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How one woman’s worm bucket became her business. NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • february 01 - february 07, 2021 • Vol. 31 No. 05 Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 1
2 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
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Step Down, Clous & Hentschel I am outraged at the behavior of Grand Traverse County Commissioner Clous waving an AR-14 assault rifle during the recent Grand Traverse County Commission meeting. And equally appalled by Commissioner Rob Hentschel for his laughing support of this display. This was in response to Ms. Keli MacIntosh raising concern for the support the Commission has publicly shown for Proud Boys and their gun-toting culture. The Proud Boys are a hate group with ties to white supremacy and misogyny, as well as anti-immigration attitudes and islamophobia. Commissioner Clous’ show of implicit violence by waving the assault rifle in response to Ms. MacIntosh’s comments addressing the commission is appalling. Commissioner Henschel’s laughing support of this show of violence is reprehensible and insulting to Ms. MacInstosh. These behaviors should never be tolerated in our government officials or the operation of our government. Our County Commissioners must behave in respectful and civil behaviors to our public whom they represent; not in juvenile and immature behaviors. Clous and Hentschel should step down or be removed from the county commission for their show of violence, threatening behavior, and blatant disrespect toward the people of Grand Traverse County This is not the way Grand Traverse County people behave, and these are not representative of our values, morals, and ethics. Amelia H., Traverse City Misinterpreting Liberty COVID-19 has wreaked worldwide devastation on businesses and workers. It also has brought incredible grief to the 420,000 families in America who lost a loved one to this virus. Now is not the time to wave the white flag of surrender as Grand Traverse County commissioners have done in the name of liberty — one of the fundamental principles of America. Their interpretation of liberty is “freedom to do as I want,” without regard to the impact on the larger community. It is sad that those who deny or ignore the science behind COVID-19 are risking death, but the shame is passing off the virus to those who are making the effort to be safe.
The COVID-deniers and non-maskers are responsible for a large number of American COVID deaths. Are they going to take up critical hospital ICUs beds? Are they going to shamelessly sign up for the vaccine, taking up a slot for one who follows the science? If the federal government had instituted scientific measures (not the pseudo-science of Grand Traverse County commissioners) in March 2020, all schools and businesses would likely be open today. Follow the scientific antiCOVID measures, those that were hijacked by ignorance. Because scientists have worked tirelessly to create a COVID-19 vaccine, the world is much closer to getting back to “normal.” Now is not the time to hold on to self-centered ideologies to score political points. Jack L., Traverse City A Republic at Risk On Jan. 6, the red hat cult responded to an incitement to violence by former President Trump, who said he would march to the Capitol with them to fight for our country. He instead watched from the White House as his henchmen desecrated and vandalized our greatest democratic institution while hunting the vice president to hang and members of Congress to execute. They donned Nazi garb featuring phrases like “Camp Auschwitz” and “6MWE” (meaning “six million wasn’t enough”) while flying battle flags of a previous failed insurrection. They assaulted and beat Capitol police, causing the death of at least one who heroically stood to stop their treasonous action. The red hats’ single goal was to overturn a free and fair election and replace the elected president with an illegitimate government and re-install Trump. They failed, and the former president has now been impeached for this attempted coup. Congress later reconvened to complete certification of the electoral vote for Biden and Harris. Even then, over 100 Republican representatives attempted to derail the certification, including our 101st District Congressman Jack Bergman. This was part of the same grand plan that failed earlier that day and based on the big lie that Trump, Jack Bergman, Sen. Curt VanderWall, state Rep. Jack O’Malley, and other politicians have perpetuated by insisting — without evidence — that election fraud caused Trump’s loss. All must be held to account for the betrayal of their oath of office and treachery. Our republic is at risk and continues to be threatened. Armed militias around the country, including in Michigan, must not be allowed to supplant the will of voters. We must crush this fascist movement that seeks to destroy our government. Please get involved, speak up, contact your representatives, write letters, and demand accountability and resignations. Don’t let them escape the consequences of their un-American actions. Eric L., Manistee Remove Clous The behavior of Grand Traverse County Commission Vice Chair Ron Clous was unprofessional and inappropriate for a person serving in a position of responsibility. He needs to be removed immediately. Barbara I., Munising Free Speech 101 This is in response to Herb Friske’s Jan. 25 letter, “Pump up the Volume,” in which he opines that free speech is under attack in the United States. The First Amendment prohibits the
government from interfering with speech or publication. Twitter, Facebook, etc., are private enterprises that function in this context as publishers, as do companies like Amazon, in providing internet platforms or servers or, like Apple and Google, provide social-media apps. Freedom of speech and publication accrue to them; not their users. To say that Twitter is violating free speech by banning Donald Trump is like saying Northern Express has no right to refuse to publish Mr. Friske’s letters or mine. Mr. Trump and his followers still have the right to legal speech and publication and plenty of outlets through which to speak and publish. On the other hand, incitement to violence and sedition are not protected speech. Twitter let the former president publish thousands of falsehoods, from ridiculous to dangerous, throughout his candidacy and presidency. (Mr. Friske curiously failed to note Trump’s constant attacks on the freedom of the American press.) They only shut Trump down after he incited seditious violence and then doubled down on it after the attack on the Capitol. Finally, regarding Mr. Friske’s complaint that “the Ayatollah, Communist China, Putin and Nicolas Maduro” haven’t been banned from American-owned social media: I’m not aware that these people are frequent posters on Twitter and Facebook, although it seems true that Putin has had a lot of proxy posters working for him, and at least Twitter has recently banned a prominent one of those.
CONTENTS features Saved From Despair By Worms....................10
Fuel My Life....................................................12 A Gun-Fearing Woman...............................14
columns & stuff Top Ten.......................................................5
Spectator/Stephen Tuttle...............................6 Opinion..........................................................7 Guest Opinion.................................................8 Weird............................................................9 Astrology.......................................................9 Dates........................................................16 Crossword.................................................17 Advice.....................................................18 Classifieds...............................................18
David B., Interlochen If There Were a Proud Boys Soundtrack The QAnon Quartet comprised of Grand Traverse County Commissioners Rob Hentschel, Ron Clous, and Brad Jewett, and former Commissioner Gordie LaPoint re-released their Homage to the Proud Boys CD. While it languished in obscurity, it has recently taken off with the addition of “Happiness Is A Warm Gun.” The quartet updated their original set, which included “My Little Runaway,” marking their retreat from non-partisan debates; “Under My Thumb,” marking power grab mandates and muting microphones; “School is Out Forever,” dedicated to “so-called scientists” and “If God Was One Of Us,” referencing “If the good Lord wanted us to wear a mask, we would have been created with a mask on our face.” The complete set may be purchased at Parler. Anastacia N., Traverse City Eye on Gillman Mr. Tom Pixley, I was thankful beyond belief to read your Jan. 25 letter, “Gillman’s Big Adventure.” I have not been able to believe for a long time that Jason Gillman is anywhere in our regional government. I, too, read his tale about the seditious attack on Congress and his lamenting about not getting in. I do not believe anything he says. Who put that man on our [Grand Traverse County] road commission? He tries and tries and hangs around, wanting to be on either the city or county commission. The closer he gets to a major decision-making position, the more we should all shake and shudder. Having him on the road commission is problematic enough. His beliefs and governmental ideas could run off the most staunch partisan. He was a Tea Party convert and now a Trump supporter. We need to keep an eye out and let all know he is just waiting to get closer to a decision-making position that could cause incredible problems for our area. Sheryl C., Traverse City
Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris, Jill Hayes For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Dave Courtad Kimberly Sills, Randy Sills, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny Ross Boissoneau, Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Anna Faller, Kathryn Bertodatto, Janice Binkert Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.
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Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 3
this week’s
top ten Gallery Donations Top Half a Million
The owner of a Petoskey art gallery recently tallied up its charitable contributions over the years and realized the business has given more than half a million dollars. Over the past 37 years, Ward and Eis Gallery has donated $506,000 to the community, said gallery owner Jennifer Eis. Eis said that at despite reduced sales due to the pandemic, the gallery was able to keep pace this year with what it has donated in a typical year – $22,000. In announcing the donations, Eis remembered her business and life partner, Don Ward, who died in 2016. “I wish Don could be here to see the simple idea he had 37 years ago, about making a long-term commitment to help local organizations that provide basic assistance for individuals and families in need of food, shelter, medical and emotional support has now resulted in $506,000 in donations back to the community,” Eis said. “He always said that the moral vitality of any community is measured by its generosity and compassion.” This year’s donations went to Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan, Manna Food Project, Friendship Centers, Nehemiah Project, Petoskey Club, and Health Department of Northwest Michigan.
Join the Marley Party, Mon! Marley music, Jamaican jerk chicken tacos, hot dogs, cocktails, hot cocoa, sledding, snowshoeing XC skiing, bonfires, igloos, and more — and the whole family is invited? Believe it. From noon to 6pm Saturday, Feb. 6, Jacob’s Farm in Traverse City is hosting Love Live, a free outdoor party to celebrate the birth of the one and only Bob Marley, and we can’t think of a better way to spend a winter’s day. (Unless we were spending it in Jamaica, of course.) Learn more at jacobsfarmtc.com.
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Hey, read it! The Push
When we first meet Blythe Connor, she’s alone in her car, apprehensively surveilling her ex-husband’s home. From afar, his new family appears picturesque. But to Blythe, one element remains out of place: her estranged daughter, Violet, staring coldly from a solitary window. Now nearing adolescence, Violet’s been “different” since the day she was born. So different, in fact, that Blythe is certain Violet is to blame for the death of her infant brother years before. Blythe’s own background, however, stokes uncertainty. The third in a line of misled mothers, can timorous Blythe really be trusted? From debut novelist Ashley Audrain comes “The Push.” A blockbuster smash of a psychological thriller, this tour-de-force of family trauma will keep readers captivated until the very last sentence.
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Leelanau County native and CBS Sunday Morning correspondent up next on NWS!
