Durango Telegraph - January 16, 2020

Snubbed by the Academy once again

elegraph the durango

FREE Jan. 16, 2020

Vol. XIX, No. 3 durangotelegraph.com

inside

T H E

O R I G I N A L

I N D I E

W E E K L Y

L I N E

O N

D U R A N G O

&

B E Y O N D

Branching out

Animas Quill

Ghosts of the past

Local First Foundation seeks to fill community needs p8

Exhibitions, Homegurl & Monday dread p11-14

How Freemasons are keeping a Colorado ghost town alive p15

SKIERS:

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2 n Jan. 16, 2020

telegraph

lineup

boilerplate

4 La Vida Local

A new deal

Local First launches sister organization to deal with community needs

4 Thumbin’ It

by Tracy Chamberlin

Ear to the ground:

“I know they say exercise is supposed to be good for you, but I did 20 burpees and am pretty sure I was clinically dead for a few seconds.”

– Local discussing drawbacks of New Year’s resolutions

That bites

5 Word on the Street

10

6-7 Soapbox

Thirsty for change Event to discuss ways to cut water usage in face of drought, growth

10 Quick ’n’ Dirty

by Missy Votel

11 The Quill

11-14

16 Flash in the Pan

The Quill is back

17 Top Shelf

All the news that’s fit to print at Animas High School

18 On the Town

15

20 Ask Rachel

Ghosts of the past

How the Freemasons are keeping one forgotten Gold Rush town alive

by Natasha Watts /CPR News

21 Free Will Astrology 22 Classifieds

16

22 Haiku Movie Review

Geek god

On the cover: The Sleeping Ute is bathed in the rainbow hues of the first rays of morning light./ Photo by Stephen Eginoire

An ode to the thinking man’s rocker and hip hop virtuosos

by Chris Aaland

thepole

8

RegularOccurrences

Life might be a box of chocolates, but for Montrose, things aren’t so sweet right now.

On Tuesday, chocolate-maker Russell Stover announced it will be shuttering its Montrose plant next year. The company has operated in the West Slope community of about 20,000 for 40 years and employs around 400 people, including part-time and seasonal employees.

"Making that decision is probably one of the hardest business decisions we've had to make. So there's a sense of loss, and we feel that," company spokesman Robbie Vorhaus told Colorado Public Radio News.

The Montrose plant is slated to close in the spring of 2021, and Vorhaus said employees will be given the option to transfer to the company's expanded facilities in Kansas and Texas.

Those who don't transfer or retire will be offered severance packages.

Vorhaus described the decision to close the plant as "wrenching" but ultimately a “business decision that was required for us to continue to grow and for us to continue to meet changing consumer needs, purchasing decisions and tastes."

The closure is likely to be a blow to the economy of Montrose County, which has a population of around 42,000. The company is listed as a “primary employer” by the Montrose Economic Development Corporation.

In addition to the Montrose facility, Russell Stover will close two distribution centers, in Tennessee and Missouri, and close some of its storefronts around the country in the coming year.

The company was founded in Denver almost 100 years ago, although the headquarters moved to Kansas City shortly after. It was purchased in 2014 by Swiss chocolate-maker Lindt, and this move comes as the companies continue to streamline operations, according to a press release.

Crime web

0EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com) ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com) RESIDENT FORMULA ONE FAN: Tracy Chamberlin (tracy@durangotelegraph.com)

T

he Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, beckoning singletrack or monster powder days. We are wholly owned and operated independently by the Durango Telegraph LLC and

STAR-STUDDED CAST: Lainie Maxson, Chris Aaland, Clint Reid, Stephen Eginoire, Jesse Anderson, Ari LeVaux, Tracy Chamberlin, Zach Hively, Luke Mehall and Shan Wells VIRTUAL ADDRESS: www.durangotelegraph.com

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 332 Durango, CO 81302 PHONE: 970.259.0133 E-MAIL: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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distributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area.

We’re only human. If, by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor, best

friend or dog, we will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue.

Although “free but not easy,” we can be plied with schwag, booze and flattery.

telegraph

Durango Police are hoping to cast a wider net on the net. This week, the Durango Police Department unveiled its new online reporting system.

Available at DurangoGov.org/Police, the system provides a fast and efficient way for residents to report low-priority incidents, including: abandoned vehicles; barking dogs; code enforcement issues; damage to vehicles; graffiti; lost property; phone scams; suspicious activity (not in progress); theft (not in progress); trespassing (not in progress); and vehicle entered (nothing taken.)

The new online reporting system is meant to improve efficiency and reduce costs and response time for the department.

Once filed, an officer will review the report and determine if follow-up is needed. Also – we hope this would be obvious – online reporting does not take the place of calling 911 in an emergency. If life or property is in imminent danger, pick up the phone and speak to an actual person and not a robocop.

Jan. 16, 2020 n

3

opinion

LaVidaLocal Passion from the pen I used to think that a broke poet could change the world. That was when I was a broke poet. I’m still a poet, but a little less broke. Overall, I’m happy, and happiness is the key. But I’ll also paraphrase a beloved, yet disgraced, American poet named Kanye West, “Having money is not everything, not having it is.”

Money is always in the back of my mind. We live in an expensive town, and as a small business owner, I don’t receive regular paychecks. I moved here during the end of the last recession – circa 2010 – and the memories of that recession, and how hard it was to get a job then, will always stay with me. If I can quote one more person, my Grandfather Ralph – who died when I was a baby, and I only recently discovered was also a poet – money is “man’s greatest fear.”

While I am very practical about money and aware of its usefulness and limitations (can’t buy me love), I am still a dreamer. I think that dreaming big and working hard are a perfect combination. My goal for the last decade was to write and publish five books while building up my magazine. As I’ve moved to make my side hustle a career, I’ve felt the call to help out others. So with that in mind, here are some things I’ve learned to help discipline me for my craft and some pitfalls to avoid.

1. Work at your passion every day: Realizing you have a passion for something is a beautiful revelation. I remember the first time I wrote a poem, and I felt like it was writing itself.

It’s like magic; a connection to some higher power, allowing something to flow in and out of us. In many ways, I’m still chasing that original feeling, especially as I branched out of poetry to other disciplines of writing. After stumbling for years, I learned a simple trick: if you love something and you want to make it your craft, do it every day. In my case that meant writing every morning. Do it just for the sake of it. Write a book, make a song, make a Bob Ross painting; all just for you. And let things develop from there.

2. Get on the internet: As a 40-something, I find many of my friends hardly use social media. I get it, there’s so much BS and propaganda, but there’s more to social media than the kids of that friend you haven’t seen in 20 years. If you’re creating, share it on social media. Don’t be shy, and don’t be critical. Just share. Your friends and future fans will most likely be stoked. And if they aren’t, they don’t have to follow you; just as you don’t

have to follow them.

My favorite form of social media is Instagram. It’s a simple and perfect format for writers, photographers, musicians, filmmakers and more. Tik Tok, a Chinese app dedicated to short videos, is soaring in popularity now. I dabbled in it, but found it to be more annoying than useful. LinkedIn seems to be having a moment now, and it’s a great way to connect with other professionals. Facebook, is, well Facebook. It’s still effective in some ways, but it may be ruining our democracy, so there’s that.

Bottom line: if you’re creating and you’re ready, share with your friends and family, because they love you. (And if they don’t, unfollow them.)

3. Let go of fear and insecurity: I think the biggest hurdle to sharing your art and heart is the fear that you’ll fail or others will judge you. This might be what holds many people back, but it doesn’t have to. A few years ago, when I heard about the “Raven Narratives” storytelling event, I immediately wanted to be part of it. I worked with the organizer and all around amazing human, Sarah Syverson, to craft my story, which surrounded some very serious mental health issues I had when I was 20 years old.

At that point, I’d been doing public speaking gigs quite a bit, but the day before the event, I freaked out. I didn’t want to get up on stage and talk about the worst year of my life. But I did, and it was very freeing. I’ve since heard some positive feedback from other people who were helped by it. And in the world of podcasting, the story lives on for anyone who wants to listen and hopefully get something out of it.

4. Get a job: Getting the right job at the right time is what really helped me advance my writing career. Just before the recession, around 2007, I took a job in the public relations department at my alma mater. The end of my job could have been predicted in the beginning: I had to dress nicely; I had to work 9-5; I had to work with people I didn’t necessarily respect; and I had to do a lot of boring writing. But, that job was the best thing that ever happened to me because I learned what it’s like to work with discipline and deadlines. I was born to be an entrepreneur, but to do that, I had to get a look from the inside of a functioning organization. And in the end, I still apply those lessons to my own business.

I know I could write many more bullet points, and I will. For now, I hope a few of these will help a few of you out there!

Thumbin’It School administrators requesting that District 9-R consider a ban on cellphones in middle schools in light of the recent widespread sexting scandal and rampant bullying BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, vowing to make climate change central to its investment considerations, not just for environmental reasons but because it believes climate change is reshaping the world’s financial system Tri-State taking more steps to embrace clean energy by announcing plans to close all of its coal-fired power plants and mines in New Mexico and Colorado by 2030

4 n Jan. 16, 2020

– Luke Mehall

This Week’s Sign of the Downfall: Some local businesses still reeling from the 416 Fire despite gains in sales tax revenues in 2019, with 40 percent of the sectors tracked by BID seeing declining sales during peak summer months this year compared to 2018 2019 going down in the books as the hottest on record for the world’s oceans and the 2010s going down as the world’s hottest decade The closing of Denver’s Liberty Park, just steps from the Capitol, after a spike in homeless camping led to a rat infestation and fears of disease

telegraph

Butt and Breakfast

Just in case you want to take your vacation and shove it, The Hotel CasAnus in Belgium is now taking reservations for $120 per night. The cramped one-bedroom hotel was first designed by a Dutchman named Joep van Lieshout to be an anatomically correct model of a human rectum, but then it was converted into a bed and breakfast that booked up quickly thanks to explosive popularity. Surprisingly, views from the bedroom of the nearby pond are unobstructed.

Q

WordontheStreet With back-to-back days of snow in the forecast, the Telegraph asked: “What winter driving tips do you have?”

Kay

“Don’t follow too closely.”

Grace

“Just let someone else drive.”

