The Durango Telegraph, Jan. 11, 2024

Licking our chops

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FREE Jan. 11, 2024 Vol. XXIII, No. 2 durangotelegraph.com

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T H E

O R I G I N A L

I N D I E

W E E K L Y

L I N E

O N

D U R A N G O

&

B E Y O N D

Coming to America

Turning up the heat

All about that base

One woman’s harrowing tale of journeying north p5

New climate report predicts hotter, drier Colorado p8

The best (& cheapest) hack on your pantry shelf p10

POWER IT FORWARD

WITH LPEA’S GIVING TREE Donate and help your neighbors keep the lights on this holiday season.

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2 n Jan. 11, 2024

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lineup

Putting the “soul’ in solstice and igniting hope for humanity

5 Writers on the Range

4 La Vida Local

The darkest night

by David Feela

6-7 Soapbox

5

8 State News

The long road

10 Flash in the Pan

One Venezuelan woman’s story of her harrowing trip to America

by Laura Pritchett Writers on the Range

11-12 Stuff to Do

8

12 Ask Rachel 13-14 Free Will Astrology

Drying out New study predicts what we’ve all feared: it’s going to get a lot drier

15 Classifieds

by Heather Sackett

10

15 Haiku Movie Review On the cover Biggie Smalls the dog, not the rapper, licks his lips in anticipation of some freshies and maybe a frozen “Snickers” or two./Photo by Missy Votel

Super spuds The one ingredient you already have that makes everything better

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by Ari LeVaux

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel missy@durangotelegraph.com ADVERTISING SALES: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com STAFF REPORTER: Scoops McGee telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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Ear to the ground: “He looks like he shops at Overland.”

– Durango dirt-gal remarking on the rare sight of a well-dressed man in town

Bye bye, Bluebird

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4

RegularOccurrences

Colorado’s latest experiment in self-served, DIY skiing has called it quits.

Bluebird Backcountry, located on the east side of Rabbit Ears Pass between Kremmling and Steamboat Springs, announced it was closing after three seasons due to financial woes.

The 1,200-acre ski area, which catered to beginning backcountry skiers, operated on Bear Mountain, on land leased from a private landowner. Despite adding rustic lodging and encouraging car camping, owners say the remote location – 2.5 hours from Denver on a good day – was too far to draw enough customers to keep the skin track open.

“The business hasn’t been profitable,” Jeff Woodward, Bluebird’s co-founder and CEO, told the Denver Post. “We’ve been able to fundraise for it historically, but we haven’t been able to raise money for it this year. The first challenge was that Bear Mountain is far from the Front Range, and a little over 60% of our guests come from the Front Range.

“When we talk to our customers, they absolutely love it. The thing that prevents them from coming more, or coming at all, is just the distance,” he added.

Owners said they believe the lift-less concept was solid but finding an ideal location has proved an uphill slog.

“We’ve not been able to find, or get access to, any new locations closer to population,” Woodward told the Post.

He said for now, owners do not have the funding to devote to finding a new spot. However, they have not given up their powder dream entirely. “If a location were to fall into our laps, we would absolutely follow up on it,” said Woodward. “But for now it’s closing.”

Bluebird opened in 2021 at a different location closer to Kremmling and moved to Bear Mountain two seasons ago. It has drawn more than 19,000 visitors in three years. “It’s pretty sad,” Woodward told the Post. “This is something I still believe the world needs … We do have a ton of great memories of the place, and feel like we were able to accomplish something. We brought 19,000 skiers a ton of joy. We’re really proud of what we built.”

We warned you Just a friendly reminder that the Telegraph will be taking its annual leave of absence next week, Jan. 18. We will be back in action Jan. 25. And lest you are unable to face the week without your horoscope, don’t worry.

We included the Jan. 18 astrology column this week, too – on p. 14.

Jan. 11, 2024 n 3

opinion

LaVidaLocal Soulstice My brother is a priest, but I also have a habit. Every morning after climbing out of bed I raise the window shade and welcome the new day. On Dec. 21, intending to do the same, I fumbled in the dark, reaching for the shade. Finally it dawned on me when I touched the cold window glass: I’d forgotten to pull it down. Even without the drawn shade the dark felt as black as tea out there, another Earl Gray morning.

We’d been invited to a traditional winter solstice party that evening where a bonfire would be ignited and partiers would be drumming and dancing around the flame, some of them wearing masks, some of them just shielding their faces to keep the smoke out of their eyes.

Though times may feel like they’re getting darker, daylight, thankfully, will begin to lean toward its brighter side. It happens every year, imperceptibly so, but I always feel it in my soul.

My brother’s favorite time of year is Advent, the first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays. My favorite is Easter, and in the journey of my life, my birthday has coincided with Easter four times. Most recently in 2004. The next time will be 2066. I’ll be 113 years old.

There is a kind of faith that depends on the light, but some people prefer to think more precisely. Astronomers say winter begins with the winter solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s referred to as the December solstice. If you were paying really close attention, the 2023 solar demarcation occurred at exactly 8:27 p.m., MST. If you could care less, it happened anyway, in the dark, a celestial alignment that fortunately illuminates many people from the inside in the many ways we think about it.

We gathered at a friend’s house, toting holiday cheer and food to share. After the solstice bonfire had burned itself down, we went inside to try to successfully sing our soulstice version of the “12 Days of Christmas” (just one more habit), in a perfect round while our host played the piano. Volunteers draw scraps of paper to discover which of the 12 days will be their chosen solo during the song’s recital.

Wikipedia puts it this way: “The 12 Days of Christmas is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are 12 verses, each describing a gift given by ‘my true love’ on one of the 12 days of Christmas.”

According to CNN’s reporting of the TNC Bankers’ 40-year tradition on the rising cost of purchasing these 12 Christmas gifts, it would require more than $43,000.

Naturally, the five golden rings must have kicked that index up significantly.

We tend to start the song over quite a few times due to long pauses. For example, if you miss your cue, all eyes will turn toward you, wondering what happened this time. Too much wine? Or did you merely nod off? Did your rechargeable hearing aid suddenly fail? It’s a simple song to sing by yourself in the shower but considerably more difficult when 11 other people are counting on you to fill in the gaps.

Over the years, our host has tried everything to make the soulstice recital run more efficiently. We each get a script and are encouraged to use a marker. I drew a giant star beside the verse that ended up as my solo.

For the past few years, I served as a quasiconductor, pointing directly at the person whose solo needs to be sung. It all moves quickly, so the pointing gets very animated.

