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FREE! August 29-Sept 11, 2019

MALIGNANT MINES

Advocates and artists fight for the clean up of more than 500 abandoned uranium mines on Navajo Nation

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 4 Number 27 Thursday, August 29, 2019

Editor

4

Correction alert!

We screwed up.

Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551

5 Eat

In the August 15 issue of DGO Mag, the article titled “Dream Warriors are returning to Ignacio to raise up voices of new Native artists” incorrectly referred to Tanaya Winder as Wilder.

DGO Mag regrets the error.

Staff writer Amanda Push apush@bcimedia.com Sales Chandler Sommerfeldt csommerfeldt@bcimedia.com 375-4553 Contributors Erin Brandt Katie Cahill Hunter Harrell Jon E. Lynch

From the blog

DNF Co-op

5

Grill it up

6

7 Sound

Concert lineup 7

8 Drink

Blues & Brews 8

10 Film 11 Weed

Reviews 11,18, 19

20 Classifieds 22 Sex & love

Lindsay Mattison

23 Puzzles/horoscopes

Design/layout Tracie Louck

»» iAM Music, courtesy

Reader Services 375-4570

8

Chief Executive Officer

22 Bang it out, outdoors

Bow down to Blues & Brews

Don’t let these deliciously hot summer days go by without baring your ass to the elements! Sex outdoors can be thrilling and hot, hot, HOT!

It’s about to get real hot in Telluride, and we couldn’t be more psyched for one of our favorite festivals of the year. Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, born of music and beer, is bringing more than 30 bands to the heart of the Colorado Rockies.

Douglas Bennett V.P. of Advertising David Habrat

19 Ice Cream Cake (Cake, Cake, Cake) #5 DGO is a free biweekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

This past weekend we smoked some weed and felt like a slightly crunchy spaghetti noodle. File that under “things that have never happened before,” please. It was all thanks to a strain called Ice Cream Cake #5.

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ON THE COVER Artists and advocates are teaming up to rid Navajo Nation of uranium mining leftovers.

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FROM THE BLOG

»» News from our site on the interwebs you may have missed Cannabis company takeover

looks like. It’s still so new in the public eye, and there are so few positive media examples of the lifestyle. I didn’t have a single positive example of kink to look up to — beyond Gomez and Morticia Addams — and I’m trying to change that for other people by becoming that positive example myself.”

Denver-based Medicine Man Technologies announced its impending take over of another Colorado cannabis company, the sixth in a three month span.

Dabble Extracts, a Colorado Springsbased edible and extraction company, is the latest of the marijuana businesses to get bought out by the massive company, according to a news release from Medicine Man. Terms of the sale are a combination of Medicine Man stock and cash valued at about $17.25 million, or 1.25x anticipated annual revenue of $13.8 million. The deal is expected to close during the first half of 2020.

“This agreement will bring the manufacturer of numerous award-winning cannabis edibles and extracts under our umbrella, with existing distribution in close to 600 Colorado-based dispensaries,” said Andy Williams, co-founder and chief executive officer of Medicine Man Technologies. “These manufacturers are the creators of branded products that are market segment leaders and have won numerous awards in a multitude of categories and will further establish our leadership in Colorado. Reaching critical economies of scale, while offering depth and breadth in all cannabis product segments, is incredibly important for our business model.”

Any time someone steps up to encourage sex positivity and belly laughing has our stamp of approval. Road trip anyone?

It’s BOUND to be fun! OK...we’ll see ourselves out.

—— Amanda Push iAM Music menu »» iAM Music, courtesy agricultural sectors, and it’s no different for hemp,” Polis said, according to Westword. “It’s a big part of our rural economic initiative.”

With the legalization, Colorado is going to have to be a bit more competitive when it comes to these plants lest states like Oregon, Washington, California, and Montana catch up.

However, Polis is such an advocate of hemp that even his friggin’ business cards are made from it.

According to the Westword article, Polis wants to increase the already 62,000 acres in Colorado already by 20 percent. By next year. To accomplish this, Not to worry, though. The Dabble Polis’s administration is looking at easing Extracts brand will live on, according to up on regulations. Making it more like Westword. growing corn than marijuana, Ean Seeb, “Dabble’s not going anywhere,” Josh Hini, founder of Dabble Extracts, told the the governor’s marijuana policy advisor said at the conference.

Denver alt-weekly. “I’m not cutting and Will Colorado prevail? Zuul only running. I’m here to stay — and dabble.” knows but it seems growable.

—— Amanda Push —— Amanda Push King and queen of hemp Andrew Yang, a mile high Colorado, the historical leader of all things cannabis-related, is charging toward also being the nation’s King/Queen Hemp.

Governor Jared Polis recently spoke at a hemp and CBD supplement conference held by the American Herbal Products Association on August 16, according to Westword. There, Polis stated his administration’s commitment to keeping cannabis a state priority. At the conference, he outlined a plan to make hemp an agricultural priority in Colorado as hemp was federally legalized in 2018.

“We know what’s worked to grow our

Andrew Yang, a 2020 democratic presidential candidate and apparent Colorado favorite, has been polling pretty well in the Mile High State.

A Colorado poll revealed earlier this month that Yang was doing much better in Colorado than in other primary states, according to Newsweek.

After the Emerson Polling data results were released, Yang, who appears to get us weird Coloradoans, tweeted on August 20, “4% in Colorado. Must be the weed :)”.

This stance probably shouldn’t be too surprising, as Yang’s website states the

following regarding his official stance on cannabis: “Marijuana is still considered a controlled substance by federal law. Thousands are in jail for marijuana-related offenses, particularly people of color.

We need to resolve the ambiguity and legalize marijuana at the federal level.

This would improve safety, social equity, and generate tens of billions of dollars in new revenue based on legal cannabis businesses.”

Overall, Yang ranked sixth in the poll, trailing behind Bernie Sanders (26 percent), Joe Biden (25 percent), Elizabeth Warren (20 percent), and Pete Buttigieg (5 percent).

Durango isn’t short on having a local music scene and the iAM Music Fest 2019 Concert Series is here to prove it.

Once a month this summer, the organization is pairing with 11th Street Station to host evenings of music, dancing, and art. Plus, of course, you’ve got 11th Street’s food trucks and bar.

“We look at this music scene as being the Southwest: Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona,” said Jesse Ogle, co-founder of iAM Music. “That’s what we cultivate – those three states. ... It’s like Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tuscon, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Denver, Fort Collins, and Boulder. But there are all these other musicians that are from small towns that are plugging in, too.”

If you haven’t been to one of these shows yet, you’re really missing out. iAM —— Amanda Push Music brings in an assortment of local favorites as well as bigger bands from Kink and comedy out of town.

Who says kink and comedy can’t go “There are different vibes to each together? No one! At least, not Denver’s show,” Ogle said. “There’s live art. We Dangerous Theatre, anyway. always support a student band. They’re That’s why, you comedy fiends and not listed on the lineup because we’re kinksters, FÜKD Up Comedy & Kink always not sure of when a student is is taking the stage September 6 at this ready but there’s always a student that’s Denver theater. You might be wondering, performing.” “what’s the goal here with combining September 21: Hello Dollface, a Colothese two (seemingly) very different rado band involving iAM Music Founders realms? Turns out, these two, er, interOgle and Ashley Edwards, will play in ests actually go very well together. The September along with Reviva and Make organizer’s goal is “changing the perBeats. ception and stigma of kinky people and October 19: This will be a blue-grass other sexual minorities,” according to heavy night with performances by Head Westword. for the Hills and Stillhouse Junkies along “There are so many misconceptions with Let Them Roar and Space Between that exist about BDSM and it’s practiShadows. tioners,” Chris Wellman, the organizer Tickets are $10 a show at 11th Street and host of the event, told Westword. “I Station. want my show to be a positive — albeit —— Amanda Push silly — example of what kink actually

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Stay Tuned For

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Anxiety? Insomnia? Pain?

