days

as a society. Hopefully this is a great lesson to us all.”

KRYSTOFER DO

Krystofer Do is a singer/songwriter, keyboardist, model, thespian, and film actor. He just released his new song “Soul” and is set to release his debut full-length album later this year. His performances are passionate and high energy and in the vein of Prince and Michael Jackson. He has performed across the Coachella Valley, including Fantasy Springs Casino, where he won the 2017 Fantasy Star voice competition, earning him a spot on a

billboard on the CA-60 Highway and his own show at the casino. He is a unique young man who walks to the beat of his own drum unapologetically.

CVW: What projects are you working on while in quarantine?

Krystofer: “I’m currently working on my brand new album, which will be set to release this Winter!! I’m also working on this AWESOME Star Wars fan film that I wrote and will be directing, so I’ve been keeping busy. Mostly, though, I’ve just been hanging out with my sexy girlfriend, Bronte, and my cat, Figaro.”

CVW: Do you feel motivated to write new songs right now?

Krystofer: “Absolutely. What’s been really helpful is having some time to myself to reflect on the vision I have for my album.”

CVW: I know you’re doing FB live shows from home. How do they feel compared to real shows?

Krystofer: “It’s so different. I actually prefer real shows because of the energy I get from the crowd. I get to receive it and then give it back at least twofold. It’s been weird having no one with me while I perform, but it’s important that artists stay relevant, so here I am.”

CVW: Do you feel like you’re getting a lot of support?

Krystofer: “I do. My friends have been so supportive of my journey. My family has questioned my clothing style (or lack, thereof), but overall, I feel truly loved. I’m so grateful.”

CVW: Have you been checking out other

artists as well?

Krystofer: “I have here and there. I’ve been pretty loyal to my favorite artists and bands, but I’m actually gonna start asking my friends to send me some of their favorite music so I can expand my mind.”

CVW: What music has helped get you through this time?

Krystofer: “Honestly, it’s hard to say. I’ve got a lot of music to listen to. One song I listen to when I feel kind of down is a choir song called ‘I Am In Need of Music.’ If you’re unfamiliar with choir music, look it up on YouTube, specifically, the Texas All-Star version. It’s blissful.”

CVW: What else are you doing to get through? TV Shows? Stuff around the house?

Krystofer: “I’ve been working out, taking care of Figaro, and playing video games. I’ll binge watch ‘Supernatural’ with Bronte while eating some ramen I made in the nude. I call it “nude-les”. It’s fantastic.”

CVW: How is everyone in your house dealing with each other?

Thursday, May 14

Warsaw Poland Bros – Facebook – 11:30am

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm Hey Bertha – Facebook – 5pm

Coachella Valley – Courtney Chambers – Facebook – 7pm

Cody White and the Easy Ride – Facebook – 7:30pm

Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Friday, May 15

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm Slim Man – Facebook – 5pm Rose Mallett – Facebook – 5pm Derek Jordan Gregg – Facebook – 6pm Michael Keeth – Facebook – 7-8pm

Carlos Cruz and Frank Villa – Facebook – 8pm

Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Saturday, May 16

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm Jetta King – Facebook – 3pm

Coachella Valley - Derek Jordan Gregg and Jetta King – Facebook – 7pm

Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Sunday, May 17

Sticky Doll – Facebook – 11am Rob Pickett – Barflys – Facebook – 2pm

Krystofer: “It’s just me and Bronte. I technically live with my landlords, but I don’t consider them that. They have their own place that’s connected to ours (we live in a casita). They’re great friends.”

CVW: Would you like to share what your thoughts are about everything we’re dealing with?

Krystofer: “I think people need to stop acting so entitled. I recently went back to work at Coffee Bean on El Paseo, and there are some people who won’t even wear masks, even if it’s policy. I feel like even if Corona was ‘fake’ news, why risk it? You’re also just making yourself look bad.”

CVW: What do you most look forward to when this lock down is over?

Krystofer: “I wanna have sushi and wine with my friends. That’s it.”

CVW: Anything else you want to share?

Krystofer: “I wish everyone safety and compassion. Every generation deals with some turmoil and this is part of ours. Our ancestors have dealt with way more than this, so stay strong and have fun!”

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm

Pete Campbell (Versastyle) – Facebook – 4:20pm

Blasting Echo – Facebook – 5pm

Lootenant Ldoubleo – Instagram - @ lootenantmusic – 5pm

Jesika von Rabbit – Facebook – 5pm Krystofer Do – Facebook – 7-9:30pm Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Monday, May 18

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm Slim Man – Facebook - 5pm Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Tuesday May 19

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm Rose Mallett – Facebook – 6:30pm Lizann Warner – Facebook – 6:30pm Michael Keeth – Facebook – 7-8pm Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Wednesday, May 20

Sergio Villegas – Facebook – 3pm Slim Man – Facebook - 5pm Nicholas J. Sosa – Facebook – 10pm

Contact Phil Lacombe to have your Virtual Performance listed here. philip@coachellavalleyweekly.com

Stylistically, the music of The Claudettes is all over the map. That’s a good thing. The Chicago four-piece refer to their sound as Garage Cabaret, but that doesn’t completely cover their nonpareil approach.

The band began life as a duo in 2011. Johnny Iguana (piano, keys) and Michael Caskey (drums) had made their bones as part of Chicago’s legendary Post-Punk combo, oh my god. Their original sound was strictly instrumental. That iteration managed to release three albums, Internal Piano Plot… HATCHED, No Hotel and Pull Closer To Me: Live In The Piano Room. Through the years, there were myriad personnel shifts. But they locked into the current line-up, adding oh my god alumnus Zach Verdoorn on bass and guitar, along with vocalist, Berit Ulseth, just in time to record and release their acclaimed fourth effort, Dance Scandal At The Gymnasium, in 2018.

After relentless touring, The Claudettes returned to the studio with producer Ted Hutt. An original guitarist for Celtic-flavored Punkers, Flogging Molly, the British born musician has spent the last decade or so carving out a career as a producer, working with bands like Gaslight Anthem, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dustbowl Revival and Violent Femmes. The result is their newest long-player, High Times In The Dark.

The album opens with the one-two punch of “Bad Babe, Losin’ Touch” and “24/5.” On

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

S and G PUMPING SERVICE BY ELENI P. AUSTIN predilection for unrequited obsession can be flipped on like a switch; “Smile at me and I swear to God, I’ll dream about you tonight.”

The latter gives prospective beaus the brush-off in the form of a rote rejection letter. Grandiloquent piano fills and buzzy guitar flutter atop rubbery bass and a cantilevered beat. Berit’s Soulful delivery almost removes the sting of “Dear Sir: I appreciate your interest in working with me, Dear Sir: there is no committee, it’s only me/Dear Sir: I wish you the best in all your future endeavors, But Sir: there is no interest whatsoever…you have been DECLINED, 100% DECLINED.”

The album’s best tracks nearly line up in a row. If Todd Rundgren had ever collaborated with Martha And The Vandellas, it might sound something like “One Special Bottle.” Urgent piano runs, tensile bass and spiky guitar licks are wed to a rock steady beat. Stacked harmonies evince a sugary GirlGroup rush, but a yearning, “Something/ Anything ache emerges in lyrics like “I really thought I’d get to drink it last year, but just like me, it’s sitting here/There’s no buzz, there’s nothing to savor, no one does anyone any favors.”

Berit and Zach share vocal duties on “I Don’t Do That Stuff Anymore.” Their dissonant harmonies wash over a thwock-y backbeat, shuddery keys thrumming bass and subdued guitars. Perspicacious lyrics reflect on a shared history of lurid, nocturnal adventures; “I must’ve driven home but I don’t remember a thing, vile mess in the back seat, a side mirror missing/He said “DON’T CALL ME,” my head is pounding, I don’t do that stuff anymore.” Searing guitar riffs and brittle piano chords on the break mirror the ambivalent throb of the song’s denouement; “Such a dangerous place but I want nothing more than to abandon all hope and walk right out the door/To when we were all just fun-loving whores we treated the night like it was ours, not yours, I don’t do that stuff anymore/God, I loved life so much, I was just so in love with it, I kissed it so hard and held it so tight/I loved it, I loved it, I loved it, I don’t do that stuff anymore.”

Angular guitar, slinky bass, plunky piano and a tenacious tribal thump powers “Most Accidents Happen.” The lyrics take a swipe at media-driven fear mongering, which feels wildly apropos in this era of jingoistic news; “The experts agree that most accidents happen, there’s no persuasive gap in the data here, the numbers don’t lie, that most accidents happen/If you don’t want to die then you’ll listen, and be afraid of those unlike yourself, or anyone who claims to need your help.” Gritty guitars on the break manage to dirty up the pretty, on this sleekly Jazzy song.

Conversely, “24/5” bargains with a clingy Casanova to downsize together time. A cascading piano intro is bookended by (Boris The) spidery bass, slashing guitar and a bludgeoning beat. This trenchant couplet says it all; “We’ll always be together, ok, every year, not every day…This is like a comedy act and you’re the Smothers Brothers/Smothering me with your love, Dick and Tom, go and visit your mother.” A skittery guitar solo swivels around Big Easyflavored piano notes, underscoring the lyrics’ blunt message.

A couple more tracks, “I Swear To God, I Will,” and “Declined,” chart the highs and lows of romance. On the former, A breezy, Bacharach-y melody belies an admission of compulsive behavior. Pounding piano, roiling bass lines, shang-a-lang guitar and a staggered rhythm punctuate Berit’s sly vocals. She quickly confesses that her THE CLAUDETTES “HIGH TIMES IN THE DARK”

Finally, “You Drummers Keep Breaking My Heart” pairs a wry and witty narrative with a sweetly meandering melody. Sparkly piano trills lattice over bristling bass lines, see-saw guitar licks and a teeter-totter beat. The lyrics offer something of a cautionary tale and the romantic pitfalls associated with dating a drummer. The first one “loved to kiss me, but he loved his whiskey more,” with the second one “there was an accident and he went and found religion, I wasn’t done carousing yet, I couldn’t go there with him.” On the break, the tempo powers down, locking into a moody blue groove and an epiphany is reached; “The third and fourth were both named Nick, one got sick of me, the other just got sick/Ooh, I should switch to guitarists, that would be smart, ‘cause drummers keep breaking my heart.”

Other interesting tracks include the rickety blur of “Creeper Weed” and gilded splinter walk of “Grandkids, Wave Bye-Bye!” The album closes with the timorous Torch song, “The Sun Will Fool You.” Spare and bare bones, it’s pared down to just piano and vocals, placing the spotlight on Berit’s protean vocals and Johnny Iguana’s sui generis piano style. It’s a quiescent end to a great record.

The Claudettes effortlessly offer a smorgasbord of sounds, building off the tandem timekeeping of Michael Caskey and Zach Verdoon, allows the vocals and piano to shine through. Berit’s elastic style lands somewhere between Teutonic chanteuse Ute Lemper and the willowy grace of Sundays front-woman, Harriet Wheeler. Johnny’s inventive keyboard prowess anchors each song, mercurial one minute and tranquil the next. Ultimately, High Times In The Dark is a rollicking good time. “Bad…” majestic piano notes are quickly supplanted by wiggly guitar riffs and Berit’s sultry vocals. Tart lyrics take a formerly attentive lover to task; “I used to hear the doorbell ring, out the window hear you sing and I’d come racing down the stairs/Find only flowers sitting there, you don’t come over that much, bad babe losin’ touch.” On the break, Johnny’s pounding keys slink sideways into a “We Are Siamese If You Please” vamp matched by rolling drums and rippling, Spectoresque castanets. The wily Wall Of Sound reaches a cinematic piano crescendo.

(FORTY BELOW RECORDS)

BY DEE JAE COX T heatre is most often referred to as a collaborative art. Though it is easy to imagine the isolated playwright, pounding away on a keyboard, blood and sweat pouring onto the pages in their creation of unique characters, twisted plots and storylines, filled with a plethora of emotions, those words on the page are meant to been seen and not just read. They require actors to breathe life into the characters. Producers who gather all of the puzzle pieces necessary for a production. Directors who visualize and create the staging. Choreographers who light the fires for dance. Lighting and sound designers, costume and prop professionals, stage builders and set designers. It is a mythical, magical world where different breeds of artists come together in a collaborative effort that results in a full, breathing, moving piece of performance art.

Palm Springs, the desert oasis long known for decades of hosting Hollywood stars, Rat Pack performances, follies and cabarets, wasn’t always brimming over with the live theatre productions that it now offers. And then along came the Palm Canyon Theatre, exemplifying the artistry of the collaborative art!

In 1997, the Layne family, while on an annual vacation from their home in Morehead Kentucky, realized that in the midst of this star-studded oasis that something was missing. Dr. William Layne, who received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University and served as chair of the theatre department at Morehead State University, used his collaborative skills to coordinate of artists (staff and volunteers) that work together to create the magic both on and off the stage. A few members of the Palm Canyon theatre’s outstanding team includes, Derik Shopinski, the resident costume designer, who has won numerous awards. Not only is Shopinski one of the most talented in the desert, his choreography and directing skills have also contributed to the theatre’s long-standing success. The talented actor, Morgana Corelli, who runs the office and supervises Palm Canyon Theatre’s Box Office, also graces their stage in many its productions.

Cara Van Dijk, Palm Canyon theatre’s Public Relations and Publicity Manager, is also a playwright who will have the opportunity this fall to stage a new musical that she has penned. Van Dijk, describes her new musical as, “a nostalgic romp through Palm Springs, with historical vignettes of the 1800s to hysterical scenes of the 40s, 50s and on through today. The original script manages to pack in about 150 years of oasis stories by combining Palm Springs melodies, celebrity sightings and shenanigans - all reasons to love Palm Springs!”

SE Layne stated that; “We are standing by for state, county and city guidelines and policies, before we make any concrete plans. As soon as we can re-open and start a production, we’d like to, even if that means doing so with social distancing in place. We have heard from our performers that they want to be on stage again, and we have heard from our patrons that they want to be entertained. We want to bring back live theatre to the community as soon as it is considered safe to do so, and do it in a manner that protects our performers, staff, volunteers and audiences as best we can. Reopening will be a new normal, but we are hopeful that we can find a groove that everyone is comfortable with.”

In the twenty plus years since their open, this dynamic family has continued to upgrade their performances, producing approximately a dozen shows each year. Often thought of as ‘Broadway in the Desert,’ their productions of Tony Award winning and classic Broadway shows, has brought elegance, entertainment and new perspectives to the residents of the Coachella Valley. They have garnered a multitude of awards from the Desert Theatre League and in 2015 were honored with a Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars (Located at 538 North Palm Canyon Drive.)

Se Layne, a classically trained singer, dancer, and actress with a Master in Fine Arts from Michigan State University serves as Palm Canyon’s volunteer co-artistic director in partnership with her brother, J.W. Layne, who works as the theatre’s technical director and holds a Master in Fine Arts from the University ofMinnesota.

In addition to the abundance of talent within the Layne family themselves, they have managed to gather an extended family SPOTLIGHT: PALM CANYON THEATRE BREAKING THE4 TH WALL

Palm Canyon Theatre, is a long-standing Palm Springs treasure. Like all local businesses they are riding the wave of this new normal. The community eagerly awaits their reopening.

Dee Jae Cox is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project. losangeleswomenstheatreproject.org palmspringstheatre.com with his family, his wife, Sylvia, their son, J.W., and daughter, Se, along with their extended family, Mike and Connie Layne, and decided to bring their knowledge and talents to the desert. After submitting a winning proposal to the City of Palm Springs, gaining access to the historic Frances S. Stevens School on Palm Canyon Drive and investing $750,000 of their own money for the renovations, The Palm Canyon Theatre, opened with its first production, “The Desert Song,” by Romberg, Harbach, and Hammerstein in September 1997.

BY JANET McAFEE PET PLACE channel called Tripawds.

Cassidy and his crew send a message to give animals with “special needs” a second chance, be they seniors, fearful, or disabled. Cassidy lives in the moment, showing us humans how to overcome whatever challenges we may face, and move beyond them to a better life.

Below is a partial list of shelters and rescues in the Inland Empire with animals for adoption. You can view most of their animals online in advance of calling. If you cannot adopt right now, consider making a donation to one of the private rescues that rely on those funds.

COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS

– This large county shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. You can view the animals at all 4 Riverside county shelters at rcdas.org, and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Email them with the animal’s ID number at shelterinfo@ rivco.org and call (760) 343-3644. Located at 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. (Public)

It didn’t take long for Lindi, an ardent animal lover and rescuer, to decide to take in the precious pup. Next she noticed the animal’s front right leg was limp and badly deformed. But there was no way she was going to have him returned to the shelter to be killed.

Cassidy, named after the cowboy HopAlong-Cassidy, became part of the Loving All Animals rescue organization while Lindi fostered him. Lindi recalls, “We put a lot of effort trying different things to save his leg. The vet believed his injury was from an old accident. Different remedies were tried. But there was no saving his leg and finally it had to be amputated. Sometimes we try too hard, and the animal suffers. In this case we came to realize how painful it was for Cassidy to walk. He quickly recovered after the surgery, and walked and ran with the other dogs.”

When it came time to find Cassidy a forever home, adopters passed him up, perhaps due to his missing leg. One day he decided to take things into his own paws, and escaped from an adoption pen during an event at the Shadow Mountain Golf course. He searched for the human he so loved, and ran into the arms of Lindi Biggi, his foster mom and savior. Again his pleading brown eyes sent a message, and the rest is history.

Lindi describes her dog Cassidy, “He is one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever known. When I get a new foster, he takes them under his wing and shows them around. He is the kindest spirit. When I go out in the golf cart, he enjoys riding on board and then going for short runs alongside. He has absolutely no concept of being “disabled”, he just lives happily enjoying everything that happens.” Cassidy was Lindi’s “nurse” while she was temporarily bedridden after an injury, never leaving her side. Cassidy resides with his active Husky brother Balto, blind brother Pug Baby, deaf sister Maltese Lollypop, and a duck named Lilly who has difficulty walking. This is one of the happiest loving group of animals you could ever meet!

PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER –

The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. They schedule appointments Wednesday through Monday, closed on Tuesday. View their animals online at psanimalsshelter.org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 416-5718. (Public)

ANIMAL SAMARITANS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. View their animals at animalsamaritans.org. Email acorrow@ animalsamaritans.org to foster. Located at 72307 Ramon Rd, Thousand Palms, (760) 601-3918. (Private)

CALIFORNIA PAWS RESCUE - The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert. View their animals at californiapawsrescue.com, (760) 656-8833. (Private)

HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA

VALLEY – The shelter is closed but you can O ne day in 2013, Lindi Biggi was at her Loving All Animals’ office in Palm Desert when a woman rushed in carrying a beautiful tan and white Spaniel dog. She excitedly explained she was a volunteer at the old Indio Animal Shelter (now closed), and she stole the dog upon learning he was about to be euthanized. Lindi, founder and past president of Loving All Animals, wondered what might happen to her if she accepted this “stolen” dog. Her eyes locked with the soulful big brown eyes of the sweet creature, pleading eyes that seemed to sense the desperation of the moment.

Cassidy shows us what a wonderful life a “differently abled” dog can have. Almost all tripod (3 legged dogs) do very well both physically and emotionally. While removal of a limb is a big-deal operation, most dogs are up and walking without assistance within 12 to 24 hours. Bone cancer and accidents are the most common reasons why a dog needs a leg amputated. Being a dog, Cassidy does not have body image issues to deal with. It’s advisable to keep a tripod dog at the proper weight, as excess weight can put a strain on the remaining limbs.

Care needs to be taken to avoid sprains and additional injuries. Physical therapy, including swimming, can help a new tripod build up the strength in his remaining limbs and improve balance. Most tripods easily navigate stairs, but supervise initially to ensure he can do so safely. There is a huge website and online community devoted to tripod dogs at Tripawds.com and a You Tube call for an appointment to adopt a dog or cat. View their animals at orphanpet.com. Located at 17825 N. Indian Canyon, Palm Springs, (760) 329-0203. (Private)

KITTYLAND – The shelter is closed so call for an appointment to adopt a cat. Located at 67600 18th Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, kittylandrescue.org, (760) 251-2700. (Private)

FOREVER MEOW – Foster based rescue for cats located in Rancho Mirage. Contact them through website ForeverMeow.org, or call (760) 335-6767. (Private)

LOVING ALL ANIMALS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834- 7000. (Private)

MORONGO BASIN HUMANE SOCIETY –

Located at 4646 Sun View Rd, Joshua Tree, mbhumanesociety.com, call between 11am4pm for updates (760) 366-3786 (Private)

CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ANIMAL

SHELTER – Shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Hours for adoption 10am – 4pm Tuesday thru Sat. Google “City of San Bernardino Animal Shelter” for website to view animals and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Located at 333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, (909) 384- 1304 or (909) 384-7272. (Public)

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL

SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Call (909) 386-9280 daily between 9am & 5pm. View animals at sbcounty.gov/acc and get the ID number of animal you want to meet. Located at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino (Public).

DREAM TEAM ANGELS RESCUE - Foster based rescue located in Grand Terrace/San Bernardino area. Contact them through website DreamTeamangelsrescue.com, (360) 688-8884. (Private

Janetmcafee8@gmail.com CASSIDY, THE STORY OF A 3-LEGGED DOG

MEET PANDA

Pretty Panda is ready to go home and cuddle with you during the quarantine! This mellow 5-yr-old Tuxedo girl is truly a love bug. Rescued by www.forevermeow. org, call (760) 335-6767.

THE VINO VOICE HOT OFF THE BARBECUE

Now that we’re finding stay-at-home family patio parties the norm, I thought we’d chime in on some BBQ wine suggestions to enjoy before it gets too hot here in the desert to even go out and grill!

By now we desert dwellers know that a juicy Zinfandel goes great with juicy burgers; a nice chilled brut rosé Champagne can pairup nicely with salmon; and interestingly, both a heavy oaked and an un-oaked Chardonnay can shimmy-up to your charred BBQ chicken.

And it seems like those three proteins are the most popular items on the grill. As to veggies, salads, or fruits—well, we’ll save those pairings for another hot kebobin’ time.

But as with most things these days, it can get complicated. As in—with all the imaginative and inventive sauces that one is plying on the food items, can our wine handle the task of meeting their match? Will we embarrass ourselves in front of our socially distant neighbors when they sample our dishes and find the pairings a poor reflection of our wine prowess? (Remember those recent days when silly stuff like that was on our vain thoughts?)

So let’s have fun and think out loud about some of the pairings that have worked:

No breaking news here: Bold red wines match excellently with grilled beef and pork. The umami and high fat in the meat balances out the tannins in the red wine. Therefore, we can pig-out big time with out-of-the park fruit bearing wines that can often be overthe-top without the comfort of a steak.

However, we’ve noticed that with pork, the wines can be considered by sweetness versus savory. Wines with a high fruit factor or a touch of sweetness: Don’t be scared—ruby port on ice works well with pork; Dry Riesling is always a palate cleanser and a world-wide match: think German Riesling and German sausage! Pinot Noir and Zinfandel (or the Italian Primitivo) are surely the savory saviors of pork ribs, chops & butts!

With beef, we often like to highlight the pepper and tobacco flavors of the grilled & charred meat: Everyone is on-board here with our favorite Chianti, aka Sangiovese, Syrah, aka Shiraz, Rioja, aka Tempranillo, and of course the classic Bordeaux blend with lots of Cab Sauv in the mix.

But as we’ve hinted above, with a lot of grillers—it’s all about the sauce. We can make life easy and do as the Italians do: use the wine as the sauce on your meat. But we Americans have such an entrenched love

affair, especially with pork, with the sweet, spicy, smokey, tangy side of life.

So, what we’ve learned from the food shows is that North Carolina BBQ sauce, although vinegar based, it has a prominence on the sweet. I don’t have a sweet tooth but I love the sweet combat between the pork and Petite Sirah. Yea—baby, all of you red vino fans know that combo! The French Mouvedre/ Spanish Monastrell along with a French or Uraguayan Tannat works the same sweet magic!

To the south, South Carolina’s sauce is the spicy-mustard side of things. Here, we find many Italian varietals matching up well with their medium-bodied flavors. Such as Sangiovese, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and the “tears of Christ” red wine from the volcanic hills of Napoli—Aglianico [ah-yeeAHN-nee-koe].

Another classic BBQ sauce is the Kansas City style—everything going with some molasses to boot. So, this catch-all style is caught-up easily with the catch-all Cabernet Sauvignon. We Californians are always in heaven with this hefty wine from our wine country.

And a reminder: In our desert heat, it’s always wise to chill your red wines a bit. Throwing your bottle of red in the fridge for around 20 minutes always helps.

Even the most powerful red wines are best at “room temperature”, which is no more than 65°F.

For those of us who prefer the lighter fare of simple grilled chicken or fish, we already know our desert’s go-to wine: Sauvignon Blanc—or, the lighter Pinot Grigio (as we wrote about in our Coronavirus Love Story a couple weeks ago). Along with Chef Johannes’ Austrian Grüner Veltliner, the Italian Orvieto—aka Grechetto, or even the IberianVerdejo & Vinho Verde, these wines are citrusy, sometimes, grassy & herby but almost always on the light side of life.

It’s often said, “Think simplicity, but also think sophistication.” So if the recipe is simple enough, chicken—and fish—almost always pair well with a good unoaked to lightly oaked Chardonnay. A grilled salmon goes both ways with Chardonnay, and, Pinot Noir—even a light Beaujolais works.

A true BBQ Chicken checks all the boxes with a Rosé, White Zinfandel, Gewürztraminer, or an Off-Dry Riesling. We mentioned the Gevurst—that spicy aromatic wine, because your fancy styles of BBQ chicken can include the sticky sauces and the spicy sauces and all the grill marks that can get intense. Therefore, an intense Gewürztraminer is an excellent choice as it cuts through the spice and heat.

Don’t know about you—but I’m feeling a bit hungry & thirsty! Bon Appétit & Cheers!

BY DANIEL PARIS I n 1941, Travis Dickey opened first in Dallas, Texas. The menu featured brisket, polish sausage, spicy cheddar sausage, smoked turkey, marinated smoked chicken, pulled-pork shoulder, and St. Louis cut smoked pork ribs. Sides include jalapeno beans, mac & cheese, criss-cut fries, and buttery rolls. The menu has remained intact even though there are now five hundred franchises throughout the country.

The several dishes I tried remain true to the roots of Texas barbeque; moist brisket with a nicely defined pink smoke ring seasoned simply with salt and pepper. St. Louis ribs are meaty and smoky and have a good firm texture and the right amount of smoke so you can still taste the meat. You can feed the whole family at a reasonable price.

Lisa Weaver, owner of the Rancho Mirage community-building of family-owned establishments. Lisa Weaver epitomizes the neighbor you are proud to have as a friend. Instead of worrying about herself during this unprecedented crisis, she is using her business acumen and resources to help those who have always served the community with little recognition and even less compensation. I encourage you to patronize her restaurant and join her efforts to aid the underserved in the Coachella Valley.

Lisa is currently accepting donations of canned foods, dry goods, and cash to start a weekly delivery to agricultural workers in Mecca. The first delivery will be this Friday, May 15.

I do not usually review franchise restaurants as I am drawn to the THE TAKEOUT SERIES: DICKEY’S BARBECUE

Monday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Open for takeout and delivery 760-851-0955 location (42452-4 Bob Hope Drive) has been stocking hard-to- find items such as masks, gel hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, bleach, and toilet paper for purchase. She is offering delivered boxed lunches to any organization at cost to help feed people and keep her employees working. A box lunch includes a sandwich, side, and dessert all for $4.80. She is offering to deliver supplies to medical workers, grocery employees, and first responders. People can enjoy a free lunch by calling Lisa directly at 760- 898-5984 or the store at 760-851-0955.

May 14 to May 20, 2020 www.coachellavalleyweekly.com BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS SCREENERS No. 421

John patiently explains how Nora not only came to write those letters but also how she ended up on death row at the age of 21. In flashback, the audience is sees how Nora’s tale of woe began with her being adoption as a young child and then cruelly orphaned again shortly thereafter. Nora pursued a career as a dancer in New York City, which was fruitless until the circus rolled into town.

We are left with no doubt that Nora is innocent and that she has taken the blame to protect and shield her lover, the governor Bill Crawford (Paul Cavanaugh), the only man who can issue a pardon that will save Nora!

At the time, some novels employed a stream of consciousness narrative, but it was very unusual and innovative for a movie like "The Sin of Nora Moran" to use it. To the movie’s credit, the technique is mastered to great effect in this suspenseful story that keeps the twists and turns going without letup until the very end. That's not the only way this movie is ahead of its time as it also takes well-aimed shots at moral hypocrisies while also detailing the horror of the death penalty via the electric chair. D uring this unprecedented era where many of us have to stay home first quarter 2020 movie purchases and rentals hit $596 million in March, showing a massive 48% increase over last March’s numbers and making March the biggest month ever for digital transactions.

Actress Johann, forgotten now, costarred in 1931’s “The Mummy” with Boris Karloff. She deserves to be rediscovered, and not just for great poster art. DVD. Alpha Video. NEW BLU FOR THE HOME THEATER:

GRETAL & HANSEL

A long time ago in a distant fairy tale countryside, a young girl leads her little brother into a dark wood in desperate search for food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil.

Experience the nightmare behind the fairy tale in Osgood Perkin’s lushly photographed reimagining of the beloved Brothers Grimm folktale for a new generation. If you liked “THE WITCH,” you may appreciate this striking film that makes real a dreamscape know about the steamy letters written by Nora Moran (Zita Johann) to her husband, Dick (Paul Cavanagh), the governor.

Have we shifted our movie going experience to sitting in front of our huge 4K screens in a home setting? Is this our future if theaters choose not to open in the near future? And if they do, will film fans stay away for fear of contamination?

As for this week’s selection of the biggest and best at-home movie options, the ‘Watched at Home Top 20’ will help you figure out what everyone is watching. The list is made of the most popular titles consumed on disc and digital during the previous week (except for outside subscriptionbased streaming platforms). Compiled each week with the most up to date studio and retailer data, it showcases current consumer enthusiasm for home viewing of the newest movie releases.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (Sony), SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (Paramount), STAR WARS: EP IX – SKYWALKER (Disney), JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (Sony), THE GENTLEMEN (STX/ Universal, 2019), DOLITTLE (Universal), THE CALL OF THE WILD (Disney), 1917 (Universal), LITTLE WOMEN (Sony, 2019), BIRDS OF PREY: HARLEY QUINN (WB), UNDERWATER (Fox), LIKE A BOSS (Paramount), BLOODSHOT (Sony, 2020),THE WAY BACK (WB, 2020), IP MAN 4: THE FINALE (Well Go USA), KNIVES OUT (Lionsgate), MORTAL

KOMBAT LEGENDS: SCORPION’S REVENGE

(WB), SPIES IN DISGUISE (Fox), FROZEN II (Disney), FANTASY ISLAND (Sony, 2020).

If you missed any of these popular films in the theater before the big Corvid-19 pandemic, these current and recent titles are available for physical disc purchase and/ or streaming on various VOD platforms.

TIME magazine noted we prefer streaming and bingeing on what they categorize as “Lurid Distractions,” i.e., true crime documentaries and shows like “DATELINE” and “12 DARK DAYS OF SERIAL KILLERS.” But when we watch these shows, does it actually make our disturbing reality feel any less so – or just the opposite?

Let me know what are you watching? Some movie buffs are discovering older, overlooked and obscure films that are surprisingly engaging in spite of their sometimes poor preservation and simpler, even primitive, production values. I’m enjoying pre-code (1930-1933) movies with their surprisingly adult images and themes, (see below). of haunting menace and imagery.

THE SIN OF NORA MORAN (1933)

A young woman (Zita Johann) is prosecuted by her lover’s brother for confessing to a murder she did not commit.

The movie starts with Mrs. Edith Crawford (Claire Du Bray) storming into the office of District Attorney John Grant (Alan Dinehart), also her brother, demanding to

The film stars Sophia Lillis as Gretel, newcomer Samuel Leakey as Hansel and an unforgettable Alice Krieg as The Witch. Warner Bros. FREAKS

Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein’s little sci-fi horror diversion tells the story of 7-year-old Chloe (a terrific Lexy Kockler) who lives in fear locked inside the house under her father’s (Emile Hirsch) harsh, paranoid control. She has a dangerous fascination of the prohibited outside world, where Anomalies create a constant threat, or so Chloe believes based on her dad’s almost constant warnings.

When a mysterious stranger (Bruce Dern) offers her a glimpse of what’s really happening outside, Chloe soon finds that while the truth isn’t so simple, the danger is very real!

This film has unmistakable, but unintentional pandemic metaphors that make it all the more unsettling – and fun. Well Go USA.

Stay well, safe and sane. And remember, movies matter more now than ever. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN

Recent rains have provided snakes the opportunity to mate a little longer. Generally, rattlesnakes emerge from hibernation into April, or when the average daytime temperatures reach and remain about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and higher.

Rattlesnakes are not confined to rural areas. They have been found in urban areas, in lakesides, parks, and at golf courses. There are several safety measures that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of startling a rattlesnake.

The dos and don’ts in snake country:

• Be alert. Like all reptiles, rattlesnakes are sensitive to the ambient temperature and will adjust their behavior accordingly. After a cold or cool night, they will attempt to raise their body temperature by basking in the sun midmorning. To prevent overheating during hot days of spring and summer, they will become more active at dawn, dusk or night. • Wear sturdy boots and loose-fitting long pants. Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through brushy, wild areas. Startled rattlesnakes may not rattle before striking defensively. • Children should not wear flip-flops while playing outdoors in snake country. • When hiking, stick to well-used trails. Avoid tall grass, weeds and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day. • Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see. Step on logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks or gathering firewood. Check out stumps or logs before sitting down, and shake out sleeping bags before use. • Never grab “sticks” or “branches” while swimming in lakes and rivers. Rattlesnakes can swim. • Be careful when stepping over doorsteps as well. Snakes like to crawl along the edge of buildings where they are protected on one side. • Never hike alone. Always have someone with you who can assist in an emergency. • Do not handle a freshly killed snake, as it can still inject venom. • Teach children early to respect snakes and to leave them alone. • Leash your dog when hiking in snake country. Dogs are at increased risk of being bitten due to holding their nose to the ground while investigating the outdoors. Speak to your veterinarian about canine rattlesnake vaccines and what to do if your pet is bitten.

Keeping snakes out of the yard:

The best protection against rattlesnakes in the yard is a “rattlesnake proof” fence. The fence should either be solid or with mesh no larger than one-quarter inch. It should be at least three feet high with the bottom buried a few inches in the ground.

What to do in the event of a snake bite:

Though uncommon, rattlesnake bites do occur, so have a plan in place for responding to any situation. Carry a cell phone, hike with a companion who can assist in an emergency and make sure that family or friends know where you are going and when you will be checking in. In the event of a bite, stay calm but act quickly. Remove watches, rings, etc., which may constrict swelling. Call 911 or transport the victim to the nearest medical facility.

