The Canyon Chronicle-December 23, 2022 (Vol. 3, No. 25 ) -www.thecanyonchronicle.com

Adrian Wright 818.939.6415

adrian.wright@compass.com DRE 00935559

Happy Holidays From The Wright Way Team!

Thank you, Topanga!

We have had the joy and pleasure of helping so many wonderful people in our community this year, and we are grateful for every one of you! We’ve helped many buyers realize their dream of moving to our amazing canyon, and joining this incredibly special community. And we’ve helped many sellers to move on to new dreams, whether continuing their journeys in Topanga, or beyond. We are grateful for your support! Here’s to new beginnings and new adventures for our friends and clients!

We are grateful for our growing family! Jordan’s sweet daughter joined the family one year ago, and we were thrilled to get Jordan’s brother’s toddler twins together with Jordan’s kids for a fun (and loud!) Thanksgiving! We are so looking forward to the holidays with our friends and family, and hope you are too!

You all make our world a better place, and we are happy to be of service to our community. The constants for us are the truly special people who are a part of this magical place, and this beautiful canyon, itself! Here’s to a safe and happy season, and a new year that brings opportunities and blessings for us all.

Thank you, Adrian and Jordan

Jordan Wright 818.746.6987

jordanwright@compass.com DRE 01952694

@thewrightwayteam

Making a List…

Last issue we observed, with reverence, the spirit of the holiday season. Production week rolled around and my list for the lineup was pretty skimpy. No cover, no editorial, no center spread. In very short order, however, everything we needed found us.

I wasn’t looking for a cover when I went through some saved Christmas cards and found my son’s illustration from 2008. It made me laugh and brought up some sweet memories, but I didn’t think of it as a cover until I tentatively asked our Creative Director Nira Lichten, if it might work for a cover.

She texted back a resounding “Yes!”

I was also rooting around for a photo for Thinking Out Loud (Page 3) when Topanga artist Megan Rice asked if I wanted some cartoons and “Hot Santa” (above) appeared among a fistful of cartoons.

The same happened with our center spread, “Roz’s Christmas Wonderland,” an article that I was holding for a future issue but mislaid. It was perfect timing for the season, but author, Andrea Shreeman, had to remind me and resent everything. So glad she did. (Pages 8-9)

Sarah Spitz suggests you see Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, starring Jalen Harris before it wraps up on Jan. 1 (Page 10); and if you’re planning Christmas Eve at home, tune into the L.A. County Holiday celebration, a tradition since 1959, on Saturday, Dec. 24 from 3 to 6 p.m, airing on PBS SoCal live from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. KCET rebroadcasts it in the evening and on Christmas day. What’s in the stars for 2023? Check in with Kait Leonard for some hints. (Page 14) Finally, an unexpected email announced Jules’ & Disco Fuchsia’s new single & music video, “Daylight,” that debuts on YouTube January 1, 2023, at midnight to accompany your New Year’s champagne toast. (Page 7); and (left) Producer Lori Precious of Soulville Sound Recordings, has a second release coming out Jan. 16, “BIG TRIPPIN’” by Bobby West, whose first release, “Leimert Park After Dark” went to #17 on the Jazz charts and #6 on Roots.

With a Salute to Serendipity and what makes a community newspaper—YOU, TOPANGA!—all of us at The Canyon Chronicle wish all of you the merriest Christmas, the happiest Hannukah, Kwaanza, and a New Year full of silliness and sweet surprises.

—Flavia Potenza

Publisher / Editor

Flavia Potenza

Creative Director

Nira Lichten

Senior Reporter

Annemarie Donkin

Advertising Manager

Jenise Blanc-Chance

Creative Consultant Eiffel Nazaryan

Contributors

Linda Ballou

Joel Bellman

Pablo Capra Kathie Gibboney Sarah Spitz

Paula LaBrot Kait Leonard Amy Weisberg Kim Zanti

Copy Editor / Distribution

Ellie Carroll

Contact US editor@thecanyonchronicle.com General inquiries: info@thecanyonchronicle.com

Advertising inquiries: ads@thecanyonchronicle.com P.O. Box 1101

Topanga, CA 90290 (310) 460-9786

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The Canyon Chronicle is an independent community newspaper published bi-weekly by Canyon Media, Inc.©2020. All rights reserved. thecanyonchronicle.com

“Dear Santa: Please Give me…

An Army of Killer Robots, A talking parrot that gives winning Lotto numbers, A single Dodo’s egg (steamed), 1,000 Rubber Chickens, A severed monkey’s paw that grants wishes, Tinfoil (125 feet), Psychic Powers, a Giant…” Christmas card illustration by Vaj Potenza, 2008, recently unearthed by his mother.