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tastemaker Blue Tractor’s Pork Mac & Cheese
Though the pandemic prevented us from bellying up to the Blue Tractor bar every Sunday to watch the Lions play, when restaurants open again Feb. 1, we can look forward to recapturing at least one part of that our longstanding tradition: Sitting in one of Traverse City’s coziest football-viewing spots while soothing our crushed souls in a bowl of the most comforting comfort food we know, Blue Tractor’s Pork Mac & Cheese ($15). Yes, there’s a lot of tasty meat-topped mac and cheese bowls around these wintry parts, but we think you’d be hard-pressed to find one with a more strategic powerplay of smoky, savory, and tangy. Credit starts with the Tractor’s brilliantly bright but neither sweet nor sour BBQ sauce and its cohort, a smoked pork shoulder so tender it practically faints at the touch of your fork. The two play perfectly to their base, a creamy macaroni and smoked gouda béchamel sauce that, while utterly creamy, is never ever soupy. Stir the lot together, eat, and you will be consoled — be you a brokenhearted fan of the Lions or Packers — just in time for the Super Bowl. Find Blue Tractor Barbeque at 423 South Union St. (231) 922-9515, www.bluetractorcookshop.com
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Northern Michigan native Martha Teichner will talk to guest host Cynthia Canty about her heart-warming book, When Harry Met Minnie at the National Writers Series virtual author event, Thurs., Feb. 4 at 7pm. It’s a memoir of love and loss, of being in the right place at the right time, and how a beloved pet can bring two strangers together. Now a CBS Sunday Morning news correspondent, Teichner has always held the area close to her heart. It was here that she spent the first nine years of her life. In her parents’ memory, Teichner donated 20 acres near Lime Lake to the Leelanau Conservancy, a place now known as the Teichner Preserve. Event Underwriters: Susan & Al Cogswell
Register for this ZOOM event at NationalWritersSeries.org
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Trout Fest Shall Go On
Plans are moving ahead for this year’s National Trout Festival, according to Kalkaska village president and festival board member Harley Wales. Wales reposted a message about trout fest on Facebook: “Wake the neighbors and call your kids! We’ve got big news! While things are going to look a bit different this year, the NTF Board of Directors decided this evening to continue planning for the 2021 National Trout Festival!” Thought has been put into what activities can happen and which ones should get shelved over concern about the pandemic. Tentative plans for events expected to go on include the Skerbeck Family Carnival, the Grand Royal Parade, the flea market, the car show, and concerts. Organizers said they need more volunteers in order to be able to hold the Shady Belle event and the kids fishing contest. The festival is scheduled to take place April 22 through 24.
Stuff we love
A Second Serving of Insta-Dinners This week, Ruthy Kirwan — Traverse City native and 2003 graduate of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute — is dropping her second cookbook, “Easy Sheet Pan Cookbook: 65 Fuss-Free Recipes for One-Pan Meals,” and we couldn’t more excited. Her first cookbook (2018’s “The Healthy Sheet Pan Cookbook”) found a place on northern Michigan bookstores’ bestseller lists as well as several bestseller categories on Amazon. Her latest again showcases her passion for the humble sheet pan, a kitchen tool she says is far too often overlooked. “You can do so much with it, especially at dinnertime,” she tells Northern Express. “And it requires very little ‘babysitting’ while cooking, plus — unlike the Instant Pot or the slow cooker — you don’t have to plan out a meal ahead of time to allow for long cook times. You can just throw some ingredients on a pan and be done in under an hour, usually much less.” A working mother of two, New York-based Kirwan is the founder of percolatekitchen.com, a site of recipes, tutorials, and products dedicated to making weeknight cooking easier for busy parents. The new book ($11.99) — which includes recipes for cheesesteak sandwiches, moo-shu mushrooms with homemade Chinese-style pancakes, spiced butternut squash with pistachios and lemon-whipped goat cheese, gremolata salmon with warm red onion and cherry tomato salad, and more — will be available at local bookstores like Brilliant Books and Horizon Books in Traverse City, as well as Amazon and percolatekitchen.com.
High Tea Returns to the Applesauce Inn Ladies, gather your girlfriends and ready your pinkies: The Applesauce Inn’s weekly High Tea event is done steeping and returns Feb. 3, with plans to run 1pm–2:30pm every Wednesday through April. The traditional high tea — think: a three-tiered service of freshly baked scones, fresh fruit, savory tea sandwiches, an assortment of miniature desserts, and many steaming pots of Earl Grey tea — is inspired by Anna Russel, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, who is said to have been the first to request some light food and a pot of tea each afternoon to soothe her hungry stomach as it awaited the evening meal — an event typically held after 8pm among England’s higher classes. Duchess Anna’s private tea ritual soon became a social occasion, one that proved so popular, it was eventually adopted throughout England, ultimately making its way to the United States and, these days, to a charming bed and breakfast tucked among the snowy hills of Bellaire. Tickets, $25 per person, can be reserved by calling (231) 533-6448.
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bottoms up firefly’s Wildflower Martini January’s mild temps notwithstanding, who Up North couldn’t use just a nip of springtime now and again? On a recent gray day, we slipped into one of Firefly’s toasty little greenhouses — literally toasty; a small space heater in the back enabled us to slip off all our winter gear and sit quite comfortably — and found, to our delight, a Wildflower Martini ($12) on the menu. Even more delightful was its taste: fresh and snappy but none too sweet, thanks to an emphasis on the tart flavors and essences of grapefruit juice, lemon, and an orange citrus twist. The addition of pretty much any cocktail’s best friend, Pama Liqueur, and a foundation of Firefly’s own house-infused basil vodka — an unexpected infusion we suspect makes this cocktail so singularly superb — did some infusing of its own, with a little spring into our step. Woolen hats off for this one, indeed. Find it at Firefly, 310 N. Cass St., in Traverse City. (231) 932-1310, tcfirefly.com
Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 5
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spectator by Stephen Tuttle Well, that was quite a month for at least some members of the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners.
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First, Commissioner Brad Jewett introduced a resolution opposing the latest pandemic restrictions issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The totally pointless document claims the orders are unconstitutional because the legislature did not authorize them. But a previous legislature most certainly did give the MDHHS the authority to issue such orders in a health emergency, which is why no court has stopped them.
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Unwilling to stop there, the resolution went on to suggest the Grand Traverse County sheriff ’s office and county prosecutor should make enforcing violations of the orders their
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lowest priority and the county should not pay for any prosecutions of those violations. Not surprisingly the sheriff and prosecutor, both recently reelected in county-wide votes, said they would follow the law and didn’t really need any help from the county board. More troubling was the discussion that followed. You would think that after a full year of information on COVID-19, our elected officials would at least know the basics. You would be depressingly wrong.
Commissioner Jewett, not exactly on the cutting edge of science, questioned the facial covering requirements because he said there was insufficient data on how many mask wearers become infected. Seriously? We still have elected officials who don’t even understand the purpose of masks.
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6 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
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Unfortunately, both Clous and board chairman Rob Hentschel decided that would be a good time to defend the Proud Boys. They were, we were told, “decent guys” who “treated us with respect.” Uh-huh. The Proud Boys were founded in 2016 as a self-described “Western chauvinist,” allmale organization. The FBI describes them
You would think that after a full year of information on COVID-19, our elected officials would at least know the basics. You would be depressingly wrong.
The notion that people — in the midst of a highly contagious pandemic moving inevitably toward a half-million deaths — should be “determining for themselves what is best” is daffy enough. Then it just got stupid.
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resolution condemning the Proud Boys. Commissioner Ron Clous responded by disappearing from the screen — it was a Zoom meeting — and returning, proudly brandishing his beloved assault rifle. He claimed it wasn’t to intimidate the speaker but to demonstrate his support of the Second Amendment. That would have been a nice gesture had the Second Amendment been the topic, but it was not.
The thing is, commissioner, we don’t wear masks that cover our nose and mouth to protect ourselves. That isn’t their purpose at all. We wear masks that cover our nose and mouth to protect everyone else around us since 40 percent of infected people have no symptoms but are still contagious. They help prevent the droplets, large and minuscule, that come out of our nose and mouth when we cough, sneeze, laugh, sing, and even talk from reaching other people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), wearing masks could reduce transmission by as much as 70 percent. (The anti-MDHHS resolution passed, 5–2, with commissioners Betsy Coffia and Bryce Hundley offering up some common sense and opposing it.) Then, during the public comments at the meeting, a woman asked them to pass a
as an “extremist group with ties to white nationalism.” The Southern Poverty Law Center describes them as a “domestic terrorist hate group.” If there’s a protest that results in violence, it’s a pretty good bet the Proud Boys are there. Members are now serving prison sentences for violent attacks in protests in Portland and have been arrested for similar acts in nearly a dozen locations around the country. Five of their members, so far, have been arrested for participating in the attempted violent overthrow of our government in Washington on Jan. 6, including one who was recorded screaming, “... kill the b*****, kill all of them...” A former Proud Boy member was quoted in the San Jose Mercury News saying, “Most guys join just to fight.” Yes, very decent and respectful and certainly worthy of support from Grand Traverse County Commissioners Clous and Hentschel. They weren’t quite done, though. Commissioner Jewett has now proposed commissioner’s families should receive health insurance benefits mostly paid for by county taxpayers. Having only recently given themselves a 70 percent raise, they figured this would be an excellent time to get additional benefits for the whole family. It seems this board, most of whom claim to be hardcore fiscal conservatives, aren’t quite so hardcore when it comes to feathering their own nests. They knew what the salaries and benefits were when they chose to run for office. They should have been willing to accept both, especially during a time of economic deprivation for so many. Condemn the state for trying to protect our lives, praise the Proud Boys who have little concern for our lives, and then enrich their own lives. Yes, quite a month for some of our county board of commissioners.
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timeless game of peekaboo.
Mommy or Daddy’s happy, loving, and reassuring face momentarily disappears, only to return with a loving smile and a happy face when we uncover our eyes. This is more than just fun and folly. In playing this game, babies learn the lesson of object permanence, the concept that even though you can’t see Mommy with your eyes, she still exists.
notifications and alerts to be sure we were safe from him. “What has he done now?” “What is he going to do next?”
Seems like a good thing to know. Right.
We all became more than a bit obsessed with checking the news, just in case. These last four years are the first period in which it was routine to hear that people were taking a break from the news as a positive measure to improve their mental health. And it was really, really difficult to look away.
