We have a flair for the dramatic.
Her Majesty and all her loyal subjects by Ayla Rogers
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Pool's out for summer? by Cindy Dauer
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www.thealchemistweekly.com VOLUME 4 NUMBER 160:29• JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
voice
SYMPOSIUM symposium
Is there such a thing as absolute truth?
Albany● Corvallis● Lebanon● Philomath VOLUME 4 NUMBER 160:29, JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
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Editorial
Editors Courtney Clenney, Stanley Tollett Staff Writers Courtney Clenney, Noah Stroup, Stanley Tollett Bump Editor Courtney Clenney Contributors Robin Canfield, Ella Marie Canus, Cindy Dauer, Dirtstir, Joel Rea, Ayla Rogers, Michael Thomas
Opi n i on s a n d Editor ia ls , b e t h e y ours or yours , t h i s i s wh e re th e y be.
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Art
We ’ l l b e t h e judge. You be th e jur y...you tr us t us r ig h t?
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Art Director Freddy Ruiz Layout Editor Courtney Clenney Cover photo by: Stanley Tollett
Ambush Party
Advertising
Account Executive Noah Stroup
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Business
J o u r n a l i st s c a l l th e m f e a tu re s; we say it ’s th e word.
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Publisher Noah Stroup The Alchemist Weekly is published by: CorvAlcheMedia LLC PO Box 1591 Corvallis, OR 97339
The Majestic Theater Pool’s out?
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Alchemist Mission
As a publication, our goal is to facilitate greater understanding and appreciation for the diverse social and cultural groups found in the area. In doing so, we hope to create a greater sense of community between Oregon State University and Corvallis, between Albany and Corvallis, and between Philomath, Lebanon and Corvallis-Albany. The Alchemist recognizes the various interests of these groups and is dedicated to being as fluid as the community it serves.
I t ’s t h e c alendar of al l t h i n g s A l b a ny, Cor v a l lis , L e b a n on , a nd P h iloma th .
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LITERATI
Am a t e u r p ro se, poetr y and fi c t i on st i l l h a s a h om e.
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The Alchemist is available to you for free. Please limit yourself to one copy. If your picture is in it, you are welcome to take enough copies for your family. Subject to availability, back issues can be purchased by mail for $5. Send your request with specific issue date to PO Box 1591, Corvallis, OR 97339 and include a check or money order payable to The Alchemist.
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Last week's puzzle solutions
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I was convinced that there was no such thing. After all, truth is a human perception of reality and perception is malleable. Therefore, truth is subject to an individual’s definition and perception of what is true. At least that’s what I thought. I prefer to see life as a mystery, something that can never be fully understood or explained. It makes the quest for understanding less empirical and dry. Plus, it allows for my surreal perception of life to seem less insane, less lonely. At our owners meeting, our publisher proposed a simple experiment to dispel my notion that there can be no absolute truth. He had a folder and laid it on the corner of the table. “If I push this folder off of the edge it will ALWAYS fall on the floor,” he said. He had a good point, but I wouldn’t be deterred. “What if a gas explosion occurred across the street on the 754th attempt and the concussion wave caused the falling folder to fly across the room and onto another table, never touching the floor,” I retorted. He looked at me with his ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ death stare. For the sake of a palatable dinner we tabled the conversation for another time, agreeing to disagree. Over the next couple of days, I made a point to seek out the opinion of a man I greatly admire when it comes to philosophical answers, Stoker. If you know Stoker you will understand why I went to him. If you do not know him, you should. He is a man to know. Here is his theory on absolute truth (un-edited): TAW - Is there such a thing as absolute truth? Stoker - Absolutely. TAW - Expound. Stoker - Absolute truth is finding what would be the unanswerable in the process of trying to answer. What might be. TAW - We were discussing this over dinner the other night and I was of the impression that there can be no absolute truth because truth is a human perception of reality and perception is malleable. Stoker - So lets say that it’s a human artifact, like a vase left over from years ago or some sort of idol. Ya’ know it’s been said that truth’s to be self evident. Well, truth to me is synonymous with real self actualization. Truth to be self evident, it’s like the ah-hah! kind of thing, that to me is absolute truth...is the realizing of what is to...it could be individual it could be collective but its the ever changing, kind of built into the system intrinsically revealing what is. To
me that’s a truth. TAW - So there are absolute truths out there that would hold validity to anyone and everyone? Stoker - Oh I think so. But whether they perceive it or not, ya’ know whether that’s psycho tropically induced or just... to me absolute truth is more....we kinda get little previews and were always living the movie. TAW - What would you say if you could name one absolute truth, what is your essential absolute truth? Stoker - No matter what to love and forgive. I knew that I had come to the right man. And what he said drew me further into the dream. A turn had been taken in my logic. It began to dawn on me that even though human perception of reality is malleable, and therefore subjective, what the f*** does that matter? Each person has something that is so meaningful, so solid, so unmistakably owned by their soul that it is their truth. Damn the universe and the existence of nay sayers like me. This individual human being is sticking by their guns of truth until the day they die. But even death is not an absolute truth. Some people believe that only the body dies, some people believe all sorts of things about the end of what we perceive as consciousness. It’s all getting fuzzy now. I can see why people cling to truths. They make life more easy to navigate. They act as lighthouses of the spirit, the personality. A person’s truth, whether it holds true for me or others, is their own guide, their compass. Which brings me to my next point. Truth and more specifically the search for truth is something that drives many of us, especially journalists. For me personally, playing the devil’s advocate in this question has actually caused some philosophical blow back. I realized that without a singular truth out there somewhere, I have nothing to struggle toward. My path has no end goal. No reason to search and ask complex questions over dinner and to myself at night right before I close my eyes. Without the search for truth, whether there exists such a thing or not, life seems pretty hazy and meaningless. Which I literally cannot believe I am saying. This is so surreal. -Stanley Tollett think@thealchemistweekly.com P.S. - It occurred to me that this conversation could drop into the realm of Newtonian physics and the laws of nature in other species besides humans. And I encourage you, the community, to help me solve this or to intone the most profound of all philosophical bombs...”I don’t know.”
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Deservesit
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I found this on thirdage.com, but it’s all over the ‘net and news. I was extremely tempted to identify someone by name in this because anyone who can walk through the mall they work in and end up going directly in to a fountain while texting deserves recognition. She has hired an attorney because the security video went to YouTube, and she feels humiliated, cried for days (you can ask her husband), and, “You don’t know how many people are laughing at me.” She states also that texting while walking is “dangerous. ... I could have been walking into a bus, a car, a ditch, anything.” First, she probably doesn’t know how many people are laughing at her. If you watch the video you see very few people in the vicinity, and no one takes notice or moves to help. She could track hits on YouTube, but that doesn’t mean people laughed. I don’t like watching people get hurt and actually cringed a little. She should be thankful it wasn’t a bus or car she walked into because it probably also would be posted to YouTube, it would hurt a lot more (if not be fatal), and (hopefully not as many) people would still laugh at her. Also, in our litigious society, she may have suit with the mall, the security service, and the security person (s) heard laughing in the internet video “... who should have been more concerned with her well-being.” Oh, yeah. Blame some minimum wage guy stuck in some windowless, airless, sweat-essenced room full of security monitors at the other end of the mall. Never mind the other people that were actually on the concourse that didn’t help and may have laughed. She just might find a jury of her peers (others just as unconscious) that may empathize instead of sending the message that people need to be aware of their surroundings. Imagine malls needing barriers or yellow “caution” stripes surrounding the fountains, or any other object someone could potentially fall in, on, over, or through (planters, kiosks, stairs, doors, etc.). Finally, this needs to stand as a demonstration of what not to do. She should take her lumps (figuratively), and move on. Laugh at yourself, lady! Historically, I’ve taken a few ribbings, not always in good humor, from people witnessing my own knuckle-headed displays. What do you want to bet she has texted while driving? Update! Look up this lady’s name (it’s easy to find), include “arrest record”.