“Hot Santa,” cartoon by Megan Rice. Is that the North Pole melting?

How Topanga Voted in Nov. 8 Midterms

By Annemarie Donkin

Topangans by and large voted for Democratic candidates at a rate of roughly 2 to 1.

Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of September 2022.

According to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, there are 5,614,572 total registered voters in L.A. County. For the Nov. 8 Midterm election, 2,456,701 ballots were cast for a 44 percent turnout countywide.

How Topanga Voted!

In Topanga, there are 5,422 registered voters in six precincts. Of those, 3,318 cast ballots by mail or voted in person at the Topanga Community Center—which is a 61 percent turnout.

Topangans reelected Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom with 2,559 ballots versus 687 ballots for Republican challenger Brian Dahle.

Topanga voted for U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla with 2,636 for a full six year-term and 2,626 for his remaining short term. Padilla’s Republican opponent, Mark P. Meuser, received 629 votes and 621 votes, respectively.

Democratic U.S. Representative Brad Sherman in the 32nd Congressional District was reelected in Topanga with 2,544 ballots versus 619 votes for Republican candidate, L. Lapointe Volotzky with 619 ballots.

As the highest-ranking elected official for Topanga, our new Third District Supervisor Lindsey Horvath won the seat with 1,852 votes versus 961 votes for Bob Hertzberg.

For the 24th State Senate District, Topangans elected Ben Allen with 2,486 votes against 631 votes for his opponent, Kristina Irwin.

Canyon residents also favored L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna with 2,266 ballots versus 751 ballots for outgoing Sheriff Alex Villanueva.

Finally, Topangans showed their love and support for Scott Houston, who was reelected to the West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors with 1,390 ballots versus 882 ballots for his opponent, Sanjay Gaur.

Ballots Chain of Custody

If anyone is concerned about how ballots are transported and counted to get the final certified results, it is the job of responsible L.A. County employees and an army of dedicated election workers who make that happen.

On Election Night, ballots from all 640 Vote Centers throughout the County are brought to the Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk’s (RR/CC) Tally Operation Center (TOC) in Downey for central tabulation. After the Vote Centers close at 8 p.m., election workers secure the voted ballots in sealed ballot boxes and account for unused ballots. Election workers will also separately package Voteby-Mail ballots that were dropped off at the Vote Centers and any provisional ballots. All materials and quantities are accounted for in the Official Ballot Statement. Then, Election Workers transport the ballots to designated Check-In Centers located throughout the County.

Sheriff’s Deputies will then pick up and transport the voted ballots, with lights and sirens blazing, from the Check-in Centers by car, helicopter or boat to Downey.

Ballots come in from as far away as Lancaster, Palmdale and Catalina Island. Between 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., a large number of ballots begin to arrive at the RR/CC Tally Operation Center. Prior to tabulation, all ballots must be checked in, removed from boxes, inspected and prepared for counting. Ballots are then moved to the tabulation center in a continuous flow. There, operators load the ballots onto scanners for tabulation.

How Ballots are Counted

First results are available between 8:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. The first set of results only include Vote-byMail ballots returned before Election Day. Second results are available between 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. The second set of results include all ballots cast at a Vote Center from Oct. 29-Nov. 7. Third and recurring results will include ballots cast at a Vote Center on Election Day.

Throughout the evening, ballots continue to be securely transported by Los Angeles County Sheriffs to the central Tally Operation Center for counting. Because L.A. County is geographically large, about 4,105 square miles, transporting those ballots takes several hours.

After all ballots from the Vote Centers are counted, the County publishes a news release announcing the semi-final results. In a countywide election, there could be hundreds of thousands of ballots left to be counted after Election Night. Post-Election Night results are reported regularly on a set schedule.

Why are ballots counted after Election Night?

Vote-by-Mail , conditional, and provisional ballots returned on Election Day must be processed and verified before they can be counted and added to the results. Vote-by-Mail Ballots postmarked on Election Day and received within seven days will be accepted.

In California, counties have 30 days to process, verify, and count these ballots—this period is known as the Official Election Canvass.

The Nov. 8 Midterm Election was certified on Dec. 5.

For more information and more details: lavote.gov.

Lindsey P. Horvath Sworn in as New Third District Supervisor

Lindsey P. Horvath was sworn in as Third District Supervisor on Monday, Dec. 5 at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration. Former West Hollywood mayor Abbe Land administered the oath of office in the Board chambers among County officials and close family and friends of the new Supervisor.

“It is with great honor and humility that I accept this call to serve as Supervisor for L.A. County’s Third District, with a clear understanding that more must be done. I would not be here today without the support of my family, my friends, my colleagues, and my allies. Thank you for believing in me, and for believing in this moment,” said Supervisor Horvath.“This seat does not belong to me—it belongs to the people of the Third District. As the Board’s 166th member—and eighth woman—I join them all in writing the next great chapter of history for Los Angeles County.”

Horvath previously served as a City Councilmember and the longest consecutively serving Mayor for the City of West Hollywood. She is the youngest woman to ever be elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the first millennial and the only renter to serve on the historic all-female Board.

For more than 100 years, the Board of Supervisors was run primarily by five men. In

November 2020, the residents of Los Angeles County elected Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to represent the Second District, which marked a significant turning point in the make-up of the Board.

Horvath will oversee the Third District,

which includes much of the West Side, most of the San Fernando Valley, the Conejo Valley, the Santa Monica Mountains all the way to the Ventura County line, with the northern border including Chatsworth and Porter Ranch.

of Los Angeles County

—Courtesy

PHOTO BY BRYAN CHAN

Lindsey Horvath taking the oath of office. She joins a historic all-female board and has a few firsts of her own.

Mountain Lion P-22 is Victim of Hit-and-Run Driver

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officials announced that P-22, the Hollywood mountain lion, was euthanized on Saturday morning, December 17, six days after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on Los Feliz Blvd., just blocks from the lion’s home in Griffith Park.

CDFW officials said a weakened and wounded P-22 was captured by wildlife officials in the same area the next day with a head injury consistent with being struck by a car. Underweight and dehydrated, P-22 received IV treatment and antibiotics for an eye injury.

“This really hurts,” CDFW Director Chuck Bonham said Saturday morning, fighting back tears. “It’s been an incredibly difficult several days, and for myself, I felt the entire weight of the city of Los Angeles on my shoulders.” (patch.com)

Wildlife officials noticed P-22 hadn’t seemed himself in recent weeks and were planning to bring him in for a health evaluation.

“P-22 is old for a wild cat and recent behavioral changes, along with evidence of physical changes, could be indicative of difficulty continuing to thrive in the wild,” noted Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director, National Wildlife Federation and Leader #SaveLACougars campaign.

National Park Service (NPS) wildlife biologists have been tracking mountain lions for about 20 years; P-22 was one of them when he moved into Griffith Park after crossing two freeways. He was initially captured and outfitted with a tracking collar in 2012.

“P-22 has given us so much,” said Pratt. “He captured the imagination of people around the globe, and his story inspired the building of the

world’s largest urban wildlife crossing outside of Los Angeles, The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, so that other area mountain lions don’t suffer his same fate.”

In her eulogy for P-22, Pratt said, “I am so grateful I was given the opportunity to say goodbye to P-22. Although I have advocated for his protection for a decade, we had never met before. I sat near him, looking into his eyes for

Canyon Car Service Adds a TESLA to their Fleet

By Annemarie Donkin

With its fleet of luxury SUVS, Canyon Car Service has gone green with “Beethoven,” a premium TESLA Y, with plenty of room for luggage, car seats, groceries or anything else you need.

Celebrating 22 years in business, owners Jenise Blanc and Randy Chance transport their clients for business, pleasure or out of town and back again. Their list of accommodations is nearly endless. They will fit your children’s car seats into their car or actually drive your own vehicle with the car seats already installed. “That way, your vehicle doesn’t sit at the airport,” Blanc said. “We can also transport loads of luggage, golf clubs, and even surfboards; we really love what we do.”

A Brand-New Fleet

“We got a TESLA—the one with two extra seats; we are very excited, it’s a wonderful thing for the environment,” Blanc said. “The fleet also includes ‘Midnight,’ a Ford Escape, and ‘Diamond,’ a Ford Edge.”

