Catalyst Magazine

This collaboration with Ken Sanders — UCONOCLASTS — brings to light the rich history of some of Utah's most iconic figures. Using historical photos of the subjects, I have painted the first dozen portraits (Suite One: Literary Utah:—Edward Abbey, Fawn Brodie, Juanita Brooks, Neal Cassady, Bernard DeVoto, Raymond F. Jones, Charles Kelly, Dale Morgan, Wallace Stegner, May Swenson, Wallace Thurman [on the cover] and Maurine Whipple) in the fashion I saw fit.

Information on purchasing prints at http://www.kensandersbooks.com/uconoclasts or http://www.uconoclasts.com.

UCONOCLASTS is also open before/after performances of Plan-B Theatre Company's WALLACE about the lives of Wallace Stegner and Wallace Thurman (March 4-14 in the Studio Theatre at the Rose Wagner. Details and tickets at http://planbtheatre.org).

by Benjamin R. Bombard

Like it or not, the automobile is central to the American way of life, and so is the promise of inexpensive gas. But without government subsidies and other economic trickeries, the price at the pump is a pipe-dream.

If you're like most Ameri­cans, your visits to the gas station to fill your vehicle's tank are workaday, and your behavior nearly robotic: Roll up, pop the gas cap, swipe your card, pull up on that black handle and watch the numbers on the pump tick away your hard-earned money. That is until the price per gallon starts climbing, as commonly happens every summer—then we really start paying attention.

If you're like most Ameri­cans, your visits to the gas station to fill your vehicle's tank are workaday, and your behavior nearly robotic: Roll up, pop the gas cap, swipe your card, pull up on that black handle and watch the numbers on the pump tick away your hard-earned money. That is until the price per gallon starts climbing, as commonly happens every summer—then we really start paying attention.

The high watermark is usually reached in midsummer, as happened in July of 2008 when the average price at the nation's pumps hit an all-time high of $4.11. But soon enough, typically in Septem­ber, prices begin to ebb as does the communal furor over high gas prices.

Like it or not, the automobile is central to the American way of life, and so is the promise of inexpensive gas. For a good part of the year, prices are low enough that most of us drive around and fill our tanks without putting up much of a stink. In fact, gas in this country has averaged the relatively modest inflation-adjusted price of $2.37 a gallon for nearly a century. Last year's average was $2.35.

But does $2.37 a gallon begin to cover the cost to locate, secure, extract, transport, refine, market and manage oil? If not, do we really want to see the "real" price on gas pumps across the country?

A primary factor in the cheap gas equation is government subsidization. {quotes}Government subsidies have kept the price of oil, and thus gas in America artificially low since the petroleum industry's nascence in the early 19th century.{/quotes} But it is difficult to track all those government subsidies, add them up and then break them down into per gallon numbers. The largest petro subsidies bear some cumbersome names: the Expensing and Development Costs Credit, the Percentage Deple­tion Allowance, the Alternative Fuel Production Credit. All three of these (and other, even more arcane subsidies) are at least superficially intended to boost fossil fuel production on good old American soil.

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts did add up all the subsidies, royalties and tax credits and concluded the petro industry walked away with an estimated $3.5 billion in taxpayer money in 2006. Add that to the cost at the pump.

In the Netherlands, a gallon of gas at $7.82 includes $3.50 per gallon in taxes. The Dutch also tax new car sales at 25%, and in November, Dutch politicians passed a law compelling drivers to install GPS devices in their vehicles so they can be taxed seven cents USD (increasing to 16 cents by 2018) for every kilometer they drive.

In Utah, we pay a total of 42.9 cents per gallon on state and federal taxes, about five cents less than the national average.

After factoring in government subsidies and taxes into our gallon of gas equation, we're still a ways from understanding the real cost of gas. To get a better idea, we have to factor in a host of externalities—the side effects, both monetary and otherwise, of producing and consuming gasoline. Externalities, or spillover costs, impact parties not directly involved in a transaction.

Say you buy a cup of coffee at a café. Your purchase directly affects you and the coffee shop, but the impacts of your purchase can also be felt in Panama by employees of the coffee plantation who grew and harvested the beans.

In the case of oil—a truly global industry if ever there was one—the list of externalities is long and smudgy. What do we count as an externality related to oil? Some people argue access to oil in the Middle East was the main impetus behind the U.S.'s invasion of Iraq in 2001. Do we count the entire cost of that war as an externality? What about the far-reaching effects of America's vast auto-driven urban sprawl?

Morgan Downey, the author of "Oil 101," boiled down gas-related externalities for us. In an email, she writes that there can be positive externalities from oil consumption, such as the fact that gas-powered ambulances can rush the sick emergency rooms quickly, and there can also be negative externalities: Driving around in gas-powered vehicles results in a lot of accidents.

They also cause air pollution—which may result in the need for more of those ambulances.

Calculating for externalities is tricky work, but back in 1998, the Inter­na­tional Center of Technology Assessment (ICTA) compiled a comprehensive report that factored in just about every cost they could think of that's associated with gasoline production and distribution. According to the ICTA's findings, the total external and social costs of gasoline were valued at $1.32 trillion more than a decade ago: $1.7 trillion in inflation-adjusted USD. (The ICTA report valued government subsidies at $9.1 billion on the low end and $17.8 billion on the high end. That should give you an idea how theoretical these calculations are.)

In 2007, the Earth Policy Institute took the ICTA numbers, added in the cost of oil and gas consumption, figured in inflation and calculated that the average real cost of a gallon of gasoline in this country should have been $11.92 in 2006. Adjusting for inflation, we'd be paying $12.75 at the pump on average if we were shelling out the real price of gas.

But do we want to? "The practice and promise of cheap gas underlies all of our businesses, development and personal patterns," says "Oil on the Brain" author Lisa Margon­el­li in an email. She seriously doubts the economy could survive at real gas prices, or that Americans would be willing to pay the real price of gas. Even, says Margonelli, if some would theoretically would like to see them rise, they won't be happy when $6 gas hits the rest of the economy and everything grinds to a halt. She also notes that high gas prices would particularly endanger normal life in rural states like Wyoming and Mon­tana, where public transit is still a fairytale.

Do we allow low gas prices to continue to incentivize the slow destruction of the climate and potentially life as we know it? Or do we advocate for the real cost of gas? Margonelli's advice is to reveal the external costs of gasoline at the pump—but not charge for them. She says it would be "interesting and helpful to require gas stations to print the 'uncounted' costs of gasoline on gas receipts so that people see, hey, I just paid $12 in tax subsidies for oil drilling when I filled my tank." Not a bad idea. Perhaps we'd start watching our gas consumption the same way we watch our waistlines.

What's more likely to happen is that the status quo will be maintained until it is no longer possible to do so. Till then, it's like the ebb and flow of gas in our tanks. Every summer, we'll watch prices at the pump rise. We'll make some hubbub, channel some collective fury towards the black-blooded oil companies that gouge us year after year. And then when prices begin to drop, we'll turn our attention back to whatever it was we were distracted by before we were distracted by the price of gas.

by Ralfee Finn

Startling plot twists! Tremendous potential for creative innovation! And, on July 26, a glimpse into 2012: Now is the time to wake up.

This summer, as the weeks before and after the opposition of July 26 unfold, we will have a glimpse into the future, a preview of future intensity, as we move into the seven exact Uranus/Pluto squares that occur 2012-2015. Those squares will change the world. Completely. Each one of us will be a participant in those changes, making it all the more important to move into alignment, now. "Be the change you want to see in the world" may be overused. But it is not yet a cliché.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This piece appears in lieu of the regular monthly which Ralfee has written monthly for the past 13 years. It bears reading with a marker, or a scissors, and deserves bookmarking for frequent reference.

From now on, Ralfee will write more indepth pieces such as this, less frequently. But you need not mourn the loss of your monthly mini-fortune. The cookie jar is now stocked weekly—visit www.CatalystMagazine.net each Wednesday and click on the familiar old "Aquarium Age" logo for even more timely insights from our favorite Manhattan-based wise woman, Ralfee Finn.

Even as I write them each week and month, I know the pithy predictions can't possibly be true for everyone. Yet facing that challenge, as well as the greater challenge of trying to apprehend the deeper meaning of the combined planetary influences of a week, a month, or a year, has been a profound catalyst for my personal growth. Writing "The Aquarium Age" has written me. It has humbled me before the vast mystery of the sky and has allowed me to feel connected to a living universe: every column is a conversation with the cosmos.

Speaking to the soul

Western astrology began in Mesopotamia as omen messages from the gods. In the syncretism of Hellenistic Greece, it was "perfected" by mathematics and philosophy. In Rome it found its political spine. It was preserved as well as refined by Islam and the great Arabic astronomers. Revived and resuscitated during the Renaissance, discarded during the Scientific Age, reborn in the early 20th century with the advent of the spiritualist movements, and then reborn again in the latter part of the last century through the power of technology. As others have written before me, the history of Western astrology is the history of Western civilization.

Part of astrology's power and perhaps the reason it seems to survive the tides of cultural change is its ability to contextualize life events. Astrology delineates cycles and that can be a comfort, especially if we are in a bad patch and desperately in need of reassurance that it will not last forever. But more important, astrology speaks to the soul—it tells the personal story as part of a much larger universal story. Telling an individual story through a larger archetypal or mythological framework offers the possibility of connection, direction and purpose.

Meeting the challenge of consciousness

Inspiration for "The Aquari­um Age" came from a January 1995 New Year's letter to friends and clients about the coming year. Pluto was moving into Sagittarius, Uranus into Aquarius. As these two agents of change started new cycles, so did we. These contacts always portend opportunities for profound transformation, personal and collective. They formed a conjunction from 1965-1969. They were sextile from 1995-1997. And from 2012-2015 Uranus and Pluto will form seven exact squares.

Before and after those exact contacts, well within range of each other, their interaction will stir the caldron of change. We are about to enter an even more intense time of personal and planetary transformation. This atmosphere is not necessarily negative. It is potent with opportunities for creativity and growth. But taking advantage of those opportunities rather than squandering them means meeting the challenge of consciousness.

The New Year opened with both Mercury and Mars in retrograde. Mercury wasn't retrograde for long. Mars is retrograde until March 10, which means for most of the beginning of the year, we are dealing with a persistent level of frustration. Mars isn't interested in retracing its path, unless that review reveals information about how to move ahead with greater dexterity and success. Because Mars is retrograde in Leo, we can expect dramatic reactions to any obstacles; take meltdowns in stride.

Saturn/Pluto square

In the midst of Mars Retrograde, on January 31, the second in a series of three exact squares between Saturn and Pluto occurs; the third is August 21. Known for its harsh edges and almost obsessive need to find the flaw and to dwell on it, a Saturn/Pluto square is not the sort of major contact you want in the midst of retrograde meltdowns. Handling this energy without pointing punishing fingers, practicing ruthless self-recrimination, or collapsing into a victim position is going to take extra effort.

At a deeper level, this square is about transforming structures that no longer serve. Pluto symbolizes death and rebirth, and when it interacts with Saturn, the principle of stability, stagnant systems, physical or metaphysical, must reorganize. This square exacerbates the other ongoing Saturn cycle—the Saturn/Uranus opposition—and that aggravation is preparation for the challenges we will face during 2012-2015. Saturn rules Capricorn, and Pluto's presence in Capricorn since January 2008 has exerted a constant pressure on what holds the structures of daily life in place. Now as Saturn squares Pluto over the coming months, even more of what was previously taken for granted will be challenged. As you move through this cycle, be clear about what is essential in your life. Make sure what matters most to you is congruent with what you know to be true. And then, be willing to let go of what isn't.

Saturn, maturation, and individual responsibility

Those born in 1980-1981 are having this square as part of their first Saturn Return, which intensifies an already intense rite of passage, or what might be called an initiation into maturity. The presence of Pluto deepens the sense of urgency—it's time to grow up and accept the mantle of adulthood.

Those born in 1950-1951 are having their second Saturn Return as part of this square. The second Saturn Return is a passage into the Elder years, when we attune to Saturn's capacity to distill wisdom from experience. Saturn is, after all, how we grow. It sorts through the data, discerning what's valuable and necessary and what isn't. Your choices will also reflect the Zeitgeist. This is not the time to give up or to despair over the state of the world. This is a time for a renewed commitment to making a difference in the world. Yes, things change very slowly, but they do eventually change.

