The Betty Pages - January 2014 Betty’s Corner
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Community Event
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By Betty Desire, The Betty Pages
In The Mix
By Bridget Adams
Not About Indian Cinema By Lyle Pearson
Village Books Jan. Events The Comics!
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r! a e Y w e N Happy
About our Contributors... Miss Betty Desire has been entertaining anyone who would listen in Bellingham for nearly 10 years, and is proprietor of The Betty Pages, the monthly publication that you are reading at this very moment. It is her hope that your perusal of the Betty Pages will enrich your life one chuckle at a time. Writer Bridget Adams currently resides in Washington State but that is always subject to change. Lucky enough to be a full-time, if poor, writer, she is most likely somewhere in front of her computer with a cup of coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Queer Film Historian Lyle Pearson has published in Film Quarterly Sight and Sound, International Film Guide, Filmfare, Youth Times, and Manshots. With a BA from Pacific Lutheran College (1959) and a MA from San Francisco State College (1968), he has also taught film at Western Washington University. Naomi graduated Whatcom Community College with an Associates in Visual Communications -Graphic Design but prefers more hands on tinkering such as wire craft & random projects (of which she always has many still to finish). She believes that everyone has a right to pursue their happiness as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone
Staff Photographer John Phillip after 40+ years of television
production engineering work John has settled down in Bellingham to semi retirement and is now revised his love of photography. His education touched on Theology, pre-med, law enforcement, fire protection engineering and film production. John likes to keep broad horizons. “Don’t Dream It, Be It”
Kathy Reim is a PFLAG mom who volunteers in a variety of leadership roles because she gets to meet amazing people and use all the skills gathered over a lifetime as a teacher, mediator and political activist. One of her proudest moments was being called a ho-mo-sex-u-al activist six times by a leader of the anti-Referendum 71 campaign. She was impressed by his enunciation and repetition and her ability to keep from laughing until later.
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Betty’s Corner Betty Desire, The Betty Pages
By now you have shaken off the last of the hangover from New Years Eve and are vowing never to party like that again. However we all know how long that New Years resolution will last! Happy hour anyone? Seriously though, 2013 was an awesome year. As I write this there are now 18 States and the District of Columbia where you can marry the person you love, and one of those States is …..wait for it....Utah! That’s right a Federal judge in Salt Lake City struck down that States Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage and since Utah has no waiting period for a marriage after you get the license, hundreds of giddy Gay Utahans flooded the courthouse and got married minuets after the judges ruling. When I first read about this online I had to check the sources to see if I hadn’t stumbled on a satirical web site like “The Onion” but it checked out. Utah’s Attorney General asked the judge to stay his ruling and that stay was denied. The State of Utah will appeal the ruling but until the case is heard marriages for same sex couples in Utah will be legal. Some Counties in the State have refused to issue licenses to anyone to avoid having to issue a license to a same sex couple. (you know if they are really that frightened of catching the gay they could just wear masks and gloves) besides what Gay couple in Utah would flinch at driving a few hundred miles to get a license to marry the person they love? Just plane mean spirited I say! Just like Scrooge from Charles Dickens “ A Christmas Carol” There is a Ghost of Utah’s past involved here you know. Because of the Mormon Church doctrine of polygamy, Utah was forced in their petition for Statehood to define marriage as “one man and only one woman”
Happy 2014
Betty Desire
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Something else is new in 2014 I have health insurance for the first time in almost 10 years! I signed up for health care and it went into effect this month. Back on October 2nd I got on Washington States exchange and signed up. No glitches, no headache, just healthcare! I could have gotten a free plan but chose one that will cost me less than $65 dollars a month. I have no co-pays to worry about a low deductible and a low maximum out of pocket. It is not as good as single payer, or as inclusive as Canada’s system but it is better than nothing and fairly close to Medicare (I will be 65 in 6 years so I will switch over then) I am so excited! I now will be able to afford to be a healthy decadent drag queen! Something to remember when you are watching all the negative nellies rant about Obama Care. They are the same people who fought against Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid (they are using the same arguments). They wanted to dismantle Medicare and change it to a voucher system! The same ones who refused to extend long term unemployment benefits this year, and the program that they are ranting about was originally their idea! The template used for the Affordable Care Act was derived from a proposal by the Heritage Foundation and modeled after the Massachusetts plan instituted by then Republican Governor Mitt Romney . In time this will work well for nearly everyone. Until then I am going to browse through my new brochure and see if I can get some pointers on weight loss.