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Two Bears Farm has the right hemp CBD product for you.

EBT/SNAP participant?

Then you’re eligible for Food Bucks at Durango Natural Foods Co-op The co-op joined the Old Fort Farm Stand, Durango Farmer’s Market, and Bayfield Farmer’s Market to offer the Double Up Food Bucks Program to EBT/ SNAP participants. This makes DNF Co-op, a member-owned food cooperative, the first and only grocery store in a 25-mile radius to participate in this program, according to a news release from the organization.

“We’re trying to become a community market, to serve this community around the college and the residential area,” said Lucinda Berdon, the interim general manager at DNF. “We’re small but mighty. We have some really good products for sale here that are really good deals.”

According to the Good Food Collective, one in six people in Colorado are food insecure, meaning people don’t know where their next meal is coming from. In La Plata County, one in eight people is food insecure, including one in four children.

This is where the Double Up Food Bucks comes in. The program, started by LiveWell Colorado, doubles the value of SNAP or food stamps spent to be spent on produce at participating stores. The benefits are twofold – the program not only gives people more access to fresh fruits and vegetables but also supports

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local farmers selling their crops. There’s also the added bonus of keeping that money in the local economy and supporting small businesses.

“It was clear to us that this is something we need to offer our community,” the organization wrote in a news release. “We are proud to be the first grocery store to do so.”

—— Amanda Push

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“It’s a game-changer for this town because it’s typically just been for farmer’s markets and that’s seasonal,” Berdon said. “We are sort of a pilot program for Double Up Colorado. Because we buy and sell a lot of local produce we qualified for this program.”

The best part of all this is how simple the whole process is – no need for complicated paperwork and bureaucracy. All you have to do is bring your EBT card to DNF the next time you’re shopping for groceries. Find the EBT/SNAP-eligible foods (clearly labeled throughout the store) and for every $1 spent in SNAP assistance you’ll get $1 toward purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Those eligible can get up to $20 in Food Bucks per visit.

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Labor Day weekend grilling: charcoal is tastier but gas is easier

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I’ve spent the last five months grilling, and I’m not just talking about drinking in the backyard on the weekends. One of my favorite freelance jobs is as a product tester, and the assignment has been grills since April. I’ve received dozens of them – gas, charcoal, kamado, and smokers. Some of them have been large enough to cement permanently into your patio while others are portable enough for camping or tailgating.

The UPS and FedEx guys probably call my address “that house,” and they must think I’m a millionaire or something.

30 grills, I was a die-hard gas grill fan.

They’re just so convenient: walk outside, turn on the propane, and ignite the burner. Ten minutes later, you’re ready to grill. I knew that charcoal grilling produces better flavor, but grilling is grilling, so the flavor difference can’t be that pronounced, right?

Here’s what I’ll tell you now: Charcoal burns hotter, especially if you’re using lump charcoal instead of briquettes.

And it definitely, absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt infuses more flavor into your food. The burgers I cooked on I’ve made dozens of burgers and charcoal finished faster and tasted way chicken drumsticks, ribs and pulled pork, better than the ones cooked over gas. pretty much eating whatever comes The other thing I’ll say about charcoal off today’s grill test. Recently, I made grills is that every single grill (regardless so much brisket I had to beg my friends of the price) produced good-tasting food to take it off my hands (I know, I’m a with proper coal management and air terrible friend). Through it all, I’ve not vent control. So you can totally get away only learned what works and doesn’t with buying a cheap-o charcoal grill and work about the grill itself, but I can say – if you’re good at grilling, no one will be without a doubt – that grilling is mostly the wiser. about you: the grill master. You’re in With gas, the learning curve is control of the heat and the airflow, and shorter.

You don’t have to learn how to like most cooking, grilling meat and vegopen or close the bottom vent to control etables is all about times and temperatemperature, and you certainly don’t tures. If you’re wondering how to get have to know how many coals you’ll there, practice makes perfect, but you need to cook a pork shoulder. If grilling will have to decide your fuel type and scares you, it’s not a bad idea to start heat source before getting started. with a gas grill. Unfortunately, price Gas versus charcoal Before volunteering to test over

Continued on Page 9

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Don’t miss Florida Georgia Line or these other acts this September We’re sad that summer is wrapping up but couldn’t be more thrilled with the music options set to kick off fall in the Four Corners. It’s time to plan for fall, y’all.

Albuquerque September 1 »»Jazz Brunch; Sister; 11 a.m.; free

»»Shannon & the Clams; Sister; 8 p.m.; $12

Santa Fe

September 28

»»Bill Callahan; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $23-$28

»»Nebula Drag and Eagle Claw; Sister; 10 p.m.; $10 Durango September 6

September 4

»»Futurebirds, Red Eyed Djinn; Animas City Theatre; 9:30 p.m.; $10-$12

»»Mute Swan; Sister; 8 p.m.; $5

September 7

September 6

»»Robbie Pepper; Sky Ute Casino; 6 p.m.; $NA

»»The Mavericks & Los Lobos; Sandia Resort & Casino; 8 p.m.; $35+ »»Adult Beverage; Sister; 8 p.m.; $5 September 7 »»Torche; Sister; 9 p.m.; $15 September 11 »»KISS: End of the Road World Tour; Isleta Amphitheater; 7:30 p.m.; $39.50+ »»The Artisanals; Sister; 8 p.m.; $10 September 13 »»Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Three Days Grace; Isleta Amphitheater; 5:30 p.m.; $29.50+ »»La Fiesta Mayor - 10 Years of Baracutanga; Sister; 8 p.m.; $10 September 14 »»Florida Georgia Line, Dan + Shay; Isleta Amphitheater; 7 p.m.; $78+

September 8 »»Xavier Rudd, Gene Evaro Jr., and Bobby Alu; Animas City Theatre; 7:30 p.m.; $49.95-$55 September 14 »»Jim Belcher Duo; Sky Ute Casino; 6 p.m.; $NA September 16 »»Jarabe Mexicano; Community Concert Hall; 7:30 p.m.; $25-$45 September 19 »»Eminence Ensemble Pherkad; Animas City Theatre; 9 p.m.; $12-$15 September 21 »»Ben Gibson Duo; Sky Ute Casino; 6 p.m.; $NA

September 17

»»Animas City Theatre and Prohibition Herb: Battle of the Bands Finale; Animas City Theatre; 9:30 p.m.; $7-$10

»»Boogarins; Sister; 8 p.m.; $12

September 22

September 18

»»Grieves, Mouse Powell, and MXNA LXSA; Animas City Theatre; 7:30 p.m.; $30-$67

»»Apathy and Celph Titled; Sister; 8 p.m.; $15 »»Eight Nine at the Gate; Sister; 8 p.m.; $25 September 19 »»Iron Maiden and The Raven Age; Isleta Amphitheater; 7:30 p.m.; $35+ September 21 »»DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Scratch; Sister; 9 p.m.; $20 September 22 »»Lynyrd Skynyrd; Isleta Amphitheater; 6 p.m.; $30.50+