Saturn/Uranus opposition

The Saturn/Uranus opposition has been in effect since September of 2008. There are five exact oppositions in this series. The first exact contact was Election Day, when the first black President of the United States was voted into office. Saturn/ Uranus interactions are always about the dissolution of the status quo. Saturn represents structures. Uranus symbolizes the principle of change. Oppositions signify tension. The entire bundle brings to the surface systems that no longer serve, as well as resistance to revolutionizing those stagnant systems. Certainly President Obama is an icon of change. Yet while he won, a very large number of people did not vote for him, and certainly Sarah Palin has become an icon of the vitriolic resistance to change, a symbol of right wing conservatives.

The last time Saturn and Uranus opposed each other was during the Sixties, another time of great cultural and political upheaval. I can't stress enough that the venomous reaction to President Obama in part stems from a long-festering reaction to changes that occurred 45 years ago, changes that tilted the cultural and political axis of planet Earth. As this opposition once again underscores cultural polarization—young and old, rich and poor, black and white—it also keenly brings to light how many of us are still reeling from the changes of the last opposition, still falling through space, still wishing that those changes had never occurred.

Myth, meaning and manifestation

The Greek myth of Saturn and Uranus tells the story of such a tilt because in the myth, the son supplants the father: Uranus is the sky god, a creation of Gaia, who fathers all of Gaia's children, including Kronos, also known as Saturn. As the myth goes, when Uranus is unhappy with some of his offspring, he tries to return them to Gaia's womb. Gaia reacts by asking Saturn to help her to kill Uranus; together, Saturn and Gaia castrate Uranus, and Saturn takes his father's place. Interestingly, in modern astrological interpretation, the roles are reversed. Saturn is the old order. Uranus, the new one.

When I apply this myth to our current situation, it becomes a story of our collective American father complex, a widely held belief that the President should behave as our father, protecting us from harm, leading us into prosperity, paving a way for a bright and secure future—all of which we project upon whomever happens to be leading us. Roosevelt was the father who brought us out of the Depression. Kennedy was the young father who offered the promise of inspiration. Reagan the glamorous father, akin to Robert Young in "Father Knows Best" who kept us in the thrall of a superficial view of the world. Clinton, the rock star, charismatic to a fault, whose flaws would ultimately deliver us into the hands of Bush, Jr., the belligerent, bullying, abusive father, who would protect us if we kept up the pretense of his righteousness, all the while denying the inevitable consequence of his narcissism. A great many of us want Obama to be the father of change and hope his magic wand will eradicate the injustices of our system, and restore us to sanity.

But our collective mental health, and by that I mean ability to leave childhood behind so that we can mature, lies in our own hands, not in the hands of our leaders. Saturn is the voice of authority; it is how we distill wisdom from experience; it is how we respond, rather than how we react. One difficult but powerful consequence of this ongoing Saturn/Uranus opposition is the realization that individuals can no longer renounce personal responsibility. President Obama can only make health care happen if those of us who want health care make it clear what kind of health care we want. We can no longer pin our expectations on others, leave the field, and expect to be satisfied with the results. Each of us must make an effort if we want to make tangible gains. We can only counter the egregious greed of the financial world with a refusal to play their game. If you want lower interest rates, stop using credit cards. If all of us refused to pay, the banks would eventually come around. But it has to be all of us, united in a common cause, a cause that is for the good of each of us. That would be a revolution.

The mantra of the Sixties was "I'm doin' my thing." This same idea is at the core of the current series of oppositions. Perhaps the only difference is that we now have abundant information about how just how deeply our individual "things" are interconnected. And because of that awareness, whether it is through global warming, financial ties, or simply through the maturation of consciousness, it is no longer possible to live as an island, disconnected from our fellow travelers. We are actually more dependent on each other than ever before.

For the ancient Greeks, Saturn symbolized the passage of time, and the first Saturn Return, or the first complete Saturn cycle is believed to represent the first phase of maturity. This return occurs approximately every 29 years, and signifies an initiation into adulthood. To have Pluto as part of this significant passage is to experience this maturation process at an even deeper level. Pluto represents death and rebirth; it wants authenticity, and is uncompromising in its need to weed out what isn't true.

You may face choices regarding attitudes or patterns that no longer serve. Many of these choices will reflect the mood of the moment, especially as those decisions relate to finances and relationships. But when Uranus is also a part of this passage, unexpected shifts in circumstance provide opportunities to move from a personal perspective into a trans­personal one. As the local financial crisis is connected to the global one, solutions must address the cause of the problem, even as solutions are sought for the very real immediate consequences.

Peacemakers of the zodiac

On April 26, 2010 we will experience the fourth Saturn/Uranus opposition, and the last to occur in mutable signs, also known as the peacemakers of the zodiac. This opposition will signal an avalanche of change, because after it occurs, several significant planetary signatures start to change.

Those born at the end of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces will feel this opposition keenly, and need to prepare for a huge influx of energy by figuring out how to stay grounded in the midst of these inexorable waves.

First, Jupiter is rapidly moving into a conjunction with Uranus—an event that happens only every 14 years. This occurence signals potent periods of creative expansion. Uranus envisions, and Jupiter opens as wide as possible the scope of that vision. The potential for crea­tive innovation in 2010 is enormous. Take note: Jupiter's power will amplify the effect of your focus. Keep your intentions clear.

Spring and summer's waves of change

For five months—April, May, June, July, and August—Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus generate wild waves of change. As we try to ride the tides, there are very real possibilities of getting swept away. Just be aware, the enormous expectations of this time can turn into the temptation to take equally big risks, with not every gamble delivering the jackpot. Uranus symbolizes startling plot twists and what cannot be foreseen.

Since September of 2008, when we moved into the first Saturn/
Uranus opposition and the financial world collapsed, uncertainty about the future has contracted personal worlds. Many of us have been struggling to make the necessary adjustments by paying closer attention to the day-to-day details of our lives. For some it's been one very real loss after another. For even more, the collapse of the status quo has caused profound anxiety or a sense of futility and despair. For others, it's manifested as a deepening spiritual practice. No matter what your reaction thus far, the spring and summer of 2010 will catalyze an even deeper need for a transformational perspective.

We may be familiar with the concept that change is the only constant. But how to integrate that knowledge into a way of life? Over the next few years, those who do understand the simple principles of living with the transitory nature of existence will be called upon to help those who have no idea what that means or requires.

Each of the Jupiter/Uranus conjunctions will create a decidedly optimistic atmosphere—so optimistic that some may be convinced life is returning to normal. Jupiter/ Uranus contacts are said to embody grace in the form of divine intervention. The shadow of this conjunction is a tendency towards zealotry—the urge to stubbornly insist on the "rightness" of one's visions, without taking into account all the consequences.

But the most important event of the year is the final Saturn/
Uranus opposition on July 26, 2010. [The set-up in this astro-adventure series: Saturn, in Libra, in an almost exact conjunction with Mars, opposes the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, and both conjunctions are in a square to Pluto, in Capricorn. This opposition happens in cardinal signs— signs of action.]

The days prior to that alignment, as well as after it, are sure to be quite dramatic, again from a personal and a collective perspective. At this point the tone of the opposition shifts. Many of us will no longer be able to tolerate discussion, dialogue or negotiation.

As this time nearly two years of tension, personal and collective, will come to a head. Those born 1968-69 will have this last Saturn/Uranus opposition as part of their midlife crisis transit. Normally this configuration is a call to action manifesting in significant changes in career, health and marriage. But normal is no more. These individuals are likely to experience a call to action that reaches beyond the personal and local to the collective and the global.

God is in the act

If you are inclined toward political action, this is the year when you will decide to put aside any apathy and start taking a stand for what you believe in—for your vision of what you want the future to be. Do not succumb to the idea that the world is too big to change. Or that the system is too complicated. Or that it's no use making an effort to make the world a better place for all of its inhabitants. No effort toward love is futile. And it is always worth putting your heart and soul on the line for consciousness, for change, and for the good of all sentient beings.

But remember, the world only changes one heart at a time, which means change also has to occur in our personal and private lives. No more façades of spiritual righteousness that are only masks of hypocritical behavior. No justifications for infractions that ultimately lead to the loss of any semblance of a moral center. Each of us has to live what we know to be true. No slapping the children with one hand and preaching peace with the other.

Always remember that the means never justify the ends. The means create the ends. As the next several years unfold, we will be deciding just what means to us.

This summer, as the weeks before and after the opposition of July 26 unfold, we will have a glimpse into the future, a preview of future intensity, as we move into the seven exact Uranus/Pluto squares that occur 2012-2015. Those squares will change the world. Completely. Each one of us will be a participant in those changes, making it all the more important to move into alignment, now. "Be the change you want to see in the world" may be overused. But it is not yet a cliché. Remember, it was Gandhi who spoke this truth, and also remember, Gandhi did change the world.u

Visit Ralfee at www.aquariumage.com or read her weekly updates at CatalystMagazine.net.

by Swami Beyondananda

Wake up laughing, and wise up loving: The upwising has begun!

Well, another 12-month episode of that long-running comedy of situations, "Universe Knows Best," is in the can, and you'll be happy to know the show has been renewed for another season. The Producer thinks it's hilarious. However, if you're like most of us, you really had to strain to hear the laugh track in 2009. Certainly, there was plenty to not laugh about. Take our political system—please!

"We're not here to earn God's love, we're here to spend it!"
—Swami Beyondananda

Well, another 12-month episode of that long-running comedy of situations, "Universe Knows Best," is in the can, and you'll be happy to know the show has been renewed for another season. The Producer thinks it's hilarious.

However, if you're like most of us, you really had to strain to hear the laugh track in 2009. Certainly, there was plenty to not laugh about. Take our political system—please!

A year ago, Americans believed they had chosen not just a new Pre­sident, but a new precedent. Well, now that the hopium fix is wearing off, we must face the inconvenient truth that if we want a truly new deal, we the people must become the new dealer. Unfortunately, the old dealer seems to have dealt a great hand to the uncommonly wealthy at the expense of the commonwealth.

Obama bails out Wall Street, and bails out on Main Street

Riding high on the shoulders of public opinion, President Barack Obama came down to Earth, showing he—like anyone else in the em­ploy of the American Empire—must answer to the Board of Direc­tors, and not to the shareholders. To give credit where credit is not due, the Administration bailed out the big banks, which immediately reinvested the money in three big houses: The White House and the two houses of Congress. It's a buy-ological fact: When the banks are picking up the tab, the government becomes more usurer-friendly.

No wonder they have names like Chase and Wachovia. Sadly, a lot of little folks are feeling walked over. Last year, downsizing and lay-offs affected every industry. I recently went to one of those '50s and '60s rock music nostalgia shows, and was shocked by the line up: The Jackson Four, The Three Tops, Two Dog Night and the Everly Brother.

Even I went minus last year, and frankly it left me nonplussed. So I too have had to downsize. I'm now wearing smaller pants.

Meanwhile...the up-wising continues

Fortunately, the up-wising continues, as the body politic now recognizes the difference between change and chump change. I predict even more awakening and a-wisening in 2010. Americans are waking up left and right, because the news is alarming and the snooze button no longer works. Anger is becoming all the rage, proving once again that old adage: The truth shall upset you free.

As even more shift hits the fan in 2010, the body politic will need all the fortification and nourishment it can get to metabolize the political toxins and neutralize the socio­path­o­gens. And so I am offering my simple and effective two-step program, because frankly we don't have time for all 12: Wake up laughing, wise up loving.

Wake up, because it's time to wake up. Laugh, because there is definitely something funny going on—even if you can't find the joke hidden in the picture. Yes, waking up is hard to do, so we will need plenty of "ha-ha's" to go with the "aha's." As we wise up to the inconvenient truths hidden behind convenient lies, we will need something to keep us from taking these political toxins poisonally.

That is where love comes in. Love is the one solution that will dissolve negativity. Of this, I am positive: love will positively dissolve negativity.

Step one: Wake up laughing

Do you realize that billions of people worldwide go to bed serious every night? And wake up the same way?

Seriously.

So naturally—or in this case, unna­turally—the world is in serious condition. Between the stresses of work, the economy and a steady diet of bad news, is it any wonder so many people have gained weightiness?