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Community Event
Emergency Circus Returns From Middle East To Administer Free Joy Across North America
New Orleans, LA. (Nov., 2013)--Bellingham based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Emergency Circus plans to raise $11,000 in one month in order to bring inspiration and empathy to the hurt and healing. The group hopes their grassroots funding campaign will fund an intercontinental healing tour this spring. After returning from Syrian Refugee Camps in Jordan, small villages in the West Bank of Palestine, and the curfew imposed streets of Cairo, Egypt this October, Emergency Circus founder Clay “Mazing” Letson decided it was time to take the Circus to the streets of North America. Emergency Circus is an all volunteer-run coalition of circus artists and a division of Patch Adams' Gesundheit Institute. The group has visited children's wards, senior centers, homeless shelters, prisons and elsewhere hoping to administer a shot of joy to places where health and happiness struggle. Next—if they can raise the necessary crowd-sourced funds—the coalition plans to take seven circus professionals between New Orleans, New York, Mexico, and Canada beginning this April. Through circus arts, their goal is to bring magic, music, workshops, and humor to those in need. "We believe in the healing power of joy to elevate endorphins, relieve stress, build community, and diminish pain." Says Emergency Circus founder Clay Mazing. Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, the real-life doctor/clown depicted by Robin Williams in the movie that bears his name, has affiliated the circus into his institute. “The Emergency is we will not make it if we don’t change the love and circus is the answer. To recreate a world that is loving and joyful and having fun, that’s how simple the answer is.” Dr. Adams adds that "laughter boosts the immune system and helps the body fight off disease, cancer cells as well as viral, bacterial, and other infections. Being happy is the best cure of all diseases.” THE JAMBULANCE PLAN
"The world is in a state of emergency," says Mazing. "It's time to stop ignoring and start caring." About Emergency Circus: Composed of members of the New Old Time Chautauqua, the Sustainable Living Institute, and the Bellingham Circus Guild, The nonprofit performance troupe Emergency Circus travels to hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and other places where happiness, health, and human connection struggle. They teach workshops and perform inspirational shows for often overlooked communities. About Gesundheit Institute: The Gesundheit! Institute, a non-profit healthcare organization chartered under the Nonprofit Corporation Act of the District of Columbia, is a project in holistic medical care based on the belief that one cannot separate the health of the individual from the health of the family, the community, the world, and the health care system itself. In its 40-year history, Gesundheit has offered care to tens of thousands, given workshops and lectures in over 65 countries, built and supported clinics, schools, and orphanages from El Salvador to Cambodia, and brought the joy of clowning to
parts of the world damaged by violence and injustice.
Media Contact: - Emergency Circus - Clay "Mazing" Letson 246 Old Highway 99 N Bellingham, WA http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/146606624/emergency-circus-tour-to-the-rescue (520) 405-7814 emergencycircus@gmail.com - www.emergencycircus.com - www.facebook.com/circusemergency - www.twitter.com/circusemergency -www.patchadams.org w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m
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But in order to tour a healing circus through North America, Emergency Circus needs to raise funds to survive on the road and convert their “Jambulance,” a retrofitted Ford ambulance turned circus-vehicle, to run on waste vegetable oil. WVO will be donated by restaurant chains across the country and contains less carbon monoxide than diesel, making their tour an economically and environmentally sustainable venture. The Emergency Circus has begun a campaign on Kickstarter.com, a crowdfunding website, in order to solicit donations from individuals worldwide. Kickstarter campaigns operate under an “all-or-nothing” funding model—meaning if the "Emergency Circus: Tour to the Rescue" project fails to reach its financial goal by Dec. 7th, 2013, even by a single dollar, the circus won't receive anything. Anyone wanting to contribute can visit www.emergencycircus.com and follow the link to Kickstarter. Prizes are offered as thank yous for generous contributions and range from a personalized super hero theme song to an invitation to run away with the circus.