With all the repetition, often I mix up which singer has “two turtle doves” and cue the wrong person.

Solstice and Christmas are closely aligned.

The Latin word solstice literally means “the sun stands still” which scientifically is a fireball of nonsense. But Joshua 10:12-14 says the sun did stand still over a battlefield once and frightened the battling armies away. Now wouldn’t that be a nice Christmas gift, for everyone to stop killing each other and reach for that other seemingly impossibility: peace on earth.

So much of life is about learning to sing together and about choosing the right time. It’s not about how well a person sings; and it’s not even about any particular song. People traveled to Stonehenge 5,000 years ago on the solstice, coming from across the British Isles to get there – some from as far away as Europe. Whether they contributed 12 druids a-leaping or even five stone rings doesn’t matter. They were all hearty souls, joining in the celestial revolution.

– David Feela

SignoftheDownfall:

Thumbin’It Warm up those shoveling muscles – winter has arrived with a vengeance.

Better yet, sweet talk or bribe a neighbor with a snow blower. Or a bigger shovel.

We know it’s cold out, so this might be hard to fathom: 2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record. Oh, and Colorado streamflows are expected to drop by 30% by 2050 – surf while you can.

After some down years in education during the pandemic, things are looking up. The high school graduation rate in Colorado jumped by 0.8 percentage points in 2023, to 83.1%. Way to hit the books, er, laptops.

The dark side of life in Colorado: one of the highest death rates from alcohol in the country. And, that rate surged by 60% in four years, with alcohol killing 1,547 people statewide in 2022.

Lily Gladstone became the first Native American woman to win a Golden Globe for best actress, for her role in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Even better, she gave part of her acceptance speech in the Blackfeet language.

4 n Jan. 11, 2024

Residents who don’t grasp plowing protocol. Here we go again: when the plow clears a spot down the street, move your car there (don’t poach your neighbor’s spot). Then, when the plow clears your spot, you can return. This way, you’re not leaving a giant iceberg till May.

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Ass Pro Hop An unidentified 42-year-old man from Alabama crashed his car outside of the Bass Pro Shop in Birmingham last week, stripped naked, sprinted into the store and then did a cannonball into the large aquarium that makes Bass Pro Shops famous. He got out briefly to yell at the responding officers because they interrupted his bath, but when he tried getting out a second time, he fell and landed on the concrete 10 feet below where he was arrested. This Alabama man was obviously trying to steal Florida Man’s thunder, but the whole thing turned out to be an embarrassment, because judging by the pictures, the water was very, very cold.

WritersontheRange

Luck, kindness & perseverance One Venezuelan woman’s harrowing story of coming to America

by Laura Pritchett

E

xactly what causes people to leave their homeland and make a difficult trek of 3,000 miles?

A young woman I’ll call Jhovid, who came here from Venezuela, has asked me to listen to her story, so that I and others may understand.

Her hair is neatly ponytailed, her clothes tidy, she looks composed – but her food is uneaten and tears streak her face. She tells me that people are starving to death in Venezuela. She looks at me to make sure I understand.

Starving.

We know about the dire conditions generally, and we know that our Colorado town of Fort Collins, like many, has absorbed large numbers of newly arrived immigrants who fled for their safety. But she hopes someone will bear witness to her particular journey.

So we gather with my friend, bilingual author Laura Resau, who has collaborated with other South American women to help them share their stories.

Jhovid is one of the many Venezuelan refugees who climbed off a bus months ago with no coat, food, shelter or contacts. She’s 32, she tells us, and graduated from college with a degree in business administration, but Venezuela was sinking economically as she was growing up. Jobs were scarce and gangs were everywhere.

She traveled with her sister to Colombia, where they worked for five years in a tennis shoe factory. But economic conditions soured there too, so the women went to Chile, traveling

The U.S.-Mexico border standing between turmoil and refuge ./Courtesy photo 23 days by foot and bus.

“We were crossing a banana plantation on the Ecuador-Peru border and men approached, asked for valuables, but we didn’t have any, so they said, ‘You’ll have to pay with something else, then.’”

I wince, predicting what is to come, but she offers a small smile. “I gave them my cheap cell phone and they left.”

Luck, kindness and perseverance seem to be the themes of her story, where, time after time, good people – in law enforcement, nonprofits, people living in poverty themselves – offer help.

Like the time immigration officials in Chile “gave us medical help and food, and we got jobs in fruit processing.” She liked the factory, the country and

sending money to her family.

Pero después. But then. Her father, a retired police officer who had been kidnapped and rescued, developed Parkinson’s disease. Her family was desperate for help. Jhovid knew that if she could make it to the U.S.-Mexico border to the “Very Famous Hole” through the border wall, she could get to America and find work that paid more.

For the next three months, the sisters traveled north, walking and hitchhiking through three countries. In Panama, they foraged for food in the jungle with los animales. Worst of all, her sister became very “sick from the river, because the river was contaminated from dead people.”

But then her eyes light up: A kind person gave them food, medicine,

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tickets to Costa Rica. Then it was on to Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. They hid under cars at a mechanic shop to avoid the Mexican Mafia. Caught twice by immigration patrols in southern Mexico, they were sent to towns near the Guatemalan border.

By the third time, she knew how to avoid la migra, and after making it through the Very Famous Hole, they arrived in El Paso. Finally, she and others were bused to Denver, where a stranger directed them to a homeless shelter, and later, a bus to Fort Collins.

Various groups stepped up with lightning speed, including churches and the nonprofits Fuerza Latina and Alianza NORCO. She’s grateful for all the help but is happy to have found a full-time job.

As Jhovid wraps up her story, I breathe out a sigh. This woman walked thousands of miles through country after country because she had to.

Determination and the kindness of strangers helped her succeed. But as I listen, I think of a family member’s response to immigrants – one echoed by many in this country: “They’re ruining the country, why would you want to help them?”

My answer: Why wouldn’t you respect their desperate quest for a decent life?

Laura Pritchett is an author, director of the MFA in Nature Writing at Western Colorado University and contributor to Writers on the Range, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She has two novels coming out this year from Torrey House Press and Ballantine; for more, see laurapritchett.com. ■

Jan. 11, 2024 n 5

SoapBox An urgent threat The third anniversary of Jan. 6 is a solemn reminder that we cannot take our fundamental freedoms for granted, including our right to vote and choose our leaders. Despite the fact that Donald Trump is facing charges for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection and conspiring to overturn the will of voters in 2020, he is still running for president. Too much is at stake for the American people to allow Trump to take back power.