This makes a baby feel safe. Even though out of sight, the teddy bear, favorite blanket, and Grandma and Grandpa still exist. I can’t see them, but they’re somewhere.
I’m not naive. I know he’s still out there. He remains a potential danger — but one without the levers of presidential power at his pudgy, greasy french-fry fingertips.
I would liken the danger to an encounter with an impotent rapist in a dark alley: he can’t really do anything, but his thug friends might show up.
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The flip side of the peekaboo lesson is less comforting. Though out of sight, the dreaded boogeyman is still here, the threeheaded monster under the bed is still there, and the evil witch is still perched on a branch of the tree outside your bedroom window. Yikes. Of course, we know that the boogeyman, the monster, and the witch exist only in your imagination. As fully functioning grownups, we tangle with the fear of those scary-in-reallife people operating outside of our view. We’ve looked away for only a moment or two, but like the victim in a horror movie, we immediately walk down the creaky basement stairs, holding our flashlight against the darkness: “Who’s there?”
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8 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
I would liken the danger to an encounter with an impotent rapist in a dark alley: he can’t really do anything, but his thug friends might show up. Here, in the nubile post-Trump presidency world, I am weaning myself from playing constant peekaboo with news outlets “just to check.” I find delicious comfort in Dr. Anthony Fauci practically giggling at the podium, speaking of his newfound freedom to speak of science, unrestrained and unfiltered. I take solace in White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s frequent and lengthy press briefings. Like Dorothy back in Kansas, awakening to the faces of Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and Toto, I cry out, “We’re home! Home! And this is my room! And you’re all here!” Yes, of course, we still need to keep an eye on our government. And yes, we still need to keep battalions of eyes on radicalized Trumpists. But for the first time in a very long time, we can look away and feel relatively safe from the “this is not normal” reality of the Trump years.
As any parent of a teenager out past curfew can tell you, our imaginations can scare us beyond reason when we can’t see and touch our kids. So we check on them, and check on them, and check on them, feeling only momentarily reassured until we check on them again or have them in front of us.
In no world should citizens of a nation feel the fear-driven need to monitor the actions or sanity of their president, prime minister, king, or queen. One sure sign of a healthy nation is that the citizens do not even have to think about their government daily or experience their leader as a source of constant concern.
In my mind, Donald J. Trump has been sitting in the tree outside my bedroom window while planning the demise of all I hold dear.
It appears that the guardrails of decency, tradition, and transparency have been restored by the Biden administration, and we can again — in safety — play peekaboo.
Yes, it was real. The frequency of my checking on him has been both incessant and totally legit. Not to make sure if he was safe. Quite the opposite. I was checking my
Mary Rogers is the host of “The Experience 50 Podcast for Midlife” and an actively engaged citizen of Grand Traverse County. She lives in Traverse City.
lOGY
FEB 1 - FEB 7
BY ROB BREZSNY
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian author Alice
Too Hot to Handle The Sun reported on Jan. 18 that a woman in the United Kingdom suffered an “inferno” in her living room after a candle exploded as she was lighting it. Jody Thompson, 50, won the candle, labeled “This Candle Smells Like My Vagina,” in an online quiz from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website. “The candle exploded and emitted huge flames,” Thompson said, “with bits flying everywhere. The whole thing was ablaze and it was too hot to touch.” Thompson and her partner “eventually got it under control and threw it out the front door.” In Plane Sight On Jan. 16 at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, two employees of United Airlines approached a man and asked for his ID. Aditya Singh, 36, of Orange, California, produced an employee badge, but it was not his: Another employee had reported it missing on Oct. 26, the Chicago Tribune reported. Authorities said Singh had arrived at O’Hare on Oct. 19 from Los Angeles and was too afraid to fly back home because of COVID-19, so he hid in a secured area of the airport for three months, living off food given to him by strangers. Singh is unemployed but has a master’s degree in hospitality and doesn’t have a criminal background. He was charged with felony criminal trespass. The Devil Made Them Do It Members of Poughkeepsie, New York’s Church of Satan are down in the dumps this week after someone torched their gathering place, known as “Halloween House,” on Jan. 14. According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, video footage shows a person carrying two gas cans, splashing liquid on the front porch, lighting it and running away. Two people who were inside at the time escaped unharmed; the arsonist has not been caught. “Sadly there are some ‘people of faith’ who are intolerant, and typically ignorant, of other belief systems,” noted Church of Satan high priest Peter H. Gilmore. Church member Isis Vermouth called the arson a “terror attack. Whoever did this is going to be hexed by all of us,” she said. “I just don’t understand why anyone would want to piss off Satanic witches. ‘Cause now there’s going to be hell to pay.” Unclear on the Concept Nicholas Debetes, 18, was finally placed in handcuffs in Titusville, Florida, on Jan. 14, after Brevard County officers chased him as he drove “at an extremely high rate of speed” to his mother’s trailer. Debetes, Click Orlando reported, had a unique excuse: “If I would have tried to stop quicker I would have crashed the vehicle,” he told police. He went on to say that his mother wanted him home for an unknown reason. Debetes had an outstanding warrant and was driving a stolen Hyundai Elantra. Police Report In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Curtis McCoy, 46, and his husband of 10 years got into a spat “that escalated since they have been drinking alcohol” on Jan. 17, police reported. The argument got out of hand when McCoy “brought up how the victim has only one testicle which caused the victim to get upset,” according to The Smoking Gun. When the victim pointed his finger at McCoy, he grabbed and twisted it, “causing him pain.” McCoy was arrested for domestic violence; his criminal history includes shoplifting, disorderly conduct, assault, larceny and other offenses.
Irony Esequiel Robles, 40, was caught after a traffic stop in Williston, North Dakota, with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on Jan. 14. The Smoking Gun reported that Robles was on probation for narcotics possession at the time, following a 2019 conviction for meth possession. Notably, however, when Robles was arrested, he was wearing a T-shirt with the message, “Don’t Do Drugs.” Do as I say, not as I do. Least Competent Criminals On Jan. 7, police received a call from a 7-Eleven store in Lehi, Utah, where earlier in the day a man wearing a “sheriff ’s deputy” jacket stole a doughnut, then left in a white pickup truck. KUTV reported that Lehi police examined surveillance video and tracked the truck to a nearby motel parking lot, where they knocked on the door of 47-year-old Daniel Mark Wright, who was staying there. As officers spoke with Wright, they saw a Salt Lake County Sheriff ’s jacket hanging in the room’s closet. They arrested Wright for impersonation of an officer and theft, along with receiving or transfer of a stolen vehicle in relation to the truck. Wright, his companion, Christian Olson, and another accomplice are also under investigation for racketeering. Leobardo Hernandez, 32, of Pomona, California, went to extraordinary lengths on Jan. 16 to evade police after allegedly stealing a car. As Hernandez ran from officers, he entered an apartment complex and found an unlocked door, the Daily Bulletin reported. The apartment residents were not at home, so Hernandez moved right in, shaving his face, changing clothes and even cooking tortillas to make it seem as if he lived there. Unfortunately, he also burned the tortillas, summoning the fire department. Hernandez eventually surrendered and was charged with burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle among other offenses. Awwwwww Russell Jones of London couldn’t figure out why his dog, Billy, was favoring one of his front paws while walking. He took the pet to the veterinarian to have X-rays, United Press International reported, but the vet found nothing wrong. Jones, however, had recently broken his own ankle and was wearing a cast and limping. At the $400 vet visit, the doctor suggested that Billy was simply imitating his owner. Man’s best friend, indeed. What’s in a Name? Before social distancing and masks became the world’s norm, CBS News reported on Jan. 12, Paul O’Sullivan of Baltimore was noodling around on Facebook one night, searching for other Paul O’Sullivans. Several of those he found accepted his friend request, which was when he noticed that some were musicians, as he was. Baltimore Paul, as he’s known, reached out to others, and eventually he and three others formed the Paul O’Sullivan Band. Manchester Paul plays bass; Pennsylvania Paul is the percussionist; and Baltimore Paul and Rotterdam Paul play guitar and sing. They recorded a single at the beginning of 2020, but when COVID hit, they thought it was a great opportunity to make a whole album. “It feels great to be able to contact people on the other side of the world when you’re in lockdown because you don’t feel alone at the moment,” commented Rotterdam Paul. “If you learn to play an instrument, it can help you through some dark times,” said Manchester Paul.
Walker writes, “In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful. In the coming weeks, I hope you’ll adopt that way of thinking and apply it to every aspect of your perfectly imperfect body and mind and soul. I hope you’ll give the same generous blessing to the rest of the world, as well. This attitude is always wise to cultivate, of course, but it will be especially transformative for you in the coming weeks. It’s time to celebrate your gorgeous idiosyncrasies and eccentricities. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Author Karen
Barad writes, “The past is never finished. It cannot be wrapped up like a package, or a scrapbook; we never leave it and it never leaves us behind.” I agree. That’s why I can’t understand New Age teachers who advise us to “live in the now.” That’s impossible! We are always embedded in our histories. Everything we do is conditioned by our life story. I acknowledge that there’s value in trying to see the world afresh in each new moment. I’m a hearty advocate of adopting a “beginner’s mind.” But to pretend we can completely shut off or escape the past is delusional and foolish. Thank you for listening to my rant, Scorpio. Now please spend quality time upgrading your love and appreciation for your own past. It’s time to celebrate where you have come from—and meditate on how your history affects who you are now. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Luisah Teish is a writer and priestess in the Yoruban Lucumi tradition. She wrote a book called Jump Up: Seasonal Celebrations from the World’s Deep Traditions. “Jump up” is a Caribbean phrase that refers to festive rituals and parties that feature “joyous music, laughter, food, and dancing.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, you’re due for a phase infused with the “jump up” spirit. As Teish would say, it’s a time for “jumping, jamming, swinging, hopping, and kicking it.” I realize that in order to do this, you will have to work around the very necessary limitations imposed on us all by the pandemic. Do the best you can. Maybe make it a virtual or fantasy jump up. Maybe dance alone in the dark.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Perhaps
we should know better,” wrote poet Tony Hoagland, “but we keep on looking, thinking, and listening, hunting that singular book, theory, perception, or tonality that will unlock and liberate us.” It’s my duty to report, Capricorn, that there will most likely be no such singular magnificence for you in 2021. However, I’m happy to tell you that an accumulation of smaller treasures could ultimately lead to a substantial unlocking and liberation. For that to happen, you must be alert for and appreciate the small treasures, and patiently gather them in. (PS: Author Rebecca Solnit says, “We devour heaven in bites too small to be measured.” I say: The small bites of heaven you devour in the coming months will ultimately add up to being dramatically measurable.)