Slack For my own well being, I eschew large portions of organized religion and capitalist economic doctrine. I used to participate more enthusiastically in systems that I now feel subjugate the practitioners. I find these organizations capable of providing great relief to people in need of financial and spiritual guidance, but I have chosen to limit my own participation. In both cases, being neither hot nor cold, being lukewarm, I sometimes feel spit out. Perhaps I am fortunate not to be company with the forked tongue and gnashing teeth that devours all invested in those systems. Maybe I don’t think I can maintain the pace and standards necessary to be in good standing in either realm, but I have a pretty good idea of where I stand regarding both...broke. Maybe I chose to mention these two subjects simply because money and the “why” of existence are handy for getting your attention so we can think about the infinite opportunities we have every day to ask ourselves, “Is it really worth the effort?” I don’t know the genetic and environmental origins of my outlook on effort, but I think mine may be changing. I first thought one simply needed to apply enough energy to be successful. Then I learned about “diminishing returns” to the point of wheel spinning. Somewhere I learned to take my foot off the gas. The rewards of endeavors I put a lot of effort into seem often to transform into a “... time to dig another one” (Pink Floyd). Don’t get me wrong. I spend a portion of my time doing things that aren’t at the top of my fun list. I’m just trying to recognize the little tiny rewards I receive with every little tiny thing I do every day. Like what it feels like to put on socks. Really little things.
Bowled Over
Helmetsticker.blogspot.com has a nice table of the 2010-11 College football bowl games. Overall attendance for all bowls was about 81%. A couple articles on how the money moves, from school expenses to winnings, can be found at bloomberg.com (college football winners...) and, losangeles.sbnation.com (BCS bowl bids:). Just like the World Cup, the Olympics, and the other big contests, a goodly chunk goes to the top. About a third of the schools in last year’s bowl series actually lost money in the deal. -tcJ dirtstirreply@gmail.com
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The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed in Voice are of their authors and do not necessarily represent the thoughts, views or opinions of CorvAlcheMedia, LLC.
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
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Scupper the celebration Ambush Party: "You Are Not Safe Without Us" by ROBIN CANFI ELD
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he Corvallis-based rock and roll band Ambush Party heralded the new year with the release of their first album, “ You Are Not Safe Without Us.” You may have caught an Ambush Party show before – they've been around Corvallis at Cloud 9, Squirrel's Tavern, and Bombs Away Cafe, as well as all over the Willamette Valley. With nine solid tracks on “ You Are Not Safe Without Us,” the foursome lays out a well-organized, stripped-down album full of rock that comes up a bit short – on songs. There is something in the rhythm, something in the groove, that is unique to Ambush Party and that the band carries steadily through each and every track. Listen to the album just once and you'll find yourself carried along until the sudden silence at the end, broken when you ask, ‘It's over?’ The only moment more disturbing in “ You Are Not Safe Without Us” is near the beginning of the song “Letter,” when a note is held that distinctly sounds like a car honking from about a half a block away. If you happen to be driving down the street, you will check your rearview mirror and glance around. On the other hand, if you are at a live show you'll be too busy dancing to be distracted. Ambush Party is a comprised of the four basic elements required to rock: guitars, bass, drums and vocals. They keep it simple - Andy Jameson may have strong lead vocals, but everybody chimes in if a chorus needs some extra spice. Denny “The Archduke” Jackson on lead guitar plays a great intro on many a track, but it's never about
showing off – it's about drawing you into the song. With fifteen years experience playing together, the brothers Tomaino – Jesse on bass, Joe on drums, are the strong base for that groove that drives the album. Three of the members met in the science labs of Oregon State University while working on PhDs, so it should be no surprise that a similar formula is behind each song, or that said formula would be refined, and refined again, until the band got it right. What is especially refreshing, though, is that none of the songs strive to be as deep and complicated as the physics the band members are studying – it's rock and roll, not rocket science. The lyrics on the album are down to earth, true to life poetics. There's no staring off at the stars, flight of fancy lyrics on “ You Are Not Safe Without Us.” From one track to the next, most of the lyrics are brutally honest – the song “Rolch Motel” opens with the sadly reflective words, “Now I'm old and I've suddenly found, none of my friends care to have me around,” while the song “Devil's Den” addresses sins like “drinking and smoking and f***ing and fighting.” Even love comes with a dose of reality on “Wifey,” opening with the lines, “When I wake up in the morning and the first thing that I see is your beautiful face looking back at me,” but quickly boiling down to a wish to make it through the hard times together, “weather this with me.” All right, so when it comes to addressing life's little troubles, there is a small amount of soul searching-tinged lyrics like “I'll chase the setting sun,” on the opening
Contributed Photo
track, “Sauce,” and “I just can't seem to get a hold on my soul,” in “$ Pint.” Some topics just require a little use of poetic license, and if you're not sure what that topic is, here's a hint. The subject of “$ Pint” involves the letters “P,” “B,” and “R.” Along with today’s letters we have the numbers 5 and 22. Five is the price of “ You Are Not Safe Without Us,” soon to be available at Happy Trails, but so far available at
Ambush Party concerts and on the band's web site – along with t-shirts and panties. Twenty-two is the date of the next Ambush Party show, a Portland CD release party at MacAdam's Bar and Grill, with the band Searchlights, on January 22. There's also a Bomb's Away Cafe show in February. Keep up to date on concerts, check out music and videos at ambushparty.net.
The fence between honesty and survival by ELLA MARIE CANUS
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ripping up to Portland this month I happened upon the CD release party of Joshua English’s “Lay Bare Your Bones.” Immediately struck by his charisma on stage I gradually became aware of the skillful blending of instruments, lyrics and musicians sharing the space. The album “Lay Bare Your Bones” lives up to it’s name, as its soulful-styling’s fall somewhere between folk, trainstopAmericana and bluesy vocals akin to the Black Keys. The arrangements bring slower softer
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folk while melodies lead along lyrics folding them into themselves like a backwards figure-eight. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where words are being formed vs. where the music is drawing out the syllables; the two aspects become seamless. This can make lyrical development hard to follow, but it’s comforting if you let yourself ride the rails in the boxcar provided. Rocking on top of giant metal wheels grinding along miles and miles of rivets as the horizon gradually fades and the landscape turns to dark. Later in the album we are moving down a dark highway having gotten off the interstate for any number of scurrilous reasons, none of them overly serious. Now we find ourselves cruising the back roads north of the airport before you hit the city. Up and
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down the hills, surrounded by houses in which people are finding themselves safe and warm while we, in our car have little choice but to stay clam, move on and slowly find both our current location and a way out of this place of domesticity. It’s not that we know where we are going, but that we know that we don’t belong here. The songs in this album create some great stories about love and loss and the tribulations of trying to maintain both in the face of reality. Women who won’t wear their wedding rings for fear of smaller tips, good friends we let crash on our couches but maintain they must be gone when the morning comes, teetering on the fence between honesty and survival while knowing
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Contributed Illustration
Joshua English: "Lay Bare Your Bones"
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Her Majesty and all her loyal subjects Majestic nears her 100th birthday, a century of serving as a community center for the arts
by AYLA ROGERS
With the Majestic's hundredth birthday coming up in August 2013, they're anticipating a grand scale, lengthy celebration, and they want the whole community involved.