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In The Mix Bridget Adams
Over the years, Poppets, I have be incredibly vocal about rejecting the pressure of a New Year’s Resolution. And no, I’m not backing off of that at all this year. But that doesn’t mean we can’t decide what we want this next year to look like, set some goals for ourselves. Goals like… Being kind to each other. Curb the cattiness this year. Focus less on who a person is on the outside, and pay closer attention to who they are on the inside. Get to know someone you work with, live near, go to school with. Hold a door, or say thank you when someone holds the door for you. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. The small things can make a difference – sometimes a big one. Giving what we can, when we can. The holiday season is a great time for giving. Food banks and charities are asking for help in force. There are opportunities galore. But the need exists year-round. In fairness, not all of us have a lot to share, but that doesn’t need to stop us. A dollar a week is all it takes. Or put your spare change in a jar and give it away at the end of every month. Maybe buy a can of tuna or chicken soup or a toothbrush every time you go to the grocery store. By the end of the month, the quarter, or the year, you won’t have spent much, but the critical mass you’ve accumulated for the organization will be very appreciated. Last month, I wrote about organizations you could give to. They would love your help throughout the year, too.
Trying something new. I don’t mean “go to the gym every night” something new. I mean go for Indian food instead of ordering pizza. Take an art class. Color your hair – it’s even okay to use a temporary dye to make sure you like it. It can be something you’ve always wanted to try, or it can be something that catches your eye on a whim. Just do something you’ve never done before. Being kind to yourself. This is my favorite. You know how you can never quite… How you just can’t… How you always manage to screw up the… It’s time to let that go. Embrace what you can do. Delight in your talents. Accept your own greatness. Picking your friends. If there is anyone in your world who doesn’t support you in all of this, they don’t deserve to be in your world any longer. Anyone who holds you back, no matter how long you’ve known them, doesn’t have a place by your side. 2014 can be a great year. We can all be happy, healthy, confident. With no resolutions, and no guilt. Resolutions are tough; goals can be helpful. Just choose them wisely, because goals can sometimes masquerade as resolutions. Be nicer to yourself than that. You deserve it. We all do. So, yes, happy new year, Poppets. Until next month, take care of you.
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Not About Indian Cinema: A Queer Film Bibliography Lyle Pearson
Granted, some of my readers have complained that I write too often about the gay subtext in Indian cinema. Granted, I could go on about the ‘gay’ kiss in David Dhawan’s MAINE PYAAR KYUN KYA? (WHY DID I FALL IN LOVE?, 2005), when Salman Khan (qv) closes his eyes outside a bathroom where he thinks his lady love is bathing and asks for a kiss when she comes out: it is really Sohail Khan, (actually Salman’s younger brother), with pecs to die for, who has been bathing, and when he comes out wearing only a white towel, he kisses Salman on the left cheek. Salman finds this so satisfying that, still with his eyes closed, he asks for another on the right cheek, and opens them only when the two are about to lock lips. Salman then lightly brushes off the kisses in an unconvincing show of disgust. When Sohail exits, we discover that he has “No Entry” printed on the back of his towel. Or I could go on about the new star Ranveer Singh in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s GOLIYAN KI RASLEELA RAM LEELA (2013), who spent months in the gym before production, and whose dancing consists mostly of footwork and naked to the waist physique posing. Or about the three young men resembling Amar, Akbar and Anthony (qv), ‘Amar’ a volleyball player, ‘Akbar’ the short one, and ‘Anthony’ the big one, who surrounded me at the Kolkata 2013 International Film Festival, felt my biceps, asked me what hotel I was in and gave me their e-mail addresses, and which one knocked on my door the next morning.