Yes, the problem is serious. But the solution is humorous. If gravity's got you down, let levity lift you up. Do you ever wake up in the morning with a funny feeling? Great. Go with it! Feel the levitational pull uplifting the corners of your mouth into a smile. You want to uplift humankind? Uplift your face first, and everyone else will get the idea. It will be like wearing one of those buttons: I lost weightiness. Ask me how.

Step two: Wise up loving

In the midst of our evolutionary up-wising, we must amp up the loving—particularly loving that which we find most unlovable. Why? The lovable has no problem getting love, because it's so...lovable. Meanwhile the unlovable is left unloved, and so acts unloving, and becomes even more unlovable. This is a vicious cycle that can indeed become a never-ending cycle of viciousness, unless we end it. So, as the old saying goes, when you find yourself caught up in a vicious cycle, stop peddling and get off.

Now you're going to love this: When we find some lovable part in the unlovable to love, that lovable part expands, and the unlovable shrinks. So...if you find something unlovable, by loving what is lovable about it, you can love the unlovable to death!

At the same time, we can love the lovableness to life! We do that by focusing on the positive. That is why I have launched my "Just say no to negativity" campaign. It is especially important that we give our children an esteem bath every day. Next time you see your youngster sprawled out on the couch playing video games, speak only positive words of praise: "What's right with you, you useful good-for-something? And wipe that smile on to your face!"

I guarantee that before long, he or she will be hanging out with a savory crowd.

We can achieve fulfilament!

As we wise up to the awful truth, we must then rise up to the awesome opportunity: Humanifest destiny! We are here to manifest our destiny as imaginal souls in the body of a newly emerging organism called Humanity, where each of us is totally unique—just like everyone else! We are here for one singular purpose—to let our light fully shine. The enlightened ones call this fulfilament.

And with more delighted lights lighting up, enlightening is going to strike more frequently. A critical mass of us will recognize that we'd be a lot happier and a lot more successful if we put our energy into fruitfully re-growing the Garden instead of fruitlessly scrapping over the scraps. As we children of God put aside childish things like war and greed and finally become adults of God, we will evolve past the Ten Commandments to the One Suggestion: Love thy neighbor, otherwise there goes the Neighborhood.

Yes, this will require conscious evolution, but I say we were created to evolve. Otherwise Jesus would have said, "Now don't do a thing till I
get back."

As you probably know, I never make predictions because I don't want to jeopardize my non-prophet status. However, I do set intentions. And so, may 2010 be the year that we collectively tune out reality TV, and tune into...reality! We humans collectively are in the hero's role in the greatest adventure story in human history: Conscious evolution! A world win campaign where the whole world can win.

May we use our intelligence intelligently and our hearts lovingly. May we wake up laughing, and may we wise up loving. And may we—each and all—achieve fulfilament.

Swami Beyondananda is the alter ego of author and uncommontator Steve Bhaerman, and can be found online at http://www.Wakeuplaughing.com.

by David Kranes

For over 40 years, Salt Lake Acting Company has "bought local" when it comes to supporting talent; one grateful playwright speaks out for local artistic "farming."

Not long after facial hair had found me and I had found writing-for-the-theater, I said a stupid thing. Smudged almost imperceptibly with early success, I was a bit full of myself—sitting on the stage of the August Wilson Theater in New York with a half-dozen others who constituted a panel giving advice to regional theater directors and managers. The question asked of the panel to which I responded stupidly was: "Where do we find the playwrights?" Feet cartwheeling toward my mouth, I leapt in.

Not long after facial hair had found me and I had found writing-for-the-theater, I said a stupid thing. Smudged almost imperceptibly with early success, I was a bit full of myself—sitting on the stage of the August Wilson Theater in New York with a half-dozen others who constituted a panel giving advice to regional theater directors and managers. The question asked of the panel to which I responded stupidly was: "Where do we find the playwrights?" Feet cartwheeling toward my mouth, I leapt in.

Essentially, I began reeling off a list of New York dramatic agents, all of whom—I assured the questioner —would represent any number of "hot" young and new American playwrights.

Somewhere in the middle of my agent-list another member of the panel broke in. It was Bob McBeth who ran a Black theater company in Harlem. Intercepting my answer gently but with clear authority, he said he begged to differ and asked the questioner where he was from.

My memory is that the questioner named a town in South Carolina. "Okay," McBeth said, "Here's what you do...to find yourself a playwright. What you do is: You go down to your local grange and you ask them, 'You got anybody writing any kinds of shows for you? You know—entertainments?' Chances are, they do. So you get the name of someone... and you find someone... and you tell him or her that you've got a theater and might someone have a play that might be performed on your theater stage? Someone probably does. So you get someone's play and do it. It might be terrible—but do it. And then do the next one. It will be better."

Bob McBeth, of course, was right. And I was stupid. I was stupid in the way that America-in-general and the American-theater-in-particular are frequently stupid. I was promoting brands and names. Bob McBeth was promoting talent. And discovery. And growth. I was promoting agri-business; he was promoting local farming.

Theater is about us. When I write a novel, I write it alone in a room and intend it for a single reader. When I write a play, I write it with invisible friends in the room—a director, actors, a designer, a stage crew—because I know that it won't ever come to life unless it's performed in a space which gathers others. Whom do we gather when we need others? First we gather our family; then we gather our neighborhood; then we gather our community. Nothing could be more local. I may not know how I might belong to America—it's too sweeping a problem—but I do know how I would hope to belong to my own family. Ironically: Family drama is American drama.

For over 40 years, Salt Lake Acting Company, more than any Utah theater has engaged in local theater farming. All those years ago, founder/producing director Ed Gryska went to the grange, and when he asked them about local people who wrote shows, someone said, "Well, there's a guy up at the University." And Ed took the advice and came and found me. Just as he found Ron Carlson and Julie Jensen and Ken Jenks and Al Brown and Aden Ross.

The list goes on. Yes, over these same 40-plus years, SLAC has been producing plays by Edward Albee and Sam Shepard and Terrance McNalley—American writers from the larger locality; but those of us who were the local-locals have been consistently given all the attention and love and respect as the larger-locals were. As playwrights, SLAC was our home. After the Province­town Playhouse, Eugene O'Neill didn't have a home. Clifford Odets had a home at the Group Theater but left it. Thornton Wilder once said that his home was a "hotel.... off-season." Neither Tennessee Wil­liams nor Arthur Miller ever had a permanent theatrical home. Edward Albee's an orphan.

But in Salt Lake, there are a number of us who've been able to say: SLAC was our artistic home. It's a long list; I'll only begin it: Tony Larimer, Anne Decker, David Chambers, Meg Gibson, Nancy Borgenicht, David Mong, Gene Pack, Gail Hickman, Michael Dorrell, Brenda Sue Cowley, Anne Stewart Mark. I need to stop, take a breath. But all of these and so many others constitute SLAC friends and family.

It's not easy. We're a homeless na­tion—including many of our affluent. We're unhappy in our houses; we don't know our neighbors; we're out of town or unaware of community fundraisers. We're rugged individualists—up in the air with George Clooney—disconnected...homeless. There's a reason that, during the first nearly 200 years of our nation, America had accumulated only about a half-dozen playwrights with a significant body of work. We get nervous in public places; we distrust groups; theater often feels unnatural to us; we don't want to cry or need in public (laughing is okay). Theater encourages us to gather; SLAC has always been the sort of theater that made its supporters feel at home.

It's because the playwrigh Tracy Letts has been given a home at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater that his "August: Ossage County" went on to find a larger home in the American theater and was given a Tony Award and a Pulitzer.

SLAC folded the Brooklynite J. T. Rogers into its and Salt Lake's community. During J. T.'s "at home" time here, he wrote (and SLAC produced) his play, "The Overwhelming," which went on to global accolades —first at London's National Theater and then on Broadway in New York.

Last year SLAC searched the nation for a new artistic director. Amid fanfare they hired Cincinnati's Jason Bruffy in September—and last month, let him go. In this drama, the company itself has stepped center stage to again fulfill a legendary theater role—that of the Fabulous Invalid. The notion of Fabulous Invalid is long-standing and attempts to capture a paradox:

On the one hand, news reaches us of critical ailment; on the other hand—despite time, perhaps, in ICU —the patient is discovered full of vigor: dancing, telling jokes, compelling our attention. Hopefully—long-range—theaters like SLAC thrive. The patient battles the odds; the operation is successful; the doctor is in. Or maybe it's the playwright.

At a moment when SLAC appears buffeted by cross-currents, I write to say: "Please: don't be distracted by the cross-currents; watch the landmass." In the company's mission statement, we read a promise to "produce seasons of thoughtful, provocative, regional and world premiers; nurture, support and develop a community of professional artists; and produce and support emerging playwrights." It sounds lofty—but it's been lofty. Have there been fire­storms? Do some playwrights tell their "Tales From the Burn Unit"? I'm sure. Still—again and please: Don't fix your eyes on the flames; watch the fire. It's the same fire the Phoenix repeatedly rose from—and it's a good one. My friend Jeff Metcalf and I always try to remind each other—at squeezed-vision moments of frustration and distraction—to "take the high road." It's because we believe the high road may be the only road home.

On the day I sit down to write this, I stare at a front page headline of the New York Times Arts section: "Play­wrights' Nurturing Is the Focus of a Study." The study, made by the Theater Development Fund, finds a critical need for theaters across this nation to do much, much more of what SLAC and Steppenwolf have been doing for close to a half century: provide a home and family-structure for writers within their communities so that those writers might write—with some sense of support—about Who We Are and Why We Need One Another.

The study points to a "collaboration crisis" between playwrights and organizations producing their work. And though we have heard of collaboration crises within SLAC management recently, I have never—in 40 years—heard of a collaboration crisis between SLAC and one of its playwrights.

Across America, perhaps only a dozen theaters have—for nearly a half-century—provided secure and consistent homes for local playwrights. In the larger picture—the picture of nurturing and enabling stage writers to grow into their vision and craft—SLAC has been a collaborative force in Salt Lake.

David Kranes is a novelist and playwright with over 40 plays to his credit, seven of which have been produced by the Salt Lake Acting Company. Three of these seven plays will be published in his "Selected Plays," due out next year.

by Charlotte Bell

"Bridge pose" is especially needed in the month whose name means "purification."

The Romans had detox in mind when they added February to their calendar in about 700 BCE. The Latin februum means "purification." February is named after the Roman purification ritual that took place each year on February 15th. "Purification, refinement, surrender. These are the practical steps on the path of yoga," wrote Patanjali in "Yoga Sutras." Purification is central to the yogic path.

The Romans had detox in mind when they added February to their calendar in about 700 BCE. The Latin februum means "purification." February is named after the Roman purification ritual that took place each year on February 15th.

"Purification, refinement, surrender. These are the practical steps on the path of yoga," wrote Patanjali in "Yoga Sutras." Purification is central to the yogic path.

The skin is the body's largest eliminative organ, and sweating naturally detoxifies your tissues. But hatha yoga's methods are less about perspiration than about restoration.

Over the millennia, hatha yoga has developed many purification tools, including breathing practices and neti nasal washing. Paired with certain asanas these methods are powerful ways of releasing toxins.

One of yoga's most powerful purifying poses that combats the respiratory distress of breathing noxious air is Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, also known as "Bridge Pose."

Bridge Pose, or Setu Bandha, soaks the lymph glands in the neck and throat with blood. It also suppresses the "fight or flight" (sympathetic) side of your autonomic nervous system, restoring energy and supporting healing. (When your head is below your heart and your neck is flexed, the "baro reflex" is activated. This sets off a chain of events that suppresses the sympathetic nervous system.)

Setu Bandha can be practiced either actively or passively. The active version generates energy through spinal extension. The passive version restores energy by allowing the practitioner to receive the benefits of backbending without spending energy.

Both versions expand the front body, helping dispel the effects of daily forward bending over computers, counters and steering wheels. They also stretch the back of the neck and strengthen legs and hips. (Note: It is best not to practice this pose during menstrual period.)

Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet resting on the floor. Lengthen your arms alongside your torso and turn your palms up. Take time to let your body and breath settle. Feel the contact points between your back and the floor softening and expanding as you breathe. Feel the breath moving your ribcage, abdomen and pelvis. Relax here for several breaths, enjoying the support of the floor beneath you.