September 27 »»Random Rab; Animas City Theatre; 10 p.m.; $15-$20

September 3

September 24 »»Peter Frampton; Sandia Resort & Casino; 7:30 p.m.; $71+

»»Band of Skulls; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $19.50-$23.50 September 5

September 25

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»»WHY?; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $16$19.50 September 8 »»Jerry Paper; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $12$15 September 16 »»Flying Lotus; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $35$39.50 September 17 »»Stereolab; Guest acts: Bitchin Bajas; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $29.50-$39.50

21 BATTLE OF THE BANDS

September 19 »»Habstrakt; Meow Wolf; 9 p.m.; $20$25 September 20 »»The Black Madonna; Meow Wolf; 9 p.m.; $24.50-$28.50

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September 23 »»Iya Terra; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $15$18 September 24 »»Russian Circles; Guest act: FACS; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $15-$20 September 25 »»Tank and The Bangas; 8 p.m.; $33 ADV/$38 DOS September 27 »»Kyle Watson; Meow Wolf; 9 p.m.; $18-$22

»»Get the LED Out; Community Concert September 28 Hall; 7:30 p.m.; $31.50-$50 »»Dorian Electra; Guest act: Mood KillSeptember 28 er; Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $16.50-$20 »»Jack Ellis; Sky Ute Casino; 6 p.m.; $NA September 29 »»Float Like a Buffalo; Animas City The»»MUNA; Guest act: Chelsea Jade; atre; 10 p.m.; $8-$10 Meow Wolf; 8 p.m.; $18-$22 »»San Juan Symphony; Community Con—— Amanda Push cert Hall; 7:30 p.m.; $16-$55

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September 4

September 23 »»Combo Chimbita; Sister; 8 p.m.; $10

AUG

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For Tickets visit:

Animas City Theatre or Animas Trading Co

WEEKLY EVENTS Tuesdays @ 6:30 Trivia Factory Wednesdays @ 7:30 Open Mic Night Thursdays @ 8:00 Beer Bingo

All events FREE w/ great prizes & drink specials! www.AnimasCityTheatre.com

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Top acts you should catch at Telluride Blues & Brews Fest It’s about to get real hot in Telluride, and we couldn’t be more psyched for one of our favorite festivals of the year. Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, born of music and beer, is bringing more than 30 bands to the heart of the Colorado Rockies. Blues & Brews has a long history of bringing in killer acts like Robert Plant, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite, The Allman Brothers Band, and B.B. King, to name a few. For four days, Sept. 12-15, y’all can catch some of the biggest blues names in the music industry on stage in Telluride, and we highly suggest that you do.

If you can’t make it to all the shows, though, we highly recommend that you check out some of these top acts, which will be lighting up the stages at this year’s fest.

John Fogerty FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 AT 8 P.M. ON THE MAIN STAGE Why on earth would you even consider missing seeing Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty in the flesh? Unless you’ve been kidnapped by aliens, there’s really no good reason, and even that excuse is a little iffy. John Fogerty and his brother Tom, along with Stu Cook and Doug Clifford, pounded out hit classics like “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” “Lookin’ Out My Back Door,” and “Down on the Corner” in the late 1960s and early ’70s. Unfortunately, the band split in the 1970s, but their spirit lives on.

After going radio silent, John emerged in 1985 with “Centerfield” and got himself a Grammy after he released “Blue Moon Swamp.” You can hear John’s love of rock ‘n’ roll in every one of his tunes, and you’d regret missing even a second of this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s act.

Ryan Bingham FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 AT 6:10 P.M. ON THE MAIN STAGE Nothing screams blues more than Ryan

»» John Fogerty Bingham and his new record, “American Love Songs.” It takes you through all the feels and when you see him live, he’ll undoubtedly do the same. We’re not crying. YOU ARE. This is the native New Mexican’s first album in four years, and we can’t wait to see him in action. Ryan was born in New Mexico and grew up all across Texas and the Southwest. He caught the music bug early and traveled across the country playing in dive bars.

You may have even heard his work in the film “Crazy Heart,” which features his song, “The Weary Kind.” This scene stealer earned Bingham an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Critics Choice Award for Best Song of the Year, and a Grammy.

Pretty impressive if you ask us. Anyway, between his gravelly voice, poetic lyrics, and soothing essence, well, there’s just no reason to miss this guy.

Tab Benoit FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 AT 10 P.M. ON THE BLUES STAGE; SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 AT 6:10-7:20 P.M. ON THE MAIN STAGE Tab Benoit’s animated performances and killer riffs deliver the spicy blues performances we didn’t know we needed. Sometimes referred to as “the healer of souls and mender of broken hearts,” Benoit’s southern Louisiana drawl draws you in like bees to honey. This blues legend has been hitting up clubs and

spinning his music since he was a wee lad. Benoit was inducted in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010, and in 2007, the Blues Music Awards honored him with the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award. In 2012, the BMA recognized him again with not just the B.B. King award, but the Best Contemporary Blues Album for his 2011 album, “Medicine,” and Contemporary Blues Male Artist. Can we just give him all the awards already?

Not only is he a great musician, Benoit is also a great human. He founded the conservation group Voice of the Wetlands, which spreads awareness about the fragile wetlands ecosystem along the Louisiana coastline.

latest record, “Out of the Blues”, in 2018, which is an excellent nod to his early blues and rock ‘n’ roll influences.

Boz Scaggs

Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band

SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 AT 8 P.M. ON THE MAIN STAGE If you don’t know who Boz Scaggs is, are you even a blues fan? Between his insanely popular album “Silk Degrees,” which gifted us with songs like “Lido Shuffle” and “Lowdown,” Scaggs is a blues god. His soulful beats will instantly put you in a good mood on the worst days and those pipes of his will make you feel like you’re in a moody jazz lounge. Better get to dancing! Apparently knowing he was destined for greatness, Scaggs left school to check out the London R&B scene and the psychedelic beats in San Francisco in 1967. He eventually hooked up with his buddy, Steve Miller, (maybe you’ve heard of him?) and worked on the Steve Miller Band’s first two records. In 1976, he released “Silk Degrees,” and, well, the rest is history, folks. These days, he’s done collaborations with the likes of Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, and Lucinda Williams. He released his

Anders Osborne SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 AT 10 P.M. ON THE BLUES STAGE; SUNDAY, SEPT. 15 AT 5:10 P.M. ON THE MAIN STAGE Anders Osborne’s guitar work alone is worth the drive up to Telluride. This longtime Telluride festival performer is the king of modern electric blues.

Osborne has a knack for making you feel alive with his deeply personal lyrics, and just try not getting down to his soulfilled guitar solos. Just try. This amazing human also founded Send Me A Friend, a network of volunteers who help support those trying to stay sober. Osborne has been a regular at Blues & Brews since 2008, and “it’s not Telluride Blues & Brews without Anders Osborne.”

SUNDAY, SEPT. 15 AT 7 P.M. ON THE MAIN STAGE Sorry, did we hear that right? Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh is going to be swinging by Blues & Brews?

You bet your Deadhead ass he is, and he’s bringing the whole family.

Lesh is a free jazz and classical king, and has contributed some of the Grateful Dead’s most memorable songs, like “Box of Rain,” Unbroken Chain,” and “Pride of Cucamonga.” These days, he’s rocking with his son, Grahame, and longtime friend Alex Koford with the Terrapin Family Band. The Terrapin Family also managed to snag Jason Crosby, keyboardist and violinist, and guitarist Ross James. This band’s free stylin’ energy will make you never want to leave Blues & Brews and counting down the days until the 2020 festival.

—— Amanda Push

BEER, BITES, BICYCLING can't be BEAT!

Pedal by and grab a pint!

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[eat] an outdoor oven (and a convection one at that if your grill has multiple air vent locations).

From Page 6

here absolutely matters. Inexpensive gas grills have terrible burners, creating uneven heat that can burn half your food while keeping the other half raw.

You can work with that, though, if you know where the hot spots are. An easy way to find them is to place slices of sandwich bread along the entire surface of the grill. Turn all the burners to high and give it a few minutes. When you see smoke rising from underneath one of the bread pieces, turn off the burners and flip the bread. The burn pattern will tell you where the grill is hottest and coolest.

Here’s where the convenience of propane comes in once again. Creating multiple zones on the grill is as easy as igniting the left burner(s) and placing your food on the right side of the grill.

On a charcoal grill, you have more choices because you can physically arrange the coals after they’re lit. The most common pattern is to move them to one side of the grill, but you can get fancy with it and move them in a circle around the outside of the grill (or use the opposite technique and pile the coals in the inside like a bullseye). No matter how you do it, arranging the coals so they’re not directly below your food is a great way to keep from charring the shit out of your dinner while you wait for it to cook through.

Managing heat with direct and indirect cooking If you just use your grill to cook burgers, veggies, kebobs, and steaks or chops less than an inch and a half thick, you can feel free to skip this section.

All you need for these types of food is hot, direct heat to sear your food. But if you’re cooking anything that takes longer than 30 minutes to cook, you’ll want to learn how to make a two-zone fire. This essentially turns your grill into

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Mastering heat management and knowing your grill puts you well on your way to becoming a grill master. So get out there and practice. Unless your mistake is really, really bad, it’s usually still edible!

—— Lindsay Mattison

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D O M I N AT E D I G ITA L

[film]

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? isn’t the worst film of the year, but it’s one of the most frustrating Richard Linklater’s new dramedy, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” is about a suburban housewife in the Pacific Northwest who has a nervous breakdown and then intentionally checks out of her everyday life – without warning or notice to anyone – to rediscover who she is as a person. If this sounds familiar to you, it might be because it’s based on the best-selling 2012 novel of the same name by Maria Semple. Or it could be because this movie was actually filmed over two years ago, but Annapurna Pictures and United Artists have continually pushed back the release date, ultimately dumping it into the dead zone that is late August. And now that audiences are finally getting a chance to see the mysteriously postponed feature, I can say that while it’s not one of the worst films I’ve seen this year, it is one of the more frustrating.

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The plot goes something like this: Bernadette Fox (Cate Blanchett) had been at one point in the late 1990s the most successful female architect in the United States. Two decades later, her life consists of completing random, creative tasks around her massive, barely maintainable home and property while neglecting her depression medication and therapy. She hates the city she lives in – Seattle – and doesn’t get along with the other local moms in the neighborhood. Bernadette is one cat away from turning into a modern day Edith Bouvier-Beale, while her husband Elgin (Billy Crudup) runs a start-up company for Microsoft, and her 14-year-old daughter Bee (Emma Nelson) prepares to leave for a boarding school. Life is the epitome of mundane until Bernadette finally snaps after a heated argument with PTA head Audrey (Kristin Wiig).

Laurence Fishburne, Troian Bellisario, and Judy Greer co-star. “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” has a lot going on that might have, oddly enough, been a little too much for Linklater. His style and cinematic talent work best with modest indie character studies like “Dazed and Confused” (1993), “Before Sunrise” (1995), “Waking Life” (2001), “Bernie,” (2011) and even the epically shot “Boy-

hood” (2012).

Even Linklater’s more mainstream films, like “School of Rock” (2003) and “Everybody Wants Some!” (2016), still offer the genuine feel-good quality this filmmaker has become known for. The problem here is that “Bernadette” didn’t

make me feel good. When characters have extreme mental health issues like Blanchett’s character does, there is a fine line to walk. They can come across as either accessible and real or insufferable, and you need a storyteller who knows how this type of personality and mental history operates. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the impression that anyone involved with the film or its script understood the divide. Blanchett does all right with the character she’s given, but she has basically played a better version of this role before in 2013’s “Blue Jasmine.”

Even worse, though, is that insufferable Bernadette isn’t the most unlikable character in the movie. That award goes to Nelson’s Bee, who is unfortunately the most recent addition to the obnoxious, precocious, know-it-all kid canon.

That’s not a dig at Nelson, who is just a teenager actress doing her job, but more a question for the authors of her character’s development. She is that annoying blend of always being right while still complaining, and no one in the film calls her out on it.

For me, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” felt like watching a less disastrous repeat of Cameron Crowe’s “Aloha” (2015), but hopefully this won’t cause Linklater’s future career trajectory to spiral downward in the way that Crowe’s, John Hughes’, Richard Curtis’, or any other Capra-esque, happy-go-lucky filmmakers have, after making similar mistakes.

—— Megan Bianco

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[weed]

Luther’s Funky Glue sugar wax is the perfect mix of premium strains It’s time to get funky. Luther’s Funky Glue sugar wax funky, to be exact. That’s what we’re reviewing for our friends over at Prohibition Herb this week, and let me tell you, it’s a good one.

If you’re not familiar with Luther’s Funky Glue sugar wax, let’s have a quick weed lesson. So, this product is a hybrid concentrate that’s made from Prohibition’s GG#4, Luther’s OG, and Granola Funk flower, which are three of their very good premium strains. It’s got a little more than 61 percent THC in it, and even contains a little CBD for good measure.

other good stuff.

Now, whether you care about the terpenes in your concentrate is your business, but it’s nice to have that information either way. And seeing that Pinene helped explain why this wax smelled kind of like a spicy pine tree.

rebranding it to the stoned wiggles, I guess, because I can’t think of an alternate name for it this morning.

Anyway, while Luther’s Funky Glue wax was a very noticeable high, it was completely manageable, which I greatly appreciated. I knew I was high but I didn’t feel outta control. I just felt like I was on a warm, slightly confusing ride. My eyes felt stoned and my face felt stoned but I kept contemplating the idea of taking more hits because this sugar wax tastes like absolutely nothing. Luckily, I did not give in to temptation, because that stoned nerve feeling was only the beginning.

It wasn’t long after my nerves all caught on happy fire that I tried to sink myself into reading a blog as a distraction. Needless to say, I failed miserably. I just Plus, the THC-A Details kept reading the same sentence over and over, but Where to find Luther’s and THC percentag- it didn’t become evident that I was doing it until well Funky Glue sugar wax: Pro- es explain why I got after I’d “read” the paragraph. I kept thinking I was hibition Herb, 1185 Camino del Rio, so ridiculously high absorbing the information but would then realize my www.prohibitionherb.com after just a few hits. brain was not working and start over. Luther’s Funky And ridiculously Price: Available on rec for $25 a Glue isn’t the right choice for productivity. high I did get. I took gram It is the right choice for being high and mellow, Even cooler, though, was that a breakdown of the maybe five hits of though. As long as you don’t have to read or have any terpenes in the wax was printed on the underside of this sticky, funky work to do, you should give this concentrate a shot. It’s the lid. It tells you what the cannabinoid profile is, too, wax and immediately felt like I was hit with the stoned a chill high, and you’ll definitely feel it in your bones and comes complete with the exact percentages. In this nerve wiggles. You know that feeling you get when and nerves. Pretty funky indeed. batch of Luther’s Funky Glue sugar wax, there’s some you’re high and all your nerve endings know it? We’re —— DGO Pufnstuf a-Pinene, b-Pinene, Myrcene, Linalool, and a bunch of I picked up this sugar wax on a Friday afternoon and was expecting to be handed your regular ol’ concentrate jar. But, as with most of the products Prohibition carries, this one surprised me because the packaging was anything but your typical glass concentrate jar in a protective tube. This thing was fancy af.

The jar was tucked away in a black and white round box, and it looked more like a container for expensive chocolates than sugar wax.

Talented Native American artisans are juried into this annual festival celebrating the craftsmanship and friendship of regional artists. Totah Festival features fantastic food, a contest Pow-Wow, Cultural Dance Expo, 5k run/1 mile walk, fashion show and the very popular authentic Navajo Rug Auction.

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From cancer to contamina uranium mining runs deep The uranium mining has ended, but Navajos are still dealing with the fallout

By Amanda Push DGO STAFF WRITER

J

errel Singer never wanted to be an artist. Though his family was filled with creatives, he was headed at 22 years old in the opposite direction. He was a Navajo college student and on his way to becoming a mechanical engineer.

It wasn’t meant to be.

His father became gravely ill with cancer and Singer dropped out of school to care for him. During hospital visits, he began drawing to pass the time and the habit stuck.

In 1997, two years later, his father passed away. These days, the Flagstaff artist wants people to know exactly “People are taking why he died and how his the buyout because family suffered. It was they have young from years of exposure children and they to uranium mines once are constantly being operated and then abandoned on Navajo Nation, a exposed to radon story he tells through his and uranium.” murals.

– Susan Gordon

“We were trying to figure out why our family was getting sick.

We found out there was a lot of nuclear testing in the area and uranium mining,” said Singer, who grew up in Cameron and Gray Mountain on the Navajo reservation. “People say it’s over, but the only thing the government has done is put a fence up around the mines. ... This is where we grew up and where we played. That land was our life source and now we can’t go back there.

The places we feel comfortable at, we can’t go back to.”

Singer now spends his days painting breathtaking landscapes and psychedelic skies with striking colors. It’s easy to get lost in these mesmerizing images but they’re not just pretty pictures. Threaded into the stunning depictions is a message: “Are they not waging nuclear war when the miners die from cancer from mining the uranium,” he inscribed on one of his pieces.

Uranium mining might have caused his father’s cancer, but its dual impact in forging Singer’s path to becoming an artist resulted in years of protest art by Singer, who is looking to raise awareness about its impact on Navajo Nation.

Those responsible aren’t getting away with it under his watch.

Once upon a mine Tragically, Singer’s story is not unusual. The human cost of uranium mining and subsequent lack of clean up afterward is tremendous. It extends not only to Continued on Page 16

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ated water, the impact of p

Jerrel Singer, courtesy

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From Page 14

the Navajo residents living near the mines, but to those who worked those mines without proper protection.

With as much harm uranium mining brought, it’s fair to wonder how we got here in the first place.

The demand for uranium to produce nuclear weapons in the United States increased dramatically after the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, according to the Atomic Heritage Foundation.

The Cold War arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union only stoked the fires of the demand for uranium. More than 1,000 mines were established across the Navajo Nation – which sprawls across 27,413 square miles of desert over northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico – after large carnotite deposits were found on the reservation.

According to the EPA, from 1944 to 1986, nearly 30 million tons of uranium ore were extracted from Navajo lands under leases with the Navajo Nation. As a result, there are more than 500 abandoned mines on Navajo land.

Today, there are five federal agencies working to clean up the orphaned mines, but for some, these efforts are too little, too late.

Miners weren’t properly protected from the toxins and often unknowingly spread the radioactive dust via their work clothes. Many Natives on the reservation built their homes with material from mine and mill sites, or were exposed to contaminated water.

Exposure to high levels of uranium can impact reproductive health and autoimmune function, and cause kidney disease and high blood pressure, according to the EPA. Radiation from uranium can cause lung and bone cancer.

Uranium is in the air. It’s in the water. It’s in the soil. It’s seeped into many Navajo communities’ health, livelihood, and way of life.

Groups like Post-71 Uranium Workers Committee sprang up to demand compensation for the health issues they suffered as a result of mining.

Other groups like Red Water Pond Road Community Association, Laguna-Acoma Coalition for a Safe Environment, Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance, and Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining also formed to advocate for the rights of Natives who are impacted by the uranium mining, even decades after the mining ended.

Susan Gordon, coordinator for Multicultural Alliance for Safe Environment, which is headquartered in Albuquerque, works with the advocacy groups.

The decision as to whether to move to physically distance themselves from the mines is a difficult choice, Gordon said. These are their homes. The Navajo are a tribe heavily focused on agriculture, and their livelihoods are sometimes dependent on the land.

“Indigenous people deal with land and time very differently than white people,” Gordon said.

Jerrel Singer, courtesy

“They have been on this land for generations. In Navajo tradition, once a baby is born, the umbilical cord is taken and buried on the land. They feel very connected to this place. It’s their home; it’s where their family lives. Even though folks have taken these buyout deals, it is their intention to return. They want it cleaned up so they can return. People are taking the buyouts because they have young children and they are constantly being exposed to radon and uranium. It’s completely understandable that after generations of trauma they don’t want to have to stay. Are they frustrated? Yes.” Ask anyone familiar with the issue about cleaning up the abandoned mines and they’ll tell you it’s complicated.

“I don’t think anyone ever thought cleaning up five hundred (and) some mines would take this long. This will probably take place over multiple generations,” said Paul Robinson, research director for the Southwest Research and Information Center. “The pace of clean up has moved at a snail’s pace since the EPA is doing investigations and coming up with alternatives for each and every site, and it takes a very long time to do those things. You’re hard-pressed to give the government credit for remediating anything more than a handful of sites out of the five hundred and twenty three (mines). The federal government has never really taken full responsibility for the defense-related mining impact. Right now, the government is the principal person to go after because many of these companies aren’t around anymore.”

Studies and tests need to be performed at the sites, which can, and does, take years.

EPA entered into a $1.7 billion settlement to clean up the mines that pose the biggest danger

Cleaning up chaos

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to the Navajo people. The money is being used to begin the assessment and clean up process of 219 of the 523 mines.

In October 2007, EPA, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, and the Indian Health Service, and Navajo Nation EPA developed a five-year plan to address uranium contamination. In 2014, the group created a second five-year plan built on the work done during the first five years. New strategies were established to take on the worst of the uranium sites. Forty-six mines were chosen as priority projects based on their levels of gamma radiation, proximity to homes, and potential for water contamination.