Christy

“Never brake while you’re turning.”

Braxton

“Go slow. Four wheel drive doesn’t mean you can speed.”

Craig

“Test your brakes on an icy patch.”

telegraph

Jan. 16, 2020 n

5

SoapBox

ReTooned/by Shan Wells

Rando acts of kindness To the editor, Last weekend, I was lucky enough to compete in the inaugural Know the Snow Rando Race at Purgatory, and I had a great time! And, I wasn’t the only one. There was a formidable turnout of racers, from skimo greenhorns to a dense pack of practiced-but-not-pro alpinists (like me), both local folk and foreign, and there were a handful of pros – superhuman and humble. It was a brisk, beautiful, alpenglow-bathed morning. The race started with fireworks and ended in smiles, laughter and beer.

I’ve been skiing for 30-odd years (so, I’m 40, but just barely, and even then ... only when I have to be) and I can tell you last weekend’s race had a lot in common with a few that were formative to my youth in Crested Butte: the Al Johnson Uphill/Downhill, the Prater Cup, and the Alley Loop. Yes, you bet there were costumes!

But, also, for a handful of hours the morning we raced, this first running of the Know the Snow Rando Race had a firm grip on the ethereal-alpine. You know, that thing you try to tell people about, but it’s hard for them to really get it ... Yeah, that! Morning moonlight illuminating a field of glacier lilies from the snow up. A small group of happy people unabashedly skiing uphill and then down. You’ve seen it, you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about. Come race with us next time!

The Know the Snow Rando Race was a fundraiser for the Joe Philpott and Peter Carver Avalanche Scholarship Fund. The fund is increasing the accessibility of avalanche awareness and education. A lot of us racing this weekend didn’t get to know Joe and Peter as well as the folk who put on this race. But, we got to learn a little more about those two by watching all the effort and care that was put into holding the race. There was a lot of work and attention put into Sunday, and it felt really well

done; seamless to the competitor.

(Jeremy also didn’t know he had a few stripes of blue snow-dye on his face for about an hour, which was super

funny. So, again, fun learning a little more about those two, Joe & Peter :-) To Jim, Nate, Travis, Jeremy, Erin, Jamie, MJ, Friends4

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of the San Juans, Pine Needle Mountaineering, Purgatory Resort and everyone else involved in putting on the inaugural Know the Snow Rando Race, thank you for a great ski race!

– Yours with genuine gratitude & admiration, Clint Jacobsen, Durango

Landlording: not for sissies To the editor, Recently, there was a front-page article in the Herald about the 1,220 vacation rentals active in Durango and outskirts. I believe most of them remain empty except during big holidays when the motels/hotels are booked.

Most of the purchasers of an expensive one- to four-bedroom place close to the train station, for the purpose of a short-term rental, have it empty for the tax loop holes.

What a great write-off for the folks at the top with several unused rentals.

I wanted to turn my house next door to me into a vacation rental after 20 years of renting it to college students, a dentist, doctor and others that all trashed it at the end of the lease. Vacationers spending more time outside of the house means less mess, and I wanted to heavily market this house and keep it full year around. Timing is everything and I was denied the ability to use it as a vacation rental because the powers-that-be and a woman with clout that lives on top of a hill felt more places were needed for year-around rentals.

I am just about to rent my house, which almost sold recently at a screaming bargain, for six months. Hopefully by this summer it will sell, be loved and I won’t be traumatized by this one rental anymore.

For all of the envious locals who think I live the great life, along with other landlords, it’s tougher than yah think to deal with tenants where you have to be available 24/7 and maybe, just maybe, get one 3-day vacation-ayear.

– Sally Florence, Durango

Riding the Trump gravy train To the editor, With all that’s going on in Washington – impeachment, Iraq, Iran and many other things – what does a press secretary do?

Stephanie Grisham was appointed in July 2019 with a salary of $179,000 a year. I bet you, an editor would like that kind of a wage for not having a press conference for over 305 days. Sara Sanders, whom she replaced, was at the start of the 305 days and same pay.

Sen. Gardner and Rep. Tipton get a base pay of $174,000. At least they do some work and release statements. You, the tax payer, are paying Grisham’s salary for doing nothing. If you think this is OK, call someone who can get you a job like that. No press conference for the public on what’s going on and great pay. For anyone who loves Trump, he has had three press secretaries in three years. You could be next very soon. Great pay, no work but short lived in the job.

– Bob Battani, Durango

Not all in CPW oppose wolves To the editor, As a former Colorado Division of Wildlife (before the merger with Parks) employee and part of the staff involved in the development of Colorado’s existing plan for managing wolves (cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Wildlife Species/SpeciesOfConcern/Wolf/recomendations.pdf) I wanted to help clarify a statement in a Jan. 9, Durango Telegraph on the wolf restoration effort (“Call of the Wild / Wolves going to the ballot box.”)

The last paragraph states in part, “state wildlife managers have also come out opposed to releasing wolves. In 2016, Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners voted against any sort of formal wolf reintroduction.” It’s important to understand that the Wildlife Commission is a

governor-appointed political body that develops and directs policy for the agency. That’s perfectly appropriate, but the Commission members are not biologists or professional wildlife managers. While I don’t know what the views of all professional biologists in the agency are, some (and perhaps many) support the restoration of wolves to Colorado.

Some of the folks opposed to wolf restoration disparage the initiative as “ballot box biology.” It’s not … it’s ballot box policy making, which is as it should be. Biology informs wildlife management decisions, but very few of those decisions can or should be made on the basis of biology alone; politics are a necessary part of the process.

Just as the Commission has stated its policy, the voters of Colorado have the right to state theirs. That’s why the initiative process exists.

– Gary T. Skiba, Aztec

Fragments The finest of light Is in each of us If we allow it to shine.

Each precious moment, A note of a greater song.

The harmony of love Lessens the burdens, Showers the anguish And gives us the strength To meet the challenges To make us whole Under the continuous Pulse of time.

– Burt Baldwin, Ignacio

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telegraph

Jan. 16, 2020 n 7

TopStory

For more than a decade, Local First has supported independent businesses in La Plata County through programs like Noel Night, the Local Coupon Book and Harvest Dinner. Now, the nonprofit is venturing into community-wide needs with its new sister organization, the Local First Foundation./Photo by Tracy Chamberlin

Branching out Local First launches sister organization to fill community needs

by Tracy Chamberlin

K

Growing local

eeping it local isn’t just about shopping at small businesses in La Plata County. It’s more than buying gifts on Noel Night or getting the latest Local Coupon Book.

The mission is also about finding ways to produce renewable energy in the Southwest, and learning how to bargain for better health care as a community.

As Local First looks back on more than a decade of working to support independent businesses in La Plata, the member-driven nonprofit is taking the next step

n For the next couple weeks, businesses and individuals interested in a healthcare cooperative for Southwest residents can let Local First and their partners know by sending a letter to foundation@localfirst.org. To access the form letter or find out more about the foundation’s efforts, go to foundation.local-first.org. n To get involved with the Durango Creative District or check out the upcoming panel discussions, visit durangocreativedistrict.org. n Finally, get links to the new endeavors or check out Local First’s current programs by going to www.local-first.org.

with the creation of a sister nonprofit – the communitydriven Local First Foundation.

“It’s two sides of one coin,” said Monique DiGiorgio, who’s transitioning from her role at the helm of Local First to be the new executive director of the foundation.

According to DiGiorgio, the Local First Board of Directors had been toying with the idea of creating a nonprofit foundation for years.

It’s intended to be separate from the membership arm of Local First, but shares the same goals – working to build an economy that values people, the planet and prosperity for everyone. 4

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The road the two entities take to achieve “To the extent that we’re able to build these goals is where they differ. this local self-reliance in La Plata County, it While the member-driven Local First makes us more economically vibrant. It nonprofit side will continue to advocate for makes us more resilient,” she added. independent businesses in La Plata County, The third thing on the foundation’s plate the foundation side will work on issues that right now is Durango’s Creative District. affect the Southwest community more After receiving the official designation broadly. from the state at the end of last year, the Local First will support its members in district is ready to start developing its own much the same way it has in the past – programs, starting with Creative Discusthrough the Local Coupon book, which comes sion Panels already in the works. Likely out every year; the Harvest Dinner, a fundraispanel topics include “Compensation & ing opportunity to highlight the benefits of a Contracts,” “Curiosity About Collaboralocal food system; and Noel Night, the nontion” and “A Grain of Salt: Taking Feedback profit’s signature holiday celebration in downin Stride.” town Durango.

As the Creative District continues to The foundation’s focus, however, will be on grow, it could eventually become yet anissues that affect the entire region, like health other arm of Local First. care and renewable energy production.

“There’s this story of incubation and nur“We hear directly from our businesses and turing that’s happening,” DiGiorgio said. residents that health care is one of the biggest “The foundation can play a key role in the issues they’re facing,” said Kiki Hooton, who community to help get these things off the served as the program and membership diground, and eventually those programs can rector for Local First and now takes over as The Local First team includes Kiki Hooton, left, who takes over as managing become their own thing.” director for Local First, and Monique DiGiorgio, right, who now serves as executive managing director.

DiGiorgio said the foundation will reBut as a 501c6 nonprofit, Local First was director for the newly formed Local First Foundation. Haley Kirkman, center, heads main under the Local First umbrella for the unable to access specific grants and other up the Durango Creative District./Courtesy photo foreseeable future, leaning on many of the tools that could help residents in the Southnonprofit’s resources in the coming year. west tackle the problem. With the foundation now in play, ness or individual – who might be interested in a health However, she pointed out, the two will not share fundcare coop to pen a letter of interest (a template of which is ing sources. they’re able to move forward.

The first step, which was funded by a grant from the available on the foundation’s website). This will help the The bookkeeping will be completely separate, which is Rocky Mountain Health Foundation, was to assess the com- alliance gauge the feasibility of the plan. necessary for the foundation to make the most of its stand“It puts us in the driver’s seat of negotiating directly with ing as a 501c3 nonprofit. This designation opens the door munity’s needs, goals and obstacles to affordable health care.