When you feel completely relaxed, turn your palms down and press your feet and arms into the floor, rolling the entire spine up off the floor, lifting the buttocks so that your back is arched. Clasp your hands underneath you and rock side to side on your shoulders until you come to rest on the tops of your shoulders. Now press your arms into the floor and allow your chest to expand toward your chin. Simultaneously, lengthen your throat to move your chin away from your chest. Take care not to allow your legs to splay out wider than hip width; keep your thighs parallel. Be aware of how the weight is distributed across your feet, making sure that the weight is equal on these four points: inside and outside balls of your feet, and insides and outsides of your heels. Ground your arms and feet, letting the rest of the body rise up. Take five to 10 deep breaths.

When you are ready to let the pose go, release the clasp of your hands and extend your arms out, overhead along the floor. Stretch through your arms as you lower your spine slowly to the floor, one vertebra at a time. Simultaneously stretch out through your tailbone so that your spine lengthens as it lowers. Here you can return your arms to your sides or allow them to continue extending overhead. Relax and check in with your body/mind. What has changed since you first lay down on the floor? Repeat the entire process at least two more times. This is active Bridge.

To practice passive Bridge, follow the above instructions to move into the pose. Once your spine and hips are off the ground, place a block either upright (as shown) or on its side (so that it's lower) under your pelvis. Clasp your hands under you as in the active version, or allow your arms to rest on the floor beside your body with your palms facing up. Breathe slowly and restfully; relax completely. Do nothing. Stay as long as you like—10 minutes or more. When you are ready to release the pose, lift your hips slightly, remove the block, and follow the instructions in the previous paragraph to return to lying down. You may want to draw your knees gently toward your chest and breathe into your back body.

Weave Setu Bandha into your regular yoga practice, or practice it on its own. Practice it for purification, restoration of energy, or because it feels good. Its heart-expanding properties will prepare you for other of February's iconic days. u

Charlotte Bell is the author of "Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life." http://www.charlottebellyoga.com

by Amie Tullius

Ephemeral art: It's just a matter of time. The legendary graffiti artist leaves a potentially short-lived Utah legacy.

Banksy, perhaps the world's most famous graffiti artist, has left Utah, but he left us with artwork. Some of the art has met its fate already; of the handful of guerrilla murals Banksy left us, over half have been buffed out or painted over already. Do we know for sure it was Banksy? Certain Salt Lake artists have the skills to mimic. Does it matter? Banksy's spokeswoman confirmed he made the paintings.Banksy, perhaps the world's most famous graffiti artist, has left Utah, but he left us with artwork. Some of the art has met its fate already; of the handful of guerrilla murals Banksy left us, over half have been buffed out or painted over already.

Do we know for sure it was Banksy? Certain Salt Lake artists have the skills to mimic. Does it matter? Banksy's spokeswoman confirmed he made the paintings.

The artist announced his arrival in Utah sometime in the dark early hours the opening day of the Sun­dance Film Festival with a handful of murals and tags in Park City. An escalating twitter ensued. Reporters, residents and festival-goers fired off phone calls around town and the world, confirming locations in what became a city-wide graffiti Easter egg hunt. Blog posts of the images bloomed all over the internet. Rumors started. The premiering documentary about Banksy, "Exit Through the Gift Shop," became one of the most discussed films at the festival.

Salt Lake made quick work of its graffiti. But in Park City, at the request of the public and business owners, officials agreed to live with some of the artwork at least for the festival. Cows, the coffee shop on which the now-famous filmmaker mural is painted, claims their mural is private property and will fight to keep it. The city planning department contends that because the art was not authorized by the business owner or the city, the mural falls under the category of graffiti rather than private artwork.

Artbusiness.com says of Banksy, "Over the past several years, his art has escalated in value faster than pretty much any substance known to man." Last year Angelina Jolie reportedly paid nearly $400,000 for her three Banksy pieces. Was it reckless on the part of our city governments to paint over the works?

The artist clearly put a lot of thought into the murals he placed in our city, and they call forth a similar response from us.

We could keep the remaining murals because they're smart, playful and beautiful, or because, as one Park City jewelry artist said when asked about the mural on Cows, "This city is about art. It's perfect for us."

Why would the cities so quickly erase the artwork? Is it dangerous, or a nuisance? Part of the problem is the word "graffiti"—generally the art equivalent of "litter." Our cities have strict polices on how we deal with graffiti just as we deal with trash. The very policies that make Salt Lake and Park City such beautiful cities may be the same policies that don't allow for sudden free murals by a world-famous graffiti artist. It's one of those instances where one longs for a spirit-of-the-law approach, rather than the letter.

Banksy himself stirs up the issue, though. A big tag on a barn was clearly begging to be seen and then dealt with in the only logical way possible: fresh white paint. It was also meant, perhaps, to give a clear tip-off about the rest of the murals in town before they were quickly painted over. Certainly it was meant to create controversy and buzz for the Banksy film.

The other works though, seem more like gifts that Banksy gave our town.

In Banksy's work the lines blur between art and propaganda, private and public, stealing and censorship. Who controls our public space? Who gets to put up the art/advertising in our public space? The people? The property owners? Our city governments? Banksy bypasses the normal protocol and we're left to find out.

More info about Banksy here: http://www.banksy.co.uk.

by Amie Tullius

Jamie Wyeth exhibition takes an avian look at the seven deadly sins—at the Salt Lake Art Center.

The seven deadly sins have fueled western culture's fascination with all things deemed nasty. The an­cient checklist for bad behavior has been inspiration for plays, ballets, paintings, literature, music, film, even video games. Renowned American painter Jamie Wyeth's tweak on the topic: his subjects are seagulls. His seven portraits of seagulls embodying the traditional Christian theological vices feel very realistic—you come away with the sense that they are almost photographic.

The seven deadly sins have fueled western culture's fascination with all things deemed nasty. The an­cient checklist for bad behavior has been inspiration for plays, ballets, paintings, literature, music, film, even video games.

Renowned American painter Jamie Wyeth's tweak on the topic: his subjects are seagulls. Appropri­ately enough, the exhibit debuts in Salt Lake City this month.

His seven portraits of seagulls embodying the traditional Christian theological vices feel very realistic—you come away with the sense that they are almost photographic—but are in fact quite loose for Wyeth. Seagull feet will merge into the inky background, as they do in "Envy," or perhaps will be fast outlines against a flat background, as they are in "Greed." A wing may be quickly rendered in fat brushstrokes, as in "Gluttony," or a fish may be nothing more than a slip of white paint against a blob of grey, as in the same painting. But the subjects' faces—in particular their hard, red-rimmed eyes—are meticulous, and give the viewer a clear glimpse into their owners' souls.

Jamie Wyeth has been seriously studying art and producing paintings since childhood, and you can see his mastery in this body of work. It appears in the speed and deftness of the marks and the perfection of the proportions and volumes of the figures, the texture, color and especially the light. Wyeth's craft would be enough by itself. It's delicious and sensually pleasurable, like an Old World wine being made by a third-generation master California winemaker. The paintings are so technically good, though, that the medium becomes almost transparent and leaves the viewer contemplating not so much the paintings as paintings, but the characters, narratives and meaning of the paintings.

Wyeth, like his father, the painter Andrew Wyeth, is famous for capturing the soul of his subjects. These paintings are of seagulls. The birds are not anthropomorphized, and not at all cartoonish— they are clearly seagulls displaying seagull behavior. Two birds scream in rage in "Anger;" a gull swallows a still-live fish whole, the bird's eyes glazed in mindless feeding in "Gluttony;" and in "Lust," a satisfied-looking gull presses down on his, perhaps surprised, shrieking partner.

Wyeth also sneaks a bit of dark humor into the works, though the paintings aren't meant to be ironic. The aforementioned live fish's eyes are turned heavenward in a way that makes one think almost of a martyr, like Joan of Arc being burned at the stake. Similarly dark in its humor, but more difficult, maybe, is the painting "Sloth." In the foreground a gull snoozes, shirking his work, while behind him a raucous pack does their species' duty for the natural world and scavenges a bit of carrion. For the most part, the carrion is rendered in speckles of red and squiggles of yellow, with a few blotches of peach and then, wait, a...leg. Human and manly.

The work doesn't seem to give lessons in morality or provide answers, but rather asks questions. As often happens in Wyeth's animal portraits, the viewer is challenged to really know the subjects in the paintings, and to drop some of the divisions we like to put between our species and others. All seven works together, with seagulls—animals who are not biologically all that close to humans—acting out traditionally human behaviors, makes one wonder: Are the seven deadly sins ways in which humans act like animals, or are these behaviors natural and humans are arrogant to assume we don't share them with the other inhabitants of the planet? An interesting effect of viewing the seven deadly sins through the lens of biology, the behaviors become ancient and at the same time current. Where is Wyeth referencing religious themes, and where is he referencing biological themes? The distinction tends to blur in these paintings.

Admission is FREE http://www.slartcenter.org

by Ken Sanders

The short, dark yet luminous life of the Utah-born Harlem Renaissance novelist reborn for the theatre.

A black man from white Utah talking about the dark color of his skin. White America didn't care for that. A black man in black America dur­ing the heady days of the Harlem Renaissance talking about racism within the African-American community. Black America didn't care for that. Wallace Thurman, a young black homosexual male from Salt Lake City seduced by the glittering lights of New York City in the 1920s, didn't care what America—black or white—thought. He simply told the truth.A black man from white Utah talking about the dark color of his skin. White America didn't care for that.

A black man in black America dur­ing the heady days of the Harlem Renaissance talking about racism within the African-American community. Black America didn't care for that.

Wallace Thurman, a young black homosexual male from Salt Lake City seduced by the glittering lights of New York City in the 1920s, didn't care what America—black or white—thought. He simply told the truth.

Wallace Thurman was a driven man and a perfectionist. He was never satisfied with his own work or that of his contemporaries. He was pain­fully aware of his own and others' shortcomings.

He came out of all-white Utah at a time when the Ku Klux Klan was reviving itself across Amer­ica and the West, thanks in large part to D.W. Griffith's "Birth Of A Nation." (At the Salt Lake premiere of the film, Utahns came out dressed in antebellum regalia, posing in front of the theatre alongside mounted horseman, replete with the white capes and hoods of the KKK.) A pre-med student at the University of Utah, the young Thurman first went to California, where he edited and wrote for numerous literary and poetical magazines, prior to succumbing to the siren call of the Harlem Renaissance of 1920s New York.

Not content merely to bask in those glittering lights, Thurman used those lights to illuminate himself and his culture through three devastating literary portraits in what would become the short, dark but luminous life of Wallace Thurman.

In 1929 as the nation and Harlem plunged into the depths of the Great Depression (which would extinguish those glittering Harlem lights), his first novel was published. "The Blacker the Berry" explored the issue of color and racism within the African-American community. Neither black nor white America wanted to hear that.

In his second novel, "Infants of the Spring," Thurman took on the intellectual, literary and artistic giants of the Renaissance: Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, Aaron Douglas, James Weldon Johnson, Rudolf Fisher, Alain Locke, Eric Walrond and others—and bitch-slapped them all; told them they hadn't accomplished anything yet and they should quit preening in those dazzling lights and get back to the real work—to produce an artistic body of work that would stand the test of time. He satir­ized all of them in this novel and referred to his apartment, which was the center of intellectual life in Harlem and some really wild parties, as "Niggeratti Manor."

His third and final novel, "Interne" (a collaboration with Abraham L. Furman), was an Upton Sinclair-like expose of City Hospital on Welfare Island in New York. Ironically, Thurman himself, near the end of his life, was incarcerated there after an all-night session of boozing, and was fated to die there. Childhood tuberculosis and a lifetime of alcoholic excess led to an early grave at age 32.

Little is known of Wallace Thurman's Salt Lake years. He was born in Salt Lake City in 1902 to Oscar and Beulah Peterson; his father abandoned the family while Wallace was still an infant. He met his father only once in his adult life, and the normally effusive Thurman had nothing to say to him.

He was largely raised by his grandmother, his beloved "Ma Jack," who took in Thurman's somewhat shiftless mother as well.

Despite a marriage of sorts to Louise Thomp­son in 1928, he left no descendents and no one now living in Utah has any memory of him. But Wallace Thurman's short life left behind it an important, literary legacy, and an uncommon literary connection between the city of salt and the streets of Harlem.

“Wallace”: Plan-B Theatre’s world premiere by Jenifer Nii & Debora Threedy
March 4-14
$20 ($10 students)
801-355-ARTS or www.planbtheatre.org
Part of the Edward Lewis Black Theatre Festival.

