The Alchemist Weekly 01.25.11

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Her Majesty and all her loyal subjectsby Ayla Rogersp. 5

Pool's out for summer?by Cindy Dauerp. 6

2 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • 3

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SYMPOSIUMsymposium

CONTACT US: 541.224.6873The Alchemist Weekly welcomes freelance submissions.

Manuscripts will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped [email protected], [email protected],

[email protected], [email protected] [email protected], [email protected]

Albany● Corval l is● Lebanon● Philomath

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Is there such a thing as absolute truth?

I was convinced that there was no such thing. After all, truth is a human perception of reality and perception is malleable. Therefore, truth is subject to an individual’s definition and perception of what is true.

At least that’s what I thought. I pre-fer to see life as a mystery, something that can never be fully understood or explained. It makes the quest for under-standing less empirical and dry. Plus, it allows for my surreal perception of life to seem less insane, less lonely.

At our owners meeting, our publisher proposed a simple experiment to dispel my notion that there can be no absolute truth. He had a folder and laid it on the corner of the table.

“If I push this folder off of the edge it will ALWAYS fall on the floor,” he said.

He had a good point, but I wouldn’t be deterred. “What if a gas explosion occurred across the street on the 754th attempt and the concussion wave caused the falling folder to fly across the room and onto another table, never touching the floor,” I retorted.

He looked at me with his ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ death stare. For the sake of a palatable dinner we tabled the conversation for another time, agreeing to disagree.

Over the next couple of days, I made a point to seek out the opinion of a man I greatly admire when it comes to philo-sophical answers, Stoker. If you know Stoker you will understand why I went to him. If you do not know him, you should. He is a man to know.

Here is his theory on absolute truth (un-edited):

TAW - Is there such a thing as abso-lute truth?

Stoker - Absolutely. TAW - Expound. Stoker - Absolute truth is finding

what would be the unanswerable in the process of trying to answer. What might be.

TAW - We were discussing this over dinner the other night and I was of the impression that there can be no absolute truth because truth is a human percep-tion of reality and perception is mal-leable.

Stoker - So lets say that it’s a human artifact, like a vase left over from years ago or some sort of idol. Ya’ know it’s been said that truth’s to be self evident. Well, truth to me is synonymous with real self actualization. Truth to be self evident, it’s like the ah-hah! kind of thing, that to me is absolute truth...is the realizing of what is to...it could be individual it could be collective but its the ever changing, kind of built into the system intrinsically revealing what is. To

me that’s a truth. TAW - So there are absolute truths

out there that would hold validity to anyone and everyone?

Stoker - Oh I think so. But whether they perceive it or not, ya’ know whether that’s psycho tropically induced or just...to me absolute truth is more....we kinda get little previews and were always liv-ing the movie.

TAW - What would you say if you could name one absolute truth, what is your essential absolute truth?

Stoker - No matter what to love and forgive.

I knew that I had come to the right man. And what he said drew me further into the dream. A turn had been taken in my logic.

It began to dawn on me that even though human perception of reality is malleable, and therefore subjective, what the f*** does that matter? Each person has something that is so meaningful, so solid, so unmistakably owned by their soul that it is their truth. Damn the universe and the existence of nay sayers like me. This individual human being is sticking by their guns of truth until the day they die.

But even death is not an absolute truth. Some people believe that only the body dies, some people believe all sorts of things about the end of what we perceive as consciousness. It’s all getting fuzzy now. I can see why people cling to truths. They make life more easy to navigate. They act as lighthouses of the spirit, the personality. A person’s truth, whether it holds true for me or others, is their own guide, their compass. Which brings me to my next point.

Truth and more specifically the search for truth is something that drives many of us, especially journalists.

For me personally, playing the devil’s advocate in this question has actually caused some philosophical blow back. I realized that without a singular truth out there somewhere, I have nothing to struggle toward. My path has no end goal. No reason to search and ask com-plex questions over dinner and to myself at night right before I close my eyes.

Without the search for truth, wheth-er there exists such a thing or not, life seems pretty hazy and meaningless. Which I literally cannot believe I am saying. This is so surreal.

-Stanley [email protected]

P.S. - It occurred to me that this conver-sation could drop into the realm of New-tonian physics and the laws of nature in other species besides humans. And I encour-age you, the community, to help me solve this or to intone the most profound of all philosophical bombs...”I don’t know.”

VOLUME 4 NUMBER 160:29, JANUARY 25-JANUARY 31, 2011

EditorialEditors Courtney Clenney, Stanley TollettStaff Writers Courtney Clenney, Noah Stroup, Stanley TollettBump Editor Courtney ClenneyContributors Robin Canfield, Ella Marie Canus, Cindy Dauer, Dirtstir, Joel Rea, Ayla Rogers, Michael Thomas ArtArt Director Freddy RuizLayout Editor Courtney ClenneyCover photo by: Stanley Tollett

AdvertisingAccount Executive Noah Stroup

BusinessPublisher Noah StroupThe Alchemist Weekly is published by:CorvAlcheMedia LLCPO Box 1591Corvallis, OR 97339

Alchemist MissionAs a publication, our goal is to facilitate greater understanding and appreciation for the diverse social and cultural groups found in the area. In doing so, we hope to create a greater sense of community between Oregon State University and Corvallis, between Albany and Corvallis, and between Philomath, Leba-non and Corvallis-Albany.The Alchemist recognizes the various interests of these groups and is dedicated to being as fluid as the community it serves.The Alchemist is available to you for free. Please limit yourself to one copy. If your picture is in it, you are welcome to take enough copies for your family.Subject to availability, back issues can be purchased by mail for $5. Send your request with specific issue date to PO Box 1591, Corvallis, OR 97339 and include a check or money order payable to The Alchemist.

VOICEOpinions and Editor ia ls ,

be they ours or yours , this i s where they be.

Dirtstir

VERDICTWe’ l l be the judge. You be

the jur y. . .you trust us r ight?

Ambush Party

WORDJournal i s ts ca l l them fea-

tures ; we say i t ’s the word.

The Majestic TheaterPool’s out?

BUMPIt ’s the ca lendar of a l l

things Albany, Cor val l i s , Lebanon, and Phi lomath.

Crossword

L ITERATIAmateur prose, poetr y and

fict ion st i l l has a home.Homecoming

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voice

D I R Tstir C O RVAL L I Svanities

The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed in Voice are of theirauthors and do not necessarily represent the thoughts, views

or opinions of CorvAlcheMedia, LLC.