First, John Sarkar’s “Brands Flirt With Taboo Topics in TV ads,” (11/17/13) describes “A daughter tells her parents that boys don’t interest her. A young girl cannot take her eyes off a middle-aged man wrapped only in a towel. Two lesbians come out of a closet straightening their clothes. A dusky woman remarries in the presence of her kid,” and suggests these may be “ruminations of a society that has reached a tipping point.” The first ad is for Virgin mobile phones; the second for Old Spice, featuring Miland Soman in that towel; he is also the inspiration for Harjat Gill’s 2007 Indo-American short film MILAND SOMAN MADE ME GAY! (available on YouTube); the third for Fastrack, India’s largest retailer for sunglasses, leather belts and bags, and is reminiscent of rocking cars in old Indian condom ads; the last features not a light-complexioned, but dark bride remarrying, remarriage having been a taboo subject in India not long ago. It was directed by a woman, Gauri Shinde, who also
All four ads have gone viral on YouTube. Not only that, but “a Lava phone ad shows a saleswoman handing condoms to a man in place of change,” and deodorant ads “more often than not show married women falling for other men.” A Hero Maestro scooter (smaller than a motorbike), usually ridden by women, is advertised by Ranbir Kapoor (no relation to Ranveer: he’s a hunk, Ranbir is cute), who slyly tells his girlfriend that he has no intention of marrying her. Although films like DOSTANA (qv) “have questioned our prejudices before,” according to advertising agency Cheil India’s Ranjan Nautiyal, TV ads reach “a larger audience. And,” he concludes, “brands will increasingly unmask reality and parrot it going forward.” In another ad that I’ve seen, two women share the same bottle of Dove skin cream in a bedroom, as if they were about to rub down each other. Yet another promotes silver “friendship rings,” rather than wedding bands According to Manjula Sen in THE TELEGRAPH, Gauri Shinde has become the toast of the advertising world with her Tanishq ad. Women in ads, to Manjula, still “wash their children’s clothes through the day while their husbands use smartphones, attend board meetings and drive fast cars.” Yet things change: an army captain paints a room “in colours of [his bride’s] choice from Asian Paints.” A mother Vodaphones (a British mobile phone company licensed in India) her son “to discuss possible brides,” before he looks at his companion -- a male -- after a hard day’s work... A group of women fight harassment by wolf-whistling at the lech in a TVS scooter ad. Tata Tea Jaago India has a politician’s wife telling him “not to ignore the 49 per cent women vote... Clinique Plus has a young girl playing cricket. Cadbury’s chocolate ad has a woman actually behind the wheel, not minimally dressed outside the car.” People are becoming more dabanng (fearless), to Tarranum Fareed of the marketing research company Thinking Hats. “There is so much exposure, movies, international content, cable TV, online content,” says Rajiv Rao, of Ogilvy, a public relations firm. ‘Transmedia,’ also including mobile phones and tablets, allow the new ads to be “discussed threadbare.” The Tanishq ad, for example, has “garnered more that 8 lakh [800,000] hits on YouTube.” Officer’s Chose Blue whiskey ads “address crimes against women,” violence in a restaurant and eve-teasing [public sexual harassment] in an office. Ads always “urge you to keep up with the Joneses. But now many underline empowerment,” says Deepika S. Tiwari of Tanishq: “Minds have opened and attitudes are very progressive.” Yet change is slow: “Over a decade ago,” concludes Manjula, “ad agency Highlight Films made a TV commercial for FEMINA [magazine] which showed a young woman proudly playing host at her mother’s remarriage. Twelve years later, an ad on remarriage is still creating waves.”
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Granted, I could go on about these things, but I won’t. This month’s column will have nothing to do with Indian ‘gay’ cinema, and not primarily with anything ‘gay’ at all. Instead, it will be about progressive TV commercials in India. I have collected four articles on them from three newspapers, THE TIMES OF INDIA (11/7/13 and 11/10/13) and THE TELEGRAPH (11/10/13), and THE DECCAN HERALD (12/5/13). I will of course add my own observations from hours of Indian channel surfing. More care and money goes into commercials than the programs, as in the United States, and their budgets sometimes exceed Rs1 crore ($1.5 million). The Red Bull ads are the same as in the U.S., and cost $5.6 million a year, exclusive of the Super Bowl.
directed one of last year’s best Hindi films, ENGLISH VINGLISH, on an Indian wife who finds herself stuck in New York and secretly takes an English class from a gay teacher (Cory Hibbs), only to have a sexy Frenchman (Mehdi Nebbou) fall for her.