Wallace Stegner (portrayed by Richard Scharine) is the dean of western writers. Wallace Thurman (portrayed by Carleton Bluford) was the heart of the Harlem Renaissance. Both men called Salt Lake City home. Their lives intertwine in this rumination on the power of place and the meaning of home.

“Uconoclasts”: visual portraits by Trent Call; word portraits by Ken Sanders
February 19-March 14, Rose Wagner Art Gallery: regular business hours; before and after performances of “Wallace” (March 4-14, also at the Rose); and during the 15th Annual Stegner Symposium (March 12-13, also at the Rose).
“Uconoclasts” began with Ken Sanders’ discovery that Wallace Thurman was born in Salt Lake City, yet seemingly no one in Utah had ever heard of him. The project has since expanded to include some of Utah’s most famous, beloved and controversial literary figures whom all, in one way or another, have gone against the grain, sharing a quality Ken calls “uconoclasm.”
Suite 1: Literary Utah—the first 12 portraits: Edward Abbey, Fawn Brodie, Juanita Brooks, Neal Cassady, Bernard DeVoto, Raymond F. Jones, Charles Kelly, Dale Morgan, Wallace Stegner, May Swenson, Wallace Thurman and Maurine Whipple (Suites II & III coming later in 2010)
Free film screenings
Monday, March 8, 7pm. Tower Theatre: “Brother to Brother,” the 2004 Sundance Film Festival selection that examines the Harlem Renaissance through a contemporary lens. In partnership with LGBT Film Series.
Tuesday, March 9, 7pm. Tower Theatre: “Wallace Stegner,” the 2009 PBS documentary. In partnership with KUED.

Tooth decay, a doggone delivery and saving the St. Patty's Day Parade.
by Greta Belanger deJong

My dentist tells me there's trouble brewing between the teeth and below the gumline. To the naked eye, there's nothing much remiss. But it shows up on an x-ray. Other signs point the way, too, if you know how to notice them.

While not outright rejecting his urgent message, I have resisted it. There's always the thrifty thought of what if, after all that dental work, I died (what a waste). Or: Maybe the problem will reverse itself. Or: My vigorous efforts will undo previous damage. Or: Not this body, it's pretty much problem-free—never even a broken bone (if toes don't count).

As I said, I don't deny he's right. But I might as well do so, considering my 'maybe, maybe not' attitude. I'm waiting for... a sign. Some pain or difficulty that would let me know the situation is dire, that I was a fool to dither, that now that it is too late, I am willing to dive in and do what's necessary (gasping hope).

And then I thought about people ("those idiots") who ignore, even outright deny the evidence of manmade global climate change.

Careful, there—that's my mouth, and that's me.

True, if I die with a mouthful of crumbling fillings and crowns, no one else suffers; I've left no legacy of trouble for another to tend. I have enough imagination to see down the road what happens when we consume natural resources willy-nilly. I see the need for biodiversity. I can't relate to an internal biological process I can't feel or see, nor am I spurred to action by predictions. "Unreal" means it's just not believable. And that's the way most bad news sounds if it doesn't hurt.

I really want to be motivated by joy instead of fear, by my own impulse toward wholeness as opposed to avoiding pain. I really don't know how to segue from dentistry to dogs so I will just tell you that my dog snores gently beside me. Sarah Jessica Barker, aka Lady Lazarus, lives content as long as the cupboard is stocked with canned lamb and rice, she gets her acupuncture and Reiki treatments from Dr. Nan, and there's something new on the sidewalk to sniff. A circumscribed life, to the extreme.

Barely able to stand, much less walk unattended, the almost-16-year-old dog got the ride of her life a few days ago when Pax pedaled to the Main Library, pulling her in the baby trailer he'd found at D.I. and converted into a CATALYST delivery wagon for downtown. Black ears blowing, blanket tucked in around her and a heart-shaped pink fuzzy pillow for her head, she rolled down the road like a rickshaw princess. If she could have, I'm sure she'd have turned to wave. As it was, she was way too busy sniffing.

The pleasure was fleeting but who knows? It may happen again. Or maybe she will die with the memory of that jaunt at the front of her mind, and next life she'll return as a race horse or a cab driver or someone who likes to feel the breeze in her hair.

Which is to say that all we ever have is this every-changing moment. It's simple, I imagine, if you're a dog.

Help save the St Patty's Day Parade!

The Utah Hibernian Society has asked Swagger to help raise money for their organization this year. Swagger was very honored to be asked to help & have put together a fantastic show. Proceeds form the concert will go to help support St. Patrick's Parade which will be held on Sat. March 13th. downtown SLC. Also performing are The Heathen Highlanders Pipe & Drum Band as well as The Crawford School of Irish Dance. The event will be held at the 900 seat Judge Memorial Auditorium in downtown SLC. Tickets are $10 Students & $20 Adults. To purchase tickets go to http://www.irishinutah.org or call Gerald McDonough @ (801) 487-4456.
http://www.swaggertheband.com
http://www.heathenhighlanders.com
http://www.crawfordirishdance.com
http://www.irishinutah.org

Greta is the editor and publisher of CATALYST.

Acknowledge the problem, find the solution.
by John deJong

One reason Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon announced his run for governor last month was perfectly clear. What wasn't clear were the skies. Salt Lake was experiencing what the Utah Department of Environmental Quality's web site characterizes as "an ongoing seasonal concern." Bureaucratese for "air that kills." The murky soup that had sloshed up and down the Wasatch Front for the last six weeks (winning national awards for Best in Smog) was thin around the old South High and the crowd of party faithful. One could see eight or nine blocks. LOL. Rather, WOL—Wheezing Out Loud. I was worried for a couple of old hands who probably didn't need to be outdoors breathing in January Utah air.

But the air over South High wasn't nearly as opaque as the cloud of smog Utah's director of Air Quality enshrouded a Tribune reporter with a couple of weeks earlier—in an oft-repeated story about Utah's resistance to the truth. As Utah's environmental quality bureaucrats struggled to comply with weak new air quality standards for ozone "promulgated" by the outgoing Bush administration, they were blind-sided like a truck out of a smog bank by Obama EPA administrator Lisa Jackson's announcement that the EPA was considering lowering the limits on ozone even further. Instead of 75 parts per billion (ppb) they will have to shoot for 70-60 ppb. Most counties along the Wasatch Front struggle with the current standard of 84 ppb. Comparable European standards are 32.5 ppb and the "no effect" level is believed to be 20ppb. Ozone is the primary constituent of the photo-chemical fog we experience during our summers, which irritates lungs and eyes.

After pointing fingers at wildfires in California and ship docks in Los Angeles as sources of ozone while studiously avoiding "our sources of pollution," or what to do about them, the air quality director summed up the situation thus: "We have to target each one of these (ozone factors) and not point fingers. We all have our sources of pollution, but it's everywhere." The Utah Manu­facturers Association's spokesman's remarks, quoted by the reporter, only added to the smog. "We just want to make sure that everyone does their part."

That's great. But all of the rest of us don't profit by polluting.

All the whining about ozone transport obscures the fact that dangerous levels of ozone are dangerous no matter where they come from and that humans, much less corporations, have no "right" to inflict any higher levels on the rest of the population.

What needs to be done? Get out there and help elect a governor who believes pollution is a problem and has solutions. Drive a lot less. That means supporting more mass transit, and using what we have as best we can. That means not building another parking lot in the state if the money could go towards transit. That means achieving "European" levels of transit ridership and standards. That means complete transit solutions for large numbers of the population, not the piecemeal approach.

John deJong is associate publisher of CATALYST.

A few newsworthy extrapolations.
by Dennis Hinkamp

Our dog once pooped out a quarter and we thought we were going to get rich. The only problem is, it turned out to be a one-time occurrence. That's the trouble with making predictions; you might not have enough data.

However, that doesn't stop people from making predictions; especially when it's the first year of a new decade. So, here are my nine.

1. The University of Phoenix becomes a real national campus, with an enrollment of 2.5 million, and winds up winning every NCAA championship in every sport but still loses money because it spends more on advertising than faculty. Additionally, they have no alumni support because nobody wants to admit that's where they graduated from.

2. Google becomes worse than the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover and blackmails everyone in the world with their archived photos, email and Web search histories. Shocked, stupid people run around screaming, "But the founders of Google go to Burning Man, man." Google also sponsors five bowl games, moves every building in Dubai to Oakland and purchases the Pacific Ocean with cash.

3. GM's On-Star has the capability to shut down any car when it senses the driver using a cell phone, but it is voted down by senators citing personal freedom issue. In a counter intuitive move, the Senate mandates x-rays, body scans and the correct recitation of the pledge of allegiance for all airline travelers.

4. More people watch American Idol than vote, so the U.S. government just gives up and uses the same system to pick a president. Unfortunately (for most of the country) Orrin Hatch is the only one with professional singing credentials.

5. Retailers announce that holiday sales figures were too high and that consumers really need to lower their confidence. The government sucks money out of the economy to slow it down.

6. A small town in northern California elects a dog as mayor just for the publicity. Everyone feels so much healthier after two years of mandated naps, long walks and liver treats; the dog is reelected in a landslide vote.

7. Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh dump there respective spouses, get married and spend the rest of their lives searching for the real Obama birth certificate and the five scientists that can prove that global warming is a hoax. Their children grow up rebellious gay vegetarian pacifists and later form a New Age Techno-Klezmer band called "Pit Bull Ate My Hockey Mom."

8. Barack Obama wins the National League Most Valuable Player, Heisman Trophy and the Field's Medal for Math
ematics in the same year, mainly on the basis of a really great speech and potential.

9. In a mind-boggling mixture of liberalism and conservatism, the Utah Legislature authorizes gay couples to marry and adopt guns—and carry them to school. Thous
ands of former deer hunters finally come out of the closet and admit that they really just liked the camping part.

Dennis Hinkamp says he left out the pessimistic parts.

Say what? Corporations should get more power over our elected officials?
by Jim Hightower

Despite 234 years of progress toward the American ideal of equality for all, we still have to battle unfairness.

How happy, then, to learn that a handful of our leaders in Washington took bold and forceful action last week to lift another group of downtrodden Americans from the pits of injustice, helping them gain more political and governmental power. I refer, of course, to corporations.

Say what? Corporations should get more power over our elected officials?

"Free the corporate money," cried the movement's leaders, demanding that America sever the few legal restraints that remain on corporate efforts to buy our elections. "Si, se puede," chanted these assertive champions of corporate supremacy — "Yes, we can!"

So, they did. "They" being the five doctrinaire corporatists who now form the majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. Let's remember their names: Sam Alito, Anthony Kennedy, John Roberts, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. These five men, on their own whim, have executed a black-robed coup against the American people's democratic authority.

They took an obscure case involving a minor violation of election funding law and turned it into a constitutional upheaval. Rushing their handpicked case through the system, they issued a 5-4 decision on Jan. 21 that overturns a century of settled American law and more than two centuries of deep agreement in our Land of the Free that the narrow interests of corporations must be subjugated to the public interest.

Indeed, the founders of our Republic saw corporate power as an inherently selfish and perpetual danger to democracy, and most leaders of that day believed that corporate entities should have no role whatsoever in politics. Thomas Jefferson bluntly declared in 1816 that the country must "crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations."

The Alito-Kennedy-Roberts-Scalia-Thomas cabal, however, has unceremoniously dumped the wisdom of the founders, along with volumes of American judicial precedent, to assert that poor little corporations today are victims of political "censorship" by Congress, states and cities that have outlawed the use of corporate funds in elections. Such restrictions, ruled the five usurpers, violate the "free speech rights" of corporations, putting corporate interests at a disadvantage with other political interests.

Disadvantage? This would be hilarious, were it not so dangerous. No other group in American has anywhere near the voice and raw political power that corporations exert every day. Campaign donations from individual corporate executives (and from their PACs, 527s, front groups and other channels) total hundreds of millions of dollars each election year, effectively shouting down the voices of ordinary folks (the Wall Street bailout being but one sterling example).

Yet the Court has just handed these political powerhouses their wildest dream: access to the multi- trillion- dollar ocean of funds held within the corporate entities themselves. Every business empire — from Wall Street to Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil to the China Overseas Shipping Company (yes, the five wise guys even waved foreign corporations into our political funfest) — can now open the spigots of their vast corporate treasuries and send a raging torrent of their special interest cash into any and all of our national, state and local elections.