DeservesitI found this on thirdage.com, but it’s all over the ‘net and news. I was extremely tempted to identify someone by name in this because anyone who can walk through the mall they work in and end up going directly in to a fountain while texting deserves recognition. She has hired an attorney because the security video went to YouTube, and she feels humiliated, cried for days (you can ask her husband), and, “You don’t know how many people are laughing at me.” She states also that texting while walk-ing is “dangerous. ... I could have been walking into a bus, a car, a ditch, any-thing.”First, she probably doesn’t know how many people are laughing at her. If you watch the video you see very few people in the vicinity, and no one takes notice or moves to help. She could track hits on YouTube, but that doesn’t mean people laughed. I don’t like watching people get hurt and actually cringed a little. She should be thankful it wasn’t a bus or car she walked into because it probably also would be post-ed to YouTube, it would hurt a lot more (if not be fatal), and (hopefully not as many) people would still laugh at her.Also, in our litigious society, she may have suit with the mall, the security service, and the security person (s) heard laughing in the internet video “...who should have been more concerned with her well-being.”Oh, yeah. Blame some minimum wage guy stuck in some windowless, air-less, sweat-essenced room full of secu-rity monitors at the other end of the mall. Never mind the other people that were actually on the concourse that didn’t help and may have laughed. She just might find a jury of her peers (oth-ers just as unconscious) that may em-pathize instead of sending the message that people need to be aware of their surroundings.Imagine malls needing barriers or yel-low “caution” stripes surrounding the fountains, or any other object someone could potentially fall in, on, over, or through (planters, kiosks, stairs, doors, etc.). Finally, this needs to stand as a demon-stration of what not to do. She should take her lumps (figuratively), and move on. Laugh at yourself, lady! Historical-ly, I’ve taken a few ribbings, not always in good humor, from people witness-ing my own knuckle-headed displays. What do you want to bet she has tex-ted while driving?Update! Look up this lady’s name (it’s easy to find), include “arrest record”.

SlackFor my own well being, I eschew large portions of organized religion and capi-talist economic doctrine. I used to par-ticipate more enthusiastically in systems that I now feel subjugate the practitio-ners. I find these organizations capable of providing great relief to people in need of financial and spiritual guidance, but I have chosen to limit my own par-ticipation. In both cases, being neither hot nor cold, being lukewarm, I some-times feel spit out.Perhaps I am fortunate not to be com-pany with the forked tongue and gnash-ing teeth that devours all invested in those systems. Maybe I don’t think I can maintain the pace and standards nec-essary to be in good standing in either realm, but I have a pretty good idea of where I stand regarding both...broke. Maybe I chose to mention these two subjects simply because money and the “why” of existence are handy for getting your attention so we can think about the infinite opportunities we have every day to ask ourselves, “Is it really worth the effort?”I don’t know the genetic and environ-mental origins of my outlook on effort, but I think mine may be changing. I first thought one simply needed to ap-ply enough energy to be successful. Then I learned about “diminishing returns” to the point of wheel spinning. Somewhere I learned to take my foot off the gas. The rewards of endeavors I put a lot of effort into seem often to transform into a “...time to dig another one” (Pink Floyd).Don’t get me wrong. I spend a portion of my time doing things that aren’t at the top of my fun list. I’m just trying to recognize the little tiny rewards I receive with every little tiny thing I do every day. Like what it feels like to put on socks. Really little things.

Bowled OverHelmetsticker.blogspot.com has a nice table of the 2010-11 College football bowl games. Overall attendance for all bowls was about 81%. A couple articles on how the money moves, from school expenses to winnings, can be found at bloomberg.com (college football win-ners...) and, losangeles.sbnation.com (BCS bowl bids:). Just like the World Cup, the Olympics, and the other big contests, a goodly chunk goes to the top. About a third of the schools in last year’s bowl series actually lost money in the deal. -tcJ [email protected]


verdict

The Corvallis-based rock and roll band Ambush Party heralded the

new year with the release of their first al-bum, “ You Are Not Safe Without Us.” You may have caught an Ambush Party show before – they've been around Corvallis at Cloud 9, Squirrel's Tavern, and Bombs Away Cafe, as well as all over the Wil-lamette Valley.

With nine solid tracks on “You Are Not Safe Without Us,” the foursome lays out a well-organized, stripped-down album full of rock that comes up a bit short – on songs. There is something in the rhythm, some-thing in the groove, that is unique to Am-bush Party and that the band carries steadi-ly through each and every track. Listen to the album just once and you'll find yourself carried along until the sudden silence at the end, broken when you ask, ‘It's over?’

The only moment more disturbing in “You Are Not Safe Without Us” is near the begin-ning of the song “Letter,” when a note is held that distinctly sounds like a car honk-ing from about a half a block away. If you happen to be driving down the street, you will check your rearview mirror and glance around. On the other hand, if you are at a live show you'll be too busy dancing to be distracted.

Ambush Party is a comprised of the four basic elements required to rock: guitars, bass, drums and vocals. They keep it sim-ple - Andy Jameson may have strong lead vocals, but everybody chimes in if a chorus needs some extra spice. Denny “The Arch-duke” Jackson on lead guitar plays a great intro on many a track, but it's never about

Scupper the celebrationAmbush Party: "You Are Not Safe Without Us"

by ROBIN CANFI ELD

showing off – it's about drawing you into the song. With fifteen years experience playing together, the brothers Tomaino – Jesse on bass, Joe on drums, are the strong base for that groove that drives the album.

Three of the members met in the sci-ence labs of Oregon State University while working on PhDs, so it should be no sur-prise that a similar formula is behind each song, or that said formula would be refined, and refined again, until the band got it right. What is especially refreshing, though, is that none of the songs strive to be as deep and complicated as the physics the band members are studying – it's rock and roll, not rocket science.

The lyrics on the album are down to earth, true to life poetics. There's no staring off at the stars, flight of fancy lyrics on “You Are Not Safe Without Us.” From one track to the next, most of the lyrics are brutally honest – the song “Rolch Motel” opens with the sadly reflective words, “Now I'm old and I've suddenly found, none of my friends care to have me around,” while the song “Dev-il's Den” addresses sins like “drinking and smoking and f***ing and fighting.” Even love comes with a dose of reality on “Wifey,” opening with the lines, “When I wake up in the morning and the first thing that I see is your beautiful face looking back at me,” but quickly boiling down to a wish to make it through the hard times together, “weather this with me.”

All right, so when it comes to address-ing life's little troubles, there is a small amount of soul searching-tinged lyrics like “I'll chase the setting sun,” on the opening

track, “Sauce,” and “I just can't seem to get a hold on my soul,” in “$ Pint.” Some topics just require a little use of poetic license, and if you're not sure what that topic is, here's a hint. The subject of “$ Pint” involves the letters “P,” “B,” and “R.”

Along with today’s letters we have the numbers 5 and 22. Five is the price of “You Are Not Safe Without Us,” soon to be avail-able at Happy Trails, but so far available at

Ambush Party concerts and on the band's web site – along with t-shirts and panties. Twenty-two is the date of the next Ambush Party show, a Portland CD release party at MacAdam's Bar and Grill, with the band Searchlights, on January 22. There's also a Bomb's Away Cafe show in February. Keep up to date on concerts, check out music and videos at ambushparty.net.

Tripping up to Portland this month I happened upon the CD release

party of Joshua English’s “Lay Bare Your Bones.” Immediately struck by his cha-risma on stage I gradually became aware of the skillful blending of instruments, lyrics and musicians sharing the space.

