Synthesis Weekly – September 15, 2014

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Volume 21 Issue 4 September 15, 2014

For 20 years The Synthesis’ goal has remained to provide a forum for entertainment, music, humor, community awareness, opinions, and change.

Publisher/Managing Editor

Columns

This Week...

Ave Grave Interview

PAGE 8

Letter From the Editor

by Amy Olson

amy@synthesis.net

Amy Olson amy@synthesis.net

Creative Director

The Frugal Terran

Tanner Ulsh graphics@synthesis.net

by TripHazard

Entertainment Editor

PAGE 5

Alex Light Alex@synthesis.net SynthesisWeekly.com/submit-yourevent/

Immaculate Infection

by Bob Howard

Designers

Madbob@madbob.com

Liz Watters, Mike Valdez graphics@synthesis.net

Deliveries

by Mona Treme

Contributing Writers

Zooey Mae, Bob Howard, Howl, Koz McKev, Tommy Diestel, Eli Schwartz, Mona Treme, Emiliano GarciaSarnoff, Jon Williams, Crown, Alex O’Brien

PAGE 17

Scene Report

Photography

Gaytheist

Jessica Sid Vincent Latham

PAGE 18

Nerd

Dain Sandoval dain@synthesis.net Ben Kirby

Director of Operations

Reviews

#gamergate

PAGE 7

Karen Potter

PAGES 18 & 19

howlmovesmountains.tumblr.com

Bill Fishkin bill@synthesis.net

210 West 6th Street Chico Ca 95928 530.899.7708 editorial@synthesis.net

Ave Grave One Kick

Howl

Owner

The Synthesis is both owned and published

by Apartment 8 Productions. All things published in these pages are the property of Apartment 8 Productions and may not be reproduced, copied or used in any other way, shape or form without the written consent of Apartment 8 Productions. One copy (maybe two) of the Synthesis is available free to residents in Butte, Tehama and Shasta counties. Anyone caught removing papers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All opinions expressed throughout the Synthesis are those of the author and are not necessarily the same opinions as Apartment 8 Productions and the Synthesis.

The Synthesis welcomes, wants, and will even desperately beg for letters because we care what you think. We can be reached via snail mail at the Synthesis, 210 W. 6th St., Chico, California, 95928. Email letters@ synthesis.net. Please sign all of your letters with your real name, address and preferably a phone number. We may also edit your submission for content and space.

PAGE 16

Consider the Platypus

Joey Murphy, Jennifer Foti

Accounting

PAGE 4

PAGE 19

Supertime!

by Logan Kruidenier logankruidenier.tumblr.com

PAGE 20

From The Edge

by Anthony Peyton Porter

PAGE 22

Kozmik Debris

by Koz McKev

Productivity Wasted

kozmckev@sunset.net

PAGE 21

by Eli Schwartz

pwasted@synthesis.net

COVER PHOTO Vince Latham FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 3

PET OF THE WEEK

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Now Hear This SYNTHESIS WEEKLY PLAYLIST

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Mr MFN eXquire - “Triple F”

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Drake - “Worst Behavior”

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The California Honey Drops - “Here Comes Love”

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Deorro, DyCy - “Five Hours (Don’t Hold Me Back”

Andrea

Weezer - “Holiday”

Mike

Drake - “0 to 100”

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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

Scotland was a reluctant bride. The relationship with England had always been argumentative, to put it mildly. Eventually, however, she entered into a “permanent” union. She needed the stability, the money; she hoped it would mean she had equal voice in decisions that affected her. But maybe that isn’t enough anymore? Maybe it never was? After 307 years, the marriage may be falling apart. This Thursday, the 18th, the land of [half] my ancestors may decide on independence. The end of the United Kingdom as it has been for centuries. Or, maybe not.

As the polls have swelled closer to the tipping point, it seems like every British politician has pulled a Robin Thicke-esque “c’mon baby, I can change!” routine, bargaining with offers of new tax and welfare powers, cajoling with “don’t break this family apart.”

Divorce is rough. Everyone loses something, not least of which the sense of identity and strength that comes from being in a partnership. Even when the marriage is based on an imbalance of power and the struggle is draining, even when it’s painful to stay, it feels like falling off a cliff when you walk out the door. It isn’t easier than working on your problems or adapting yourself to dissatisfaction; it’s a hard choice, a leap of faith—one that I made after spending nearly a third of my life with someone.

The day I left, I felt like my once certain future was suddenly a vast darkness. I felt like my once certain past was suddenly an illusion, that every happiness had been a lie because it was a prelude to this. I had to remember who I was before I was his wife, face the fact that I had changed irreversibly, and figure out how to just be my Self in the world—alone and free and unsupported. Well, not entirely alone and unsupported—my friends were amazing—but I was so used to discussing every decision in life, so used to our lifestyle and relying on him to earn the bulk of our living, so used to the issues we were constantly rehashing. It

was weird and dizzying to be doing whatever I wanted to again, to be responsible for only my own well being. And then I had to accept that every happiness had not been a lie, and that the part of me that loved him would have to suffer the process of grieving before I could be happy again.

This week I’ve been working on my wedding dress. It turns out that the vast darkness was more like the universe before the Big Bang. So many wonderful things I never imagined have come into existence, faster than I ever thought possible.

I would never blame anyone for staying in a hard relationship rather than risking the unknown, or for getting bogged down in the confusion of emotions after a split. It’s necessarily awful. I will say this, however— sometimes you have to fall apart just to see what you’re made of, and sometimes you have to have a big hole cored out of your heart for deeper love to move in.

OK, the Scotland metaphor falls apart with that last bit. I doubt they’ll end up meeting a new country to form an even better union with. Certainly not Wales—what’ve they got to offer, a bunch of shale and reruns of Torchwood? (Zing.)

Letter From the Editor

by Amy Olson

amy@synthesis.net

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Personal Percentages IS THERE A CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE FOR BUDGETS? In response to my last column, a concerned reader told me that “college textbooks” shouldn’t be included under the “miscellaneous” category. While I technically hedged my bets by saying “often includes,” this is a great example of how you can determine the categories for your own expenses.

College students will be well served by having an “Education” category in their budget, and they can plan ahead for the expenses of books by saving a little each month toward future book buying binges. If you’re expecting to spend $200 on books in January, then (starting now) put $40 per month aside in a savings account. When the January book troll arrives, demanding its $200 toll, you’ll have it ready.

As noted in my previous column, one way of slicing up your budget is by spending 50% on Needs, 20% into Savings, and 30% on Wants.

For the first time budgeteer, I suggest trying some more specific categories first. There are numerous financial gurus who provide categorical percentage suggestions, typically looking something like this: Housing—33%; Food—15%; Transportation—15%; Health—10%; Savings—10%; Entertainment—7%; and Miscellaneous—10%.

Those percentages can vary wildly at different times and situations. For example, an 18 year old college student raised in Chico might live with his parents and have health insurance coverage through them (thanks, Obama).

In this situation, his Housing and Health categories are a combined 0% instead of the suggested 43%. Remember your algebra— because he’s not paying for those things, his

spending on other categories will take up a higher percentage of his total spending, skewing those percentages in turn. With few big expenses, let’s estimate that he spends a total of $500 monthly, with $200 of on food, making his Food category 40% of his total spending. If I spend the same amount on food, but my total expenses are $2000 per month, then Food is only 10% of my budget, despite the fact we’re spending the same amount. This confusing situation is the major limitation of a percentage based budget.