One possibility floated during the initial meetings was our health care community,” DiGiorgio said. “It’s as local to grants – like the Rocky Mountain Health Foundation to create a local health care cooperative that could negoti- as it gets.” grant – and other funding sources Local First has not been Another key program for the foundation is “Power able to tap as a membership-based 501c6. ate on behalf of Southwest residents. It’s been done before in Summit County through Peak Health Alliance, the same Local.” It’s about finding ways to produce more renewable “When we’re speaking of Local First, we’re really speakenergy locally, which not only has environmental and eco- ing of both organizations,” Hooton said. “It’s really just angroup now working with the foundation.

At this point, the foundation has asked anyone – busi- nomic benefits, DiGiorgio said, but is also more reliable. other tool in our toolbox for the Local First mission.” n

telegraph

Jan. 16, 2020 n

9

LocalNews

Floating a plan

Event to discuss ways to build drought resiliency, implement state water plan

by Missy Votel

Alliance, which has 40 members in Southwest Colorado. In addition to free food and drinks, the evening will include an olorado’s population is expected to double, from about expert panel: Celene Hawkins, of the Nature Conservancy 6 million to over 10 million people in the next 30 and Colorado Water Conservation Board; Marcie Bidwell, years. In that time, growth, combined with drought from the Mountain Studies Institute; and a representative and climate change, could result in a water shortage equiva- from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. lent to 1.5 million households by 2060.

“The point is not to shame people for their water use,” That’s the bad news.

Goodman said. “Instead, we will The good news is, the state is getpresent more efficient irrigation JusttheFacts ting out in front of the problem. After strategies and programs.”

What: “Securing Our Water Future: two years of work, and input from Goodman said the biggest hurdle What’s Next for the Colorado Water Plan?”

30,000 resident stakeholders, the state to implementing the state’s water Who: Hosted by Conservation Colorado released the Colorado Water Plan in plan right now is money. It’s estiWhen: 6 - 8 p.m., Thurs., Jan. 23 2015. Authored by the Colorado mated that putting the plan into acWhere: 4Corners Riversports Water Conservation Board, the plan tion will require $100 million a year What else: Food and drink provided serves as a blueprint for water-conser– which might seem like a lot but is a vation strategies before it’s too late. mere drop in the bucket compared to the state’s other budget “The plan is a road map on how we can work to save water items, he said. State legislators are currently looking at adding and reduce consumption before a crisis occurs,” Nathan $10 million to next year’s budget toward the plan, and the Goodman, the Southwest Field Organizer for Conservation recently passed Proposition DD, which legalized sports betColorado, said. ting, will add about another $10 million a year (that number Conservation Colorado, which has offices across the state will be significantly less in its first year of implementation). to help organize citizen activism and engagement, will be Goodman said he hopes next week’s meeting, in addition hosting “Securing Our Water Future,” from 6 – 8 p.m., Thurs., to providing a dialogue, will spur local citizens to get active Jan. 23, at 4Corners Riversports. The goal of the event is to and encourage their representatives to fund the water plan. discuss what local residents and businesses can do to help “This is a good starting point, our legislators need to know curb water usage, build drought resilience and support the this matters to us and to make it a reality,” he said. “As great goals of the water plan. The meeting will be held in partner- as the water plan is, if we don’t have money behind it, we ship with local members of the Colorado Outdoor Business won’t see results.” n

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The Animas River flows through Durango while the 416 Fire billows in the distance. The 2015 Colorado Water Plan lays out a framework for conserving the state’s precious resource in the face of increasing drought, climate change and population growth./ Photo by Missy Votel

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Animas High School

Unmasking Identity

By Mya Oyler

Since Animas opened its doors in 2009, freshmen have started the year with deep self reflection on who they are through the iconic Identity Mask Project. In this project, they write essays about how the forces of socialization have shaped their identities and create a mask to symbolically represent these concepts.

Freshman Sage Robbins proudly displays his mask at the exhibition.

Photo by Mya Oyler

Upcoming Exhibitions

animasquill.org To prepare for this project, the 9th graders studied Bobbie Harro’s “Cycle of Socialization,” among other core texts related to the sociological concepts surrounding identity formation.

The students looked at “agents of socialization” such as parents, peers, schools, religious groups, and media. All of these agents shape our individual beliefs and personality traits. Freshman Julia Glotfelty reflected, “[The purpose of the project] was to learn how we’ve been socialized, which has resulted in me thinking about my surroundings and how they’ve made me who I am.”

Another important aspect of the project was the examination of how different groups in society experience life differently based on the identity categories they are born into, such as gender, race, and sexual orientation. Freshman Harper Jones shared, “This project opened my eyes to the different perspectives and struggles that people different from me go through. I didn’t just learn about myself, but about what others are experiencing in our society.”

The freshmen exhibited their masks and essays at Durango Coffee Company on December 12. Reflecting on his final project, Sage Robbins remarked, “My ultimate goal was to feel comfortable to express my life into an essay and mask that I could show to people.”

For many students, the Mask Project can completely shift their perspective on the world. Rio Edmondson commented, “There was a lot more to this project than just a mask and and essay because you have to hold a mirror up to yourself and think about who you are on a much deeper level.”

The Chemistry of Single-Use Materials

By Kian Edmondson With all the environmental crises facing us today, there is a need to focus on the things we can control in our everyday lives. Eleventh grade Chemistry students are wrapping up their study of the life cycle of disposable materials in the U.S. They will exhibit their “Chemistry of Single Use Materials” project on Thursday, January 23 from 5-7 pm in the Animas High School Commons.

The juniors have dug into how our materials are produced, used, and disposed of within our local community. The exhibition will be formatted in a grid with life stages on one axis and materials on the other, allowing audience members to engage with an in-depth exploration of the life cycle of single-use materials.

Students studied how chemical bonding results in the properties of materials. They are collaborating with their peers to create original projects that explore the life cycle of these materials. Some students have chosen to use the project to address a problem or a need and come up with possible solutions.

Junior Mason Zufelt expressed his interest in the potential for his project. His goal is to create custom reusable water bottles with plastic that would otherwise end up in a landfill. He is optimistic about the possibilities, stating “I think that the business opportunities in this field are huge.” He plans to work with project partner, Anthony Ensor, to turn their work into a business later.

Chemistry teacher Steve Smith shared, “The goal of this project is to have students apply principles of chemistry and recognize how it is relevant to their own lives in an area where they can actually make

Juniors Sean Madden, Leit Schafer, Lucy Hall, Colby Doughty, Sam Atchison, and Nik Blood with parent Cindy Atchison tour Phoenix Recycling.

Photo courtesy of Jessica McCallum

January, 2020

Freshman Alexis Hanson shares her project insights with founding AHS Board member Tom Morrissey.

Photo courtesy of Libby Cowles

Students study parliamentary procedure, write policy papers, and prepare speeches from their country’s viewpoint to deliver at the conference.

The sophomores completed their first conference in December. It focused on the Venezuelan refugee crisis along with the controversial presidency of Nicolas Maduro.

The second conference in February will address nuclear proliferation and disarmament.

Sophomore Olivia Gilden remarked that she has “learned many things on how the United Nations go about solving a global crisis. It was also a great opportunity to work on my public speaking skills.”

Lori commented on her goals for the project, “I am hoping that students learn just how complex international issues are, that they develop a deeper understanding of the perspective of other nations, and that they begin to see the possibilities for solving the knotty global dilemmas we are tackling.”

changes. I want students to examine their use of single-use materials and the impact of their decisions to re-use them, recycle them, or throw them away.”

The juniors invite you to join them next Thursday to discuss their realizations and examine your own disposal habits.

Model United Nations Conference

By Jacob Pinkerton Lori Fisher’s sophomores will exhibit their second Model United Nations conference in the Animas High School Commons on February 10 and 11 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.

The MUN conference simulates the way the United Nations would approach a global crisis. Each student represents a member nation and must embody that country’s perspective in the conference.

Sophomores Molly Bachman, Flynn Kruchell, Adrian Griffith, Robert Cossey, and Shaw Kassay vote on resolutions on behalf of their countries.

Photo courtesy of Libby Cowles

New Year, Same Old Editiors Dear Homegurl Editorial Staff

By Gretta Stahl

Welcome to the NEW YEAR. This brings resolutions, promises, and excitement about the 2020 vision that awaits us.

Even though resolutions aren’t usually followed through with, ours aren t e actly to get a fit bod, so we re confident in our ability to grow and change this year. To embody the phrase, “new year, new us”, we resolve to: work on concise writing, start innovative and interesting projects, work the word “vehemently” into every editorial we write, become InDesign demi-gods, and inspire motivation in our new and improved staff.

Welcome to the NEW DECADE. It’s exciting to see what the new decade will bring. We hope it brings more peace and justice and creati ity and planted trees. e hope it brings less wildfires and plastic waste and political division. Let’s all resolve to be less mean and less distracted and less pessimistic in the years to come.

Let’s do what we can to ensure that these 20’s are roaring like a Gatsby house party. Vehemently roaring.

Dear Homegurl, I just threw a huge party where we all played Twister and Chutes and Ladders because my parents are out of town and they don’t allow retro party games in the house. They just told me that they’re coming home and I need to figure out how to hide the bo es of Twister and 2 bo es of Chutes and adders.

Sincerely, Twisted Thinking

World News Haikus

Dear Homegurl, I am new to this town. Why is everyone wearing sandals in January? Everywhere I turn, there’s a mountain biker coming straight at me. And what’s up with the fact that we were named “Worst dressed town in America?”

Sincerely, Socks and Sandals

By Quill Staff

ussie s up in flames People saving animals Stoking climate dread Sussex stepping back Media losing their minds Live and let live, Queen

Iran testing Trump Citi ens fight and protest WWIII coming?

Winter storm hits South Eleven souls lost their lives Brace yourself for snow

Roses and Thorns Roses

Dear Socks and Sandals, Every season is Chaco season. If it gets below 25°, you may start to see socks with Chacos. There are also lots of mountain bikers here. Like tons. Don’t ask why because I truly have no clue. We were named worst dressed town in 2011...but I wouldn’t take the media’s word for it.