Two legal perversions are at work here. First, the Court has equated the freedom to spend money with the freedom of speech. But if money is speech, those with the most money get the most speech. That's plutocracy, not democracy, and it's totally alien to our Constitution, as well as a gross distortion of the crucial principle of one person-one vote.

Second, a corporation literally cannot speak. It has no lips, tongue, breath or brain. Far from being a "person," a corporation is nothing but a piece of paper — a legal construct created by the state as a mechanism for its owners to make money.

Actual people in the mechanism (shareholders, executives, workers, retirees, lenders, et al.) can and do speak politically — in many diverse voices that express very different viewpoints. But the corporate entity, which the court cabal is trying to turn into a Frankenstein monster, is inanimate, incapable of thought, inherently mute and, in itself, no more deserving of human rights than a trash can would be.

To find out more about Jim Hightower, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM

Environmental news from around the state and the west.
by Amy Brunvand

Nine Mile Canyon agreement signed

Oil and Gas exploration placed Utah's Nine Mile Canyon on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, but an agreement signed on January 5 will help mitigate the harmful effects of dust generated by truck traffic through the canyon. In addition, the agreement will provide for archeological and ethnographic surveys in order to develop visitor interpretation of the rock art sites.

http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/public-lands/bureau-of-land-management/nine-mile-canyon

Salazar says oil & gas not "kings of the world"

Following recommendations of an interdisciplinary review team that studied the controversial 2008 oil and gas lease sale in Utah (the one Tim DeChristopher protesed) Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced plans to reform the onshore oil and gas leasing process of the federal government. An outraged editorial in Oil & Gas Journal reported that during a teleconference on the new rules Salazar said, "I think the change is that in the past, the public lands were the central candy store where the oil industry walked in and took what it wanted. That's not how it should be done," and furthermore, "I think the difference was that [oil and gas producers] were essentially kings of the world in the prior administration. Whatever they wanted to happen, happened." Despite industry protests that new rules would restrict access to energy sources on federal lands, Salazar sensibly pointed out that one reason for reform is to avoid public protests that can take years to resolve. For instance, in 2008 40% of federal oil and gas leases were under protest.

BLM Energy Reform www.doi.gov/news/doinews/BLM_energy_reform.cfm

Climate scientist to speak on CO2

Tyler Volk, author of "CO2 Rising: The Earth's Greatest Environmental Challenge," will give two presentations in Salt Lake. Volk is a professor of Biology at NYU and a proponent of the Gaia Theory—that Earth's atmosphere, oceans, soil and life form a unified system. "CO2 Rising" has been praised as a clear, straightforward explanation of how the carbon cycle works and why we need an urgent response to climate change.

Thursday, Feb 11, 7p. Kings English Bookshop (1511 S 1500 E). Presentation and book signing.

Friday, Feb 12, 7p. Orson Spenser Hall Auditorium (U of U). Keynote lecture for the conference "Working for Peace, Social Justice and a Healthy Planet." The conference is free and open to the public, Friday and Saturday, Feb 12 and 13. University of Utah, Orson Spencer Hall complete schedule: http://utahjwj.org/hpmc/event20100212.html

Becker lists environmental achievements

Last month Mayor Becker convinced the City Council to vote in favor of releasing funds for a soccer complex that would consume the last bit of public-owned riparian corridor along the Jordan River. [See "Sold Down the Jordan River" and "Birds vs. Balls," Jan. CATALYST.] This precedent setting unsustainable decision stunned many supporters.

In that same meeting on Mayor Becker made his "State of the City, 2010" address. He said the livability of Salt Lake City depends on environment, efficiency, equality and engagement. For 2010 he promised that Salt Lake City will adopt a comprehensive sustainability ordinance that "includes increasing the places and ways residents and businesses can capture renewable energy, conserve water used on outdoor landscaping, and produce food locally in the urban environment," such as the recently approved beekeeping and urban chicken farming ordinances. He also cited a long list of environmental achievements from the past year:

• 38 miles of new bike lanes
• Recruited Becka Roolf as bicycle/
pedestrian coordinator
• Advanced the Sugar House streetcar pro
ject, and continued construction of SL Airport light rail line
• Unveiled the Clear the Air Chal­lenge and the Idle-Free campaigns
• Completed riparian corridor studies along the Emigration and Red Butte Creeks
• Identified projects for a DoE Energy Efficiency and Conservation block grant
• Reduced resource consumption and waste in city government and services
• UTA mass transit passes for city employees
• Downtown glass recycling program
• Street light energy audit

Editor's note: These are good and needed. Collectively, they do not make up for the havoc poised to be wrought along the Jordan.
—gbdj

State of the City, 2010: http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/mayor/speeches/2010/soc10.pdf

Bad air = drive less

Salt Lake City spent a week in January with the unhappy distinction of having the worst air quality in the nation, and as Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said in his State of the City speech, "Our air quality is unacceptable and threatens our City's livability."

The Utah Division of Air Quality offers 50 Winter Suggestions to help fix our air quality, and the number one tip is: Drive Less. (Maybe play on soccer fields closer to home and let the birds be.)

Choose Clean Air, 50 Winter Suggestions: http://www.cleanair.utah.gov/winter_steps.htm

Trust us: It's not just tofu. New grill offers Korean delights.
by Emily Moroz

Tofu has been a traditional element in many types of East Asian cuisine for ages. Seasoned tofu-eaters celebrate the varieties and versatility of this natively bland food made from cultured soy milk. Skeptics distrust its stealth, its ability to masquerade as other foods. Belittled or bedazzled, interest in this bean product is blossoming. See for yourself at the new It's Tofu Tofu Grill in Cottonwood Heights. These people know and love the stuff.

Co-owner Kevin Kim has a gentle demeanor, greeting diners with a warm smile, and it's easy to feel welcomed by his restaurant's simple, groomed interior. Variegated dark wood accents walls and comfy booths under soft lighting and clusters of plants. Kevin wanted his restaurant to express a refined touch, hospitality and gratifying service in a relaxed atmosphere, which are all part of enjoying a traditional Korean meal.

He and his co-chef (and wife) Elisa are proud of their selections made, where possible, with seasonal and local ingredients.

If you're unfamiliar with Korean cuisine, you won't feel overwhelmed with options at It's Tofu. Everyone usually has a few questions, and Kevin loves answering them. He says that apart from a too-spicy kimchi variety here and there, since opening three months ago he hasn't heard anyone say they didn't enjoy the meal.

Their most treasured tofu is a silken variety, special-ordered. With the consistency of light, creamy, flavorless pudding, the silky dollops look like egg whites or sour cream. In a savory broth, however, this tofu is something extraordinary.

Banchan is the Korean word for an array of small dishes eaten alongside main entrées. You may know of kimchi, a fermented cabbage and vegetable side dish and by far the most well-known banchan. Kevin and his chefs make all of their kimchi from scratch. In traditional Korean dining, shared dishes of kimchi are set in the middle of the table and diners help themselves; here, each diner enjoys four or five personal dishes.

Presentation is important. Most dishes come with delicate metal chopsticks, the exceptions being the soon dubu (hearty Korean tofu soup that arrives, boiling, in its own tiny cauldron and is eaten with a long-handled spoon) and jun (the giant Korean rice flour pancake with ginger soy sauce, eaten with your hands).

Despite the name, It's Tofu specializes in variety: Chicken, pork, beef and seafood dishes share the easy-to-read menu. The spicy pork and chicken barbecue dishes, marinated and tenderized for several hours, are spectacular, served in a sizzling metal tureen that singes the wooden tray underneath as you spoon the succulent pork and onions onto your plate, surrounding your table with a primordial aroma of smoked wood. Bibimbap —"mixed food"—is a beautifully arranged knoll of vegetables (such as bean sprouts, mushrooms and spinach) and seasoned meat or tofu over rice, topped with an optional cooked egg. The hot stone bowls are coated with sesame oil before heating, turning the rice on the bottom golden brown and crispy.

Kevin and Elisa brought with them recipes from both sides of the family. Growing up on a ginseng farm in Gye-sung, South Korea, Kevin learned from his parents how to eat, appreciate and cook food according to the seasons. They've called Utah home for 18 years—they fell in love with the mountains while touring the West in 1992, and moved to Ogden three months later.

Kevin and Elisa have big plans for It's Tofu. In the coming months, they'll be nabbing the space next door and preparing it to rent for private parties. Kevin is also looking forward to serving Korean wines with a liquor license, starting a catering element and offering events and classes about traditional Korean cuisine.

The entrepreneurial couple plan to open four or more restaurants in Utah alone; look for locations in downtown Salt Lake and Park City in the coming year. Outside of the kitchen, Kevin and his wife enjoy being outdoors hiking, skiing and camping. And cooking? "Absolutely." Kevin adds with a smile, "For us, food is our life and passion." Stop by sometime and dare yourself to rethink tofu.

It's Tofu Tofu Grill
6949 S 1300 E, Cottonwood Heights.
M-Sat 11a-9:30p.
801-566-9103
http://www.itstofu.com

Time for an all-out DIY-preserved local feast.
by Rebecca Brenner

I don't know if it's the seed catalogs piling up or planning the summer harvest dinners at Copper Moose Farm, but I'm suddenly serious about using all the goodies I preserved from last season. It's time for a beginning-to-end preserved, local, DIY winter meal.

The menu: pork chops with a mustard mushroom sauce; edible flower pesto with sautéed onions over winter greens and rehydrated tomatoes; squash soup; salad with homemade chive blossom and garlic vinaigrette; mixed berry soufflé; and homemade dandelion wine, ginger ale and pumpkin beer.

Revisiting the last year's Alchemical Kitchen columns, you'll find recipes for making and preserving pesto, chive blossom and garlic vinegar, dandelion wine and homemade sodas, along with easy ways to freeze fruit. Other homemade elements of the feast: husband Allan's pumpkin ale, dehydrated tomatoes, vegetable stock from the freezer and well-stored root vegetables. The pork chops come from Taylormade Beef of Emery, Utah.

On Friday I raid the freezer for the pork chops, berries and vegetable stock. A day or so in the refrigerator and they should all be thawed. I snag a few beers and bottle of dandelion wine from the basement to chill alongside the food. Half the fun is the anticipation, and I know Allan will sneak one of those beers before the next evening.

Saturday morning I stop by Tony Caputo's for local eggs, wild mushrooms and winter greens. I drool over the amazing artisan cheeses in their cheese cave. I promise myself some day I'll have a cheese room of my own.

Home again, I get right to baking and cooking. With the dehydrated tomatoes soaking in warm water, I start with the dessert—mixed berry soufflé. I blend the berries, then mix with eggs, milk, flour and sugar. I fill each soufflé dish to the top, place them on a baking sheet and nestle them into the refrigerator. The recipe says to bake them for only 15 minutes and serve piping hot, so I'll bake them after the meal. (And while they bake, I'll turn the raw milk from my last trip to Heber into whipped cream, with maybe a bit of fresh-grated nutmeg.)

Soufflés chilling, I head to the basement to pick out my best squash, a couple of onions and a head of garlic. I know I'm anthropomorphizing, but I can't help but gleefully greet them and think that just maybe they are excited to see me too, even though they are about to be turned into soup. I assure them it is their time to shine.

I'm on a roll now—soup is simmering and I've placed the frozen pesto into a pan with chopped onion and rehydrated chopped tomatoes. Once the pesto is thawed and the onions are sweating, I'll sauté some winter greens. Until then, I turn my attention to the pork chops and mushroom sauce.

A side note here: I've been a solid vegetarian for almost 17 years. I cook various local meats for clients and for our harvest dinners, but I've been known at those dinners to pile my own plate full of extra veggies and skip the meat. That was until I got pregnant. The Alchemical Kitchen is expecting a little chef this spring. Needing more iron, I've been enjoying local meats this winter.

I slice two cups of mushrooms. (I decided on shiitake, but any mushroom would work with this recipe.) I sauté onions and the mushrooms in butter. The pork chops are seasoned.

Then, the flurry of activity. Allan takes charge of table setting and ambiance. I simultaneously sauté greens, brown chops and make a mushroom sauce. A few charred onions and a minor burn on my pinky finger later, the salad is tossed with homemade chive blossom and garlic vinaigrette and we're ready to enjoy our almost-all-local-homemade-DIY-preserved winter meal.

We sit. Allan pours me some DIY ginger ale and, for himself, dandelion wine. We toast to the Earth, to the farmers, to the animals and to the microbes. Cheers!