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he’s reigned in Corvallis for many decades, enduring many changes and adaptations, all with a regal grace that does credit to her name. The Majestic Theatre has undergone so much growth and seen so many phases and faces of our community, no one-person can tell her whole story. The people who have helped shape the Majestic over the years, and the people she has touched in turn, are much too numerous to occupy the seats of her auditorium, let alone to cozy into the pages of our weekly Alchemist. Nevertheless, as the Majestic nears her 100th birthday, a century of serving as a community center for the arts, we could not pass up the opportunity to pay tribute to Her Majesty, and all her loyal subjects. Late in the summer of 1913, on SW Second St., the completion of her magnificent structure donned the christening of a new age of performing arts in the Mid-Willamette Valley. There is still much to look forward to, even though the Majestic has undergone many renovations since her birth. Dawn Reynolds, fresh-faced Managing Director, new on the scene as of November 29th 2010, is confident the Majestic can still swing with vigor, even after all these years. Her passion for performing arts, and her husband’s involvement in the Oregon State theater department have helped her feel comfortable taking the lead as the Majestic enters an era of 21st century entertainment eager for an encore. Having undergone a recent seismic upgrade and roof replacement, the Majestic is facing her golden years with more than a little work done—well deserved after 97 years in the business. To be certain, the upcoming years will not be without profound challenges for the Majestic board, but with how glowingly Reynolds speaks of her coworkers, it’s hard not to have confidence in their ability to charm the community with a fantastic dry run. Reynolds knows that with such a rich history in the community upholding the Majestic traditions could be a balancing act. “Everyone I’ve spoken to in the community seems to have some interest in the theatre— some significant connection to the venue. It’s very important to us that everyone get their space,” she says. Reynolds is more concerned with serving the community equitably than with meeting any sort of fiscal growth model. However, fiscally speaking, she knows the importance of
Photo by Stanley Tollett
maintaining affordable workshop and ticket prices, part of which can be combated by a hefty group of volunteers. Furthermore, “the city owns the building, but the theatre’s run almost exclusively by nonprofit organizations,” Reynolds says. She may be green to theater management, but Reynolds is clearly cognizant of the consuming workload cut out for her and the board. “It’s our job to move the organization into the future, to make our work more efficient, and to help the theatre serve as a vibrant part of the community,” she says. She reports that— even so early in the year—they’re already fully booked for all sorts of dance classes and fabulous musical performances, with plenty more
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in the works, including some of the Majestic’s homemade productions. The theatre has some more big firsts to look forward to, like hosting OSU’s 2012 spring opera, and working with Parks and Recreation to rebuild their, bigger-than-before, youth education program. This summer’s agenda includes a children’s circus training program, where the kids will work with the Corvallis Art Center to craft their own costumes. The program will culminate in a performance dazzling Majestic’s main stage. Even with so much on the roster, Reynolds and the rest of the board continue to set ambitious goals for organizational improvement and community service. “We’d really love to stage more focus
groups to better gauge the needs and desires of the community,” Reynolds says. With the Majestic’s hundredth birthday coming up in August 2013, they’re anticipating a grand scale, lengthy celebration, and they want the whole community involved. To become a member, work as a volunteer, or provide corporate sponsorship for a production, please visit majestic.org/get-involved. From our experiences with the Majestic Theatre, Reynolds and I agree—there’s no better way to foster lasting connections and form beneficial social ties than getting involved in performance art.
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Pool's out for Summer?
City of Corvallis says pool and senior center will close July 1, library funding cut significantly if May 17 levy fails
Words & Photos by CINDY DAUER
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he water in the pool at the Osborn Aquatic Center on Highland Drive is calm beneath the humid, chlorine-saturated air when the stillness is suddenly broken with a splash. Choppy waves begin to propagate on the surface as the Narwhals hop in. These Narwhals are not the mystical horned mammals of the Arctic, but they may be just as rare. Instead, they are a team of underwater hockey players who meet in Corvallis at the Osborn Aquatic Center every Wednesday to compete. They wear jammers (boxer brief-style swimsuits) as well as fins, snorkels, masks, ear protectors, swim caps, and special gloves on their “stick” hand, which protects their knuckles from scrapping against the rough pool bottom. Tonight they have divided themselves into two teams, and they will face off for the next hour or so, trying to get a threepound puck that sits on the bottom of the pool into their opponent’s goal. The water is 6.5 feet deep and, like synchronized swimmers out of sync, the Narwhals dive, kick, and breach during the game. A finned foot pokes up out of the water — shoots out a snorkel there. A jar of Vaseline sits on the side of the pool. Occasionally, one of the Narwhal players pulls himself out of the water onto the ledge, reaches into the jar and grabs a blob of goop. He slaps it on his right foot where the fin is rubbing and irritating his skin. Elsewhere in the OAC, kids play water basketball, a lifeguard sits in a chair, and someone swims laps, all the while time is counted down on the big screen. The Narwhals may be the only underwater hockey team in Oregon, according to team organizer Shawn Tucker, who said there are other teams in Washington and California. But, the Oregon team may be endangered as their habitat could disappear.
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That’s because the OAC and other city services are on the chopping block. The City of Corvallis is faced with a $3.1 million deficit in the general fund for the 2011/12 fiscal year as expenditures continue to outpace property tax revenue. No matter how the axe falls, some services will be cut. A few of the most disputed services on the block include the OAC, Chintimini Senior Community Center, the Corvallis-Benton Public Library, The Arts Center, and the fire department among others. To raise funds and help cover the forecasted deficit, the Corvallis City Council voted 6-3 on January 18 to put a local option levy on the May 17 ballot that would tax property at a rate of 45 cents per every $1,000 of assessed value for three years. The levy would generate close to $1.8
million a year, $500,000 shy of covering the projected budget shortfall for 2010/11. Services will be cut whether the levy passes or
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not. Voters will have some guarantee as to which services will be preserved if the levy passes. The council agreed unanimously to use funds generated from the levy to restore specific services that are on the list of potentials to be cut. The services that the levy funds would save include the OAC ($412,200) and the senior center ($308,200). The council also vowed to use levy funds to maintain current library hours ($210,000), instead of closing the library on Monday, which was an option. That means $741,400 of the levy funds would be specifically designated. The re-
maining monies, around $800,000, would be put toward maintaining high priority “library and social service programs.” If the levy fails, councilors say without a doubt, those services (OAC, senior center, and library hours among others) will be cut. “We’ve got to have a levy that says ‘this is what you are buying and if you don’t pass it, this is what goes,’” Councilor Hal Brauner said. “We better be ready to cut what is on that list if it doesn’t pass.” Should the levy fail, the plan for now is to “moth ball” the OAC and senior center, shutting down operations for the coming fiscal year beginning July 1. This could cause a ripple effect in the community. Last year there were more than 45,000 youth visitors to the pool. Between swim meets and other events at the OAC, an estimated $1.2 million was brought to the community in tourism dollars. If the senior center closes, seniors in Corvallis could lose access to meal programs, social events, and support groups. As for the library, if the levy fails, its hours and materials budget will be dramatically cut. Staff would be laid off, and overall operating expenses would be reduced. Already in the 2010/11 fiscal year, the
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• WWW.THEALCHEMISTWEEKLY.COM
word City of Corvallis cut around $3.2 million from the general fund budget, which is about 7 percent of its $42 million total. The city’s overall operating budget for this fiscal year is around $118 million. Councilors who voted in support of the levy say the city needs the money. “I believe that we are not, that our city staff and our city is not wasteful, and that we are not grossly inefficient, and that people are not going to find these horrible inefficiencies in our city government that we can make all of these drastic cuts,” said Councilor Joel Hirsch. “I think we are already pretty close to the bone in general.” Around six of 450 full-time equivalent
said. “When we talk about jobs, city jobs are people that work here, spend here, live here and we are talking about economic development…” In addition to potential cuts to the OAC, senior center, library, and city jobs for next year, city employees have agreed to forgo cost of living adjustments as well as wage increases, and to freeze their benefits. The community development department will have a reduced budget, social service programs could receive less, if any, funding, and more, as-of-yet-unidentified, cuts could potentially be made. While councilors Roen Hogg and Mark O’Brien - who voted against the motion for
percent annually in most cases. Property tax revenue increases by about that much each year, but expenditures in the general fund are increasing by about six percent each year. While the council is looking at the budget for the coming fiscal year, Councilor Brown is concerned about the financial health of the city in the distant future. “It seems to me that we are unduly concentrating on the 2011/12 budget here,” Brown said. “By doing that, we are not taking into consideration a long-term perspective.” Corvallis is not the only city with budget woes in the Mid-Willamette Valley. The
Occasionally, one of the Narwhal players pulls himself out of the water onto the ledge, reaches into the jar and grabs a blob of goop.
