Jordan Pantoja
I-65 CLOSURE TO DISRUPT LOUISVILLE TRAFFIC AS MAJOR BRIDGE PROJECT BEGINS JUNE 1
Two-month shutdown between the Watterson Expressway and downtown aims to replace aging infrastructure and speed up long-term improvements
BY CALEB STULTZ
This summer, drivers passing through Louisville should be ready for long delays from a major construction project that will close a key part of Interstate 65 for two months.
Starting just after midnight on June 1, a five-mile stretch of I-65 between the Watterson Expressway (I-264) and Jefferson Street in downtown Louisville will be closed in both directions. The interstate should be open again on August 1, but work will continue until late 2027, so traffic will only be able to use two lanes in each direction.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is closing the road as part of a larger project to fix or replace nine bridges along the route. During the shutdown, crews will focus on replacing three overpasses that were built in the late 1950s. These include the ones that cross Kentucky Street and Brook Street, Hill Street and a nearby rail line, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds.
Transportation officials say that closing the road completely will speed up construction by more than a year and make the road safer for about 125,000 drivers who use it every day. The bridges that were just built should last for about 75 years.
Mindy Peterson, the project’s spokesperson, said that replacing the overpasses is necessary to fix infrastructure that is more than 70 years old.
“They’re replacing the substructure, the foundations of the bridges. So we have our steel piles, we have our concrete piers. When you look under the bridge here at Brook and Kentucky, you will see some elements that are brand new, that have already been piers have been poured, and a lot of things have already been replaced.” Peterson said.
Crews have been working on the project for months, and they have finished about 80% of the foundational substructure under the bridges. Moving utilities, making bridge parts ahead of time, and setting up materials and equipment have also been part of the preparations.
There will be some relief halfway through the project. By July 1, a two-lane stretch of southbound I-65 from University Boulevard to the Watterson Expressway is expected to open again. This will also make it possible to use some ramps again, like the ones on Crittenden Drive, Eastern Parkway, and University Boulevard.
During the closure, through traffic will be detoured to I-264, also known as the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway, on Louisville’s west side. State officials selected the route after extensive traffic studies, citing its capacity and efficiency in handling diverted vehicles. Some ramps along I-264 are being temporarily widened to accommodate the increased traffic load.
Local routes will vary depending on
destination, and officials recommend using navigation apps for real-time updates. The state has partnered with the Waze app to provide drivers with the most efficient routes during the closure.
The project is already affecting businesses and neighborhoods nearby. Some owners are worried about losing customers and traffic during the shutdown. Residents have also said that construction work has been causing problems for a long time before the closure.
Transportation leaders say that the improvements are necessary to modernize infrastructure that is decades old and
make sure that one of the region’s busiest corridors is reliable in the long term, even though they will cause short-term problems.
“This project continues until late 2027. So when we reopen on Aug. 1, we get I-65 back in both directions, but that will be limited to two lanes of traffic in each direction. And so that’s going to be the long term configuration on I-65 until we get through this work and this project,” Peterson said.
YOUR SUMMER PREVIEW OF
LOUISVILLE’S SUMMER CONCERT calendar isn’t just busy — it’s borderline stacked. From arena-sized country acts to indie darlings, legacy icons, and niche heavy hitters, the city is pulling a surprisingly wide spectrum of talent. The question isn’t whether there’s something to see — it’s whether you can keep up. Below is a curated, cleaned-up list of notable upcoming shows and festivals, formatted for quick scanning and actual planning.
Saturday, May 9
Juvenile and The 400 Degreez Band
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
New Orleans hip-hop icon Juvenile brings the energy of 400 Degreez to life with a full band, turning classic Southern rap into a live experience that hits harder than a standard DJ set.
Sunday, May 10
Sterling Elza
Headliners Music Hall | All ages | Ticket prices vary
A rising name in country with a rougher edge, Elza blends outlaw influences with modern storytelling — a solid pick if you’re trying to avoid overly polished Nashville sounds.
Monday, May 11
The Spill Canvas
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Emo nostalgia meets orchestral arrangements in this hybrid show that leans into early-2000s feelings without feeling completely stuck there.
Tuesday, May 12
Marilyn Manson
The Louisville Palace | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Still controversial, still theatrical — Manson’s live show remains more spectacle than subtlety, which is exactly why people show up.
Wednesday, May 13
Earth, Wind & Fire
The Louisville Palace | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Few legacy acts still deliver like this. Expect tight musicianship, huge grooves, and a setlist stacked with songs you already know by heart.
Thursday, May 14
Molly Tuttle & Maggie Rose
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Virtuosic bluegrass guitar meets modern Americana — this is one of the more musically interesting stops on the calendar.
Friday, May 15
Ali Wong
The Louisville Palace | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Not a concert, but worth including — Wong’s sharp, unfiltered stand-up draws a crowd that overlaps heavily with live music fans.
ALSO PERFORMING:
Cattle Decapitation at Mercury Ballroom — a much heavier alternative if comedy isn’t your thing.
Saturday, May 16
White Reaper & Drug Church
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
A hometown favorite returns with a co-headlining set that leans loud, fast, and unapologetically guitar-driven.