With their new vehicles, Canyon Car Service will pick you up and take you wherever you need to go whether it be for day trips, an out-of-town trip, local appointments, or an elegant night on the town.

“We take Topangans and folks from Malibu, Palisades, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Westwood, Venice and other areas,” Blanc said. “We drive for production companies and pick up actors all over town. We go to Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and San Diego, San Francisco; we have taken students to

private school in Ojai. We wait for people following cataract or cosmetic or other surgeries and pick them up from after care. We are trusted by parents to pick up their kids. When we started, we heard complaints about taxis; they don’t have what we have. If a taxi can’t find you, they go on to the next ride. We know Topanga.”

From New York and Chicago to L.A. Originally from New York, Blanc has always had a knack for entrepreneurial ventures. When she changed careers, she moved to L.A. She’s been in the Canyon now for 29 years and started their car transportation business to serve locals. Soon, Canyon Shuttle was born and quickly became the “Go To” car service among Topangans. “In 2004, Canyon Car Service won the Topanga Chamber of Commerce award for Business of the Year,” Blanc said.

Originally from Chicago, Randy Chance is a widely-recognized guitarist and composer. He has toured with known rock bands and composed film scores. Chance also gives guitar and keyboard lessons in the Canyon and can often be heard

a few minutes, and told him he was a good boy. I told him how much I loved him. How much the world loved him…, she wrote. “P-22 never fully got to be a mountain lion. For his whole life he suffered the consequences of trying to survive in unconnected space,” she wrote.

A memorial service is planned for the animal sometime after the holidays, but no specific details were announced.

playing with local bands around town and at Topanga Days.

Canyon Car Service to the Rescue!

Blanc said many younger people call them who were burnt by companies including Uber who won’t or can’t come into the Canyon.

“They might have wanted to save a little money, but if their ride doesn’t show up, what are they going to do,” Blanc said. “At some point, they hear from a friend that they must try Canyon Car Service.”

Always popular among Topangans, their core business comes from people who absolutely, positively must be there on time.

“Production companies send cars for actors,” Blanc said. “We love the business and the fact that we mostly take Topangans and from all over— just about everyone in our car is a great person. We have developed major friendships in our cars because we take them over and over again. We know about their families and anything they need help with. My husband and I get so much from the business, we have grown as people, and transformed over 22 years.”

Overall, Blanc says that their first-class customer service is what really drives their business. “Even if it’s just rides to and from the airport, or returning from a long trip, tired and stressed, you can snuggle up in the back of our cars, feeling cozy and comfortable, and fully taken care of,” she said.”

For more information, contact Canyon Car Service by email at jenise@CanyonCarService.com or online atcanyoncarservice.com.

For more information and special offers: (310) 4551924 (main); Best number to call is (310) 456-4284 (text).

PHOTO BY ANNEMARIE DONKIN

Jenise Blanc and Randy Chance show off “Beethoven,” a premium TESLA Y, the latest addition to their fleet.

PHOTO BY MIGUEL ORDEÑANA

The famous Hollywood mountain lion, P-22, was compassionately euthanized six days after being struck by a hit-and-run driver. He was initially captured and outfitted with a tracking collar in 2012.

Hebrew Sunday School Program is Growing

As the school year began, Rabbi Mendy and his wife, Chana Piekarski launched a new and innovative after-school program at Chabad of Topanga. The program is titled “Bringing it Home: Making Judaism Come Alive Through Experiential and Interactive Learning.”

Over the past year, Rabbi Mendy and Chana have been teaching and creating curricula for Hebrew schools

in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, and are excited to bring their experience to the Topanga community. “Bringing it Home” is scaffolded to cater to each student within three age groups: K-2, 3-5, and 6-7.

The curriculum has been designed to be taught through a diverse set of mediums, including drama, STEM, and stop-motion animation. The curriculum is comprised of six units

that focus on integrative lessons that are learned from each of the Jewish holidays. Lessons come alive as students learn empathy, respect, and integrity among other life skills while exploring the Jewish holidays.

“Our Hebrew School is a place where children of the Topanga community engage with and connect to their Jewish heritage in a warm and accepting atmosphere” said Rabbi Piekarski. “I’m excited about “Bringing it Home” as I see the kids enjoy the well-rounded experience and find true and lasting value in the information they learn.”