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city jobs have already been eliminated, and another 24 could go with the budget outlook for the next two fiscal years if the levy fails, as more shortfalls are anticipated for the 2012/13 fiscal year, according to Corvallis City Manager Jon Nelson. City services including fire, police, municipal court, library, parks and recreation, transit, and community development are tied to property tax revenue. Nelson admits when the city is faced with cuts to these types of services, it disproportionately affects the library, parks and recreation, and similar programs rather than fire and police. That is because the city has to maintain a certain level of liability and risk related to officer safety, response times, and adequate coverage, he explains. When it comes to cutting city jobs, Councilor Jeanne Raymond points out: “There are jobs that have been cut, there are hours that have been cut...” Raymond
Community Development
the levy - remained fairly quiet at the meeting on January 18, Councilor Mike Beilstein made it clear why he voted in opposition. “I still think that the 45 cents is too small,” said Beilstein, who earlier in the meeting voted for an 80 cent levy, along with Raymond, Hirsch, and Brauner. That levy would have covered the total budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year. The motion failed 4-5 with councilors O’Brien, Richard Hervey, Hogg, Dan Brown, and Biff Traber opposing it. So how did the city get into this jam? Nancy Brewer, Corvallis finance director, explains that the city is limited by state law when it comes to collecting property tax. The maximum assessed value of property in Oregon can only be increased by three
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City of Albany will also struggle with balancing its budget for the 2011/12 fiscal year, according to Stewart Taylor, Albany finance director. Since 2009, according to Taylor, Albany is down 30 staff positions because of budget shortfalls, either through jobs that have been eliminated or left vacant. Albany is in its third year of a fire and police operating levy that added 95 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value. If the levy in Corvallis fails, this summer Otter Beach - the outdoor pool area at the OAC - could be drained. The library could be closed on both Sunday and Monday, and the senior center might never open its doors. The financial fate of the city is now in the hands of the voters.
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
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tuesday
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Corvallis
Peacock Bar & Grill Karaoke, 9:00 pm, FREE On the Top: DJ Big Cheese, 9:00 pm FREE
wednesday
Albany
eclectic
Albany Public Library 2450 14th Ave. SE Poetry reading: William Stafford birthday celebration [POETRY] 6:30 pm
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis 2945 NW Circle Blvd. Corvallis Community Choir rehearsals 7 pm, $50
Corvallis
Lebanon
WineStyles 22333 NW Kings Blvd. Tuesday Night Trivia (Winter League) [FUN] 6 pm
Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly
lecture
Philomath
Synergea Chiropractic 111 N. 20th St. Wellness Workshop: "Is Marriage Good for Your Health?" 6:30 pm
Enoteca Wine Bar Girls night out! Knit night [CRAFT] 7:00 pm
live music
Corvallis
Sunnyside Up Café 116 NW 3rd St. Celtic Jam [CELTIC] 7 pm, FREE
Corvallis
dance
Corvallis Elks Lodge 1400 NW 9th St. Beginner Line Dance 7:00 pm, $3 Impulse Bar & Grill 1425 NW Monroe Ave. Cuban Salsa 7:30 pm, FREE OSU Women’s Building Room 112 Salsa Dancing 8:00 pm
Lebanon
Cascade Performing Arts Center 800 Harrison St. Beginner Adult Ballet Classes 7:30-8:30 pm, $5
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Lebanon
Corvallis
Albany
Tangetn
Enoteca Wine Bar Sake Tasting 7 pm, $10
Lebanon
OSU Women's Center Benton Annex Coffee & Tea from around the World 12 pm
Albany
Peacock Bar & Grill East The Brand [BLUES] 7 pm, every other Wednesday Dixie Creek Saloon Wild Bill's Blues Jame [BLUES] 7 pm
Albany
dance
Albany Eagles Lodge 127 Broadalbin St Albany Senior Dance 1:30-3:30 pm, $3 Riley’s Billiards Bar and Grill Pure Country Night - Country Dancing with DJ 9:00pm
Corvallis
Old World Deli 341 SW Second St. Belly Dance 8 pm Peter Gysegem’s Studio Argentine Tango Classes 7:15 pm, $5 peter@gysegem.com
Cloud 9 126 SW 1st St. Beer & Blog 5 pm
Corvallis
stage
Linus Pauling Middle School 1111 NW Cleveland Ave. "Hallelujah Hopscotch" After School Drama 7 pm, $5
Corvallis
Exit 9 129 First Ave. W Karaoke Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly
eclectic
LBCC North Santiam Hall Gallery, 2nd floor atrium 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Reception/gallery talk: Carol Hausser, Cynthia Herron, & Beverly Soasey [ART] 2 pm
lecture
OSU Trysting Tree Conference Room D107, 104 Weatherford Hall Dave Coates, Director of Talent and Workforce Development at PCC Structurals, Inc. 7 pm
Thursday @ Bombs Away Cafe Gunfighter & Inebriated Species [ROCK] 9 pm, FREE Photo by Michael T. Johns
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ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• WWW.THEALCHEMISTWEEKLY.COM
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live music
Albany
Calapooia Brewing Wild Hog in the Woods [STRINGBAND] 7:30 pm
Corvallis
WHO OWNS THE CO-OP?
dance
Albany
Albany Eagles Lodge 127 Broadalbin St. NW Line dance, couples dance lessons, & open dancing, 7 pm, $4
Bombs Away Cafe Gunfighter & Inebriated Species [ROCK] 9 pm, FREE
Riley's Bar & Grill Throwback Thursday w/ DJ Tray, 9 pm, FREE
Papa's Pizza Parlor 1030 SW Thrid St. Webster Chicago [GOSPEL BLUES] 6 pm, benefit for Schools of Sinkunia, must have flier from papaspizza.net
Corvallis
Lebanon
Philomath Middle School 2021 Chapel Dr. Family-friendly swing dance lessons Info: 541.929.3180
Peacock Bar & Grill East Blues Jam [BLUES] featuring Kendall Lee & the Roadhouse Blues Band, 7 pm every other Thursday, FREE
Tangent
Dixie Creek Saloon Jake & Kalyn [ACOUSTIC] 7 pm
Lebanon
sing
Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly
Peacock Bar & Grill Karaoke, 9:00 pm On the top DJ Mike, 9 pm, $2
Philomath
eat/drink
Corvallis
Enoteca Wine Bar Chocolate Truffle Happy Hour FREE Truffles 6-8 pm First Alternative Co-Op North 2855 NW Grant Ave. Wine tasting, 5-7 pm
YOU DO!