Sunday, May 17
Geoff Tate (Operation: Mindcrime)
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
A full-album performance from one of progressive metal’s defining voices — niche, but deeply respected.
Thursday, May 21 – Tuesday, May 26
Abbey Road on the River
Big Four Station Park | All ages | Ticket prices vary
A massive Beatles-inspired festival with tribute acts and legacy performers. It’s less about authenticity and more about immersion — and it draws serious crowds every year.
Thursday, May 21
Brit Floyd
The Louisville Palace | All ages | Ticket prices vary
One of the most polished tribute productions touring — heavy on visuals, precision, and atmosphere.
Friday, May 22
Cozy Worldwide (90s/2000s Hip-Hop & R&B Party)
Mercury Ballroom | 18+ | Ticket prices vary
More party than concert — but if you want a packed dance floor and throwback hits, this delivers.
Saturday, May 23
Zoso (Led Zeppelin Tribute)
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
A deep-cut-heavy Zeppelin tribute that leans into musicianship over gimmicks.
Tuesday, May 26
Spineshank
Mercury Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Early-2000s industrial metal revival — expect a crowd that hasn’t forgotten.
Thursday, May 28
Oteil Burbridge
Iroquois Amphitheater | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Jam-band fans know exactly what this is: extended improvisation, groove-heavy sets, and no real concern for time limits.
ALSO PERFORMING:
Blackberry Smoke at The Louisville Palace — Southern rock with staying power.
BIG SUMMER SHOWS TO WATCH
Friday, June 12
Megan Moroney
KFC Yum! Center | All ages | Ticket prices vary
One of country’s fastest-rising names
— expect a younger crowd and a lot of singalongs.
Sunday, June 14
Weird Al Yankovic KFC Yum! Center | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Comedy, musicianship, and absurdity — still one of the most unique live shows touring.
Wednesday, July 1
Spoon Iroquois Amphitheatre | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Consistently one of indie rock’s most reliable live bands — tight, minimal, and sharp.
Thursday, Aug. 13
The String Cheese Incident
Iroquois Amphitheatre | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Jam scene staples — long sets, dedicated fans, and a very specific vibe.
FALL FESTIVAL HEAVYWEIGHTS
Sept. 17–20
Louder Than Life
Kentucky Exposition Center | All ages | Ticket prices vary
One of the country’s largest rock and metal festivals, with massive production and stacked lineups.
Sept. 24–27
Bourbon & Beyond
Kentucky Exposition Center | All ages | Ticket prices vary
A genre-spanning festival that mixes music, bourbon culture, and big-name headliners into a multi-day experience.
Weird Al Yankovic Credit Bigger & Weirder Tour
Courtesy photo
Homer Simpson stalks the pit.
Austin Cooper
EAT, DRINK AND SEE IN THIS WEEK’S STAFF PICKS
BY LEO WEEKLY STAFF
Friday, May 8
The Book of Mormon
PNC Broadway in Louisville | Mature audiences | Ticket prices vary
Winner of nine Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, The Book of Mormon arrives in Louisville with its signature mix of outrageous humor and surprisingly heartfelt storytelling. From the creators of South Park, the show follows two young missionaries navigating culture shock and crisis of faith in a remote Ugandan village.
Saturday, May 9
International Food Truck Fest
Big Four Lawn | All ages | Free
Indulge in food from all around the world brought to you by various food trucks while enjoying cultural performances.
Friday, May 8
Racing Louisville FC vs. Portland Thorns FC Lynn Family Stadium | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Louisville’s own Racing Louisville FC hits the pitch against the powerhouse Portland Thorns FC in what’s sure to be a high-energy matchup. Competing in the National Women’s Soccer League, Racing brings top-tier talent to the field, often facing off against some of the biggest names in women’s soccer.
Saturday, May 9
Kentucky Kingdom Opening Day
All ages | Day pass: $34.99
The legendary theme park is back this year and is better than ever with a brand new family-friendly rollercoaster: The Flying Fox.
Friday, May 8
Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer
The Brown Hotel – Crystal Ballroom | All ages | Ticket prices vary
Step into an intimate, candlelit setting and تجربه the cinematic soundscapes of Hans Zimmer like never before. This immersive concert features a live string quartet performing iconic scores from films like The Lion King, Inception, Interstellar, and more.
Wednesday, May 13
Midweek Nature Stroll: Jackson-Yoe Loop Bernheim Forest and Arboretum | All ages | Free
Get outside and explore the beauty of Bernheim Forest and Arboretum on this guided midweek hike led by volunteer naturalists. Starting at the Jackson-Yoe parking lot, the two-mile trek includes a stop at the towering Heart of the Forest sculpture before heading deeper into scenic wooded trails.
Friday, May 15
Night at the Frazier Frazier History Museum | 21+ | $75–$250
Celebrate Kentucky culture in style at this star-spangled evening honoring America’s 250th anniversary. “Night at the Frazier” transforms the museum into a lively, immersive experience filled with live entertainment, curated food and drinks, and access to engaging exhibits.
Friday, May 15
Clueless at the Downtown Drive-In Brown Foreman Amphitheater All ages | Free
Bust out your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy a drive-in experience for another season of movies, snacks and beer. The first movie of the season is the 90s classic, Clueless.