Am I doing better than him because food is taking up a smaller part of my budget?

Not at all, but that’s the wrong question to ask. A better one is “Am I making sure each category’s spending is economical and efficient?”

Real life example: I had a friend who created her first budget at 28. She tracked her spending and saw she spent 60% of her income on rent (because she valued living alone in a house). She decided she valued paying off her debts more, and so moved in with her sister for a year. This cut her Housing category to 25%, and she put the other 35% toward debts. She paid off her debts in six months, and then started putting that 35% into saving for a down payment on a house. That’s the power of examining the percentages. This week’s task is to figure out your current spending percentages and see how they line up.

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On The Town 6

PHOTOS BY JESSICA SID

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

Productivity Wasted

by Eli Schwartz pwasted@synthesis.net

I Should Probably Talk About Zoe Quinn BUT I’M NOT GOING TO ENJOY IT Although there are a lot of people and a lot of hate on the internet, few people (Politicians and Plutocrats excepting) have as much hate specially directed at them right now as does Zoe Quinn, a 27 year old woman who created a video game. There are definitely accusations of her doing other things, but all of these are unproven. I’m going to talk about her because there is an enormous controversy surrounding her, because as an internet lurker and gamer, I am drenched in this controversy at least bi-weekly, and because most of the affair has already begun to blow over, giving me some time-space to analyze things.

Quinn made mention in some video game journalism when she announced her work on her project, Depression Quest, a text chooseyour-own adventure game about having depression. Much of this she got because she had friends, and ties, to gaming journalists, most of which were on Kotaku. Writer Patricia Hernandez has confirmed she’s a good friend of Quinn, which was how she heard about the game in the first place, and thought it sounded interesting. Quinn’s also been accused (by a furious ex-boyfriend, no less) of sleeping with multiple people of authority in her life, among them successful journalist Nathan Grayson, who works for several gaming journalism sites, and did, at one point, promote her game (though he did not write a formal review). The accusation is that Quinn has used croneyism to not only get support for her game, but also used her supposed influence (the accusations of which seem to imply she controls a great deal of the internet) to remove any and all criticism published on legitimate journalism and discussion sites.

One thing is undeniable: articles, threads, and posts directed against her, whether published by a staff journalists or in user comments, have been removed wholesale across many sites by upper management. The result of this removal is, inevitably, further fire for what many adherents call “The Quinnspiracy” (a play not only on her name, but also an exact copy of Quinn’s tumblr name) and cries of censorship even from those initially neutral on the issue. The internet has proven a thousand times over that attempting to hide or remove anything with a large following will only give it legs. Twitter burned white for weeks, as misogynistic insults pulled in feminist arguments, and the eternally bellicose developer Phil Fish had some choice words for Quinn’s critics. “Human garbage” was a favorite.

Quinn’s game has been lambasted (you’ll note that the vast majority of its Steam reviews are extremely negative), armies of hateful emails have been sent, threats that would make an inquisitor cringe have started long and heated threads, and her personal information has been stolen and leaked wholesale, with others egging on anyone who has the guts to go after her in person. Quinn is now literally in hiding, couchsurfing among friends.

The great irony, of course, is that many of Quinn’s greatest enemies are people very much like her, and like me. I know because I pay attention to them (and to myself), and I’ve met and associated with internauts of many schools of thought, some of which would make many readers turn and spit. Yet it is our similarities that have fostered such terrible

conflict between us. We are between the ages of 18 and 30, internet-addicted introverts with an eternal, personal barrier separating us from the world; who learn more on Wikipedia than from school, are outspoken and eloquent in text and taciturn and hamfisted in speech, and who feel a sudden social grace at the startup-boot click of their PCs and mush through life eager to return to their handcarved communities and speak in their hardlearned lingo.

it barely qualifies. I wouldn’t hesitate to call it like a video game, but I wouldn’t call it the real McCoy. The game makes no pretense of being fun, and even thanks the player at the end of the credits for playing a game that isn’t fun. It is, more so than most choose-yourown-adventures and visual novels and other strange and wondrous formats which blur the line between the written and played work, really an example of a text story disguised as a game.

Many of them bristle at the notion of this girl (because approximately 60% of the arguments I’ve found have a no-girls-allowed clause) making some cheap, text-based game about depression, when she’s never experienced depression like they have, these young men who feel society has abandoned them, and aspire to make their own home on a stretch of imageboard somewhere, only to have videogames, their own social lubricant, their secret pride and interest, stolen from them That’s what they say when the conspiracy arguments run dry, and the night grows long, and they’re among friends. Their bitterness and hate is sad, sadder than any normal flame war, filled with longing.

It doesn’t deserve the hate, but the hate is here, and now it’s about more than journalistic croneyism, video games, or even the further-damaged reputation and integrity of the identity of “the Gamer” in the wake of the digital violence. Topics like isolation, depression, and of course, feminism have hijacked not just Quinn’s defenders, but many of the original belligerents. Now Quinn stands for more than her game, or even her own personal reputation. To her believers, she is the definitive survivor of the medium-pushing artist, a feminist paragon descending into the tide of PC gaming’s landed elite of neckbeards and young men. To her detractors, she is the arrogant impetus of yet another wave of the popular world attacking and marginalizing the video game community. I think she’s just a woman with some big feelings who made a personal project public, and had some connections that helped her, without being dishonest. The rest is regular, sad, internet madness.

I’ve played Depression Quest. Some people say it’s a bad game, but I disagree. I think it’s good, but I don’t think it’s really a game.

The choose-your-own adventure text crosses out more and more options as you descend further into depression, and everything has the same choice: struggle or spiral. As a PSA about what depression is, what it’s like, how it encourages destruction, loathing, and compulsive lying, it’s spot on. As a game, well,

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 7

ave grave

by Zooey Mae photos by Vince Latham

After playing in and writing songs for local Chico band The Shimmies for the last decade, Sean Galloway has branched out on his own to develop a solo project entitled Ave Grave. In August he released his first full length album, a seamless blend of haunting melodies and memorable lyrics, and immediately afterwards, Galloway embarked on a northwest tour with bay area-based musician Angelica Tavella (aka Nyx). Fresh off a tour and his album release, he’s coming back to town to play at 1078 Gallery with Chris Keene and Robin Bacior on September 19.

Galloway recently sat down with Synthesis to discuss his recent album release, Twin Peaks, and Twitter.

What made you settle on Ave Grave?

When you first started your solo stuff, you went by Birdy Fielder. Why the name change to Ave Grave?

I just had a lot of quieter songs, or stuff I wanted to be quieter. Not that The Shimmies are a full rock band, but I had a few songs written that wouldn’t quite fit with them. A guy put out a tape for me a few years ago, just lo fi stuff, and it prompted me to want to record my own stuff.

It was a bad name [laughs]. It only existed because when I jumped off of Myspace onto Facebook, I didn’t want people to be able to find me. So that name (Birdy Fielder) was just a combination of a book I really liked called Birdy, and Jimmy [Galloway] used to write stories under the pen name Haugton Fielder.

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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

It’s the name of one of my favorite songs by probably my favorite band called Thee More Shallows. I just liked it a lot.