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Queer Film Bibliography continued The DECCAN HERALD’s “Breaking Old Traditions, Celebrating New Norms,” limits itself to a history of Tanishq advertising. “Wedding still is one occasion in Indian social life where a woman is considered a commodity,” to Kishore Chakraborti, “capable of generating big capital investment from her family and friends, [e.g.,] dowry, presents, fat trousseau.” Ergo, the ad is caught between “chunky jewellery” and “contemporary” ideals. But the bride’s sari is plain, and “Historically, the brand Tanishq has always tried to redefine value.” Traditionally, high caste patriarchy was maintained by Brahmin widows immolating themselves on their husband’s funeral pyres. The reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891), for his championing of widow remarriage, suffered lampoons, “physical assault and financial loss.” The joke in Bengal was that when he returned there, widows would be happy because they would be able to remarry. Now, Tanishq is making a “Brand Statement,” attempting to promote remarriage as well as establish itself as a Wedding Brand. The TIMES OF INDIA, in Sonal Malta’s “I do, If You Don’t Have Kids,” quotes Gourav Rakshit of the website COO.Shaadi.com. The percentage of single parents in [our] database has gone up considerably,” but only 5.5% of the women listed wed through it, mostly to widowers with no children at home. Men fare better, marrying single women 70% of the time. Women do better searching abroad.
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While Indian TV is criticized for its programs, often prime-time saas-bahu (mother-in-law-daughter-in-law) soaps and reality shows (BIG BOSS, DANCE INDIA DANCE) rather than its ads, newspapers are criticized for being mostly ads. Jug Suriaya in THE TIMES OF INDIA (11/8/13) accuses his own TIMES of being as fat as the telephone directories that existed before the advent of mobile phones. Its front page is often just an ad for new condos, its first page of news featuring two jewelry ads. A quarter of the front page of INDIAN EXPRESS (12/22/13) is an ad for the Vrukshn Vindynnshram School, with Limited Seats Only. THE HINDU’s front page is one-half an ad is for Tata (the parent company of Tanishq) Realty and Infrastructure Limited. Only the front page of today’s DECCAN CHRONICLE is ad-free. And if you think remarriage is no longer controversial in India, here’s an anonymous Christmas article from it (12/22/13), “Vrindavan Widows Celebrate Xmas:” Hundreds of widows living in Meera Sahabhagini Ashram in Vrindavan, for the first time are celebrating Christmas... Sulabh International, a well known NGO [Non-Governmental Organization] has made it possible for the Vrindavan widows to celebrate festivals and return to the social mainstream... ‘I have been seeing children celebrate this festival and it is great experience to celebrate Christmas in this old age with my companion,’ says Anjana Goswami, a 72-year-old widow in the ashram.” Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of the ashram, “has been personally supervising and monitoring their living conditions in ashrams, taking care of their health and medical needs. Sulabh has also provided vocational guidance to the widows.” There. I didn’t write about Indian cinema this month. Next month I might write about the re-criminalization of homosexuality in India, which happened last month. Granted.
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Village Books Events January 2014 Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and take place in the Readings Gallery at Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225 Please check our website for further details or questions and to see if authors attend the event. - www.villagebooks.com For questions regarding events please contact our Events Coordinator, Christina Claassen at 360.733.1599 or events@villagebooks.com Changes, additions, and cancellations do occur. Sat., Jan. 4, 10:30-11am Preschool Storytime with Claire For ages 3-5 years old. Our preschool story time takes place the first Saturday of each month from 10:30-11am on the bean bags in the Kids’ Section.
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Sat., Jan. 4, 11am-4pm Resolutions: Mini Workshops to Jumpstart Your New Year No tickets or registration needed. Participants will receive 10% off recommended Resolutions-related books, that day only. Visit our events calendar listing on www. villagebooks.com for more details about each workshop.
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Sun., Jan. 5, 11:30am-1pm Socrates Café (We’ll be meeting on the mezzanine today) The group meets the first and third Sunday from 11:30 am to 1 pm. Sun., Jan. 5, noon-5pm Writer’s Resolutions: Mini Workshops to Jumpstart Your Writing Life Participants will receive 10% off recommended Writer’s Resolutions-related books, that day only. No tickets or reservations needed. Visit our events calendar listing on www.villagebooks.com for more details about each workshop. Mon., Jan. 6, 7pm VB Reads...General Literature Book Group Join Cindi and discuss books from a variety of genres at 7 pm, the first Monday of each month.