Peace and Blessins, Homegurl

Thorns

Greta Cahill’s free shuttle service in the iconic minivan, bonding students and preventing frostbite

The 11th grade philosophy project sending the whole junior class into an existential tailspin

Taking a moment this three day weekend to appreciate Martin Luther King Jr. for lighting a path toward a more just world

Flu season hitting us like a car going 60 in a 45 mph

Our wonderful exchange students, new and old, adapting to the quirky life of Animas High

The inconsistencies in room temperature resulting in an outfit change e ery period

The Animas Quill Staff 2

Dear Twisted Thinking, That sounds like a party and a half. Retro party games are my favorite. If your parents are coming home, hide them all in the attic, basement or closet until I can break into your house and steal them.

Peace and Blessins, Homegurl

Triumvirate of Editors

Ava-Kadence Jennings Billie Brand Mya Oyler

Social Media Manager

Olivia Gilden

Photo Editor

Jacob Pinkerton

Webmaster

Sierra Holiday

Systems Thinker

Wyllow Hildner

Advisor

Jessica McCallum The Animas Quill

January, 2020

Reporters

Wyllow Hildner Bryan Gnehm Serra Kimsey Rosie Gurnee Flynn Kruchell Kian Edmondson Landon Moranty Diego Pagan Robby Patla Gretta Stahl Billie Brand Ava-Kadence Jennings Xavier Tyler Jackson Vaughn Olivia Gilden Mya Oyler Jai Fallows

Horoscopes By Steve

By Steve Smith’s Aspiring Astrology Scholars Aries Calm down, you re fine.

Taurus If you were a noodle, you’d be tortellini.

Gemini Wow, just wow.

Cancer Stop chopping onions; it won’t hide your actual tears.

Leo You’re the only zodiac sign who wouldn’t have survived the Titanic.

Virgo Did you lose something recently?

Libra You will lose the fake argument you have with yourself in the shower.

Scorpio Sometimes in life, you just have to party.

Sagittarius If you feel sad, just blame it on the planets.

Capricorn You will eat birthday cake in these times.

Aquarius You blame everything you do on your zodiac sign, but for good reason.

Pisces Your time will come.

Website

animasquill.org

Social Media

Instagram @animasquillmedia Snapchat @ animas_quill Twitter @animasquill

Email

quill@animashighschool.com The Animas Quill strives to be an exceptional and relevant source of news and student perspectives, connecting the Ospreys of Animas High School to the Four Corners community and the world beyond.

F

Future of Work Exhibition

“The Incentive in Equality” by Billie Brand

Highlights from Nisty Tharp’s 1st Semester Art Electives

By Billie Brand

During the fall semester, juniors in Sara Price’s Humanities class worked to identify themes in past labor issues and connect them to future labor issues. The students researched specific topics about the labor market and used their learning to produce professional podcasts including inter iews with local e perts. “It really helped learning from people that had e perience in these fields. It ga e me a deeper understanding of the real problems that we’re dealing with in the community,” said junior Willie Jones, who created a podcast on artificial intelligence.

Throughout this project, students examined the Industrial Revolution, gig economies, and how new technologies impact the workforce. They looked to local, global, and personal sources to find answers to some of these current problems. Junior Ava-Kadence ennings said “It was interesting seeing labor issues in the past and seeing how they compared to the present issues in our economy.

When we are entering the workforce so soon, it’s important to know about these issues and reflect on them if not try to sol e them.”

They presented their work at Fort Lewis College on December 9, which included a speech on the future of labor, short clips played from two of the highlighted podcasts, and a Socratic Seminar, a roundtable discussion with community members on the future of work. .

Humanities teacher Sara rice reflected, “I really appreciated the level of diversity this year in the [podcasts]. I feel like everyone uniquely made them important for themselves. They diverged a lot from the content I taught, which is good. Listening to them all, they’re really relevant to today’s changing economy.”

The podcast themes range from the future of education to the pay gap in professional women’s soccer. You can listen to the podcasts by going to animashighpodcasts.weebly.com or by using the QR codes to the right.

Beautiful Work

“No End in Sight” by Garrett Middleton & Milo Ethridge “Derek the Deer” by junior Taylor Schermer (india ink, acrylic paint, metallic paint)

“The Future of a Woman’s Place in the Workforce” by Ava-Kadence Jennings “Adventure is Out There” by senior Sage Davis (colored pencil)

“Coy” by sophomore Adrian Griffith (watercolor pencil) “Octopus” by senior Sierra Holiday (acrylic paint, colored pencil, sharpie)

Britt is Back! Teacher Returns From Maternity Leave

By Sierra Holiday

Animas High School art teacher Britt Blasdell and her new baby, Asher Kailani Blasdell have been inseparable since April 25th, 2019, the day she was born. But Animas art students are thrilled that Britt has finally returned to school for the 2020 Photo courtesy of Britt Blasdell Spring semester. ritt reflects, “Honestly, lea ing baby sher was way harder than I imagined. She feels like air to me and the thought of

giving her to someone else all day, missing her immensely, made me feel like I couldn’t breathe. Luckily, I did miss the liveliness and fun love of all of the teenagers at Animas, and simply being around creative minds and conversation. Between all of my teen and co-worker buddies, my transition back was much easier than I expected. Filled with excitement and love, I came back to a supportive, silly, awesome staff and more-thanmature highschoolers that truly cared and asked about [my] baby.” ritt, also spoke about being a new parent, reflecting on the struggles of taking care of yourself and another human “ ne of the more challenging things is finding time for yourself, I mean even to eat or brush your teeth..) Being a working mom/dad is most definitely challenging.

All of you powerful mamas and papas do it out there, so I can too!” ne of the things ritt appreciates most is the

opportunity to be able to spend time with her baby, thanking e eryone for their patience “I really thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being so understanding, caring, and excited for Asher and me, as well as allowing me to take that time off with my baby! You can never get those days back and I beyond treasure them.”

While Britt was on leave, Nisty Tharp was our art teacher and we appreciate her so much for coming and fitting right in She gained so many new relationships with students and faculty and has definitely become a part of the nimas family. She will be coming in every Friday so Britt can be home with Asher.

We are all so excited to have Britt back in the art room and so proud of her for being so strong and lively in her transition back!

January, 2020

The Animas Quill

3

Outstanding Osprey: Junior Auctions Art for Charity

By Rosie Gurnee

One of our favorite Osprey artists, junior Julia Busnardo, has designed a snowboard called “Monsters of Love” for the La Plata County Humane Society “Powder Hounds Art Auction.” Founded by two Durango artists, Ray and Wendy Phillips, 100% of the auction’s proceeds go to the La Plata County Humane society.

Julia wields only a hefty bag of markers to cast spells of cute little alien men into being. She chooses markers because “they are more bold than any other material I have used. When I draw, I like to use pens or markers right away because you can’t erase, so you have to deal with what you have. That forces me to keep a steadier hand and to enjoy whatever it is I make.” This attitude of appreciating one’s own creation speaks to Julia’s worldview. Her gratitude for all kinds of beauty is inspiring.

Part of Julia’s artistic and therapeutic process is listening to music. The lyrics inspire many of the words in her art but many are nonsensical e pressions of emotion. ulia reflects nonchalantly about her art: “[It’s] the way that I relax. I’m not thinking about how it will look or turn out.” saying, “coloring is very calming and satisfying, so I basically use my art as coloring pages.”

Julia’s colorful “Monsters of Love” brought to life with Sharpies on a snowboard canvas. Bid on this snowboard and others until February 2nd.

The public was invited to view Julia’s and 19 other snowboards made by local artists on Friday, January 10th at the Animas Chocolate and Coffee Company. Her art will be on display at Purgatory Sports and will be up for auction online at www.powderhoundsart.com/9 until February 2nd.

Opinion

Mondays Suck: Does It Have to be This Way?

Junior Osprey Julia Busnardo exudes pride in her work at the Powder Hounds fundraiser event at Animas Chocolate Company on January 10.

Photo by Rosie Gurnee

By Ava-Kadence Jennings

Monday: the most relatable day because almost everyone has a deep-rooted hatred for it. Teachers, students, employees, bosses, parents, kids, the lady who handed you your coffee, the guy driving the bus you took to get to work: almost anyone you could think of hates Monday morning. Why? Mondays are depressing. The weekend has come to an end: parties have stopped, friends have gone home, vacations are over. It’s time to go back to our regularly scheduled long week of responsibilities.

When we start the week, educators and educated alike make excuses. Teachers don’t expect much from their students, and students hope, with every ounce of exhaustion in their body, that they won’t have to do anything that requires much effort.

It’s time to rethink Mondays.

According to a 2014 sleep study at Oxford University, research showed that the teenage brain is biologically set up to go to sleep around midnight and doesn’t feel awake until 9 or 10 am. A study 5 years prior had already proven that when starting school an hour

later, grades in core classes went up by 19%. Despite the improvement seen in student productivity, when the leader of this experiment left the school, the school went back to the early start time from before the experiment.

There have even been congressional resolutions that have recommended schools start at 9 am or later. Studies have shown that delaying school to 8:30 am leads to a higher point percentile in math and reading. Studies in the mid-2000s showed that starting school earlier prevents students from getting the amount of sleep they need, which lowers academic performance.

Many think that simply going to bed earlier will be a cure-all, but this isn’t realistic when you factor in teenage circadian rhythms, social lives, family, work, and sports schedules. On top of busy lives, teens have more hormonal shifts, often preventing them from producing the melatonin needed to have an earlier bedtime. In fact, teenage sleep cycles typically begin two hours after those of adults.

Furthermore, a series of studies with a school district in Wake County, North Carolina show later start times are associated with lowered tv time, fewer absences, and more time spent on homework.

You can’t help but wonder why we ignore this data. Why, when studies shed light on improvement in student productivity and overall health, do we throw it away to go back to something that we know doesn’t function as well?

So what if we changed things?

4

The Animas Quill

January, 2020

We can’t just take Monday out of our week, as this creates the same effect on Tuesdays. This is seen after three day weekends in schools specifically. ou might take ad antage of the weekend to rejuvenate or spend the entire time cleaning, or maybe you took the extra day to hang out with friends, or something to replace the time you would be sleeping. Usually, no matter what you do, coming back isn’t fun.

But if we had a 10 am start on Mondays, it could be one step in the right direction.