I remember when you seemed to be getting tired of playing as Birdy Fielder, there was a brief time when you referred to yourself as Beardy Feelings. I have to say, I’m sad that name didn’t stick. [laughs] Well, yeah.

Why a solo project? What prompted you to make this a separate thing when you write songs for The Shimmies?

So, when you listen to the album now as a finished product, do you hear things you’d still like to change?

I already want to start working on another one. I listened to the album a few times through after it was mixed, and thought “OK, the song order works.” This album took me about a year and a half to do, and everything is how I want it to be. And I have a few songs already written that are for the next album.

When you write music, does it come in bursts or is it a thing that’s just happening in your brain all the time?

It’s a combination. I mean yeah, it definitely comes in bursts. But I’ll go through really creative periods where I’ll write a lot of songs. It used to happen a lot more. It definitely comes and goes. I usually always have some on the back burner that I’m thinking about all the time. But sometimes I go through periods where I don’t want to write songs at all. I just want to watch Twin Peaks [laughs].

How personal are the lyrics you write?

Well, I don’t usually write them to be explicitly obvious. I mean yes, they are about personal experiences, but hopefully when people hear them they don’t think “wow, what an embarrassing thing to

say about yourself.” [laughs] Or maybe they do, I don’t know. It’s personal stuff. I’ve known bands that write lyrics that are stories from another perspective, like this is what I imagine this person’s life to be, but that’s generally not what I do. It’s personal stuff but I try not to be too Dear Diary about it.

At your album release show at Cafe Coda, you were joined on stage for some songs by

Stephen, Jimmy, and Jack (the rest of The Shimmies), as well as Adrian Hammons. When you’re writing a song to play as Ave Grave, do you imagine it with what your brothers or Jack might add to the mix, or was that just how those songs evolved?

Well with The Shimmies, after writing a song, I used to have all the parts arranged in my head and I’d just say ‘OK let’s all

everybody do this.’ But for years now, I’ll only write the bones of a song and they’re just all amazing musicians who do amazing things. For this album, I wrote the first couple of songs completing the production as I went, and I really liked the way they came out. So I tried to make the rest use some similar instruments and I found sounds that I just really liked. But as far as what they did, Stephen wrote that cool guitar part on “I Am On Your Side.” He

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came over and I’d said, “this song still needs one more thing,” and he just came in and did it, and then it was finished. He’s really good, and always has been, and listening to all the parts of a song. For me, songs are just something happening to me, I hear the melody and it all blends together, but Stephen has always been really good at hearing all the little parts of the production, and now I’ve learned from him and by making my own stuff to do that.

If you had to make a pie chart of the things you consumed while you were making the album, whether it be from pop culture, or other music, or people you were seeing, etc, what would it look like?

Well I started making this with my friend Dave Bolt, who makes downbeat electronic stuff, and he’s the one who got me into Twin Peaks. And then I became obsessed with it. I was just telling Angie (Nyx) last night, that I think I’m kind of like Rain Man in a way, because I have to have certain things a particular way. Like I have to watch Twin Peaks every day and I have to listen to the same four albums for months on end.

So what would be in that pie chart, besides Twin Peaks?

I listened to a lot of ambient music. I

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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

actually released an ambient EP right before this album, which nobody bought [laughs]. but I listened to a lot of Stars of the Lid, Brian Eno, and a lot of classical music. Dustin O’Halloran, and Adam something-or-other from Stars Of The Lid. Just a lot of that stuff. William Basinski.

Eric Satie. Ambient stuff. Good stuff.

What is “good” ambient music?

Well it’s weird that you can just draw the line like that, but there’s so much bad ambient music out there... but still, I don’t know that I could explain to someone why Stars of the Lid is so good.

I don’t think I have the patience to appreciate ambient music. I think it’s music for musicians. It just frustrates me. Like get to the song part, you know?

There isn’t one! [laughs]. There’s actually a Marx Brothers bit where I think it’s Harpo that’s playing the piano, and Groucho comes up and says, ‘when you get to a song, play it!’ [laughs]. And I really don’t even know that many musicians who like this stuff, besides me, Dave [Bolt] and Stephen. I mean, Adrian [Hammons] hates William Basinski.

Maybe your next instrument to master should be the Theramin.

I love Theramin! During the album release show I had this really breathy synth patch, and I sat down and started playing it and thought, maybe I’ll just do this for 40 minutes [laughs].

So I guess I just consumed a lot of ambient stuff, and watched a lot of Twin Peaks. There’s a lot of music that’s not ambient that I really, really like, and take a lot of influence from. But when I’m trying to write music, I can’t listen to it, because then I’ll sit down to write and think, oh sweet, I just wrote a Wilco song. So I have to avoid it. And I know nobody’s writing in a vacuum, but still.

So ambient music is like a palate cleanser for your brain?

Yeah, I guess, it’s just so far away from what I was doing on this album. But when I made the ambient EP, I didn’t listen to ambient music. I just want to listen to something that’s far away from what I’m trying to do, but that I also enjoy.

Anything else that you were consuming?

Twitter. My Twitter peoples. They don’t know I exist, but yeah. my boys. I follow “very cool. and nice” (@ dogboner), Jon Hendren (@fart), and Mary Charlene (@ IAmEnidColeslaw). There are tons of really funny Twitter people that just blow my mind and make me laugh really hard.

There you have it! Come to 1078 Gallery on Sept 19th to see Ave Grave with Chris Keene and Robin Bacior.

Hey, you.

Wanna tell someone what’s what?

Wanna tell everyone what’s what?

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SEPTEMBER 15 2014

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lOAM -2PM $5 Bottles of Champagne

with entree $4.50 Bloody Mary $5.50 Absolut Pep par Bloody Marys

What's a GONG SHOW?

Performers sign up at Duffy's Tavern.

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM

Full Bar in Back Room Weds, Fri & Sat Nights!

PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Rock Out atThe DL!

Enjoy Live Music, Great Grub, and 10 9' foot tables Open@llam All ages untill lOpm

Baby Back Ribs w/Sa lad , Fries & garlic bread $11.99 8pm-Close $4 Single/$6 Double

Jack or Captain $3 Sierra Nevada Pints FREE Pool after lOPM

Cocktails

$100 FIRST PRIZE!

Hungry amateurs will compete in a talent contest that will be judged by a panel of local celebrities. If the act is so bad that the judges can't bear to watch it, they have the power to hit the gong and send the performer or performers off the stage. If they are not gonged, they move forward in the competition where they can win incredible prizes sponsored by none other than Duffy's Tavern. We are searching for that perfect act -there is no boundary! Dance, song, performance, strange tricks, anything goes as long as you don't get GONGED!

Open at llAM $4.50 Bloody Mary $5.50 Absolut Pep par Bloody Marys Noon- 6PM $8 / $9 SN Dom Pitchers $5.50 DBL Bacardi

-PB6J/ ~6.50 SHOT OF JAM~ON IRISH

WHISKEY WITH A

BOlTLE 0-FPBR

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Free Pool with Purchase!

