarians concerned.

The Supreme Court ruled long ago that the trailer park rules do not permit the government to take away Hog Island citizenship against a person’s will.

David D. Cole is a Georgetown University law professor who co-wrote the Supreme Court brief in the 2015 tofu eating case, Hoback Junction v. Natalia Macker.

“To me, it is deeply troubling that the person who is going to become the most powerful government official in Hog Island doesn’t understand the first thing about the First Amendment, which is you can’t punish people for expressing dissent,” he said. “As no one eats tofu for its flavor or texture, tofu eaters are plainly expressing dissent, although we are not sure for what they are dissenting.”

The revoking of citizenship had been addressed by the Hog Island Supreme Court when households owning less than 15 guns were

accused of being anti-Second Amendment and threatened with loss of Hog Island citizenship.

Hog Island Chief Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the majority opinion. “The very nature of our free government makes it completely incongruous to have a rule of law under which a group of citizens temporarily in office can deprive another group of citizens of their citizenship,” Black noted.

While most in Hog Island consider eating tofu a vile act, one they personally would never condone, they oppose prosecution against those who do.

“It’s a matter of free-eating,” one resident declared. “As far as I am concerned, no one should be punished unless they eat sushi.”

While burning bacon has long been a crime in Hog Island and sushi eating has been outlawed for years, these prohibitions are considered necessary to maintain the moral fiber of Hog Island as well as the proper texture of fried bacon.

In other election news, Uume did another about-face today. Before the election, he said the voting was rigged and he would not support the outcome unless he won. After he won the Electoral College (in Hog Island, each five trailers or four cousins or three ex-wives make up one electoral vote) he said the vote was fair and everyone in Hog Island should support him.

Now that it is clear he will not win the popular vote (Uume had weak support among women with an eighth grade or higher education and men who drove Ford trucks rather than Chevys) he is claiming voter fraud.

Some have lobbed claims at Uume that he is a hypocrite, a liar, and a pompous ass. In response, the mayor-elect has threatened to use eminent domain to confiscate all Bud Lite owned by his detractors and give it to his supporters. PJH

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY RABBIT ROW REPAIR

BY ROB BREZSNY

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Physicist Stephen Hawking is skeptical of the hypothesis that humans might someday be able to travel through time. To jokingly dramatize his belief, he threw a party for time travelers from the future. Sadly, not a single chrononaut showed up to enjoy the Champagne and hors d’oeuvres Hawking had prepared. Despite this discouraging evidence, I guarantee that you will have the potential to meet with Future Versions of You on a regular basis during the next nine months. These encounters are likely to be metaphorical or dreamlike rather than literal, but they will provide valuable information as you make decisions that affect your destiny for years to come. The first of these heart-to-hearts should come very soon.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) During these last few weeks, you might have sometimes felt like smashing holes in the wall with your head, or dragging precious keepsakes into the middle of the street and setting them on fire, or delivering boxes full of garbage to people who don’t appreciate you as much as they should. I hope you abstained from doing things like that. Now here are some prescriptions to help you graduate from unproductive impulses: Make or find a symbol of one of your mental blocks, and bash it to pieces with a hammer; clean and polish precious keepsakes, and perform rituals to reinvigorate your love for them; take as many trips to the dump as necessary to remove the congestion, dross and rot from your environment.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Singer-songwriter Tom Waits has a distinctive voice. One fan described it this way: “Like how you’d sound if you drank a quart of bourbon, smoked a pack of cigarettes and swallowed a pack of razor blades. Late at night. After not sleeping for three days.” Luckily, Waits doesn’t have to actually do any of those self-destructive things to achieve his unique tone. In fact, he’s wealthy from selling his music, and has three kids with a woman to whom he’s been married for 36 years. I foresee a similar potential for you in the coming weeks and months. You might be able to capitalize on your harmless weirdness, earn rewards by expressing your charming eccentricities and be both strange and popular.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) “Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how,” said dancer Agnes De Mille. “We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.” As true as her words might be for most of us much of the time, I suspect they don’t apply to you right now. This is one of those rare moments when feeling total certainty is justified. Your vision is extra clear and farseeing. Your good humor and expansive spirit will ensure that you stay humble. As you take leap after leap, you’ll be surrounded by light.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) “If you don’t use your own imagination, somebody else is going to use it for you,” said writer Ronald Sukenick.

