Pride in the time of COVID-19

art entertainment food drink music nightlife May 21-June 3, 2020

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PRIDE in the time of

COVID-19 How Colorado and the Four Corners are celebrating the LGBTQ community during the coronavirus pandemic

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What’s inside Volume 5 Number 11 Thursday, May 21, 2020

Editor

Billions and billions of stars

Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551 Staff writer

Living in the Four Corners, it’s easy to take the view for granted — especially the one right above us when the sun sets. Durango-based photographer Tory Dawson aims to change that.

Nick Gonzales ngonzales@durangoherald.com Sales Chandler Sommerfeldt csommerfeldt@bcimedia.com 375-4553 Contributors Erin Brandt Megan Bianco Amanda Push

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From the blog

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Courtesy of Tory Dawson

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Jamie Opalenik

11 Smoke away the booze-induced pain

5 Booze, beer, and pizza to go from Ska Brewing

Need to know what strains are best for hangovers? Yeah, us too, because thanks to stupid COVID-19, we’re running out of ways to entertain ourselves and have taken to boozing — and the hangovers are epic.

Ska Brewing Co. and its attached eatery, The Container of Food, have been offering take-out options, beer, and seltzer since COVID-19 shut down the ability to drink and eat inside — and now they have margs, too.

6 A socially distanced breakfast at the farmer’s market 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.

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If you’re looking for more places to get ready-to-eat food and you’re willing to leave your house before noon on a Saturday, the Durango Farmers Market has returned ... AND WITH BREAKFAST.

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ON THE COVER What does Pride look like during the heyday of COVID-19?

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Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 3

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[news]

From the blog News from our site on the interwebs you may have missed Problematic porn

an obligation to muffle potentially triggering sounds? Or is any overheard sex potentially triggering to someone and am I therefore applying a double standard here? What do you think?

Here’s a non-COVID question for you: I’m a queer white female in a monogamish marriage. I vote left, I abhor hatred and oppression, and I engage in activism when I can. I’m also turned on by power differentials: authority figures, uniforms, hot guys doing each other. Much to my horror this thing for power differentials plus too many WW2 movies as a kid has always meant that for my brain (or for my pussy) Nazis are hot. Fuck me, right?

Other maybe relevant bits of info: I’m not interested in roleplaying with actual partners, I’m fairly sure this proclivity is not reflective of any deeper issues, and I’m both sexually and emotionally fairly well sorted. Not perfect, but fine working order and all that. And I get it: people like what they like, don’t judge yourself for your fetishes, just get off without being an asshole to anyone.

The problem is that my usual way of getting off on/indulging my fantasies is to read erotic fiction on the Internet.

I’d love your input on whether seeking out Nazi porn is problematic for some of the same reasons that porn depict(in safe and controlled manner), FASH, ing sex with kids is problematic. Am I but because they allow us violate our normalizing and trivializing fascism? sense of ourselves too (ditto). Just as a Freaking About Search Histories feminist can have rape fantasies without

actually wanting to be raped herself or for anyone else to be raped, a person can Seeking out child porn — searching have sexual fantasies about hot guys in for it online, downloading it, collecting Nazis uniforms doing each other without images of children being raped and sexually abused—is problematic (and illegal) wanting Nazis to come to power. because it creates demand for more I have to say it was a easier to give child porn, which results in more chilanti-Nazi Nazi fetishists like you a pass dren being raped and sexually abused.

— to shrug and say “you do you” but The cause-and-effect is obvious, FASH, please keep it to yourself — before racist the victims are real, and the harm done demagogues, white supremacists, and is incalculable. anti-Semites started marching around waving Trump flags. But no one picks But while it may discomfort someone to know a nice married lady who donates their kinks and being told “that shouldn’t turn you on” has never made a problemto all the right causes is furiously masturbating to dirty stories about hot guys atic or transgressive kink less arousing. in Nazi uniforms doing each other, FASH, And when you consider the number of non-erotic novels, movies, and television no one ever has to know that. So you do shows the culture cranks out year after no harm — not even the supposed harm year — and how many actually trivialize of discomforting someone — when you fascism (I’m talking to you, Hunters) — privately enjoy the fucked up stories you enjoy. And while there are doubtless it’s seems insane to draw a line and say, “Okay, this story about Nazis isn’t okay some actual Nazis who enjoy reading because that lady over there masturbatdirty stories about other Nazis, most ed while reading it in private.” people turned on by dirty stories about Nazis are turned on despite themselves —— Dan Savage and their politics. Transgressive sexual Vanilla sound voyeur fantasies don’t arouse us because they violate societal norms and expectations I’m an apartment-dweller in a dense 4 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

The Vanilla Neighbor

You went from overhearing kinky sex to eavesdropping on it — meaning, you went from accidentally hearing your neighbors fucking to intently listening as your neighbors fucked. And you needed to do that. You heard something that sounded violent but hearing more led you to guess it was consensual sex and listening all the way to the end — all the way through the aftercare — confirmed your guess was correct. So for you own peace of mind, TVN, you needed to keep listening. But you don’t need to listen next time. If it triggers you to hear your neighbors fucking, don’t listen. Close the window and crank up some music or go for a walk and listen to a podcast.

urban area. Last night I overheard my neighbors having sex — no big deal, right? I consider myself a sex-positive person, and have always held and espoused the belief that if you can’t have loud sex in your own home, where can you have it? But the sex I overheard last night was fairly kinky. Someone I read as a cis man was dominating someone I read as a cis woman. They were in the apartment right across from mine — about 20 feet away — and my bedroom window faces theirs.

There was a LOT of derogatory talk, hitting, name-calling, giving orders, and some crying. I could tell it was consensual — she was very clearly having a good time—and I eavesdropped long enough to witness the post-coital return to equilibrium. Everything seemed great. But physically I experienced this as overheard violence. I was shaking and had a hard time getting to sleep afterwards. I’m glad I stuck around until the end. It helped me feel better.

I guess what I’m saying is that I needed some aftercare. I’m still thinking about it this morning, and I’m concerned that being triggered by my neighbor’s sex is going to become a regular part of my life. I’m wondering about the ethics of the situation: Do kinky folks have

That said, TVN, you raise an interesting ethical question: Are kinksters — particularly the kind of kinksters who enjoy verbal abuse and impact play — obligated to keep it down? While I think people should be considerate of their neighbors, people are allowed to have sex in their own homes, TVN, and it’s not like vanilla sex is always quiet. But if the sex a couple enjoys could easily be misinterpreted as abuse or violence by someone who accidentally overhears it, that couple might wanna close the window and turn up some music themselves — not only to avoid alarming the neighbors, but to spare themselves the hassle of explaining their kinks to a cop.

For the record: I would tell person who enjoys a good single-tail whipping to find a soundproof dungeon to enjoy that in (because that shit is loud) but I wouldn’t tell a person who screams her head off during PIV intercourse to find a soundproof box (even though her shit is just as loud). Instead I would urge her fuck at 8 PM, when most people are awake, rather than 2 AM, when most people are asleep. (It can be annoying listening to someone screamfuck but it’s even more annoying to have your sleep ruined by a screamfucker.) Is this a double standard? Perhaps. But it’s one I’m willing to endorse.

—— Dan Savage

[food]

Searching for a socially-distant breakfast at the Durango Farmers Market Market has several vendors that sell ready-to-eat food If you’re looking for more places to get ready-toeat food and you’re willing to leave your house before noon on a Saturday, the Durango Farmers Market has returned.