The album “Lay Bare Your Bones” lives up to it’s name, as its soulful-styling’s fall somewhere between folk, trainstopAmeri-cana and bluesy vocals akin to the Black Keys. The arrangements bring slower softer

folk while melodies lead along lyrics fold-ing them into themselves like a backwards figure-eight. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where words are being formed vs. where the music is drawing out the syllables; the two aspects become seamless. This can make lyrical development hard to follow, but it’s comforting if you let yourself ride the rails in the boxcar provided. Rocking on top of giant metal wheels grinding along miles and miles of rivets as the horizon gradually fades and the landscape turns to dark.

Later in the album we are moving down a dark highway having gotten off the inter-state for any number of scurrilous reasons, none of them overly serious. Now we find ourselves cruising the back roads north of the airport before you hit the city. Up and

down the hills, surrounded by houses in which people are finding themselves safe and warm while we, in our car have little choice but to stay clam, move on and slowly find both our current location and a way out of this place of domesticity. It’s not that we know where we are going, but that we know that we don’t belong here.

The songs in this album create some great stories about love and loss and the tribulations of trying to maintain both in the face of reality. Women who won’t wear their wedding rings for fear of smaller tips, good friends we let crash on our couches but maintain they must be gone when the morning comes, teetering on the fence be-tween honesty and survival while knowing

c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 1 3

The fence between honesty and survivalJoshua English: "Lay Bare Your Bones"

by ELLA MARIE CANUS

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She’s reigned in Corvallis for many decades, enduring many changes and adaptations, all with a regal

grace that does credit to her name. The Majestic Theatre has undergone so much growth and seen so many phases and faces of our community, no one-person can tell her whole story. The people who have helped shape the Majestic over the years, and the people she has touched in turn, are much too numerous to occupy the seats of her au-ditorium, let alone to cozy into the pages of our weekly Alchemist. Nevertheless, as the Majestic nears her 100th birthday, a century of serving as a community center for the arts, we could not pass up the opportunity to pay tribute to Her Majesty, and all her loyal subjects.

Late in the summer of 1913, on SW Sec-ond St., the completion of her magnificent structure donned the christening of a new age of performing arts in the Mid-Willamette Valley. There is still much to look forward to, even though the Majestic has undergone many renovations since her birth.

Dawn Reynolds, fresh-faced Managing Director, new on the scene as of November 29th 2010, is confident the Majestic can still swing with vigor, even after all these years. Her passion for performing arts, and her husband’s involvement in the Oregon State theater department have helped her feel com-fortable taking the lead as the Majestic enters an era of 21st century entertainment eager for an encore. Having undergone a recent seismic upgrade and roof replacement, the Majestic is facing her golden years with more than a little work done—well deserved after 97 years in the business.

To be certain, the upcoming years will not be without profound challenges for the Ma-jestic board, but with how glowingly Reyn-olds speaks of her coworkers, it’s hard not to have confidence in their ability to charm the community with a fantastic dry run. Reynolds knows that with such a rich history in the community upholding the Majestic traditions could be a balancing act.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to in the community seems to have some interest in the theatre—some significant connection to the venue. It’s very important to us that everyone get their space,” she says.

Reynolds is more concerned with serving the community equitably than with meeting any sort of fiscal growth model. However, fis-cally speaking, she knows the importance of

maintaining affordable workshop and ticket prices, part of which can be combated by a hefty group of volunteers. Furthermore, “the city owns the building, but the theatre’s run almost exclusively by nonprofit organiza-tions,” Reynolds says.

She may be green to theater management, but Reynolds is clearly cognizant of the con-suming workload cut out for her and the board. “It’s our job to move the organization into the future, to make our work more efficient, and to help the theatre serve as a vibrant part of the community,” she says. She reports that—even so early in the year—they’re already fully booked for all sorts of dance classes and fabu-lous musical performances, with plenty more

in the works, including some of the Majestic’s homemade productions.

The theatre has some more big firsts to look forward to, like hosting OSU’s 2012 spring opera, and working with Parks and Recreation to rebuild their, bigger-than-before, youth education program. This summer’s agenda includes a children’s circus training program, where the kids will work with the Corvallis Art Center to craft their own costumes. The program will culminate in a performance dazzling Majestic’s main stage. Even with so much on the roster, Reynolds and the rest of the board continue to set ambitious goals for organizational improvement and community service. “We’d really love to stage more focus

groups to better gauge the needs and desires of the community,” Reynolds says.

With the Majestic’s hundredth birthday coming up in August 2013, they’re anticipat-ing a grand scale, lengthy celebration, and they want the whole community involved. To become a member, work as a volunteer, or provide corporate sponsorship for a produc-tion, please visit majestic.org/get-involved.

From our experiences with the Majestic Theatre, Reynolds and I agree—there’s no better way to foster lasting connections and form beneficial social ties than getting in-volved in performance art.

Her Majesty and all her loyal subjects Majestic nears her 100th birthday, a century of serving as a community center for the arts

by AYLA ROGERS

With the Majestic's hundredth birthday coming up in August 2013, they're anticipating a grand scale, lengthy celebration, and they want the whole community involved.

Photo by Stanley Tol lett


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The water in the pool at the Os-born Aquatic Center on Highland Drive is calm beneath the humid,

chlorine-saturated air when the stillness is suddenly broken with a splash.

Choppy waves begin to propagate on the surface as the Narwhals hop in. These Nar-whals are not the mystical horned mam-mals of the Arctic, but they may be just as rare. Instead, they are a team of underwater hockey players who meet in Corvallis at the Osborn Aquatic Center every Wednesday to compete.

They wear jammers (boxer brief-style swimsuits) as well as fins, snorkels, masks, ear protectors, swim caps, and special gloves on their “stick” hand, which protects their knuckles from scrapping against the rough pool bottom.

Tonight they have divided themselves into two teams, and they will face off for the next hour or so, trying to get a three-pound puck that sits on the bottom of the pool into their opponent’s goal. The water is 6.5 feet deep and, like synchronized swim-mers out of sync, the Narwhals dive, kick, and breach during the game. A finned foot pokes up out of the water — shoots out a snorkel there.

A jar of Vaseline sits on the side of the pool. Occasionally, one of the Narwhal players pulls himself out of the water onto the ledge, reaches into the jar and grabs a blob of goop. He slaps it on his right foot where the fin is rubbing and irritating his skin.

Elsewhere in the OAC, kids play water basketball, a lifeguard sits in a chair, and someone swims laps, all the while time is counted down on the big screen.

The Narwhals may be the only under-water hockey team in Oregon, accord-ing to team organizer Shawn Tucker, who said there are other teams in Washington and California. But, the Oregon team may be endangered as their habitat could disap-pear.

That’s because the OAC and other city ser-vices are on the chop-ping block. The City of Corvallis is faced with a $3.1 million deficit in the general fund for the 2011/12 fiscal year as expenditures continue to outpace property tax revenue.

No matter how the axe falls, some services will be cut. A few of the most disputed services on the block include the OAC, Chintimini Se-nior Community Cen-ter, the Corvallis-Ben-ton Public Library, The Arts Center, and the fire department among oth-ers.

To raise funds and help cover the forecast-ed deficit, the Corvallis City Council voted 6-3 on January 18 to put a local option levy on the May 17 ballot that would tax property at a rate of 45 cents per every $1,000 of assessed value for three years.

The levy would generate close to $1.8

million a year, $500,000 shy of covering the projected budget shortfall for 2010/11. Ser-vices will be cut whether the levy passes or

not.Voters will have some guarantee as to

which services will be preserved if the levy passes. The council agreed unanimously to use funds generated from the levy to restore specific services that are on the list of po-

tentials to be cut. The s e r v i c e s that the levy funds would save include the OAC ($412,200) and the se-nior center ($308,200). The council also vowed to use levy funds to m a i n t a i n current li-brary hours ($210,000), instead of closing the

library on Monday, which was an option. That means $741,400 of the levy funds

would be specifically designated. The re-

maining monies, around $800,000, would be put toward maintaining high priority “library and social service programs.”

If the levy fails, councilors say without a doubt, those services (OAC, senior center, and library hours among others) will be cut.

“We’ve got to have a levy that says ‘this is what you are buying and if you don’t pass it, this is what goes,’” Councilor Hal Brauner said. “We better be ready to cut what is on that list if it doesn’t pass.”

Should the levy fail, the plan for now is to “moth ball” the OAC and senior center, shutting down operations for the coming fiscal year beginning July 1. This could cause a ripple effect in the community.

Last year there were more than 45,000 youth visitors to the pool. Between swim meets and other events at the OAC, an estimated $1.2 million was brought to the community in tourism dollars.

If the senior center closes, seniors in Cor-vallis could lose access to meal programs, social events, and support groups.

As for the library, if the levy fails, its hours and materials budget will be dramati-cally cut. Staff would be laid off, and overall operating expenses would be reduced.

Already in the 2010/11 fiscal year, the

Pool's out for Summer?City of Corvallis says pool and senior center will close July 1, library funding cut significantly if May 17 levy fails

Words & Photos by CINDY DAUER


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City of Corvallis cut around $3.2 million from the general fund budget, which is about 7 percent of its $42 million total. The city’s overall operating budget for this fiscal year is around $118 million.

Councilors who voted in support of the levy say the city needs the money.

“I believe that we are not, that our city staff and our city is not wasteful, and that we are not grossly inefficient, and that people are not going to find these horrible inefficiencies in our city government that we can make all of these drastic cuts,” said Councilor Joel Hirsch. “I think we are al-ready pretty close to the bone in general.”

Around six of 450 full-time equivalent

city jobs have already been eliminated, and another 24 could go with the budget out-look for the next two fiscal years if the levy fails, as more shortfalls are anticipated for the 2012/13 fiscal year, according to Cor-vallis City Manager Jon Nelson.

City services including fire, police, mu-nicipal court, library, parks and recreation, transit, and community development are tied to property tax revenue. Nelson admits when the city is faced with cuts to these types of services, it disproportionately af-fects the library, parks and recreation, and similar programs rather than fire and police. That is because the city has to maintain a certain level of liability and risk related to officer safety, response times, and adequate coverage, he explains.

When it comes to cutting city jobs, Councilor Jeanne Raymond points out:

“There are jobs that have been cut, there are hours that have been cut...” Raymond

said. “When we talk about jobs, city jobs are people that work here, spend here, live here and we are talking about economic de-velopment…”

In addition to potential cuts to the OAC, senior center, library, and city jobs for next year, city employees have agreed to forgo cost of living adjustments as well as wage increases, and to freeze their benefits. The community development department will have a reduced budget, social service pro-grams could receive less, if any, funding, and more, as-of-yet-unidentified, cuts could po-tentially be made.

While councilors Roen Hogg and Mark O’Brien - who voted against the motion for

the levy - remained fairly quiet at the meet-ing on January 18, Councilor Mike Beilstein made it clear why he voted in opposition.

“I still think that the 45 cents is too small,” said Beilstein, who earlier in the meet-ing voted for an 80 cent levy, along with Raymond, Hirsch, and Brauner. That levy would have covered the total budget short-fall for the coming fiscal year. The motion failed 4-5 with councilors O’Brien, Richard Hervey, Hogg, Dan Brown, and Biff Traber opposing it.

So how did the city get into this jam? Nancy Brewer, Corvallis finance director, explains that the city is limited by state law when it comes to collecting property tax. The maximum assessed value of property in Oregon can only be increased by three

percent annually in most cases. Property tax revenue increases by about that much each year, but expenditures in the general fund are increasing by about six percent each year.

While the council is looking at the budget for the coming fiscal year, Councilor Brown is concerned about the financial health of the city in the distant future.

“It seems to me that we are unduly con-centrating on the 2011/12 budget here,” Brown said. “By doing that, we are not tak-ing into consideration a long-term perspec-tive.”

Corvallis is not the only city with bud-get woes in the Mid-Willamette Valley. The

City of Albany will also struggle with bal-ancing its budget for the 2011/12 fiscal year, according to Stewart Taylor, Albany finance director.

Since 2009, according to Taylor, Albany is down 30 staff positions because of bud-get shortfalls, either through jobs that have been eliminated or left vacant.

Albany is in its third year of a fire and po-lice operating levy that added 95 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value.

If the levy in Corvallis fails, this summer Otter Beach - the outdoor pool area at the OAC - could be drained. The library could be closed on both Sunday and Monday, and the senior center might never open its doors. The financial fate of the city is now in the hands of the voters.

Total NonOperating

Misc. NonDepartmental

Public Works

Police

Finance

Community Development

Occasionally, one of the Narwhal players pulls himself out of the water onto the ledge, reaches into the jar and grabs a blob of goop.

submiss ions@thea lchemistweek ly .com

WritersWanted

8 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M8 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • 9

tuesday

25

l ive music

sing

CorvallisSunnyside Up Café116 NW 3rd St.Celtic Jam [CELTIC] 7 pm, FREE

CorvallisPeacock Bar & Grill Karaoke, 9:00 pm, FREEOn the Top: DJ Big Cheese, 9:00 pm FREE

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis2945 NW Circle Blvd.Corvallis Community Choir rehearsals 7 pm, $50

Lebanon Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly

danceCorvallis Corvallis Elks Lodge 1400 NW 9th St.Beginner Line Dance 7:00 pm, $3

Impulse Bar & Grill1425 NW Monroe Ave.Cuban Salsa 7:30 pm, FREE

OSU Women’s Building Room 112Salsa Dancing 8:00 pm

LebanonCascade Performing Arts Center800 Harrison St.Beginner Adult Ballet Classes7:30-8:30 pm, $5

eclecticAlbanyAlbany Public Library2450 14th Ave. SEPoetry reading: William Stafford birthday celebration [POETRY] 6:30 pm

CorvallisEnoteca Wine BarGirls night out! Knit night[CRAFT] 7:00 pm

WineStyles22333 NW Kings Blvd.Tuesday Night Trivia (Winter League) [FUN] 6 pm

lecturePhilomathSynergea Chiropractic111 N. 20th St.Wellness Workshop: "Is Marriage Good for Your Health?" 6:30 pm