1.00 off Sierra and Dom Pitchers

Summertime Special

$1.00 off PBR and Olympia Cans

$2.50 Wells & Sierra

$5.49 Grad/Garden/ Turkey Burger w/fries

or salad Bloodies $3 Well, $4 Ca II, $5 Top, $6 Goose Mimosas $2/flute, $5/pint $6 CHEAP Beer Pitchers FREE Pool after lOPM

ANNIVERSARY KICKOFF SHOW

AUBREY DEBAUCHERY AND

BROKEN BONE THE

SHIMMIES AND CITIES

SEPT 19 / 9:30PM/$5

J.OES cf ~) ~Y'tfr'~ ~~!I

Lounge

V1pu1tra

C HI CO CA

Closed

Go Downlo

BEAR-E-OKE BURGER MADNESS! Bear Burger with fries or salad for $5.49. llam-lOpm.

Happy Hour 11-GPM select bottles & drafts $3

CLOSED

2 FOR 1 BURGERS ALL DAY!!

MINORS WELCOME!

LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM Closed

Go Downlo

BEAR WEAR! 1/2 off while wearing Bear Wear.

MUG CLUB 4-lOPM

$2.50 Select Sierra Nevada or Dom Drafts $2 Ka mis-any flavor All Day

$3.50 Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm

Happy Hour 4 - 7pm

Progressive Night:

$1.50 sliders and other cheap eats!

8 - lOpm $1 Dom, Wells & Sierra Nevada Pale Ale lOpm - Close: Up $0.25 per hourtil closing

All 16 oz Teas or AMF $3 All Day

$3.50 SkyyyVodka Cocktails $3.50 Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-Spm

1/2 OFF EVERYTHING!!!

4-GPM $1 Dom Drafts $2 SN Drafts & Wells $S DBL Captain Buck Night 8-Close $1 wells, SN Pale Ale, Rolling Rock, Dom Draft $3 Black Butte $4 Vodka Red bull

Closed

Happy Hour 11-GPM $3 select bottles & drafts

9pm-Close $212ozTeas $3 20ozTeas $2 Well, Dom Bottles & bartender Specials $S Vodka Red Bull

Happy Hour 4 - 7pm

4-GPM $1 Dom Drafts $2 SN Drafts & Wells $S DBL Captain Spm-Close $4 lSl Party punch 22oz.

8-9pm $1 Pale Ale& Dom.Draft Up $0.2S/ hr until close

Closed

Power Hour 8 - 9pm

Open at 9PM

1/2 Off Liquor & Drafts (excludes pitchers) 9PM -Close $3 Pale Ale Drafts $9.7S Pitchers Crown Royal Promo 9pm-close

BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available!

Call for reservation 898-9898 Large selection of wines, sangrias and Martinis.

LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

WACKY WEDNESDAYS (8-cl) DJ Party 4 different DJ's $lwells $2 calls $2 domestic bottles $6 pitchers of well drinks

Go Downlo

Happy Hour 4 -Spm Ladies Night!

88 pm-CLOSE $S Pabst pitchers $2 shot board $4 Moscow Mules $3 Jamo and Ginger Buck Hour 10:30-11:30

Early Bird Special 9-lOPM l /2 offwells

Happy Hour 4 -Spm

Early Bird Special 9-lOPM l/2offwells

FIREBALL FRIDAYS!!!

SPM -Close $3 Fireball Shots $4 Big Teas $3 Coronas

TRIKE RACES! Post time@ lOpm. Win T-shirts and Bear Bucks.

MUG CLUB 4-lOPM LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

1/2 OFF COVER before lOPM

BURGER MADNESS! Bear Burger with fries or salad for $5.49. llam-lOpm.

$2.50 16oz Wells All Day

MUG CLUB from 4-lOPM

LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

Select Pints $3

Opening at Spm for so's NIGHT!!

8 pm-CLOSE $4 Sauza Margaritas $3 Ka mis $3 Shocktop & VIP pint

Early Bird Special 9-lOPM l /2 offwells

KARAOKE "INDUSTRY NIGHT" 8 PM-CLOSE HALF OFF ALMOST EVERYTH ING!(Except Red Bull and Premium Liquors) Specials All Day!

Call To Rent For Private Party

LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

LIVE MUSIC 1/2 OFF COVER before lOPM

Go DownLo

$3.SO Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm Crown Royal Promo 9pm-close $4.SO Crown cocktails & shots Giveaways- Samples!

LIVE MUSIC 1/2 OFF COVER before lOPM

BURGER MADNESS! Bear Burger with fries or salad for $5.49. llam-lOpm. LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

$4 Sex On The Beach $4 Sierra Nevada Knightro ON TAP $1 Jello Shots 7-lOPM $3 Fireball

$4World Famous Bloody Joe $S Premium bloodys your choice of vodka

CLOSED Spm - Close: $2.50 Sierra Nevada, & Margaritas $3.50 Cuervo Margarita $3.00 Corona bottles & Corona Lt. Drafts

$3.SO Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm

Champagne Brunch llam -2pm $4 Champagne with entree

$1.SO sliders and other cheap eats!!

Happy Hour-4-7pm $S Fridays 4-Spm Most food items and pitchers of beer are $5

Hot "Dawgs" ALL DAY!

Closed

134 BROADWAY ST, CHICO, CA I 530.893.5253

Mon. - Sat. 4PM - 6PM $1 Dom. draft, $2 SN Draft and Wells Powe r Hour B - 9PM $3 Pale Ale Drafts $9.7S Pitchers

BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available!

Call for reservation 898-9898

CLOSED

CLOSED

Open at 9PM Large selection of wines, sangrias and Martinis.

Champagne Brunch and SPORTS!

Open 'til 2AM

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO

13

This Week Only...

BEST BETS IN ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, September 16th

NPR MUSIC SALE & CONCERT CHICO WOMEN’S CLUB

Saturday, September 20th

Sunday, September 21st

A TINY HOUSE VILLAGE FILM PREMIERE PAGEANT THEATRE

The Tiny House Movement is a thing. A lot of people are beginning to realize they want a home, don’t need a lot of room, and can actually build a pretty amazing, ecologically responsible house themselves.

Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT) explored Tiny House projects throughout the northwest, and made a short film about it. Suggest donation: $5 for every room in your house. 2pm.

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

Saturday, September 20th

CIRQUE PEKING LAXSON AUDITORIUM

The National Acrobats Of The People’s Republic Of China are not human. They’re superhuman. They are Chinese. In the group’s latest Cirque Peking you will see things you always suspected MIGHT be possible to accomplish with a body, but never really believed would happen. The colors, the costumes, the dances, the sets; it’s all positively mindblowing. Buy tickets at the University Box Office: $30 adults, $28 seniors, $18 youth, $10 students. 7:30pm

14

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS TO CALENDAR@SYNTHESIS.NET

This is an all-day, FREE show at the Women’s Club, and it gets so much better than that: North State Public Radio is clearing out their music library. And I mean clearing it the FUCK out; Nolan Ford told me CDs would cost fifty cents, and vinyls would cost $1-$2. Performing live for your enjoyment will be Pat Hull, Robin Bacior, The Mondegreens, Electric Canyon Convergence, The Amblers, Bird And Wag, and Broken Rodeo. Free, 11am-8pm.

EARTHDANCE CHICO 2014 LOWER BIDWELL PARK

Chico is so cool that we has one of the biggest, best parks ever. Chico is so cool that we just have our own free festivals sometimes. Come to Cedar Grove (bathrooms, bridge, where Shakespeare In The Park used to be, etc.) and experience global, peaceful, connected community, man. Over 7 bands playing all day, including Bogg and Soul Union, vendors, dance, art, and more. Free, 11am-7:30pm.