That’s always true, but it will be especially important for you to keep in mind in 2017. You Geminis will have an unparalleled power to enlarge, refine, and tap into your imagination. You’ll be blessed with the motivation and ingenuity to make it work for you in new ways, which could enable you to accomplish marvelous feats of creativity and self-transformation. Now here’s a warning: If you don’t use your willower to take advantage of these potentials, your imagination will be subject to atrophy and colonization.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Why are Australian sand wasps so skilled at finding their way back home after being out all day? Here’s their trick: When they first leave the nest each morning, they fly backward, imprinting on their memory banks the sights they will look for when they return later. Furthermore, their exiting flight path is a slow and systematic zigzag pattern that orients them from multiple directions. I recommend that you draw inspiration from the sand wasps in 2017, Cancerian. One of your important tasks will be to keep finding your way back to your spiritual home, over and over again.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Vault 21, a restaurant in Dunedin, New Zealand, serves sautéed locusts. For $5, patrons receive a plate of five. The menu refers to the dish not as “Oily Sizzling Grasshoppers,” but rather as “Sky Prawns.” Satisfied customers know exactly what they’re eating, and some say the taste does indeed resemble prawns. I bring this to your attention, Leo, because it illustrates a talent you will have in abundance during 2017: re-branding. You’ll know how to maximize the attractiveness and desirability of things by presenting them in the best possible light.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) The literal translation of the German word Kummerspeck is “grief bacon.” It refers to the weight gained by people who, while wallowing in self-pity, eat an excess of comfort food. I know more than a few Virgos who have been flirting with this development lately, although the trigger seems to be self-doubt as much as self-pity. In any case, here’s the good news: The trend is about to flip. A flow of agreeable adventures is due to begin soon. You’ll be prodded by fun challenges and provocative stimuli that will boost your confidence and discourage Kummerspeck.

4 2 8 0 W. L E E P E R • W I L S O N • 3 0 7 - 7 3 3 - 4 3 3 1

REPORTER

WANTED THE QUALIFIED APPLICANT:

• IS PASSIONATE ABOUT NEWS, ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, LONG-FORM NARRATIVES, AND COMMENTARY • DISTILLS COMPLICATED ISSUES FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION • WRITES WITH CLARITY AND CONTEXT • OBSERVES, LISTENS, AND ASKS THE RIGHT QUESTIONS • DIGS DEEPER TO FIND THE UNTOLD STORY AND THE ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) “Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you are incomparable,” wrote journalist Brenda Ueland. Pause for a moment and fully take in that fact, Libra. It’s breathtaking and daunting. What a huge responsibility it is to be absolutely unique. In fact, it’s so monumental that you might still be shy about living up to it. But how about if you make 2017 the year you finally come into your own as the awesomely unprecedented creature that you are? I dare you to more fully acknowledge and express your singular destiny. Start today!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) “To dream … to dream has been the business of my life,” wrote author Edgar Allan Poe. I don’t expect you to match his devotion to dreams in 2017, Scorpio, but I do hope you will become more deeply engaged with your waking fantasies and the stories that unfold as you lie sleeping.

Why? Because your usual approaches to gathering useful information won’t be sufficient. To be successful, both in the spiritual and worldly senses, you’ll need extra access to perspectives that come from beyond your rational mind. Here’s a good motto for you in 2017: “I am a lavish and practical dreamer.”

Go to RealAstrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes. Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.

EMAIL WRITING SAMPLES AND RESUME TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM.

DECEMBER 14, 2016 | 31

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) “We are torn between nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange,” wrote author Carson McCullers. Are you ready to give that adage a twist, Taurus? In the coming weeks, I think you should search for foreign and strange qualities in your familiar world. Such a

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Was punk rock born on June 4, 1976? A fledgling band known as the Sex Pistols played that night for a crowd of 40 people at a small venue in Manchester, England.

Among the audience members was Morrissey, who got so inspired that he started his own band, The Smiths. Also in attendance was a rowdy guy who would soon launch the band Joy Division, despite the fact that he had never played an instrument. The men who would later form the Buzzcocks also saw the performance by Johnny Rotten and his crew. According to music critic David Nolan, these future pioneers came away from the June 4 show with the conclusion, “You don’t have to be a virtuoso or a musical genius to be in a band; anyone can do it.” I see parallels between this seminal event and your life in the coming weeks.

quest might initially feel odd, but will ultimately be healthy and interesting. It will also be good preparation for the next chapter of your life, when you will saunter out into unknown territory and find ways to feel at home there.

32 | DECEMBER 14, 2016

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |