Shaping The Spirit by Ballantine Communications

art entertainment food drink music nightlife Thursday, August 2, 2018

DGO

SHAPING THE SPIRIT Local practitioners on alternative ways to connect to yourself and the spirit world

Also: A mother-son art show, who to watch at Telluride Jazz Fest, and a review of Keef Cola

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[advice]

Life Hax | Carolyn Hax

Angry ex won’t help with suicidal son My ex-wife and I divorced 21 years ago. I had a one-night stand and she told me to hit the road. I married the one-night stand and that marriage did not work. During my dad’s recent funeral, which she attended, she came up to me and said she “still could not forgive” me. We had one son together, and over the years we have been together for milestones in his life. He has been highly successful in his career, but his current job is stressful. He confided both to his mom and me that he has had some very dark thoughts, including of suicide. He is getting professional help. I called the ex and suggested the three of us sit down to do whatever we can to help him. She responded that she could not do that due to her hatred of me. I think we need to be a united front for his wellbeing. What can I do? R. I am so sorry to hear your son is in crisis. No doubt you are terrified – and the impulse to work together as a family to help him was a good one. Unfortunately, to the question of creating a united front, you already have your answer: No with a capital No. Few looking at this objectively would agree that a decades-old grudge takes precedence over the needs of your imperiled son. But this story isn’t being written by objective bystanders. It’s in the hands of the real and the flawed, and the flawed reality is that your exwife wants no part of any page you’re on. OK then. And the last thing your son needs is for you to highlight the family’s fractures by forcing the issue of unity. So, it’ll have to be Plan B. Which is: Be present, be loving, be respectful of your son’s needs and boundaries, and, just as important right now, BE INFORMED. #BeThe1To has good, accessible information on “5 steps”

to get you started, at www.bethe1to. com. Also: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255. I am pregnant with a child conceived with a donor egg and my husband’s sperm. I also have a young son. It has been a long, complicated and painful process of secondary infertility. Now that I am finally pregnant, I am trying to figure out how, when and whether to disclose. I believe the child has the right to know his or her genetic heritage. On the other hand, we have close family members who will treat this child differently than his or her brother and other relatives, who have a proven record of unequal and inequitable treatment that is very hurtful. This is not your garden-variety, slightly-differenttreatment-of-kids-despite-the-bestintentions scenario, but something deep and toxic. It’s a problem on both sides of the family. I do not want to provide any more ammunition to this dysfunctional dynamic. I’ve waited so long for this child, and want him or her to be loved unconditionally. I also want to protect my son from witnessing this behavior – and participating involuntarily, by being the favored child. My husband and I have established firm boundaries around this family dynamic and I’m proud of that, because it wasn’t easy. This pregnancy adds a new layer of complexity, though, and I’m not sure what to do. Do I tell the child, but ask him or her not to discuss with anyone? Do I wait until the grandparents all die? That could take another decade or more. To Tell or Not to Tell Saying that never crossed my mind. Anyone who “will treat this child differently” strikes me as a lost cause for ever growing a heart. Or morals. Or decency. Not that it can’t happen; a child’s emotional health just can’t depend on it.

Anyway. This could solve itself thanks to fortuitous timing. A young child will have no use for this information; an older child can receive it when she or he is ready to decide independently what to do with it, which presumably will be many years from now, when you have (I hope) very different standing with the offending relatives. One criterion for “ready” can be enough maturity for your child to decide him- or herself whether and when to tell other relatives. This isn’t happening in a vacuum. I don’t get accused of optimism often, so here’s another scenario, just in case. Tell your child early. As in, when old enough to converse but too young to remember the conversation. Incorporate it as a fact of life. No “don’t tell” admonitions, because those are awful and, yes, shamey. Then see whether the news ever wafts your families’ way. Then see whether any of them acts on it through unequal treatment. If they do, then stop granting them access to your family. Completely. Say why. And, hey – congratulations! I’ve just changed my family name from my father’s to my maternal grandmother’s. My father is (and always has been) a horrible, abusive person, and I’ve wanted to make the name change for years. A few people know the reason, but what do I say to everyone else? “Why did you change your name?” is a perfectly reasonable question in this situation, so “Wow” or “Seriously?” aren’t appropriate responses. But, “The man is a monster, and using his name makes me want to cry or vomit or both,” while true and accurate, doesn’t work, either. Can you come up with a gentle answer that’s bland and polite and that closes the discussion? New Name

“I’m honoring my grandmother.” Or

just, “I like this one better.” I take your point that it’s a more reasonable nosy question than other nosy questions but, really, no one needs to know the why, just the what. So it’s still a nosy question. It would be lovely if, in response to hearing someone’s news -- meaning, not in the course of real, intimate conversation -- people would ask themselves before they put any inquiries into words: “Do I really need to know this?” The answer in sooo many cases is no. Congrats on taking this step – must feel liberating. Don’t let bystanders take that away from you.

Re: Changing your name: No matter what the actual reason, everyone has come up with some bland and mostly believable answer to the inevitable questions by saying how much easier the new name is. If the old name was hard to spell, it’s “easier” to have a common one. If the old name was common, it’s easier to have a unique one. One friend did it “for professional reasons.” Several have said, “There’s someone else with the same name in my field and this avoids confusion.” Another to “claim my heritage.” People don’t really care why. They just want a plausible excuse to settle their mind so they can move on to another topic. Any bland – but not personal – reason will work. Been There Agreed, thanks. In fact, “Anything bland – but not personal,” is an excellent counter to prying in general. Carolyn Hax is a syndicated advice columnist for The Washington Post. She started her advice column in 1997, after five years as a copy editor and news editor in Style and none as a therapist. Email her at tellme@washpost.com.

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 3 Number 41 Thursday, August 2, 2018

Editor

Shaping the Spirit

Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551

In our tech-driven world, some people are stepping back from the digital noise and finding alternative ways to heal the mind, body, and spirit.

Staff writer Jessie O’Brien jobrien@bcimedia.com Sales Liz Demko 375-4553 Contributors Katie Cahill Christopher Gallagher Jon E. Lynch Amanda Push

Eat Joy of Crappy Cooking

What the Fork 5

Visual

Sound Album Review

7 8

10 Travel

Robert Alan Wendeborn

Adobe Stock

11 Drink

Design/layout

16 Weed

Colossal Sanders

Crunchy noodles are trash This week, I wanted to give myself a challenge by cooking Drunken Noodles, a “Thai-ish” recipe. Whether I was actually up for that challenge was later to be determined.

Chief Executive Officer Douglas Bennett V.P. of Advertising David Habrat

11 Drinks worthy of an arrest

18 The joy of first times Some summer days, it’s nice to just lie around, thinking about first times. Your first time – on a basement couch or maybe a dorm bed or outside on a humid night like tonight. (We’re talking about weed, sillies.)

Reviews 16-17

Seeing Through the Smoke 18

19 Happening 20 DGO Deals 22 Horoscope/ puzzles 23 Single life

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It’s not necessary to go fisticuffs with the doorman for entry to The Bookcase and Barber, but knowing what to drink once inside may be more of a challenge. DGO is a free weekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

Festival Preview 9

Lindsay Mattison

375-4570

Life Hax

Downtown Lowdown

Bryant Liggett

Reader Services

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@dgo_mag

ON THE COVER The world is in your hands

Tell us what you think! Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know? Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

Colossal Sanders/DGO; images via AdobeStock

DGO Magazine is published by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

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[eat]

The Joy of Crappy Cooking | Amanda Push

Accidentally crunchy noodles are trash

ver since I picked up my queen Chrissy Teigen’s recipe book, “Cravings,” six months ago, I’ve been eyeballing her recipe for Actual Drunken Noodles, one of my favorite things on this earth to shove into my mouth. However, given my less than, shall we say, refined cooking skills, I’ve been avoiding it, as I am wont to do. But this week I wanted to give myself a challenge with this “Thai-ish” recipe, as Chrissy refers to it. Whether I was actually up for that challenge was later to be determined. By the time work ended the day of my cooking plans, I was sprinting out to my car – I had eaten a sad salad for lunch, and the feeling of near starvation numbed any intimidation I felt about making this dish. I was irrationally ready to charge ahead. I began with the sauce, which included brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, whiskey (which I may or may not have taken a shot of for good luck), mirin, sambal, and garlic. Now, aside from not knowing what half the things on this list of ingredients actually are, I H.A.T.E. anything pertaining to seafood. And that includes you, oyster sauce. So I made the modification of leaving it out. I also have zero clue as to how to find sambal, so I swiped it out for Sriracha sauce. I hope that’s OK. Next, it was time to make some stirfry, which I, not surprisingly, have never done before. I threw down some oil, and scrambled (then cooked) four eggs in a giant skillet. I removed them from the pan once I was finished, then tossed in my boneless chicken breasts that I had cut up into small cubes. Except I had forgotten to turn the stove back on. Once I finally discovered that little problem, I was par for the course once more. After transferring the now-cooked chicken to the separate bowl with the eggs, it was time to fry up my scallions, ginger, and garlic. Because I was, for once, following the directions, my garlic and scallions were singed

Colossal Sanders for DGO

to a near crisp on the suggested high heat level because I am not an X-Men (X-Man?), and could not add in the broccoli and chicken broth into the pan fast enough. This was also the part of the recipe where I was supposed to add in mushrooms, but like my feelings on seafood – gross. As I was waiting for the chicken broth to evaporate within the suggested two to three minutes, I realized that I had actually just dumped twice the amount of broth that I was supposed to into my stir-fry. It was going to take a lot longer than a handful of minutes to vaporize what now looked like a witch’s cauldron. I waited for what I felt was an acceptable amount of time, then dumped in the noodles, chicken, eggs, and sauce. I tossed and stirred the dish until I

thought at least most of the noodles looked like they wouldn’t snap in half if you poked them. The recipe said to wait about four to five minutes, but amidst the chaos of a messy kitchen with little counter space and a growing headache, I decided setting my timer was too much work. Should I have taste-tested my rice noodles? Yes. But was I tired of standing over the stove and stirring my giant pot? Also yes. Dishing up a big helping into a bowl and snagging a bottle of Thai sweet chili sauce, I scuttled into my living room and sat down to eat as I finished my podcast about the Jonestown massacre (I do realize I am a strange person, yes). My execution of this dish was, uh, poor, to say the least. It’s a good

thing the ingredients were covered in a healthy glob of delicious spices and sauces because my sad, limp broccoli was far from fresh and quite overcooked, while my noodles, maybe not so surprisingly given my lack of patience, were so undercooked I could hear them crunching as I choked them down. But with the grit of a poor young woman who couldn’t afford to buy more groceries that week, I gulped the rest of it down with a “Meh. I’ve made worse.” They can’t all be winners... or edible. Amanda Push is a writer who wishes she lived with a cat and just wants to learn how to not eat like a college student anymore. Contact her at joyofcrappycooking@gmail.com.

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[eat]

What the Fork | Lindsay Mattison

Colossal Sanders for DGO; images via Associated Press

Navigating the drinking scene in Utah is impossible

kay you guys, let me set the scene: It’s Saturday night and it’s literally been 110 degrees for the last four hours. My face is puffy and my feet are so swollen I can barely wrench them out of my hiking boots. ALL I WANT in life is a cold beer, an icy margarita, or a refreshing glass of rosé. I’d even settle for a shitty chardonnay – I really don’t care at this point, so long as it’s cold and has a tinge of alcohol to help me forget my heat-drenched misery. Unfortunately, I’m in Utah and I don’t know the rules. It might sound crazy to take a trip to the desert in July, but that’s exactly what we decided to do. My aunt flew in from New York, trading in her Greenwich Village studio apartment for a week filled with wide-open roads as we trekked to the National Parks of Utah. We hit the ground running in Moab, where we got our first taste of 100-plus degree weather when we pulled into Arches National Park. Our excitement for the first road trip stop quickly evaporated as we opened the door and the heat hit us like a shockwave. I actually think I may have staggered back into my seat, stunned by how oppressively hard it was to breathe. No worries, we said, we got this. Mind over matter, right? Wrong. Twenty minutes later we were back in the car, too lethargic to even walk the half-mile from the parking lot to the viewpoint. So, we officially launched Plan B: We could manage

hiking in the 90-degree mornings, but as soon as it tipped over 100, we’d head back to the hotel for siesta until it cooled off again. Unfortunately, we’re both quick to bore, so we naively meandered into town to look for a cool beverage to pass the time. We sidled up a funky-looking Moab restaurant and chose a seat on the mist-cooled patio. The servers buzzed around the busy tables, which were packed for dinner at this early hour. Clearly, we were not the only ones looking to beat the heat. “Two margaritas, rocks and salt, please!” I was so excited, drool was literally escaping from the corners of my mouth. “Sorry folks,” came the reply. “We’re a restaurant, not a bar. You’ll have to order some food if you’re looking for a drink.” It was one of those days that was so hot, you’ve almost lost the will to live. You certainly don’t have an appetite! Plan C it was: Head to the state liquor store and buy a bottle of wine. We hit the heat-soaked pavement and walked the grueling four blocks to the liquor store. I sucked on my camelback and hit bottom – just about my state of mind, too – as we finally reached our destination. Seeing the word CLOSED couldn’t have been more devastating. We were trying to figure out what happened – they were supposed to be open for at least another hour – when a passerby’er must have sensed our pain and suffering. “Today’s Pioneer Day. The state

stores are all closed.” Apparently, this day celebrates the settling of Utah by Mormon pioneers and it’s not exactly a drinking holiday (I know, shocker). I was beginning to feel like Frodo, except instead of being on a seemingly-doomed quest to destroy the ring of power, all I wanted was a beverage! On to Plan D: Suck it up and order chips and salsa somewhere so we could finally get this drink. We headed to a restaurant and sat at their “bar” (which is devoid of alcohol, because apparently they have to mix the drinks out-of-sight in a closet in the back). Once we explained what we were trying to do, everyone was pretty cool about it. Our server offered to let us buy a $2 off-the-menu side of fries so we could finally qualify for that margarita. Later, she also let us buy a bottle of wine to-go (after drinking a splash at the restaurant, of course). Now that we understood the backwards and nonsensical rules, we were armed and ready to go for the rest of the trip. In the end, Utah might have some weird laws, but you can’t deny the beauty of those rolling hills and surrealistic landscapes. We went about our journey, tripping along with a ’70s-inspired playlist filled with Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and the Grateful Dead. Something about the tunes and the landscape made me wish I had some peyote…it actually might have been easier to get than that drink!

and food writer living in Durango. She enjoys long walks in the woods, the simplicity of New York-style cheese pizza, and she’s completely addicted to Chapstick. Contact her at lindsaymattisonwriter@ gmail.com.

Lindsay D. Mattison is a professional chef

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[visual]

CREATIVEBOND

»» Local artist curates his mother’s show By Jessie O’Brien DGO STAFF WRITER

Jessie O’Brien/DGO

»» Sheila Maynard and Dan Groth

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You would never guess Dan Groth’s bizarre misshapen watercolor figures come from a mind born out of the same gene pool as his mother, Sheila Maynard. Her dreamy pastel landscapes are worlds away. “Our styles are so far North Pole/South Pole,” Maynard said. The two clearly share a natural talent in the arts, though. Groth is a represented artist at Studio &, and hosts workshops at the Durango Arts Center. He has curated multiple shows at Raider Ridge Cafe, which is where he decided to feature his mom’s work. The idea came to him after seeing a Facebook post Maynard shared following her win for best in show at a prior exhibition. Maynard, who currently lives in Longmont, did not take being an artist seriously until after she retired about 10 years ago, although she dabbled in art through high school. Groth said she disavows the acrylics she painted with at that age. “I can’t tell you how many pieces I ripped up,” she said. Maynard was, and still is, her toughest critic, but that never kept her from drawing. “Instead of doing my scholastic work, I doodled,” she said. Maynard remembers sitting in her financial strategies class and drawing a duck holding an umbrella when she should have been taking notes on asset diversification and de-accumulation. After graduating high school in 1959, Maynard told the school counselor she wanted to study art, but was told girls become teachers or nurses. Maynard followed that route, at least initially, and taught second grade, tutored, and raised a family, which kept her from pursuing formal art training. Natural talent aside, she said she wouldn’t trade her experience in grading papers and teaching double-digit addition. She loved teaching, and the profession gave her time with her family. So, while she put her work on the back burner, she nurtured her own kids’ interests in the arts.

»» Sheila Maynard artwork based off a photograph her grandson took

GO! Sheila Maynard’s show runs until August 27 at the Raider Ridge Cafe, 509 East 8th Ave., Durango. Groth said when he was little, his mom was always doing crafty things, like making a papier-mâché ski hill, or transforming a bunt cake mold into a moat by filling it with water and putting little boats in it. Maynard would even host her kids’ art shows in the hallway of their home. “Dan’s art – even when he was a youngster – it is just phenomenal,” she said. Maynard was eventually able to swap the white chalk for colorful pastels, and credits her husband for encouraging her to turn the spare bedroom into a work studio. She often visits the sites of the scenes she draws, snaps a picture, and then puts her own surreal interpretation on the image. One meaningful piece currently on display was referenced by a sunset photograph her 18-year-old grandson took. The end result leaves one wishing the real world looked more like her hazy, dreamlike creations. Maynard’s show marks the first time she and her son worked together professionally. Maynard said when she got the phone call from Groth, she felt like she made it as an artist. They have never collaborated, but they do want to learn from each other’s styles. Maynard wants to try figurative pieces and Groth would like to experiment with landscapes. But Groth will leave the pastels to his mom. Just thinking about the texture makes him cringe.

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[sound] What’s new Four years back, I was introduced to North Carolina-based Merge Records recording artist Spider Bags, shortly after they released their label debut, “Frozen Letter.” I was instantly taken in by their unique and punchy brand of rock and roll. Furthermore, I was slightly embarrassed and dumbfounded that it took me seven years to discover them. Their particular sound – and let me tell you: they do it so, so well – is a perfect balance of styles and sonics that aren’t just in my wheelhouse, they are a hefty foundation of the house itself. Garage, punk, indie, twang… check, check, check, and check. By the time I was turned on, the band was four records in and already regional legends. Fast forward to late July 2018, and I still don’t know this band’s preexisting body of work nearly as well as I should. Since they seem to be rarely mentioned and referenced in conversation amongst my music friends, peers, and colleagues, I’m hoping to do my part to change that and perk up a few ears. Those who know me well (and now all of you, I suppose) know that I rarely listen to advance singles ahead of an album when I’m looking forward to its release. I just don’t do it. I’d rather hear that cut within the context of the entire record. Somehow, and I am truly unsure how, that eluded me this go round, and I caught standout track, “My Heart Is a Flame in Reverse.” I was not only (yet again) sold, but floored: “He met a girl with a pentagram, tat-

tooed on the front of her neck, and she knew, automatically, and magically, that they were connected until death and they DANCED in a room, that was void, of regret...” There is so much more I’d like to tell you about this band, and this record in particular. The guests who appear on it, the specific way and where it was recorded, but mostly, I want you to HEAR it. And then? I want you to BUY it. Support a great band. Support a stellar record label. And for the love of whatever deity you so choose, please, PLEASE support your local record store while, and if, you still can. “Someday Everything Will Be Fine” is available Friday, August 3, via Merge Records as a digital download (high quality MP3), on compact disc, and on vinyl in a standard black colorway. You can also order the album as part of the label’s exclusive Peak Vinyl series. Peak Vinyl records come in a limited edition colorway (in this case, “Bruiser,” a purple-black) and is available only from the label directly and from participating independent record stores. Recommended for fans of modern rock and roll in the vein of The Reigning Sound, The Dexateens, Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires, The Men, and moments of The Replacements. Want to discuss further? I’d love to. Email me at: Jon E. Lynch KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu

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[sound]

Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

Black Lillies: a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll

ands have a tendency to latch onto areas where they’ve made fans. Play a festival, wow the crowd, sell some merchandise, and make a mental note that the area on the map where you just played is a place where business is good. It’s how bands build their fanbase, organize tour routes, and focus on areas that will sustain their musical career. Southwest Colorado is one such area for The Black Lillies, the Knoxville, Tennessee-based band that’s returning to Durango’s Henry Strater Theatre on August 2. The shows The Black Lillies have played in the past have been sell-out affairs, thanks to regional festival

appearances that have boosted their popularity. “I think the festivals certainly help. You make a block of fans right off the bat. But you ultimately you decide who your fans are,” said guitar player and vocalist Cruz Contreras. “If you make music or you’re an artist, you’re putting out a part of your personality and the type of person you are. I think people who can relate to that will check out your music and continue to follow you. I think there’s a kindred-ness for us in the band, the music, the mentality of it, and people in the region there we speak to each other.” The music and the growing fanbase have taken the band from coast to coast, but they’ve found the music they make really resonates with what

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Contreras refers to as “mountain areas” – areas with people whose lifestyle is similar to that of the band members, a work hard, play hard mentality fans can relate to. “We’re from the Smoky Mountains, and there is a lot of outdoor stuff, a lot of similarities to the Four Corners area,” said Contreras. “People love music, to be active, love to dance, and drink, and party, and that’s something we all have in common. It’s not the most complicated equation, but it works. It’s a lot of fun. It makes you feel alive and happy, and that’s why we do it. It gives us the opportunity to do what we love doing, and that’s make music. It is a simple equation but at the same time, we do push ourselves musically to always improve, evolve, change, and discover the next thing. We’re in a really great phase right now where we’re discovering and developing our sound. We’re pushing 10 years. We write, arrange, and sing, and we work hard at it.” Contreras’ admission of discovering and developing the sound this far into their decade-long career comes after a handful of band member changes. It’s an honest admission from a band unafraid to experiment with a sound that at its core is Americana, which remains an ambiguous term with a definition that can change from week to week. With their forth-

GO! Thursday/Tonight, August 2: Folk and rock with The Black Lillies, 7:30 p.m., $20. Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave. Information: 375-7160. coming record, “Stranger to Me,” recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, North Carolina, the band will continue its sound of loose alt-country, aggressive folk, and cosmic-American rock music. Contreras, who in interviews is a straight-shooter, keeps it simple, saying that the band is made up of all good things that get thrown under the rock and jam umbrella. “People ask us ten times a day what kind of music we play, and I just say ‘rock and roll.’ Most of the guys say we play rock and roll, and it’s more of a rock outfit now,” said Contreras. “Electric bass, electric guitars, drums, and three-part harmonies. I grew up playing country music, and that’s part of my voice and my sensibilities. We’re stretching things out, too. We’ll write the 3-minute song, tightly arranged, but then can stretch them out to 10-minute jams. So to me, it’s a rock and roll country jam band.” Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

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[sound]

THE BEST ACTS TO CATCH AT

TELLURIDE JAZZ FESTIVAL If you’re a jazz fan and you’re NOT planning to head up to Telluride for the Telluride Jazz Festival, well, you’re a fool. But if you are planning to head up there to catch jazz acts from all over the nation, you’re being awarded cool-people bonus points. You know where the fun(k) is at. To make the best use of your festival tickets, we advise you to figure out a way to bugger off from work on Friday, and then devote your whole weekend to taking in the sweet sounds of killer jazz acts. The stages are stacked all three days. Oh, and don’t miss any of our favorite artists from the lineup, which we’ve listed for you below (with show times!), or you’re going to have to give those cool points back. That’s just our policy. Here’s who to catch: Irma Thomas, the Queen of Soul When to catch her: Friday at 8 p.m. on the Main Stage Irma Thomas’ story is really inspiring, and it is a story you can hear in every note of her music. Dubbed the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” Thomas’ rise to fame took a winding route, first as a young single mother who made ends meet by working as a dishwasher, cook, and waitress at a restaurant. But that waitressing stint would end up playing a direct role in her jazz career, after she asked the leader of the house band, Tommy Ridgely, for a shot at singing in his band. He gave her the mic, she won over the audience, and the rest is history. Thomas has since amassed a thriving career that has spanned five decades, lots of records, and even earned her a Grammy for best contemporary blues album. You don’t want to miss this diamond take the stage.

Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band When to catch them: Friday at 6:30 p.m. on the Main Stage; again at 10 p.m. at Sheridan Opera House

»» Irma Thomas

It’s not every day that a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer takes the stage in Telluride, Colorado, but Saturday is one of those days, because Jamoie and his Jasssz Band will be playing a killer set at the festival. You may recognize the name Jai Johanny Johansen, now Jaimoe, from the Allman Brothers Band, and this world-famous drummer will be taking the stage with an

all-star lineup: David Stoltz on bass, Brian Charette on keyboard, Kris Jensen on sax, and Reggie Pittman on trumpet. If that’s not enough reason to sway you to head to Jamoie’s stage, maybe knowing that these pros will be giving some Allman Brothers classics a jazz tune-up, along with some killer original blues and jazz songs, will.

Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles When to catch them: Sunday at 4 p.m. on the Main Stage; again at 9 p.m. at The Liberty Cory Henry is funky. Literally. This badass keyboard player, whose name you may recognize from the Grammy-winning band Snarky Puppy, knows how to put the funk spin on just about anything, working in tandem with a band of talented musicians to improvise the hell out of some funk, and covering songs like Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” You don’t want to miss this, or the opportunity to scream out those lyrics with the rest of the crowd.

Sammy Miller and The Congregation When to catch them: Thursday, 9 p.m. at Sheridan Opera House; again on Friday at 2:10 p.m. on the Main Stage Joyful jazz. Doesn’t that sound like something you need in your life? Well, that’s because it IS something you need in your life, and lucky you, you can get a hefty dose of just that during Sammy Miller and The Congregation’s set. These guys are the real deal, making music that uplifts the soul and, well, makes you pretty darn joyful. They’ve worked with everyone from Queen Latifah to Lady Gaga, and now they’ll be onstage playing just for you. Sounds like you won the joyful jazz lottery.

BadBadNotGood When to catch them: Sunday at 5:40 p.m. on the Main Stage Want to witness the next generation of jazz? Well, then you should check out BadBadNotGood’s set, because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. These Canadian boys first bonded over their mutual love of hip hop, and then later their love of jazz music, which this group takes an entirely new spin on. Their music is modern, totally unique, and anything but pretentious, and they’re barely of legal drinking age. We think you’ll like these Canadians, we really do.

Associated Press

�� Thursday, August 2, 2018 | 9

COMING SOON:

[travel]

Durango Diaries

Season 2

The Durango Herald’s twice-a-month storytelling series kicks off Aug. 30.

Mark your calendar!

All sessions begin at 6 p.m.

Aug. 30: Firefighting Durango Public Library

Sept. 12: Local authors Durango Public Library

Sept. 25: Durango chefs Durango Public Library

Oct. 10:

Anne Hillerman and Frank Lister Powerhouse Science Center

Oct. 23:

Media insight: How we cover suicide Durango Public Library

Nov. 7:

Raising extraordinary children Durango Public Library

Nov. 27:

Future of farming Florida Grange

Nov. 29: Future of farming Marvel Grange

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Diaries

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For more information or to sign up to receive emails, visit

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Wikipedia

Travel to find your inner zen at the Ghost Ranch GET OUTTA TOWN Quirky & cool spots in the Four Corners and beyond If you’re looking for an alternative way to heal your soul, you might try checking out the Ghost Ranch in Abiquiú, New Mexico. The 21,000-acre Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center was once home to the painter Georgia O’Keefe, and now welcomes visitors from all over the globe, all of whom are looking for the same thing: some inner zen. Whether it’s by painting, writing, hiking, riding horses, or just staring in utter awe at the towering rocks and beautiful sparse surroundings, people flock to this northern New Mexico retreat in droves to help renew the spirit and cleanse the soul – and likely ride some horses in desert paradise. That shutting off process is pretty simple, because the Ghost Ranch is almost completely devoid of modern technology, not that Sprint could get a signal out there if they tried. It’s a step back in time, one that will force you off of your screen and into the present, willingly or otherwise. Not that being forced off of your screen is a bad thing, mind you. If you manage to tear yourself away from nonstop communication, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning vantage point for the ranch’s colorful vistas, sandstone cliffs, cottonwoods, and the looming mountains that set the tone for this desolate destination. And, once you’ve sufficiently taken in your fill of the views, you can opt to take

part in retreats or workshops, including retreats within the ranch, like Hiking, Writing, and Yoga for Women, a six-day retreat focused on high-altitude hiking, all levels of yoga, and writing sabbaticals in between the physical challenges. There are also men-only retreats, art workshops where you can work with mixed media or photography, or just about any other topic one could conjure up. There’s even a museum series. The Ghost Ranch offers over 300 courses each year, so even the pickiest of participants will be able to find something that tickles their desert fancy. Or, if you’re lucky, you might be able to snag a spot on the Georgia O’Keeffe at Ghost Ranch Landscape Tour, which takes folks behind the scenes – well, it takes you to a restricted part of the ranch, anyway – where you’ll be privy to the locations that inspired O’Keeffe’s paintings. But perhaps typical lodging or educational courses aren’t your thing, and you want a more rustic, unplanned experience. Well, we’re glad it’s you and not us, but if you’re into it, there’s always the option to camp at the ranch. The campgrounds are open from midMay through early October, which means you have PLENTY of time to still make plans for an epic camping trip. Or, you know, you could just find a middle ground between rustic and daily showers by staying at the ranch in their no-frills lodging – no daily maid service in this place. Do whatever soothes the soul, guys. That’s what this place is all about. Take a class, don’t take a class, but go check out this Ghost Ranch either way. You won’t regret it. —— Angelica Leicht

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[drink]

What’s on the menu at The Bookcase and Barber »» Two classics and two new inventions that would

be worth getting arrested for in the 1920s Speakeasy-style cocktail bar The Bookcase and Barber is no longer the mystery it was when it first opened three years ago. Locals are not fooled by the bearded barber and floor-toceiling library hiding the small private space for degenerate drinkers to live in peace. (Fewer know about the discount code for $5 Manhattans on Manhattan Mondays that is posted on B&B’s social media.) Owner Jenna Black said they do get plenty of confused tourists coming in who still think the bar is an old bookstore like it was 30 years ago. But tourists have no reason to fear. Even if they do happen upon the two-faced bar without knowledge of the secret password that is posted on the website, they’re not going to get thrown out by the collar. “We gotta have people come in,” Black laughed. “It’s still a business.” So it’s not necessary to go fisticuffs with the doorman for entry, but knowing what to drink once inside may be more of a challenge. The bar offers classics off the author menu and Bookcase originals off the story menu. “Our whole motto is getting people out of their comfort zone,” Black said. We asked her for two suggestions off each menu so you can keep it classy with traditional libations or venture off for something with modern day flair.

Story Menu Petrichor by Daniel Yohey Sticking with the bookish theme, the cocktails are named after authors, story titles, and pretty words like petrichor. The word’s meaning is as beautiful as it sounds – the smell of rain after a long period of warm, dry

weather. The drink is just as lovely. Petrichor is made with Rittenhouse rye, Atapiño pine nut liqueur by Santa Fe Spirits, Curaçao, Intense Ginger liqueur, Carpano Bianco vermouth, and Regans orange bitters stirred and double-strained into a coupe glass that’s garnished with a flamed orange peel and sage leaf. Life of Pi by Mera Debenham Named after the adventure story about a boy trapped on a boat with a tiger, Life of Pi – the cocktail – will give you a religious awakening like the one the young protagonist had in the story. The drink is made with Marble Distilling Co. vodka, vanilla simple syrup, lime juice, coconut milk, and egg whites for that velvet Bengal-coat texture. The egg whites and lime are dry shaken, then added to ingredients with ice, shaken again, and then strained into a coupe glass and finished with a lime slice.

Courtesy of The Bookcase and Barber

»» The Steinbeck

nothing in mind but falling in love and not getting arrested…let the good times roll.” Steinbeck “Jack Rose” The Steinbeck version of Jack Rose is the same color as the sorrel colt Gabilan in “The Red Pony.” Let’s just pray this drink isn’t as deceitful as the book’s title. It’s about a pony, they said.

It’s a coming of age tale, they said. But it’s Steinbeck and it will rip your heart out with graphically violent sad scenes of dying horses. OK, let’s lighten the mood. The drink is made with Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy, fresh lime, house grenadine, and simple syrup, and then served in a coupe glass and garnished with a lime wheel. —— Jessie O’Brien

Buy One Get One Half Off! ALL Day Wednesday on Ice Cream, Sundaes and Banana Splits (Only valid on equal or lesser value)

Authors Menu Thompson “Old Fashioned” Father of gonzo, Hunter S. Thompson, was known to drink a lot of booze, but Wild Turkey from the bottle was his signature. That’s why Bookcase’s old fashioned base is the Duke’s favorite American bourbon. The Thompson is made with muddled raw sugar, bitters, and lemon peel, with a splash of soda water that is stirred with ice. The muddle mix is then double-strained with Wild Turkey over a large ice cube, and garnished with a lemon peel. Thompson suggests drinking whiskey with having fun, and getting wild, then “driving fast on empty streets with

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�� Thursday, August 2, 2018 | 11

MINDFUL MOTIVATION How channeling spirits and self-compassion can lead to a world of healing By Jessie O’Brien | DGO STAFF WRITER

he more comforts we have, the more uncomfortable we’ve seemed to become. Most of us spend our time with our eyes glued to a screen and fingers trapped by the keyboard. This may be why we are seeing a shift away from technological fixes and toward introspection and self-improvement, as some want to reconnect to the human and spiritual sides to ourselves. Meditation and yoga have become mainstream, and younger generations are less motivated by money and more by personal experiences. People are also turning to alternative methods of healing to improve overall well-being. We talked to a few local healing practitioners who offer courses and sessions to ground us out and comb through the noise. The science is still out on some of these methods and others are supported by research, but all of these pracitioners say the end result is a healthier and happier perspective. Mindful self-compassion We are our own worst enemy is a phrase that rings true with a lot of us. “Most of us treat our loved ones and friends with warmth, tenderness, and patience at times when they struggle, fail, or fall short. But we have a hard time bringing the same quality of compassion to ourselves in the same situation,” said Myoung Lee, a certified mindfulness teacher who is launching her own mindful self-compassion and inner resilience workshops. MSC combines mindfulness, focusing awareness to the present moment, with self-kindness. It was developed by clinical psychologist Chris Germer and self-compassion researcher Kristin Neff in

2010, and the method is supported by peer-reviewed research linking self-compassion to healthier well-being. Lee said there are biological reasons for being self-critical. Modern-day cortisol-spiking threats are no longer caused by hungry saber-toothed tigers, but by threats to our self-concept and sense of fitting in. When that self-concept is threatened, we attack the problem – ourselves. To make things worse, Lee said we have around 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, and many of them are ruminations or fantasies of stories that don’t exist. “It’s like we are in a film. A beautiful movie that sometimes can be so tragic, but there is no editor,” she said.

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Mindfulness, one of the three components of MSC, helps quiet these stories. It allows someone to bring a balanced awareness to a difficult situation. The second component is common humanity, an understanding that the difficulties one is experiencing are part of a larger human experience, and the third is self-kindness. Lee said some people confuse self-compassion with someone like Al Franken’s old Saturday Night Live character, the self-indulgent crochet-sweater wearing Stuart Smalley. He would stare in the mirror and say affirmations like,”I’m worth it. I’m an attractive person. People like me.” Continued on Page 14

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Julie Gentry

Whitney Lamb

Amy Wantulok

Julie Gentry also teaches Soul Motion, a conscious dance practice. For more info visit juliegentry.com.

Whitney Lamb is also a red hat qi gong healing practitioner. Visit her website at whitneylamb.com for more info.

Amy Wantulok also is a functional strength coach and corrective specialist. Contact her at amywantulok@gmail.com.

From Page 13

Some may connect it to self-pity or weakness, but Lee said research shows people who are more self-compassionate tend to take responsibility for their actions and apologize easier. They don’t ignore their own flaws. Self-compassion helps us bring our shadowy side to the light and love it as equally the other parts of us. It’s an act of courage, she said.

Sound healing Nails on a chalkboard will make us cringe. Freddie Mercury hitting a power note in “Bohemian Rhapsody” will send chills up our spine. There is no denying that our bodies are affected by sounds and vibrations, but does it have the ability to stabilize us? Amy Wantulok describes herself as a tuner of bodies. She is a biofield tuning practitioner who uses tuning forks to make sure the body is harmonizing like Simon and Garfunkel. “You’re basically tuning your body like an instrument, and we are putting you back to a factory reset that you once had,” she said. The process is based on Eileen McKusick’s research on vibrational sound therapy. Her book, “Tuning the Human Biofield,” offers research in the field. Humans put off electrical energy called the biofield. Incidents such as stress, injury, and trauma are “mapped” on our field and will create noise or static. Wantulok, an ex-hockey player, will strike a tuning fork on a Canadian hockey puck. When the tone falls flat, she can find these disturbances on her client’s biofield map.

“I can physically feel when the fork is going south and you can really hear depression, you can hear sadness. It’s a tone you would associate with those emotions,” Wantulok said. Wantulok is a musician and plays West African drums. She compares biofield tuning to ancient music such as the didgeridoo or chanting monks, who would put people in trances. The synchronization puts you in a relaxed state and is essentially what the body’s biofield is doing. “It’s going to find a coherent signal it identifies with and start to imitate it,” she said. “Your body is smart enough. Just like when it’s sick, it sends chemical messengers to go fix it. When it hears there is a discordance in its own electromagnetic field, it’s going to fix it.”

Psychic medium and angel channeler Many of us have experienced a pull to call a friend while not knowing that they are experiencing a crisis, or had an intuition that something is going to happen before the dominoes fall. Whitney Lamb listens to the coincidences and signals in this life, but also communicates with other planes. “I channel beings from different dimensional realities. I talk with angels. I talk with loved ones who have crossed over,” she said. “I talk to a lot of different things that help people on their path to awakening, to unfolding who they are, even helping them through some of life’s difficulties and challenges.” After reading “Embraced by the Light” by Betty Eadie when she was 19 years old, Lamb’s life

changed. She started reading books and studying angels, and day by day, things began to unfold for her. “I became a 5-year-old. I turned to my innocence and just believed they were with me,” she said. “Life got more magical. I started watching a lot of serendipitous moments and synchronicities. Things were connected in a way where you just go, ‘That couldn’t have happened,’ but it did.” Lamb said everyone has angels that love and protect us at all times, and once we begin to trust they are there, they will give us inspiration to help ourselves. She describes them as having warm and humorous personalities. They appear as vibrant, vibrating visions of color, like a fractal, or maybe with a human form. This is unlike the human souls she communicates with during mediumship sessions. These shape-shifting spirits sometimes show up in their elderly body to let her know how they’ve passed, and they will morph into a form where they felt most like themselves. Lamb said clients see her for mediumship sessions for different reasons – closure, to apologize, or to find out if their loved one is all right. “The beautiful thing is when souls cross, they see things on a higher perspective – on their roles that they played, the life that they lived, and finally being able to say ‘I’m sorry and I own this.’” Lamb said she isn’t trying to convince the naysayers, but hopes people take what they learn from their sessions and just roll with it. “Hopefully, one day, this whole idea of psychic will be normal,” Lamb said. “A lot of people are starting to honor that part of themselves. We are

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COMING SOON

t e s r g l a s ’ o g n a D ur o p ex ’ s e n wo m

Myoung Lee Lee is offering an eight-week mindful self-compassion course on Mondays from Aug. 6 to Oct. 1 from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and an eight-week inner resilience course on Tuesdays from Sept. 11 to Oct. 30 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Both are in the Smiley Building, room 205. Register at myahmindfulness@gmail.com. centerformsc.org/ organizer/myah-mindfulness

taught at a young age that, ‘That’s silly and you’ll grow out of that. You can’t sit around talking to fairies all day (laughs),’ so it’s squelched.”

Body-centered wisdom You’re a pain in my ass. It was a gut feeling. Heartache. Julie Gentry said it’s no surprise humans associate our emotions to parts of the body through common phrases like these. BodyTalk practitioners use a complex and comprehensive exploratory chart to “listen” to the client’s body, mind, and spirit. They use muscle-checking techniques to access communication disruptions within the body and improve overall well-being. “BodyTalk is based on the premise that we have innate intelligence (within us) that is so far beyond our thinking mind, so this is a way to access that,” Gentry said. “It brings things to our conscious awareness out of our unconscious.” The practice was started by John Veltheim, a chiropractor, traditional acupuncturist, philosopher, and Reiki Master after his own health was compromised. The premise of Body-

Talk is that humans are designed to be self-healing, but become out of balance due to stress or trauma. The distracting input overload of the modern age makes it easy to neglect silent reflection. By bringing conscious awareness to what’s happening, clients can start to heal. “It’s harder and harder to tune in and take quiet time,” Gentry said. “A lot of us don’t feel like we have the luxury to meditate or go to therapy.” Gentry said most first-time clients come in because they are experiencing physical discomfort and later uncover emotional pain that is associated with that area. Gentry said according to Chinese medicine and other ancient practices, different parts of the body are associated with both physiological functions and conscious functions – the lungs are where the body can process grief, and the heart processes joy and sadness. “Body, mind, and spirit cannot be separated,” she said. “The physical stuff will get us to pay attention.”

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La Plata County Fairgrounds November 10, 2018 10am-4pm F O R M O R E I N F O R AT I O N

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[weed]

Sour Maui is a strange weed bird This week’s strain, Sour Maui, is a strange bird, and I say that with the utmost weed respect. This strain is a hybrid sativa created by crossing Sour Diesel and Maui Wowie, two powerful (and beloved) strains, but for me, it barely mimicked the effects of either of those strains. It instead led to a whole new... weed world. (So sorry.) Here’s what happened. I smoked this batch of Sour Maui during the day on Saturday, as recommended by the folks at Good Earth Meds, who said this was a good day strain. Given its lineage and GEM’s warning, I expected to quickly feel like I was inthe-zone, or dying to manically clean the kitchen or something, but alas (and to my delight), that did not happen. What happened instead was that after I inhaled the tropical-tasting smoke a few times – slow and steady wins this race – I sat around and waited for that notch to be cranked to a 10. And waited. And waited some more. It turns out that I have become so conditioned to racy, dreamy sativas that I thought – after half an hour of no anxious energy surfacing – that maybe I needed to smoke more, as I was clearly not doing SOMETHING right. I packed a second bowl, lit it up, and waited. Same thing. No crushing rush of energy or creativity to the brain, no sudden urge to summer-clean the closets. Just a bowl of very slow-burning weed (seriously, this stuff burns so slowly) and my regular ol’ brain, left to its own devices. At first, it felt kind of odd to feel so calm after two bowls of a sativa, to be honest. I couldn’t figure out why, after that much weed, I wasn’t feeling more high. What was up with this strain? But then it hit me. Prior to smoking, I’d been in lethargic weekend mode, and while I wasn’t feeling the incessant need to cross everything off my to-do list after two bowls of Sour Maui, I was feeling a hell of a lot more like getting off the couch.

Details Where to find Sour Maui: Maybe in Hawaii, or maybe at Good Earth Meds, 600 Cloman Blvd. #1, Pagosa Springs, 970-731-3202, goodearthmeds.com. That’s where we got ours, anyway.

And that feeling only intensified over the next hour. My brain was clear, I had almost NO body high, and while there was never any big lightning bolt of motivation, there WAS a mellow river of energy that came from it. The effects never got to the point of pushing me into productivity, mind you, but I suppose I could have kicked myself into a higher gear, had I wanted to. I just chose not to, cause...well, Saturday. Screw that shit. Plus, I had super dry eyes and a deadly case of cottonmouth by the time I finished smoking that second bowl. Who can be productive when they’re SO THIRSTY, and their eyes are the equivalent of when Spongebob gets the suds? Nobody, that’s who. I chose to hang out and bullshit with a friend instead, which worked out quite well when the chatty effects from this strain kicked in. If you smoke this strain, prepare to be one clear-headed Chatty Cathy, you guys. All in all, this strain surprised me, which was so far from what I expected. I felt like I knew what I was getting into – I know Sour Diesel and Maui Wowie well – but it turns out their child has taken on a life of its own, as kids are wont to do. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. —— DGO Pufnstuf

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[weed] A quick review of Bubba Kush Root Beer This week, we’d planned to change things up by throwing in a review of Bubba Kush Root Beer, which I mistakenly thought was a cola-flavored fizzy drink infused with 10 mg of THC. I don’t know. Don’t ask. So, once I realized it was root beer – i.e. once I’d left the dispensary, “cola” bottle in hand – I was nowhere near enthused. I hate root beer. Hate it. I cannot, will not, swallow root beer, not in a box, not with a fox, and not even for the sake of ingesting THC. That left me in an obvious quandary, as I had a bottle of root beer to review. Long story short, I made my neighbor drink it. Turns out she likes root beer, and she likes THC, so it didn’t even take much convincing to get her to do it. Once she’d agreed, I threw her the bottle like it was on fire and left before I was suckered back in. Here’s what she said. On the taste: “Bubba Kush vs. Zuber Fizz Root Beer: Decent carbonation, but the taste (of Bubba Kush) was flatter. Not as sweet. Slight aftertaste of weed. Probably not the best root beer, but it’s a 2 for 1 if you’re a fan of edibles.” On the effects: “Spacey. Munchies (but that didn’t surprise me). Ate Skittles, Ruffles, Reese’s, chips and cheese. Watched The Office and didn’t laugh more than usual.” So, if you’re a fan of the ol’ root beer, this drink might be right up your alley, especially if you want to gorge yourself on junk food (yes and please). Seems like it’s a solid, low-key high, which is a win, and the slight aftertaste of weed can’t possibly make root beer worse. I cannot attest to it personally, because gross, but my neighbor, who’s cool as shit, can. That’s all I got on this one. Have fun with your gross drink. —— DGO Pufnstuf

All I need in life: Banana Hood and a pan of brownies Am I the only person out there who immediately calls bullshit on weed strains that are supposed to smell like fruit? I can usually decipher a slight undertone of berries or whatever with that type of weed – especially if the name (cough, Shishkaberry, cough) plants the seed in my brain – but RARELY do I pop the cap open to a container of weed and think, “Gotdang, this smells like snozberries.” This Banana Hood strain, though – a new hybrid from Prohibition Herb, which we’re reviewing this week – was one of the rare times that happens. You want banana? You got banana. All you have to do is open the lid and sniff, and there won’t be any question about the origins of this strain: Banana Kush. Well, sort of. This strain has created by crossing Banana Kush with Icarus, an indica-leaning hybrid known for a mellow high, which is where that heavy banana smell comes from. I really like the way this strain smells. Banana-scented weed is like the scratch-and-sniff of cannabis. It’s a surprising jolt to the nose when you lean in, but it’s pleasant. Kinda like a banana Runts candy.

Oh, and I was starving. Living above a pizza place is a gift and a goddamn curse, because when the munchies kick in, I can order some carbs, wander downstairs to pick it up, and then shovel copious amounts of said carbs in my mouth during the ascent up the stairs to my apartment. Long story short, this is the route I went after I smoked Banana Hood, and I ended up eating an entire pan of brownies. Just livin’ my best life over here. I don’t think I could feasibly make this my go-to strain ONLY because of my penchant for eating pans of brownies, but it will be one I keep on rotation. I’ll just have to light it up after the pizza place closes, or my neighbors are going to find me, surrounded by brownie crumbs, and passed out on the stairs. And nobody needs that. Trust. —— DGO Pufnstuf

Details Where to find Banana Hood: Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino Del Rio, 970-385-8622, prohibitionherb.com Availability: Available on recreational at $9 a gram or $30 an eighth; about 20 percent THC Caveats: Banana Hood may SMELL like bananas, but Prohibition didn’t send us real fruit as a bribe for a good review.

The high from this strain is pleasant, too. It came on really quickly – I didn’t feel like there was any lag time between inhaling and floating up to my ceiling – and it wasn’t the overwhelming sleepy feeling I expect from indicas. I immediately felt high up to my eyebrows and had a total body high, with every limb feeling that tingling, alive feeling one gets from a good old-fashioned body high. And that high stayed totally in my body. My eyes were as thirsty as a D-list celebrity, but my notes say, “Good body high, but my head, as in my thoughts (I like to be very clear with my future self), are clear. Just high in mah body.” I don’t know the last time, if ever, that my high was completely limited to my body. Sure, there are times when I only end up with a head high, but rarely do I get a full-on body high without feeling stoned out of my gourd in my brain, too. Full disclosure: I did have one weird moment where I had major déjà vu while thinking about a scavenger hunt that I’m like, 85 percent sure I just made up in my head, but other than that, my mind was crystal clear.

�� Thursday, August 2, 2018 | 17

[ weed ] Seeing Through the Smoke Christopher Gallagher

Reminiscing on the first time I smoked weed

ome summer days, it is nice to just lie around, sweating, thinking about first times. Your first time – on a basement couch or maybe a dorm bed or outside on a humid night like tonight – and there you were, changed. Muscles slack, eyes heavy-lidded, a new heartbeat, breathing fully, deeply… Mine happened about three weeks into my high school career. It was me and four junior girls. What an experience! Wait? What? No! I’m talking about the first time I got high… Not that, perv... I am lucky enough to have had three first times: The first, first; the first after seven years totally sober;

and the Bowlpack That Changed My Life – they were all pretty amazing as far as life experiences go. The scene: Late September, 1986. Think of (or better yet, download) those classic teen movies they still show late nights on all the movie channels – lots of corduroys, jean jackets, and those high-waisted pants that, by way of some horrible Reagan-era repressive magic, made tushes all but disappear. It was Friday night. My freshman football teammate’s mother was in Hong Kong; his cousins P and J, three and two years our elder, were holding down the fort. By nine o’clock, there were at least 50 kids at the house. Next thing I knew, J and three of her friends had my arm and were

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leading me out to the screen porch to smoke. I was beside myself. It was a beautiful evening. We had won our first game that afternoon, and the world was suddenly soft and warm and smelled like perfume and hairspray. I didn’t even care that the fashion industry had turned everyone’s posterior parts into pancakes. Then, the pipe was passed to me. My boy Oatsie’s older sister sparked the lighter and told me to breathe in. I had been headed this direction for a while. I grew up on the fringes of dozens (if not hundreds) of gatherings of my mom’s nine younger siblings and their friends, and a few full-scale bashes that took place while my grandmother left the house in their care, and smoking weed seemed like the most normal, natural thing a teenager could do. I knew that the shit they were selling in the D.A.R.E. program was nonsense. A couple weeks earlier, my parents had discovered the small stash of roaches I had collected in my top drawer. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with them, but I was definitely a rookie and not savvy to the fact that they probably made my room smell like a burnt skunk tail. Now, I was drawing myself a lungful of smoke and floating off to a place that felt like home. Everything about it was oddly familiar. The smell was pungent, earthy, and reminiscent of every time my relatives and their friends got together to celebrate an event, a holiday, or a walk in the woods. The cloud of smoke I exhaled a few seconds later also felt familiar as I watched it join the other clouds in the room, creating our own little biosphere in

this sitting area behind the garage a block-and-a-half from the school I would spend the next four years in, learning about everything that crossed my path, and trying to figure out what life was all about. I looked around and saw smiling faces. I was smiling. In this dream called life, there are some days we would travel back to, if given the opportunity, perhaps to change the way things happened, or perhaps to have the chance to bask in the perfection of a situation one more time. That night on West Ridge Road was everything I wanted – freedom, possibility, and a feeling that allowed me to soar while keeping my feet safely planted. Every once in a while, when I drive through that neighborhood, I think back to that kid, so many me’s ago – a new me, starting onto a new path, everything about to unfold before me, a chest full of weed smoke, a roomful of pretty girls, a smile on my face – and I smile again. Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at chrstphrgallagher@gmail.com.

18 | Thursday, August 2, 2018 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[happening] DGO picks in and around Durango Lassie would be proud The worst dog is still better than the best human. Let’s celebrate man’s best pal at the Bow Wow Film Fest, a traveling movie festival with flicks about K9s. All the proceeds from the event go to the La Plata County Humane Society. Hopefully, Air Bud makes an appearance. Details: August 2, $7, 6 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 East 2nd Ave., bowwowfilmfest.com

Dirty, dirty, naughty race Have you been suppressing your inner dirty girl or boy? Are you feeling uncomfortable reading this? Me too. Keep your lecherous thoughts buried deep inside and sign up for the Durango Muck and Mire Adventure Race instead. It’s a muddy 5k with over 20 different obstacles. It’s a nasty, nasty, dirty race.

Thursday Qi gong and tai chi by the river, 10

a.m., $10, White Rabbit Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Toddler story time, 10:30 a.m., Durango

Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 375-3380. Teen Summer Reading Program: Movie Day, noon, Pine River Library, 395 Bay-

All-Ages Summer Reading Program: Gamer Club, 1 p.m., Pine River Library, 395

Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield. Manhattan Monday, 5 p.m., Bookcase and

Barber, 601 East Second Ave. Classic Movie Mondays, 7 p.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield, 884-2222.

field Center Drive, Bayfield.

Tuesday

Burger and a Band Night: Tim Sullivan, 5 p.m., $20, James Ranch Terraces, 33846

Roll e-bike demo days, 10 a.m., Lake

U.S. Highway 550. Bow Wow Film Festival, 6 p.m., $7-$12, Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave., 259-2606. Concerts in the Plaza: Lawn Chair Kings, 6 p.m., Three Springs Plaza, 175 Merca-

do St., 764-6000. Gary Walker piano, 6:30 p.m., Jean Pierre

Bakery and Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave.

Friday

Nighthorse, 1795 County Road 210. Chamber singer auditions, 1:30 p.m., St.

Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 East Third Ave., 247-1129. Baby story time, 2 p.m., Durango Public

Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 375-3380. Durango PlayFest: Playwrights panel, 4 p.m., Rochester Hotel, R Space, 734

East Second Ave.

Wednesday Story hour, 10 a.m., James Ranch, 33846 U.S.

Details: August 4, $50, 10 a.m., Purgatory Resort, #1 Skier Place, purgatoryresort.com/events/mud/

Preschool story time, 10:30 a.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 3753380.

Beers in Bayfield

Kids Summer Reading Program: Caregiver Cafe, 11 a.m., Pine River Library,

Just when we thought we couldn’t be any more bloated by the buckets of summer beer we’ve consumed, the first annual Pine River Brewfest shows up. Celebrate beer, wine, and sunshine with 25 beverage vendors and 12 BBQ booths with a lineup of musical entertainment.

Teen Summer Reading Program: Magic the Gathering Day, noon, Pine

Fired Up Stories, 10:30 a.m., Durango Public

Details: August 4, various prices, 12 p.m., Eagle Park, 1169 Highway 160B, Bayfield, pineriverbrewfest.com

River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield, 884-2222. Screen-free playtime in the garden,

Story time, 11 a.m., White Rabbit Books and

Ghosts play music We didn’t know it was possible for more than two redheads to be in the same room together, but apparently five can be in a band. Folk/pop/rock band Gingerbomb is saving on the SPF by playing indoors at The Listening Room this weekend. Catch them in their freckly glory. Details: August 8, $20, 7 p.m., The Listening Room, 121 West 32nd St., gingerbombband.com

395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield, 884-2222.

2 p.m., White Rabbit Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St.

Saturday Veterans benefit 21 run, 9 a.m., $10,

Durango Nature Studies: Wee Walk,

10 a.m., $0-$5, Memorial Park, 2901 East Third Ave. Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 375-3380. Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Chamber singer auditions, 2 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 East Third Ave., 247-1129. Durango PlayFest: Meet the artists with actor Dan Lauria, 4 p.m., R Space,

Trails 2000 trail work party, 9 a.m., Three Springs, Spur Line Trails, Three Springs Boulevard.

Trails 2000 trail work party, 4 p.m., Three Springs, Spur Line Trails, Three Springs Boulevard.

Gurhan jewelry event, noon, Sorrel Sky

Community Concert: Stillhouse Junkies, 5 p.m., Rochester Hotel, 726 East Second

Eagle Park, 1199 Bayfield Parkway, Bayfield. Summer pickers circle on the river,

3 p.m., White Rabbit Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Black Velvet Band, 5 p.m., DoubleTree

Hotel, Animas River Cafe, 501 Camino Del Rio, 259-6580. Unique, 5 p.m., Serious Texas Bar-B-Q, 650 S.

Camino del Rio. Kirk James, 6 p.m., Sky Ute Casino Resort,

14324 Highway 172, Ignacio.

Sunday

Details: August 8, $12, 9 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr., themovementvibe.com

a.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield.

Rochester Hotel, 734 East Second Ave.

Pine River BrewFest, noon, $18-$33,

Bust out the herb, because The Movement is rolling (blunts) into town. The band, inspired by Sublime and the Pixies, recently released their latest single, “Cool Me Down,” which debuted at the top of the iTunes reggae chart. Hear it live at Animas City Theater.

Wee Summer Reading Program, 10

Durango Elks Picnic Grounds, 379 County Road 240A.

Gallery, 828 Main Ave., 247-3555.

Dreaded sounds

Highway 550.

Adult coloring and afternoon tea, 3

p.m., White Rabbit Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Kirk James, 5:30 p.m., Dalton Ranch, 589

County Road 252.

Monday Wee Summer Reading Program, 10

a.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield.

Ave., 385-1920. “What Laser Can Do for You” presentation, 6 p.m., SRA Pain and Laser Centers,

1401 Main Ave., Suite A. The Movement and Lola Rising, 9 p.m.,

$12-$15, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.

Ongoing Henry Stoy plays piano at 11 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday at JeanPierre Bakery and Wine Bar, 601 Main

Ave. Old west stage shows are held at 5:30 p.m. nightly throughout the summer at Bar D Chuckwagon, 8080 County

Road 250. Cost is $12-$38 and reservations are preferred. To reserve, visit www.bardchuckwagon.com.

Submissions Submit events for the next week online by noon Monday at www. swscene.com. DGO publishes events online and in print every Thursday.

�� Thursday, August 2, 2018 | 19

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Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This week, the Moon still is in your sign, which makes you more emotional. However, the good news is that it increases your good luck just a little bit. (Maybe a little bit is all it takes.) TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Keep your ears open because you will learn a secret this week. Or perhaps you might learn something that is not intended for you to know. Be discreet. Be respectful. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) This week, you might have a heated discussion with a female friend. It might be about changing goals or direction, especially within a group. Be patient with others. CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

Be patient when talking to parents and

bosses this week. Resist the urge to make a sharp retort. Don’t burn your bridges. Avoid public arguments. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) This week, the Moon is in your fellow fire sign, Aries. This is supportive for you. Grab any opportunity to travel or explore further education and training. VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Tie up loose details regarding red-tape issues like insurance, debt, taxes and shared property. You also might have to deal with inheritances. Fortunately, you have an eye for detail. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Because the Moon is opposite your sign this week, friendships and partnerships will be more important to you. You might be more inclined to take things personally because you care.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) What can you do to improve your health? For that matter, what can you do to improve your job and how you do your job? Think about it this week. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) This is a creative, playful week for you! Enjoy romantic adventures, sports events and fun activities with children.

want to discuss real issues and real-life matters. You don’t want to waste time talking about the weather. PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Money issues are on your mind this week. Don’t worry if you feel possessive about something that you own and don’t want to lend it. It happens. BORN THIS WEEK

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)

You have a strong, magnetic personality; plus, you are kind and compassionate. It’s time to live life fully! This is because you are entering a fun-loving, social year. Begin by appreciating the happiness and beauty around you. Be grateful for who you are and what you have. Count on enjoying the blessing of heightened popularity and warm friendships this year.

Your discussions with others are important this week, which is why you

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) A family discussion, probably with a female family member, will be important this week. It might focus on money or possessions. Clear up any misunderstandings. (The sooner, the better.)

Tarot 101 Not a crystal ball Many people misunderstand the purpose of Tarot card readings. A psychic will not tell you when you will find your soul mate or when you will finally become a famous rock star. Instead, the cards are used to aid in connecting someone to their higher self, according to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. How to ask Question and open readings are the two types of Tarot readings. The cards are not meant to make decisions for someone, but are used as a guide for that person to make their own decisions. For this reason, it’s important not to ask yes or no questions, but a focused question. For open readings, the person responds to the cards that are pulled without a specific question in mind. Toth ache Famous mystic and occultist Aleister Crowley invented his own Tarot-style deck called the Toth. He died before the deck ever caught on. We wonder if he saw it coming?

22 | Thursday, August 2, 2018 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[single life]

SWIPE RIGHT

Tad Smith Age: 50 years young Occupation: I am a graphic designer and Manager of Creative Services at Ballantine Communications. Sign: Oh God, I don’t know. I think I’m a Virgo, September 7. What qualities do you look for in a lady? A pretty smile. A good sense of humor. And someone that is active that likes to go and do things. What do you enjoy doing? I enjoy hiking. I enjoy live music. I like movies. I like cruising downtown Durango. I love the arts, so any art show, I will be there. Tell us something about yourself that others might not know. I should have studied the questions. (laughs) Ah, let’s see. I enjoy the arts. I am an artist myself. I used to live in Phoenix. I lived there for like 25 years and have owned an art gallery. I enjoy showing my art and having shows. I have been in a couple of group shows here in Durango. But

Ahh, the silver fox (and foxtress). This week, we have two singles who have, like a fine wine, been waiting around for you to take them off the shelves. If you find yourself diggin’ the vibe of their profiles, reach out at dgohotsingles@dgomag.com and tell us about yourself.

I will have to find a venue and have my own someday. So that is what I like to do. Have you ever been ghosted or have you ever ghosted someone? Yes and yes. Yeah, I mean you’re texting someone and it seems like it is going along fine and then they just stop communication. I guess that’s fine because who knows what’s going on. So I have been on a couple of dates on Tinder and it didn’t seem like it was going to work out. And she texted me, and I just didn’t text her back. Guilty. Guilty as charged. Do you have Peter Pan syndrome? I think every guy does to a certain extent. But I mean, I got a job, I got a place, I got a car. I got my life together, but I still … you know there is a little boy in every guy. And those little boys are a lot of fun. So yeah … I like to be irresponsible sometimes and go out and have a good time, enjoy some drinks and dance. Not be tied down, but another part of me doesn’t mind being tied down.

Jessica Kirwan Age: 46 Sign: Libra Occupation: Senior Sales Executive at Ballantine Communications Why are you still single? Wow. Great question. I don’t know why. I love myself; I don’t know why everybody else does not. Apparently, I just haven’t found the right person. What kind of qualities do you look for in a guy? You need to be rich enough to have somebody fix your shit or you have to be handy enough to fix the shit. It’s best if you are both. Be somebody who can pay for great vacations or be that person who can build a great deck, and we vacation on the deck. That’s totally fine. You can’t be broke and not know how to work the hands. Any other qualities? I am open to meet new guys; the 28-50 range is kind of my target demo. I am looking for someone who is college-educated. I would have to say someone who works at least 40 hours a week or has their money work

for them. Somebody who allows me to have my girl time is very important … someone who does not want to compete with me. Although I am competitive, I see some of my friends in relationships with, “Well, you went out with your friends this night, so I’m going to go out with my friends this night.” I don’t like the, “I’m going to one-up you” in a negative way. What’s something that people don’t know about you? I’m an awesome cook. I feel I have a really good handle on work-life balance. I have lived on each coast and in the Midwest. I was a single mom when my daughter was born, so I raised her alone. Now she is 19 and I pay for her to go to CU. What does your weekend look like? I spend my weekends at Lake Navajo with my friends. We all have campers. We make dinners and when somebody has a boat, we go out on the boat. We play board games, walk the dogs and watch the sunset every night after playing cornhole. Those are my weekends right now, and I enjoy them.

�� Thursday, August 2, 2018 | 23

Where should we

DGO tonight?

Your #1 source for whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on around Durango dgomag.com/calendar + Add an Event

to the DGO calendar with