Friday, May 15
Wild Lights
Louisville Zoo | All ages | Ticket prices vary
The Louisville Zoo’s dazzling lantern festival returns, transforming the grounds into a glowing nighttime spectacle. “Wild Lights” features hundreds of handcrafted, silk-covered lanterns illuminated by tens of thousands of LED lights, guiding visitors through immersive themed worlds like Magical Forest, Pre-Historic Animals, and Wondrous Asia.
Friday-Sunday, May 15-17
Poorcastle Fest
Jubilee Field | All ages | Prices vary
“A fest for the rest” will feature local artists and musicians for a week of community and great tunes.
Friday, May 15
Ali Wong Live
Louisville Palace | All ages | Prices vary
Known for Beef and Always Be My Maybe, this hilarious comedian will provide all the laughs at her standup show.
Friday-Tuesday, May 21-25
Abbey Road on the River
Big Four Station Park | All ages | Prices vary
Beatles fans rejoice! This 5-day fest features music on multiple stages at a time for an immersive and joyful experience.
PERSO LOUISVILLE: A DIETARY ODD COUPLE’S DREAM
BY JOE D eSENSI
Louisville hides culinary gems in nearly every neighborhood. At the corner of Oak and Shelby in the Shelby Park neighborhood, you will find one of my new favorites: Perso. My wife, Hope, and I recently booked a table for a slow, relaxing dinner. Our mission was simple. We wanted to see if this artisan kitchen could accommodate our highly specific dietary requirements.
What happens when a gluten-free vegetarian and a dedicated fish-lover walk into a meat-heavy artisan haven? You might expect a salad. . . at best. Instead, we were treated to some amazing flavors, high-end dishes, and some imbibing opportunities that “got the job done.”
Here is how our evening unfolded, complete with strategic cracker hoarding and a healthy respect for alien sea creatures.
Setting the Stage with Sips
We kicked off our evening by diving straight into the beverage menu. Hope started with a crisp, refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc. It perfectly matched her seafood intentions for the night and set a bright, zesty tone for the meal ahead. Also, it was vino, so she was in her happy place.
I opted to start the repast with a classic rye Manhattan. Perso makes theirs with
the appetizer, definitely hang onto those crispy squares for future bite building purposes.
Marvelous Miso Mushrooms
To pair with our ricotta masterpiece, we ordered the marinated miso mushrooms. We received hearty, meaty cuts of mushroom swimming in a puréed mushroom broth. The chefs topped the dish with fresh microgreens, adding a lovely pop of color and a bright zip of flavor to the fungi. Mixing and matching the rich ricotta with the savory, umami-packed mushrooms created some interesting pairing combinations.
Entrées: From Alien Warnings to Veggie Victories
When you look at the meat-eating side of the menu, you will see plenty of pork, duck, lamb, and choice aged steaks. You will also see octopus. Allow me to offer a brief public service announcement regarding the octopus. Please do not eat these guys. They are incredibly smart, solve puzzles, hold grudges, and are quite possibly aliens.
A Seafood Lover’s Delight
a house well rye, Old Forester, lavender bitters, smoked lavender, and literally a cherry on top.
With our drinks sorted and our initial thirst thoroughly quenched, we turned our attention to the food. Perso heavily promotes its land and sea dishes, but a gluten-free vegetarian can explore a surprisingly deep bench of artisan starters, sides, and entrées.
The Great Cheese Debate and Mushroom Magic
Perso takes its cheese program seriously. They boast two distinct, house-made options. You have the rich, velvety ricotta and their glorious take on stracciatella. If you avoid gluten, take note of this crucial detail. Only the ricotta is completely gluten-free.
Not Your Mom’s Ricotta
We ordered the house-made ricotta, which arrived crowned with a vibrant, zippy chutney. The sweet and tangy flavors cut through the rich cheese beautifully. It came served alongside homemade gluten-free seed crackers that provided a sturdy crunch as a food delivery mechanism.
If you do not use all the seed crackers for
Hope, who normally defaults to salmon whenever possible, decided to branch out. She ordered the Florida royal red shrimp. The kitchen served these succulent beauties over a bed of warm, comforting buckwheat polenta and chives. She asked the kitchen to hold the nduja (a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from Calabria). Her Sauvignon Blanc proved to be the perfect companion to the rich shrimp and polenta.
The Romanesco Broccoli Triumph
On the entrée side, two of the three vegetarian dishes are entirely gluten-free: the Romanesco broccoli and the butternut squash velouté. I went for the broccoli, baby! The kitchen roasted the visually stunning Romanesco and mixed it with Brussels sprouts, a smoky piquillo pepper sauce, and slivered almonds for crunch. Remember those leftover seed crackers I told you to hoard? This piquillo pepper sauce is exactly why you save them.
Dinner and a Show
Hope and I were not in a hurry to give up our seats. We sat comfortably close to the open kitchen, granting prime viewing for the culinary theater unfolding before us. We arrived as one of the first reservations of the evening. Over the next hour plus, we watched the relatively empty restaurant gradually fill with vibrant energy. We spotted folks pregaming before a local show, at least one birthday celebration, and a raucous group eagerly exploring both the
wine list and the craft cocktail offerings. We each ordered another glass of wine for dessert. Did we really need it? Probably not. But we definitely needed to justify spending twenty more minutes taking in “the show.”