Pork Chops in Mushroom and Mustard Sauce

4 pork chops
Salt and pepper
1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbs. plus 3 more tbs. unsalted butter
2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbs. minced onion
3 tbs. homemade chive blossom and garlic vinegar
2 tbs. grainy mustard
3/4 cup homemade vegetable or chicken stock

Season chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and one tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Sauté two chops on one side until golden brown, about three minutes. Flip, and sauté until cooked through, about two to three more minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chops.

Add sliced mushrooms, minced onion and one tablespoon unsalted butter to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are golden, about two minutes. Add vinegar and grainy mustard, scraping brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon, then stock and any plate juices. Simmer until sauce reduces by half, about three minutes. Gradually stir in two tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into small pieces) until just melted. Season to taste.

Mixed Berry Soufflés

2 tbs. unsalted butter, chilled
more butter at room temperature to coat dishes
½ cup granulated sugar, plus some for sprinkling
8 large egg yolks plus 10 large egg whites at room temperature
2 tbs. organic all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 tbs. berries, blended
1 cup whole milk

Butter six 12-ounce soufflé dishes and dust with granulated sugar. Whisk together yolks, flour and two tablespoons granulated sugar.

Bring milk to a boil, then slowly pour into yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent yolks from cooking. Return mixture to pan and whisk until thick like a pudding—one to two minutes. Strain through a sieve, and whisk in butter and berry juice.

Beat whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a third of the whites into the yolk mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whites.

Fill each soufflé dish to the top and smooth. Run your thumb around edges to remove batter from the rims. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until soufflés rise and are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Top with homemade whipped cream and serve immediately.

Super Simple Squash Soup

1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 tbs. celery seeds
1 tbs. ground mustard seeds
½ tbs. salt
½ tbs. black pepper
2 tbs. olive oil or butter
8 cups water

In a large stock pot heat oil on medium heat for one to two minutes. Sauté onion and seasonings for five minutes. Add water and squash and bring to boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until squash is tender. Remove squash and onion from stock and puree. Mix with stock and simmer for 5-10 minutes more. Serve warm.

Use local and/or organic ingredients whenever possible. The pork chop and soufflé recipes are adapted from recipes from the Martha Stewart website.

U of U student concerts are hidden dance treasures.
by Amy Brunvand

Last month I went to hear Adam Sklute, artistic director of Ballet West, speak at the University of Utah emeritus luncheon (as a guest—I'm not that old). He's a charming guy with a lot of big ideas, and his speech was a riff on the theme of "What does an artistic director do, anyway?" But since he was talking to a bunch of retired professors, he also lavished praise on the close relationship between University of Utah dance programs and professional dance companies in Salt Lake City.

Sklute wasn't just buttering up possible donors—the University of Utah Ballet and Modern Dance departments really have played a pivotal role in the development of Utah's professional dance scene. The U has had dance in the curriculum ever since 1892, when Maud May Babcock was the first woman on the faculty (and a snappy dresser too, in her bloomers and sailor blouse). Babcock taught dance as part of women's physical education

Why is this ancient history important nowadays? Because the reputation of the University of Utah dance program means it attracts top-notch professors and bright young students eager to get on stage and show off what they are learning. In other words, student concerts at the U are an under-publicized and inexpensive way to see some very good dancing. Yes, student work can sometimes be pretentious, derivative and over-reaching, but it can also be fresh, energetic and innovative. The surprise is part of the fun. Dance students are tapped into what's new and what's cool, and they are free to experiment, since they don't need to please an audience with familiar "war horses."

The Marriott Center for Dance at the U is also a hidden treasure of a performance venue. Buy the cheap seats at the Capitol Theatre downtown and you need binoculars to see the itty-bitty ballerinas down on stage, but at the Hayes/Christen­sen theatre in the Marriott Center for Dance you can examine the tutus up close. There are only 14 steeply tiered rows of seats, so you are always close and you can always see. The price is right too—general admission tickets are usually about $10.

This February the Department of Modern Dance Performing Dance Company spring concert is worth a look. The program includes faculty works by Stephen Koester and Donna White, as well as works by Juan Carlos Claudio (whom you have seen on stage with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and SB Dance) and Eric Handman (whose piece is inspired by science fiction cyborgs and aliens).

Note that these names are the same ones you might see on the playbill for a professional company, so if the recession is cutting into your entertainment budget, U of U student performances might be just the ticket.

University of Utah Dance
Ballet: http://www.ballet.utah.edu
Modern Dance: http://www.dance.utah.edu
Full performance schedule for the Alice Sheets Marriott Center for Dance is at www.kingsburyhall.org. Look under Performances> Marriott Center for Dance
General Admission $10. Stadium TRAX.
Ballet Showcase II. Feb 4-6. 7:30p (2p matinee Feb 6)
Performing Dance Company Spring Concert. Feb 18-20, 25-27. 7:30p.
Modern Dance Senior Concert I. March 11-13. 7:30p. Concert II. April 1-3. 7:30p.

A mental, physical and emotional jumpstart.
by Donna Henes

Dear Mama Donna,
I am a woman in my middle years and the excitement and sizzle of sex seems to have been turned off at the spigot. I am always comparing myself with the hot, younger me, whom I seem to have lost. Is this the end of passion for me? Help! I want it back!
—Frustrated in Phoenix

Dear Frustrated,

Oh, honey, this is absolutely not the end of your sex life. Don't despair. And whatever you do, don't stop. Regular sex, according to medical research, has the same benefits as regular exercise. It increases the flow of certain chemicals that naturally boost and strengthen the immune system, improves cholesterol levels, stimulates circulation, invigorates the heart, diminishes the intensity of pain (especially in migraines and chronic arthritis), reduces PMS symptoms and releases endorphins which simply make you feel good.

Here are some suggestions for getting the sizzle back:

Mental sex

Mind your memories, good and bad. Do not dwell in the past. Do not look back in time, yearning for more youthful days or comparing yourself today with who you used to be. And do not let past pain, rejection, repression or abuse deprive you of your present pleasures. Deal with what you want to change so that you can Be Here Now.

Be nice. Be kind. Be patient. Be encouraging, but be sure to ask for what you want. Be willing to communicate with an open ear as well as with an open mouth. Be clear and specific. Be gentle, but firm. Speak your truth and expect to be heard. Share your desires and fantasies and play them out. Show and tell.

Mind your Ps and Qs. P stands for permission. Allow yourself to follow your instincts and your desires and give yourself the unconditional permission to do what comes naturally, whatever that might mean to you. Q is for the Queen in you who knows what She likes. And She likes to get it.

Emotional sex

Explore the full range of your sexual emotions. What feelings does sex engender in you? What needs do you want it to fill? Does it? Is sex an outlet for the release of stress, anger, frustration or boredom? Is it an avenue to tenderness, affection, closeness, intimacy, honesty, safety, openness, trust and love?

Express your true emotional Self in all its myriad moods. Allow your funny, silly, lazy, sad, colorful, soulful, sinful parts out to play. Be adventurous. Be bold. Be brazen. Be wild. Be inventive. Be silent. Be solo. Be celibate. Be whatever you damn well please.

Exorcise your demons. Relax your resistance. Release your inhibitions. Let go of your mind altogether. Forget your emotions and all of your mental ramblings for a while and just let yourself be. There are times when it's important to reflect upon and connect with your thoughts and feelings. There are times when it's just as beneficial to disengage; sex would be one of those times.

Physical sex

Make friends with your body. The more accepting you are of your physical being—your best features as well as your flaws—the more comfortable you will be sharing it. Develop your sense of touch. Cover the surface of your body with paint, with clay, with cream, with silk. Caress the textures. Feel the tactile sensations on your skin. Treat yourself to a massage, a manicure or a facial. Pat, stroke, rub, knead your skin and hair. Offer to massage someone. Ask someone to do it for you.

Treat your body well. Feed it wisely, air it often, water and exercise it with intention and care. Pay attention to its proper maintenance and upkeep. Keep it oiled, greased and limber—don't let it get rusty. Nurture its need to be nurtured. Tend to its requirements and pamper all of its parts. Prepare your body for sex. Soak in a warm tub full of fragrant water to melt into the mood. Rub luscious lotion all over yourself, caressing each mound and crevice and curve with love and anticipation.

Spiritual sex

Create a sexual sanctuary; a safe and sacred space, a Temple of Love in which to indulge in your pleasures. Remove all distracting items that relate to the other parts of your life: notebooks, briefcases, pagers, bills, calendars. Turn the phones off. Cover the clocks. Close the door. Smudge your space with the smoke of myrrh or copal to cleanse the atmosphere, and with the smoke of sweetgrass to invite in the sweet spirits.

Create a mood conducive to enchantment, enticement and enjoyment. This is the royal boudoir, after all. A Garden of 1001 Delights. Decorate it in such a way as to appeal to all of the senses. Sheets and covers in soft fabrics, chenille, flannel and satin to lie upon. Candles, soft lights, colored walls, flowers and objects of art to please the gaze. Evocative perfumes, oils, and incense to smell. Lovely treats to taste.

Create a ritual before you make love. Think of sex as a way to connect, alone or in company, with the vibrating Kundalini energy that courses through you and the entire universe. Sanctify and ignite your intention by lighting a candle, saying a prayer—or by singing, chanting, drumming, dancing, anointing. Reach out to engage your Self, another and All That Is, in an ecstatic embrace of spirit, passion and love.

A new take-charge attitude can be just the catalyst needed to refuel the lethargic passion of a long-term marriage or partnership, or it could send us out in other, sometimes completely unexpected, directions. We could decide to take a lover, or a different lover, or an additional lover. If we have long been single, we might decide to begin dating and establishing relationships. We might, as is becoming more and more common, liberate our previously hidden, unfulfilled yearnings and "come out" in midlife. If we have always been sexually active, involved and/or coupled, we could choose a period of celibacy, Self-exploration, Self-indulgence, and Self-love. The world is your oyster. Pick and choose according to your own persuasion and then partake. Enjoy!

—xxMama Donna

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Wonder no more. Send your questions to Mama Donna at cityshaman@aol.com.

No, I am not making this up.

Dump Your Significant Jerk week has been "celebrated" since 2004. Here's your chance to unload with national support.

And there is something to be said for spotlighting an opportunity to resolve unhealthy and unsatisfying relationships. However, to imply the proper approach to improve things is to "dump the jerk" may be remiss.

How many times have you witnessed (or been party to) a situation where the names and faces change but the same relationship story plays over and over again? Just rotating out the players is not the answer. It's more effective to arrive at the true source of where jerks originate.

And that's within. (Does that thought make anyone else cringe?) To get to the bottom of what matters in experiencing healthy relationships, we start with ourselves.

Let's get it straight: If we've got a jerk in our life, the best answer isn't necessarily to erase him/her from our calendar, lease agreements or cell phone plans. (Although that may be called for as well.)

The best solution is to change what it was within ourselves that allowed the jerk in in the first place.

Like attracts like. Recognizing that we are the source of these traits and behaviors—either because we have them as well, or we have a deep resistance to them—is a powerful first step to releasing jerks from our lives.

So before you dump your jerk or encourage anyone else to do the same, let's realize a couple of important truths when it comes to relationships.

The most important relationship we'll ever have is the one with ourselves. All other relationships are based on this one . How you think of and treat yourself is a cue to everyone else—they will follow your example. You set the tone for how the rest of the world treats you.

In other words, you may be eliciting jerk-like traits from your significant other. If you anticipate it, expect it or even just notice it, you're party to creating it.

Even the nicest person can't be nice to you if you're not in alignment with nice. If you're used to jerks, you'll find you have a talent for eliciting this quality from the sweetest of folks. (If you've ever found yourself acting strongly out of character, you may have been on the receiving end of someone else's habit of expectation.)

When you master being good to yourself (in thought and action) and treating yourself with love, acceptance and appreciation, the rest of your relationships will reflect this tone you set through your primary relationship with Self.

If there is a True Jerk in your life who does not have it in him/her to be good to you, the laws of the Universe will require that they make their exit from your life as you drench yourself in loving vibes.

My experience, though, whether with boyfriend, boss or neighbor, is that it's much more likely this previous jerk will transform to become a fan, supporter and lover of all things You. People are capable of much more than we tend to give them credit for! All we have to do is shift our vibe first. As author Louise Hay says, "If we really love ourselves, everything in our life works."