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): “Though the
bamboo forest is dense, water flows through it freely.” I offer that Zen saying just in time for you to adopt it as your metaphor of power. No matter how thick and complicated and impassable the terrain might appear to be in he coming weeks, I swear you’ll have a flair for finding a graceful path through it. All you have to do is imitate the consistency and flow of water.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Herman Hesse’s
novel Siddartha is a story about a spiritual seeker who goes in search of illumination. Near the end of the quest, when Siddartha is purified and enlightened, he tells his friend, “I greatly needed sin, lust, vanity, the striving for goods, and the most shameful despair, to learn how to love the world, to stop comparing the world with any world that I wish for, with any perfection that I think up; I learned to let the world be as it is, and to love it and to belong to it gladly.” While I trust you won’t overdo the sinful stuff in the coming months, Aries, I hope you will reach a conclusion like Siddartha’s. The astrological omens suggest that 2021 is the best year ever for you to learn how to love your life and the world just as they are.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus physicist
Richard Feynman said, “If we want to solve a problem we have never solved before, we must leave the door to the unknown ajar.” That’s always good advice, but it’s especially apropos for you in the coming weeks. You are being given the interesting and fun opportunity to solve a problem you have never solved before! Be sure to leave the door to the unknown ajar. Clues and answers may come from unexpected sources.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When we want to
get a distinct look at a faint star, we must avert our eyes away from it just a little. If we look at it directly, it fades into invisibility. (There’s a scientific explanation for this phenomenon, which I won’t go into.) I propose that we make this your metaphor of power for the coming weeks. Proceed on the hypothesis that if you want to get glimpses of what’s in the distance or in the future, don’t gaze at it directly. Use the psychological version of your peripheral vision. And yes, now is a favorable time to seek those glimpses
CANCER (June 21-July 22): If the apocalypse
happens and you’re the last human left on earth, don’t worry about getting enough to eat. Just find an intact grocery store and make your new home there. It’s stocked with enough nonperishable food to feed you for 55 years—or 63 years if you’re willing to dine on pet food. I’M JOKING! JUST KIDDING! In fact, the apocalypse won’t happen for another 503 million years. My purpose in imagining such a loopy scenario is to nudge you to dissolve your scarcity thinking. Here’s the ironic fact of the matter for us Cancerians: If we indulge in fearful fantasies about running out of stuff—money, resources, love, or time—we undermine our efforts to have enough of what we need. The time is now right for you to stop worrying and instead take robust action to ensure you’re well-supplied for a long time.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Judge a moth by
the beauty of its candle,” writes Coleman Barks in his rendering of a poem by Rumi. In accordance with astrological omens, I am invoking that thought as a useful metaphor for your life right now. How lovely and noble are the goals you’re pursuing? How exalted and bighearted are the dreams you’re focused on? If you find there are any lessthan-beautiful aspects to your motivating symbols and ideals, now is a good time to make adjustments.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I invite you to try
the following experiment. Select two situations in your world that really need to be reinvented, and let every other glitch and annoyance just slide for now. Then meditate with tender ferocity on how best to get the transformations done. Summoning intense focus will generate what amounts to magic! PS: Maybe the desired reinventions would require other people to alter their behavior. But it’s also possible that your own behavior may need altering.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author Marguerite
Duras wrote these words: “That she had so completely recovered her sanity was a source of sadness to her. One should never be cured of one’s passion.” I am spiritually allergic to that idea. It implies that our deepest passions are unavailable unless we’re insane, or at least disturbed. But in the world I aspire to live in, the opposite is true: Our passions thrive if we’re mentally healthy. We are best able to harness our most inspiring motivations if we’re feeing poised and stable. So I’m here to urge you to reject Duras’s perspective and embrace mine. The time has arrived for you to explore the mysteries of relaxing passion.
Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 9
SAVED FROM DESPAIR BY WORMS A Manistee mom turned a miniature effort to combat climate change into a thriving business.
By Patrick Sullivan A couple of years ago, with another child on the way, Elana Warsen said she had a sort of miniature existential crisis — she wanted to do something to make the world a better place, but she wasn’t sure what to do. Warsen, who lives with her husband and three children in Manistee, found the answer under her feet, in the ground. She decided to broaden her family’s composting regime by composting indoors with worms, a technique that can be used throughout the worst winters without having to go outside to turn a compost heap. Her foray into the world of worms has taken over a large chunk of Warsen’s life. She’s turned her passion for them into a business called Michigan Worm Works, and she wants to spread the word about how worms can turn food waste into a valuable commodity. Northern Express recently chatted with Warsen about her passion. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Northern Express: Tell me about how you got interested in worms. Elana Warsen: I got interested in worms because I have always been very concerned
about the environment. And then during a time in my life when I had really little kids, and I was pregnant with a new child, I just felt this overwhelming urge to do something, whatever I could do to make the world a safer place for my children. I felt I had little control over these big problems, and it was causing stress and anxiety, and I didn’t want to feel that way anymore. So, I channeled that energy into a project, and that project was going to be finding a way to continue composting our household food scraps during the winter. Express: That’s a really interesting way to put it. I think you take something like, say, the climate crisis, and as individuals, we feel helpless, like maybe it’s easier to give up because there’s nothing we can do on our own. But then, if you do find something meaningful that you can actually do, it makes a difference, doesn’t it? Warsen: Yeah. Yeah. And it wasn’t meaningful in the beginning. Right now, we’re a family of five, and, you know, even us diverting our food waste like that doesn’t change the world. But it really changed me to feeling like I have the agency to live my life with a purpose instead of a feeling of despair. Express: When you started this, did it
10 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
seem like something that you thought might become a business? Or did that come later? Warsen: No, no, no. That definitely came later. It didn’t feel like something that was going to be a business. It felt like, ‘I’m really glad that my husband is humoring my pregnant self, keeping a bucket of worms in our basement.’ And, you know, it just felt like an experiment or something. Just something I wanted to do, I wanted to try. Express: How did it grow to become a business then? Warsen: Because I kept acquiring more and more worm stuff. I started with the one bucket, and then I built another bucket. I built some worm habitats out of buckets, and those were fine in the basement. And then I decided I wanted to upgrade to something bigger, larger-scale, more user-friendly. And my husband said, ‘OK, that’s fine’ — and he’s not my boss or anything, but, you know, if something’s going to become part of your shared living space, you want everyone on board. My husband said, ‘You know, Elana, if you want to take up all of our garage space and some of our living space, that would be OK — if you could make some money
doing it. If it’s not making us any money, then we have to keep it to a reasonable size.’ And that seemed fair. And so, I put an ad on Craigslist: ‘worm castings for sale.’ And, my husband and I were both pretty surprised. I got a lot of people interested in buying them. Express: Let’s back up a minute. Could you explain a little bit about what you are
talking about. Worm castings? How do you do this at home? Does it smell? Do the worms stink? Warsen: They don’t. Well, there is an odor. It’s like an earthy smell. If your worm habitat is healthy, if you’re managing it properly, it just smells when you lift the lid. It smells like a pile of leaves or like you’re in your garden. I want to say it’s like composting, with worms in the mix, but it’s a different process than that. Most people are familiar with thermophilic composting, a hot compost pile that you’ve got to get cooking. You know what I mean? You add the carbon and nitrogen, and then it gets really hot, and it breaks down. This [with worms] is called philic composting, where the microorganisms in this environment prefer room temperature, not hot. So, it never starts cooking. It just stays at room temperature. Microorganisms accumulate on the compostable material that you add. And then the worms devour those microorganisms. And that’s why it works indoors and during the winter, unlike the other kind. Express: Are the two kinds of composting otherwise the same? I mean, can you put the same kind of things in each of them? Warsen: How do I want to put this? It’s all a matter of scale. So, if you can imagine, like, a glass of water, and you drip some hot sauce into it, then that’s going to be noticeable and overwhelming. If you have a fish tank or an aquarium, and you drop some hot sauce into it, that’s going to be imperceptible. So, if you add a whole bunch of onion in there, that might be too acidic for the worms. I would throw an onion in my backyard regular compost pile, no problem, without a second thought. If I’m feeding it to my worms, I kind of like to think of them. I think, would I want this in my eyeball? If I wouldn’t want it in my eyeball, I’m not going to give it to the worms. So, I just I tend to put more neutral food scraps in there. Then I reserve those more acidic, pungent things for the regular outside pile. Express: How do people get started with worms? Warsen: If you want to compost with worms at home, you need a bin — a habitat for them to live in — and that can be as simple as a five-gallon bucket or a plastic tub. And you drill some holes in the top and around the top of the sides for aeration and holes in the bottom for drainage. There shouldn’t be very much liquid that would come out, but you need that as an escape for the liquid if anything goes awry. And you fill this container with shredded newspaper or shredded cardboard. You can shred it with your hands. You want it to be damp so you would moisten in that paper and then wring it out so it’s like the consistency of a damp sponge that’s been wrung out. And you fill that three-quarters of the way full. And then you add worms. And you start by feeding them a little bit of food scraps at a time, just a small amount. Over time, you’ll notice that the worms are getting to that small amount of food more and more quickly, and you can begin adding more at a time and more frequently. And then the worms do their thing. They poop. You can harvest the poop and use that in your garden. Eventually, it just looks like compost. Express: So, you’re raising three young children and now you’re also running a growing business. Tell me what that entails.