Tues., Jan. 7, 6:15-8:15pm VB Writes…Nonfiction Writing Group This group meets twice a month, on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 6:15-8:15pm. This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins. Wed., Jan. 8, 1pm VB Reads...Afternoon Book Chat Join Sittrea in the Readings Gallery on the 2nd Wednesday of each month for an open book chat, at 1pm. Thurs., Jan. 9, 6-8pm VB Writes… Fiction Writing Group This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 6-8pm. Fri., Jan. 10, 7pm Eli Hastings Clearly Now, the Rain: A Memoir of Love and Other Trips Sat., Jan. 11, 4pm Ann Gerike, About Face: World War I Facial Injury and Reconstruction With Hannah Faith Notess, Ghost House—Poetry Sat., Jan. 11, 7pm Jennifer Bullis, Impossible Lessons and Kathryn Hunt, Long Way Through Ruin—Poetry Sun., Jan. 12, 2-3pm VB Reads...Motherhood by the Book
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The book group meets on the second Sunday of every month at 2pm Sun., Jan. 12, 4pm at Congregation Beth Israel, 2200 Broadway David Laskin The Family: Three Journeys Into the Heart of the Twentieth Century Mon., Jan. 13, 5-6pm VB Reads…Environmental Conservation Book Group Join us the second Monday of each month from 5-6pm in the Readings Gallery Tues., Jan. 14, 6-8pm VB Writes…Spec Fiction/Sci Fi Writing Group We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm on the mezzanine level, near the poetry section and Book Fare Café. Wed., Jan. 15, noon-1:30pm VB Reads...Engaged Citizens Book Group Join Mary Dumas on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from noon to 1:30. Thurs., Jan. 16, 5:30-7pm VB Writes…Poetry Writing Group Are you a writer in search of a writing group? This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and meets the first and third Thursday of each month from 5:30-7pm. Thurs., Jan. 16, 7pm Kevin Sampsell This Is Between Us—Fiction Fri., Jan. 17, 7pm William Stafford Tribute Event: An Evening of Poetry Sat., Jan. 18, noon-1pm—Movie showing & discussion at the Pickford Film Center’s Limelight
Cinema Taylor Branch: The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement on-screen author talk & interview Tickets are $5 and are available through the Pickford Film Center. Sat., Jan. 18, 7pm Luci Shaw Scape: Poems Sun., Jan. 19, 11:30am-1pm Socrates Café The group meets the first and third Sunday from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the Readings Gallery. Sun., Jan. 19, 4pm Richard Wiley The Book of Important Moments—Fiction Mon., Jan. 20, 10am-2pm Martin Luther King, Jr. Day ReadIn In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., children ages three to eight years old are invited to Village Books’ Readings Gallery between 10am and 2pm to hear stories about diversity, multiculturalism, and the Civil Rights Movement. For more information about the MLK Day Read-In or the Center for Service-Learning, please call (360) 650-7542 or visit http:// www.wwu.edu/csl. Tues., Jan. 21, 6:15-8:15pm VB Writes…Nonfiction Writing Group Previously held on the second Tuesday of the month, this group is now meeting twice a month, on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 6:15-8:15pm. This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and will regularly meet the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month.
VILLAGE BOOKS EVENTS Thurs., Jan. 23, 6-8pm VB Writes‌ Fiction Writing Group This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 6-8pm. Thurs., Jan. 23, 7pm Marian Exall and Marla Bronstein “Bellingham Authors Take The Plungeâ€? Local writers Marian Exall, A Slippery Slope, and Marla Bronstein, A Whole New Normal, both chose to self-publish their work in 2013. VB’s Brendan Clark will also be on hand to discuss local self-publishing options.
Sat., Jan. 25, noon-3pm VB Writes‌EBook Publishing Workshop with Kobo Writing Life Are you a writer? Are you interested in self-publishing an e-book? Are you hoping to bring a work you’ve already published into the digital realm? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, we hope you’ll join Village Books and Kobo Writing Life for an informational workshop. Registration is $5. To register, visit VillageBooks. com or call our store at 360-6712626.