So here's the alternate (and much more effective) method for dumping the jerks in your life:

Treat yourself well. Like you would anyone else that you love unconditionally.

Stop seeing your jerk as such. Find a better-feeling perspective on that behavior.

Give the Universe room to rearrange. That means no clinging (to how things have been as well as to old perceptions and beliefs); we must be open to change. Give yourself and Universe a clean slate to work with. Magic will unfold!

Having said this, I am not opposed to exiling someone from your life who has earned it. This can be a powerful act of self-love.

Trust yourself to know.

No one should be expected to maintain relations with an abusive partner in hopes that if they just love themselves enough and change their perception, he/she will transform into Prince Charming or Mrs. Right. Someone who has crossed my personal line is shown the exit first and then I can do my Self love work in peace.

That may not be the approach another person chooses, which is why there are no hard and fast rules that apply to all. Part of loving your Self is to honor your truth, and no one can tell you what that is besides you.

What I propose this month is that we straighten out any significant jerks we may have in our lives by treating ourselves better than we ever have (in thought and action), and to cut our jerks some slack by practicing seeing them in a more positive light. (Unless your guidance is telling you that it's time to part ways.)

When we treat ourselves well and imagine the best of others we may very well find the jerks in our lives becoming our favorite people. And I'm not making that up, either.

Jeannette Maw is a Law of Attraction coach and founder of Good Vibe Coaching in Salt Lake City. www.goodvibecoach.com

A growthful journey inward.
by Suzanne Wagner

Arthurian Tarot: Swords of Strange Hangings, Castle Perilous
Mayan Oracle: Resolution of Duality, Chuen, Language of Light
Aleister Crowley: Strife, Prince of Swords, The Aeon
Medicine Cards: Swan, Hummingbird
Osho Zen Tarot: We Are The World, Sharing, Celebration
Healing Earth Tarot: Chariot, Seven of Shields, Ten of Rainbows
Ancient Egyptian Tarot: Seven of Wands, Three of Cups, King of Wands
Words of Truth: Anger, Will, Withholding, Home

This February has more in store for us than hearts, love and sweetness. This month we can see where we are restricted; we will also to be willing to act in ways that will not manifest positive change. The "good news" is in the viewpoint: When no outward progress is possible, the only alternative for movement and growth is to journey inward.

Externally, this is a time of oppression and suffering. Psychological blocks undermine confidence and freeze all action. But these circumstances do not need to lead to despair. You may feel as if you have no control over the events unfolding in your life. In those moments you have an opportunity to find the deeper places within, allowing you to expand beyond your physical needs.

The outer world has seen a strain on resources and money. We need to be open to new approaches and ideas.

A great force is about to be released in the world. How each of us focuses that energy will determine the energetic potential that can be manifested. You may feel the need to make a firm decision that will substantially impact your life in the future.

Extended periods of suffering can forge a great force for change which, when directed, frees one from an oppressive position. You will find others expressing deep, powerful emotions which will initiate action and eventually triumph. Victory comes this month when we recognize our humanity and our indisputable connection to each other.

It is important to notice and deal with anger in your personal situation. When we deny our authentic emotions, that energy acquires the potential to manifest externally in ways we do not always want.

This is not license to lash out at others. Rather, it's time to tell the truth and allow the energy of anger to move through the body into more creative and passionate expressions of change. Everyone is feeling the strain, so have compassion for those around you. Allow others to express their frustration without taking on that energy in unconscious and debilitating ways.

Empower truth-telling with those you love. Listen and allow their minds to process through whatever they are feeling without needing to fix their personal situations. Often the resolution reveals itself at the end of the conversation in which one is allowed to fully express heavy emotions.

This "thinking out loud" often takes a lot of time and patience. We can loop over an idea repeatedly until clarity emerges, obviating our ego mind's need for control.

Be open to others' ideas that might present a doorway to another experience of reality. One of the hardest things is to transform strife and conflict into surrender, grace and love. When we want to fight is when we are at the doorway out of our ego mind. Our ego does not want to give up. It has been protecting us by keeping us in fear, judgment and anger. This allows us to feel right and justified in our perspective.

But your perspective is not the only one. Two people sharing an experience can find a different truth and understanding as they transform the energy their own unique ways. So allow others their truth. Experiment seeing from their perspective. Look for what fits or assists you in opening to new understandings.

Not only will you grow in awareness, but others will feel heard, understood and appreciated. When we sit in a place of love and acceptance for others, egos have no place. Expressing from the authentic self brings ease and flow. It is from this place that worlds, governments and economies can be rebuilt and eventually thrive.

Suzanne Wagner is the author of numerous books and CDs on the tarot. She lives in Salt Lake City. suzwagner.com

Opening up to new love.
by Christopher Renstrom

I've been divorced for over 10 years now and have really focused on raising my children. Now that they're getting older, I would love to put more effort into dating. Will I have love in my life in the near future? My birth date is October 14, 1958.

You were born under Libra, the zodiac sign of relationships, so it's hard for me to imagine that all of your focus has gone into raising your children for the past 10 years. It is nearly impossible for a Libra to remain single for long, and given that your ruling planet, Venus, is also in Libra, I'd say that you've always had someone on hand for a date and perhaps even a tryst. But just because you have someone in your life doesn't necessarily make him a desirable partner. My suspicion is that you're feeling the urge to marry again, and if this is indeed the case, then you'll need to make more of a personal emotional investment.

Libras have a reputation for fence-sitting. This gives the impression that you're wishy-washy, but that's actually a misnomer. You're a cardinal sign, so you know what you want right when you see it, but Libras prefer the indirect approach. Your zodiac sign is very "you" oriented, which is why you will always want to know what other people think first, or you'll ask them what they would like to do before making any suggestions of your own. This is very strategic, since it's by getting the other person to lower his guard and to open up that you learn all kinds of things about him, while disclosing very little information about yourself. This allows you to subtly take the reins in a relationship without becoming bossy or obvious. Moreover, if things go wrong you can always say that it was his idea or you were only doing what he asked you to do. It's a safe way of relating, but it's not very intimate.

From 1996 through 1999, Saturn, the planet of trials and tribulations, was in your opposite sign of Aries—which sounds like that was also the time when you were divorcing. It has taken Saturn this long to travel halfway across the horoscope to your sign, Libra, which means that the issues you were dealing with then will be coming back into your life now. Usually Saturn in your sign isn't good news, except that Saturn happens to be exalted in Libra. "Exalted" means that Saturn will be on its best behavior, so not only does this show that there's love in your near future, but it's likely that you'll marry again in the autumn of 2011. However there's one caveat and it's this: It's easy for you to share your physical space, but you're not big on sharing your emotional space. This time around, make a point of speaking up and talking about your wants, desires and needs. There's no guarantee that they'll always be met (relationships are all about negotiation and compromise), but at least you'll establish a nice give-and-take and that back-and-forth flow between partners is the cornerstone to any healthy relationship.

FEBRUARY 1 The Sun rises today at 7:38 a.m. and sets at 5:46 p.m. The average maximum temperature this month is 43 degrees, the average minimum 24 degrees. Average monthly snowfall is
9.3 inches.

FEBRUARY 2 Today is Winter Cross-Quarter Day, the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.

FEBRUARY 3 In medieval Europe, manuscripts were written on parchment and vellum, thin sheets of dried animal skin. Parchment and vellum were hard to come by, so many writers scraped off earlier writings and used the hides over again. These recycled manuscripts are called palimpsests, from the Greek palimpsestos, meaning "scraped [clean and used] again"—not a word we have a lot of use for in today's culture.

FEBRUARY 4 As heated blood travels down the leg arteries from a bird's core, cold blood running back up from the feet in adjacent veins sucks most of the heat out and returns it to the core. When it's chilly outside, a bird's feet may be barely above freezing, while its core remains close to 110 degrees.

FEBRUARY 5 LAST QUARTER MOON. Weirdly enough, cashews are in the poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac family. The nut is surrounded by a double shell containing a highly allergenic resin and has to be steamed open and carefully extracted. Which is why you never see cashews in the shell.

FEBRUARY 6 Got the winter blahs? Go for a walk, whatever the weather, and tune into the natural world.

FEBRUARY 7 Planned your garden yet? This year, why not grow grain? Both quinoa and amaranth are lovely and tasty, and they grow well here. And if you don't want to eat it, the birds will. You can also grow millet for your pet bird or its wild cousins.

FEBRUARY 8 If your lawn or garden didn't grow well last year, it would be a good idea to get your soil tested. Do it now and you'll be able to add amendments before planting time. Get a soil test kit from the county extension office or online.

FEBRUARY 9 It's estimated that for every pound of humans on the planet, there are 70 pounds of insects.

FEBRUARY 10 To keep houseplants moist while you're out of town, water the plant well, then place a donut of dampened newspaper on top of the soil to hold the moisture in.

FEBRUARY 11 In Sweden, bunnies are being turned into biofuel. Wild and stray pet rabbits are overrunning Stockholm, and since they're being shot anyway, the local government figured they'd put them to practical use.

FEBRUARY 12 Time to buy new grow-light bulbs and seed-starting materials.

FEBRUARY 13 NEW MOON. If the temperature is above freezing, you could prune grape vines, honeysuckle, clematis, holly bushes and fruit trees now. (Keep in mind that fruit grows on horizontal branches, not vertical ones.) Don't prune spring-flowering shrubs though, or you won't get blossoms this year.

FEBRUARY 14 The natural world is full of what scientists call "sneaker males," biologically inferior males who dash in and mate when the alpha male's back is turned, or even impersonate females, ala "Some Like It Hot," to sneak in under the radar. Look for a smiling crescent Moon the next
three nights.

FEBRUARY 15 It's mating season for the coyotes, foxes and raccoons around the valley.

FEBRUARY 16 Current homo sapiens have three vestigial muscles located under the scalp that were once used to swivel our ears to better localize sounds. Some people can still use them to wiggle their ears.

FEBRUARY 17 Repeated skin contact with philodendron leaves may cause an allergic reaction. Con­sum­ing them will cause abdominal pain.

FEBRUARY 18 Male jumping spiders have to provide lots of visual signals to avoid becoming lunch. Unlike the rather drab—and apparently far-sighted—females, they have swollen, psychedelic pedipalps, a funky goatee and crazy long multicolored front legs. They approach females doing an arachnid version of the jerk, with front legs raised and pedipalps waving.

FEBRUARY 19 Viruses get viruses. A French researcher recently announced the discovery of a tiny virus infecting a larger one. This suggests that viruses may evolve in reaction to one another.

FEBRUARY 20 It's time to start seeds for cool-weather vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mizuna, onions and spinach. Use grow lights or place in a sunny, south-facing window. Be sure to keep turning them once they sprout.

FEBRUARY 21 FIRST QUARTER MOON. Cats purr at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine, around 26 purrs per second.

FEBRUARY 22 Pull mulch back from emerging bulbs, but don't remove it. If the ground is bare, you could also tackle some of those hard-core perennial weeds, like mallow, plantain and crabgrass. (Just make sure you know what you're weeding.)

FEBRUARY 23 Mourning cloak and Milbert's tortoiseshell butterflies are emerging from hibernation. Crocus, violets and snowdrops are blooming.

FEBRUARY 24 Houseflies are starting to hatch. Galileo, who turned his telescope around to examine a fly, was the first to describe the compound eye of an insect.

FEBRUARY 25 Look for Mars near the almost-full Moon tonight.

FEBRUARY 26 Listen! House finches, mourning doves, canyon wrens, meadowlarks and red-winged blackbirds are starting to sing. And the earliest wildflowers, filarees, Easter daisies, creeping mahonia and spring beauties are blooming in the low foothills.

FEBRUARY 27 If you didn't do it last fall, cut back ornamental grasses and thin climbing roses and raspberries.

FEBRUARY 28 FULL SNOW MOON. Put a barrel or box over rhubarb plants now and you'll get an earlier crop. Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid, which causes weakness, breathing difficulty and gastrointestinal problems, so eat only the stem.

FEBRUARY 29 The Sun rises today at 7:01 a.m. and sets at 6:18 p.m.

Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle...
a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl.
And the anticipation nurtures our dream.
—Barbara Winkler

Diane Olson is a writer, gardener and bug hugger.

Adele Flail is a technologist at ARUP, but likes art better. She makes arty things: contact her here.