Starting late on Mondays could help by allowing people to have a slow but smooth return back to school. It would give students the time to have a relaxed morning, and allow their brains to fully wake up to prepare for school. Then, the day could be used for lessons, lectures or work time to finish things before the week starts. ot only would it be beneficial to ha e a late start on ondays, but if schools looked at the research, they would see that starting at 9 am for the rest of the week would create prolonged productivity in students.

This schedule shift would require a shift in the teenage schedule concerning after school activities, clubs, and sports. These programs would need to be shifted to later in the day so students could engage in them, or possibly occur before school. Studies show that working out in the morning boosts your energy for the day, leads you to make healthier choices, improves your mood, and increases your focus.

In a perfect world, we would come up with a plan and everyone would find a way to make this work. School would start later, stores would open and close at different times, after school activities would adjust to the new schedule, and everything would work out perfectly.

This can’t happen immediately, but if we shifted things around and gave time to settle in to the new schedule, we would be able to obser e the long term benefits.

thesecondsection

AroundColorado

Ghosts of Colorado past

Why Freemasons still lurk in this forgotten Gold Rush town

by Natasha Watts Colorado Public Radio News

I

f you take exit 243 off Interstate 70, you’re most likely headed for the glittery casinos of Central City and Black Hawk. But make a wrong turn on your way up the mountain, and you may end up in a ghost town.

In the 1800s, the mountain hamlet of Nevadaville bustled with gold miners. Today, only a few buildings stand, relics of the Old West version of our state that’s hard to find anymore. An old trading post, a saloon and a tiny town hall dot the dusty main drag.

You’ll also find some Freemasons.

Once a month, they converge upon Nevadaville to practice their rituals in a building built by brothers from another time.

Freemasonry – also called Masonry – is a practice rooted in medieval stonemason fraternities. Meetings may involve mundane business like budget discussions and event planning, but what captivates outsiders are the confidential ceremonies and ritualistic initiations of new brothers. This secrecy has spawned myriad conspiracy theories, enhanced by popular fiction like Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol.

There are just under 2 million Masons in America. The basic unit of Masonry is the Lodge, which is what the group that meets in Nevadaville is called: Nevada Lodge #4.

Colorado’s only ghost town lodge was built in the 1870s. It’s still around today thanks to the efforts of Masons through the decades to preserve this piece of history. The lodge meeting room still possesses the original wallpaper and wainscoting, according to Patrick Dey, Worshipful Master of Nevada Lodge #4. (The lofty sounding title basically means he’s the current elected leader of the group.)

Dey says the lodge room in Nevadaville has impressed many an outsider, including members of other lodges who come to the ghost town for initiation. Typically, pledges are led in blindfolded, and “when it comes off ...

I always hear them go, ‘wow.’ Just to be in that room during that is such an experience.”

For Nevadaville miners in the late 1800s, Masonic membership was something to aspire to. Back then, Dey says dues were $4 a year. The average miner made $1 a week, so that constituted a month’s wages.

Being a lodge member gave a man wealth and status, as well as an assurance that his brethren would help pay for medical needs or after-death expenses. Think of it as Old West health

Top photo: Patrick Dey, the Worshipful Master of Nevada Lodge #4 in Nevadaville, sits inside the lodge, which was built in the 1870s during the mostlyabandoned town’s heyday./ Hart Van Denburg, CPR News Left: Roy Weingarten, a past Master of Nevada Lodge #4, enters what’s known as Colorado’s only ghost town Freemason Lodge. It’s still around today thanks to efforts of Masons through the decades to preserve its history, including the original wallpaper and wainscoting./ Hart Van Denburg, CPR News and life insurance.

Brothers still help each other monetarily as needed, but Dey says the main draw now is old-fashioned, face-to-face connection – something hard to find in the digital age.

“Up here in Nevadaville, we don’t get good cell phone reception, so you don’t have to worry about guys sitting there playing on their phones in lodge,” Dey says. “So hang out, enjoy yourself. You’re in a ghost town!”

An architectural designer by day, Dey is obviously passionate about the

telegraph

preservation of the building. He and his brothers come up frequently to do restoration work. Sometimes, when they stay late, they’ll sleep overnight in the old building. To him, it feels like communing with the past.

The Masons of Nevadaville love to show off their lodge. They hold an annual pancake breakfast that’s open to the public, and they welcome visits from other lodge members. But they’re protective of it, too.

Dey says there have been break-ins and looting in the past, but people

should be aware that Nevadaville is not truly abandoned. Two people live in the town year-round, and there are many like him who visit frequently, he notes. On nights like Halloween, when trespassing is more likely, the Masons even have lookouts to make sure their property remains safe.

“We ... want to protect it,” Dey says.

“It’s important to us, and we think it’s important to history.”

To read more from Colorado Public Radio News, go to www.cpr.org. n Jan. 16, 2020 n 15

FlashinthePan

Scraping the bottom of the bag

by Ari LeVaux

M

igas are a delicacy as old as tortillas. The word is Spanish for “crumbs” – specifically the crumbs of tortillas of a certain age. North of the border, the tortilla fragments are usually served with salsa, beans and sour cream.

The basic concept of cooking old chip shards has been independently invented countless times by folks who are weary of dipping increasingly smaller chips into their bowl of salsa and wish for some way to use those tasty, unwieldy crumbs at the bottom of the bag. That weary tortilla eater was me when I invented migas.

I found myself staring down the dregs of a bag of La Cocina de Josefina tortilla chips, determined to not allow that resource to go to waste. Taking the obvious route, I fried the little crumbs with bacon. The eggs followed the bacon, and the salsa followed everything. After that, and ever since, the bottom of a bag has been a time to rejoice.

These days, I sometimes don’t wait for the crumbs. Instead, I make a migas variation with whole, unbroken chips. “breakfast nachos,” as I call them, are for when migas just aren’t big enough.

Breakfast nachos are pan-fried rather than baked like nachos. I soak the chips in beaten eggs before frying, which gives the formerly crunchy chips a moist, pliable texture that’s somewhere between a tamale and a cheesy enchilada.

While happy hour-style nachos are a legendary beer sponge, breakfast nachos are at least as good at absorbing coffee, thanks to those eggs. And when you’ve got eggs and coffee, you’ve got breakfast. Hence the name.

This eggy tortilla matrix can absorb whatever other vegetables and proteins you can think to add, with each

addition cooked as needed so as to be ready when the eggs are done. Bright green broccoli florets may not be a typical topping for nachos but the egg helps it fit in. Fry ground meat ahead of time. Add leftover pulled pork at

the last minute.

To make breakfast nachos, you need a pan with a tight fitting lid, preferably a heavy pan that can hold heat. Unless it’s a really big pan you should prepare this dish one serving at a time, as you would an omelet.

In today’s rendition, I’ve included carrots and spinach, as they are currently in season, but you could prepare it with whatever vegetables you care to eat with breakfast.

Jalapenos are good. Mushrooms, too.

Ultimately, migas are about improvisation, and that spirit lives on in my breakfast nachos. I’ve even swapped the corn chips for potato chips and would do it again if

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16 n Jan. 16, 2020

telegraph

necessary. But one thing I won’t be doing is waiting for the end of a bag to make my migas.

Breakfast Nachos Makes one large serving 2 eggs ¼ cup milk ½ cup (loosely packed) grated cheese 2 tablespoons oil (or bacon or side pork, chopped) 1 carrot, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds 2 cups whole corn chips (shake the cup so they settle) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 handful spinach or baby bok choy Serve with salsa and coffee Beat the eggs and milk in an oversized bowl.

Add the chips and gently toss so they are completely coated and sitting in a pool of egg wash.

Heat the pan on medium. Add the carrot and oil (or chopped bacon), everything scattered so each piece makes contact with the pan. Give it a stir after about 4 minutes. After another 2 minutes, add the garlic, stir everything around, add the spinach on top and cook another minute.

Add the soggy chips (but not the whole bowl of egg wash – yet) and quickly give them a gentle stir to mix with the carrots, garlic and spinach.

Spread the chips evenly around the pan, then add the remains of the egg wash, sprinkle the cheese on top, and cover.

Cook for a minute with the lid on, then take a peek.

If it looks like it’s setting up, with the egg on top looking close to cooked and the cheese melting, then turn it off and let it finish on the hot stove. If it’s not quite there, cook another 30 seconds with the lid on and check again. Repeat until it’s almost there, then turn off the heat and let the pan sit covered for about 10 minutes.

Stack it all into a steaming pile, and serve with copious amounts of salsa and coffee. n

TopShelf

Classical hip-hop, instrumental petting zoos & naked starmen

by Chris Aaland

classically trained but add elements of hip-hop, R&B, rock, bluegrass and chamber music to forge a sound that crosses centuries et’s travel back in time and place to Everett Junior High as well as cultural boundaries. Joined by ace turntablist DJ SPS School in Wheat Ridge, circa 1982. These were the days and percussion, they’ve played everything from packed SXSW when you made textbook covers out of paper grocery bags venues to Barack Obama’s inaugural ball. Yes, the dance floor will and decorated them with the logos of your favorite bands, usube open – and packed with grooving throngs. ally during a class that left you droolAlso back at the Concert Hall by ing down your face when you fell popular demand is Choir of Man, asleep in it. Everett’s students were which takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. generally lumped into three categories: Tuesday. These nine ordinary guys perfreaks, hicks and jocks. You could form everything from singalong clasargue the existence of a fourth unsics to classic rock. “Envision the named group, the nerds, but nobody greatest pub gig ever seen and multiply claimed membership in this pimpleit by 10,” noted one critic. Another faced crew of bookish wimps. raved, “A feast for the senses, Choir of The freaks always had the best textMan will have you dancing down the book cover art, claiming their alleaisles.” giance to Van Halen and AC/DC (let’s Ever think about introducing the face it – easy band logos to draw) as kids to Prokofiev? The San Juan Symwell as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest phony gives you several chances to do (much more difficult to etch). There so this week with the family-friendly were a few, mostly girls, who drew presentation of Peter & the Wolf.