Encore
Perso delivers an exceptional dining experience, even if your dietary needs are a bit complicated. The staff is excellent, highly accommodating, and knowledgeable about the menu. The chefs curate their ingredients with obvious care, and the resulting food tastes amazing. When you do go, try ordering several things family-style. Exploring their starters and sides by sharing is the best way to uncover the hidden gems on the menu. Remember: save your crackers, enjoy the show, and please, spare the octopus.
Joe DeSensi
LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA LANDS $3.2M IN STATE FUNDING TO EXPAND STATEWIDE “IN HARMONY” TOUR THROUGH 2028
Investment brings total support to $11.8 million as program continues reaching tens of thousands across Kentucky
BY CALEB STULTZ
The Kentucky General Assembly gave the Louisville Orchestra $3.2 million to keep its “In Harmony” tour going through 2028. This will help the orchestra reach more people across the state.
The program started in 2022 and brings live orchestral performances and music education programs directly into communities across the Commonwealth, far beyond traditional concert halls. With the latest money, the program has received $11.8 million in total support from the legislature, making the General Assembly the largest independent donor in the orchestra’s history.
According to music director Teddy Abrams, the tour has changed how orchestras interact with their fans.
“The In Harmony Tour has transformed the way we think about what an orchestra can be,” Abrams said. “By bringing music directly to communities across Kentucky, we are building relationships and demonstrating that orchestral music belongs to everyone.”
Since its launch, the program has reached more than 57,000 people across 50 counties through a mix of performances and community events. As of early 2026, the tour has included 235 total events, ranging from full concerts to school programs, library storytimes and pop-up performances in public spaces like parks and courthouse lawns.
State leaders say the investment shows that more people are starting to see the arts as a way to help communities grow.
David Osborne, the Speaker of the House, said that the program can connect people all over the state through shared cultural experiences. Craig Greenberg, on the other hand, said that it can help strengthen ties between Louisville’s arts institutions and communities all over Kentucky.
The tour has also included performances with well-known Kentucky musicians like Sam Bush, Tessa Lark, and Ben Sollee, to name a few. Yo-Yo Ma, a world-famous cellist, is expected to join the tour for a special performance in 2027.
There will be free outdoor concerts in Glasgow, Elizabethtown, and Shelby County in June. The next part of the tour will include more concerts, school visits, and community partnerships to make sure that every Kentuckian has a chance to hear live orchestral music.
Photo courtesy of Louisville Orchestra
WHERE LAW MEETS THE STAGE: INSIDE KENTUCKY OPERA CENTER’S ‘SCALIA/GINSBURG’
BY ELIZABETH VOSS, ARTS ANGLE REPORTER
Louisville Collegiate School, Class of 2027
This article brought to LEO Weekly by Arts Angle Newsroom, a program of Arts Angle, a not-for-profit elevating high school students’ voices and connecting them to local arts and issues through journalism. See how you can support Arts Angle here.
At the Kentucky Opera Center, a harmonious moment arose in a rehearsal for “Scalia/Ginsburg” when two towering but opposing figures sang, “We are different, we are one.”
It sent a satisfying, chill-inducing reminder of the moral to their story. Something extraordinary was unfolding in this duet.
The Kentucky Opera’s current production, “Scalia/Ginsburg,” is a journey about friendship, with complex sheet music that takes vocalists portraying historical figures — U.S Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Antonin Scalia — from heightened moments of argument to sensational harmony. Soprano Jennifer Zetlan and tenor Jesse Donner take on these monumental characters, with bass Ron Dukes as an arbitrator between them.
“Scalia/Ginsburg,” Derrick Wang’s one-act operatic comedy, which premiered at the Castleton Festival in Virginia in 2015, explores the real friendship between Ginsburg and Scalia, known for their ideological differences and unifying friendship. Wang’s opera continues with performances on April 16 and 17. Ginsburg and Scalia served over 22 years together in the U.S. Supreme Court for until Scalia’s death in 2016. Ginsburg, a liberal-leaning justice, believed the Constitution should evolve with society, while Scalia, who was conservative-leaning, argued it should be interpreted as originally written. Key cases like Bush v. Gore and Roe v. Wade marked their differences. Despite their opposing stature and beliefs, the reserved Ginsburg and outspoken Scalia appeared an unlikely duo, yet their friendship defied stereotypes.
Ginsburg and Scalia may also seem like unlikely operatic subjects, but the two frequented the opera audience themselves. This production brings them center stage, embracing their humanity and larger-than-life presence. The production takes on a more reverent tone since Ginsburg’s passing in 2020.
Director Audrey Chait described her approach as a “different process from something where it has to come from my imagination. This comes from real life.”
At the same time, the production
doesn’t always stay so grounded. “Scalia/Ginsburg” often blends fact with theatricality.
“It’s sort of like honoring who these people were for real, and then also merging that with the silliness and the kind of magical realism of the opera,” Chait said.
Part of that magical realism is manifested in the set design, which was loaded in before rehearsal. Golden poles ran from floor to ceiling, alongside timeless desks and chairs fit for a courtroom. With quills, textbooks, and even an amplified version of the Constitution plastered along the backdrop with “We the People,” the largest of all. These simple yet effective set design choices place Ginsburg and Scalia in a timeless room created for contemporary storytelling.