New & Exciting: Ongoing Events: 16 Tuesday

Laxson: National Acrobats of China. $30 adults, $10 students, 7:30pm.

17 Wednesday

Harlen Adams Theatre: Peace Institute lecture: US Foreign Policy, Myth vs. Reality. Free, 7:30pm Red Tavern: Los Caballitos de la Cancion Quartet live. 6:30-8:30pm

18 Thursday

Blue Room: The Outsiders. $12 adv., $15 door, 7:30pm Chico Theatre Company: Barefoot In The Park. $12 children, $20 adults, 7:30pm Duffys: Aubrey Debauchery & The Broken Bones, The Shimmies, Cities. $5, 9pm LaSalles: Happy Hour with Matt McBride Band. 6-9pm Lost On Main: Lil’ Smokies, Low Flying Birds. $5, 9pm

19 Friday

1078 Gallery: Robin Bacior, Chris Keene, Ave Grave. $5-$10 sliding scale, 7:30pm Blue Room: The Outsiders. $12 adv., $15 door, 7:30pm Chico Art Center: Local florists Gala Reception. $20, 6-9pm Chico Theatre Company: Barefoot In The Park. $12 children, $20 adults, 7:30pm LaSalles: Happy Hour with Tyler DeVoll.

6-9pm Electronic Disco Party. 9pm Lost On Main: KZFR presents Moonalice. $10, 8:30pm Maltese: The Harmed Brothers, Sons Of Jefferson, Bran Crown. $5, 9pm

20 Saturday

1078 Gallery: Local film premiere “Dead Drunk.” $5, 7:30pm Blue Room: The Outsiders. $12 adv., $15 door, 7:30pm Chico Theatre Company: Barefoot In The Park. $12 children, $20 adults, 7:30pm Chico Womens Club: NPR Music Sale, ft.

Pat Hull, Robin Bacior, The Mondegreens & more. Free, 11am-8pm LaSalles: Happy Hour with Chris Schadt Band. 5:30-8pm Laxson: North State Symphony— “Embark” Tix @ University Box Office, 7:30pm Monstros: Reptoid, Boom City, Dumpstar. $5, 8pm Pageant Theatre: The Way Home: A Tiny House Village. $5, 2pm

15 Monday

The Bear: Bear-E-oke! 9pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Chico Womens Club: Prenatal Yoga.

5:30-6:30pm DownLo: Pool League. 3 player teams, signup with bartender. 7pm.

All ages until 10pm. Comedy Night, Free.

Janet Turner Museum: Inhabitable: The Sense Of City. 11am-4pm Maltese: Open Mic Comedy or Music, alternates every week. Signups at 8pm, starts at 9pm. Mug Night 7-11:30pm The Tackle Box: Latin Dance Classes.

Free, 7-9pm University Art Gallery: “Flip The Script” by Pablo Cristi. 9am-5pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Yoga Center Of Chico: Sound Healing w. Emiliano. Breathwork, Meditation, Healing.

16 Tuesday

100th Monkey: Fusion Belly Dance mixed-level class, with BellySutra. $8/class or $32/month. 6pm Open Mic plus showcase by local musicians. 7pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Chico Women’s Club: Yoga. 9-10am.

Afro Carribean Dance. $10/class or $35/mo. 5:50-7pm. Followed by Capoeira, $3-$10. 7:30-8:30pm Crazy Horse Saloon: All Request Karaoke. 21+ DownLo: Game night. All ages until 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: Salsa Lessons, 7-10pm Janet Turner Museum: Inhabitable: The Sense Of City. 11am-4pm LaSalles: ’90s night. 21+

Panama Bar: Tropical Tuesdays ft.

Mack Morris & DJ2K. 10pm Studio Inn Lounge: Karaoke.

8:30pm-1am The Tackle Box: Karaoke, 9pm University Art Gallery: “Flip The Script” by Pablo Cristi. 9am-5pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Trivia Challenge. Call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts 6:30pm

17 Wednesday

The Bear: Trike Races. Post time 10pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Chico Women’s Club: Afro Brazilian Dance. 5:30-7pm DownLo: Wednesday night jazz.

8 Ball Tournament, signups 6pm, starts 7pm Duffys: Dance Night! DJ Spenny and Jeff Howse. $1, 9pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Janet Turner Museum: Inhabitable: The Sense Of City. 11am-4pm The Maltese: Friends With Vinyl!

Bring your vinyl and share up to 3 songs/12 minutes on the turntable.

9pm-1am Panama Bar: Game Night. Prizes & Specials. Free to play!

The Tackle Box: Line Dance classes.

Free, 5:30-7:30pm. Swing Dance classes. Free, 7:30-9:30pm University Art Gallery: “Flip The Script” by Pablo Cristi. 9am-5pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Trivia Night plus Happy Hour. call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts at 8pm

18 Thursday

The Beach: Live DJ, no cover, 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. Free, 9pm Chico Art Center: National All Media

21 Sunday

Blue Room: The Outsiders. $12 advance, $15 door, 7:30pm Chico Theatre Company: Barefoot In The Park. $12 children, $20 adults. 2pm Cedar Grove: Chico Earthdance. Free, 11am-7:30pm

EAT. DRINK. PLAY. Find Out How you Can Play Pool for Only $1/Day!

Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm DownLo: Chico Jazz Collective.

8-11pm. All ages until 10pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Has Beans Downtown: Open Mic Night. 7-10pm. Signups start at 6pm Holiday Inn Bar: Karaoke. 8pm-midnight Janet Turner Museum: Inhabitable: The Sense Of City. 11am-4pm LaSalles: Free live music on the patio. 6-9pm Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-close Panama Bar: Buck night and DJ Eclectic & guests on the patio. 9pm Quackers: Karaoke night with Andy.

9pm-1am University Art Gallery: “Flip The Script” by Pablo Cristi. 9am-5pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Open Mic Night Yoga Center Of Chico: Ecstatic Dance with Clay Olson. 7:30-9:30pm

19 Friday

The Beach: Live DJ, 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. Free, 9pm Cafe Coda: Friday Morning Jazz with Bogg. 11am Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Fusion Fridays, the best country, rock, oldies, 80s & top 40. Country dance lessons 9-10:30pm DownLo: ½ off pool. All ages until 10pm. Live Music, 8pm Duffys: Pub Scouts - Happy Hour.

4-7pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dance Party.

8pm-midnight Janet Turner Museum: Inhabitable: The Sense Of City. 11am-4pm LaSalles: Open Mic night on the patio. 6-9pm

Maltese: Happy hour with live jazz

by Bogg. 5-7pm. LGBTQ+ Dance Party. 9pm Panama Bar: Jigga Julee, DJ Mah on the patio. 9pm Peeking: BassMint. Weekly electronic dance party. $1-$5.

9:30pm Quackers: Live DJ. 9pm Sultan’s Bistro: Bellydance Performance. 6:30-7:30pm University Art Gallery: “Flip The Script” by Pablo Cristi. 9am-5pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm

20 Saturday

The Beach: Live DJ, 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. No Cover.

9pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Ladies Night Dancing. 10pm-1:30am DownLo: 9 Ball tournament.