Obviously, it’s more well known as the place where you go to get local meat and produce, but there are also several vendors who sell baked goods, beverages, and meal-sized conglomerations of cooked food.

We forced ourselves out of bed and dropped by the market on its opening day, May 9, to see what was available. For obvious reasons, the market looks a bit different this year. The community-gathering-place element has been stripped away, including the live music and entertainment (but also the massive throng of onlookers, hungry introverts). The booths are spaced further apart, and everyone is wearing a mask.

In the meantime, we picked up a breakfast bowl and a kombucha from The Living Tree and a cinnamon roll and a ham and cheese croissant from Serious Delights.

The Living Tree was out of potatoes for the bowl, but they compensated for it with sausage, so they were forgiven. The bowl otherwise consisted of roasted root vegetables, white beans with green chile, scrambled eggs, fermented salsa, and sour cream. It had begun to cool by the time we could take it home, but it was still good, particularly the salsa, which we assume is the same one they make for the taco salad they serve at the restaurant.

The standout from that particular booth, though, was the kombucha. The flavor they had that week tasted of strawberries and vanilla, and we made it just beyond the edge of the market before we broke it open and drank the whole thing.

Nick Gonzales/DGO Dropping by about halfway through the market — it’s » » A ham and cheese croissant and a cinnamon roll from open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays — we counted We saved the baked goods for later in the day, and Serious Delights Bakery. five places that were selling cooked food that you can the more memorable of the two ended up being the shove in your face as soon as you leave the market cinnamon roll. It was more densely packed and less (everything is to-go for the time being): wide than a lot of the others you’ll find around town, • Serious Delights Bakery but it was still packed with the eponymous spice and • Thomas KettleCorn had a pleasant cream cheese icing that wasn’t just • Durango Coffee Co. sugar.

• The Living Tree (breakfast bowls, sausage muffins, The croissant was also a bit different from what kombucha, hemp coffee, and bone broth) you see at other bakeries in that the ham and cheese • Zia Tortilla Factory (tamales, tortillas, chips and the were not cooked into the middle of it. Rather, it was like) cut lengthwise, sandwich-style, and they were inserted According to Melanie McKinney-Gonzales, the marthat way. We think this might have made the croissant, ket manager at DFM, there will be significantly more like the roll, a bit denser than average. Whatever the food vendors in the weeks to come, including Fired Up case, it was also pretty decent.

Pizza, Mariana’s Authentic Cuisine, Bread, ThimbleberThere are a lot of other things we’d prefer to be ry Smoothie, Durango Artisan Foods (with breakfast doing on a Saturday morning (e.g. sleeping, watching burritos), LuvBox (tempeh and bento boxes), HonNick Gonzales/DGO cartoons), but if and when the farmers market rolls out eyville, and several new places — Ritual Bread, BaBs »» A breakfast bowl from The Living Tree at the Durango the breakfast burritos, we’ll probably be back. (run by the former executive chef of Mahogany Grille), Farmers Market. and Wright Natural Bakery.

—— Nick Gonzales

Trying the take-out margarita (and a pizza) at the Ska Brewing HQ Spirits a result of team-up with sister Peach Street Distillery Ska Brewing Co. and its attached eatery, The Container of Food, have been offering take-out options since COVID-19 shut down the ability to drink and eat inside. But when Ska — mainly just a beer, hard seltzer, and maybe cider place until now — announced it was also making to-go margaritas, we had to try one.

Dave Thibodeau and Bill Graham are both founders of Ska Brewing Co., but after the brewery was up and running, Graham headed up to Palisade to start a

distillery in the form of Peach Street Distillers, which Thibodeau also co-owns.

They eventually wanted to bring the two products together as a hybrid “brewstillery” in Boulder, where you could order both beer and spirits. Ska Street BrewNick Gonzales/DGO

»» Ska Brewing Co’s to-go margarita, left, made with Peach Street Distillery’s D’Agave Silver, awaits consumption next to a grilled pineapple and prosciutto pizza from The Container of Food.

stillery fully opened on March 16 — for all of an hour and 11 minutes before Governor Jared Polis closed all dine-in restaurants and bars. If you happen to be in Boulder, the brewstillery re-opened for take-out service on May 6.

What’s more important to us over in the corner of the state, though, is that when Ska and Peach Street teamed up to open the Front Range brewstillery, the effects of that decision rippled back to western Colorado. Because of the Continued on Page 19

Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 5

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[art]

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Tory Dawson’s longexposure photos capture the galaxy above Colorado

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follow, like, tweet us... dgomag /dgomag @dgo_mag Courtesy of Tory Dawson

»» Amazed by the clarity with which one can see the cosmos, Tory Dawson began aiming her camera at the night sky after moving to Colorado in 2014.

Living in the Four Corners, it’s easy to take the view for granted — especially the one right above us when the sun sets. But living more than a mile above sea level, in a place where it’s easy to get away from the lights of civilization, makes for great stargazing.

with long-exposure photography, mostly shooting fire-spinning friends. But stellar photography presented its own challenges.

Tory Dawson, though, is well aware of that fact. The Durango-based photographer regularly takes her camera out into the wilderness, aims it at the night sky, and transforms our view of the cosmos into works of art.

“I’m not trying to be discouraging. It’s just ... for instance, someone will say, ‘How long are you leaving your shutter open?’ And that’s the thing — there’s no set time. You have to follow the moon phases.”

Originally from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina — all of 26 feet above sea level — Dawson was amazed at what she could see when she moved to Bailey, Colorado, six years ago, and was living at 9,000 feet.

For instance, if it’s a full moon outside, she can’t shoot because the moon takes up too much of the brightness in the sky. Depending on the phase of the moon, Dawson’s shutter can be open anywhere from 45 seconds to 1 minute 20 seconds. She judges the appropriate exposure based on feel.

So she busted out her old Canon camera, bought a wide-angle lens, and let the shutter go to see what would happen. After six years of constant practice, she said she has “finally kind of got the right angle and exposure and all that jazz.”

Dawson had previous experience

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“My best advice is to get out there and try it. There is no right answer,” she said. “You just have to try it for yourself — and probably have a wide-angle lens.”

The universe occasionally plays along. Dawson was photographing some (properly social-distanced) friends for a Star Wars-themed shoot in late April. In

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[comics]

Staying alive: Farmington comic book store is enduring the coronavirus crisis Tales of Tomorrow once again receiving new comics after distribution hiatus The spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent quarantining have been devastating to most retail stores, and unlike Wolverine or Deadpool, comic book stores have not been immune.

However, like Peter Parker in “The Amazing Spider-Man,” #33, Farmington’s Tales of Tomorrow is hanging in there.

As such, Tales of Tomorrow, the only independently-owned brick-andmortar comic book store in the Four Corners, was limited to only selling mail-order comics until it reopened for curbside pickup on May 16. In the early days of the epidemic, the store tried selling curbside, but this soon became untenable as a result of the constantly shifting rules, said owner Steve Clark.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham loosened restrictions on nonessential businesses, effective May 16, allowing retailers with COVIDsafe practices in place to reopen at 25% capacity. The modified order also requires face masks in public places. Due to the high risk of COVID-19 spread, businesses in the northwestern corner of the state, San Juan, McKinley, and Cibola counties, are excluded from the modified order and can only reopen for curbside pickup.

Not that there have been new comic books to sell for most of the shutdown.

Nick Gonzales/BCI media file

»» Tales of Tomorrow owner Steve Clark, right, assists customers with a purchase in 2018 at the comic book shop in Farmington. The store is currently selling mail-order comics as it endures the COVID-19 shutdown.

Continued on Page 9

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The largest American comic book companies — DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and Image Comics, among others — are all distributed by the same company: Diamond Comic Distributors. (When asked to look into it in the late ’90s, the government dismissed the idea that this might Nick Gonzales/BCI media file be a monopoly because comics are only »» In addition to comic books and graphic novels, a small fraction of publishing in generTales of Tomorrow sells props and cosplay supplies, al.) And when Diamond shut down on used books, toys, and model kits.

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[film]

What’s going on with this year’s film festivals?

Durango Independent Film Festival participating in second Film Festival Day Along with all the other myriad events disrupted by the COVID-19 epidemic, the rest of 2020 seems iffy for film festivals.

While a lot of us miss going out to see new movies, I doubt many of us are in any hurry to pack into a crowded theater, even when they reopen.

ruled out having an online version of its festival, except possibly for members of the press, but the others have not.

In the meantime, other festivals, including the Durango Independent Film Festival are using online screenings as fundraisers. DIFF, along with 29 others, participated in the Film Festival Alliance’s Film Festival Day on April 11 showing indie film “Phoenix, Oregon.” The festival is participating in another one on May 23, showing “Life in Synchro.”

Since March, more than 175 festivals have been canceled entirely, some have found other means of screening films for audiences, and yet others are still holding out hope that they’ll be able to occur, unchanged, later in the year.

The Tribeca Film Festival, which was supposed to run from April 15 through 26 in Manhattan, has teamed up with at least 20 other festivals, including Cannes and Sundance, to run “We Are One: A Global Film Festival” May 29 through June 7 on YouTube. The festival lineup hasn’t been announced ... but it’s free, with no ads, so that’s a thing.

Closer to home, the Telluride Film Festival, which takes place over the Labor Day weekend, hasn’t made any official announcements regarding this year’s festival. It has, however, proposed extending its schedule an extra day to reduce crowding, a proposal that was From Page 8

facto shut down the rest of the industry as well. Most publishers stopped releasing comics entirely and halted production on upcoming titles.

Some continued to release digital comics on platforms like Amazon’s Comixology, but others decided to wait out the shutdown.

Fortunately, for anyone who was left hanging in the middle of a story arc, Diamond will resume distribution on May 20, which is when new inventory should begin flowing into Tales of Tomorrow. But there’s still no telling when the store will be able to entertain customers inside its building.

Tickets are $10, benefitting the local festival, and the film can be watched (purchasers The Venice International Film Festival, Toronto Inter- receive a link) any time between May 22 and 31. There national Film Festival, and New York Film Festival, all of will also be a live virtual Q&A at 5 p.m. MT on May 23 with the film’s director, Angela Pinaglia, and several which take place in September, have yet to determine cast members, moderated by Susan Sullivan, co-foundwhether they’ll hold actual in-person film festivals. er of the Women Sports Film Festival.

People are understandably hesitant about heading to —— Nick Gonzales New York or northern Italy any time soon. Venice has

We Are Open!

meals from their favorite restaurants more often than usual to make sure they stay in business. The store had already fallen on hard times before the epidemic, asking the community for help in the form of a GoFundMe page it launched in late January.

Limited In-Store Shopping

In addition to its website, Tales of Tomorrow is taking orders by phone at (505) 324-0222.

Email or Call Ahead for Curbside Pick-up.

Wondering what to read as we all wait for the crisis to end? Clark recommends:

• “The American Vampire” series by Scott Snyder — also a horror book, but more on the order of escapism.

• Grant Morrison’s “The Invisibles” — “It’s weird and rewards repeat readings.”

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• The comic book adaptation of Chick Hogan and Guillermo del Toro’s vampire horror novel “The Strain” — “It’s a lot of fun and has some eerie echoes of what’s happening in real life.”

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As such, Clark is encouraging local comic book fans to order comics from his store instead of, say, Amazon, in the same way people are ordering

unanimously approved by the town council, according to the Telluride Daily Planet.

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As a comic book shop, Tales of Tomorrow and its conjoined Cosmic Cafe are more than just a bookstore and coffee shop — they’re a regional hub for all things geeky. In the months before the coronavirus hit, the store was hosting screenings of “Star Trek: Picard,” trivia nights, and cosplay events including sketch nights and workshops where people could build Mandalorian helmets.

The documentary, which premiered in early March, is about synchronized skating, which not only is a thing that exists but also sounds super tough and is almost entirely performed by women, judging by the trailer.

LIGHT

—— Nick Gonzales Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 9

[travel]

Get Outta Town: Take a movie-themed tour of London We hate to admit it, but there is fun to be had on Zoom names from Star Wars, which threw me

As I write this, most, but not all, of Colorado has moved from Stay-at-Home to Safer-at-Home, which is good because it eases restrictions on personal movement outside the home and allows some places to open up again — but to physically go outside to do anything for fun is still very limited for most people.

Under the public health order rules, signed by Governor Jared Polis, we can only recreate within 10 miles of where we live, and by now we’ve done that so much we’ve given each individual tree and rock a name.

off because I was worried the tour would be all about the Harry Potter series — something I’ve seen less than half of (don’t @ me, Potterheads).

The tour began at 84 Charing Cross Road and quickly made its way to Piccadilly Circus, where the guide described how it was used in “28 Days Later,” “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation,” and, surprisingly, “The Dark Knight.”

Three movies I’ve actually seen! I even

Which is why I sneaked away to London for an hour. Sorta.

While wandering aimlessly around the internet, which feels like all I do anymore, I saw several blogs describing a “Magic of Film”-themed virtual walking tour of London. It sounded excessively hokey — not only would it be a handful of tourists piling into a Zoom meeting, but the tour guide couldn’t even walk the actual tour. At the time, the Londoner

answered a few questions right and felt giddy for doing so. On a real tour, I’d be rolling my eyes at the idea of a quiz, but after months in quarantine, I guess I was craving trivia-based interaction.

The tour also hit locations such as TrCourtesy of Jimmy Baikovicius/flickr

»» Picadilly Circus, which has been featured as a shooting location in a many movies, is near the start of the “Magic of Film”-themed virtual tour of London.

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leading the tour also had to abide by social distancing restrictions, so it would consist of everyone watching a prerecorded video of the tour as the guide described what everyone was seeing on the screen.

Naturally, I signed up. The tour only cost $6.29 and I figured at the very least it would kill an hour. I fully expected to be able to report back how dumb it was and advise people not to waste their time or money.

Instead, it was one of the most fun hours I’ve had since the pandemic began.

And I’m not 100% sure why.

afalgar Square, Covent Garden, and the Globe Theatre, and touched on James Bond, Marvel, and Hitchcock films, among many others. The tour guide’s information and quizzes kept the energy flowing. The hour disappeared in no time at all, and I’m pretty sure I had a stupid grin on my face the whole time.

Why did I love what essentially amounted to an interactive YouTube video of someone walking around London? I don’t know. Maybe it was the way it emulated an activity none of us have engaged in a long time — it’s hard to be a tourist when you can’t leave your own

Maybe it was the jet lag. The tours run twice a day, at noon and 5:30 p.m. ... and that’s 5:30 p.m. London time. That translates to about 5 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.

Colorado-time. So I rolled out of bed, ate breakfast, and immediately “departed” on the latter tour.

town. Maybe it was the subject matter

The Zoom meeting seemed mostly to be filled with Britons, with a few Americans thrown in. The host, Helena, was a cheerful Englishwoman with the slightest hint of a German accent. We were all instructed to choose new names based on movie characters, though, so she could better keep track of the points we’d win during quizzes throughout the tour. The prize, if you won, was another free tour. Over half of the tourists chose

the most artificial way possible.

— I’ve barely talked to anyone about “Skyfall” since 2012. Maybe it was just the confirmation that there’s still a world out there beyond our own horizons and we can still interact with it, even if it’s in Whatever the case, I heartily recommend the tour to anyone who’s even a little bit of an Anglophile or a film buff.

In the meantime, I’ll be booking myself on a virtual tour of sites in Wallachia, Romania, associated with Vlad Tepes, aka Dracula.

—— Nick Gonzales

[weed]

Drinking more booze during quarantine?

Here are the best weed strains for hangovers to undo what you did to yo’self. always trying to find. It’s like the El Dorado of weed — except it’s real and blue instead of gold.

One of this strain’s many delightful effects includes the ability to chill people the eff out. Sitting as a member of the West Coast marijuana royalty, Blue Dream is a sativa-leaning hybrid born of Blueberry and Haze.

“They don’t call it THC for nothing...

The Hangover Cure,” a Reddit user once posted in a thread titled “Anybody Else Find Weed Super Useful for a Hangover?”

Blue Dream gave us face-melting highs, but in the best way possible. It’s refreshing and calming, which is exactly what we need when we’re in hangover mode.

Aside from being a goldmine of great quotes, Reddit offers a bountiful harvest of information on important topics like how weed is a great way to cure that gnarly hangover. This is important because, due to stupid COVID-19, we’re running out of ways to entertain ourselves and have taken to boozing more often. This inevitably leads to hangovers and promises to friends and family that you’ll never touch a bottle again.

Alien Nightmare

While there hasn’t been much in the way of scientific studies on hangovers and marijuana’s impact on them, there is evidence that suggests weed can help with headaches, according to a “Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research” 2017 article.

We’re starting this recommendation off with a warning: do not smoke Alien Nightmare unless you are looking to spend the rest of your day drooling on a pillow.

This indica hybrid will lay you out.

There’s no resisting its magical sleeping powers, even on those that struggle with insomnia, so if you wake up with a hangover and decide to cancel your life that day consider trying this strain. Alien Nightmare is crossbred from Aliens on Moonshine and White Nightmare, and we highly insist on smoking it in small amounts. You don’t play with Alien Nightmare.

Jolene OG So, without further ado, the following Jolene OG is an indica-dominant are various tried and true strains that strain that will offer you that mood we stand by as the remedies that make us feel better when we’re at our hungov- boost you’re looking for when you’re down in the hangover dumps. We found er worst. that a few rounds of smoking these buds Blue Dream do wonders for our headspace, and Like many on this list, Blue Dream why wouldn’t it? It reminds one of Dolly Continued on Page 23 is one of those strains we stoners are

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Courtesy of Southwest Rainbow Youth

»» From left, Trennie and Precious Collins, two of Southwest Rainbow Youth’s founders, pose with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.

It’s important to continue having Pride events in places like Durango because people are so isolated, even if they’re just digital, he said.

Jerry McBride/BCI media file

»» Ryan Garcia, with the Four Corners Alliance for Diversity, leads the 2019 Durango Pride Parade up Main Avenue in downtown Durango. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, most in-person Pride events are canceled or delayed indefinitely.

Embracing community ... while social distancing With parades and festivals banned,how are regional LGBTQ groups celebrating Pride?

12 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

By Nick Gonzales DGO STAFF WRITER

Every year, revelers around the world take to the streets in June to promote and celebrate the dignity, equality, and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. Last year, 2.5 million gathered at New York City’s World Pride for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the rebellion against anti-queer policing that Pride commemorates. A record number of people — 150,000 — marched down 5th Avenue.

There will be neither street-based revelry nor a parade in NYC this year, though. That city, like many across the globe, has canceled its in-person pride amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But few, if any, LGBTQ organizations are letting the virus keep them from celebrating and connecting with the communities they represent.

Courtesy of Jarred Green

»» In place of the in-person equivalent, Scarlett Ultra will host a live-streamed drag show for this year’s Durango Pride.

Southwest Colorado The Four Corners Alliance for Diversity, which hosts the Durango Pride Festival, has canceled the event for this year, but that doesn’t mean the local LGBTQ community isn’t busy. While there won’t be any physical events, Durango will be able to party it up in cyberspace.

Jake Riggs, who recently retired from the board of the Aliiance, says the group plans to host a digital Pride dance on Friday, June 26. Details are still being worked out, but it will feature a local DJ live-streaming over either Zoom or Facebook Live.

This will be followed by a digital drag show hosted by Durango drag royalty Scarlett Ultra on Saturday,

June 27. The current plan is for the cast to perform the show at a single venue that will hold just them, while the show is broadcast live via YouTube, Scarlett said. An early setlist lineup includes local comedians Mary Quinn, Kate McLachlan, and Allie Wolfe, and drag queens Aria PettyOne, Auspicious Behavior, Charlize Darrwyn, and Toffee Fae. Outside of the shows, the Alliance is looking into things they can do to increase visibility in the community while social distancing, including Facebook photo banners and yard signs, Riggs said. The group is also looking into doing Movie Mondays in June using Netflix Party to stream LGBTQ movies.

“I think if you look at any statistics, you’ll find isolation is a major contributor to depression and even suicide in the LGBTQ+ community,” he said.

“So we really try to push the fact that Durango and the whole Four Corners is a loving area. An area where people can come and move here and they’ll feel welcome and they’ll feel like they have a place here.”

Behind the scenes, the Alliance is working on creating a guidebook for its internal operations so that as new generations of people take over they know how to book venues and find talent and the like. And with good reason: the group is actively looking for more volunteers and board members.

More information can be found at 4calliancefordiversity.org.

SWRY typically offers this kind of assistance during holidays when young adults in the community may be away from home or secluded, said founder Precious Collins. It seemed appropriate to roll that over for the coronavirus pandemic as well.

Like the Alliance, Southwest Rainbow Youth has used the internet to connect with its community — often through short videos checking in on people and letting them know they’re not alone, and other videos related to May’s Mental Health Awareness Month, said Precious’ partner and fellow SWRY founder Trennie Collins. The group is currently figuring out the specifics of what it will do for Pride Month.

Elsewhere in La Plata County, the Ignacio-based Southwest Rainbow Youth group has put out an offer of assistance to the LGBTQ and two-spirited youth and families of Southwest Colorado.

In the meantime, both belong to the Ignacio COVID Mutual Aid Group, part of the grassroots Four Corners Mutual Aid Network, where they bring a spirit of inclusivity and visibility to the work they’re doing.

They’ve put up a sign at the site where they distribute food and supplies on Saturdays, welcoming people regardless of race, color, gender, or sexual orientation.

With the help of a Google form on the group’s website, swry.org, it has provided food and cleaning supplies and limited utility assistance to about 10 families in Ignacio and Towaoc.

“I think it’s important that people see that,” Precious said. “And it’s even better that people see me and my partner out there, because hopefully we can start changing people’s per-

Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 13

ceptions about what lesbians look like. ... I’m hoping we’ll break down some of those barriers out here.”

LGBTQ and two-spirited individuals are stigmatized in the rural and deeply Catholic areas of Southwest Colorado, she said, and as a result, they are often harassed and can go overlooked when resources and assistance are being distributed. By participating in both SWRY and coronavirus relief efforts, people like Trennie and Precious Collins can look out for those groups and serve as role models for the community.

Denver Metro area Denver is still planning on holding almost all of the events that make up its two-day PrideFest on June 20 and 21, albeit in an online format. In one way or another, Virtual PrideFest will include a parade, a 5K, dance parties, a drag show and other entertainers, exhibitors, and a job fair.

“I think probably the biggest part of it is we’re going to try to do an online virtual Pride Parade,” said Rex Fuller, CEO of The Center on Colfax, the organization that puts on Denver’s festival. “Instead of people submitting parade entries like a marching unit or a float or something like that, we’re asking people to submit short videos. They will put together a short 30to 60-second video, and then our regular parade host will be live and introducing the videos lined up kind of like a parade that people can watch online.”

The organizers are also setting up an online marketplace where people can shop for the goods they would usually find at booths at the festival. Similarly, the Center is working with DJs to translate the four stages that would have been at the in-person Pride into online dance parties people can tune into.

(In case you’re wondering how the 5K works, participants run a 5K individually near their homes and then submit their times — and they get a commemorative t-shirt for participating.)

Delaying the Pride festivities until later in the year isn’t an option for The Center. Denver’s festival is the largest in the Rocky Mountains, drawing nearly a half-million people over the weekend. As such, there is no chance they’d be able to compete with other large-scale events and reschedule later in the year, even if the coronavirus abated and it became safe to do so, Fuller said.

Moving online has allowed the organizers to add new elements they haven’t had in previous years. For instance, they will be streaming a couple of videos on LGBTQ history, as well as presenting LGBTQ authors talking about their work 14 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

Courtesy of Denver PrideFest

»» Denver’s PrideFest is the largest in the Rocky Mountains, attracting nearly half a million people. For obvious reasons, it’s online-only this year. and the like. In response to the surge in unemployment caused by COVID-19, they’re also creating an online job board.

“We hope to kind of have a life after PrideFest where we can be a resource for LGBTQ-friendly employers. I think that there’s so much need in the community with people being out of work ... that we are trying to help provide a way for people to connect with employers, and LGBT-welcoming employers specifically,” Fuller said.

One of the silver linings of the current crisis, he said, is that The Center has been forced to move many of its in-person programs online, including ones for older adults, youths, and trans individuals.

Whereas these programs would have been inaccessible to people living outside of the Denver Metro area before, these resources are now available to people anywhere, including the Four Corners.

Details about The Center’s programs and Denver’s Virtual PrideFest can be found at lgbtqcolorado.org and denverpride.org.

The Navajo Nation As of mid-May, the Navajo Nation has more COVID-19 cases per capita than almost any other place in the United States. As such, the Diné Pride Board of Directors plans to meet on May 27 to decide whether it will postpone or cancel the Navajo Nation’s official pride festival.

It was originally planned for June 26

Courtesy of Denver PrideFest

»» Almost all of the elements that make up the Denver PrideFest, including its parade, will occur this year in a digital format.

Alray Nelson, the executive director of the organization, said he thinks the board will lean toward postponing the event until the fall, as the organization has raised a lot of money and done a lot of planning for the event over the last eight months.

group within the LGBTQ community.

Last year, the theme was “Sacredness before Stonewall,” acknowledging the long history of two-spirit and LGBTQ rights among Native Americans before it became a national issue. The 2019 Diné Pride highlighted trans individuals as its featured group.

Each year, Diné’s Pride chooses a new theme and focuses on a different

This year’s theme, “Sovereign Sacredness,” was chosen to talk about the issue

through 28 in Window Rock, Arizona.

Courtesy of Diné Pride

»» As one of the places in the U.S. worst hit by COVID-19, the Navajo Nation’s plans for Pride were thrown into disarray.

Courtesy of Diné Pride

»» This year’s Diné Pride theme, “Sovereign Sacredness,” was chosen to talk about the issue of suicides among Navajo youths. The empowerment of LGBTQ and two-spirit young people is the focus of the event.

of suicides among Navajo youths. The empowerment of LGBTQ and two-spirit young people is the focus of the event.

One day of the festival involves a symposium, an expo fair, and a film showing, and for 2020, the organization planned the first-ever youth summit for native young people who identify as LGBTQ.

Diné Pride, which was founded in 2017, is working closely with the Navajo Nation on the guidelines around hosting what was planned to be the largest indigenous pride festival in the country, Nelson said. If the group does hold the Pride festival this year, it will likely occur in September or October.

“Young people across Indian Country, across Native America, were really excited about Diné Pride this year because they knew that everything from the festival to the guest speakers to our scholarship fund to even the drag show — everything that we were doing was going to focus on young people,” Nelson said. “I don’t want us to let down this generation of young people right now, especially those that are graduating from high school or moving on. We want to make sure that we do something that celebrates that particular part of our community and really uplifts them, so I can see an actual event happening this year.”

Nelson also emphasized that if and when Diné Pride Does occur, everyone is welcome.

“The common questions from people that are not Navajo or Diné are ‘Are they welcome onto our nation?’ and ‘Are they welcome to our events?’ and that is a definite yes. And we’re really happy that Durango Pride was one of our partners and sponsors last year — it’s pretty awesome to feel like regional Pride events really share in the spirit of teamwork with our events.”

More information about Diné Pride can be found at navajonationpride.com.

Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 15

[weed]

We found a peaceful buzz with the Buddha’s Smile wild orange blossom AiroPro cartridge Attention, vape lovers. Have you heard of the Buddha’s Smile wild orange blossom cartridge for AiroPro? If the answer is no, you’re gonna need to remedy that — stat.

Before we talk about Buddha’s Smile cartridge, though, let’s talk about the AiroPro, the vape battery it fits into.

If you’re unfamiliar with the AiroPro vape, here’s the gist: This vape has won a bunch of awards at Cannabis Cup, and people love it because it’s known for emitting three freaking times the amount of vapor as other pens. It utilizes an innovative magnetic cartridge design that allows you to just pop different cartridges in and out of the battery as you please, no screwing required. When you want to swap it out, you just pull out the cart and store it in AiroPro’s handy carrying case.

As you may have gathered, we’re big fans of this vape (to the point that our other weed writer, Blaze, “accidentally” took my battery to Boulder recently, forcing me to get a new one). It’s

16 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

discreet, super easy to use, and the only noise or alert that the vape battery gives off when you’re using it is a slight vibration to let you know it’s charged and working. Nobody can even tell what it is! Pretty slick. Anyway we’ve gone over the magic of the AiroPro in depth before, but it’s worth noting here anyway in case you want more info.

I’ve been glued to this vape ever since it landed in my hands for review, and one of my hands-down favorite things to impulsively buy at the dispensary are new cartridges for it. It’s becoming a slight obsession. And that’s exactly why I was so excited to try out Buddha’s Smile, a 1:1 CBD:THC Co2 oil cartridge that is flavored like wild orange blossom.

One of the nice features of this particular cart is that it’s naturally flavored, so the vapor you inhale doesn’t taste overwhelmingly fake like it can with other flavored vapes. The other nice thing about this cart is that it gets you stoned.

I was quick to toss the Buddha’s Smile cartridge into the battery as soon as I

walked into my house from picking it up at Prohibition.