REO Speedwagon logos. The true outPerformances are scheduled for 5 p.m. casts adorned their covers with Rush’s Saturday at the Henderson Fine Arts Starman logo. It was simple, yet Center in Farmington; 2 p.m. Sunday thought-provoking: a circle, a fiveat the Bayfield Performing Arts Center; point star, and a naked man facing the and 5 p.m. Sunday at the Community star with arms outstretched. Songs like Concert Hall. Get there an hour early “Tom Sawyer” and “Subdivisions” for a free instrument “petting zoo” ruled the airwaves. As 12- and 13-yearhosted by the SJS and Durango Joe’s. olds, the irony of Neil Peart’s lyrics The kids will get their chance to test all were lost on us. the symphonic instruments while you Peart died last Tuesday at the age of get wired on free coffee. The best part?

67 after a battle with brain cancer that It’s free for kids 14 and under. lasted more than three years. The band The Sheridan Opera House in Teldidn’t make the announcement until luride gets funky at 9 p.m. tonight Friday. The news wrecked me like few with the New Mastersounds. For others. Lyrically and rhythmically, more than 20 years, the group has Peart was a giant. He joined Rush been at the top of an elite selection of The late, great Neil Peart shortly after the release of their first acts that bring the true soul out of album when original drummer John funk. Through the years, they’ve colRutsey quit the group due to diabetes and his distaste for touring. laborated with the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae, Page McConnell The other two members held auditions, with the gangly and of Phish, Grace Potter, Karl Denson, Melvin Sparks, Maceo geeky Peart easily emerging as the logical choice. Two weeks Parker, George Porter Jr. of the Meters, and countless others. later, they were on tour.

DownTown Abby & the Echoes open.

In the annals of rock history, Peart challenges for the title of The Wild Edge Brewing Collective hosts a Prohibition 100 greatest drummer, alongside the likes of rock pioneers John party from 5-10 p.m. Saturday at their brewery located at 111 N. Bonham, Keith Moon and Ginger Baker and jazz cats like Gene Market St. in Cortez. The good news is that the benefit for United Krupa and Hal Blaine. As a lyricist, his words dwarfed fellow Way of Southwest Colorado is sold out. The bad news is that prog-rockers in Genesis and Yes and all of the heavy metal those of us who didn’t get tickets can’t attend. songwriters. Rush tunes about partying and chasing girls were The Met: Live in HD continues with Alban Berg’s nonexistent. Even odes to fast cars (think “Red Barchetta”) “Wozzeck” at 10:55 a.m. Saturday in the Vallecito Room of were elegant and thought-provoking. Rush’s lyrics appealed to FLC’s Student Union. Run time is approximately an hour and 42 gamers and sci-fi freaks and readers of renegade philosophers minutes. This masterpiece is set in an apocalyptic pre-World War like Ayn Rand.

I environment.

As a child of the MTV age, the first Rush album I owned was a Ever wanted to play well with others (musically speaking)? Sue cassette of 1984’s “Grace Under Pressure” – a perfect record for Coulter hosts a Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Class from the late Cold War and one in which New Wave influenced the Feb. 13 - March 19. Contact her at 247-1264 if you’re interested. band’s sound as much as bluesy metal did a decade earlier. I saw Elsewhere: Rockin’ Randy Crumbaugh returns to the Ska the Power Windows Tour a year later at McNichols Arena in Den- Brewing World Headquarters at 5 p.m. tonight (Thurs., Jan. 16); ver. At the time, it was the best concert I’d ever seen. It still ranks Kirk James plays solo blues to the Seven Rivers Restaurant at up there. the Sky Ute Casino at 6 p.m. Saturday; the Black Velvet trio reThank you, Neil, for giving pimple-faced kids like me a sense turns to the Derailed Pour House at 7 p.m. Saturday; and Farmof belonging back in the early ’80s. ington Hill brings the twang to Fenceline Ciders in Mancos Black Violin returns to the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 from 7-9 p.m. Saturday. The Nord encourages attendees to wear p.m. Saturday. A year-and-a-half ago, they took the venue by plaid, lest they be labeled outcasts. storm with their unlikely pairing of classical and R&B. The duo of Wil Be Baptiste (viola) and Kev Marcus Sylvester (violin) are His mind is not for rent? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net. n

L

telegraph

Putting the pieces together is my passion.

Let me help you with the real estate puzzle.

Gillian Arnwine

970-749-3704 gillian@wellsgroupdurango.com

Jan. 16, 2020 n 17

onthetown

Thursday16 Baby Meetup with Durango Café au Play, 9:30-11:30 a.m., 2307 Columbine. 749-9607.

“Going Out in Style,” journalist Ann Butler and political cartoonist and art historian Judith Reynolds explore the history of death, the philosophy of dying, and death in art, obituaries and obit cartoons, presented by Durango Friends of the Arts, 10 a.m., Durango Rec Center. 512517-5619.

Office Hours with La Plata County Commissioner Julie Westendorff, 10 a.m.-noon, Pine River Library in Bayfield. 382-6219.

Groove & Grow, featuring music, games and more for young children and their caregivers, 10:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Living Your Best Life with Disabilities: Self-Advocacy, co-hosted by Southwest Center for Independence, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Submit “On the Town” items by Monday at noon to: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Seven Rivers Farmers Market, featuring meats, cheese, eggs, canned and baked goods, crafts and more, 2:30-5:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. www.powsci.org.

Thursday Afternoon Social Club for veterans, their spouses and supporters, 4-6 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

sign-up 7 p.m.; show begins, 8 p.m. Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. Open Mic & Stand-Up Comedy, 8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave. Karaoke, 8 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave. Hip Hop with Landon Wordswell, Impress, UBO, Diabolical Sound Platoon and more, 9 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave. 739-4944.

Friday17 Durango Early Bird Toastmasters, 7-8:30 a.m., LPEA, 45 Stewart St. Free yoga, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Lively Boutique, 809 Main Ave. Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Spanish Speaking Parents & Littles Fridays, 4-6 p.m., Durango Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., Room 201. durangocafeauplay.org.

Robby Overfield performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Andrew Schuhmann performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Rockin’ Randy Crumbaugh performs, 5-8 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., DJ Hakan 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tim Sullivan performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Vanishing Breed performs, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez. 565-4015.

Sitting Meditation, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

Ecstatic Dance with DJ Hooplah, 7-10 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

hOurExchange, local “time bank” meets, potluck lunch, noon, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave. 884-9330.

Coffee and Conversations: A shared meal with local homeless and food-insecure residents, 12:302:30 p.m., Schneider Park. 236-2313 or www.community compassionoutreach.com.

Community Art Space First Exhibit Opening, featuring sculptor Jim Lutomski, 5-7 p.m., Barbara Conrad Gallery, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.duran goart.org.

Six Dollar String Band performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Mike Testa performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. Kirk James performs, 6-10 p.m., Seven Rivers Restaurant, Sky Ute Resort, Ignacio.

Cortez Idol Auditions, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

739-4944.

The Black Velvet Trio performs, 7 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave. Farmington Hill performs, 7-9 p.m., Fenceline Ciders in Mancos.

Black Violin performs, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

DJ Side Affex, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Sunday19

Public listening sessions, hosted by the City of Durango, 5:30-6:30 p.m., sessions also run April 16, July 16 and Oct. 16, City Hall, 949 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangogov.org.

Saturday18

Rob Webster performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

SW Race Series – Chama Chili Ski Classic, 9 a.m., events also run all day Jan. 19, Chama, N.M. www.duran gonordic.org.

Open Mic Night, 6-8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave.

Henry Stoy, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Restaurant & Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave.

“Journey to Antarctica & South Georgia Island” with Terry Bacon and Debra Parmenter, part of the LifeLong Learning Lecture Series, 7 p.m., Noble Hall at Fort Lewis College, Room 130. www.fortlewis.edu.

The Met: Live in HD, featuring Berg’s “Wozzeck,” 10:55 a.m., Student Union Vallecito Room, Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

Laugh Therapy stand-up comedy open mic, comic

rally to follow featuring speakers, warm drinks and more.

Karaoke, 7 p.m.-close, VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

Veterans Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds. 946-4831.

Durango Women’s March, 11 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot to Buckley Park,

Henry Stoy, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Restaurant & Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave. Traditional Irish Music Jam, 12:30-4 p.m., Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. Blue Moon Ramblers, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Joel Racheff performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main.

Open Mic Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Hermosa Coffee Roasters, 738 Main Ave.4

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telegraph

Monday20 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Yoga Storytime, 9:30-10:45 a.m., Smiley Building Studio 10, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Watch Your Step class, 10:15 a.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Joel Racheff performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Rob Webster performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

Contiki Party with the Aussies, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday21 Durango AARP Chapter #1243 meets, presentation on changes in Medicare for the New Year, 10 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Durangoaarp@yahoo.com.

Groove & Grow, featuring music, games and more for young children and their caregivers, 10:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Terry Rickard performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Tim Sullivan performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. Rotary Club meets, presentation from Big Brothers Big Sisters’ executive director Paul Plvan, 6 p.m., Henry Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave. 385-7899.

Super Ted’s Super Trivia, 6:12 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave. 403-3068.

Consent: a practice in finding the positive, featuring discussion and Q&A with Erin Brandt, owner of Birds and Bees, for ages 17 and older, 6:30-8 p.m., Durango Library.

DJ Crazy Charlie, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon.

The Choir of Man performs, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

Latin Dance Night, 8 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave. salsadancedurango@gmail.com.

Open Mic , 8 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main.

Breaking trail: Backcountry Film Fest explores winter by foot What: Backcountry Film Festival, a benefit for Durango Nature Studies When: 7:30 p.m., Fri., Jan. 17 Where: Durango Arts Center Tickets: $20 at the door For those who embrace winter with two puffy-covered arms (or like to live vicariously through those who do), the Backcountry Film Festival is for you. Coming to Durango on Jan. 17, the 15th annual Backcountry Film Festival is sponsored by Durango Nature Studies and proceeds will help fund DNS’ winter education programs for local kids.

The Backcountry Film Festival is put together by the Winter Wildlands Alliance, a grassroots organization that advocates for backcountry skiing and other human-powered recreation on America’s public lands and is dedicated to protecting access to quiet places in the mountains. As such, film fest attendees can be assured of two hours chock full of human-powered experiences and adventures during those dark, wonderful days between the autumn and spring equinoxes. Designed to inspire and remind us of the thrill of being outside in all seasons, the film fest entails 10 short films focusing mostly on winter sports and backcountry experiences.