Trump is desperately seeking a second term in the hopes of avoiding accountability for his crimes by pardoning himself, and he and his allies are already plotting to weaponize the Department of Justice against his enemies and purge the federal government of anyone who disagrees with him. After seeing how far Trump was willing to go on Jan. 6, we should take all of his threats seriously.

On top of this, MAGA Republicans nationwide continue their assault on our democracy by introducing radical voter-suppression bills in Congress and state legislatures, spreading false election conspiracy theories and threatening to overturn election results

6 n Jan. 11, 2024

D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim they disagree with.

Preserving our democracy takes work – and this year, we must all do our part.

Trump and his allies pose an urgent threat to our democracy, our fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. It’s up to all of us to ensure they do not return to power – Matt Cornell, Durango

Bitcoin is no lifeboat In response to Dan Rearden’s letter to the editor Dec. 28, 2023, (“First rule of fight club”): be skeptical of all schemes promising sure wealth or easy living because someone is going to lose. His explanation about the cause of the falling power of the dollar is not as simple as he would want you to believe. We all know that money is not real (nor is crypto currency) but is instead, an agreement to honor a method of exchange for receiving goods and services.

What crypto peddlers don’t tell you is 1) It has similarities to a pyramid scheme; 2) It is not secure – recall the innumerable crashes of crypto brokers due to computer hacking; and 3) While he notes that the Federal Reserve

“prints” money with the few clicks of a button, crypto “currency” is “mined” through complex algorithms that require more and more anonymous computing power. This is proving devastating to the environment.

Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Index estimated that from 2020-21, carbon

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emissions from crypto mining was equal to burning 84 billion pounds of coal or 190 natural gas power plants or 25 million tons of landfill waster, not to mention the increases in scarce water resources required. This trend will only increase as crypto adaptation increases.

Lastly, why don’t they discuss the

reasons for them wanting your actual hard-earned currency backed by the Federal Reserve to create a more stable currency that is not backed by anyone?

A society built on creating exclusive lifeboats at the cost of others and the environment is what’s driven civilization into such devastating existential crisis. We need a new approach that is inclusive and just for all on this amazing planet.

– Dale Robinson, Bayfield

The return of a native

Deep in the wintry woods of Colorado, a missing link has been restored in our wild kingdom. An ecological and ethical wrong has been righted. After an absence of 80 years, a grey ghost is once again poised to fulfill its vital role in the Central Rockies.

The wolf is back.

In the parlance of wolf advocates: paws are on the ground! A total of 10 grey wolves have been released into their brave new world by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, fulfilling a voter mandate.

As a long-time advocate for wild creatures and wild places, I encourage you to let loose a howl of delight.

This is one of the most significant conservation achievements of our lifetime.

On a continent where native peoples lived in harmony with wolves for millennia, in a culture mired in superstitions about big bad wolves, Coloradans have said, “We can co-exist!”

The road ahead will have bumps. There will be incidents of wolves behaving badly – there may be incidents of people behaving badly – though we’ll

hope for a minimum of both. There will definitely be a learning curve. But just as in the Northern Rockies where wolves were restored 25 years ago, we will adapt.

Much attention has been given to ranchers and the challenges they face. Changes will be required, and change is hard. But help is readily available.

Events in North Park, where a small pack of wolves migrated down from Wyoming a few years ago, have demonstrated that ranchers who accept help and adopt new practices have success avoiding problems with wolves. Some of those who have not, are not.

I’ve spoken with ranchers and hunters on many occasions, both here in La Plata County, in North Park, and in northeastern Utah. I’ve listened to their perspectives because I want to understand. I strongly believe in co-existence, in finding solutions where wildlife and ranching thrive. Seldom, however, have I been asked why I want wolves returned to Colorado.

Here are some of those reasons: • Wolves belong in Colorado. The earliest canids evolved right here on the continent, where they lived for thousands of years before being exterminated as part of a sanitizing of the landscape at the behest of agricultural interests. Restoring wolves rights a terrible wrong.

• Wolves are part of healthy ecosystems. Returning wolves at ecologically effective populations will have a broad range of positive environmental effects, including discouraging elk from over-browsing habitat and restoring riparian ecosystems – in turn allowing for the the return of beavers which initiate their own beneficial impacts.

• In their native habitat there are no good or bad animals. All species are part of the whole and are

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interconnected in ways we’re coming to incorporate into wildlife management. To value elk and vilify wolves is to misunderstand the basic tenets of ecology.

• Wolves will make elk herds stronger by culling weaker members. They can therefore play an important role in slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease that threatens Colorado’s elk.

Will wolves eat too many elk? No. Statistics provided

by Wyoming, Idaho and Montana wildlife agencies show more elk in the Northern Rockies today than before wolves were reintroduced in 1995.

• Wolf restoration shows that wildlife are a public resource. The public has a rightful say in helping make decisions about how wildlife is managed. For too long Colorado has allowed agricultural interests the singular political power to determine which animals we tolerate and which we do not.

• Watching the wolves work. Wolves will not initially be as observable as they are in Yellowstone.

But, I predict that in the near future, wolves will make their way to Rocky Mountain National Park where visitors will have front-row seats to the ecological transformation, starting with the desperately needed culling of overpopulated, over-grazing elk.

• Saving our planet’s wild future. Bringing back wolves to Colorado is a vigorous rebuke to the worldwide downhill slide of wildlife. Restoring wolves restores hope for our planet’s wild future and will encourage other communities to take similar actions to protect threatened or endangered species.

So let’s celebrate, Colorado!

– Clint McKnight, Durango

Jan. 11, 2024 n 7

ClimateCall

High and dry New state climate report projects continued warming, declining streamflows

by Heather Sackett / Aspen Journalism

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new report by the Climate Change Center at Colorado State University predicts what many in Colorado, and around the globe, have already feared. Colorado’s future spring runoff will likely come earlier; soil moisture will be lower; heat waves, droughts and wildfires will be more frequent and intense; and a thirstier atmosphere will continue to rob rivers of their flows – all changes driven by the burning of fossil fuels.

According to the Climate Change in Colorado Assessment report, released Mon., Jan. 8, and commissioned by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, by 2050, statewide annual temperatures are projected to warm by 2.5-5.5 degrees Fahrenheit compared to the late-20thcentury and 1-4 degrees compared with today. Colorado temperatures have already risen by 2.3 degrees since 1980.

By 2050, the average year is likely to be as warm as the hottest years on record through 2022.

The report’s findings have implications for the state’s water managers. Borrowing a phrase from climate scientist Brad Udall, climate change is water change – which has become a common maxim for water managers. As temperatures rise and streamflows decline, water supply is expected to decrease.

According to the report, by 2050 there will be an annual reduction of 5-30% in streamflow volume; a 5-30% reduction of April 1 snow-water equivalent; and an 817% increase in evaporation. Peak snowpack, which usually occurs in April, is also predicted to shift earlier by a few days to several weeks. Consequently, a hotter, drier atmosphere can lead to an increase in wildfire risk.

Scientists are less certain about whether precipitation will increase or decrease in the future. Dry conditions have persisted across the state for thepsast two decades. Most climate models project

8 n Jan. 11, 2024

The Crystal River in Carbondale, with a smoky view of Mount Sopris in the distance. According to the new Climate Change in Colorado Assessment report, Colorado will see an annual reduction of 5-30% in streamflow volume by 2050./Courtesy photo an increase in winter precipitation, but they suggest the potential for large decreases in summer precipitation. But even if precipitation stays the same, streamflows will dwindle because of increased temperatures.

“Streamflows are primarily driven by snowpack that melts in the spring,” Becky Bolinger, CSU researcher, assistant state climatologist and lead author of the report, said. “When you are warming your temperatures, you are first changing the timing of when that snowpack will melt. And because we’re losing more to

the atmosphere, that means we have less to run off in our rivers and be available for us later.”

Planning for less water CWCB officials hope water managers across the state will use the report to help plan for a future with less water. Many entities have already shifted to developing programs that support climate adaptation and resilience.

“I think we can say with confidence that it is more likely that we will have water shortages in the future,” Emily Adid, CWCB senior climate adaptation

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specialist, said. “I think this report is evidence of that and can help local planners and people on the ground plan for those reductions in streamflow.”

Denver Water, which is the oldest and largest in the state and provides water to 1.5 million people, helped to fund the report. Managers there have been preparing for a future of less-reliable water supply through conservation and efficiency, reservoir expansion and wildfire mitigation.

“Projected future streamflows is a huge challenge,” Taylor Winchell, Denver

Water’s senior planner, said. “The same amount of precipitation in the future means less steamflow because temperatures will continue to warm. …

All this leads to this concept of uncertainty. We really need to plan for a variety of ways the future can happen, essentially.”

Another finding of the report is that temperatures have warmed more in the fall than other seasons, with a 3.1 degrees Fahrenheit increase statewide since 1980, a trend that is expected to continue.

Although it’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause of fall warming, Bolinger said it may have to do with the summer monsoons, which have been weaker in recent years. That precipitation is critical, she said.

“First, you’re keeping the temperatures from getting too hot because you’re clouding over and getting storms,” Bolinger said. “And generally, with higher humidity, you’re going to have less evaporative loss from the soil. What we’ve been seeing in recent years is that we’re not getting that moisture in the late summer and into the fall.”

Less moisture and higher temperatures in the fall also lead to lower soil moisture, kicking off a vicious cycle heading into winter. The dry soil gets locked in under the snowpack, and when the spring melt

begins, the water must first replenish the soil before feeding rivers and streams.

This is what occurred in the Upper Colorado River Basin in 2021 when a near-normal snowpack translated to just 31% of normal runoff and the secondworst inflow ever into Lake Powell.

Some water users are already experience shortages, especially those with junior water rights. Initiatives to support the environment and recreation are also at risk. And shortages are likely to get worse in the future.

In addition to grant programs, one of the ways CWCB aims to help these water users is with a “future avoided cost explorer” (FACE) tool. This tool can help water managers figure out the costs of addressing – or failing to address – hazards such as wildfires, droughts and floods.

“That gives you a little bit of perspective to ask, ‘Well, what if I invest to mitigate this now, how can I lessen the potential impact in the future?’” Russ Sands, chief of CWCB’s water supply planning section, said. “I’m not trying to scare people; what we’re trying to do is motivate change and help them invest early.

Despite the near-certainty of continued warming and resulting changes to the water system, Bolinger said there is a bright spot. Since the last

time that a Climate Change in Colorado report was issued, in 2014, the world has begun to take action on reducing fossil fuel use and has shifted away from the worst-case scenario. Earlier projections were based on a “business as usual” assumption, with no climate mitigation.

“We do have things that have been put into place internationally like the Paris Accord,” Bolinger said. “We are

more along the lines of a middle-case scenario. As long as we continue to take the actions that have been planned out, we are going to follow that middle scenario, which does show warming, but it’s not as bad.”

This story is provided by Aspen Journalism, an independent, nonprofit news organization.

For more, visit aspenjournalism.org ■

It’s not hairy shopping at Jimmy’s.

Hours: Tues. - Fri. 11-6; Sat. 11-5 • www.jimmysmusic.supply 1239 Main Ave., Durango • 970-764-4577

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Jan. 11, 2024 n 9

FlashinthePan

All about that base

Baking soda, the unsung hero in everything from sippers to spuds

by Ari LeVaux

M

ost cooks and eaters understand the importance of acid in food.

If a dish isn’t popping as envisioned, a squeeze of lemon or dash of vinegar will sharpen the flavors with a bright zing. To a meat or cheese eater, a mouthful just isn’t the same without a sip of wine. A salad needs acid as much as oil and salt. Desserts use acid to help them add more sugar.

Scientifically speaking, an acid lowers the pH, which is a measure of how many free protons are bouncing around.

A base is the opposite of an acid. It raises the pH by increasing the number of free protons in the pot. The many culinary acids, including citrus and vinegar, get all of the attention while their counterpart quietly makes good things happen – sometimes by cancelling out acids. And once you learn how to properly pump up the base, nothing, including breakfast, will ever be the same. So as we head into the new year, I’ll show you how to use baking soda and baking powder, the two most common culinary bases, to improve your eggs, potatoes and even your morning coffee.

Is there anything baking soda can’t do? It’s the most based thing in the kitchen, hands down. Baking powder is more complex, with thickeners and multiple rising agents, including baking soda.

One of my favorite uses for baking soda is dulce de leche. It turns out, the flickering gas space heater in my house is perfect for making it.

To do so, I fill a quart jar with milk,

10 n Jan. 11, 2024

add a teaspoon of vanilla and a ½ teaspoon of baking soda. The baking soda keeps the milk from becoming acidic as it condenses, which would cause it to curdle. The process is labor intensive, because you don’t stop stirring, but worth it if you have too much milk on your hands. It can also be done on a stove, on low. As it thickens, stir in up to 1/2 cup of sugar if you think it needs it.