stage
Albany
First Alternative
Albany Civic Theater 111 First Ave. SW "Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters" 8 pm, $8-$11
CO-OP
Corvallis
Linus Pauling Middle School 1111 NW Cleveland Ave. "Hallelujah Hopscotch" After School Drama 7 pm, $5
lecture
Corvallis
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library 645 NW Monroe Ave. Bob Custer: "Circling Annapurna" 7 pm
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OSU Memorial Union Journey Room Amina Wadud: "Islam, Justice and Gener Reform" 7 pm OSU Owen Hall Room 102 Prakash Chenjeri: "Preserving the Blessing of Liberty for Posterity: Why It Matters" 7 pm
Friday @ The Beanery on 2nd Robert Richter [FOLK] 8 pm
WineStyles 2333 NW Kings Blvd. Wine tasting: 2 Towns Ciderhouse hard ciders & fruit wines, 5:30 pm, $5
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live music
Corvallis
Albany
Bombs Away Café Hot Tea Cold & Media Rio [FUNK/ BLUES/ROCK] 10 pm, FREE
Corvallis
The Beanery on 2nd Robert Richter [FOLK] 8 pm
Cloud 9 Riot In the Clouds [OFFENSIVELY HIP] 10 pm OSU LaSells Stewart Center Henan Chinese Opera Company: "Chinese Orphan" [CLASSICAL] 7:30 pm OSU Memorial Union Lounge Noteworthy Duo [CLASSICAL] part of Music a La Carte, 12 pm, FREE FireWorks Brian Smith [INDIE FOLK] 8 pm
Corvallis
sing
Peacock Bar and Grill Karaoke, 9 pm On the Top: DJ Alex, 9 pm
stage
Albany Civic Theater 111 First Ave. SW "Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters" 8 pm, $8-$11 Corvallis High School Black Box Theatre 1400 NW Buchanan Ave. "Art" Willamette STAGE Company 8 pm, $16-$19 Linus Pauling Middle School 1111 NW Cleveland Ave. "Hallelujah Hopscotch" After School Drama 7 pm, $5
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eat/drink
Corvallis
First Alternative Co-Op South 1007 SE Third St. Wine tasting, 5-7 pm
VO PLACE FOR A QUICK BITE
WineStyles 2333 NW Kings Blvd. Friday Night Flights 5-8 pm
eclectic
Corvallis
OSU Dixon Recreation Center "After Dark" [FESTIVUS] 9 pm, FREE
Albany
dance
Linn County Fair & Expo Center 3700 Knox Butte Rd Oregon Mid-Winter Festival (square dance) 6:30 pm Riley’s Bar and Grill Ladies Night with DJ Tray 9 pm, FREE
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connecting good food & good people since 1970! South Corvallis 1007 SE 3rd St (541)753-3115 Open Daily 7-9
North Corvallis NW 29th & Grant (541)452-3115 Open Daily 7-9
• THE
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY•
www.firstalt.coop JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
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Albany
Calapooia Brewing The Shinkle Band [COUNTRY/ROCK] 8 pm
Corvallis
Block 15 The Vicki Stevens Trio [BLUES] 9 pm Bombs Away Cafe Space Neighbors [FUNK/ROCK] 10 pm, $5 Cloud 9 abolitionist, Angries, & Dona Cepa [PUNK ROCK] 10 pm FireWorks Jesse Meade [ACOUSTIC R&B] 8 pm
Lebanon
Lebanon Coffeehouse & Eatery 661 Main Street Live Music 6:30pm
eclectic
Corvallis
Live Well Studio 971 NW Spruce Ave. Ste. 101 Grand Opening [WELLNESS] 12 pm
Lebanon
sing
Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly
I can't put my foot behind my head...yet.
dance
Reser Stadium Club Level Pink Out Breakfast & Silent Auction 9:30 am, $12-$20, hosted by the Gymnastics 10.0 Club & The Women's Basketball Rebounders benefiting Project H.E.R.
Albany
Lebanon
Albany Civic Theater 111 First Ave. SW "Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters" 8 pm, $8-$11
Lebanon Coffeehouse & Eatery 661 Main Street Saturday Afternoon Free Movie [SEE] 2pm – 4pm
Riley’s Billiards Bar and Grill DJ Tray spins 9 pm, FREE
stage
Albany
Corvallis
Corvallis High School Black Box Theatre 1400 NW Buchanan Ave. "Art" Willamette STAGE Company 8 pm, $16-$19
Tangent
Bleach- Nirvana Tribute [GRUNGE] 9:30 pm
alchemist pick
Contributed Photo
Have you given up on your New Year's resolutions yet? Or has the monotony of that daily run or workout become tedious and non-stimulating? Fear not! You can still keep to those goals and possibly even begin to enjoy a new and healthy lifestyle. On Saturday, January 29 from noon to 5:30 p.m., Live Well Studio will celebrate it's grand opening with a complete afternoon of Yoga, Pilates and Dance classes that are free to all attendees. It is your chance to familiarize yourself with Live Well Studio and get answers to any questions you may have regarding the range of services and equipment that they offer. Classes will begin at 12:00 p.m. and last 30 minutes each. The public has been invited to bring the whole family as free childcare will be provided throughout the afternoon for 3-12 year-olds.
According to LIsa Wells and Kristina Ender, the co-owners of this new studio, Live Well is the only facility of its type in the area to offer a comprehensive range of movement practices. So whatever your preferred method of contortion and jiggle they probably have something that will inspire and interest you. And hey, it's totally free. So you've got no excuse not to strap on that pink fusion headband and matching leg warmers, fill up that reusable water bottle and start gyrating, bending, stretching and holding. Live Well Studio is located at 971 NW Spruce Ave., Suite 101 in Corvallis at the west end of the Corvallis Crossing Development. You can also visit their web site for more info at livewellstudio.com.