But a mere teaser follows: • “Peak Obsession” - Tag along as skier Cody Townsend embarks on a goal to ski all the lines chronicled in The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America.

The documentary follows Townsend as he climbs two of the most challenging lines in the book while joined by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones. What ensues is a classic bro-venture rife with challenge, exhaustion, steeps and a little bit of schadenfreude (deriving pleasure from others’ misfortunes).

• “Can’t Ski Vegas” - Like “Hangover” but in the wilderness, follow a crew of skiers in a send-off for their soon-to-be-husbanized friend as they ski lines in northern Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. All without the distractions of cell service or e-mails!

• “A Climb for Equality” - Try to keep up as

Wednesday22 Play & Learn kindergarten readiness workshops, 10:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Crazy Eights Math Club, for K-2nd graders, 3:30 p.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Joint Advisory Meeting on E-Bikes, 5-7 p.m., Durango Rec Center. www.durangogov.org.

telegraph

“Peak Obsession”

mountaineer Caroline Gleich climbs Mount Everest in an effort to call attention to the lack of gender diversity in the mountain climbing world. With women only making up 11 percent of people standing on the world’s tallest summits, they encounter barriers to belonging, not to mention how hard it is to find gear in a woman’s size.

• “Drawn to High Places” - Artist Nikki Frumkin balances chaos, power and beauty in her paintings of the Pacific Northwest’s most dramatic mountain ranges, breathing new life and a sense of wonder into these cherished landscapes.

• “Endless Winter: Chapter One” - Norwegian pro skier Nikolai Schirmer launches a winter-long mission to ski with a lower carbon footprint. Joined by friends Krister Kopala and Eirik Verlo, come along as the three set off into the darkness of Norwegian winter.

• “Climate Change in the Kennels” - Witness firsthand how climate change is affecting the lives of mushers and dogs in Denali National Park, Alaska.

Book Talk, Signing and Q&A with Don Roberts, author of Wellness Toolbox, 5:30 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. 749-8663.

Donny Johnson performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Thank the Veterans potluck, 5:30 p.m., Peter Neds performs, 7-8:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. 828-7777.

More “On the Town,” p. 234

Jan. 16, 2020 n 19

AskRachel Interesting fact: Oil is a slang term for beer in Mississippi. I’m a much bigger consumer of essential oils than I ever realized.

Dear Rachel, I finally saw the new Star Wars, and I wish I hadn’t. Not because of the movie itself. But because I caved in to all the fanboy hullaballoo out there. All the people saying their childhood was ruined, and all the people saying… well, that’s pretty much all that people are saying. No one says they like this movie. But it’s still going to make a billion bucks. So I’m wondering, what can I do that people will hate and still make me rich?

- A.A. Jabrams Dear Mr. Lucas, I just wish people could debate films based on craft elements rather than the effect it has on their pop-culture childhoods. All the new Star Wars movies are hot trash compactors, but that’s strictly because their creators needed to go read a blasted textbook. You wanna get rich? Write the next definitive story in an underappreciated genre, fire up a merchandising machine, string it out for, oh, 30-some-odd years, then sell out to Disney.

Oh wait.

– I have a bad feeling about this, Rachel Dear Rachel, My sister is one of these essential oil evangelicals. Everyone she meets, within 15 minutes she’s signing them up. I hate MLMs, but I have to

OntheTown from p. 19

Terry Rickard performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main.

McDonald’s Twilight Nights Race Series, featuring Nordic skiing, snow shoeing or fat biking, 6 p.m., Purgatory base area. www.purgatoryresort.com.

Durango Diaries Season 5: Comedians, local comics share stories about how they got into the business and what it’s like to be funny, 6-7 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

Karaoke with Crazy Charlie, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Ongoing

4th annual Winter Art Show by Looking Glass Art Collective, benefit for Local First, exhibit runs thru Jan. 30, Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

admit, the oils smell nice. And I know it’s cool to bash people saying that oils keep them healthy.

But, has anyone proven that they *don’t* keep you healthy? I mean, humans survived for hundreds of thousands of years without medicine.

Maybe there’s something to this plant juice thing?

- Lubed Up Dear Oil Can Boyd, I have to know. Are you pronouncing it “oyal” or “uhl?” Because I’m just now realizing that while I’ve heard lots of people talk about petroleum products as “uhl,” I’ve yet to hear someone say “essential uhl.” I’m thinking that these wonder-tinctures would be a lot less popular if everyone pronounced it that way. And yeah, no kidding our ancestors survived without antibiotics and Robitussin. They also survived without those little glass bottles.

– Go eat a plant, Rachel Dear Rachel, What happens if you take a probiotic and an antibiotic at the same time? Do they cancel each other out? Do they fight each other instead of focusing on their tasks of building good bacteria and decimating bad ones? Do they collaborate to build a better microbiome? Or is it a Thunderdome situation, where two biotics enter and only one biotic leaves? I called to ask my pharmacist these questions, and she hung up on me before I finished.

– Pill Popper

Dear Bio Curious, When we experimented with drugs back in my day, which wasn’t so very long ago, mind you, this is not what we had in mind. Though I am curious now. I think you’ll have to experiment with a full course of antibiotics. Otherwise you’ll end up with a resistant strain of probiotics, and when they decide to rise up against their human masters, they’ll overrun us like a bad case of Disney spinoffs.

– Better your belly than mine, Rachel

Golden Dragon Acrobats perform, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 23, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.duran goconcerts.com.

Free Kids Yoga Class hosted by Chloe Dudley, for ages 3-7, 9-9:45 a.m., Feb. 5, Pediatric Associates of Durango, 1199 Main Ave., Suite 205. 259-7337.

Winter Pride 2020, includes skiing, aprés and socializing, drag show, and more, Jan. 24-26, Purgatory Ski Resort. www.durangopride.org.

International Guitar Night 20th Anniversary Tour, 7:30 p.m., Feb. 6, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

Rob Webster performs, 7 p.m., Jan. 24, Blondies.

An Evening with Erik Weihenmayer, author of No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon, part of the Community Foundation’s Making a Difference speaker series, 7 p.m., Jan. 24, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

Marvel Years performs, 9 p.m., Jan. 24, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Kirk James performs, 7-10 p.m., Jan. 25, 550 Brewing.

Winter Pride 2020 continues with ice skating, talent show and Pride dance, www.durangopride.org.

LPCHS Powder Hounds Snowboard Art Auction, through Feb. 3. lpchumanesociety.org.

Free Ski Sundays, Jan. 26, event also runs Feb. 23 and March 29, Kendall Mountain in Silverton. www.skikendall.com.

“Inside Out: Visions from the Artist’s Mind,” thru April 2020, Southern Ute Museum, 503 Ouray Dr. www.southernutemuseum.org.

Hap Purcell and Erik Nordstrom perform, 5-7 p.m., Jan. 26, Fenceline Ciders in Mancos.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., Thur-Sun, 8th Ave. Tavern, 509 E 8th Ave.

Upcoming

Securing Our Water Future: What’s Next With the Colorado Water Plan? presented Colorado Outdoor Business Alliance, Jan. 23, 6-8 p.m., 4Corners Riversports, 360 S. Camino del Rio. conservationco.org.

20 n Jan. 16, 2020

Kitchen Dwellers perform, 8 p.m., Jan. 28, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

A Rockin’ Snowdown 2020, Jan. 29-Feb. 2, around Durango. www.snowdown.org.

Animas High School Information Night, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Jan. 30, 271 Twin Buttes Ave. 247-2474.

telegraph

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

The Lil Smokies perform, 8:30 p.m., Feb. 6-7, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival, 1 and 3:30 p.m., Feb. 9, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. durangoccl.org.

Mystery Science 3000 Live: “The Great Cheesy Movie Circus,” 7:30 p.m., Feb. 13, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

Sticks-N-Thorns performs, 8 p.m., Feb. 14, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Play & Learn kindergarten readiness workshops, theme on Break the Code: Early Literacy, 10:30 a.m., Feb. 19, story time room, Durango Public Library. 375-3380.

Deadline for “On the Town” submissions is Monday at noon.

To submit an item email: calendar@durango telegraph.com

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): Comedian John Cleese has an insight I hope you’ll consider.

He says, “It’s easier to do trivial things that are urgent than it is to do important things that are not urgent. It’s also easier to do little things we know we can do than to start on big things that we’re not so sure about.” I hope you’ll make this advice a priority in the coming weeks. You’ll be wise to prioritize important tasks, even those that aren’t urgent, as you de-emphasize trivial matters that tempt you to think they’re crucial. Focus on big things that are challenging, rather than on little things that are a snap.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Honoré Balzac (1799– 1850) was born with sun and Mercury in Taurus and in the 10th house. Astrologers might hypothesize from these placements that he was ambitious, productive, tenacious, diligent, realistic, and willful. The evidence supporting this theory is strong.

Balzac wrote over 80 novels that displayed a profound and nuanced understanding of the human comedy. I predict that 2020 will be a year when you could make dramatic progress in cultivating a Balzac-like approach in your own sphere. But here’s a caveat: Balzac didn’t take good care of his body. He drank far too much coffee and had a careless approach to eating and sleeping. My hope is that as you hone your drive for success, you’ll be impeccable in tending to your health.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Before he was 21 years old, William Shakespeare and his wife had birthed three kids.

When he was 25, while the brood was still young, he started churning out literary masterpieces. By the time Will became a grandfather at age 43, he had written many of the works that ultimately made him one of history’s most illustrious authors. From this evidence, we might speculate that being a parent and husband heightened his creative flow. I bring this to your attention because I want to ask you: What role will commitment and duty and devotion play in your life during the coming months? (I suspect it’ll be a good one.)