Warsen: I’ve got my worms in my laundry room and where they reproduce prolifically and eat our food scraps and turn them into worm castings, which is technically known as a soil amendment. You can use it basically anyplace you would use fertilizer, but it’s not classed as a fertilizer. It’s technically classed as a ‘soil amendment.” The business involves selling that, the compost, the worm manure, to gardeners and farmers and all kinds of growers. It’s safe for your — whatever you grow; it’s safe for your health, the health of your body. And it’s good for the environment, also because it reduces the demand for petroleum-based fertilizers; those fertilizers don’t have microorganisms that build the soil ecosystem, either. This [worm castings] builds a healthy soil that doesn’t need to be replaced over and over again. You don’t need to add more and more and more inputs. All those microorganisms are going to become part of the living soil. Express: You also sell worms, don’t you? Warsen: I sell worms to people who want to get started doing this themselves. But if people want to use them for bait or something, then I suppose they could do that. But so far, everybody who has bought worms for me has been interested in doing this on their own. Like you know, at first, when I thought it was so cool and I told my mom, she agreed to try it out of sympathy for me or something, and now she’s hooked. The same thing with my brother and sisterin-law. Express: The people who buy compost from you, what are they growing? Warsen: I do find that there’s a couple of different general categories of people who are interested in my business, who want to become customers. And those are people who are concerned about the environment and want to manage their food waste responsibly and want to use ecologically friendly soil amendments. And then there’s also people who are serious growers who want the worm castings, the compost, because it’s a really, really potent soil amendment. It has lots of nutrients in it. A lot of cannabis growers use it. A lot of people who grow vegetables indoors in the winter. People put it on the community garden here in Manistee. I’ve had some customers add it to their raised garden beds. People grow all kinds of edible plans. You can use it on your houseplants, too.
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Express: Do you have other pets, or is it just the worms? Warsen: No. We don’t have other pets. I was going to say, though, that for anybody with little kids, the reason we don’t have pets is because, with little kids in the house, it’s enough already around here. We don’t want to deal with the extra mess, extra damage to the furniture. We don’t want to deal with the emotional perils of an animal that gets sick or lost or runs away or passes away. We didn’t want anything fragile. We’ve got a six-year-old, a three-year-old, and an 18-month-old — and the worms, they don’t run away. If you drop them, they don’t get hurt. If you squish them, nobody notices or cares. They can’t bite you. You hold them in your hand, and it’s mesmerizing and the kids observe them. And they say, ‘I noticed that,’ ‘I figured out how they move,’ or ‘I think I figured out which end is the front end.’ To find Elana Warsen and order compost or kits to get started composting with worms, look up Michigan Worm Works on Facebook.
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Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 11
Flank steak with mini wedge salad (photo courtesy of Spencer Galton)
Blackened shrimp
FUEL MY LIFE
The shopping, chopping, preparing, and portioning of mindfully nutritious food are perhaps some of the most daunting and time-consuming tasks in our daily efforts to eat and live healthfully. But what if you could get some of that time back? Time with your family and friends. Time for your passions. More time for yourself. Enter Fuel My Life. By Janice Binkert Shaina LaFond, personal chef, certified fitness nutrition specialist, and owner/founder of Fuel My Life, was inspired to create her unique business concept — a nutritionfocused, “food as fuel” meal service — through struggles she herself had experienced in trying to strike a balance between her business and private life. A career in the food and beverage industry had led to an unhealthy lifestyle, and the added responsibility of raising a family while feeling exhausted and lacking energy ultimately resulted in frustration and stress for her. But ironically, although food had been part of the problem, in the end it turned out to be the solution. As LaFond put it, “Changing my relationship with food changed everything. With Fuel My Life, we not only want to help people find more time in their day but also provide a way for them to make educated decisions about the food they are consuming and how it affects their well-being.” La Fond began working in restaurants at age 18. “Though I have no formal culinary training, I have years of kitchen experience,” she said. “I started in the front of the house, but eventually fell in love with the almost balletic, controlled chaos of the back of the house.” After years in the casual dining and craft beer arena, she found her way to upscale dining and the world of wine. “I was fascinated by the culinary and cultural impact of wine,” she said, “and I spent eight years working for a national airportbased retail restaurant/wine shop chain, which allowed me to travel to open up new shops around the country. But while I was mentally stimulated by what I did, I also suffered for it. That industry is, after all, rife with selfindulgence. Hours-long wine lunches with beautiful pairings. Tastings with winemakers with charcuterie and cheese. So much food and so much alcohol!” A native of Flint who grew up mostly in the Detroit area, LaFond met her nowhusband, Christopher, in middle school. “We were friends for a very long time before we decided to make it a lifetime thing!” she said. The couple moved to Traverse City five years ago from the Ann Arbor area. “Chris had just completed his surgical residency at St. Joseph Mercy hospital there and was offered a general
surgery position at Munson Hospital. And since this area is also renowned for its food and wine, it seemed like the perfect place for both of us to continue to pursue our passions — medicine for him and hospitality for me,” said LaFond. Unfortunately, the transition was not so perfect for LaFond. “I attempted to stay within my field by working with local wineries, but that proved to be very difficult, because I was by now the mother of two young children — our second was born the day after we arrived in Traverse City — in a new town with no family nearby and a husband who worked long, arduous hours. The stress of the whole situation began to impact my mental and physical health. And my solution to that stress was to soothe myself with rich foods and drink, which only served to exacerbate those issues.” Fortunately, after a cathartic moment when she realized that her lack of energy and enthusiasm were causing her to miss out on important and fleeting moments of her family life, LaFond sought outside professional help. Between therapy and a personal trainer, she was able to regain her health and energy, and she found new hobbies, like mountain biking and powerlifting, that made her feel strong, centered, and capable again. “I learned the importance of making time for self-care. I had the strength and ability to enjoy time with my husband, to play with my kids, and to provide an example to them of choosing to honor one’s self. It made an enormous difference in all of my relationships. Nevertheless, LaFond desperately missed the beautiful foods that seemed “off-limits” in her new lifestyle. And she wondered if and how she would be able to include them in her diet and still maintain her weight loss and healthy habits long-term. So she started to experiment, choosing a favorite dish and reworking it to offer the same flavors. but with healthy alternatives substituted for some of the more calorie-dense ingredients. As she did so, she would post these meals to her local gym/ fitness community’s Facebook group. “The feedback was amazing,” said LaFond. “So many people commented that they would love to eat such delicious food, knowing that it wouldn’t set them back in their goals. So, I gathered a focus group of sorts. I asked people how often they would want it, and how much they would be willing to pay, and what such a
12 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
Falafel bowl.
meal service would mean to them. Encouraged by what I heard, I talked to my husband, who fully threw his support behind me and my new endeavor.” LaFond launched Fuel My Life in August 2018. “In the very beginning, along with running my business, I was avidly pursuing peak fitness,” she said. “I didn’t allow much flexibility in my exercise or eating regimens, and the recipes I created reflected that. I’ve since come to realize that fitness isn’t just physical health. Mental health plays an enormous role. Often when people fixate too much on their diet/exercise, they tend to overcompensate and develop an unhealthy and needlessly restrictive relationship with food. This can backfire and lead to worse long-term outcomes. My focus now — and the focus of my company — is mindful consumption. All in all, I think it’s more responsible to communicate to people that they can eat beautiful, healthy food that satisfies them emotionally as well as physically, without demanding that they adhere strictly to a program. That’s how you make a true lifestyle change for the better.” Another change LaFond soon realized she needed to make was to relinquish some of the responsibility of the business to a trusted partner. “For the first six months or so, I did all the recipe development and cooking — and everything else — myself,” she said, “but once our client list grew to a certain point, I knew that I needed help.” She eventually hired chef Korrie Garcia, who had trained at the Natural Gourmet
Southwest burrito bowl.
Institute in New York, as a part-time assistant, but soon promoted her to full-time head chef, handling all food preparation and inventory management. “Korrie is as good a human being as she is a chef, and she specializes in whole, natural food preparation, including cooking for people with special diets, sensitivities, and/ or allergies,” said LaFond. “She is also a skilled pastry chef. Since she came on board, she has helped me fine-tune our dishes, created fantastic new ones, spearheaded our school lunch program (see sidebar), and made our little enterprise even better from an ecological, environmental perspective.” LaFond handles all administrative aspects of running a small business plus deliveries, ordering, ingredient sourcing, and client interaction. “Together, we brainstorm new dishes and ways to better our service. We are always becoming inspired by the food we eat, and chefs we love, and we try to bring that all into our kitchen in our own unique, health-focused way,” said LaFond. “We’re quite a team!” The menu choices offered by Fuel My Life are not only healthy but diverse, delicious, and — something that is often neglected in to-go food — attractively presented. Whether you’re an omnivore or prefer vegetarian, vegan, keto, gluten-free, lactose-free, low carb, or low-fat fare, you’re sure to find something here. Choose from refreshers like the almondcinnamon smoothie (with unsweetened almond milk, local gala apple, fresh banana, vanilla whey protein, almond butter, glutenfree oats, chia seeds and hemp hearts),
Shaina LaFond at work in the kitchen. (Photo courtesy of Spencer Galton.)
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succulent flank steak (with fresh lettuce wedge, crispy bacon, tomato, and house-made Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing), zesty blackened shrimp tacos (with wild-caught shrimp, blackened seasoning, avocado oil, corn tortillas, feta cheese, tomatoes, cabbagecarrot slaw, and cilantro-lime crema), a crunchy baked falafel bowl (with chickpeas, organic baby spinach, tomatoes, onions, feta, hummus, tzatziki, cucumber, parsley and garlic), wild-caught sockeye salmon (with lemon-caper butter sauce, cauliflower puree and asparagus), hearty vegetarian white lasagna (with pasta, zucchini, shredded mozzarella, cottage cheese, carrots, spinach, unsweetened almond milk, parmesan cheese) and even indulgent Double Chocolate Protein Donuts (gluten-free flour, egg, whey protein, olive oil, vanilla and Neufchâtel cheese). Each item on the ordering pages lists all ingredients (and allergy alerts where relevant) as well as nutritional information on calories, protein, fat and carbs. “Currently, our main customer base is fairly consistently made up of busy professionals like physicians, whose working hours rending time-consuming food prep prohibitive, working parents who would rather come home and spend quality time with their children than immediately begin cooking or
order fast food, and folks with specific fitness or athletic pursuits who utilize our service to reach their goals,” said LaFond. “But we know that such a service is cost-prohibitive to many — especially given the pandemic-related financial insecurity that some are facing. My goal is to find ways to offer our services to folks on the lower end of the financial spectrum, but without sacrificing our ideals. “Running a business that uses responsibly sourced ingredients, compostable and ecofriendly packaging, that doggedly pays employees wages that reflect the cost of living, and that regularly supplies food to local individuals and organizations in need (see Donate Meals! under the Food drop-down menu on the Fuel My Life website) is tough on your bottom line – but it’s also non-negotiable. We don’t just want to make our clients healthier, we also want to make our community and the world a better place.” For more information, or to order items from Fuel My Life, go online to fuelmylifetc.com or call (269) 599-7542. Pick-up is offered Monday through Friday from 9AM to 9PM at UnCommon Kitchen, located at 2259 Traversefield Dr. in Traverse City. In-town delivery is also available on weekdays. Note: The deadline for ordering is Wednesday of the previous week by 10PM.