I was stoked to find that it tasted clean and bright, just like the name implies, and it emitted clouds of vapor that even the most Details seasoned smoker Where to find would be envious Buddha’s of.

Smile AiroPro It also emitted cartridges: Prohibition Herb, 1185 some seriously Camino del Rio, procalming effects once I’d inhaled a hibitionherb.com couple of those vapor clouds. I first started to notice a tingling in my head — not an uncomfortable tingling, mind you. It was a calming effect more than anything.

I could feel it wash over my body, leading me to grin like a dork while sinking into my couch, glazed in happiness and sunshine.

That light, airy high stuck around for

quite a while, in part because I kept taking more pulls off the pen every once in a while. It was such a nice feeling to have, that feeling of calm and serenity, and it’s increasingly hard to come by (at least for me while stuck mostly indoors). So the fact that this cart can elicit it is pretty impressive.

What was also impressive was that I didn’t get TOO high, even with the follow-up hits I took to maintain the serene feeling. Maybe it was the CBD-THC mix, or maybe it was the hint of summer oranges, or maybe it was just the THC. Doesn’t matter. Whatever it was, I was happy as hell to feel it.

Anyway, that’s the Buddha’s Smile cart. You will not be surprised to find out that I have been indulging in this one every time someone pisses me off, which is often. Between the sunny citrus, the calming CBD, and my very best friend THC, it’s the perfect remedy to annoyance and frustration. I highly recommend it.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

[weed]

The high from Pipe Dream is an ethereal, otherworldly journey Have you ever gotten so high that you lose touch with reality? Like, you conjure up an entire fake conversation in your mind and then inexplicably answer your own nonsensical questions? Yeah, me too — and it was all thanks to Pipe Dream, a strain from The Green House in Durango.

It’s odd, though, that this strain was the one to knock me into another galaxy, considering that Pipe Dream is technically a sativa-leaning hybrid. Sativas generally make me awake and energetic, not tripped out and deep into my own head. It’s indicas that generally make me venture to the cobwebbed parts of my brain, but not this time. This time it was Pipe Dream.

Here’s what happened. So I picked up a gram of Pipe Dream from The Green House and popped open the lid as soon as I got home. The nugs from this strain were compact, bright green, and layered with orange hairs — pretty unassuming on face value, at least. But while those nugs may look unassuming, holy crap do

they pack a punch — both in stench and in potency. This particular batch clocked in at about 24% THC and it reeked — and I do mean reeked — like a forest full of diesel fuel. These nugs may be small but they ain’t playin’, you guys.

Anyway, I loaded a bowl, lit it up, and then immediately choked on smoke.

Turns out that this strain isn’t just fragrant, it’s also very aggressive. I coughed my way through the entire bowl.

And, by the time I was through said bowl, I was stoned as a high schooler who’d smoked their way through a dime bag of ditch weed. My head was fuzzy and my eyelids were so low I looked like the search results for “stoner meme.”

I was also extremely hungry, but I couldn’t stumble out to the kitchen because I was on a journey inside my own head. Like, I’d straight up followed the green brick road to a place I didn’t know existed.

Let me try to explain. It’s really fuzzy, but here’s what I remember: I smoked that bowl and my head felt like it was full

Weird weed: The strangest strain names One of the best parts of the weed industry is hearing all the creative names people come up with when developing new strains. There are strains named after musicians, celebrities, as well as plenty of puns — there’s plenty of weirdness out there.

During our time of covering weed, we’ve come across plenty of strange names, but these might take the Cannabis Cup. From candy to Kama Sutra, we find these to be the most amusing strain names. Best of all? They’re even funnier when you’re stoned.

Alaskan Thunderf*ck Let’s rip that bandaid off and get right into the thick of it, shall we?

Yes, this strain’s name is Alaskan Thunderf*ck and it is real. As a sativa-leaning hybrid, it’s a perfect strain for when you’re feeling productive ... or maybe even reproductive. As implied in its name, this strain is mostly found in northern climates, including Wash-

ington, Oregon, Canada, Alaska, and northern California. Not entirely sure where it got its delightful name, but it’s a win in our book.

Green Crack Crack in any form is bad news ... except for Green Crack, which is strictly marijuana. No crack here!

While you won’t find any cocaine in this greenery, there’s a reason why it’s named after such an intense drug.

Green Crack offers hardcore focus and a burst of energy that sativas tend to offer (though you can also find this strain in indica form). This sativa comes from the parentage of Skunk No. 1, while its indica form descends from an Afghani strain. Understandably, naming something Green Crack isn’t exactly politically correct, so some have taken to renaming this strain as Green Cush instead.

Zkittlez Continued on Page 18

of cotton so I laid down, resigned to my own stoned fate. As I laid there, I remember thinking of so many Details things, all of Where to find the which start- Pipe Dream strain: ed to collide The Green House, 730 S. Camino del Rio, into a trip thegreenhousecolorado. where I knew com everything and nothing all at once. I guess I was daydreaming, but whatever my brain was conjuring up was so surreal and trippy that I felt like I was living it.

Oddly enough, I was also aware that I was laying on my bed, in Durango, and not on a journey in my mind. The unearthly reality I was in continued for a while until I suddenly snapped myself

out of it by muttering, out loud, the words “lizard wizard” in response to whatever was in my head.

I don’t know what the hell I was daydreaming about that brought those two words to mind, but whatever it was must have been hella fascinating. And, as you might imagine, I was pretty embarrassed once I realized I’d been talking to myself — especially considering the nonsense that is lizard wizard.

Pipe Dream’s effects were weird as hell but also fun, which are the marks of a badass strain. By the way, this strain (I later found out) makes most people energetic and alert, but I call shenanigans on that.

Pipe Dream was still a hell of a ride — one I’m ready to take again. The only downside was that I ate a thousand donuts once I was lucid enough to find the kitchen. Other than that, I was happy and daydreaming of lizard wizards on Mr. Toad’s wild Pipe Dream ride.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

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The Alternative Resource Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 17

[weed]

Experimenting with ChewIT gummies and THC microdosing

This isn’t going to be the usual weed review that you find on DGO Mag. There’ll be no tales of me believing that we’re all living in the Matrix or badly assembling furniture whilst stoned off my gourd.

gummy, I popped one of these thin, green squares on a Saturday afternoon.

I chose this particular day because I had no commitments, so if this backfired impressively, at least I wouldn’t be high during a virtual game night with my family. Though come to think of it, that’s probably the best time to be stoned.

Nah. This particular review is about microdosing, all thanks to Canyon ChewIT gummies. Canyon is a longstanding marijuana company, producing cannabis-infused products for the medical marijuana industry since 2010.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I am one of those people who cannot function to save their life after ingesting marijuana — whether that be smoking flower, eating edibles, or toking on a vape. I am done for. I don’t go into creative mode where I find myself writing beautiful poetry or becoming productive and doing the dishes. I am a slave to wherever I park my ass, for better or for worse.

Therefore, in a world where many marijuana products focus on higher and higher amounts of THC, experimenting with microdosing is of great interest to me.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, microdosing is ingesting only a small amount of a substance so you can still enjoy the effects but still function and not get high.

I picked up this pack during my latest

visit to a dispensary. I went with the sativa option (the Blue Dream strain) of sour cherry limeade. Other ChewIT options are sour lemonade, strawberry lemonade, sour watermelon lemonade, and pineapple lemonade.