-Stanley Tollett
MUPC and KBVR bring you Saturday @ Calapooia Brewing, The Shinkle Band [COUNTRY/ROCK] 8 pm Photos byAmanda Long
FREE TO ENTER! WIN UP TO $300 Information and Registration Online at mu.oregonstate.edu/osuhastalent
Saturday @ Cloud 9, abolitionist, Angries, & Dona Cepa [PUNK ROCK] 10 pm
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Registration Now Open Applications Due February 9th Register Online at mu.oregonstate.edu/osuhastalent Auditions February 11 - 13th
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• WWW.THEALCHEMISTWEEKLY.COM
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It's an everyday thing Albany LBCC North Santiam Gallery 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Carol Hausser, Cynthia Herron, and Beverly Soasey [EXHIBIT] through February 25 LBCC South Santiam Gallery 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Susie Morrill, "Portraits in Place" [EXHIBIT] through January 28
Corvallis OSU Memorial Union, Concourse Gallery Mass of Glass II: Reflections of the OSU Craft Center’s Glass Programs [EXHIBIT] through February 1 OSU Fairbanks Gallery Shelley Jordon, “Materfamilias” [EXHIBIT] through February 2 OSU Guistina Gallery "Russian Exhibit" [EXHIBIT] through February 11
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Albany
Calapooia Brewing Blues Jam 4:00 pm
Novak’s Hungarian Restaurant 2306 Heritage Way SE Strings of Time [MELODIC JAZZ] 6:00 pm, FREE
Corvallis
FireWorks Ravincrowe [ACOUSTIC FOLK ROCK] 8 pm
Lebanon
Merlin’s Bar & Grill Blues/Rock Jam 6 pm
More is Less Across 1. Source of aircraft thrust 7. Some pairs of Roos lack them 12. Utopian sorts 16. “Can we get ___?” (diner’s question) 17. *Modern Japanese drink made with tapioca 18. Longtime Notre Dame football coach Lou 19. Chess grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric, e.g. 20. “In my own place, my name ain’t ___ ... my name is Enrico Salvatore Rizzo” 22. Suffix with cream 23. Quitter’s words 26. Trig for calc, often 28. *Hecklers in the cheap seats, collectively 32. “Shoot!” 33. Intimate email sign-off 34. Isaac’s boorish kid 37. Do something 38. Make the kayak move 40. “One more thing,” for short 42. Rising times 43. Denomination in Iraq 45. More, south of the border 47. Drug that may keep you up for days? 49. *Power bat, usually 52. Like moments of silence 54. “That time of year thou ___ in me behold”: Shak. 55. .MOV alternative 56. “___ a Letter to My Love” (Simone Signoret film) 58. Austen novel 62. River in Belarus crossed by Napoleon in 1812 64. *NYC art mecca 67. Hang loosely 68. Show the ropes 69. Gent’s mag with liberally airbrushed covers 70. Title for the mascots who appear at the beginning of the starred entries
eclectic
Corvallis
sing
Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly
Corvallis
stage
Corvallis High School Black Box Theatre 1400 NW Buchanan Ave. "Art" Willamette STAGE Company 2:30 pm, $16-$19
Tangent
Dixie Creek Saloon Open Acoustic Jam 6 pm
Down 1. Bends the truth 2. Together, in music 3. State in a Springsteen album title: Abbr. 4. Alternating with the hooks, say 5. Certain big couch shape 6. Rare NFL game ending 7. Pakistani metropolis 8. “I love,” in Latin 9. Bloody Mary seasoning 10. ___ nous (between us) 11. Hostess crËme-based treat 13. Kerri who had that vault where her ankle was messed up but she won gold anyway 14. Colonial imposition of 1767 15. Parked oneself 21. Like some crappy paint jobs 24. Sierra Club founder John 25. Footstools that often match chairs 27. Prior to, poetically 28. Blackberries, e.g. 29. Per person 30. Flat finale 31. Setup for a spike, perhaps 35. French girlfriend 36. Whence Drago from “Rocky IV” 39. Lacking color 41. Fit systems 44. Barrel beverage 46. Gordon ___ (Sting’s real name) 48. Bears witness 50. Frequent Dr. Dre collaborator 51. Smith with the album “Horses” 52. Chain letters? 53. ___ barrel (helpless) 57. Adjective for some contemporary high school haircuts 59. “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” topic 60. Quiet with a click 61. Western hemisphere abbr. 63. Bee: Prefix 65. The Grizzlies, in boxscores 66. Athlete’s outfit, briefly
www.sudoku-puzzles.net
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Enoteca Wine Bar Book Group [READ] 7 pm
Lebanon
Inkwell Crosswords by Ben Tausig
Lebanon
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sing
Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly
Corvallis
dance
OSU Women's Building, Rm 116 OSU West Coast Swing Club First Winter Term Dance 7 pm lessons, 8 pm open dance, $3 students, $5 community
live music
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Corvallis To be considered for a calendar listings, notice of events must be received in writing by noon on Tuesday, two weeks before publication. Send to editor@thealchemistweekly.com. Photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed, stamped envelope.
FireWorks Southtown Open Mic Talent Search 8 pm
WWW.THEALCHEMISTWEEKLY.COM
• THE
Sunday @ FireWorks, Ravincrowe [ACOUSTIC FOLK ROCK] 8 pm
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
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Liquid Light, part #3 This is the last writing on a three-part series on sake, but it won’t be the last time I come back to this amazing topic! To re-cap this series, part one unraveled my reasons for why people say that they dislike sake and why they don’t know any better. Part two was a general discussion on sake styles and what constitutes those differences. Part three is all about some of my favorite sake. There are literally thousands of sake and I have thus far only tried a portion (maybe 200 at this writing), so my list of favorites will continue to expand. Many Nigori (unfiltered so there are fine rice particles in suspension) are pretty chunky so that the sake has a gritty texture sort of like really runny Cream of Wheat. Dreamy Clouds, by Rihaku, is unlike all the others in that it is a sensual taste-treat for the eyes as well as palate. It has fine dusting of rice solids gracing the bottom of the bottle like hoar frost coating grass on a winter’s day. Drink Nigoris by first shaking up the sediment and purposefully pour it all into a glass without decanting off the sediment. The suspension of the solids gives the sake an illusion of flying through a cloud. Dreamy Clouds is a Junmai with a seimaibuai of 59% which gives it a purity that surpasses most Nigori. Freshly steamed rice and juicy plums are the main aromatics with a flavor lean and bright backed by hints of nuttiness and sweet rice. Dreamy Clouds is very food-friendly with a resounding acidity and a lightness on the tongue. I just finished up a bottle of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America, a Junmai Ginjo Genshu that is a brewed for the Jinja Shinto Shrine near Seattle by SakeOne of Forest Grove, Oregon. It is the official ceremonial sake as well as a fund-raiser for the Shrine. You can only purchase this sake from SakeOne, the only sake kura in Oregon, so it’s pretty hard to find unless you make the trip to Forest Grove. Grand Shrine is a big, fat sake with very complex textures that start sweet, fade to an intense acidity and finishes with a sweet note. It is loaded with lots of honey, teas and green melon characteristics with a minerality backbone. To support my belief that sake can be paired with ALL food types (restauranteurs, perk up here!) I had one of those “holy crap, this is goooooood!” moments with lunch earlier this week. A Woodstock’s Spicy Beav pizza with a Hakutsuru Excellent Carton Junmai Sake. The mildly fiery pepperoni and
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sausage duo was tamed by the sake’s residual rice sweetness all-the-while there was a union between the tanginess of the pizza sauce and the subtle acidity of the sake. In food and sake the Japanese believe in a theoretical food component called “Umami”. You cannot physically add it to food, yet it is in line with salty, sweet, bitter and sour; it can be best described as “yumminess”. The black olives had a great deal to do with it, but there was definitely an elevated umami component when this sake and pizza were united! Hakutsuru Excellent Carton Sake is packaged in a 1.8 liter carton with bright colors and splashy graphics that could easily be confused with a Florida Grower’s orange juice container. Team CBS traveled to Portland this week to attend a sake seminar and trade show. After the show we zipped out to a Sushi bar, called “Zillas” located on the NE part of the City of Roses, for a late night dinner. On a daily basis we three all work hard together and today was intended to be part work and mostly play (It’s not easy keeping Drew out of a PDX taproom!) As their employer, I think it was important for Drew and Nate to experience trade shows and in this case a rainbow of sake. But, for dinner, I really wanted a magical moment of relaxing with my pals with great food and sake. With our tuna and salmon Sashimi we enjoyed a bottle of Kikusui Chrysanthemum. The story is long, but in short this sake is brewed from a special breed of rice developed in 1937 to have a short stalk (to keep it from falling over during monsoon season) and has a well-defined “Shinpaku” (starch-laden center of the grain which is very important to make quality sake) - in the shape of a Chrysanthemum flower. It is a wonderfully affordable Junmai Ginjo that is laced with tropical flower aromas and a light banana flavor and viscosity and yes, it is simply amazing with Sashimi! I’ll end this series by noting how much I’ve enjoyed writing it and my only hope from you is that it has inspired you to drop pre-conceived notions and misguided stereotypes about sake. I hope that you will make it a point to search out someone in our community who can give you a good recommendation for a sake to try! As for me, I do believe it is time for a glass of Hou Hou Shu sparkling sake; think “cream sherbet float”! -Joel Rea (Corvallis Brewing Supply owner) joel@lickspigot.com