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26wednesday

live musicLebanonPeacock Bar & Grill EastThe Brand [BLUES]7 pm, every other Wednesday

TangetnDixie Creek SaloonWild Bill's Blues Jame [BLUES]7 pm

singAlbanyExit 9129 First Ave. W Karaoke

Lebanon Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly

danceAlbany Albany Eagles Lodge 127 Broadalbin StAlbany Senior Dance 1:30-3:30 pm, $3

Riley’s Billiards Bar and GrillPure Country Night - Country Dancing with DJ 9:00pm

CorvallisOld World Deli341 SW Second St.Belly Dance 8 pm

Peter Gysegem’s StudioArgentine Tango Classes 7:15 pm, [email protected]

eat/drinkCorvallisCloud 9 126 SW 1st St.Beer & Blog 5 pm

Enoteca Wine BarSake Tasting 7 pm, $10

OSU Women's CenterBenton AnnexCoffee & Tea from around the World 12 pm

lectureCorvallisOSU Trysting Tree Conference Room D107, 104 Weatherford HallDave Coates, Director of Talent and Workforce Development at PCC Structurals, Inc. 7 pm

stageCorvallisLinus Pauling Middle School1111 NW Cleveland Ave."Hallelujah Hopscotch" After School Drama 7 pm, $5

eclecticAlbanyLBCC North Santiam Hall Gallery, 2nd floor atrium6500 Pacific Blvd. SWReception/gallery talk: Carol Hausser, Cynthia Herron, & Beverly Soasey [ART] 2 pm

Thursday @ Bombs Away CafeGunfighter & Inebriated Species [ROCK] 9 pm, FREE

Photo by Michael T. Johns

8 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M8 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • 9

WHO OWNS THE CO-OP?

YOU DO!First Alternative

GROCERY STORE

CO-OP

PLACE FOR A QUICK

BITE

VOTED

VOTED

connecting good food & good

people since 1970!South Corvallis

1007 SE 3rd St(541)753-3115

Open Daily 7-9

North CorvallisNW 29th & Grant

(541)452-3115Open Daily 7-9

www.firstalt.coop

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27thursday

live musicAlbanyCalapooia BrewingWild Hog in the Woods [STRINGBAND] 7:30 pm

CorvallisBombs Away CafeGunfighter & Inebriated Species [ROCK] 9 pm, FREE

Papa's Pizza Parlor1030 SW Thrid St.Webster Chicago [GOSPEL BLUES] 6 pm, benefit for Schools of Sinkunia, must have flier from papaspizza.net

LebanonPeacock Bar & Grill EastBlues Jam [BLUES] featuring Kendall Lee & the Roadhouse Blues Band, 7 pm every other Thursday, FREE

TangentDixie Creek SaloonJake & Kalyn [ACOUSTIC] 7 pm

singLebanon Merlin’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Nightly

danceAlbanyAlbany Eagles Lodge127 Broadalbin St. NWLine dance, couples dance lessons, & open dancing, 7 pm, $4

Riley's Bar & GrillThrowback Thursday w/ DJ Tray, 9 pm, FREE

CorvallisPeacock Bar & GrillKaraoke, 9:00 pmOn the top DJ Mike, 9 pm, $2

PhilomathPhilomath Middle School2021 Chapel Dr.Family-friendly swing dance lessonsInfo: 541.929.3180

eat/drinkCorvallisEnoteca Wine BarChocolate Truffle Happy HourFREE Truffles 6-8 pm

First Alternative Co-Op North2855 NW Grant Ave.Wine tasting, 5-7 pm

WineStyles2333 NW Kings Blvd.Wine tasting: 2 Towns Ciderhouse hard ciders & fruit wines, 5:30 pm, $5

lectureCorvallisCorvallis-Benton County Public Library645 NW Monroe Ave.Bob Custer: "Circling Annapurna" 7 pm

OSU Memorial Union Journey RoomAmina Wadud: "Islam, Justice and Gener Reform" 7 pm

OSU Owen Hall Room 102Prakash Chenjeri: "Preserving the Blessing of Liberty for Posterity: Why It Matters" 7 pm

stageAlbanyAlbany Civic Theater111 First Ave. SW"Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters" 8 pm, $8-$11

CorvallisLinus Pauling Middle School1111 NW Cleveland Ave."Hallelujah Hopscotch" After School Drama 7 pm, $5

28l ive music

singCorvallis Peacock Bar and Grill Karaoke, 9 pmOn the Top: DJ Alex, 9 pm

danceAlbany Linn County Fair & Expo Center3700 Knox Butte RdOregon Mid-Winter Festival (square dance) 6:30 pm

Riley’s Bar and GrillLadies Night with DJ Tray 9 pm, FREE

eat/drinkCorvallisFirst Alternative Co-Op South1007 SE Third St.Wine tasting, 5-7 pm

WineStyles2333 NW Kings Blvd.Friday Night Flights5-8 pm

friday

eclecticCorvallisOSU Dixon Recreation Center"After Dark" [FESTIVUS] 9 pm, FREE


CorvallisCorvallis High School Black Box Theatre1400 NW Buchanan Ave."Art" Willamette STAGE Company 8 pm, $16-$19

Linus Pauling Middle School1111 NW Cleveland Ave."Hallelujah Hopscotch" After School Drama 7 pm, $5

CorvallisThe Beanery on 2ndRobert Richter [FOLK] 8 pm

Bombs Away Café Hot Tea Cold & Media Rio [FUNK/BLUES/ROCK] 10 pm, FREE

Cloud 9Riot In the Clouds [OFFENSIVELY HIP] 10 pm

OSU LaSells Stewart CenterHenan Chinese Opera Company: "Chinese Orphan" [CLASSICAL] 7:30 pm

OSU Memorial Union LoungeNoteworthy Duo [CLASSICAL] part of Music a La Carte, 12 pm, FREE

FireWorksBrian Smith [INDIE FOLK] 8 pm

Friday @ The Beanery on 2ndRobert Richter [FOLK] 8 pm

Contr ibuted Photo

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29saturday

live music singLebanonMerlin’s Bar & GrillKaraoke Nightly

danceAlbany Riley’s Billiards Bar and GrillDJ Tray spins 9 pm, FREE

eclecticCorvallisLive Well Studio971 NW Spruce Ave. Ste. 101Grand Opening [WELLNESS] 12 pm

Reser Stadium Club LevelPink Out Breakfast & Silent Auction 9:30 am, $12-$20, hosted by the Gymnastics 10.0 Club & The Women's Basketball Rebounders benefiting Project H.E.R.

LebanonLebanon Coffeehouse & Eatery 661 Main StreetSaturday Afternoon Free Movie [SEE] 2pm – 4pm


CorvallisCorvallis High School Black Box Theatre1400 NW Buchanan Ave."Art" Willamette STAGE Company 8 pm, $16-$19

Saturday @ Calapooia Brewing, The Shinkle Band [COUNTRY/ROCK] 8 pm

Saturday @ Cloud 9, abolitionist, Angries, & Dona Cepa [PUNK ROCK] 10 pm

MUPC and KBVR bring you

Registration Now OpenApplications Due February 9th

Register Online atmu.oregonstate.edu/osuhastalent

AuditionsFebruary 11 - 13th

FREE TO ENTER!WIN UP TO $300

Information and Registration Online atmu.oregonstate.edu/osuhastalent

alchemist pick

Have you given up on your New Year's resolutions yet? Or has the monotony of that daily run or work-out become tedious and non-stimu-lating? Fear not! You can still keep to those goals and possibly even begin to enjoy a new and healthy lifestyle.