Conductor Everett McCorvey, a University of Kentucky professor, an
“Scalia/Ginsburg” stand out. Rather than focusing solely on political conflict, the opera highlights connection, something McCorvey believes is essential.
“We are all human,” he said.
McCorvey indicated how the opera examines this.
“We can have a different point of view about the same document,” he said. “But then at the end of the day, we’re still friends. We can still enjoy our passions outside of the workspace together, although we disagree.”
McCorvey went on to say, “This is a model for how we need to be as a country.”
Chait echoed that idea, pointing to the shared foundation that allows Ginsburg and Scalia’s disagreements to exist.
“We have to kind of share an understanding of what we’re doing,” she said. That sense of collaboration was clear in the rehearsal, and not just between the characters, but among the performers. McCorvey described his role in this.
“My job is to give [the performers] the space to be able to sound good and give [them] the freedom to be able to be artistic,” he said.
One of the production’s most striking elements is its ability to capture Ginsburg’s cultural impact, from her galvanizing grand entrance to her powerful notes on equality.
“Ah, but women belong in all places where decisions are being made,” Ginsburg cleverly answers the ominous Commentator, who is part narrator and part referee to the story.
“You would think you were at a rock concert,” Chait said of Ginsberg’s entrance onstage, ”just because the headliner has arrived.”
Endowed Chair in Opera Studies and the its Opera Theatre director, emphasized the importance of contemporary storytelling in opera today.
“I’m a huge champion and believer in American opera and how opera relates to what’s going on in our society today,” he said. “We are writing about things that are happening now, stories that are happening now, people that are happening now.”
That relevance is part of what makes
A week before opening night, that energy was present in rehearsal, where every moment felt charged with purpose. Even the rehearsal for the production offered an impactful encounter, promising to invite audiences to listen, reflect, and even reconsider what it means to disagree.
Ultimately, “Scalia/Ginsburg” demonstrates it is both timely and timeless.
Photo courtesy of Kentucky Opera.
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Astronomers depend on instruments to collect the observations that fuel their work, but they don’t spend every night glued to the stars. On overcast nights, they turn to what they have already gathered, digging into past measurements and reworking the data. You’re in a comparable phase, Aries. For now, looking farther out into the glittering world won’t give you anything essential. The guidance you need is folded into what you’ve previously seen, felt, and taken in. It’s waiting for you to sort through and understand it on a deeper level.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When lightning from a cloud hits sand or soil, the current travels down into the ground. It melts material along its path and forms tubular, branching glass structures that can penetrate deep below the surface. I believe that metaphorically similar phenomena will soon happen in your life, Taurus. Sudden insights or electrifying feelings will leave permanent traces in your psyche, creating new pathways for energy and information to flow. These disruptive inspirations and inspiring disruptions will rewire your internal circuitry, creating channels that will enhance your receptivity to future revelations. You’ll be able to absorb clues and hints from life that you weren’t tuned into before.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I invite you to ruminate on death not as the conclusion of physical life, but as a metaphor for discarding what’s stale and outmoded. In that light, what would be the best deaths you could generate during the coming weeks? Use your imagination with verve and vigor as you dream up scenarios in which you purge parts of your life that are not serving your strongest, most vital yearnings. Visualize how much fresh potency that will liberate. (PS: To reiterate: You are NOT in physical danger.)
CANCER (June 21-July 22): What part of you is too tame? Maybe your imagination is politely well-behaved, or maybe your voice edits itself before it dares to say what it really thinks. Can you inspire it to be wilder and freer? Not reckless or destructive, but more honest and experimental? Here’s a suggestion: Go on regular excursions with your wild side, maybe once every two weeks. Follow it as it chooses what to explore and create. This might ultimately teach your tamed self that it’s safe to let primal wisdom help steer you.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to quantum physics, particles can become “entangled,” which means they share a single connected quantum state. Observing and
measuring one particle reveals information about the other, even if they’re not in close proximity. Einstein called this “spooky action at a distance.” I predict that different parts of your life will also interweave in unlikely ways during the coming weeks, Leo. Moves you make in one area will seem to produce mysterious effects in other domains. For example, adjusting your morning routine may boost your creative output. Healing an old alliance could unlock a professional opportunity. Everything will be more intermingled than the visible evidence suggests.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your key power word for now is stretch. Speak it aloud multiple times every day, and write it on a card that you put in a place where you will keep seeing it. Also, make a point of physically and spiritually living out these three senses of stretch: 1. to lengthen, widen, or expand without snapping or tearing; 2. to unfurl your body to its full reach, boosting circulation and warding off stiffness or cramps; 3. to take on challenging tasks that push you to amplify your abilities and move beyond what you previously believed you could do.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Four oracles for you, Libra: 1. You’re in possession of keys to doors that haven’t been built yet. Tuck those keys away somewhere safe. 2. You’re ready to dream up titles for stories your life hasn’t lived through yet. Write those titles down. 3. You are being granted sneak previews of your future, even though you can’t yet see the bridge that will carry you there. Imprint these glimpses on your memory. 4. You have everything required to grow a more muscular faith that’s grounded in real evidence, not in vague hopes and wishful thinking. Take advantage.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): At the ancient Library of Alexandria, editors did far more than copy manuscripts. They