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• WWW.THEALCHEMISTWEEKLY.COM
literati
Homecoming By Michael Thomas
A walk alone, a delusory mist that makes blue grain from the ring of mountains that circle this hollow, that turn substance to particle. Say my name. Who are you, who had you been, that I search for in the shorn and famished grasses so colored like sickly bone that it stills the thought, rattles the heart, and stirs the winds of my homecoming. Who? Another tree planted roadside to lead the way of the departed from a place you never had chance or sense to depart from? Another stone by which I search for some remnant of your likeness and in time’s passage will erode, slip into sand? The name that marks it will become illegible and children will play hiding games in this pasture of strange rocks. I pick my way over the soil and read every name I pass. “Come here,” he says and his cheeks are red with blood and he is breathing roughly. “No,” I tell him. I tremble, stepping back. “ You f***ing pussy…hey…hey, I said come the f*** here!” A breeze ripples the grass and tilts the boughs, the branch work wilting deathly, expunged, and going orange and yellow and red in the beautiful funerary turning of the days. Coming from behind, I know it is you. It cools the blood and tickles the flesh standing up the small hairs on my arm. “’Cause they don’t care,” he says and he is crying. Under the lamplight, with our feet
stretched out on the sidewalk, he turns from me. So I cannot see his face. Cannot see him choke the air down. But I can still hear him and I do not know what to say. My lips are sealed as if words, I had never spoken. His shoulders flutter in his sobbing. Arms lift out, flex once, then drop to his sides. We stare up at the telephone lines. “They never did care,” he says. Who are you that I look upon on new soil and try to force a memory from? Whom I had only spoken briefly, degradingly of in years since? A soluble photograph of a young man holding his daughter. A note from a friend. Splotchy ink. Flaccid paper. A bit of lawn strewn with old flowers and translucent zip-locked bags filled with what was left of your childhood. Plastic dinosaurs. Toy cars. He looks at me dazedly with a foolish grin and eyes lidded heavily. A storm creeps over the ridge of the valley and into the next county and a gold cast is set over the plain. I feel the wind. I look around and expect them all to be here, all the people you used to know. Say it. I look and cannot believe that this isn’t so and was still detained by that faint chill that rested in my flesh upon our reunion here today; that was also the same cold I felt the morning that I had first heard, like a cloud shadow passing over me, and could not believe it then.
Send us your original poetry and prose. editor@thealchemistweekly.com
joshua english cont'd we don’t have all the answers; these ugly little details of life and bohemian existence find expression in Joshua English’s music. The song Nickel In belongs around the campfire of some sad dustbowl gathering of wanderers, refuges left out in the cold, abandoning their families and only searching for the next meal, the next something. The next whatever hasn’t yet been created yet so you can be sure they haven’t found it yet to fulfill their lives. But there is a kind of backwards comfort in his music. A feeling that this lifestyle is not as good or somehow unequal to those who preserve the spaces for us to come on home to. That when we have spent all this energy and emotion and understanding and
charity there is still others that will take care of us too. I’m convinced that Joshua English believes in his quest. That we should believe all this mess, all this unlinedupness of edges and corners that won’t dovetail fit somehow into a greater more abstract, more beautiful picture. And we start to get convinced as the tracks move on that somehow it’ll all work out. We’re being told not to come home, there is no home to come home to. So it’s time to keep moving : suggesting that we will be the ones creating the new spaces we come home to. And have faith that whatever we need is being created and soon for better or worse we will be coming into it.
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Albany ● Corvallis ● Lebanon ● Philomath
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011
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Aquarius ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Credit is a system whereby a person who can not pay gets another person who can not pay to guarantee that he can pay.” Charles Dickens, that Victorian social author/reformist, was he looking into a crystal ball-tipped pen or something? If the cost is too dear, Aquarius, then don’t buy it, don’t buy into it. Remember the words of Miguel de Cervantes, “What is bought is cheaper than a gift.” Aries (March 21-April 19): Quantum physics now focuses on the space between that holds the entrails of atoms through which electrons fly. The space the little Arizonian girl held is gone--smitten from the annals of time, but she will not be lost, Aries. It falls to your kind, for her and the others, to sincerely believe more eloquently, reach out more graciously, and teach more about peace to every person you encounter. In the pack you are the leader. Bring us out of this in your own way. Dedicate yourself to it. Taurus (April 20-May 20): Taurus, you need to go consciousness knocking, which doesn’t mean the same as soul solicitation— no bargaining here, souls aren’t saleable. Project positive energy as you build a pile of your own, keeping in mind that it’s imperative to create a balance. People will be satisfied with your generosity and will pass it on as well. Gemini (May 21-June 20): A quiet, unassuming acquaintance of mine from Salem, built a fantastic Burning Man art car. The eight-legged machine seats more than a dozen people and crawls over the playa like a tarantula. Marty’s mechanical magic may be found in the words of Teddy Roosevelt, “Speak softly, but carry a big stick.” Rather than a large stick to get your point across Gemini, allow ingenuity to crawl on the sands of time in your own world. Cancer ( June 21-July 22): As to the saga of the spy geese who have been watching the pseudo-eagles in farmers’ fields: The flock of spies now includes ducks, lots of them. Each day they congregate, moving closer. I’m sure there are some scientific types amidst the covert operations, although they’ve not broken out duck binoculars yet. I predict they will instead, count coup, which means that they will waddle up to those pseudo-eagles, tap them on their plastic bodies with their curious bills,
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and swagger back to the duck congregation, quacking victoriously. Be as courageous as they are and remember those ducks are not chicken and neither are you. Leo ( July 23-Aug. 22): Small, wiry limbs sway in winter winds as the skeleton trees share their naked essence, guiless and free. And as the wind wafts around their bark, we become aware of the trees’ promise of future fruition. Theirs’ is the power of dormancy. Virgo’s energy grows in the winter’s gloaming, just like the great oaks of the valley savannahs. Let the wind whisper in your ear. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Someone from your history needs to reconnect with you or maybe it’s someone who reminds you of someone from your past. Make a coffee date. Mother Teresa said, “Peace begins with a smile.” Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Lincoln City volunteers spent a few days picking up migrating salmon in their arms and carrying them to the safety of the river. This happened after the fish stranded themselves during the annual flooding. No fish road kill wanted there. This misplaced crossing and subsequent intervention is reflected your life right now, Libra. You may be asked to do something totally out of the ordinary--an act of compassion and altruism which will become a regular part of your life. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I hear squirrels grumping around in their nest letting the world know that it is too cold even with their furry tails. But they will rouse in the icy sheen of the morn and continue their forage for life. If you find your heart buried beneath the cold, find a way to warm it up. Hot chocolate laced with your favorite booze or not, a neighborhood bonfire, an elder’s smile—they’ll all work. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some people have lots of money. Some do not. Life is a game--it’s how you remain true to living that gives the most payoff. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m from the other side of the tracks, looking over I say, “Ya. Uh-huh. Ahem.” I crossed o’er the tracks, saying, “Ya. Uh-huh. Ahem.” Now I live on the tracks, dodging, reaping rides, and conversing with people of unknown persuasion saying, “Ya. Uh-huh. Ahem.” I can still hear my grandparents’ dishes rattling in the cupboards and the scream of the train’s horn careening by and the lonely voice of a late night train weeping as it leaves the safety of the city. In my tracks, in the middle, I am. Goat, ride your own rails for the second week of Aquarius and beyond. Ride your rails all the way into Pisces where you will discover an entirely different set of locutions. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): At times, the Cascade Range becomes a focal point for those in the valley, peeking over the horizon like a long-forgotten memory. Even when we can’t see Sisters, Bachelor, Jefferson, or Hood, they are always there, reminding us of the antiquity of this land and former fire. If you have scars of this magnitude, recognize the beauty of them, learn from them, and know they are healed.