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian-born painter Stanley Spencer (1891–1959) didn’t align himself with any artistic movement. Early on, his work was an odd blend of French Post-Impressionism and 14th-century Italian painting. I appreciate his stylistic independence, and suggest you draw inspiration from it in 2020. Another unique aspect of Spencer’s art was its mix of eroticism and religiosity. I think you’ll enjoy exploring that blend yourself in the coming months. Your spiritual and sexual longings could be quite synergistic. There’s one part of Spencer’s quirky

nature I don’t recommend you imitate, however. He often wore pajamas beneath his clothes, even to formal occasions. Doing that wouldn’t serve your interests. (But it will be healthy for you to be somewhat indifferent to people’s opinions.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 1440s. In subsequent decades, millions of mass-produced books became available for the first time, making their contents available to a far wider audience than ever before. The printing press caused other changes, too – some not as positive. For instance, people who worked as scribes found it harder to get work. In our era, big culture-wide shifts are impacting our personal lives. Climate change, the internet, smart phones, automation and human-like robots are just a few examples. What are you doing to adjust to the many innovations? And what will you do in the future? Now is an excellent time to meditate on these issues.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’re skilled at the art of selfediting. When bright new ideas well up in you, you understand they are not yet ready for prime time but will need to be honed and finessed. When your creativity overflows, tantalizing you with fresh perspectives and novel approaches, you know that you’ll have to harness the raw surge.

However, it’s also true that sometimes you go too far in your efforts to refine your imagination’s breakthroughs; you overthink and over-polish. But I have a good feeling about the coming weeks, Virgo. I suspect you’ll find the sweet spot, selfediting with just the right touch.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Thomas Love Peacock was a Libran author whose specialty was writing satirical novels that featured people sitting around tables arguing about opinions and ideas. He was not renowned for cheerful optimism. And yet he did appreciate sheer beauty. “There is nothing perfect in this world,” he said, “except Mozart.” So much did Peacock love Mozart’s music that during one several-month stretch he attended six performances of the genius’s opera “Don Giovanni.” In this spirit, Libra, and in accordance with astrological indicators, I encourage you to make a list of your own perfect things – and spend extra time communing with them in the coming weeks.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Jean-Michel Basquiat started his career as a graffiti artist. When he evolved into being a full-time painter, he incorporated words amidst his images. On many occasions, he’d draw lines through the words. Why? “I cross out words so you will see them more,” he said. “The fact that they are obscured makes you want to read them.” In the coming weeks, you

might benefit from discreetly using this strategy in your own life. In other words, draw attention to the things you want to emphasize by downplaying them or being mysterious about them or suggesting they are secret. Reverse psychology can be an asset for you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Because of the onslaught of the internet and social media, lots of people no longer read books. But in 2020, I highly recommend that you not be one of that crowd. In my astrological opinion, you need more of the slow, deep wisdom that comes from reading books.

You will also benefit from other acts of rebellion against the Short Attention Span Era. Crucial blessings will flow in your direction as you honor the gradual, incremental approach to everything.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I love to be surprised by something I have never thought of,” declares Capricorn actor Ralph Fiennes. According to my analysis of the astrological aspects, you’ll be wise to make that one of your top mottoes in 2020. Why? First, life is likely to bring to your attention a steady stream of things you’ve never imagined.

And second, your ability to make good use of surprises will be at an all-time high.

Here’s further advice to help ensure that the vast majority of your surprises will be welcome, even fun: Set aside as many of your dogmas and expectations as possible, so that you can be abundantly receptive to things you’ve never thought of.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I love fools’ experiments. I am always making them.” So said one of the most famous and influential scientists who ever lived, Aquarian-born naturalist Charles Darwin. In accordance with upcoming astrological factors, I invite you to draw inspiration from his approach. Allow yourself to explore playfully as you conduct fun research. Just assume that you have a mandate to drum up educational experiences, and that a good way to do that is to amuse yourself with improvisational adventures.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “How do you get your main pleasure in life?” That question was posed to Scorpio author Evelyn Waugh and Piscean social reformer William Beveridge.

Waugh said, “I get mine spreading alarm and despondency.” Beveridge said, “I get mine trying to leave the world a better place than I found it.” I hope you will favor Beveridge’s approach over Waugh’s in 2020, Pisces – for two reasons. First, the world already has plenty of alarm and despondency; it doesn’t need even a tiny bit more. Second, aspiring to be like Beveridge will be the best possible strategy for fostering your mental and physical health.

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Jan. 16, 2020 n 21

classifieds

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.

Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum. Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com. Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted via: n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 777 Main Ave., #214 Approximate office hours: Mon., 9ish - 5ish Tues., 9ish - 5ish Wed., 9ish - 3ish Thurs., On delivery Fri., 10:30ish - 2ish please call ahead: 259-0133.

Announcements

Harmony Organizing and Cleaning Services Home and office 970-403-6192.

Marketing Small and Local Businesses Media, social media, website content, SEO, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. Email jnderge@gmail .com Advanced Duct Cleaning Air duct cleaning specializing in dryer vents. Improves indoor air quality; reduces dust and allergens, energy bills and fire risk. 970-247-2462 www.advanced ductcleaninginc.com

Classes/Workshops

Himalayan Kitchen 992 Main Ave., 970-259-0956, www.himkitchen.com. Bringing you a taste of Nepal, Tibet & India. Try our allyou-can-eat lunch buffet. The dinner menu offers a variety of tempting choices, including yak, lamb, chicken, beef & seafood; extensive veggies; freshly baked bread. Full bar. Get your lunch punch card – 10th lunch free. Hours: Lunch, 11am-2:30 p.m. & dinner, Sun. Thurs., 5-9:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. ‘til 10 p.m.

Closed 2:30 - 5, daily.

The Perfect Gift for your favorite dirtbag. Literature from Durango’s own Benighted Publications. The Desert, The Climbing Zine, The Great American Dirtbags, American Climber, Climbing Out of Bed and Graduating From College Me are available at: Maria’s Bookshop, Pine Needle Mountaineering, the Sky Store, or on the interweb at www.climbingzine.com.

Wanted Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle, also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

Services Lowest Prices on Storage!

Inside/outside near Durango and Bayfield, RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.

22 n Jan. 16, 2020

Julia Green Voice and Piano Studio Julia is now taking a few students for professional vocal lessons. Must read music, practice, and have access to a keyboard. Website: www.juliagreenmusic.com Mommy and Me Dance Class Come join the fun! Now registering for classes. Call 970-749-6456. mom myandmedance.com.

BodyWork Healthy Massages!

30, 60 or 90 min Meg Bush, LMT 970759-0199 massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 201819. Couples, cupping, local CBD. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984 Massage with Kathryn 20+ years experience offering a fusion of esalen style, deep tissue massage with therapeutic stretching & Acutonics. New clients receive $5 off first session. To schedule appt. call 970-201-3373.

ForSale VW Eurovan One of a kind, a 2002 VW Eurovan Weekender. Seats seven and sleeps four.

Great all season Nokian tires with lots of

telegraph

tread, strong engine and fun to drive. V6 Engine, automatic transmission, 158k asking $15,000. Call 970 749-7202.

Reruns Home Furnishings Cozy furnishing! Lots of fun new arrivals: vintage snow scoop, lamps, rugs, art, night stands. Beautiful glassware and linens. Cool vintage dishes – Pyrex & Fiestaware. New great stuff and daily markdowns. 572 E. 6th Ave. 385-7336.

RealEstate Radon Services Free radon testing and consultation.

Call Colorado Radon Abatement and Detection for details. 970- 946-1618.

ForRent Affordable Housing Homes for sale, less than $20K. Homes for rent, less than $800/mo. Mobile home sites, $285/mo + W/S. Clean, safe, family friendly community in Aztec, NM. Only 45 min from Durango. 505-334-7100 sunsetvillagemhc.com. We can help you move your home!

Beautiful, Furnished Shared Office Space Downtown, avail Fridays $200/mnth.

Melaney 970-382-1188 Great 1 BR apt for Rent Along River!

1 BR/1 BA - furnished with new bamboo floors for a single occupant. On river park, north end of Dgo, close to Rec. Ctr, located on bike path. Rent $1400, includes all util + free super high speed WIFI. Includes w/d, patio & porch, private parking. 6 month + lease. Perfect for a single professional - no pets/students.

Available 2/1. Please contact Lisa at (970)903-4369.

CommunityService Recycle Christmas Trees at Santa Rita Park through Jan. 31.

Please note there is no curbside pick-up of trees. Residents may drop-off natural trees free of ornaments and tinsel at the drop-off site near the large playground.

The trees will be recycled into mulch, which will be available to residents in the

HaikuMovieReview ‘Long Shot’ O’Shea Jackson and Alexander Skarsgard were the best parts of this – Lainie Maxson spring. For more info, contact the City Parks and Rec Dept. at (970) 375-7321 or rec@DurangoGov.org.

The Free Bag, Bag Free Project Needs old T-shirts to turn into reusable shopping bags. If you have some, please contact durangobeyondplastic@gmail.com Snowdown Prize Patrol Seeking Donations The Snowdown Prize Patrol needs prizes for the 161 events that will be included in the Rockin’ Snowdown 2020.

To make a contribution to the Snowdown Prize Patrol, please contact Marlene Gebhardt: marlene@snowdown.org or 970749-8913.

La Plata Thrive! Living Wage Coalition is seeking steering committee members! Are you passionate about social justice? Do you have a knack for nonprofit organizing? Apply today at thrivela plata@gmail.com!

Earn Your Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Denver (DU) here in Durango – for the two-year program starting in fall 2020. Classes on Fridays and Saturdays. For more info, contact Carla Hase at 247-9773 or Carla. hase@du.edu.

Nonprofit Seeks Volunteers for High School Exchange ASSE International, a nonprofit student exchange program, is seeking volunteers to serve as Area Representatives.

ASSE offers qualified students from around the world, between the age of 1518, the opportunity to spend a high school year or semester in the United States with a host family. The opportunity to study abroad and live with a host family is also offered to American high school students ages 15-18. For more info, call 800-733-2773, visit us online at www.asse.com.

This one goes to 11

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(Issue 11 has landed.)

Wherever you find the Telegraph or at www.gulchmag.com.

To find out about advertising opportunities, email: steve@gulchmag.com

“Helping you burn brighter since 2002.”

c i t p ure a y ...

Bu

NewspaperOrigami

it lasts longer.

Some of the amazing photos you see in the Telegraph are now available to purchase online, in digital or print. (*for personal enjoyment and use only.)

To find out more, go to durangotelegraph.com and click on “buy photos.”

A penguin telegraph

Jan. 16, 2020 n 23

24 n Jan. 16, 2020

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