I use the same theory in making a beverage that I drink every day: stovetop mocha. I use about a half cup of milk to a cup of strong coffee, along with a tablespoon of cocoa powder, a dash of vanilla extract and a pinch of baking soda. I mix it together and let it sit on the stove for at least an hour. The baking soda softens the double acid whammy of coffee and cocoa powder, while sweetening the drink with sugar from the milk. You can cheat, of course, with sweetener. But with a nuanced light roast, a cup of unsweetened stovetop mocha doesn’t need anything extra. Naturally sweetened from within, it goes down smooth and comfy.

A properly applied base can also improve the rest of breakfast too, including potatoes and eggs. Add an 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder – not baking soda – to two eggs, and beat for about a minute. This will cause the release of carbon dioxide bubbles, which will result in perhaps the fluffiest scrambled eggs you’ve ever had.

Meanwhile, baking soda encourages the Maillard reaction, which creates the distinctive color and flavor of browned food. Boiling potatoes in baking soda water before baking them creates a tater

tot effect, with puffy interiors encased with delectable golden skins. Crispy on the outside and light as clouds on the inside, these potatoes will change your life.

Based Potatoes Serves 4 2 pounds potatoes, peeled or not peeled, and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

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Other spices; your choice Add potatoes to 6 quarts of salted water and bring to a boil. When the salted, potato’d water has come to a rolling boil, add the baking soda and watch the cauldron roil.

Boil until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and let dry in the colander for another 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Transfer potatoes to a baking pan, and toss with the olive oil and then the spices. Spread the potatoes out, so there is minimal touching among the spuds.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until utterly delectable, whichever comes first. ■

StufftoDo

Thursday11

Sustainable Biz Meet & Greet, 5-8 p.m., Durango Sustainable Goods, 1259 Main Ave. Live music by Leah Orlikowski, 5-8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave.

Saturday13

Free Yoga, 9-10 a.m., Hoody’s, Purgatory Resort

Durango Wedding Expo, 12 noon -3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Safety Meeting Trio plays, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

“From This Earth: The Timeless Beauty of Pueblo Pottery,” 1-2 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W 2nd Ave. and via zoom

Bluegrass Jam, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice, 3000 Main Ave.

SJMA and Mountain Studies Institute Snow Science & Social, 1-3 p.m., Andrews Lake

Live music by Tim Sullivan, 6-9 p.m., The Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Adam Swanson Ragtime, 5:30-10 p.m., The Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Live music by Andrew Schuhmann, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Mountainfilm on Tour, 5:45-8:30 p.m., Kendall Mountain Community Center, Silverton

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio Drag Trivia Night, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Karaoke, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice, 3000 Main Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted Live Music Derek Dames Ohl, 6-8 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Friday12

Free Friday Yoga, 8:30 a.m., Lively (a boutique), 809 Main Ave.

Deadline for “Stuff to Do” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item, email: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Free Yoga, 9-10 a.m., Hoody’s, Purgatory Resort Fanny Pack Fridays, 3 p.m., The Nugget Mountain Bar, 48721 North Hwy 550 Maybe Tomorrow Band plays, 3-5:30 p.m.

Purgy’s Patio Wine Sampling, 2-3:30 p.m., Purgatory Resort Live music by Leah Orlikowski, 5-8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave. Live music Pete Giuliani, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Public House 701, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

Author Event & Book Signing: Ben Goldfarb Crossings: “How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet,’ 6-8 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. Live music Pete Giuliani, 6-9 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, 18044 Co Rd 501, Bayfield

Sunday Funday, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave. Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., The Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music Ben Gibson, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Monday15

Community Art Bazaar, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Lumien Apartments Community Room, 3180 E Animas Village Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Solidarity March, 12:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College clock tower Ukulele Jam, 5 p.m., Durango Coffee Co., 730 Main Ave. Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 pm, Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E 3rd Ave., Ste. 109 or online at www.durangodharmacenter.org Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Comedy Showcase, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday16

Cowboy Tuesdays, 12 noon, Strater Hotel/Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Live music Matt Rupnow, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted

Eminence Ensemble X Evanoff with River Spell, doors 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E College Dr.

Slow Bluegrass Jam, 5:30-7:30 p.m., General Palmer Hotel, 567 Main Ave.

Silent Disco, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m., 11th St. Station

Sunday14

Rotary Club of Durango speaker Paul Kuenker, assistant professor of history at FLC, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave. Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Wine 101 - A Night of Comedy, 6-8 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Venture Snowboards Demo Day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Purgatory Resort

Friday Dance! 6 p.m. West Coast swing lesson; 7 p.m. dance-of-the-month lesson; 8-10 p.m. open dancing, VFW, durangodancing.com

Vallecito Nordic Demo Days, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., free cross country and skate ski demos and clinics. www.vallecitonordicclub.org

Dry January Mocktail Happy Hour, 3-6 p.m., Durango Sustainable Goods, 1259 Main Ave.

Durango Food Not Bombs mutual aid and potluck, 2-4 p.m., Buckley Park

Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play, 6-9 p.m., The Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Board Game Sundays, 2 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Aria PettyOne presents Aria’s Pizza Party, 8:30-9:30 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Durango Palestine Solidarity Coalition free Palestine rally and ceasefire in Gaza, 4 p.m., Buckley Park, 12th St. and Main Ave.

Warsaw and DJ I-Gene, doors 5 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E College Dr.

First Irie Friday Reggae Dance, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Roxys, 639 Main Ave.

Live Music Alex Krug Combo, 4:30-6:30 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Open Mic, 6:30 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

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Wednesday17

Restorative Yoga for Cancer, 9:30-10:45 a.m., no cost for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Info and register at cancersupportswco.org/calendar Yoga with In the Weeds, 10-11 a.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave., Ste. A Wine, Liquor, Beer tasting and pairing, 4-6 p.m., Wagon Wheel Liquors, 30 Town Plaza

Jan. 11, 2024 n 11

AskRachel

Phone ADHD, kicking back and gotcha day Interesting fact: “Gotcha Day” is so established, it has its own Wikipedia page, which states that some adoptees find the term offensive. And this is how Rachel slowly realized people actually use this term for people adoptions, not just for pets.

Dear Rachel, ‘Tis the season for self-improvement and all that. I’ve decided to work on my willpower. When I’m focused on something and I hear my phone, I don’t allow myself to open past the lock screen until I finish the thing I’m doing. I don’t think it’s working though.