According to the EPA, all 46 priority mines are being assessed via biological and cultural surveys, radiation scanning, and soil and water sampling. These assessments will help reveal the extent of uranium contamination.

“It becomes very complicated to find out how to deal with it,” Gordon said. “There is dumped tailings in water sources. They’re releasing radon into the air.

There is chemistry involved. Mercury and other metals and substances are there. ... The longer the uranium tailings are sitting out it creates a worse problem. It doesn’t rain often in the desert, but when it rains it rains very heavily. It washes the tailings downstream so it’s spreading contamination and spreading it to groundwater.”

But the impact these chemicals have had on multiple generations isn’t so complicated. In fact, many believe that the lack of progress on Navajo Nation land is because many of the people living on that land are poor racial minorities.

“In communities that are wealthier and more Anglo, like for example Durango, Colorado, in the 1970s had significant tailings, uranium mill tailings, in part of their community. The EPA got wind of that situation. They essentially rebuilt the entire neighborhood after they

removed the tailing piles three miles off-site. They did it all in a period of seven years. So it can be done very quickly,” Eric Jantz, an attorney with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, which represents Red Water Pond, told Albuquerque news station KOB4 in August.

Fresh water, fresh start As the slow work toward clean up marches on, other organizations are looking for ways to offer more immediate solutions.

Emma Robbins, the director of the Navajo Water Project for DIGDEEP, is working to bring running water and solar power to Navajo reservations.

“We’re only working on Navajo Nation. What we do is we develop a safe water source, whether that’s rehabilitating a well, digging a new well, or using a community well,” she said.

According to the Navajo Water Project website, nearly 40 percent of Navajo still don’t have a tap or a toilet at home. To date, 214 water systems have been installed in New Mexico thanks to Navajo Water Project.

As a Navajo, Robbins is no stranger to the impact of uranium mining and the plight of Natives living near those mines. Many of those living on the reservation lack amenities and resources, and her own grandparents didn’t have electricity or running water.

“I, fortunately, grew up with running water, but most of my family didn’t. Having that experience really shaped the way I view things,” Robbins said.

Tragedy struck Robbins’s family when she was

13 years old. Her grandmother developed stomach cancer and died because their water was contaminated by uranium. Losing the family matriarch left a deep wound, and it’s a subject that’s still difficult for her family to talk about.

“That was something that impacted me. You can’t be from a Native nation and not feel a connection to the water in some way, whether that be spiritual or otherwise,” she said. “It’s always a sore subject with my family. ... My dad’s generation doesn’t want to talk about it and he lost his mom to that. We’re still trying to figure out that vocabulary on how to talk about these horrific things.”

Robbins is from Cameron, Arizona, where there are some of the largest abandoned uranium mines. When she goes back to visit, she always notices an 11x17 sign in particular that warns of nearby uranium mines.

A good idea in theory, but “not everyone speaks English, which means they don’t read English,” she said.

Using art to educate people on the issues is a great way to communicate instead, said Robbins, who is also an artist.

“There’s a lot of great artists that are working on these issues. It’s a beautiful way of bringing attention to something that is very tragic – it’s a culture killer,” Robbins said.

Robbins is working through her art and her work with Navajo Water Project to raise awareness and prevent the same tragedy from happening to other families, but her own loss is still a painful reminder for her and her family about the lack of clean up and education on the dangers of uranium.

Jerrel Singer, courtesy

“Being in a matriarchal culture, it was shocking to lose our grandmother,” Robbins said. “It was really hard to lose her over something pretty preventable, had they known they were living so close to those mines.

By not having her, we lost a lot of our stories and oral history. As we get older, we realize it’s important to know these stories to prevent these situations in other families.”

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[weed]

A review of Diesel Choo Choo HT Shatter with no corny train jokes I’m going to try to avoid making any Durango train jokes in this here review, as I know that between the lawsuits and the burn scar it is a sore spot, but just know it took a lot of self-control to do so. We are reviewing Diesel Choo Choo Shatter, after all, and the jokes about burning some of this concentrate just write themselves. You’re welcome for considering your feelings.

Anywhoooooo, I procured this shiny brown shatter from our friends at The Green House in Pagosa Springs, and I tried it out on a random weeknight, which was a good call on my part. It only took a few hits for me to be super freaking blazed, and I could tell really quickly where I was at so I knew how to moderate my intake. That isn’t always the case with, well, anything cannabis-related, so I like having a concentrate that hits hard and fast. Keeps me from overdoing it.

And you could easily overdo it with this shatter. It contains almost 72 percent THC, which is, as you know, a lot.

Add that high THC quotient to the fact

that this shatter tastes good and it’s a potential recipe for couch-locked disaster. So, I was grateful for it immediately kicking in.

And kick in it did. I was a laughing, confused mess after a little bit of this concentrate. At first, I kept feeling like there was something in my eye (there wasn’t), so I kept getting up and staring in the mirror to find it. Once that feeling subsided, I dipped straight into “I’m so smart while stoned” territory, which really meant I wrote down a bunch of “deep thoughts” that are really just garbage nonsense. I pondered all sorts of ideas, like what the name of a Four Corners’ knockoff of Bravo’s Real Housewives would be – I settled on Real Housewives of Bland County because, well, Birkenstocks and jorts – and what it would be like to be a writer whose work is examined for themes. I waste so much time while stoned.

After I was done emulating “Deep Thoughts with Jack Handy,” I slipped further into that stoned abyss and start-

Details

Where to find Diesel Choo Choo HT Shatter: The Green House, 270 E. Pagosa Street, Pagosa Springs, 970-264-3420, greenhousepagosa.com Price: $25 a gram, $80 for 4 grams, or 8 grams for $140

ed to hear things that weren’t logically there. I kept hearing someone call my name – there was most certainly no one doing that – and then I was convinced that the channel I’d flipped on for background noise was in Spanish. It was not.

It was 100 percent English, but I could have sworn in that moment that I was listening to a Spanish-language channel.

Basically I was useless.

That’s no surprise, though. Anyone who’s read these reviews more than once knows I’m pretty much always useless, stoned or otherwise. This back and

forth confusion on “Is this English? Or is it Spanish?” went on for quite some time before I decided it was time to shovel snacks in my mouth. This shatter made me feel like my stomach was a bottomless pit, so if you’re trying to watch the ol’ waistline, beware. It will be impossible to fight the urge after some of this Diesel Choo Choo business.

If you’re NOT watching your waistline, though, you should definitely invest in some of this shatter because it’s delicious and it’ll knock you on your ass, just the way we like it.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

COLORADO’S FINEST MARIJUANA STORES:

TheGreenHouseColorado.com DURANGO: 730 S. Camino Del Rio | 970.247-2420 PAGOSA: 270 E. Pagosa St. | 970.264.4420

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[weed]

Ice Cream Cake #5 led to a trippy, feel good ride This past weekend I smoked some weed and felt like I was a slightly crunchy spaghetti noodle. File that under “things that have never happened before,” please. Here’s what happened.

So, I picked up some Ice Cream Cake #5 from Rocky Mountain High on a Friday night and tossed it in the passenger seat for my four-minute drive home. By the time I pulled in the driveway, my car absolutely reeked. It smelled like a mixture of sweet cheesecake, vanilla cookies, and weed.

First thing to note: This stuff is super pungent.