Sat., Jan. 25, 7pm Len Vlahos The Scar Boys—Fiction Sun., Jan. 26, 4pm Kirk Smith “Lab Lit: Putting Real Science into Fictionâ€? Are you interested in science or like to read fiction, or both? You might want to consider “lab litâ€? or fiction about science. Mon., Jan. 27, 7pm Open Mic with Laurel Leigh Bring your poems and tales about making resolutions, or any creative work in progress. Open mic is held the last Monday of each month at 7pm in the Readings Gallery. Sign up at our main counter on the first floor or call (360) 671-2626. Tues., Jan. 28, 6-8pm VB Writes‌Spec Fiction/Sci Fi Writing Group We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm on the mezzanine level, near the poetry section and Book Fare CafĂŠ.
Fri., Jan. 31, 6-7pm Whatcom Young Writers “Friday Night Writesâ€? for Teens Join us for Friday Night Writes next to Book Fare CafĂŠ on the mezzanine level of Village Books. Friday Night Writes is free and open to all ages 15-18. (18-yearolds must be in high school or Running Start.) To register, visit our website: www.WhatcomYoungWriters.org. Write On! This is the first meeting for the season.
Thurs., Jan. 30, doors at 6:30pm, show starts at 7pm—Heiner Theater at Whatcom Community College Chuckanut Radio Hour 7th Anniversary Show—Musical Guest The Walrus This month the Chuckanut Radio Hour will celebrate its seventh anniversary with highlights from past shows The show airs every Saturday evening at 6pm and Sunday at 9pm on KMRE 102.3FM. Tickets for the Chuckanut Radio Hour are $5 and are available at Village Books and on BrownPaperTickets.com. Doors open at 6:30pm, and you must be seated by 6:45pm as the show begins promptly at 7pm.
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Tues., Jan. 28, 7pm Vicki Robin Blessing the Hands That Feed Us: What Eating Closer to Home Can Teach Us about Food, Community, and Our Place on Earth
McKay's TapHouse
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Fri., Jan. 24, 7pm Patrick Ness The Crane Wife—Fiction Based on the classic Japanese folk tale
Sat., Jan. 25, 4pm Judith Skillman Broken Lines: The Art & Craft of Poetry
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The Comics!
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GLBT Organizations in Whatcom and Skagit Counties -ISCEE The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Evergreen Empire is affiliated with the International Court System and has been actively raising money for charity for over 30 years by sponsoring drag shows and pageants. The group is open to all regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, seeking to provide social activities and community service opportunities for gays, lesbians, and their friends and allies in Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan Counties. -Leather, Levi & Bear Social Monthly gathering of men who like Leather, Kink, and Unabashed Masculinity. Second Saturday of the month, Rumors Cabaret, 7:30 to 10:30. Info 360.380.6409 -www.theslowlane.com This website includes a gay resource guide for Bellingham located at www.theslowlane.com/guide.html.
-Triskeli Guild The Triskeli Guild is Bellingham’s BDSM group that promotes community and education for safe, sane and consensual play. They encourage participation by all sexual preferences, race and age 18 and up people. www.triskeli. org-Queries—triskeli@triskeli.org -Sean Humphrey House A housing unit for people who need assistance living with HIV/AIDS in Bellingham. For more information call 360-733-9357
-Whatcom County PFLAG Whatcom County Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays meets the 2ND Thursday of each month, 7pm at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham. For more information and events visit www.whatcompflag.com
-Washington Gender Alliance A support and educational organization for anyone dealing with issues of gender identity or expression, and the people in our lives. We have weekly Open Support meetings in Bellingham and Everett. For more information, please write to us at info@ WashingtonGenderAlliance.com or call 360-445-2411, or visit our web site at www.WashingtonGenderAlliance.com.
-WCC’s Queer Straight Alliance is committed to supporting the GLBT community by promoting awareness of queer issues and entertaining and educating students and staff of WCC. We can be reached at wccqsa@gmail.com.