Each pack comes with 40 gummies — 2.5 mg of THC each, so if you want to get stoned on these you’ll have to eat quite a few. I, however, did not purchase these to get stoned. At least, not right away.

I wanted to see how I would function should I consume one gummy at a time.

ChewIT sour cherry limeade is a great

sour candy. No weed taste - sweet, initially, before blooming into a full-on puckered tart flavor.

Here’s where I admit something to you: I’ve never microdosed before. Usually when partaking in the ganja, I like to go big or go home. I want to completely immerse myself in the utter fog that takes over. Sadly, this means I’m incapable of so much as operating a microwave when I’m stoned, but it’s the price I’m usually willing to pay.

It is not to partake and be able to function. The first time I tried a ChewIT

This number comes from Grape Ape and Grapefruit, as well as a third mysterious strain meant to give it a bit of a candy flavor. Indica dominant, this gal is a regular old award-winner that puts its users right on the road to relaxation. As you might guess from its parent strains, Zkittlez is sweet and fruity. A perfect summer smoke.

—— Sir Blaze Ridcully

CannaSutra If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us are not athletically inclined enough to perform Kama Sutra. Thank the weed gods we have CannaSutra instead!

Obama Kush Loving that a strain was named for former President Barack Obama, but we actually prefer its alternative title: Barak O Bubba. Much cooler.

18 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

If you, like a lot of people, are interested in microdosing — whether it’s because you want a gentle intro to edibles or you just flat out don’t want to get stoned — Canyon ChewITs are a great place to start. Tiny, non-intimidating, and with lots of flavor options, it’s hard to go wrong with this line.

Balls. According to Leafly, this strain comes from a Northern Californian purple strain (could be argued either Mendo Purps or Granddaddy Purple) as well as Deep Chunk, an indica that hails all the way from Afghanistan. As implied by the name, these buds are purple and fruity, and as energetic as you would think Purple Monkey Balls would make you, it’s more likely you’ll just end up taking a nap upon ingestion.

This strain is really just named for Skittles, but it’s spelled like a boss, which sets it apart.

Plus, don’t Skittles always sound amazing when you’re stoned?

From Page 17

This strain is born of OG Kush and Afghani as an indica, and boy, it sure is purdy! With a purplish tone and pretty red hairs, this strain is almost as handsome as the former commander-in-chief.

The effects were a mellow euphoria in which I had a clear head. For once, after partaking in some marijuana, I wasn’t lying helplessly on my couch — or floor for that matter. I felt a lot more energy to take a walk and work on a few projects before it eventually wore off and I took a nap for all my hard work. I can’t say that I felt it much in my body other than a very mild head buzz, but I felt very relaxed.

The quarantine brain fog seemed to temporarily lift for a few hours even.

It’s meant to lead to euphoria, which is a little different than the typical indica experience.

Purple Monkey Balls

Smoking a strain called Purple Monkey Balls doesn’t sound appealing, but it does sound like a good time.

Weirdly enough, not a lot is known about the ancestry of Purple Monkey

CannaSutra, an indica-leaning hybrid, is great for when you’re in the mood for romance. Mellow and peaceful are its middle names, so it’s great whether you’re trying to have some sexy time or you just want to lay on your couch. It even has a flavor reminiscent of incense, if you find that kind of aroma erotic.

—— Amanda Push

From Page 5

state’s arcane alcohol laws, the original brewery and distillery also had to get licensed to sell each other’s products. As such, you will be able to order Peach Street liquors at Ska’s headquarters in Durango when it fully reopens.

For now, as part of its take-out service, Ska is offering margaritas made with Peach Street’s D’Agave Silver, orange liqueur, fresh lime, and orange juice. In case you’re unfamiliar with d’agave, it’s a spirit fermented out of the blue agave plant. But wait, you ask, isn’t that tequila?

The answer is: technically, no. Tequila is a designation of origin product, which means it can’t be tequila if it’s not made in a specific part of Mexico — the same way champagne is only sparkling wine if it’s not from the Champagne region of France. That said, there are some pretty good sparkling wines, and that’s what Peach Street’s D’Agave is ... for tequila.

Anyway, we got Ska’s margarita and a grilled pineapple and prosciutto pizza.

We recognize in retrospect that getting the margherita pizza would have been more thematic, but hey ... we like prosciutto and pineapples.

The margarita comes in a mason jar and you can legally drive home with this alcoholic beverage, as long as the

container remains sealed with a label from the Colorado Department of Revenue — reminding you that it’d be a crime to open the lid halfway home.

And your food travels from the kitchen to the parking lot via a conveyor belt to maintain social distancing. The only thing it’s missing is a speaker that plays a 10-second excerpt from Raymond Scott’s “Powerhouse” — you know, the music that they always play in factories in cartoons.

We sanitized the exterior of the jar before opening it and then drank down its contents enough to add ice cubes and a lime wedge to the jar itself. (Why dirty another glass?) You could taste the tequi... d’agave in it, but not to the point where it overpowered the rest of the drink.

Whatever orange liqueur they used also blended well with the juices. We approve and look forward to trying other cocktails in the coronavirus-free future.

The pizza, which also had green chile and jalapeños in addition to its namesakes, also hit the spot. We don’t care what anyone says, pineapple is a perfect pizza ingredient, and grilling it makes it better. The Container makes a great crust, and it all pairs with the now-growing selection of alcohol at the facility.

L A PL ATA

From Page 7

one photo, one of the subjects is using the Force on the other. Meanwhile, in the background, two meteors just happen to be blazing across the sky in the same direction.

She said one of her favorite subjects to shoot is the Milky Way, just because of how gorgeous it is. Dawson deliberately lives out away from town where she can see the clear night sky every night.

“It reminds me of beauty,” she said.

“Our everyday problems become so small — isolation can help anyone realize that.”

Photographing the night sky is also a pretty easy activity to get away with while everyone is quarantined.

ite subjects to shoot.

Turning toward the world beyond earthly concerns and spending so much time staring at the stars also amped up Dawson’s interest in what they might mean, she said.

These days, Dawson’s long-exposure photography can be seen on her Facebook (facebook.com/torydawsonphotography) and Instagram (@torydawson) accounts, and visitors to 81301 Coffee almost certainly saw her work on the walls back in January, during the halcyon days when hanging out in coffee shops was still a thing. She also — by day, one might say — does portrait photography.

“I had always been interested in astrology ... but when I started photographing the Milky Way, I went down the astrological rabbit hole of birth charts, moon phases, and retrogrades.

It’s safe to say I’m a huge nerd when it —— Nick Gonzales comes to astrology and mythology,” she

n

Courtesy of Tory Dawson

»» The Milky Way is one of Dawson’s favor-

ARC HULETTA

n

said.

—— Nick Gonzales

MONTEZUMA

OUT NOW

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Anal sex is the cherry on top of the taboo sundae of sex Let’s circle back around to anal sex.

have penetrative anal sex using the penis, the average penis is going to be too big to fit comfortably the first time. Can’t afford the training butt plugs? Use your fingers. Trim your nails, start with one, and use LUBE.

So often our narrow view of sex as being penis into vagina holds folks back from pleasurable experiences. Sex is defined by the individual and can include ANY activity — kissing, holding hands, intimate conversation, sexting, oral, solo or mutual masturbation, fingering, anal, spooning, naked time, shared bath or shower, watching porn, reading erotica, sharing a bed, strip poker, massage, and so on and so forth.