ALCHEMIST WEEKLY• WWW.THEALCHEMISTWEEKLY.COM
Marsala Tri Tip
Albany
Albany Civic Theater
111 First Ave. SW 541.928.4603
Alleyoop Lounge
Bogey’s Bar & Grill
The Beanery on 2nd
Calapooia Brewing
Big River Restaurant & Bar
901 Pacific Blvd 541.941.0977
140 Hill St. NE 541.928.1931
Cappies Brewhouse
211 1st Ave W 541.926.1710
Cascade Grill
110 Opal St. NW 541.926.3388
Chasers Bar & Grill
Mix the dry ingredients together, rub on your steak until all sides are covered. Place the steak in a large lightly oiled pan on medium heat. Let cook until meat reaches internal temp of 130 degrees, turning every 2 - 3 minutes. Once your steak is done place on a cutting board slice pieces off at a 45 degree angle approximately 1/4 inch thick. Shingle 4 -5 pieces on a plate and top with Marsala and mushroom sauce. Marsala sauce: Start with a Demi-Glace, I like to use the Knorr brand, you can find this at most stores, if you do not find it at the normal grocery stores you can try Cash and Carry, or other restaurant supply stores. Using the recipe on the Demi-Glace use
as much as you need for the amount of steak you are making, 1 cup would work for 3 - 4 people. Replace 1/2 cup of water with Marsala wine add 1/2 stick of salted butter 1 TBL spoon Burgundy wine 1 Bay leaf 1/4 yellow onion 1 celery stalk Boil the onion, celery, bay leaf, burgundy, and water from the Demi-Glace recipe together for 10 minutes. Strain the water and place back in pot, add the Demi-Glace mix and Marsala wine, once sauce reaches a boil, add butter and let reduce should become just a little thicker then a gravy. Mushrooms are optional, if you want them you would add 1/2 cup to the sauce now, you can use any kind of mushroom that you like (pictured here with carmini's ) let them boil in the sauce for about 5 minutes turn heat down and pour over your steak when ready to eat. Great side dish with this is baked sweet potatoes with butter and brown sugar.
500 SW 2nd St 541.753.7442 101 NW Jackson Ave. 541.757.0694
Block 15
300 SW Jefferson Ave. 541.758.2077
Bombs Away Café
435 SE 2nd Ave 541928.9634
2527 NW Monroe Ave. 541.757.7221
Dixie Creek Saloon
China Delight Restaurant
32994 Hwy 99E, Tangent, OR 541.926.2767 Tri tip steak 1 TBL Johnnys salt 1 TBL Course ground pepper 1 TBL Sea salt 1 TBL onion salt 1 TBL spoon celery salt 1 TBL spoon granulated garlic
Aqua Seafood Restaurant & Bar 151 NW Monroe Ave. 541.752.0262
129 W 1st Ave. 541.929.8900
Tri tip:
Corvallis
Favorite Mistake Sports Bar
325 NW 2nd St. 541.753.3753
Clodfelter’s
1501 NW Monroe Ave. 541.758.4452
5420 Pacific Blvd. 541.903.0034
Cloud 9
Front Street Bar
Crowbar
2300 Northeast Front Ave. 541.926.2739
GameTime Sports Bar & Grill 2211 Waverly Dr. SE 541.981.2376
Humpty’s Dump Bar & Grill
126 SW 1st St. 541.753.9900 214 SW 2nd St. 541.753.7373
Enoteca Wine Bar
220 2nd Ave. 541.926.5546
1115 SE 3rd 541.754.6958
Lariat Lounge
Flat Tail Pub
Linger Longer Tavern
Greenberry Store & Tavern
Lucky Larrys Lounge
Harrison Bar & Grill
124 Broadalbin St SW 541.926.2838
Wilhelm’s Spirits & Eatery 1520 Pacific Blvd SE 541.926.7001
Peacock Bar & Grill
125 SW 2nd St. 541.754.8522
Squirrel’s
100 SW 2nd St. 541.753.8057
Sunnyside Up Café
116 NW 3rd St 541.758.3353
Suds & Suds
1045 NW Kings Blvd. 541.758.5200
Troubadour
521 SW 2nd St. 541.752.7720
Tyee Wine Cellars 26335 Greenberry Rd. 541.753.8754
Wanted Saloon 140 NW 3rd St.
WineStyles
2333 N.W. Kings Blvd. 541.738.9463
Lebanon
Cornerstone Café & Pub
130 SW 1st St. 541.753.9900
Fireworks Restaurant & Bar
Riley’s Billiards Bar & Grill
1030 S.W. Third St. 541.757.2727
Downward Dog
2200 NW 9th St. 541.752.6364
JP’s Restaurant & Lounge
1296 S Commercial Way SE 541.928.3654
Papa’s Pizza
Artisian’s Well Lounge
136 SW Washington Ave. 541.758.9095
145 SW Main St. 541.926.2174
2740 SW 3rd St. 541.738. 7600
Darrell’s Restaurant & Lounge
916 Old Salem Rd NE 541.926.3111
901 Pacific Blvd SE 541.928.2606
Murphy’s Tavern
202 SW 1st St. 541.758.2219
29974 HWY 99W 541.752.3796
2250 South Main Rd. 541.451.3900
180 S 5th St. 541.847.6262
Duffy’s Irish Pub 679 South Main St. 541.259.2906
Fire Pit Lounge
2230 South Santiam Hwy 541.451.2010
GameTime Sports Bar & Grill
3130 South Santiam Hwy 541.570.1537
Merlin’s Bar & Grill 541.258.6205
550 NW Harrison Blvd. 541.754.1017
Peacock Bar & Grill East
Impulse
Sports Shack & Deli
1425 NW Monroe Ave. 541.230.1114
La Bamba Mix Night Club
126 SW 4th St. 541.207.3593
Loca Luna
136 SW Washington Ave, Ste. 102 - 541.753.2222
Luc
134 SW 4th St. 541.753.4171
76 E. Sherman St. 541.451.2027 1250 Grant St. 541.259.0800
Philomath
High 5 Sports Bar & Grill 1644 Main St.-541.929.7529
Meet’n Place Tavern
1150 Mian St. 541.929.3130
Wine Vault
1301 Main St. 541.929.8496
Wing Sing Restaurant & Lounge 658 Main St. 541.929.6255
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