Because trying not to look at the screen takes more effort & time away from work than just looking at it does. How do I get better? Or am I just wasting my energy?

–Miss Directed Dear Over Exertion, Willpower is a muscle, so they say. Which means you gotta work it. But since you’re not used to working it, you’re likely to strain a ligament or a tendon or something. Which will require you to ice your willpower and recuperate for 6-8 weeks. If you don’t, you could risk needing surgery. That would lay you up for months. So, maybe focus on putting your phone in the other room, in a safe with a timer. Or just turn off notifications.

– Out of focus time, Rachel

Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Bottom Shelf Brewery, 118 Mill St., Bayfield Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr. Karaoke Roulette, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Dear Rachel, I was following a beer delivery truck on College Ave. It pulled into a liquor store to deliver the needed goods. Well, the license plate on the back was red and white, with the side saying GOV on the plate. I think that stands for government issued. So, do we get a kick back from the sales to go into city, county, state budget?

– Beer Bubbles Dear Sudsy, Yeah, you get to kick back with a cold one after a hard day of vigilantism! That’s the kick back you can count on. Technically, though, aren’t all license plates government issued? Which, gotta say, I’m a fan of the front-and-back his-and-hers plates in Colorado. Cuts way, way down on the quotient of tacky nongovernment-issued plates. And our green-andwhite is just handsome. The GOV ought to change away from red just so people like you aren’t drawn to them like a shark to blood.

– Unlicensed, Rachel Dear Rachel, My pet parent friends are now celebrating their animals’ Gotcha Days, since no one knows when their real birthdays are. I can’t stand this term Gotcha Day, because I think of parents chasing their kids around (for fun!)

Upcoming

Derek Dames Ohl plays, Thurs., Jan. 18, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Know Before You Go: Avalanche Awareness Clinic, Thurs., Jan. 18, 6 p.m., Durango Library,1900 E. 3rd Ave.

and growling “Gotcha!” when they gotcha.

Can we please rename these celebrations?

– Gotcha Gume Dear Getted Gotted Good, The real fun here is imagining the ways we could incorporate that Frankenstein’s monster style of “gotcha” into Gotcha Day celebrations. “It’s Spot’s Gotcha Day, kids! Let’s see who can get 10 tourists on Main the fastest!” Bonus points for Most Innovative Celebratory Gotcha, and the Best Long Play Gotcha, which definitely hurts the “fastest” goal but requires the sort of willpower I’m game for exerting.

– Gonna getcha, Rachel

“Heliotropic,” photography exhibit by Courtney Lane, opening reception, Fri., Jan. 19, 5:30-7 p.m., Stillwater Music, 1315 Main Ave., Ste. C Wine 101 - A Night of Comedy, Fri., Jan. 19, 6-8 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Poetry Night, Thurs., Jan. 18, 6 p.m., Durango Sustainable Goods, 1259 Main.

Ongoing

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Friday Dance! Fri., Jan. 19, 6 p.m.

West Coast swing lesson; 7 p.m. dance-ofthe-month lesson; 8-10 p.m. open dancing, VFW, durangodancing.com

Matthew Sievers “Landscapes of Light,” thru Jan. 19, Blue Rain Gallery, 934 Main Ave.

Trivia Night, Thurs., Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio

Christmas Tree Drop Off, Santa Rita Park, thru Jan. 31

Drag Trivia Night, Thurs., Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main.

Balkan Bump with special guest Phyphr, Māh Ze Tār, Fri., Jan. 19, doors 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Ave.

“The Return of the Force,” art exhibit, FLC’s Center for Southwest Studies. Thru August 2024

Dry January Mocktail Happy Hour, Fri., Jan. 19, 3-6 p.m., Durango Sustainable Goods, 1259 Main Ave.

San Juan Symphony String Quartet: Beyond the Concert Hall,

Hiring servers and bartenders 1135 Main Ave. • DGO, CO

12 n Jan. 11, 2024

Send your resume to carmen@eleventhstreetstation.com

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Fri., Jan. 19, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave. Winter Vegetable Growing Tour of Brightwood Farm, Sat., Jan. 20, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., sign up by Jan. 15 with Susan at: svidal65@gmail.com Live Music with Ashleigh Bennett, Sat., Jan. 20, 6 p.m. EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave. Board Game Sundays, Sun., Jan. 21, 2 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave. Durango Death Café, Mon., Jan. 22, 4-5:30 p.m., Durango Joe’s, 732 College.

SJMA Full Moon Howler Snowshoe, Wed., Jan. 24, 6-9 p.m., Durango Nordic Center.

FreeWillAstrology / Week of Jan. 11, 2024

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): Why do birds sing? They must be expressing their joy at being alive. In some cases, they are trying to impress and attract mates. Ornithologists tell us that birds are also staking out their turf. Flaunting vigor is a sign to other birds of how strong and commanding they are. I invite you Aries humans to sing more than ever before in 2024. Like birds, you have a mandate to boost your joie de vivre and wield more authority. Here are 10 reasons why singing is good for your health: tinyurl.com/HealthySinging TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Which zodiac sign is most likely to have a green thumb? Who would most astrologers regard as the best gardener? Who would I call on if I wanted advice on harvesting peaches, caring for roses or discerning weeds that be helpful and useful? The answer, according to my survey, is Taurus. I believe you Bulls will be even more fecund than usual around plants in 2024. Further, I expect you to be extra fertile and creative in every area of your life. I hereby dub you Maestro of the Magic of Germination and Growth.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Research suggests that 70 percent of us have experienced at least one traumatic event in our lives. I suspect the percentage is higher. For starters, everyone has experienced the dicey expulsion from the warm, nurturing womb. That’s usually not a low-stress event. The good news, Gemini, is that now and then there come phases when we have more power than usual to heal from traumas. The coming months will be one of those curative times for you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): At their best, Libras foster vibrant harmony in social situations. At their best, Scorpios stimulate the talents and beauty of those they engage with. Leos and Sagittarians inspire enthusiasm in others by expressing their innate radiance.

Many of us may get contact highs from visionary, deep-feeling Pisceans. In 2024, Cancerian, I believe you can call on all these modes as you brighten and nurture people in your sphere – even if you have no Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Leo or Pisces influences in your astrological chart.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here are my wishes for you in 2024. 1. I hope you will rigorously study historical patterns in your life. I hope you will gather robust insights

into the rhythms and themes of your amazing journey.