What you should NOT do after a rattlesnake bite:

• DON’T apply a tourniquet. • DON’T pack the bite area in ice. • DON’T cut the wound with a knife or razor. • DON’T use your mouth to suck out the venom. • DON’T let the victim drink alcohol. Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna TIME TO SNAKE RATTLE AND RUN – SNAKE SEASON! BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA SAFETY TIPS FROM THE CHIEFS CORNER

Despite wall-to-wall news coverage on COVID-19, it is hard to know how the Coachella Valley is doing relative to the rest of California, the United States or the rest of the world.

John Hopkins University hosts a COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems, Science and Engineering. Using their realtime data through May 10, 2020 along with local data from Riverside University, we find that the United States has the most reported cases globally, yet we are also the largest population in the world amongst countries with reasonable reporting standards. As a reminder, the largest countries in the world are China at 1.43 billion, India at 1.38 billion and the United States at 331 million.

Rather than looking at things based on the absolute number of people infected, a better measure would be on the infection rate amongst a population. The infection rate is the number of COVID-19 cases divided by the population. Using this benchmark, the infection rate is the highest in Spain with 48 infections per 10,000 people. The United States is second with 40 cases per 10,000 followed by Italy at 36, the United Kingdom at 32.5 and France at 27. Other notables include Iran at 13 cases per 10,000, Brazil at 7, Japan at 1 and China at 0.6 infections per 10,000. As you can see, the integrity of the reporting data is not without concerns.

Data shows us those countries closer to China who are accustomed to wearing face masks and dealing with novel viruses have fared better than other parts of the world.

Globally, the average death rate from COVID-19 is 6.9% amongst those infected. Through May 10th, COVID-19 was marked as the cause of death in 6.6% of all deaths during 2020 globally. These percentages are likely to be higher than the actual death rate as most people have not been tested. As an example, if you thought you had food poisoning for a night, but it was actually COVID-19, it is unlikely that you were tested. As the availability of tests has been limited around the world, the testing to date in most countries has been on those who were most ill or with access to healthcare.

So far, France has the highest death rate at 15% of all people diagnosed with the virus. The United Kingdom is second at 14.5% followed by Italy at 14%, Spain at 12% and Mexico at 10%. The United States is slightly better than average at 6% while Germany’s death rate is 4.5%, Japan 4% and South Korea an impressive 2.4%. China has reported a mere 4,637 deaths from the virus amongst their 1.4 billion people. Most do not believe Chinese numbers to be a full count of the cases and deaths that they have experienced.

Looking around the United States, the New York City metropolitan area became the epicenter of the pandemic. With 1.7% of all New York State residents having been infected, 8% have died. Where the United States has 40 cases per 10,000 citizens, New York has 170 per 10,000 or nearly 2 in 100.

After New York, New Jersey has the second highest infection rate at 1.55% of all residents of which 6.6% die.

Here in California, only 17 in every 10,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus – a 90% lower number than New York. Of Californians infected, 4% die. In Michigan where the governors’ residence was picketed by gun-wielding Michiganders, 47 in 10,000 have gotten sick while nearly one in ten die.

Texas has been a shining star during the

Some of the scams are:

Coin Scam: "I have a gold coin currently trading at X$ and it will go up 6,000% in the next few years".

Oil and Gas Scam: "Most of the big boys can throw $150,000 into the fireplace and burn it and it will not bother them. If you play this game you have got to be able to lose money and not think twice about it."

Con Man Threatening Customer that lost money and stopped sending more money:

Why don't you pick up the phone? You want me to come over there and burn your home."

Con Man Talking to Undercover Agent:

"Are you stupid? I'm not trying to insult you, but are you mentally ill? I'm going to pass you to my manager because you are making me sweat and if you were in front of me I would have slapped you by nowzzzz"

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

26

The COVID 19 Stay Home Orders are perfect for scammers because we are all home to receive the scam calls which usually suggest it is too good to be true. These phone scammers will say ANYTHING and push any button to get you to say yes. They will threaten, praise, act like the consummate expert or speak like your best pal - whatever it takes they will often say something like: "Give me 1% of your confidence and I will earn the other 99%".

Con man confirming info he says he has

but does not yet have: It's illegal to hang up on verification. Do you understand this? This is the law Pres X passed himself. You can't hang up. We have your info and just need to verify it.

Con Man states he is with a Consumer Protection Agency or local police or FBI.

IRS Notice: "This is final notice from IRS that we are filing a lawsuit for failure to X. To get more info dial on our dept number that they leave that will be answered like the local police, FBI etc/

Medicare Scams: The Federal Government is replacing Medicare cards and have updated the cards to display 11 letters and numbers and no Social Security numbers. There is no cost for it. However, some Scammers call requesting processing fee or to get your information.

Posing as Medicare representatives: They tell beneficiaries they are owed a refund from a transaction on their old card. They ask for your bank account information to process the SCAMS IN THE AGE OF COVID 19

pandemic like California. With only 13 in 10,000 contracting the virus, fewer than 3% die. On the other end of the pandemic, Massachusetts has been harder hit than any area outside of New York with 110 in 10,000 getting sick with a little more than 6% dying.

Looking at our county and region, both Riverside County and Coachella Valley have infection and death rates comparable with Germany. In fact, if we exclude the New York metropolitan area from our COVID-19 calculations, infection and death rates across the rest of the United States are also in line with Germany. Considering the size of our country and the political divide that makes everything more challenging to implement, we appear to be doing a good job across most of the country with special recognition to the good work done in Texas and California.

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Managing Director of Winslow Drake Investment Management, a fiduciary-only investment manager. For more information on their award-winning services, please contact Haddon directly at hlibby@WinslowDrake. com or www.WinslowDrake.com.

reimbursement. Medicare will never call nor will they ask for your Social Security Number.

Numerous fraud schemes involve outstanding tax collection, jury duty, overdue utility bills, and even family member claims of injury etc.

If you wire money do so through Western Union or Money Gram. You should also use reloadable debit cards like MoneyPak. Don't use gift cards, itunes or amazon, nor send cash.

The most common scam in the Coachella Valley and I have had it happen to me 5 times: phone call showing it is IRS, Sheriff, the courts and grandparents scam

IRS calls: they threaten you with arrest or a lien against your property for failing to pay past tax debts. Scammers obtain credit card info or instruct sucker to obtain prepaid debit card for the outstanding tax debt. Note that the IRS does not call about unpaid taxes. If you get a call hang up and call IRS at 800 829 1040. IRS reps can help with payment questions. If you do not owe taxes fill out the IRS Impersonation Scam form on TIGTA's website, treasury.gov/tigta, or call TIGTA 800 366 4484. With the Impersonating law enforcement or court call: the "sucker" is told there is an outstanding Bench Warrant for failing to appear for jury duty or for unpaid red light camera traffic tix. The Caller demands payment for the warrant via credit card or Green Dot card. You should know that No Riverside Co Court or Sheriff's employee will ever contact the public and ask for financial info or payment in lieu of attending court proceedings or to make up for failure to appear for jury duty.

Grandparent Scam: this usually to a senior from a young person claiming to be their grandchild. They ask for money for med expenses, to avoid arrest, post bail or purchase food. The Scammer tells the senior target, not to tell the family members.