The Hebrew School takes place every Sunday morning, from 10-12 a.m. Over the past few weeks, the children baked honey cakes and built and painted clay honey dishes for the Jewish new year, to represent a sweet year with only good ahead. Each of the children took upon themselves new resolutions to make this year as sweet as can be.

Sierra, a student, said, “I like that I’m learning about my culture. I also like baking and doing crafts and the teachers are great, too!” Another student, Aria, said, “I love Hebrew school! Not only is it fun but I also learn a lot! I enjoy it every time, and there are always fun activities and crafts to do. Rabbi Mendy and Chana are super nice, and a pleasure to be around.”

As the Festival of Chanukah arrived, the children also created their own Menorah out of clay, which was then fired in a kiln, and painted for the kids to take home. After a hunt for the last jug of oil, the kids learned how to make olive oil with an olive press, with which to light the menorah for the Holiday.

As the school year continues, the children will learn how to read Hebrew through an innovative curriculum called “The Aleph Champion,” where they will climb up in level, from white belt to black belt, earning themselves medallions and status as they master the Hebrew language.

Chana Piekarski concluded, “We are hearing great feedback from the parents and community, and are excited to be

accepting more students for the coming months. The children look forward to coming back every week, and we look forward to greeting them and providing an exciting program with more learning and fun ahead.”

For more information: chabadoftopanga. com, (310) 455-1597s

Yehuda is painting his Menorah that he made out of clay

Sierra is decorating the Hebrew letter “vet” with “velcro” to add to her Hebrew Alphabet scrapbook.

The class works on the Aleph Bet Workbooks, as they master the Hebrew language. The class watches a video presentation explaining the meaning behind Jewish Names.

PHOTOS BY MENDY PIEKARSKI

Welcome 2023 with ‘DAYLIGHT’

Kiss your partner and toast the New Year with Jules’ & Disco Fuchsia’s new single & music video, “Daylight,” when it debuts on YouTube January 1, 2023, at midnight when the ball drops!

“Daylight” is inspired by the mountain lion that Topanga resident Jules encountered while hiking with his dog, Bono, between Red Rock Road and Zuniga Canyon. The lion spotted Jules and his pup from 500 feet away. The lion then followed them from six feet away for three minutes before disappearing into the chaparral.

In “Daylight,” Disco Fuchsia fuses dance beats with rock guitar overlaid with an unforgettable stadium chorus, “Daylight, Stars When You Wanna Come Home.” The new single will be out on all platforms and premieres live on YouTube at: youtube.com/watch?v=Eq7QCgbys4, or search “DISCO FUCHSIA.” (discofuchsia@gmail.com; discofuchsia. com

IF YOU ENCOUNTER A MOUNTAIN LION:

1 Face the lion and back away slowly.

2 Be loud, shout.

3 Keep pets and animals close without bending down.

4 If attacked, FIGHT BACK!

Gorgeous newly built 3 bedroom, 3 bath, plus a bonus room home in Topanga Canyon. Enjoy panoramic Canyon and City views from the over 900 sq. ft.

Entertainment deck! Beautiful spacious chef’s kitchen with custom shaker cabinets, large center island, quartz counter tops, and stainless appliances. Gated community features a pool, spa, gym, recreation room, and a playground. Located just minutes from shopping, restaurants, hiking trails, and Malibu’s most beautiful beaches!

1126 Mohawk, Topanga

Above: Rosalind Wyman, pictured in her home, 1999. (David Bohrer / Los Angeles Times)

Right: Democratic National Convention celebration, 1960, with JFK. (Courtesy of Roz Wyman via LAmag.com)

Below: Andrea at Hillbilly Hanukkah, Roanoke, Virginia 1971. (Courtesy of Andrea Shreeman)

A Los Angeles and California legend, Rosalind

age of 92. Roz Wyman was the youngest

City Council at age 22. She served for become a political icon who especially credited with bringing the Brooklyn Dodgers

Roz’s Christmas Wonderland or,

Position

By Andrea Shreeman

Available: Discontented

After an early graduation from college, I stayed in Washington, D.C. to continue performing with my comedy group and apply to grad schools. I also worked at the Four Seasons Fitness Club. When I opened the fitness center each morning, in the dark at 4:30 a.m., Bob Shrum, well-known democratic political pundit, would breathe icy breath on the doors, waiting for me to let him in. When I told Bob I had gotten into USC for grad school and was moving to Los Angeles, he offered to introduce me to his friend, Roz.