On Saturday, January 29 from noon to 5:30 p.m., Live Well Studio will celebrate it's grand opening with a complete afternoon of Yoga, Pilates and Dance classes that are free to all attendees. It is your chance to familiarize yourself with Live Well Studio and get answers to any questions you may have re-garding the range of services and equipment that they offer.

Classes will begin at 12:00 p.m. and last 30 minutes each. The pub-lic has been invited to bring the whole family as free childcare will be provided throughout the after-noon for 3-12 year-olds.

According to LIsa Wells and Kris-tina Ender, the co-owners of this new studio, Live Well is the only fa-cility of its type in the area to offer a comprehensive range of move-ment practices. So whatever your preferred method of contortion and jiggle they probably have some-thing that will inspire and interest you. And hey, it's totally free. So you've got no excuse not to strap on that pink fusion headband and matching leg warmers, fill up that reusable water bottle and start gy-rating, bending, stretching and hold-ing.

Live Well Studio is located at 971 NW Spruce Ave., Suite 101 in Cor-vallis at the west end of the Corval-lis Crossing Development. You can also visit their web site for more info at livewellstudio.com.

-Stanley TollettContr ibuted Photo

Photos byAmanda Long

AlbanyCalapooia BrewingThe Shinkle Band [COUNTRY/ROCK] 8 pm

CorvallisBlock 15The Vicki Stevens Trio [BLUES] 9 pm

Bombs Away CafeSpace Neighbors [FUNK/ROCK] 10 pm, $5

Cloud 9abolitionist, Angries, & Dona Cepa [PUNK ROCK] 10 pm

FireWorksJesse Meade [ACOUSTIC R&B] 8 pm

LebanonLebanon Coffeehouse & Eatery 661 Main Street Live Music 6:30pm

TangentBleach- Nirvana Tribute [GRUNGE]9:30 pm

I can't put my foot behind my head.. .yet.

1 0 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M1 0 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • 1 1

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Diff iculty: Mediumwww.sudoku-puzzles.net

Inkwell Crosswords by Ben Tausig

Across1. Source of aircraft thrust7. Some pairs of Roos lack

them12. Utopian sorts16. “Can we get ___?” (diner’s

question)17. *Modern Japanese drink

made with tapioca18. Longtime Notre Dame

football coach Lou19. Chess grandmaster Sveto-

zar Gligoric, e.g.20. “In my own place, my name

ain’t ___ ... my name is Enrico Salvatore Rizzo”

22. Suffix with cream23. Quitter’s words26. Trig for calc, often28. *Hecklers in the cheap

seats, collectively32. “Shoot!”33. Intimate email sign-off34. Isaac’s boorish kid37. Do something38. Make the kayak move40. “One more thing,” for short42. Rising times43. Denomination in Iraq45. More, south of the border47. Drug that may keep you up

for days?49. *Power bat, usually52. Like moments of silence54. “That time of year thou ___

in me behold”: Shak.55. .MOV alternative56. “___ a Letter to My Love”

(Simone Signoret film)58. Austen novel62. River in Belarus crossed by

Napoleon in 181264. *NYC art mecca67. Hang loosely68. Show the ropes69. Gent’s mag with liberally

airbrushed covers70. Title for the mascots who

appear at the beginning of the starred entries

More is Less

6 5 8 9

3 9 2 7

9 2 7 4

6 2 7

8 4 9 6 2 7

8 6 5

6 3 7 4

8 6 1 5

1 7 4 3

Down1. Bends the truth2. Together, in music3. State in a Springsteen album

title: Abbr.4. Alternating with the hooks,

say5. Certain big couch shape6. Rare NFL game ending7. Pakistani metropolis8. “I love,” in Latin9. Bloody Mary seasoning10. ___ nous (between us)11. Hostess crËme-based treat13. Kerri who had that vault

where her ankle was messed up but she won gold anyway

14. Colonial imposition of 1767

15. Parked oneself21. Like some crappy paint jobs24. Sierra Club founder John25. Footstools that often match

chairs27. Prior to, poetically28. Blackberries, e.g.29. Per person30. Flat finale31. Setup for a spike, perhaps35. French girlfriend36. Whence Drago from

“Rocky IV”39. Lacking color41. Fit systems44. Barrel beverage46. Gordon ___ (Sting’s real

name)48. Bears witness50. Frequent Dr. Dre collabo-

rator51. Smith with the album

“Horses”52. Chain letters?53. ___ barrel (helpless)57. Adjective for some contem-

porary high school haircuts59. “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”

topic60. Quiet with a click61. Western hemisphere abbr.63. Bee: Prefix65. The Grizzlies, in boxscores66. Athlete’s outfit, briefly

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v To be considered for a

calendar listings, notice of events must be received in writing by noon on Tuesday, two weeks before publication.

Send to [email protected]. Photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if

accompanied by a self addressed, stamped envelope.

I t ' s a ne v e r y d a y t h i n g

AlbanyLBCC North Santiam Gallery6500 Pacific Blvd. SWCarol Hausser, Cynthia Herron, and Beverly Soasey [EXHIBIT] through February 25

LBCC South Santiam Gallery6500 Pacific Blvd. SWSusie Morrill, "Portraits in Place" [EXHIBIT] through January 28

CorvallisOSU Memorial Union, Concourse GalleryMass of Glass II: Reflections of the OSU Craft Center’s Glass Programs [EXHIBIT] through February 1

OSU Fairbanks GalleryShelley Jordon, “Materfamilias” [EXHIBIT] through February 2

OSU Guistina Gallery"Russian Exhibit" [EXHIBIT] through February 11

30sunday

live musicAlbanyCalapooia Brewing Blues Jam 4:00 pm

Novak’s Hungarian Restaurant 2306 Heritage Way SEStrings of Time [MELODIC JAZZ] 6:00 pm, FREE

CorvallisFireWorksRavincrowe [ACOUSTIC FOLK ROCK] 8 pm

LebanonMerlin’s Bar & GrillBlues/Rock Jam 6 pm

TangentDixie Creek SaloonOpen Acoustic Jam 6 pm

eclecticCorvallisEnoteca Wine BarBook Group[READ] 7 pm


31monday

live musicCorvallisFireWorksSouthtown Open Mic Talent Search8 pm

CorvallisOSU Women's Building, Rm 116OSU West Coast Swing Club First Winter Term Dance 7 pm lessons, 8 pm open dance, $3 students, $5 community

dance


stageCorvallisCorvallis High School Black Box Theatre1400 NW Buchanan Ave."Art" Willamette STAGE Company 2:30 pm, $16-$19

Sunday @ FireWorks, Ravincrowe [ACOUSTIC FOLK ROCK] 8 pm

Contr ibuted Photo

1 2 • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M W W W . T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y . C O M • T H E A L C H E M I S T W E E K L Y • J A N U A R Y 2 5 - J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 1 • 1 3

O ' P I N I N Gpints

This is the last writing on a three-part series on sake, but it won’t be the last time I come back to this amazing topic! To re-cap this series, part one unraveled my reasons for why people say that they dislike sake and why they don’t know any better. Part two was a general dis-cussion on sake styles and what consti-tutes those differences. Part three is all about some of my favorite sake. There are literally thousands of sake and I have thus far only tried a portion (maybe 200 at this writing), so my list of favorites will continue to expand.