-PFLAG of Skagit County Support meetings for Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and GLBT individuals are held at Central United Methodist Church, 1013 Polte Rd, Sedro-Woolley on the second Monday of every month at 7 PM. For directions and information all 360-856-4676 and for additional information and events check online at www.pflagskagit.org. -Cascade Rainbow Community Cntr is a community of LBGQT people that enjoy each other’s company. We gather every Friday @ 6:30 PM for community, sharing of food, conversation, ideas, and current events. Each Friday is either game or movie night. The group has a lending library, Pride participation, and educational support. We are located at The Center for Spiritual Living @ 1508 N 18th St., Mount Vernon, WA. For information call (360) 840-8499 and for additional information checkout and subscribe to our Facebook Page. -Whatcom County KINK is a group to help organize events, munches, help if you have items to sell, or just a way for people to get to know each other. Meetings are the 1st Tuesday of the month at Rumor’s Cabaret. Happy Spankings!
-Bellingham Bi/Pan Potluck We are a monthly gathering of pansexual and bisexual people, partners, family and friends on second Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on the corner of E. Bakerview and Deemer Roads. Bring food or drink to share. For more information email gregory.lindon. smith@gmail.com. -WWU LGBTA The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance at Western Washington University is a student organization which supports lesbians, gays, bisexuals, people who identify as transgender, and their allies; in the various stages of their coming out process, in the creation and affirmation of positive self identities, and in the promotion and defense of their human and civil rights. The LGBTA is located on Western’s Campus in Viking Union 515 and is open from the first day of Fall quarter until the last day of Spring quarter. For information call 360-650-6120.
-Mount Baker Planned Parenthood Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood proudly demonstrates its commitment to the LGBTQ community in all of our educational and service areas, by partnering with LGBTQ service organizations and through sponsorship and participation in Bellingham Pride. Our goal is to ensure that every individual has the information, services, and freedom to make healthy, responsible decisions about sex, sexuality, and parenthood. We offer comprehensive reproductive care, affordable STD testing and treatment and annual exams. Sliding scale available. Make an appointment on-line! http://www. mbpp.org Bellingham Clinic: (360)734-9095 Mount Vernon Clinic: (360)848-1744
Support Education Healing Advocacy counseling Safety planning Legal assistance Support groups Trainings and Workshops 24-hour helpline: 360.715.1563/877.715.1563 Talk to us in-person: 1407 Commercial St. Bellingham, WA
The Betty Pages Copyright Notice While The Betty Pages and/or its contributors generally reserve all rights and privileges of copyright, several parts of this publication are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. For more information and permissions, contact The Betty Pages at thebettypages@gmail.com or send a letter to The Betty Pages, c/o Desire Enterprises, PO Box 2724, Bellingham, Washington, 98227-2724, USA.
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-4th Corner Poly Polyamory is the practice or acceptance of having more than one loving, honest relationship at a time. We’re a friendly, welcoming group for people involved in or curious about polyamorous relationships. Our group consists of and welcomes diverse sexual and gender identities . This is a family, kid-friendly get-together for sharing experiences and desires—not a dating or swing scene. we meet every 4th Thursday evening at alternating locations. For more information: http://groups. y a h o o. c o m / g ro u p / 4 t h c o r n e r p o l y
-Evergreen AIDS Foundation Evergreen AIDS Foundation provides support services for people living with HIV and AIDS who reside in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan and Snohomish counties. Bellingham: 115 Unity St. 360-671-0703, Everett: 2709 Wetmore Ave. 425-740-3000
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Throw Back
MONDAY Karaoke
4 Jim Beam $ 2.75 Micros $
TUESDAY
9-11 $ 1 Wells 2.25 $
PBR
11-CL
$
Pitchers
1 HighLife
WEDNESDAY
1.25 PBR Pints $ 3.75 FireBall $
$
2 wells 9 - 11
DJ Postal
THURSDAY 80’s & 90’s $
1 Wells $ 2.25 Rainier 11-1 $ 2 Wells
9-11
Pitchers
FRIDAY
9-12 3 Long Island $
DJ
Short-wave &
Postal
SATURDAY DJ Mike
Tolleson