I remember pulling up to Roz’s Bel Air home for the first time. It was exactly what you would imagine, a grand circular driveway, a thick wooden front door made for giants, a grove of fruit trees, a tennis court, a pool, a midcentury, all-glass, pool house where a handful of celebrities and politicians stayed for weeks on end, or lived after divorces, and a main house with so many rooms it was easy to get lost. When I arrived in 1991, it was a relic, still decorated in elegant ’60s mod. I sat with Roz in her library the first time we met, on a low leather couch, surrounded by portraits of dignitaries, Roz with Lyndon Johnson, Roz with JFK, and a coveted portrait of her husband Eugene who had died from a heart attack in 1973.

That was the day that Roz invited me to live in her home while I attended grad school. In exchange all I needed to do was babysit her three-yearold granddaughter, Samantha, who lived with her parents across town in Larchmont.

Mostly, I kept to my room and the kitchen. But during holiday time I was welcomed into Roz’s home, especially for her much anticipated yearly Christmas party which included a cocktail hour, sit-down dinner, and gift exchange. Roz, it turns out, was a Hanukkah-bush Jew.

I didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas, and I was definitely not a Hanukkah-bush Jew. I was, however, a Hillbilly Jew; a very special kind of Jew born and raised in small town Appalachia, who is constantly being reminded that they are going to hell, because 1) they don’t believe in Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior, and 2) they murdered Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior.

I could tell something big was coming when around mid-November the estate began to transform. Every day a new Bel Air-sized decoration would spawn in a corner, or from the ceiling, until the entire public-facing side of the first floor—from the elegant high-ceilinged living room, through the dining area, and the bar, and the solarium, and the leather-bound library—were all sprinkled in evergreen, snow and cheer.

One of the main attractions in Roz’s Christmas Wonderland was a beautiful working antique toy train that meandered all through that extensive series of rooms. I can still hear its cheery chug, chug, chug, chug and whistle.

It was Christmas Eve, and the house was all abuzz with finishing touches.

Roz Wyman (top left) being sworn in for her third city council term, accompanied by her kids Betty and Bobby. (1961. Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via KCET.org)

Christmas Wonderland Discontented Matriarch

Roz had never asked me to do anything for her, not a damn thing. I lived in her mansion for free! But on this day, in the stress-inducing, last hours before the biggest gathering of the year, Roz asked me if I could run down to the Brent Air Pharmacy and get some cotton for snow, for the big train display centerpiece. She handed me a crisp twenty, and sent me on my way.

Never having been tasked with such a thing in my life, never having a single real day of Christmas experience, I entered the Brent Air Pharmacy with that crisp twenty and asked the pharmacist if they had any cotton, to use for snow on a Christmas display. He responded, “No. But we do have cotton balls.”

So… I bought as many bags of cotton balls as one could secure at an overpriced pharmacy in 1991 for twenty dollars. I then proudly hightailed it back to the mansion.

The look on Roz’s face when I held up those cotton ball bags. Her face twisted like a piece of taffy into the absolute fullest expression of horrified disappointment. I didn’t know yet what it meant to not come back until the job is done to the highest possible standard. And remember, I was a Hillbilly Jew, the operative word being, “Hillbilly,” or maybe “Jew!” I honestly don’t know how it got resolved, because Roz decided right then and there I couldn’t be trusted with anything that mattered. (Except, of course, her granddaughter.)

Over the next months and years I would come to discover that Roz’s discontent, the way she twisted her face in horror, that look that made me feel like an idiot and a failure, was part of her trademark, tough-love style. Everyone was an idiot. Her standards were immaculate.

When I think about traditions, like Roz’s Christmas party, I get anxious. I’m not sure I want to be responsible for making consistently great memories over and over again, every year, at the same time, in the same way. Somehow, I feel trapped by traditions.

But, I also miss traditions. And, I miss Roz’s trademark look of disappointment.

She was a matriarch for the ages. And not just for a family that came to depend on her annual Christmas wonderland. She cast her tough love over Los Angeles, over California, over democracy, and over me.

Rosalind W. Wyman died peacefully, surrounded by friends and family, on the evening of October 26th, 2022 in her home in Bel Air, California.