2. You will see clearly what parts of your past are worth keeping and which are better left behind. 3. You will come to a new appreciation of the heroic quest you have been on. You will feel excited about how much further you can go. 4. You will feel gratitude for the deep inner sources that have been guiding you. 5. You will be pleased to realize how much you have grown.

success because we are afraid of being defeated or demoralized. “Loss aversion” is a well-known psychological concept that applies when we are so anxious about loss that we don’t pursue the gain. In my astrological estimation, you Centaurs should be especially on guard against this inhibiting factor in 2024. I am confident you can rise above it, but to do so, you must be eager to summon new reserves of courage.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Eduardo Galeano mourned how institutions condition us to divorce our minds from our hearts, and our bodies from our souls. Even sadder, many of us deal with these daunting schisms by becoming numb. The good news, Virgo, is that I expect 2024 to be one of the best times for you to foster reconciliation between the split-off parts of yourself. Let’s call this the Year of Unification. May you be inspired to create fusions of your fragmented parts.

Visualize your thoughts and feelings weaving together in harmony. Imagine your material and spiritual needs finding common sources of nourishment.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 2024, I predict you will be blessed with elegant and educational expansion—but also challenged by the possibility of excessive, messy expansion. Soulful magnificence could vie for your attention with exorbitant extravagance. Even as you are offered valuable novelties that enhance your sacred and practical quests, you may be tempted with lesser inducements you don’t really need. For optimal results, Capricorn, I urge you to avoid getting distracted by irrelevant goodies. Usher your fate away from pretty baubles and towards felicitous beauty.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to ancient Greek myth, the half-divine hero Heracles consulted the Oracle of Delphi. He was assigned to perform 12 daunting feats, most of which modern people would regard as unethical, like killing and stealing. There was one labor that encouraged integrity, though. Heracles had to clean the stables where over a thousand divine cattle lived. The place hadn’t been scrubbed in 30 years! As I meditated on your hero’s journey, Libra, I concluded that you’d be wise to begin with a less grandiose version of Heracles’ work. Have fun as you cheerfully tidy up your life! By doing so, you will earn the power to experience deep and colorful adventures in the coming months.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Some people feel that “wealth” refers to financial resources. If you’re wealthy, it means you have a lot of money, luxurious possessions and lavish opportunities to travel. But wealth can be measured in other ways. Do you have an abundance of love in your life? Have you enjoyed soulful adventures? Does your emotional intelligence provide rich support for your heady intelligence? I bring this up, Aquarius, because I believe 2024 will be a time when your wealth will increase. The question to ruminate on: How do you define wealth?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I will name two taboos I think you should break in 2024. The first is the theory that you must hurt or suppress yourself to help others.

The second is that you must hurt or suppress others to benefit yourself. Please scour away any delusion you might have that those two strategies could serve you. In their place, substitute these hypotheses: 1. Being good to yourself is the best way to prepare for helping others. 2. Being good to others is the best way to benefit yourself.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will,” Sagittarian author Suzy Kassem says. Many of us have avoided a quest for

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life,” said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

Here’s my response to that bold declaration: It’s utterly WRONG! No one in the history of the world has ever built anything solely by their own efforts, let alone a bridge to cross the river of life.

Even if you are holed up in your studio working on a novel, painting, or invention, you are absolutely dependent on the efforts of many people to provide you with food, water, electricity, clothes, furniture, and all the other goodies that keep you functioning.

It’s also unlikely that anyone could create anything of value without having received a whole lot of love and support from other humans. Sorry for the rant, Pisces. It’s a preface for my very positive prediction: In 2024, you will have substantial help in building your bridge across the river of life.

Get yo your ur groo oove on for Snowdown!

Lots of ’60s and ’70s costume ideas Buy • Sell • Trade • Consign ~ Home Furnishings ~ Clothing ~ Accessories ~ Jewelry 572 E. 6th Ave. • 970-385-7336

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Jan. 11, 2024 n 13

FreeWillAstrology / Week of Jan. 18, 2024

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries chemist Percy Julian (1899–1975) was a trailblazer in creating medicine from plants. He patented over 130 drugs and laid the foundation for cortisone and birth control pills.

Julian was also a Black man who had to fight relentlessly to overcome the racism he encountered everywhere. I regard him as an exemplary member of the Aries tribe, since he channeled his robust martial urges toward constructive ends again and again. May he inspire you in the coming weeks. Don’t just get angry or riled up. Harness your agitated spirit into a series of triumphs.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus actor Pierce Brosnan says, “You struggle with money. You struggle without money. You struggle with love. You struggle without love. But it’s how you manage. You have to keep laughing, you have to be fun to be with, and you have to live with style.” Brosnan implies that struggling is a fundamental fact of everyday life, an insistent presence that is never far from our awareness. But if you’re willing to consider the possibility that his theory may sometimes be an exaggeration, I have good news: The coming months could be less filled with struggle than ever before. As you deal with ease and grace, I hope you will laugh, be fun and live with style.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author and activist William Upski Wimsatt is one of my role models. In part, because he shares my progressive political ideals and works hard to get young people to vote for enlightened candidates who promote social justice.

Another reason is that he aspires to have 10,000 role models. Not just a few celebrity heroes, but a wide array of compassionate geniuses making the world more like paradise. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to gather new role models. I also suggest you look around for new mentors, teachers and guides.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I want you to fulfill your desires! I want you to get what you want! Yearnings are not unspiritual indulgences that divert us from enlightenment. On the contrary, I believe longings are sacred homing signals guiding us to our highest truths. With this in mind, here are four tips to enhance your quests in coming months: 1. Some of your desires may be distorted or superficial versions of deeper, holier desires. Do your best to dig down and find their heart source. 2. To help manifest your de-

14 n Jan. 11, 2024

sires, visualize yourself as having already accomplished them. 3. Welcome the fact that when you achieve what you want, your life will change in unpredictable ways. You may have to deal with a good kind of stress.

4. People are more likely to assist you in getting what you yearn for if you’re not greedy and grasping.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo psychologist Carl Jung (1875–1961) was genius with a supreme intellect. Here’s a quote from him: “We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling. Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy.” You may already believe this in your gut. But we live in a culture that values intellect above feeling. So it’s essential to be regularly reminded of the bigger truth – especially now. To make righteous decisions, you must respect your feelings as much as your intellect.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Poet Rainer Maria Rilke exalted the physical pleasure of sex. He mourned that so many “misuse and squander this experience and apply it as a stimulant to the tired spots of their lives ... instead of a rallying toward exalted moments.”