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SCHOOL LUNCHES Fuel My Life was approached by The Pathfinder School in Traverse City in fall 2019 about offering a pilot program for lunches, since the school doesn’t not have an inhouse food program, and they wanted to offer parents an alternative to packing lunches every day. “We jumped at the opportunity to challenge the stereotype of what kids will or will not eat,” said LaFond. “That means offering familiar foods in unfamiliar ways and unfamiliar foods in familiar ways. Kids are so curious and open and brave that it’s not much of a stretch to ask them to try new foods — especially around their peers!” The program began in January 2020, but soon afterward, due to COVID-related challenges, had to adopt certain changes, such as contact-free delivery. LaFond said several other local schools that do not currently offer their own food program had also expressed interest in Fuel My Life’s services, but the pandemic put that on hold, at least for now.
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4713 Pine St. SW, South Boardman, MI, 49680 Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 13
A GUN-FEARING WOMAN WALKS INTO A GUN RANGE By Kathryn Bertodatto Guns scare me. I didn’t grow up around them, my parents don’t hunt, and my father doesn’t have enough enemies to justify keeping them for self-defense. Guns are polarizing — they’ve become a political symbol. Love them, and you’re Right; hate them and you’re Left. Write about them, and you’re an idiot likely to alienate half the population. Hello, my name’s Katy, and I’m a writer so … help me, God. Alycia Pollotta is the owner of Like a Lady Firearms Training, a Traverse City-based business open to all but aimed at teaching women — gun-fearing and gun-owning — firearms safety, confidence, and skill. The tagline on her website: “Because we were trained to shoot before we were allowed to vote.” Strong. To the point. I am intrigued. I call up a dear friend who happens to be on the opposite side of the political spectrum from myself. She and I have had discussions about everything from minimum wage to abortion and, guess what — we’re still great friends. That happens when you have mutual respect for each other’s integrity and intelligence. We’ve never discussed firearms though, and that brings me to the shattering of gun stereotype No. 1: My friend is also nervous about firearms. Color me shocked. I decide to call up Pollotta and go shoot. The Like a Lady training studio is built on Pollotta’s property. She has a stretch of land where we can safely shoot live rounds, but the
weather doesn’t cooperate, and freezing rain is apparently as good for firearms as it for people. For that reason, Pollotta has invested in an indoor “smokeless range” system, and we will make use of that. If you’re thinking an indoor range is like a video game, it’s not. More on that later. The first thing I notice when I walk into the range is the relaxing smell of essential oils in the air. Gun stereotype No. 2, shattered. Seems gun people and places don’t have to smell like Dirty Harry. Pollotta, who served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a certified National Rifle Association (NRA) and Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners (MCRGO) instructor, provides state-required training courses for concealed pistol license (CPL) applicants, and enjoys martial arts — especially Krav Maga, the self-defense and fighting system developed for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that blends techniques of aikido, boxing, wrestling, judo, and karate. She’s also a five-foot-nada lovely little Italian who doesn’t believe you have to cast aside your femininity to function or succeed in a predominately male industry. She tells me she has plans to paint her handgun a pretty teal because it “makes her heart happy.” The next thing I notice in the training studio is a whiteboard that states, “If you ALWAYS follow ALL the safety rules, you will NEVER have a firearms accident.” Pollotta, who holds a master’s degree in communications from Michigan State
14 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
University, says she spends a great deal of time teaching her kids that nothing is absolute. Safety is taken extremely seriously here, and despite my nerves, I feel safe in this space. Pollotta takes time to explain the difference between each firearm and how they work. She explains that you should never allow someone to hand you a loaded gun. She stresses that you should know how a gun works and be able to load it yourself. If you can’t load it, she said, you do not completely understand it and should not be handling it. Pollotta is passionate and charismatic about what she does. She is deliberate and thoughtful about her
messaging and teaching methods. Her course is both entertaining and educational. And then you get to shoot guns. Because I used to be really good at Nintendo’s Duck Hunt (if I walked the plastic rifle all the way up to the TV screen), I thought I was pretty well-versed in virtual shooting. But shooting on Pollotta’s smokeless range, I quickly learned, isn’t like Duck Hunt. Though virtual, the range enables shooters to use actual firearms that are loaded with laser “bullets.” The rounds are not live, so there’s no kick, but the handguns are not light, so everything feels very real.
NMI OUTDOOR SALES Hand crafted sheds, cabins, barns, and more are built with integrity, craftsmanship, quality materials and customized to meet your needs. Many designs, affordable pricing and financing. When I go to fire for the first time, my hands shake. I am calm and keep my face straight, but I cannot control my hands’ physiological reaction to holding a gun. Pollotta takes time to talk me through my shakiness. I am not scared of the gun; her explanation of the mechanics, the physics, and safety precautions have driven out my fear of the gun itself. My hands are shaking because shooting is foreign, and I’m afraid I won’t hit the target. It’s not the gun; it’s my own debilitating perfectionism. I make a mental note to call a therapist, and then I pull the trigger. And I hit the target. The virtual target shows where you hit so you know what adjustments need to be made. Breathe, follow through, learn to
shoot with two eyes open so you don’t lose your peripherals, practice. Check your ego at the door, and Pollotta will make you a better shot, regardless of your experience or uneasiness. In Pollotta’s training studio, guns are not glorified. They are tools of defense that deserve proper training and respect. I walked into Like a Lady Firearm Training with a fear of something that can potentially kill you. I walked out with a healthy respect for firearms and boundless admiration and respect for what Alycia Pollotta is trying to do: empower women through education and instruction.
Interested in Learning More? Like a Lady Firearms Training is located in Traverse City. While Pollotta’s concealed pistol license classes are open to both men and women, her mission is to afford women who are less experienced or comfortable with firearms (shotgun, pistol, rifle) an opportunity to learn in a stress-free, fun, and encouraging environment. She offers small group and customized private classes, youth safety and handgun classes, as well as several special clinics — among them gun cleaning, drawing from a holster, and “Mom and Me Self Defense” (for moms and kids age 5 and up), which teaches situational awareness, stranger danger, and emergency planning strategies while training both in self-defense skills they’ll execute in fabricated scenarios. Many clinics and classes can also be arranged offsite. To see all offerings, visit likealadyfirearmstraining.com
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Pollotta launched the state’s second chapter of the national shooting league “A Girl & A Gun” in Traverse City in 2019. A shooting club established by women shooters, for women shooters, AG & AG events are “social gatherings where you get firearms training and encouragement, ask questions in a safe and nonjudgmental environment, improve your marksmanship, and make new friends.” To learn more about the national league, see agirlandagun.org. To inquire about the Traverse City chapter, the 127th in the nation, contact Pollotta via likealadyfirearmstraining.com.
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Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 15
jan 30
saturday
“NEITHER WOLF NOR DOG”: Available for home viewing from Jan. 24-30. Adapted from the acclaimed novel of the same name by Kent Nerburn, “Neither Wolf Nor Dog” follows a white author who is drawn into the heart of contemporary Native American life in the sparse lands of the Dakotas by a 95 year old Lakota elder & his side-kick. Contact the Glen Lake Library for the streaming link. The number of viewers will be limited to 100. On Thurs., Feb. 4 at 1:30pm join the conversation with film director Steven Lewis Simpson via Zoom (meeting link to be posted). glenlakelibrary.net/events
---------------------FUNDRAISER FOR THE LAUNDRY PROJECT: Receive 20% off your shopping at The Front Porch, Suttons Bay, when you donate to the Laundry Project, Jan. 29-31. The Laundry Project hosts two free laundry events each month at the Suttons Bay Laundromat where low income families, seniors & individuals with disabilities can have their basic laundry needs met. Monetary donations are being accepted, along with laundry detergent & fabric softener.