In her honor, this year I acquired and decorated my very first Christmas tree. Perhaps, a new tradition? I guess it’s never too late to become a Hanukkahbush Jew.

Andrea Shreeman is a writer, director, and host of The Hero Maker Podcast. She holds a BA in Radio & TV Broadcasting from George Washington University and an MFA in Theatre from USC, which she attended while living in Roz Wyman’s Bel Air home.

Rosalind Wyman, died in October at the youngest person ever elected to Los Angeles 12 years from 1953-1965, went on to championed female politicians, and is Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1957.

Andrea’s first Christmas tree, December 2022. (Courtesy of Andrea Shreeman)

Andrea with Sam Wyman Bilow 1992. (Selfie by Andrea Shreeman)

By Sarah Spitz

The tale goes that on a November night in 1970, the co-founder of one of the most successful vocal groups of all time, The Temptations, walked out after the first show at the famed Copacabana night club, following one final dispute with other group members. He never returned.

Eddie Kendrick – Motown added an “s” to his name when they began producing The Temptations – was renowned for his tenor/falsetto voice as the lead on some of their best-known early songs, including “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “Get Ready” and “Just My Imagination,” among numerous other chart-making hits.

Now back for a second run at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” is in town for a very short time—only until January 1. The Ahmanson had a hand in helping this wildly popular and Tony Awardwinning jukebox musical make its way to Broadway.

Young Jalen Harris is part of the national touring company, portraying Eddie Kendrik(s) on tour and here in LA.

When I spoke with Jalen, he had a hint of a cold from being on multiple planes throughout different climate zones. Jalen’s unusual name comes with an unusual story: “Before I was born, after months of trying to

choose a name, my parents finally decided to call me Emmanuel. But in the hospital where I was born, the TV was tuned to a basketball game, and the announcer mentioned a player, Jalen Rose, and my parents said, ‘That’s it! We’re naming him Jalen.’”

(NOTE: there is also a Jalen Harris who’s in the NBA now, playing for the New York Knicks. And Jalen Rose

has become a successful broadcast TV sports analyst.)

This Jalen has been singing since he was a child but first made waves as one of the youngest contestants on “American Idol.” “I grew up singing in the church, and over time my father began managing me; I entered talent shows around my home town Memphis, and got involved in extracurricular activities involving music. Education was very important to my parents and they didn’t want me to become a child star.

“But I’d just finished my freshman year of high school as Season 10 of American Idol launched, and my mom called me immediately to say, ‘They’ve lowered the age from 16 to 15. You’ve been waiting for this your whole life, let’s get you to the audition!’”

He went to Nashville and made it into competition, performing along with a group of 15 and 16-year-olds, who were highlighted on the show, although they didn’t make the final round. But that became Jalen’s first national platform, and at age 16, he recorded his first album; after finishing high school he moved to Atlanta, signed with an agent, and began acting and modeling, while continuing to focus on his music.

And then came Ain’t Too Proud

“The Temptations were always a staple in my family, especially during the holidays. I grew up hearing their Christmas album, I sang ‘Get Ready’ at a middle school assembly. That was all I knew, but of course I began researching Eddie’s story, watching interviews, and listening closely to the music to grasp the sound and style. Eddie is the god of the high tenor/falsetto.”

Jalen is moved by Eddie’s history. “His involvement with the group was so important; he brought his best friend Paul Williams in and they really created the original act. But as

time went on, things changed, and we track the story of what caused him to leave. He is the only Temptation to go solo and chart a number one song. For me, it is an honor to tell his story.”

The musical is based on the history of the Temptations written by Otis Williams, the last living member of the original group, an L.A. resident who has seen it many times around the country. I asked Jalen if there’s a takeaway from Otis’s words and this show that has landed with him.

“Yes, it may sound simple but for anyone on earth, we have everything to share and nothing to prove. These boys from Alabama, Mississippi and Texarkana moved north to find a better life. They shared their gift, without knowing that it would make them the greatest superstars of their time and would create this legacy so many decades later. I will use that guidance in my career from here on out. Everything to share, nothing to prove.”