Signups at noon, starts at 1pm. All ages until 10pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dancing. 70s and 80s music. The Molly Gunn’s Revival! 8pm-midnight Janet Turner Museum: Inhabitable: The Sense Of City. 11am-4pm LaSalles: 80’s Night. 8pm-close The Maltese: Dragopolis. $3, 10pm Panama Bar: DJ Eclectic on the patio. 9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm

21 Sunday

Dorothy Johnson Center: Soul Shake Dance Church. Free-style dance wave, $8-$15 sliding scale.

10am-12:30pm DownLo: Free Pool, 1 hour with every $8 purchase. All ages until 10pm LaSalles: Karaoke. 9pm Maltese: Live Jazz 4-7pm. Trivia 8pm Tackle Box: Karaoke, 8pm

LESSONS, LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS! GREAT FOOD! LIVE MUSIC! 319 Main Street (530) 892-2473 FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 15

Life Beyond the NFL I totally missed the opening weekend of NFL football. Since we’ve gotten this streaming internet television viewing device I am no longer plugged into any kind of normal schedule. If we’re not watching AbFab or getting our kicks off the soft-core porn that is Californication, I’ll tune into the streams of horror and exploitation films running on either Bizarre, or Cryptic TV. The other night I came to around 3:30 in the morning to the scene of a lithe, topless redhead levying tremendous, slow-motion karate kicks upon a hapless enemy.

But it’s been impossible to avoid the stories of the horrific beating former Baltimore Raven Ray Rice laid on his then fiancee, now wife Janay Palmer. I haven’t watched the video and I don’t plan to. I don’t know what I could say that a million other people haven’t already stated, but I will say I feel horrible for everyone involved. It’s a bad, ugly, sad situation.

Humans, we’re so far from perfect.

On The Town 16

PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

Anyway, it all got me to thinking about football and how the sport has grown from a group of adrenaline-jonesing World War Two veterans engaging in a rag-tag weekly melee, to the ultra-choreographed, oily-slick, media-savvy, money-laden juggernaut we have before us today. I guess I don’t like it.

There’s simply too much. It’s out of hand.

There’s too much media saturation, too much promotion, too much nonsense. There are all these young men running around with far too much money, and they look like paupers compared to the team owners. Working class families mortgage their houses or raid their college funds to buy season-tickets; meanwhile the millionaires and billionaires get richer and richer because we can’t, or

won’t, stop watching. Our priorities are out of whack. We’ve been arbitrarily divided, and we’re being conquered. It’s happening a trillion different ways.

A World Without Borders Why do we even have borders? Our Founding Fathers understood that Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental human rights, granted by God or the Universe or the most basic precepts of common sense.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident...”

So why do we have borders? Your pursuit of happiness might take you across a border or two. Your life and liberty might depend on crossing an arbitrary line. How are we free if we’re chained to a state? The larger and more complex corporations are certainly not being hampered by this atavistic concept of national pride. They roam from country to country, settling where the environment suits their particular needs the best. Why shouldn’t we, as individuals, have the exact same right?

The free marketeers should be all over this concept. May the most qualified and able rise to the surface—no quasi-legal obstacles, distinctions, and impediments to keep one person from competing head to head with the other.

Where Am I? So I don’t know, I guess I’m not following football this season. I guess I’m fed up with it and I suppose, after nearly forty years of exposure, I could use a break.

Then again, this could have a lot to do with my team the Raiders losing in their season opener to the fucking Jets.

Immaculate Infection

by Bob Howard

Madbob@madbob.com

Thanks for Your Concern, Guys This column tends to be a repository for snark. It’s fun to write (and hopefully also to read), and serves as catharsis. Although snark generally reads as anger, I’m not actually good and pissed very often. Today is an exception.

I recently endured a major wipeout, in front of about a dozen companions. For a minute or two after smashing into the floor, I couldn’t quite move or speak. Despite being in the sort of pain that makes time go all weird and taffy-like, I somehow managed to stand back up and get to a seat. I quietly finished my beer while determining how to get to Urgent Care. In the meantime, I bathed in a cold sweat and all my toes slowly went numb; I was also visibly going into shock. The concern expressed by my club mates was dazzling: “Ouch, that one’s going on YouTube.” “Wow, you okay? …No? Huh, that’s a bummer… So, whose turn is it?”

It took displaying some of the resulting colossal, deeply-hued bruising several days later for it to penetrate that, uh yeah, I’d really fucked myself up. For the last couple weeks I’ve been mostly a shut-in, with a long slow road of rehab ahead of me.

Never have a heart attack or anything around assholes like these.

The way I was raised, vocalizing your pain or crying would get you ridicule and a backhand to the face. Assistance was not forthcoming unless a bone was sticking out or you were bleeding freely (and even that second criteria was a case-by-case scenario), but mockery and punishment for “making noise” were guaranteed. So I learned to be stoic, and am now admittedly too reticent about pain for my

own good.

At the opposite extreme are people who screech like toddlers at the slightest infraction, or those who wail in “surprise” when a predictable consequence arises. (For example, there’s a YouTube video showing some genius who jumps backwards, shirtless, onto a cactus—then cries like a bitch into the camera about the spines embedded in him.

Just brilliant...)

I feel badly for people who sustain real injuries in the course of living life, but get annoyed at the way some of them milk it. After my own incident, I disgustedly realized that they know what’s up. If you’re in trouble or need attention (especially if you’re female, but boys are catching on), Turning On the Faucets™ and flinging your hair around in photogenic distress is a reliable, time-honored trick. Too bad I don’t play that game; it might’ve been an effective antidote to the near-bovine-level apathy displayed that night.

So yeah, we really do live in a society that doesn’t notice or care about someone else’s pain unless they loudly and dramatically spew it all over, like Regan MacNeil launching pea soup. Is this an end product of the fame-atany-cost craze, or what a couple of decades of “reality” TV has morphed us into? Whatever.

Bring on Ebola and the meteor. I’m done with the fucking human race.

Consider the Platypus

by Mona Treme

PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY

On The Town

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 17

Ave Grave - Ave Grave REVIEW BY AMY OLSON

Gaytheist, Los New Heuvos, Teeph, and #whitegirlwasted Sept. 10th @ Monstros Pizza

BY TOMMY DIESTEL For a Wednesday night, it was a pretty packed house at Monstros. The small pizza joint was filled with people anxious to catch the new bands that played alongside the established heavy hitters. Or maybe I should say established band, because Teeph was the only band anyone had seen before.

First and foremost, it’s Ah-vey Grayve—like “Ave Maria,” but if Maria was a grave, and you were like “hail, grave, you’re full of gravey goodness today!” If you’re anything like me you’ve been reading it Ah-vey Grah-vey or Av Grav or Ayve Grayve and it’s been driving you crazy. I know, you’re welcome.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the actual music!

Right from the start, you feel like you’re drifting down a misty river of distant yearnings. The guitar tones are wet, the vocals bubble with reverb, the organ rises and falls like water over stones. It’s beautiful, like Ophelia dressed in flowers as she drowns .

If there’s a common thread between all the songs, it seems to be a sort of despair in the face of every emotion, a sense of being pulled along by the relentless inevitability of time.

Also, waltzes. It’s like you’re waltzing with the one you love, gazing into their beautiful blue eyes, and all you can think about is how they’re going to die someday. There’s heartbreak from loss, heartbreak from need, heartbreak from having heart problems and a dead lawn... If you’re going through a breakup and it’s raining and you have an incredibly cozy down comforter, or if you just like to indulge in memories of heartbreak and rain (remember rain? that shit was crazy), this is the perfect album.