---------------------IRON FISH DISTILLERY FAT CHANCE FAT TIRE BIKE RACE: 10am, Crystal Mountain, Otter Trail loop, Thompsonville. The new 90 Minute Category Trail Loop course is 2 miles of high speed wide trail & a tight twisting single track section. The 45 Minute Category Trail Loop will be all wide open beginner friendly trail. Helmets required. Races will be started in waves of 10 riders to reduce congestion at the start line. Masks required at start. Register. crystalmountain.com/event/fat-chance-fat-tire
---------------------VIRTUAL TORCHLIGHT SNOWSHOE EVENT: Presented by Camp Daggett & Bearcub Outfitters. Rent snowshoes for $5 at Bearcub Outfitters, Petoskey on Jan. 30-31 (rental fees go to Camp Daggett). Bearcub will be collecting donations for Camp Daggett in the store. While at the store, participants can purchase tickets for prizes. Participants can then take their own individual hike, & post photos online. Tag @bearcuboutfitters & @ campdaggett on Facebook or Instagram to be entered in a drawing for Bearcub Outfitters gift certificates. If not on social media, email pictures to: sales@bearcuboutfitters.com. campdaggett.org/bearcub-snowshoe-for-daggett
---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: Shanty Creek Resort, Schuss Mountain, Nordic Center, Bellaire. Second Hand Mushers Rescue will give dog sled rides. They are offered every 30 minutes from 11am - 1:30pm. Face masks required. Reserve your spot: 866-695-5010. $65 per ride. secondchancemushersrescue.com/dog-sled-rides.html
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NUTCRACKER 2020: REIMAGINED UP NORTH: Purchase a virtual ticket on Anywhere Seat to stream directly to your home devices. You can stream the performance for $25 for the whole family. crookedtreeartscenter.anywhereseat.com/channel.php
jan 31
sunday
STELLA FOR SPOKES: Trattoria Stella & Chef Myles Anton will serve up a meal supporting Norte & active-for-life kids & families. Due to the pandemic, Chef Myles has developed a meal to easily unpack, heat up, & enjoy at home. Then, join at 5:30pm for a brief virtual toast with Chef Myles & Norte Executive Director Ty Schmidt. The base meal of greens, lasagna, bread, & tiramisu for two is $50 with add-ons, including the Norte Negroni signature cocktail, available. Orders can be placed through Jan. 27 at midnight. eventbrite. com/e/stella-for-spokes-tickets-136698832889
---------------------FUNDRAISER FOR THE LAUNDRY PROJECT: (See Sat., Jan. 30)
VIRTUAL TORCHLIGHT EVENT: (See Sat., Jan. 30)
SNOWSHOE
----------------------
jan/feb
DOG SLED RIDES: (See Sat., Jan. 30)
feb 01
30-07
monday
WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: Complete at least a 10K or 20K classic or freestyle race at any convenient location between Feb. 1-12. Shanty Creek has also offered their Nordic course for free during that time period as long as the skier wears the White Pine Stampede bib or current race shirt during the race. Registration is $30. A donation of $5 from each entry will be forwarded to Michigan Children’s Hospital & $1 will go toward the Jack McKaig Scholarship Fund. whitepinestampede.org
send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com
---------------------SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: Presented by 5 To One & Norte. Sign up with Great Start to be a sculptor, stroller, or both. Sculptors will receive a free Talking is Teaching resource bag, book, & a yard sign... plus some Norte swag. Runs Feb. 1 - March 15. greatstartkids.com/snow-sculpturestroll/?mc_cid=89f4a634c7&mc_eid=df24b9efb4
feb 02
tuesday
2021 ECONOMIC FORECAST: 12-1pm. Join the Petoskey Chamber for this free virtual event. The speaker will be Senior Vice President, Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist for PNC Financial Services Group Amanda Agati. Amanda’s presentation will focus on key indicators that guide the path forward for the markets & economy, & their potential to impact investors. Register. Free. petoskeychamber.com/events/ details/2021-economic-forecast-23542
---------------------WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
---------------------AAUW TC GENERATIONS AHEAD: 5:30pm. Pre-register through Zoom. The speaker will be Marjie Rich of Generations Ahead. Marjie will share both stories & current local statistics. Visit traversecityarea-mi.aauw.net for more info. Free. us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rf uurqD4tGtxyqIl_4Fp6cwuuos0ar5GT
---------------------SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
---------------------STARTING PLANTS FROM SEEDS: 6:30pm. Gardeners interested in starting their own garden plants from seeds can learn more at this online meeting of the Master Gardener Association of NW Michigan. To pre-register visit MGANM.org. You will then receive a Zoom link to the meeting via email. Free.
feb 03
wednesday
NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: An original play with music by Mad River Theater Works, based on Eugene Bullard’s life, the first African-American combat pilot & adventurer. True story. Register. Free. Runs Feb. 3 – March 5. greatlakescfa.org/event-detail/next-gen-virtualevent-wings-of-courage
---------------------WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
---------------------LIFELONG LEARNING HISTORY SERIES: ODAWA & THE CIVIL WAR: 7pm. Held via Zoom. Presentation by Eric Hemenway. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-4125264
---------------------CHILDCARE: AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE: Noon. This forum, available on Zoom & presented by four panelists, will provide a lo-
16 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
TC native Martha Teichner, who is now a correspondent for “CBS Sunday Morning,” brings her book, “When Harry Met Minnie,” to the National Writers Series, Thurs., Feb. 4 at 7pm. Since joining CBS News in 1977, Teichner has earned multiple national awards for her original reporting, including 11 Emmy Awards and five James Beard Foundation Awards. Teichner was also part of the team coverage of the Newtown, Conn. elementary school shooting which earned CBS News a 2014 duPont-Columbia Award. This virtual event is free, but donations are welcome. nationalwritersseries.org/programs/an-evening-with-martha-teichner/ cal perspective on the state of child care, with input from both those involved in finding & providing child care. Register in advance: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_W92enl-5SBmOxzweWUe3wA. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing info about joining the webinar. Free. LWVLeelanau.org
WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Weds., Feb. 3)
------------------------------------------FREE VIRTUAL REIKI HEALING: 6:30pm. Join Dr. Sally Littleton, Reiki master, college teacher & former psychotherapist, along with her Reiki master practitioners. Online Zoom presentation. Register. tadl.org/event/reikihealing-session-via-zoom
feb 04
thursday
NWS PRESENTS: AN EVENING WITH MARTHA TEICHNER: 7pm. The National Writers Series presents a virtual event in conversation with author, CBS Sunday Morning correspondent & Traverse City native Martha Teichner. Free (donations accepted). nationalwritersseries.org/ upcoming-events
---------------------ODAWA LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: Two Zoom presentations by Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society & Eric Hemenway. Part 1: Jan. 14, 6pm. Part 2: Feb. 4, 6pm. Email Ann Swaney for Zoom links: aswaney@acegroup.cc
------------------------------------------SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
feb 05
friday
LUNCHEON LECTURE: VETERANS’ COURT: Noon. Held online. Presented by NCMC. 90th District Court Judge Angela Lasher is developing a special court to address the unique needs of veterans with legal problems. She is building on the proven success of a sobriety court for defendants facing second convictions for drunk driving. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-4086049
---------------------WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Weds., Feb. 3)
---------------------SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
feb 06
saturday
OUTDOOR FAMILY FUN DAY: Tennis Court Park, Alden. Held from 11am-12:30pm OR 1-2:30pm. Interactive Story Walk, DIY snow sculptures, naturalist activity by Grass River staff, bonfire, snacks, Kids Bag of Books Sale. Space is limited & registration required. Call 231331-4318 by 4pm, Feb. 5. Social distancing will be observed & masks required. Free.
---------------------WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
---------------------OTSEGO RESORT’S ANNUAL WINTER WINE WALK: Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Check in at noon outside the River Cabin. A winter walk on the snowshoe path from the River Cabin to the Beaver Dam where a bonfire awaits. Enjoy three wine tasting stations paired with light food fare. Walk or snowshoe. Rentals available, but must be reserved ahead of time: 989-732-5181. $35. otsegoclub.com
---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Weds., Feb. 3)
---------------------SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: (See Sat., Jan. 30)
feb 07
sunday
WHITE PINE STAMPEDE GOES VIRTUAL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
--------------
NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Weds., Feb. 3)
---------------------SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: (See Mon., Feb. 1)
---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: (See Sat., Jan. 30)
ongoing
NEW WINTER TRAIL: Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, TC. Snowshoe, cross-country ski, or hike Brys Estate’s 111 acres. Choose from two winter trail options. Open daily from 11am-5pm. Keep warm with an insulated mug of Spiked Hot Apple Cider or a glass of wine while you enjoy the trail, or enjoy it post exercise at one of the fire pits in the snowy open space. Winter trails are not groomed & equipment is not provided. No inside service. brysestate.com/Visit-Us/wintertrail
---------------------THE ENCHANTED TRAIL: Open on Saturdays, Sundays & holidays from 5:30-8:30pm through winter at Boyne Highlands Resort, Harbor Springs. The trail totals two miles roundtrip, & features the twinkling of hundreds of lights strewn throughout the path. Guests can walk or snowshoe the trail with snowshoes available for rent. Tickets are $15 per person. Hot chocolate & s’mores are included. A cash bar is available & beverage tickets can be purchased in advance. Reserve your spot. boynehighlands.com
---------------------SENIOR CENTER NETWORK HELPS!: People in the 60-plus age group have become increasingly isolated during the COVID-19 “stayat-home” order & are challenged by an even greater reliance on technology. The Senior Center, TC offers puzzles, exercise equipment, & books available to be checked out. Call 9224911 to make arrangements to pick up. The “Little Free Library” located outside the main entrance is open at all times. There are also “boredom buster” packets with puzzles, fun
facts & jokes available. Make an appointment to pick up or have them mailed to you. Their Telephone Assurance Program provides staff & volunteers available to chat. grandtraverse. org/712/Senior-Centers
---------------------NORTHERN HOME & COTTAGE 2020 VIRTUAL TOUR: Explore 8 of Up North’s most stunning residences from the comfort of your own home through virtual video documentaries by Eagle Eye Video Production. This donationonly event benefits the Child and Family Services of Northwest Michigan. Suggested donation is $15. Runs through Jan.
---------------------VIRTUAL 2021 BAYSHORE MARATHON REGISTRATION: Featuring a marathon, half marathon & 10K. Register. Event held on May 29. bayshoremarathon.org
---------------------NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION: Calling 11th & 12th graders! Submit your best writing through March 1 at the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation website. Four scholarships are awarded each year in fiction, nonfiction, poetry & journalism with $1,000 awarded for each category. Eligible writers must have a permanent address in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, or Leelanau counties & be an 11th or 12th grader during the 2020/21 school year. gtrcf.org/scholarships/national-writersseries-scholarship-application.html
---------------------NORTE’S RUN SABADOS: GT Civic Center, TC. A weekly walk or run held on Saturdays. Meet outside the Wheelhouse at 10am, & then split up & hit the track.