Many Nigori (unfiltered so there are fine rice particles in suspension) are pretty chunky so that the sake has a gritty texture sort of like really runny Cream of Wheat. Dreamy Clouds, by Rihaku, is unlike all the others in that it is a sensual taste-treat for the eyes as well as palate. It has fine dusting of rice solids gracing the bottom of the bottle like hoar frost coating grass on a win-ter’s day. Drink Nigoris by first shaking up the sediment and purposefully pour it all into a glass without decanting off the sediment. The suspension of the sol-ids gives the sake an illusion of flying through a cloud. Dreamy Clouds is a Junmai with a seimaibuai of 59% which gives it a purity that surpasses most Nig-ori. Freshly steamed rice and juicy plums are the main aromatics with a flavor lean and bright backed by hints of nuttiness and sweet rice. Dreamy Clouds is very food-friendly with a resounding acidity and a lightness on the tongue.

I just finished up a bottle of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America, a Junmai Ginjo Genshu that is a brewed for the Jinja Shinto Shrine near Seattle by SakeOne of Forest Grove, Oregon. It is the official ceremonial sake as well as a fund-raiser for the Shrine. You can only purchase this sake from SakeOne, the only sake kura in Oregon, so it’s pretty hard to find unless you make the trip to Forest Grove. Grand Shrine is a big, fat sake with very complex textures that start sweet, fade to an intense acid-ity and finishes with a sweet note. It is loaded with lots of honey, teas and green melon characteristics with a minerality backbone.

To support my belief that sake can be paired with ALL food types (res-tauranteurs, perk up here!) I had one of those “holy crap, this is goooooood!” moments with lunch earlier this week. A Woodstock’s Spicy Beav pizza with a Hakutsuru Excellent Carton Junmai Sake. The mildly fiery pepperoni and

sausage duo was tamed by the sake’s residual rice sweetness all-the-while there was a union between the tangi-ness of the pizza sauce and the subtle acidity of the sake. In food and sake the Japanese believe in a theoretical food component called “Umami”. You cannot physically add it to food, yet it is in line with salty, sweet, bitter and sour; it can be best described as “yumminess”. The black olives had a great deal to do with it, but there was definitely an elevated umami component when this sake and pizza were united! Hakutsuru Excellent Carton Sake is packaged in a 1.8 liter carton with bright colors and splashy graphics that could easily be confused with a Florida Grower’s orange juice container.

Team CBS traveled to Portland this week to attend a sake seminar and trade show. After the show we zipped out to a Sushi bar, called “Zillas” located on the NE part of the City of Roses, for a late night dinner. On a daily basis we three all work hard together and today was in-tended to be part work and mostly play (It’s not easy keeping Drew out of a PDX taproom!) As their employer, I think it was important for Drew and Nate to ex-perience trade shows and in this case a rainbow of sake. But, for dinner, I really wanted a magical moment of relaxing with my pals with great food and sake. With our tuna and salmon Sashimi we enjoyed a bottle of Kikusui Chrysanthe-mum. The story is long, but in short this sake is brewed from a special breed of rice developed in 1937 to have a short stalk (to keep it from falling over during monsoon season) and has a well-defined “Shinpaku” (starch-laden center of the grain which is very important to make quality sake) - in the shape of a Chry-santhemum flower. It is a wonderfully affordable Junmai Ginjo that is laced with tropical flower aromas and a light banana flavor and viscosity and yes, it is simply amazing with Sashimi!

I’ll end this series by noting how much I’ve enjoyed writing it and my only hope from you is that it has in-spired you to drop pre-conceived no-tions and misguided stereotypes about sake. I hope that you will make it a point to search out someone in our commu-nity who can give you a good recom-mendation for a sake to try! As for me, I do believe it is time for a glass of Hou Hou Shu sparkling sake; think “cream sherbet float”!-Joel Rea (Corvallis Brewing Supply owner)[email protected]

Liquid Light, part #3


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literati

we don’t have all the answers; these ugly little details of life and bohemian existence find expression in Joshua English’s music.

The song Nickel In belongs around the campfire of some sad dustbowl gathering of wanderers, refuges left out in the cold, abandoning their families and only search-ing for the next meal, the next something. The next whatever hasn’t yet been created yet so you can be sure they haven’t found it yet to fulfill their lives.

But there is a kind of backwards comfort in his music. A feeling that this lifestyle is not as good or somehow unequal to those who preserve the spaces for us to come on home to. That when we have spent all this energy and emotion and understanding and

charity there is still others that will take care of us too.

I’m convinced that Joshua English be-lieves in his quest. That we should believe all this mess, all this unlinedupness of edges and corners that won’t dovetail fit somehow into a greater more abstract, more beauti-ful picture. And we start to get convinced as the tracks move on that somehow it’ll all work out. We’re being told not to come home, there is no home to come home to.

So it’s time to keep moving : suggesting that we will be the ones creating the new spaces we come home to. And have faith that whatever we need is being created and soon for better or worse we will be coming into it.

joshua english cont'd

A walk alone, a delusory mist that makes blue grain from the ring of mountains that circle this hollow, that turn substance to particle. Say my name. Who are you, who had you been, that I search for in the shorn and famished grasses so colored like sickly bone that it stills the thought, rattles the heart, and stirs the winds of my homecom-ing. Who? Another tree planted roadside to lead the way of the departed from a place you never had chance or sense to depart from? Another stone by which I search for some remnant of your likeness and in time’s passage will erode, slip into sand? The name that marks it will become illegible and chil-dren will play hiding games in this pasture of strange rocks.

I pick my way over the soil and read ev-ery name I pass. “Come here,” he says and his cheeks are red with blood and he is breathing roughly. “No,” I tell him. I tremble, stepping back. “You f***ing pussy…hey…hey, I said come the f*** here!” A breeze ripples the grass and tilts the boughs, the branch work wilt-ing deathly, expunged, and going orange and yellow and red in the beautiful funerary turning of the days. Coming from behind, I know it is you. It cools the blood and tickles the flesh standing up the small hairs on my arm. “’Cause they don’t care,” he says and he is crying. Under the lamplight, with our feet

stretched out on the sidewalk, he turns from me. So I cannot see his face. Cannot see him choke the air down. But I can still hear him and I do not know what to say. My lips are sealed as if words, I had never spoken. His shoulders flut-ter in his sobbing. Arms lift out, flex once, then drop to his sides. We stare up at the telephone lines. “They never did care,” he says.