Opening the set was #whitegirlwasted.

This new local band consists of members from Badger and Mom and Dad. The girls wore prom dresses and the guys dressed in drag while playing thrashy punk rock.

Everyone I talked to in the crowd thought that #whitegirlwasted was dope. Their drag-mixedwith-party punk set the bar for the rest of the show.

Up on stage next was Los New Huevos. With members of Zabaleen, Severance Package, The NoGoodNix, and The Pushers, you can’t expect anything less than straight rock n’roll.

Add in some punk rock, and you’ve got yourself a good time.

After Los New Huevos was out of towners Gaytheist. On tour from Portland, Gaytheist rocked the house! The three piece combined heavy riffs with half humorous/half conscious lyrics and pounding drums to make their heavy ass rock and roll. The crowd went wild for Gaytheist. Maybe it was the name, or maybe it was the fact that they’re awesome, but I’m pretty sure someone in the room ended up with a bloody pizza from everyone losing their minds. Their songs are about your typical everyday issues—like trying to work up the courage to quit your job or liking punk rock to the point it affects your life. Their off-beat pass at metal is something totally unique; it’s bouncy yet heavy, like the God they don’t believe in bouncing a boulder like a basketball. It’s always great seeing serious talent come through Monstros Pizza, and refreshing to see new bands that you might never see again. But, that isn’t the case with Gaytheist—they’ll definitely be back.

Closing out the night was Teeph. Part local

18

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

metal heads, part raging nutcases. Whatever their secret is when it come to creating such a powerful sound is working. Although I’ve seen Teeph countless times, this performance really struck me. It could have been the energy from all the other bands, or it could have been the fact that Teeph literally made Monstros shake from the sound, but their set was heavy enough to leave the entire crowd as headless corpses. Teeph’s energy during their live set is almost as entertaining as the music too. All of the members jump about all over the stage and make ridiculous faces at the crowd and each other. Hopefully it’s intentional…

I was really surprised by the turnout for a Wednesday night. Seems like everyone and their mom came out to catch the acts that rolled through. I’m stoked on the new wave of bands starting to emerge from the depths of the music scene. Make sure to check ‘em out.

They’re popping up everywhere. Nowhere is safe from the rock. Sometimes, the greatest show you can see starts with you not knowing anyone on a flier. Don’t think. Just Go.

One Kick

Stranger Dream Recall

REVIEW BY NEGIN RIAZI Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Fall is right around the corner, which means one can curl up by the fire with a cup of coffee and a great book…okay, I’m jumping the gun right?

The boy was only passingly aware of the hallways he passed through on his way to class. The dream of this morning was still fresh in his mind; its sharpness made the physical school less real by contrast. He’d been underground; he could still smell the old, old stones that formed those dream hallways.

He walked slightly hunched over; his body still remembered the terror of what he’d found down there, some gargantuan monster…

Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a great read, one book you should add to the top of your reading list is: One Kick by Chelsea Cain. Cain has been accurately described by New York Times Book Review as “High-Octane,” and her newest book does not fall short of that description.

One Kick follows the life of Kick Lannigan.

Kidnapped at the age of six and rescued five years later, Kick is famous after having her face plastered on TV and missing person’s posters.

From the moment Kick is reinserted back into her old life, she aims to strengthen herself.

Armed with an array of skills she learned during the five years with her kidnappers, Kick also begins training in martial arts, boxing, and knife throwing.

Now, at the age of 21, she gets sucked into a missing children’s case. She’s drawn to it, even though the people in her life tell her to move on. When a mysterious former arms dealer, with strong financial backing and covert contacts, approaches her for help in finding the two missing kids, Kick realizes she can’t refuse. It becomes a race against time to save the missing children and also to uncover the dark secrets from Kick’s past.

I loved how the author revealed the details of the story inconspicuously. There was never an overload of detail; the reader has to come up with the conclusions themselves. Every time a chapter ended, I immediately jumped to the next one. It’s truly a high-octane ride that keeps you guessing and wanting to find out more. The author leaves a trail of breadcrumbs that the characters as well as the readers can’t help but follow. It’s definitely a darker mystery, well-written, with wellrounded, interesting characters.

Almost immediately, you find yourself rooting for Kick—you want her to find the answers

A part of him did not want to forget it. It felt important, it felt like he’d been altered in some way, and he had to hold onto it. He had to remember how he’d changed. and catch the perpetrator as the clock runs out. As the story progresses, a spider web of connections begins to appear, so complex the reader is left wondering whether or not Kick will figure it out.

The book keeps you at the edge of your seat well into the early hours of the morning. It’s seriously unfolds like an action movie, kind of like the Bourne series. The story boils down to two major mysteries: Who took the kids and why? And how Kick’s past ties into it all?

If, after reading One Kick, you despair over the fact that the badass Kick Lannigan will be no more, worry not. This will be the first book in a series so we’ll be seeing more of Kick in the future. And for those individuals who aren’t the “series” type, this book makes a great standalone novel as well.

Other students bumped into him as he made his way through the crowd. A larger boy shouted a curse at him, then shrugged and walked on when he was ignored. Normally the boy kept out of the way, made himself unnoticeable, but the present moment did not have his full attention.

Maybe a hundred feet away, a girl was walking swiftly, eyes to the ground. For the first time in her life, she had had a dream, and she almost remembered it. It had been some horribly dark place, as if the sun hadn’t shone there in centuries. It seemed like it should’ve been a nightmare, but she had no memory of being afraid.

Nearby students saw the imminent impact, raised their hands to shout something— but the boy ran straight into the girl, their foreheads knocking together painfully.

Embarrassed, the boy stepped to the side of the corridor, to let the press of students, and the girl, pass. As things like this sometimes happen, she stepped in the same direction at the same time.

A moment went by, their faces squinted up with pain, and they regarded each other.

A small-ish, mousy-haired boy gazed at a girl with an unruly lion’s mane of golden hair, framing a round face with lips that were just a

little too large.

He knew he should look away, shouldn’t stare at her so intensely—but as he looked into her green eyes, it was as if they had become open floodgates of memory. The dream was pouring back into his mind.

He’d been in a library underground, but there were no books. Instead, everything was carved into the stones, and entire hallways, vast chambers… these were the books themselves, in a way. He’d owned the place, or made it, or been trapped inside it…

Committed to the library somehow, he’d been there for centuries, studying.

And suddenly he remembered the monster, and blinked (still returning his gaze, the girl blinked as well). But it hadn’t been a monster at all, just some lonely creature the boy himself had made, to guard a door down there.

The boy didn’t know how, but he felt undeniably that the girl had been down there too. Her eyes were slightly glazed, as if memories were unreeling before her mind.

“The library?” he asked.

Shock, then her eyes showed a sullen defensiveness. Then with a short laugh, she shrugged. “Yeah.”

Howl howlmovesmountains.tumblr.com

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by logan kruidenier logankruidenier.tumblr.com

20

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15 2014

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

BY KOZ MCKEV

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

There are two sides to every story. Take your time and avoid jumping to any conclusions. This week, take care of the details. You know how to be a team player in this case.