---------------------OLD MISSION SNOWSHOE, WINE & BREW: Sundays, 10:50am-3pm through March 7. Grab your showshoes - or book online & rent a pair for the day - & enjoy wine & beer from the Old Mission Peninsula. Park at Jolly Pumpkin, TC to board the TC Brew Bus & start your trek. The TC Brew Bus will transport you to Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery. From there, you will follow a flagged snowshoe trail across the Old Mission Peninsula to Bowers Harbor Vineyards, & then snowshoe back to where you parked at Jolly Pumpkin. Tickets, $28. tcbrewbus.com/events
---------------------SENIOR WOW (WITH OUT WALLS) TIME: Tuesdays, 9am through March 9. A virtual meeting that offers something for everyone - from museum tours to tips for smart money management, & much more. Register. 922-4911. grandtraverse. org/2276/Virtual-Programming
---------------------SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES!: 12-5pm, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. Explore easy to moderate trails, & then warm up with a glass of mulled wine on the Terrace Patio. The Hearth & Vine Café will also offer hot food. Held on Saturdays through winter, plus Jan. 17 & Feb. 14. Snowshoes available to rent from 12-4pm; $20; must be returned by 5pm. No reservations needed. blackstarfarms.com/snowshoes-vines-wines
---------------------SUNDAY YOGA FLOW!: Join in for an energizing Vinyasa flow class on Sunday mornings at 11am in the studio space at the Dance Center, TC. Bring your own mat for class. Donation based by cash, check or Venmo. Must sign-up on Eventbrite before class time, & a face covering must be worn. eventbrite.com/e/sundayflow-tickets-137881313721
----------------------
VITAL VINYASA FLOW - THURSDAY NIGHTS!: 6pm, Thursdays, Feb. 4-25. Ground, flow, & stretch together. Held in the studio space at the Dance Center, TC. Bring your own mat for class. Must sign-up on Eventbrite before class time, & a face covering must be worn. Donation based class by cash, check or Venmo. eventbrite.com/e/vital-vinyasa-flowthursday-nights-tickets-126746527275
---------------------WEEKLY ZOOM STORY HOUR: Wednesdays, 11am, with Miss Ann. Presented by Interlochen Public Library. Meeting ID 876 3279 3456. Pass Code 364283.
“Jonesin” Crosswords "Start to Change" --out with the old, in with the new. by Matt Jones
ACROSS 1 Door frame component 5 Roadside digital display? 10 “Doubtful” 14 Laos’s locale 15 Concrete strengthener 16 “Scream” actress Campbell 17 “Bring on the carillons”? 19 James of “The Godfather” 20 Actress Keanan of “My Two Dads” 21 English actor McKellen, when traveling? 23 The NBA’s Thunder, on scoreboards 25 Rising and falling periodically 26 Pink Floyd box set released in 1992 30 “___ Rae” (Sally Field movie) 34 Actor Danza 35 Service group for GIs 37 “Yup” 38 Before, in verse 39 Dish set with a double helix pattern? 41 Partnering word 42 Liveliness 44 Pen end 45 Otherwise 46 Fix the names attached to the picture? 47 Burma, today 49 “___ something I said?” 53 Healing spring 54 Descriptor for about 79% of a certain group of Dalmatians? 58 Actress Cornish of “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” 62 Berry that’s not so exotic since it’s seemingly in everything 63 Prank where a link leads to a video of “Unforgettable”? 65 ___ packing (oust) 66 “A League of ___ Own” 67 City in northern Nevada 68 Barely beat (out) 69 Alex of “Taskmaster” who’s releasing new #Hometasking challenges during the pandemic 70 Much-needed partner of relaxation
DOWN 1 Vaccine shots, in the U.K. 2 “I’d hate to break up ___” 3 Kunis of “Black Swan” 4 Theater level 5 Three, in Italian 6 Prefix before sphere 7 Undersea WWII threat 8 Movie soundtrack singer Nixon 9 Ciabatta, e.g. 10 Like most modern movies 11 Actor Bridges 12 “Dear ___ Hansen” 13 Care for 18 Karaoke night need 22 Major kitchen appliance 24 Tally 26 Take the wheel 27 Mister Ed, for one 28 Blundering 29 Cryptanalysis org. 31 Royal domain 32 Group of geniuses, supposedly (I mean, what is this trying to prove?) 33 Snake with a puff variety 36 Pay for completely 37 “We Have the Meats” chain 39 Probe persistently 40 Dart thrower’s asset 43 Chew toy material 45 One who shouldn’t be helping 48 “Be ___!” (“C’mon, help me out!”) 50 New wave instrument, for short 51 Pocatello’s state 52 Luggage lugger 54 Move with care 55 Secured 56 The Sugarhill ___ 57 Happy reaction 59 Bitter humor 60 Stamp pad fillers 61 Quadruple awards honor, for short 64 Mine extraction
Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 17
NORTHERN EXPRESS
CLAS SIFIE DS OTHER CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN AND CREW Experienced Foreman in residential new builds and remodels. And experienced crew. (231) 360-6999 _____________________________________ TRAVERSE CITY’S BEST INSPECTION SERVICE, LLC Best Inspection Service is offering $50.00 off of inspections. Home inspections start at $350.00. Condo inspections are $295.00. Please call Shawn today @231.313.8047. Thank you. https:// www.bestinspectionservicellc.com/ _____________________________________ GRAND TRAVERSE BAY BOAT SLIP FOR RENT 2021 season Boat slips available for the 2021 season on Grand Traverse West Bay, close to downtown. Slips can accommodate up to 50’ boats. szj2930@ gmail.com
PRIVATE OFFICE WITH CLOSE PARKING IN CENTRAL TC 425 sq ft pvt, stand alone unit. Pvt bathroom and kitchenette. Parking next to bldg. Central location at 1515 Cass St, TC. $475 plus utilities call 946-1040 danh@hbk-cpas.com _____________________________________ LOST DIAMOND RING Diamond set in yellow gold band, lost in Traverse City or Suttons Bay on January 25, 2021. Family heirloom. Reward. Contact 231-342-9741 _____________________________________ MOBILEHOME INSURANCE Do you own, rent or lease a mobile home? Regardless of age, I have a product that can insure your mobile home! Call/email me: 231 943 4342/PatBryanInsurance@Gmail.com
the ADViCE GOddESS Blarenaked Ladies
Q
: Whenever I feel like I click with someone, I want to be upfront and tell them I like them right away. My friends all say this is dating suicide (and that’s how it’s been working out for me). But if I’m looking for emotional honesty in a partner, shouldn’t I lead with it? — Confused
A
: If we’re arrested, we have a right to remain silent. Ideally, we don’t just confess: “That was me, robbing the 7-Eleven. See — there on the video -- that’s my hair.” Best practices for criminals are also helpful for dating. In short, leaving some mystery as to whether you’re all in will make you seem more desirable. Consider that we value things that are hard to get, which is why people spend thousands of dollars on rings with sparkly rocks chipped out of African mines when there are very pretty sparkly pebbles that can be picked up all over suburbia. Psychologist Robert Cialdini explains that the less available something seems, the more desirable we perceive it to be. This doesn’t mean it is more valuable, but fear of losing access to it kicks off a motivational state in us: a drive to get it that we don’t feel when we hear, “More where that came from! Our supply’s basically on the level of ‘plague of locusts.’”
Easy. Accessible. All Online. northernexpress.com/classifieds 18 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
The thing is, you can tell somebody you’re into them through how you look at them and touch them. Consider where your longing to be immediately “honest” in spoken-word form might be coming from. Holding back information causes psychological tension, as does the suspense when we’re left wondering how another person feels. This tension is uncomfortable, so we long to relieve the pressure, like by exploding our feelz all over the person who inspired them. Tension released! Uh, along with the message that we’re probably deeply needy and “not all that.” Try an experiment: With the next three guys you date, make a pact with yourself to tough out the discomfort instead of flapping your lips to make it go away. In practical terms: Don’t confess. Just be. You’ll ultimately have
BY Amy Alkon a better chance of finding the “emotional honesty” you’re looking for than if you try to rush the process — like by calling the guy up and blurting out, “Hi...I really love you!” A strangely familiar male voice responds: “I’m sorry, Ma’am. This is the gas company.”
Dad Man Walking
Q
: I’m a 33-year-old woman with a male partner in his late 30s. We eventually want children, and I’ve been considering having my eggs frozen. My doctor suggested my boyfriend should consider freezing his sperm. He is a “manly man” type, and his masculinity is a strong part of his identity. How can I keep him from being insulted and angry if I suggest he look into sperm freezing? — Aspiring Mom
A
: Unfortunately, the men with the healthiest sperm are the 20-somethings who have trouble sustaining adult relationships -but no problem, because they’ll just have their mom call to tell you it’s over. We tend to have a weirdly one-sided view of fertility issues, as if a man’s only role in babymaking is the fun part, and never mind whether Daddy’s 27 or 70 at the time of conception. Meanwhile, women in their late 30s and their 40s get treated like they have dinosaur eggs. Having a bun in the oven at age 35 or older is referred to as a “geriatric pregnancy” or, less mortifyingly, being of “advanced maternal age.” It’s associated with increased risk of miscarriage and birth defects, as well as diabetes and high blood pressure in a woman during her pregnancy. There’s little understanding that aging sperm can be a problem, too. Researchers are still squabbling about when men hit “advanced paternal age,” but there’s general agreement that after age 40, sperm exhibit damage that can make it more difficult for a man to get a woman pregnant and are associated with greater miscarriage rates. There’s also an increased risk of having children who develop schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. OB-GYN researcher Dr. Nancy A. Phillips and her colleagues suggest that men “bank sperm before their 35th or, at least, their 45th birthday” to limit the risks to the mother, fetus, and child from aging sperm.
Mike Annelin
Enthusiastic & Experienced
Call Mike 231-499-4249 or 231-929-7900 L SA
15,000 sq. ft. office space in Copper Ridge business development Well-maintained, versatile office space $2,495,000 MLS# 1883032
200 inspiring feet of frontage on East Bay 4 bed, 2.5 bed ranch on 1.05 acres $2,000,000 MLS# 1880314
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0.72 acres, corner of Carver & Hastings Zoned industrial, empty lot $850,000 MLS#1882613
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7 Modern Live/Work Units near Boardman Lake Very unique investment opportunity $1,100,000 MLS#1854942
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4 bed, 3 bath, 2,193 sq. ft. log cabin-style gem 160 ft. private frontage, 1.29 beautiful acres $765,000 MLS# 1883024
Lovely, remodeled 3 bed, 3 bath home On secluded and wooded Arbutus Ridge $350,000 MLS# 1882112
0.84 acre lot for a new build, near Kingsley Partially wooded with countryside views $30,000 MLS# 1882064
0.75 acre lot for a new build, near Kingsley Open lot, nice countryside views $30,0000 MLS# 1882065
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0.41 acre wooded lot for new build In desirable Slabtown - great location $150,000 1320 Wayne Street
Northern Express Weekly • february 01, 2021 • 19
20 • february 01, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