compared multiple versions of important works and produced editions that aimed at definitively reliable texts. Their efforts at preservation required active intervention rather than mere reproduction. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, I think it will be fun and transformative for you to make similar adjustments to your own life story. How might your memories of the past need to be corrected and refined? How could you make your personal mythology more accurate and liberating? I invite you to revise and revivify the tales you tell yourself about your magnificent journey from the moment you were born until now.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The speed of light is how fast it travels through a vacuum. When moving through water and other media, though, light’s swiftness decreases. The fastest possible speed in the universe only applies in emptiness. If you put anything in light’s way, it slows down. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life. I suspect you may be frustrated by how incrementally things are moving. But you’re not in a vacuum. Your bright intelligence is traveling through the complex situations that life has brought you. So of course you’re not zipping along with maximum haste. My advice: Be grateful for the slowdowns. Learn all you can about how they are educating and transforming your brilliance.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Cryptographer Claude Shannon (1916–2001) was the father of information theory. His achievements were comparable to those of Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin. Here’s one of his secrets: He kept his office filled with juggling equipment, unicycles, and mechanical toys, which inspired him to solve abstract problems. His playful tinkering helped inspire breakthroughs that ultimately created the digital age. For him, recreation and innovation happened at the same time. I invite
you to try a similar approach in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Blend “serious work” with “just messing around.” Be alert for key insights that emerge from improvisation and experimentation. Your diversions won’t be distractions from your purpose but rather pathways toward it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Master calligrapher Yukimi Annand is an Aquarius. She teaches that beautiful letters emerge not just from the hand that holds the brush, but from the entire body and relaxed awareness. Breath, posture, centered weight, and quiet mind all flow through the arm to create each stroke. Trying to control the outcome with arduous effort produces rigid, lifeless art. This is an excellent teaching for you right now, Aquarius. Whatever you’re striving to accomplish, I beg you to refrain from forcing results through grueling, overly laborious exertion. Instead, align your whole being so that graceful outcomes flow naturally from your soulful coherence.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The placebo effect is getting stronger over time. Placebos in drug trials are becoming increasingly effective, to the point where it’s sometimes becoming harder to prove that actual drugs work better than sugar pills. Are we getting better at healing ourselves through belief? That would be a problem for pharmaceutical companies but interesting for the rest of us. Dear Pisces, I believe your placebo response is exceptionally strong right now. In the coming weeks, use it deliberately. Be daring and exuberant in your efforts to heal yourself.
Homework: Visualize in detail that you’re living the life you want to.
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SAVAGE LOVE
HURDLES
BY DAN SAVAGE
Hey Dan: Am I wrong to think a relationship isn’t realistic for me? I think I’ve been sold an idea of love that doesn’t apply to my life, and I want to know if I’m wrong. I am straight and 34-year-old male. I have a rare progressive disability. I’m blind, I have severe hearing loss (I can’t follow speech with background noise), I use a wheelchair, and I have almost no motor control. I need full-time care, so I’m always with a caregiver. My voice is weak and hard for strangers to understand. Dating in the real world basically doesn’t exist for me. I can’t see or hear people approaching me, I can’t initiate contact, and even with help from caregivers, communication is awkward and exhausting. I use dating apps, but nothing has led to a real connection.
Here’s the question: Is it actually realistic for someone in my situation to have a romantic relationship? Or am I holding onto something that just isn’t going to happen? I don’t want reassurance for the sake of it. If the answer is that my chances are extremely low, I’d rather hear that and figure out how to build a life around that reality. But if I’m missing a way of approaching this that could work, I want to understand what it is.
I’d also be interested in hearing from other readers — especially anyone who has dated someone with significant disabilities, or who lives with one themselves — about what is possible.
—Yearns Eagerly After Relationships Now
Dating in the real world — relying on chance meetings in bars, on the street, at work, etc. — doesn’t seem to work for many people anymore, YEARN, which is why most people are on dating apps these days. And most people on dating apps have similar complaints to yours: they’ve been using the apps, sometimes for years, with no real connection to show for their time and effort.
Okay, that’s where the sugar-coating ends — you said you didn’t want reassurance for the sake of reassurance.
It’s highly unlikely that you will ever find a romantic partner, YEARN, as your pool of potential partners is vanishingly small. I imagine that you would like to be with someone who is attracted to you, YEARN, but you probably don’t want to be with someone who fetishizes your disability (no “devotees”), which significantly reduces your pool of potential partners. But the right person — a person who is into you but not a fetishist — would also need to have the patience to work through your significant communication barriers and the willingness to work through and with your caregivers (and possibly become one), YEARN, which seems like a lot to ask of a stranger on a dating app, even one for disabled people (Special Bridge, Dateability).