If you are over 65, contact the CARE (Curtailing Abuse Related to the Elderly).

Remember the scammer wants you to act fast and not tell anyone.

For more information go to the FBI website: fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud. You can also contact Crime Prevention Officer Codi Mix 760 324 4511 x 291

YOU MIGHT NOT NEED A KETO COACH... HOW DO YOU TELL? T here is a newfound willingness to give Keto a try after sheltering at home for a while. I’m finding people reaching out because they’re tired of gaining weight, living in a carb coma, they are finally motivated to get healthy and build their immune system. The questions I’m getting are: “how do I start the Keto diet” and “should I start on my own” and “am I better to hire you from the start” or “I want to do the Keto diet right and there is a lot of confusing information online”.

People find success every day without a coach. It’s totally possible for you to find success without a coach. But perhaps that’s not the best question. Instead of asking if you NEED a coach, perhaps you should ask if a coach will allow you to avoid the frustrating mistakes that can plague your journey to Keto success; can a coach get you there faster? And the answer to that is: absolutely.

Why Coaching?

Having a coach as a partner for your weight loss journey can make a huge difference in whether you successfully achieve your goal and sustain weight loss.

The Keto diet isn’t complicated but there is a learning curve to be successful. It takes time to change your behavior and wrap your brain around the Keto diet. By having a coach to guide you in your weight loss program you will jumpstart your progress and have the opportunity to participate with your coach as a partner to create action plans, work on your mindset and decide on your level of accountability. Because of this interaction it allows you to follow through and achieve the results you set for yourself.

Expect your coach to do more than give you a diet plan to follow with recipes, have you log your weight or tell you what foods to eat. You can find that online with “Google Coach”. An excellent coach will support you with motivation, coping skills, proven diet hacks, expert advice, customization and realistic action plans that will always be moving you to reach the next challenging attainable goal! Your coach will be there to support you through the ups and downs and celebrate every success.

If you are looking for an expert to guide you on your weight loss journey with a completely customized program and to be an active partner in your progress, then you are ready for a coach. That can be from day one or several months into Keto. It truly is up to you.

Don’t Struggle. Reach Out for Help.

Are you looking to lose weight but still struggling? Think about coaching. With the help of a coach, you’ll break down unhealthy barriers to weight loss and develop a healthy relationship with food. Coaching isn’t for everyone but check it out. It just might be the answer you’ve been looking for.

About Michelle Borthwick: Michelle is a Keto Lifestyle coach, a Seasoned

expert on Customized Keto. Keto weight loss results can be improved with Coaching, Customization, Accountability and a trusted partner to guide you every step of the way. Michelle offers private sessions, proven Keto diet hacks, meal plans, proprietary customization, goal setting and more. If you are interested in Keto and how it can work for you and your lifestyle, book a free 30 minute private coaching session online at KetoIsEasyCoach. com (based on availability on Tuesday or Thursday)

TO BE (WITH) OR NOT TO BE (WITH) BY AIMEE MOSCO SWAG FORTHESOUL

“Before we choose to incarnate in a physical body, we lay out an intricate plan of what intend to accomplish and experience during the lifetime. We specify with whom we will connect and engage, and we form agreements with other souls…” Gratitude + Forgiveness

x (Love) = Happiness, by Aimee Mosco and Donald L. Ferguson, pg. 13

We are in curious times. We are finding that the ways of the old world have outlived usefulness as we position ourselves to land in the new era termed “the golden age of peace”. Old systems are breaking down to make way for new and anything that does not fit with the principles of the new paradigm is calling for our attention so we can revisit its function and shift it accordingly.

As we stumble through uncharted territory during this unprecedented transition, our relationships are coming into question. Relationships of any kind represent opportunities from which to grow spiritually, so it is fitting to take stock of them as we grow into this new world.

The rules that govern our souls in the new paradigm are different than the rules we have come to know. They are based on the idea that we have expanded our hearts and minds to a point where pain and suffering no longer honor us. We are able to integrate the greatest growth from joy not pain and we will meet our highest spiritual potentials when we are in alignment with happiness.

Many of the relationships we forged in the old paradigm spoke to remarkable growth through trauma and turmoil because that is how we learned most effectively. These relationships

were “spiritual set-ups” as a result of soul contracts initiated before we were born into the world. This model is outdated is the new era where love and joy dominate, so old paradigm soul contracts are disintegrating. We are stepping into a realm where we are no longer bound by these spiritual contracts, and relationships result from conscious choice.

The primary purpose of any new paradigm relationship is to fortify joyful learning. If a relationship in question is not fueling happiness in some way, it is out of alignment with Universal order and worth assessing. It is, however, important to understand that our evaluation process must shift for us to make truthful assessments of the value each relationship holds. In the old paradigm, we naturally identified the elements of relationships that caused discomfort because we grew from that. To be in alignment with growth in the new paradigm, we will identify elements of relationships that inspire happiness first, and then determine if that outweighs discomfort to know if the relationship honors greater good.

In my pursuit to help humanity connect deeply with happiness, I invite you to join Facebook group Evolve through Love hosted by Elizabeth Scarcella, BB Ingle, and me. Go to facebook.com/groups/ evolvethroughlove and share with us your joy.

Aimee Mosco is an Author, Intuitive Channel, Spiritual Teacher and CoFounder of Intentional Healing Systems, LLC. Aimee’s passion for helping others inspired her book “Gratitude + Forgiveness x (LOVE) = Happiness”. Find Aimee at www.ihsunity.com.

SILENCE YOUR THOUGHTS D uring our uncertain times I’m sure most of us have taken to some silent moments. It may be that you’ve been able to collect yourself or you are finding that you are confused. As we navigate through all of this together, finding stillness and silence may reveal a lot of what you can do and plan for in the future.

Silence is extraordinarily powerful. We need and should remain reticent several times per week. Embracing silence allows us to gather our thoughts, foster cohesiveness and maintain overall calmness. There are a couple ways you can observe the topic of silence. You may need a quiet domain to relax, pray, or meditate. Or, you may require silence between you and another person. Either way, silence speaks volumes. Each of us needs a quiet void for greater peace of mind.

Whether you are an early riser or not, the best time to observe silence is at the commencement of your day. If you are a parent, rise prior to your child/children. Sit quietly and prepare your mind and body. Commencing your day in silence will allow you to gather your thoughts. You will be less likely to experience stress. While in silence, you may want to find a calming breathing pattern. Most of the time our breaths are short and shallow. Find length in your breath and your central nervous system will thank you!

Have you needed to observe quiet with a person or some people in your life? It doesn’t translate to completely shutting the person and/or people out of your life but rather, you need a break. If you are cognizant you need to find stillness and quiet time away from someone, listen to that inner voice. If you have felt unappreciated or mentally abused, break your silence by observing space and quiet time away from the environment. Your peace of mind is far more important. It is not your responsibility to continue to accommodate and succumb to a destructive relationship.

Overall, silence can be somewhat foreign to us. Our society is inundated with so much noise. How do you start your day? Do you immediately turn on the news or listen to music first thing in the morning? If you think about it, you instantaneously cluttered your mind from the moment you stepped out of bed. Though you have rested all night, the last thing your brain requires is immediate stimulation.