Details

had I tried. I dare say Snoop would be impressed with this sticky-icky. Once I had the ground weed scraped off my grinder and loaded, though, we were good to go. This strain had a nice, even burn, and I was surprised to find that the weed tasted as good as it smelled.

Where to find Ice Cream Cake #5: 120 East 36th St, Durango. Find them at 970-259-4093 or rockymountainhigh.co

You will probably not be surprised to hear that its effects were as strong as the sticky stench, either. Ice Cream Cake #5 is an indica hybrid, and this particular batch tested at over 22 percent THC, but I felt like I’d ingested an edible. I was high with a capital H. My notes say, “I am so f@!king stoned off my face,” and I kept laughing at nothing. It was a vicious, stoned cycle and I dug it.

It’s also super pretty.

I wanted to see what this weed was that was And, once the laughter causing a fumigated Price: $10 a gram, subsided, I sunk deeper still fuss in my car, so I $30.71 for an eighth, and into a trippy, warm indica popped open the lid to $99.59 an ounce embrace. Per my notes, take a gander, and it I felt like I could hear a was clear before I even “coven of coyotes” (I am aware that’s dumped them out that these nugs were not the right term), and my head was beautiful. I poured them into my hand spinning around to the point that I felt for some super scientific examination, like I was on a merry-go-round. I went and found they were fat, dense, and and laid on my bed, and then promptly covered in orange hair. <Insert hilarifelt like I was rolling off of it. I wasn’t. ous-yet-inappropriate junk-in-the-trunk I wasn’t even close to the edge. But I joke here.> definitely felt like I was a floppy, falling Unleashing the nugs from their noodle. plastic container prison only upped the And then at some point I passed out. fragrant ante. You could almost see the I didn’t even shovel chips into my mouth Pigpen stink lines emanating from the before crashing out, which I would have chunky nuggets. And that voluminous expected my stoned self to do. I just stench was noticeable to other people, rode that weird, THC-induced ride until too. One of my housemates walked in my eyes closed involuntarily. I woke up the kitchen right after I’d poured this the next morning starved and completestuff out and felt it necessary to exclaim, ly amused with myself.

“OH MY GOD. IT REEKS OF WEED IN This strain is a good one, but it is HERE.” No kidding...? You guys do know effing STRONG. I wasn’t expecting it, what my job is, right? and now I can’t wait to smoke out a few I decided to load a bowl then and friends to see if they feel like they’re there since I was already palming the sliding off the bed after being cooked weed anyway, but it took a minute, because this strain is incredibly sticky. It al dente, too. Considering how blazed I got, chances are good that will happen. stuck to my fingers, to my grinder, and probably would have stuck to the wall

Durango Diaries Season 4

SURVIVIAL STORIES Wednesday, Sept. 4 • 6 p.m.

Durango Public Library 1900 East Third Ave. Local voices. Local stories.

Welcome to Durango Diaries.

People who have faced difficult experiences, and survived, share their stories Storytellers include:

SOS

Susie Welch Durango resident Susie Welch was one of just eight survivors in a January 1988 plane crash.

Jeremy Bird In 2017, Jeremy Bird triggered an avalanche that buried him under 5 feet of snow.

Andrew Albosta In 2018, veteran climber Andrew Albosta fell 40 feet during a climb, resulting in numerous surgeries.

Durang

Diaries

TM

Presented By:

In Partnership With:

FREE. Kid-friendly. Info at durangoherald.com/durangodiaries

—— DGO Pufnstuf

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DURANGO CARES

We are a community.

We are connected.

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If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally and thinking of suicide, reach out.

There is help. durangocares.com Brought to you by your friends at

Personals

Help Wanted/Part Time Fired Up Pizzeria is hiring Line Cook, Dishwasher, and Host.

Experience is a plus but will train the right people. Apply in person with resume daily, 735 Main Ave.

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Independent Carrier needed for early morning newspaper delivery. Great for Stay-At-Home moms, Students, Retirees, morning people, or anyone interested in making extra money. Delivery on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Vehicle and valid drivers’ license required. If interested apply at http://ballantinecommunicationsinc.com/ careers/hot-jobs or email scorwin@gmail.com

Automobiles for Sale

Durango Diaries, The Durango Herald’s speaker series, is available as a podcast!

IN CASE YOU MISSED OUT

Glacier is now looking for experienced Line Cooks to join our Food and Beverage team. We offer $1517/hour wage, healthcare benefits, meal discounts and much more!

Contact Tom Beekmann at tbeekmann@theglacierclub.com Subway is seeking ASSISTANT MANAGER applicants for the Durango/Bayfield area. Food experience is preferred, but not required. Will train, flexible scheduling, pd vacation, company match IRA & shift meals. Start at $15/hr. Email resume to: todd@jlrestgroup.com

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Personals - Valentine Missed Connections School & Lessons Help Wanted/Full Time Help Wanted/Part Time Gigs - Bicycles & Skates Furniture & HH Goods Garage Sales - Sporting Goods Miscellaneous for Free / for Sale Musical Instruments Automobiles for Sale Apartments/Furnished - Unfurnished Houses/Unfurnished/ Houses Furnished Rentals - Rentals Wanted Roommate Wanted - Rooms for Rent Call 970-247-3504 for more information

Find us on iTunes or on the Podcasts app on your iPhone, just search Durango Diaries and

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Join us each week online at durangoherald.com/durangodiaries

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[love and sex]

A handy guide to sex in the great outdoors Don’t let these deliciously hot summer days go by without baring your ass to the elements! Sex outdoors can be thrilling and hot, hot, HOT! Success includes avoiding bugs, cleaning up your mess, and not getting caught.

Explore identities, boundaries, desires, and more at the Human Sexuality Community Workshop

Does a bear sh*t in the woods?

Is your outdoor sexy space a field in the woods? A secluded beach? A desert oasis? A cool, clear mountain lake?

Before stripping down and getting it on, be aware of your surroundings, and although you’ll probably make enough noise to scare away large animals, plants and insects don’t mind a little screaming.

You’ll want to check to make sure that the plants you are frolicking in are not poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac.

Keep an eye out for prickly plants, too – cacti, stinging nettles, and thistles. A little research in advance will save you a lot of pain later; nothing kills the mood faster than a scrotum full of stinging nettles.

But maybe you aren’t high in the mountains and are getting down in the sandy surf instead. Aside from the abrasiveness of sand on your most sensitive body parts, you need to keep an eye out for jellyfish and other assorted sea creatures that will sting you or stab you if you disturb their space. After reading this, you may decide to skip sex in the ocean and opt for a lake instead. If you are wading in, be sure to swim well away from the shore to avoid leeches and the bacteria that lives in shallower, warmer water. If you are not a great swimmer, I recommend a life vest to help you float so you don’t drown while trying to enjoy some sex play.

urethra after they peed in the Amazon River. Even if it is a true story, it is the only incident on record. So feel free to swim naked in the Amazon; the candiru won’t bother you – although I’d be more worried about the giant snakes and fish with mouthfuls of razor-sharp teeth.

I almost forgot! Keep an eye out for scat. The next mood killer after nettles in the scrotum is rolling around in a big pile of animal shit.

Hygiene is your friend Before touching anyone’s genitals, you should wash your hands, no matter where you are, because it is the polite and sanitary thing to do.

body, please use a condom. Condoms make for easy clean up, they add a layer of protection from dirt and sexually transmitted infections (duh!), and your partner doesn’t have to lay in the wet spot in their sleeping bag.

Don’t forget to pee after sex. Holding pee in your bladder breeds bacteria, and then you’re dealing with a UTI on top of a 14,000-foot peak.

Pack a sex first aid kit My hope is that you always have a first aid kit for any outdoor adventures. If not, any outdoor gear store has pre-made kits you can buy. Unfortunately, no one is making pre-packaged sex first aid kits, yet. Here’s my suggested DIY list:

When you are outdoors, you want to – Dental dam or saran wrap* for oral go above and beyond, especially if you play - vulva & anal are outdoors for an extended amount – Condoms of time. An afternoon quickie off your favorite hiking trail is not a big deal, but if – Oral sex: swallow, don’t spit you are camping, rafting, mountaineering – Tissues for clean up for several days – i.e. away from a shower – Cleansing wipes and medical care – you need to make a – Plastic bags or wet bag to pack out concerted effort to clean up before and The final category of awareness you your bodily fluids after sex.

Penis owners are less likely to need is for the stingers and biters on develop yeast infections or urinary tract – Lube land. Mosquitoes, scorpions, bees, wasps, infections because of the anatomical ticks, and snakes, to name a few. Bring – Insect repellent make-up of their bodies. Vulva owners, and use bug repellent or set up a tent – Benadryl on the other hand, have anatomy that to keep the biters away. If you are in an – Towel or hospital pad in the sleeping area where snakes are prevalent (do your requires a specific pH balance to remain bag research ahead of time), be mindful in tall healthy and fight off infections. The – Washcloth grasses, avoid crevices and/or caves, and vagina does this all on its own; however, anything that doesn’t belong in the steer clear of rocks. Same for scorpions.

– Latex gloves vagina, like dirt, sand, water, a dirty toy, While I have your attention, I am going – Breath mints a dirty penis, or a dirty finger can change to take a moment to dispel the myth of – Monistat that pH. the spiky candiru. There is a story about – Aloe vera Wash hands and genitals with body a tiny catfish that will swim up your urethra if you go swimming in your birthday suit. It is mentioned by Sean Connery in the movie “The Medicine Man,” and the Internet is swimming with stories.

There is one disputed case of a candiru being surgically removed from a person’s

friendly soaps. No douching, please!

There are genital friendly wipes that pack nicely for just this purpose. Also, cotton or breathable undies, always! If you are a penis owner and you plan on inserting that penis into someone else’s

– Contraception

*Saran wrap does NOT protect against STIs, but it’s still great in these situations for fluid management and clean up.

Continued on Page 23

The Human Sexuality Community Workshop (HumSexComm) is an intensive 12-week workshop for folks 18 years and older that encourages the exploration of identities, boundaries, desires, experiences, power, and privilege – all through the lens of sexuality.

HumSexComm is a space to delve deep into what unites us, whether we are queer, bi, or straight; mongomous or poly; transgender or cisgender; womxn or men. Building allyship and interdependence within communities is a path forward for learning and acceptance.

I know you want this. I know because I meet you for the first time and all we talk about is sex, relationships, bodies, sex, orgasms, and sex. I know you want this because I bump into you on the street and you tell me how excited you are for the next class.

Apply to be a participant!

The application deadline has been extended to noon on Monday, September 2, 2019. The cost of the workshop is on a sliding scale – $350, $225, or $100 per participant for all 12 weeks. The workshop requires a minimum of 6 participants with a maximum of 12 participants.

Facilitated by Erin Brandt, Owner of Birds and Bees LLC. Erin Brandt (she/her/hers) has been a sexologist for 15 years. When she’s not spreading sexual knowledge, Erin can be found learning from her child, hiking with her partner, cuddling with her pitbull, knitting with her cat, dancing with friends, and searching for the nearest hammock and ocean breeze. Want more? Visit www.positivesexed.com

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Horoscope The New Moon is the perfect day to take a realistic look at your job and how you approach it. Until you get a different job, this is your job, which means are you giving it your best.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) We live in a work-oriented society, which is why we rarely value creativity.

(Shame!) Do you take time to enjoy music, singing and other creative activities that will balance your life?

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) The New Moon is your chance to think about how to improve your home and also improve your closest family relationships. What ideas come to mind?

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Are you a clear communicator? Do you really listen to others, or are you just

From Page 22

A little note on exhibitionism, voyeurism, and the law For some, it can be thrilling and a major turn on to be watched having sex or to watch others having sex.

The excitement of being caught in the act drives some people to have sex in public or on well-traveled trails. As always, I encourage partners to communicate if this is a turn on and agree together what they will do. There are safe spaces to practice both exhibitionism and voyeurism that are indoors, have a specific set of rules, and can help ensure everyone’s safety.

If you are going to have sex outdoors, you should be aware of the laws and what kind of trouble you could get into if caught. In Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, indecent exposure (being naked outside in front of others) is a misdemeanor. In New Mexico, a conviction comes with required counseling. In Colorado, if convicted, you are required to register as a sex offender.

Coming home You’ve enjoyed some time outdoors and with some planning and research you got your rocks off, too! Please take time to leave no trace. Clean up wrappers, condoms, and anything else you brought with you. The plastic bag or wet bag that

waiting for your turn to speak? Today’s New Moon is a good day to observe your style.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) Do you take care of what you own? Do you appreciate the value of your hardearned money? Money doesn’t grow on trees -- it lives under sofa cushions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) This is the only New Moon in your sign all year that is taking place. Take a realistic look in the mirror to see how you can improve the image you create on your world.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) You might give thought to what beliefs really guide you. Do these beliefs affect your behavior? Are they beliefs for the highest good?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Friendship is the theme of the New Moon. Do you hang out with quality people? Would you like to have you for a friend? Think about it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) What is your relationship with authority figures -- parents, bosses, teachers and the police? Everyone has to deal with authority in their life; no one is exempt.

reduce your debt or get out of debt.

Furthermore, how do you handle your responsibilities for others?

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) This is the only New Moon opposite your sign all year is taking place. What can you do to improve your closest relationships? Ideas?

BORN THIS WEEK

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)

You are perceptive and capable of fast thinking and fast action. You are also honest, sincere and responsible. Your hard work will begin to pay off this year!

Therefore, start to simplify your life and focus on how to build solid foundations.

Work with purpose. Physical exercise will be important, which is why you should explore any physical discipline that you enjoy.

This might be one of the best times of the year to think about how you can

(c) 2019 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) What further travel might enrich your life? What further education, training or courses could improve your job? Any ideas?

Bizarro

ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

you brought is a great place to stash all of these leftovers.

I mentioned earlier to contain fluids, and this is a step you can take to lessen your impact on the native wildlife in the area. Shooting your bodily goodness all over an area can attract animals. They’ll probably be fine, but there is no reason you can’t contain yourself. Be aware of your surroundings, be mindful of others, be prepared, and be pleasured.

Erin Brandt (she/her/hers) has been a sexologist for 15 years. When she’s not spreading sexual knowledge, Erin can be found learning from her child, hiking with her partner, cuddling with her pitbull, knitting with her cat, dancing with friends, and searching for the nearest hammock and ocean breeze. Want more? Visit www.positivesexed.com

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