Who are you that I look upon on new soil and try to force a memory from? Whom I had only spoken briefly, degradingly of in years since? A soluble photograph of a young man holding his daughter. A note from a friend. Splotchy ink. Flaccid paper. A bit of lawn strewn with old flowers and translucent zip-locked bags filled with what was left of your childhood. Plastic dinosaurs. Toy cars. He looks at me dazedly with a foolish grin and eyes lidded heavily. A storm creeps over the ridge of the valley and into the next county and a gold cast is set over the plain. I feel the wind. I look around and expect them all to be here, all the people you used to know. Say it. I look and cannot believe that this isn’t so and was still detained by that faint chill that rested in my flesh upon our reunion here today; that was also the same cold I felt the morning that I had first heard, like a cloud shadow passing over me, and could not believe it then.

HomecomingBy Michael Thomas

Send us your originalpoetry and prose.

[email protected]


Aries (March 21-April 19): Quantum physics now focuses on the space between that holds the entrails of atoms through which electrons fly. The space the little Arizonian girl held is gone--smitten from the annals of time, but she will not be lost, Aries. It falls to your kind, for her and the others, to sincerely believe more eloquently, reach out more gra-ciously, and teach more about peace to every person you encounter. In the pack you are the leader. Bring us out of this in your own way. Dedicate yourself to it.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Taurus, you

need to go consciousness knocking, which doesn’t mean the same as soul solicitation—no bargaining here, souls aren’t saleable. Proj-ect positive energy as you build a pile of your own, keeping in mind that it’s imperative to create a balance. People will be satisfied with your generosity and will pass it on as well.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): A quiet, un-assuming acquaintance of mine from Sa-lem, built a fantastic Burning Man art car. The eight-legged machine seats more than a dozen people and crawls over the playa like a tarantula. Marty’s mechanical magic may be found in the words of Teddy Roosevelt, “Speak softly, but carry a big stick.” Rather than a large stick to get your point across Gemini, allow ingenuity to crawl on the sands of time in your own world.

Cancer ( June 21-July 22): As to the saga

of the spy geese who have been watching the pseudo-eagles in farmers’ fields: The flock of spies now includes ducks, lots of them. Each day they congregate, moving closer. I’m sure there are some scientific types amidst the co-vert operations, although they’ve not broken out duck binoculars yet. I predict they will in-stead, count coup, which means that they will waddle up to those pseudo-eagles, tap them on their plastic bodies with their curious bills,

and swagger back to the duck congregation, quacking victoriously. Be as courageous as they are and remember those ducks are not chicken and neither are you.

Leo ( July 23-Aug. 22): Small, wiry limbs

sway in winter winds as the skeleton trees share their naked essence, guiless and free. And as the wind wafts around their bark, we become aware of the trees’ promise of future fruition. Theirs’ is the power of dormancy. Virgo’s energy grows in the winter’s gloaming, just like the great oaks of the valley savannahs. Let the wind whisper in your ear.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Someone from

your history needs to reconnect with you or maybe it’s someone who reminds you of someone from your past. Make a coffee date. Mother Teresa said, “Peace begins with a smile.”

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Lincoln City vol-

unteers spent a few days picking up migrating salmon in their arms and carrying them to the safety of the river. This happened after the fish stranded themselves during the annual flood-ing. No fish road kill wanted there. This mis-placed crossing and subsequent intervention is reflected your life right now, Libra. You may be asked to do something totally out of the ordinary--an act of compassion and altruism which will become a regular part of your life.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I hear squir-

rels grumping around in their nest letting the world know that it is too cold even with their furry tails. But they will rouse in the icy sheen of the morn and continue their forage for life. If you find your heart buried beneath the cold, find a way to warm it up. Hot chocolate laced with your favorite booze or not, a neighbor-hood bonfire, an elder’s smile—they’ll all work.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some peo-

ple have lots of money. Some do not. Life is a game--it’s how you remain true to living that gives the most payoff.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m from the

other side of the tracks, looking over I say, “Ya. Uh-huh. Ahem.” I crossed o’er the tracks, say-ing, “Ya. Uh-huh. Ahem.” Now I live on the tracks, dodging, reaping rides, and convers-ing with people of unknown persuasion say-ing, “Ya. Uh-huh. Ahem.” I can still hear my grandparents’ dishes rattling in the cupboards and the scream of the train’s horn careening by and the lonely voice of a late night train weeping as it leaves the safety of the city. In my tracks, in the middle, I am. Goat, ride your own rails for the second week of Aquarius and beyond. Ride your rails all the way into Pisces where you will discover an entirely different set of locutions.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): At times, the

Cascade Range becomes a focal point for those in the valley, peeking over the horizon like a long-forgotten memory. Even when we can’t see Sisters, Bachelor, Jefferson, or Hood, they are always there, reminding us of the an-tiquity of this land and former fire. If you have scars of this magnitude, recognize the beauty of them, learn from them, and know they are healed.

Aquarius ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Credit is a system whereby a person who can not pay gets another person who can not pay to guarantee that he can pay.” Charles Dickens, that Vic-torian social author/reformist, was he looking into a crystal ball-tipped pen or something? If the cost is too dear, Aquarius, then don’t buy it, don’t buy into it. Remember the words of Miguel de Cervantes, “What is bought is cheaper than a gift.”

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Astrologer

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Tri tip:

Tri tip steak1 TBL Johnnys salt1 TBL Course ground pepper1 TBL Sea salt1 TBL onion salt1 TBL spoon celery salt1 TBL spoon granulated garlic

Mix the dry ingredients together, rub on your steak until all sides are covered. Place the steak in a large lightly oiled pan on me-dium heat. Let cook until meat reaches inter-nal temp of 130 degrees, turning every 2 - 3 minutes. Once your steak is done place on a cutting board slice pieces off at a 45 degree angle approximately 1/4 inch thick. Shingle 4 -5 pieces on a plate and top with Marsala and mushroom sauce.

Marsala sauce:Start with a Demi-Glace, I like to use the

Knorr brand, you can find this at most stores, if you do not find it at the normal grocery stores you can try Cash and Carry, or other restaurant supply stores.

Using the recipe on the Demi-Glace use

as much as you need for the amount of steak you are making, 1 cup would work for 3 - 4 people.

Replace 1/2 cup of water with Marsala wine

add 1/2 stick of salted butter1 TBL spoon Burgundy wine1 Bay leaf1/4 yellow onion1 celery stalk

Boil the onion, celery, bay leaf, burgundy, and water from the Demi-Glace recipe to-gether for 10 minutes. Strain the water and place back in pot, add the Demi-Glace mix and Marsala wine, once sauce reaches a boil, add butter and let reduce should become just a little thicker then a gravy. Mushrooms are optional, if you want them you would add 1/2 cup to the sauce now, you can use any kind of mushroom that you like (pictured here with carmini's ) let them boil in the sauce for about 5 minutes turn heat down and pour over your steak when ready to eat.

Great side dish with this is baked sweet po-tatoes with butter and brown sugar.

MarsalaTri Tip

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The Alchemist Weekly 01.25.11