Mars is emphasizing higher education, spiritual quests and exotic experiences. One tries new skills in order to be more useful. The weekend looks good for creative expression, hanging out with children, and pursuing matters of the heart. One can only perfect their appreciation.

Seek the good and praise it.

Encourage more gratitude.

What are you thankful for?

Love and creativity sometimes go hand in hand. Other times they take vacations away from each other in order to perfect their self knowledge. Venus in the fifth house brings opportunities for one or the other. Mars in the eighth house could push your lust vibration, or impatience, to the level of socially inappropriate. Stay peaceful and humble as the accusations fly. There is no need to worry. You know who you are in your heart. The weekend is best for being with family and working on domestic projects. Sunday is your day for exploration and spiritual contemplation.

Words are fun, and at times most conversations appear meaningless. There are the exceptions of socially pertinent issues, and legitimate personal triumphs and tragedies.

We often vocalize ourselves to make aware of our existence to others. Monday’s moon in Gemini will give you another opportunity to enlighten your family about the bigger picture. Over the rest of the week, pursue the things that you are passionate about.

The weekend features local gossip, an appreciation of your local environment, and a chance to see your peers.

Bloom where you are planted. Write a poem, make up a good story, or improvise a song. Have more curiosity. Put yourself in a mindset of joyous discovery. Taking care of what you already have is key to your success.

The moon will be in Cancer from 8:24am PDT Tuesday till 8:10pm Thursday. Make yourself available to make friends.

Be mobile enough to make many little trips. Exercise more often, as you’re likely to make healthy progress during this week. The weekend can be good for you financially as long as you steer clear from impulse buys.

Continue to exercise your values. What you purchase has more political influence than voting. This is a time to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Jupiter continues to pump happiness and good fortune in your life. There is much on your mind that you wish to express. Take your time to sniff the roses. The moon will be in Leo Thursday night through Saturday. You finally get a weekend where you feel free to be yourself. Family issues are still present for you to work on. Life is an adventure in what you can put out into the world.

This is the last full week of summer. You are put in charge as guardian of the harvest. In fact, you personify wilderness and all things left untouched.

You are aware of humans’ impact on the earth. Allow yourself some downtime Tuesday and Wednesday evenings so you can socialize with friends or just people that you would like to meet. Your creativity is rising. You’re beginning to feel a little more relaxed about yourself. Sunday morning the moon goes into Virgo. Mercury conjoins the north node this week. Be ready to manifest what you’re hungry for.

Libra

Scorpio

Saggitarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

This time signifies your personal harvest of the deeds of the past year. It might just be peaceful rest that you are receiving. It could also be karma for not being as honest as you could have been. We all have our blind spots; this may or may not have been one of yours. Look for messages in your dreams and meditations. What things motivate you to be a better person? Are you using your imagination constructively? Making good karma can be a simple as giving to those who can never pay you back. Life isn’t always fair.

Perfect love casts out all fear.

We’re afraid of the things we don’t understand. Everyone has their shadow side. Learn to love yourself and others, even with the shadow. Compassion unlimited is what is needed. Mars in your second house brings a desire to possess the right kind of tools or talisman. Tuesday through most of Thursday is good for risk taking and seeing the bigger picture. The weekend looks good for showing off your talents and skills. Think of the people you can trust during the worst of times and do something to honor them.

You are on fire and full of energy now that Mars is in Sagittarius. Go where no human has ever gone before. Good fortune lies in your experiments as well as your education. Now is the time to learn more and to dive deep into your profession of choice.

Good love relationships require an element of space. If it’s too hot in the kitchen then get out. The weekend brings out the best in you. Travel, spiritual retreats, and educational seminars work best. Be aware of how you represent yourself because the public is watching.

Keep up on all your projects. Now is a time to focus on doing the right thing. You have good people helping you. You also have made some enemies along the way.

Sometimes you may not even be aware of those who feel scorned by you. Pay back debts both real and karmic.

Accommodate people if they need small favors done. Midweek looks especially good for righting wrongs and creating a space for diplomacy and negotiations. The weekend looks good for working on debts and asking for help when needed.

Your energy has been more underground as of lately. Debt and disappointment weigh a little heavier than usual at this time. Do something for yourself that will make you happy. Be patient when it comes to love and passion.

You may find a new social life due to team sports, hunting, or a philosophy group. Monday is your best day to make progress this week. Friday and Saturday are great for negotiations and peacemaking. Use the primal energies of birth, sex, and death to initiate intimacy and compassion for others.

You need to be working on something that will bring you happiness. You need to also acknowledge those you work with that bring you joy.

Your love life could be getting sweeter. Tuesday through Thursday, your creative life is on a roll. If you need a new job now is the time to look for work. Sunday will be your best day for romance and excitement. You have more of a curiosity about the occult, sex, birth, and life processes. Your potential to help yourself and others is great. Mars in your tenth house brings out the leader in you.

Koz McKev is on YouTube, on cable 11 BCTV and is heard on 90.1FM KZFR Chico. Also available by appointment for personal horoscopes call (530)891-5147 or e-mail kozmickev@sunset.net FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 21

Snobbery I’ve long been a snob for various reasons.

I used to be an intellectual snob based on school performance and being assigned the highest intelligence quotient in my cohort.

I was quick to spot a dummy—and still am, for that matter—and probably insufferable. I don’t think so much of witty sarcasm as I did, nor so much of thinking and knowing stuff.

I’m still addicted to thinking—so are you—and at least now I know it and can sometimes slow it down or stop it altogether for a time. I think I’m sometimes kinda smug about that.

I’m mostly a language snob. When I read text with misspellings, bad grammar, and silly punctuation, I deduce imagine things about the person responsible, sincerely and erroneously. I don’t expect most people to be experts in English, and I expect them to know that they aren’t and to get help when they need it, which they seem seldom to do, naturally. Most of us don’t know how wrong we are.

Organizations with missing or misplaced apostrophes must do without my custom or participation. If the parking lot’s sign says “... at owners expense.” I don’t want to park my car there, even legally.

I don’t mind the occasional typo or even poor usage, but there’s a level of technical sloppiness that will cause me not to read something, not an easy task because I want to read enough to know whether I want to read the rest. I’m always pulling for the writer because I’m the reader, and I want the best experience the two of us can manage. The writer is done with it, so whether I understand it or not I’m not getting any extra help. It may be drivel, but my deep desire is that what I’m reading not let me put it down. I want to be

From The Edge

by Anthony Peyton Porter A@anthonypeytonporter.com

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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBE 15 2014

swept away. I don’t mind waking up in the wee hours because I’ve got sixteen volumes of P. G. Wodehouse within reach.

I have no truck with silly writers who won’t capitalize words or eschew punctuation.

What ninnies...

this

That’s how far I had got when I realized that I had been straining. Last year I noticed a quality about the light that seemed to make me sad. It’s back, and I didn’t care about snobbery, even my own.

All summer the overhang outside my bedroom blocks direct sun so the various crystals hanging in the window don’t have much to do. Now the sun is low enough to put spectra on the wall over my bed and on the duvet we bought at Ikea just before we picked up Ade at a BART station in Berkeley. That’s the kind of stuff I think about, how much I say “we” about what happened.

Janice Porter left us to our own devices almost two years ago, and I still don’t know how she can not be here. How can she be gone forever?

I dread sounding like a weepy old man, although that’s clearly what I am.

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