Try these five tips the next time you feel overwhelmed with noise, need some quiet time or desire to give yourself a break from someone who may not deserve your time and attention.

Reconcile your EGO! The next time you are experiencing a disagreement with someone, remain silent. You can preclude saying something that could be very hurtful to the other person.

Stay away from the water cooler and from gossiping with friends over coffee. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING good will result from talking about others.

Listen to what others have to say rather than feeling you must talk all the time. Your friend, partner or spouse has something to offer too.

You have the house to yourself. Relish in the silence.

Begin and end your day with positive reflection. Establish your goals in the morning and recognize at the end of the day if you completed the tasks at hand.

Lighten your load and find time each day to be still and quiet. This is one of the resolute avenues of taking care of you!

Bronwyn Ison is the founder www.evolveyoga.com - www.evolveyogaonline.com Contact bronwyn@e-volveyoga.com BY BRONWYN ISON

WEEK OF MAY 14

ARIES (March 21-April 19): During a pandemic, is it possible to spread the news about your talents and offerings? Yes! That’s why I suggest you make sure that everyone who should know about you does indeed know about you. To mobilize your efforts and stimulate your imagination, I came up with colorful titles for you to use to describe yourself on your résumé or in promotional materials or during conversations with potential helpers. 1. Fire-Maker 2. Seed-Sower 3. Brisk Instigator 4. Hope Fiend 5. Gap Leaper 6. Fertility Aficionado 7. Gleam Finder 8. Launch Catalyst 9. Chief Improviser 10. Change Artist

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Of all the signs, Tauruses are among the least likely to be egomaniacs. Most of you aren’t inclined to indulge in fits of braggadocio or outbreaks of narcissism. (I just heard one of my favorite virtuoso Taurus singers say she wasn’t a very good singer!) That’s why one of my secret agendas is to tell you how gorgeous you are, to nudge you to cultivate the confidence and pride you deserve to have. Are you ready to leap to a higher octave of self-love? I think so. In the coming weeks, please use Taurus artist Salvador Dali’s boast as your motto: “There comes a moment in every person’s life when they realize they adore me.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When I was young, I had a fun-filled fling with a smart Gemini woman who years later became a highly praised author and the authorized biographer of a Nobel Prize-winning writer. Do I regret our break-up? Am I sorry I never got to enjoy her remarkable success up close? No. As amazing as she was and is, we wouldn’t have been right for each other long-term. I am content with the brief magic we created together, and have always kept her in my fond thoughts with gratitude and the wish for her to thrive. Now I invite you to do something comparable to what I just did, Gemini: Make peace with your past. Send blessings to the people who helped make you who you are. Celebrate what has actually happened in your life, and graduate forever from what might have happened but didn’t.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “You have two ways to live your life, from memory or from inspiration,” writes teacher Joe Vitale. Many of you Cancerians favor memory over inspiration to provide their primary motivation. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, although it can be a problem if you become so obsessed with memory that you distract yourself from creating new developments in your life story. But in accordance with astrological potentials and the exigencies of our Global Healing Crisis, I urge you, in the coming weeks, to mobilize yourself through a balance of memory and inspiration. I suspect you’ll be getting rich opportunities to both rework the past and dream up a future full of interesting novelty. In fact, those two imperatives will serve each other well.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author Anne Lamott has some crucial advice for you to heed in the coming weeks. “Even when we’re most sure that love can’t conquer all,” she says, “it seems to anyway. It goes down into the rat hole with us, in the guise of our friends, and there it swells and comforts. It gives us second winds, third winds, hundredth winds.” I hope you’ll wield this truth as your secret magic in the coming weeks, Leo. Regard love not just as a sweet emotion that makes you feel good, but as a superpower that can accomplish practical miracles.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Theologian St. Catherine of Siena observed, “To a brave person, good and bad luck are like her left and right hand. She uses both.” The funny thing is, Virgo, that in the past you have sometimes been more adept and proactive in using your bad luck, and less skillful at capitalizing on your good luck. But from what I can tell, this curious problem has been diminishing for you in 2020—and will continue to do so. I expect that in the coming weeks, you will welcome and harness your good luck with brisk artistry.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “I’m curious about everything, except what people have to say about me,” says actor Sarah Jessica Parker. I think that’s an excellent strategy for you to adopt in the coming weeks. On the one hand, the whole world will be exceptionally interesting, and your ability to learn valuable lessons and acquire useful information will be at peak. On the other hand, one of the keys to getting the most out of the wealth of catalytic influences will be to cultivate nonchalance about people’s opinions of you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): On the kids’ TV show Sesame Street, there’s a muppet character named Count von Count. He’s a friendly vampire who loves to count things. He is 6,523,730 years old and his favorite number is 34,969—the square root of 187. The Count was “born” on November 13, 1972, when he made his first appearance on the show, which means he’s a Scorpio. I propose we make him your patron saint for the next four weeks. It’s an excellent time to transform any threatening qualities you might seem to have into harmless and cordial forms of expression. It’s also a favorable phase for you to count your blessings and make plans that will contribute to your longevity.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “No one ever found wisdom without also being a fool,” writes novelist Erica Jong. “Until you’re ready to look foolish, you’ll never have the possibility of being great,” says singer Cher. “He dares to be a fool, and that is the first step in the direction of wisdom,” declared art critic James Huneker. “Almost all new ideas have a certain aspect of foolishness when they are first produced,” observed philosopher Alfred North Whitehead. According to my analysis of astrological omens, you’re primed to prove these theories, Sagittarius. Congratulations!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Few people have a treasure,” writes Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro. She’s speaking metaphorically, of course—not referring to a strongbox full of gold and jewels. But I’m happy to inform you that if you don’t have a treasure, the coming months will be a favorable time to find or create it. So I’m putting you on a High Alert for Treasure. I urge you to be receptive to and hungry for it. And if you are one of those rare lucky ones who already has a treasure, I’m happy to say that you now have the power and motivation to appreciate it even more and learn how to make even better use of it. Whether you do or don’t yet have the treasure, heed these further words from Alice Munro: “You must hang onto it. You must not let yourself be waylaid, and have it taken from you.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): At this moment, there are 50 trillion cells in your body, and each of them is a sentient being in its own right. They act together as a community, consecrating you with their astonishing collaboration. It’s like magic! Here’s an amazing fact: Just as you communicate with dogs and cats and other animals, you can engage in dialogs with your cells. The coming weeks will be a ripe time to explore this phenomenon. Is there anything you’d like to say to the tiny creatures living in your stomach or lungs? Any information you’d love to receive from your heart or your sex organs? If you have trouble believing this is a real possibility, imagine and pretend. And have fun!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “A myriad of modest delights constitute happiness,” wrote poet Charles Baudelaire. I think that definition will serve you well in the coming weeks, Pisces. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, there won’t be spectacular breakthroughs barging into your life; I expect no sublime epiphanies or radiant transformations. On the other hand, there’ll be a steady stream of small marvels if you’re receptive to such a possibility. Here’s key advice: Don’t miss the small wonders because you’re expecting and wishing for bigger splashes.

What has been your favorite lesson during our Global Healing Crisis? FreeWillAstrology.com

---------------------------------------- Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com