Returning to devotees for a second: While most people would urge you to avoid “devotees,” i.e. women (in your case) who are specifically attracted to disabled
men, I don’t think you should rule them out. Years ago, I interviewed a woman who’d lost a limb. While the attention of devotees upset her at first, she wound up marrying a man with an amputee fetish. Men who were willing to date her despite her disability, she told me, made her feel worse about herself (and her body) than this one man who was initially attracted to her because of her disability. If you were open to dating devotees, YEARN, you (and your caregivers) would need to be on your guard against someone who fetishized your helplessness; if someone sought to isolate you from your established caregivers and make you solely dependent on her, that person would obviously have to go. But I don’t think you should rule out someone who was initially drawn to you because they had a lifelong and inexplicable attraction to disabled men and who saw you as an individual and a person and not just a particular kind of body. (Most able-bodied people — the partnered ones — are with people who were initially drawn to their bodies, YEARN, but we don’t regard an attraction to “normal” bodies as fetishism.)
While love may be possible for you, YEARN, it’s not going to look like the idea of love you were sold. But like any single person who feels like the odds are stacked against them (due to age, opportunity, income, disability, etc.), your best course of action is to build the best and most rewarding life you can, YEARN, while continuing to put yourself out there on the apps — consistently, not obsessively — and hope that lightning strikes.
P.S. I shared your question with Andrew Gurza, a disability awareness consultant, activist, and author. “As someone with severe physical disabilities myself and who needs a caregiver for just about everything too, I understand YEARN’s feeling wholeheartedly,” Andrew replied via email. “You just reach a point where romance and dating feel impractical and inaccessible in so many ways. I’ve only had a handful of actual dates in my life as someone with severe Cerebral Palsy. I wish I could have more, but I’m reaching a stage where I think I’ll be okay if I don’t. I don’t want to tell anyone to give up hope, because it fuels us in so many ways, right? At the same time, I know that we can live a fulfilled life without romantic love. Part of being disabled is not following the pathways that others have walked, but making your own. You can still find pleasure, sex, and all the other joys without tying them to romance. Sex work has saved my life in so many ways and shown me that I’ll be okay on my own. I hope that helps even just a little.”
Andrew Gurza is the author of Notes From a Queer Cripple. Follow him on Instagram @AndrewGurza.
Hey Dan: I’m a 43-year-old woman currently undergoing IVF treatment to become a single mother by choice (SMBC). Five years ago, I was on this path and gave it up for the chance
of a relationship with a man who ended up being abusive. So, I am naturally skeptical of ending up in the same spot. I have wanted to be a mom for forever, and that relationship was my last-ditch effort for the “picket fence.”
I’m glad to be back on the IVF path and feel comfortable with my choice. I’m going to do a frozen embryo transfer in the next month, and we’ll see how that goes. Here’s the issue: My best friend was with her boyfriend at a coffee shop, and they ran into an old friend of his. He’s a man I’ve met a few times, when I was in the bad relationship I mentioned. He seems very kind and has always shown interest, but I never reciprocated (even though I thought he was hot) because I wasn’t single. They gave him my number (with my permission) and he seems very interested. (We’ve already set up a time to talk — at his instigation.) I don’t want to be dishonest, but I also don’t want my ex to be the last man I slept with before sleeping with someone else — anyone else — got a lot more complicated and a lot less likely. “I might be pregnant this time next month” doesn’t seem like a great first date conversation but when do I bring this up? And how? Or do I? It might be a moot point if we don’t vibe but by the time I hear your opinion I might really need to know how to do this!
—Wants To Get Laid
While no one is obligated to disclose their long-range plans to someone they’ve just met and might only wanna fuck once or twice, WTGL, I nevertheless think you should tell this man your plans for this time next year sooner rather than later. You’re a 43-year-old single woman without kids, which means there’s a good chance he doesn’t want kids and assumes you don’t either. (It’s not an unreasonable assumption about a woman in her forties who doesn’t already have kids.) If you can’t bring yourself to tell him before you fuck him once or twice (for fear of your awful ex forever holding the title of Last Man You Fucked), WTGL, I wouldn’t blame or shame you for waiting to see if you vibe. But you absolutely, positively have to tell this man you’re trying to get pregnant before you fuck him a third time. (If you don’t know what to say, WTGL, send him a link to this column, tell him one of the questions is from you, and ask him to guess which one is yours.) If he wants kids or is open to the idea of having a kid or being in a relationship with someone who does, great! You can keep fucking and dating and see where this goes. If he absolutely, positively doesn’t want kids and doesn’t want to be in a committed relationship with someone who does, great! The position of pre-partum and post-partum fuckbuddy is open, and he can fill it – provided the fucking is good, which you have yet to determine.
Hey Dan: I’m a queer and non-monogamous woman. I live with my nesting partner and our cat and dog. Now, the quandary with
which I come to you seems a little bit trivial: I have a crush on my dogwalker. I have a decent feeling that she may be queer, but no idea if she is interested — nor if there is an appropriate way for me to let her know that if she were interested, I would be interested too. I know that it can be extremely awkward to be hit on at work, especially if your answer is no and you’ve been asked face-to-face and then you must continue to interact with the person you rejected regularly. So, hitting on her like that seems out of the question, as I don’t want to lose her as a dogwalker. Is there some sweet spot solution I’m missing here?