At its best, Rilke said, sex gives us “a knowing of the world, the fullness and the glory of all knowing.” It is a sublime prayer, an opportunity to feel sacred communion on every level. That’s the erotic experience I wish for you in coming weeks. And I believe you will have an expanded potential for making it happen.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Even if you are bonded with a spouse or partner, I recommend you propose matrimony to an additional person: yourself. I believe the coming months will be prime time for you to get married to your own precious soul. If you’re brave enough and crazy enough to carry out this daring move, devote yourself to it with lavish abandon. Get yourself a wedding ring, write your vows, conduct a ceremony and go on a honeymoon. If you’d like inspiration, read my piece “I Me Wed:” tinyurl.com/SelfMarriage SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Talking about a problem can be healthy. But in most cases, it should be a preliminary stage that leads to practical action; it shouldn’t be a substitute for action. Now and then, however, there are exceptions to this rule. Mere dialogue, if grounded in mutual respect, may be sufficient to dissolve a logjam and make further action unnec-

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essary. The coming days will be such a time for you, Scorpio. I believe you and your allies can talk your way out of difficulties.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian cartoonist Charles Schulz wrote, “My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out. What am I doing right?” I suspect in 2024, you may go through a brief phase similar to his: feeling blank, yet content. But it won’t last. Eventually, you will be driven to seek a new sense of intense purpose. As you pursue this reinvention, a fresh version of happiness will bloom. Be willing to outgrow your old ideas about what brings you gladness.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): We all go through phases that feel extra plodding and pedestrian. During these times, the rhythms and melodies of our lives seem drabber than usual. The good news is that I believe you Capricorns will experience fewer of these slowdowns than usual in 2024. The rest of us will be seeing you at your best and brightest on a frequent basis. In fact, the gifts and blessings you offer may flow toward us in abundance. So it’s no coincidence if you feel exceptionally well-loved during the coming months. PS: The optimal way to respond to the appreciation you receive is to ratchet up your generosity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 1903, The New York Times prophesied that the revolutionary technology of flying machines was still at least a million years in the future – possibly 10 million years. In conclusion, it declared that there were better ways to apply our collective ingenuity than working to create such an unlikely invention. Nine weeks later, Orville and Wilbur Wright completed a flight with the airplane they had made. I suspect that you, Aquarius, are also primed to refute an expectation or prediction about your supposed limitations. (Afterward, try not to gloat too much.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your sweat and tears are being rewarded with sweets and cheers. Your diligent, detailed work is leading to expansive outcomes that provide relief and release. The discipline you’ve been harnessing with such panache is spawning breakthroughs in the form of elegant liberations. Congrats, dear Pisces! Don’t be shy about welcoming in the fresh privileges flowing your way. You have earned these lush dividends.

classifieds

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon. Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum. Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted via: n www.durangotelegraph.com n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2 Approximate office hours: Mon-Wed: 9ish - 5ish

Announcements Rats Leave a Sinking Ship Bye-bye Durango, going to CD4. Need a life jacket.

Call a Lawyer Event Colorado Legal Services will host a free “Call a Lawyer” event on January 23 from 5-7PM. Callers will be paired with a volunteer attorney to ask their legal question in a confidential setting. No registration is required, simply call 970-247-0266 on Tuesday, January 23, between 5 and 7PM to participate in this event.

Friday 6pm Dancing Lesson at VFW Go to DurangoDancing.com to get on notification list.

KDUR is Celebrating 50 years in 2025 and is looking for past DJs. If you did a show and have stories to tell email station manager Bryant Liggett, Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

HelpWanted

Wanted Used Apple Nano iPod in working condition. Karyn, 970-9468292.

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

‘Pain Hustlers’ Starts out good but much like pill withdrawal it gets bad toward the end – Lainie Maxson

Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970259-3494.

Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.

ForRent Small Office for Rent Downtown Office is 8 x 10 sq. ft. located at 755 E. 2nd Ave. Rent is $209/mo. Available by Feb. 15th or March 1st. For more info. please call 970-703-8458.

ForSale TaoTronics 4k Action Camera New and in the box: waterproof housing, handlebar/pole mount, mounts, battery, tethers, protective back cover, USB cable and lens cleaning cloth. $50.

J.marie.pace@gmail.com Reruns Home Furnishings Brighten up your space. Lots of new inventory including household side and sofa tables, nightstands, bookcases, cool art, etc. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.Sat. 385-7336.

House Painting and Cleaning Maddie Paints LLC provides detail oriented house painting and pre-occupational cleaning services. Winter discounts available for interior paint jobs and some cleaning jobs. Free phone call and site visit. www.maddie-paints.com email: info@maddie-paints.com phone: (970) 946-9822

BodyWork Compassionate, Informed myofascial massage and structural integration, offering well-being and mindbody connection for 17 years. Now Receiving new clients. Melanie Higbee LMT, 970.238.0422

Services

Hiring at Cortez Adult Ed Center!

Hiring a GED math & science instructor at Cortez Adult Ed Center! $22 - $25/hr part time. Small classes, no grading! Start immediately! Full details at durango adulted.org or contact at 970-385-4354 or info@durangoadulted.org.

HaikuMovieReview

Marketing Small/Local Businesses Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. www.the saltymedia.com or email jnderge@ gmail.com Lowest Prices on Storage!

Inside/outside storage near Durango and Bayfield. 10-x-20, $130. Outside spots: $65, with discounts available. RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.

telegraph

Lotus Path Healing Arts Unique, intuitive fusion of Esalen massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years of experience. Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

CommunityService Volunteers Needed Do you want to make a difference in your community and the lives of others?

Alternative Horizons is always in need of volunteers to staff our hotline. AH has been supporting and empowering survivors of domestic violence since 1978.

Training and ongoing support provided.

Next training April 19, 20 and 26. For more info., call 970-247-4374 or visit alternativehorizons.org/

“I saw it in the Telegraph.”

Read by thousands of discerning eyeballs every week. (*And a few that just look at the pictures.)

For more info. on how to get your business or event seen, email: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com Jan. 11, 2024 n 15

Vallecito Nordic Demo Day & Ski Clinics Sun., Jan. 14 • 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Free cross country and skate ski demos Must have photo ID to demo equipment

Free classic and skate clinics at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.

All vehicles need a PRID recreation permit ($6 per car) available at the trailhead or in advance at: www.pineriverirrigationdistrict.com/recreation-user-permits Participants Pine Needle Mountaineering, Backcountry Experience, 2nd Ave. Sports, Tailwind, Durango Outdoor Exchange, Fischer, Rossignol, Salomon and SWIX.

16 n Jan. 11, 2024

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