The anus doesn’t need or even want a lot of pumping and thrusting (certainly up to the individual’s desire), which is why butt plugs are a favored toy. It’s the extra pressure that feels good, a sensation of feeling full. If you have a prostate, applying pressure is what it wants! To be pointed about pumping and thrusting — this is what a penis wants to feel.

Step outside your box. Redefine your pleasure.

Anal sex is the cherry on top of the taboo sundae of sex. And yet research has shown that the numbers of folks engaging in anal sex only continues to increase.

Anal sex has moved from porn into more mainstream TV and films without an increase in discussion and education. So we still hear —

Some Health Logistics What about (leans in and whispers) poo? Feces or poo, dookie, crap, shit, etc., is the waste matter our bodies produce after gleaning all the nutrients it needs from food. If you are squeamish about interacting with anal sex because of feces, you can chose to perform an enema — cleansing the anal cavity with a water solution. Enemas are not required for anal sex and I strongly, strongly encourage you to do research before performing an enema. You need to know what you are doing and the side effects of enemas. It’s worth talking to a doctor about to have a clear understanding of what enemas do to your body.

“Only gay men have anal sex.”

“Anal sex is a sin” “Anal sex is dirty.”

Well, that’s a load of rubbish.

Anyone can and does have anal sex.

You don’t need a penis to have anal sex. Sure, if you are religious, and your religion says that anal sex is a sin, you can choose not to do it. However, that religious view does not dictate how others need to behave. I have heard dozens of stories from youth raised without comprehensive sexuality education who are engaging in anal sex because it is the “safe” sex since one cannot get pregnant.

Surprise! There is, in fact, a small chance of becoming pregnant from anal sex through the leakage of sperm exiting the anus and entering the vagina. It only takes one sperm and those suckers can be determined! Finally, anal sex isn’t “dirty” — it feels good.

Consent from everyone involved of people slipping a penis, finger, or a toy into someone’s anus without their LUBE (I will never stop yelling about consent. Seriously!? Seriously! Don’t be lube.) that person. Anal sex isn’t some extra boPatience and trust nus you get to take from someone while Anal specific toys — they have a flared engaging in other sexual behaviors. base to prevent full insertion which The Good Bits keeps them from getting pulled into the The anal cavity has nerve endings that anal cavity. stimulate through pressure — or in some Start small and work your way up. areas stroking, licking, and rubbing. Most LUBE Before we go any further several male-bodied folks have a prostate, which An enema, if you choose words on lube. can be stimulated through anal sex. All Condoms for toys or a penis bodies can enjoy the extra pressure LUBE. LUBE. LUBE! The skin in and and stimulation of this sensitive part LUBE around the anus is thinner and more of the body. Penetration isn’t the only sensitive. If you are exploring anal pleaThe first time you have anal sex you sure please, please, please bring the lube. way to interact with the anus. Rimming need to start small. The anal muscles There can never be enough lube! Go be- or touching/licking the area around have been pushing feces out your entire yond water-based and bring some super the anus can feel amazing. You need to life and those muscles won’t understand remember that the pubic area is flooded you trying to put something in. You need slick silicone or even an oil-based* lube. with blood and that the nerves are perk- to train them to go both ways and you Don’t skimp on this very important step ing up during arousal so the entire area and you’ll appreciate the extra pleasure need to do it respectfully. There are is sensitive to attention. from a lubed up anus. training toys you can buy — a series of Before we go any further, again, please for fuck’s sake ask for consent. I just read an article full of horror stories 22 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

If you are having penetrative anal sex, there are a couple of guidelines you’ll want to follow:

butt plugs that start small and get bigger as you work your way up. If you have a partner with a penis and the plan is to

Anal sex is a higher risk sexual behavior for the transmission of infections.

As I mentioned earlier, the skin in and around the anus is thinner and more likely to tear without proper care. Using condoms, gloves, and dental dams can protect everyone involved from fluid exchange and the risk of STIs. Also, anal tearing hurts and can lead to bigger problems, so using LUBE, and lots of it, can help prevent tearing.

This is all manageable with communication and respect for your lovers — whether you are in a long term relationship or a one-night stand. Ask for consent, bring the lube, talk about needs and desires, and do it.

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

Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

after your birthday.

For the next two weeks, the pace of your days will accelerate even if you’re isolated at home. Conversations with siblings and relatives will increase.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22)

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You will be more focused on money, earnings and financial matters in the next two weeks. (You’re the financial wizard of the zodiac.)

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) The Sun is in your sign for the next two weeks, pumping your energy, boosting your confidence and giving you a chance to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year. Yay you!

CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

to wrap up loose details about banking issues, inheritances, insurance matters or shared property. You will get a lot done!

Even if you are still in isolation, somehow you will be more popular in the next two SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) weeks. You will contact others to share You will need more rest in the next two your ideas and stay in touch. weeks because the Sun is opposite your sign. Symbolically, this is as far away from VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) you as it can get all year. Go to bed.

For the next two weeks, the Sun will be CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) at the top of your chart, casting you in a spotlight that is flattering! Expect to be You can be a perfectionist. In the next asked to take on increased responsibiltwo weeks, you will do everything that ities. you can to get better organized and to work efficiently.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) Your desire to learn, explore and discover new places and new ideas will be strong in the next two weeks. If you can’t travel, you must explore the world through books and the internet.

You will be happy to keep a low profile in the next two weeks. Use this time to plan SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) ahead for your new year that will begin The next two weeks are the perfect time

In the next two weeks, you will feel more playful and lighthearted! Enjoy fun activities with kids. Express your creative talents.

for you in the next two weeks, particularly a parent. Family discussions and home repairs are likely.

BORN DURING THESE TWO WEEKS You are intense and passionate about seeking knowledge. Sometimes you are impatient. It’s your turn for a fun-loving year ahead! You will be more popular and will enjoy warm friendships. You also will be more grateful for your life and will appreciate the everyday happiness and beauty around you. This year is the time for an important choice. Choose wisely.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Home and family will be a strong focus

(c) 2019 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Parton.

This strain has a lineage that comes from OG Kush and Chem 91. It was named one of the Top 10 Medical Strains from the 2014 High Times Denver Cannabis Cup. Limoncello Limoncello is one of those strains that will forever hold a special place in our hearts. We have found that it is the perfect strain to ingest when you’re in a lot of pain, especially if you have cramps or are nauseous. Instead of just powering through those symptoms, we choose to smoke Limoncello.

This hybrid strain has saved our insides on more than one occasion and delivered on some pretty potent head and body highs.

GG#4 Once referred to as Gorilla Glue, GG#4 will serve as your mellow muse. You might find yourself watching good old reruns of “Jersey Shore” or napping peacefully on the couch.

Either way, we can’t recommend GG#4 enough for a day of r&r. This little number is a cross between Chem’s Sister, Sour Dubb, and Chocolate Diesel, and is an indica-heavy

Bizarro

From Page 11

strain. Thank you GG#4 for your soothing body and head high — you saved us many an awful Saturday morning.

Wedding Cake Wedding Cake is another one of those strains where you don’t need to look any further if you’re hungover and the day is better spent in bed.

We only smoked a single bowl of Wedding Cake before it sunk us into a deep, deep chill hole.

This strain is an indica hybrid that’s a cross between Cherry Pie and GSC, the strain formerly known as Girl Scout Cookies (another great strain for hangovers). This strain, we discovered, is the perfect companion for when all you want to do is watch TV on the couch until you pass out.

—— Amanda Push Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 23

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