—Ruminating Over Very Exciting Romance
There are some significant hurdles you need to clear before you can fuck your dog walker: she has to be queer (not everyone is), she has to be attracted to you (not everyone is), and she has to be open to seeing and/or fucking someone who’s already in a committed relationship (not everyone is). And even if your dog walker is queer and into you and fucks with partnered people, ROVER, she might not fuck with clients. Or she might. While all dog walkers are dog lovers, WALK, only some dog walkers regard the job as their vocation. Most dog walkers regard the job as a side hustle, and I would imagine that some side hustling dog walkers — like some bartenders and all personal trainers — regard fucking clients as one of the perks of the job. (Health insurance? Not a benefit. Sexual opportunities? Definitely a benefit.)
As for that sweet spot between hitting on your dog walker — which could make things awkward — and playing it so cool she never realizes you wanna fuck her, ROVER, you could arrange to be home when she’s scheduled to take your dog for a walk sometime and invite her to stay for a drink after. If she turns you down cold, ROVER, that’s most likely a sign she wants to keep things professional. If she takes you up on the offer, that could be a sign she might be getting non-professional… or it could be a sign that she was thirsty and/or didn’t want to seem rude by refusing your offer. So, if she takes you up on the offer and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to go and the conversation flows, you could take the risk of making a pass at her… the second or third time she sticks around for a drink. P.S. If and when you do make that pass, ROVER, remember that a pass is not a lunge. Use your words, acknowledge the awkwardness, and invite the no.
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FEELING POSSESSIVE
BY ENRIQUE HENESTROZA ANGUIANO AND MATTHEW STOCK
Edited by Joel Fagliano
John Kugelman, of Gainesville, Va., is a software engineer and musician. This is his third crossword for The Times — all Sundays. Crossword construction and music ‘‘tickle all the same brain cells,’’ he says, as each is ‘‘half-creative and halftechnical.’’ He adds: ‘‘Sundays are like the progressive rock of crosswords. I love 20-minute songs and I love 21x21 grids.’’
‘‘No
26 The Australia-shaped ‘‘Pride of Australia,’’ for one
27 Pool side
28 Crest
29 Sack
31 Parent’s exhortation
32 Real bind
33 People who might answer ‘‘What’s up?’’ with ‘‘The sky’’
35 Castle moat?
39 ____ Scott-Heron, writer of ‘‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’’
40 Entitled guys?
41 Kind of rating system in chess
42 Audio option
43 Slangy greeting
45 Sales prospects
48 Smoky tendrils
50 Shoves, to a poker player
53 Ed of ‘‘Up’’
54 Daredevil Knievel
55 Sugar and cocoa content?
57 ____ the Orange (Syracuse mascot)
58 Scoop, so to speak
60 Braces might fix them
61 Auto company headquartered in Yokohama 63 Veg-O-Matic maker 64 Over there
Humble home 67 Wavy dos 70 International date line?
72 Bordeaux besties
74 They prevent accidental scribbles 76 ____ room 79 ‘‘Lights! Camera! Action!’’?
82 Biblical twin
83 Midas’s downfall
85 Reprimand to a rubbernecker
86 Peter the Great and Ivan the Terrible
87 Pale purple
88 N.B.A. analyst Burke
89 Police alerts, for short
91 What goes around the head at Diamond Head 92 Preposterous
94 The ‘‘en’’ in ‘‘enby’’ 95 ‘‘And .?.?. cut!’’? 98 Personal theory that isn’t in the source material
101 Fed. statute that took down the Gambino crime family
102 Mama’s boy
103 Not working, say 104 He literally jumped the shark on ‘‘Happy Days’’ 105 85 to 115, typically 109 Skier Lindsey 110 Stock prices?
114 Monthly utility bill: Abbr. 115 Rapper with seven posthumous albums
51 Brand whose sales spiked after an appearance on ‘‘Stranger Things’’
52 Portrayer of Bob Newby on ‘‘Stranger Things’’
55 Parade sight
56 Carriers of master keys, informally
59 ____ blue
62 Garden variety?
64 At 78, she became the oldest artist to have a No. 1 dance hit
66 Inits. on a ‘‘Choice’’ label
68 Indian spice mixture
69 Necessities for retiring?
71 Org. with the tagline ‘‘No More Victims’’
73 Something furry on a fir
74 Practices mise en place
75 ‘‘____ Q’’ (rockabilly classic)
76 James Bond studio
Called into question
Binary
Homebodies?
Go after
Actual title of ‘‘The Piña Colada Song’’
Drunken state
Comet alternative
Come down with
See 30-Down
Pours poorly
Pays (up)
Noodles and floaties?
Chess move with a French name
Render more youthful, as with C.G.I. 18 Sweden has more than 200,000 of them (of which only 1,000 are inhabited)
Sudden contractions
God’s first word on the first day
With 12-Down, world
77 Memorable time
78 Machine learning model that mimics the human brain
80 Company whose misconduct helped spawn the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002)
81 Muse with a lyre
84 Record label that famously turned down the Beatles
86 Supercell, e.g., for short
90 Europeans who speak a non-Indo-European language
93 Can’t not
95 Encouragement at karaoke night
96 Skin condition
97 Turn on
98 What drones and anxious parents do
99 ____ Gay
100 Hub
101 Bacardi, por ejemplo
104 Part of a clock
105 Playwright William
Call for
Mortarboard tosser
Catch a glimpse of
Many an I.R.S. employee
Witch 113 Coltrane’s instrument
Empire of the