An L.A. Christmas Eve Tradition Enjoy Christmas weekend by attending or watching the Emmy Award-winning L.A. County Holiday celebration, a tradition since 1959, on Saturday, Dec. 24 from 3 to 6 p.m. This 63rd annual event is free, whether in person at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion or watching on TV/live streaming from PBS SoCal, featuring more than 20 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies from the many neighborhoods and cultures that make up L.A. KCET rebroadcasts in the evening and on Christmas day. Find details at HolidayCelebration.org.

Sarah A. Spitz is an award-winning public radio producer, retired from KCRW, where she also produced arts stories for NPR. She writes features and reviews for various print and online publications.

Jalen Harris (above) is part of the national touring company of , back for a second run at the Ahmanson Theatre until January 1.

PHOTO BY EMILIO MADRID

The Long Road Ahead… Or Was It Behind? Part 2

By Miles Erickson

A

fter getting stranded In a state park somewhere near Perris, California, my friends and I had become unwitting participants in a civil war reenactment. As we pick up, we are being lead to the parking lot as prisoners of a confederate regiment.

We began walking back to the car.

The soldiers insisted that, to preserve authenticity, we operate as POWs, so we marched with our hands on our heads, except for my friend Lainey, who was irritated and offended by the guys dressed as Confederate soldiers and walked like Mike Tyson approaching the ring. People don’t generally die for real during these re-enactments, but anyone who eyeballed her the wrong way was definitely taking a chance on riding home on a stretcher. In all fairness to the Confederates, a mixed-race group of art school students probably wasn’t their desired audience.

We continued marching. It was 7 a.m. in December and our hands were freezing atop our heads. There was one confederate who claimed to be Robert E Lee (even though I’m pretty sure Lee was a general and wouldn’t be on patrol, but he also never fought in Perris, California, so...). He approached my friend Sam, who, being Indian, was also not entirely enthusiastic about the situation. Lee spoke in a flirtatious manner, throwing his jacket back and tucking his hands into his pants as he leaned in to our marching POW group.

“Wanna see my nun-chucks,” he asked, in a tone that mirrored the way someone speaks when their really confident in their pickup line.

“Uhm … okay?”

Lee reached down into the interior breast pocket of his gray jacket, pulling out a pair of wooden nun-chucks, held together by a metal chain. “Yeaaah, I bought ’em online.”

I think he was doing some kind of nun-chuck routine but it just looked like he was whacking his back really hard with them.

All the soldiers stopped and turned to face their general.

“Woahh”

“Siiiick”

“Dude you’ve gotta let me try. I’m a black belt in karate and your doing it all wrong”

“Robert!” A voice emerged from far down the dirt path. “Lay down your arms!”

A platoon of men dressed in blue marched up in unison. “Common Robert!” The platoon commander repeated his orders.

“Shove off Alex,” the man I knew as General Lee replied. Another soldier whispered to my group of prisoners, “They’re brothers” he said. “They hate each other. Every year they come here and argue.”

Suddenly, shots rang out, General Lee hit the floor, red liquid bursting from his chest as he fell.

Lee yelled out in agony and began screaming obscenities. “Was that a paint ball?! You brought a paintball gun?! That’s literally a war crime! I’m telling mom! You are in violation of the Geneva Convention and I’m telling mom!”

“The Geneva Convention hasn’t been written yet, butt face.” The compression of his gun rang out like the sound of firing pistons as soldiers dropped around us. A soldier near me was hit, falling to my feet. The paint from his chest rubbed off and permanently ruined me suede shoes.

“Okay. Where did you say the parking lot was,” Lainey asked.

After much ado, we finally made our way to the actual battle. Now, having seen this kind of thing in movies and TV, let me tell you my expectations for the scale of this battle were entirely too high. I was expecting a war the size of that in Lord of the Rings or Avengers Endgame . What I ended up witnessing was about 20 guys wearing tapout shirts and various paramilitary gear firing at each other while some guys golfed a few yards away.

From what I could tell it seemed like maybe one guy had brought some cap guns and blanks, but there wasn’t enough for everybody so

most people were just making “pewpew” noises with their mouths. There were some older guys wearing faces that said, “This event has seen better days.”

We walked across the field to the parking lot, where a small group of onlookers had gathered with lawn chairs and big gulps.

“Okay, thank you General Lee! You really saved us.” I shouldn’t have said it like that, it just sort of slipped out. Lainey shot me some dagger eyes like I was personally responsible for colonial slavery.

Finally, I heard the voice of one of my group whisper, “Who’s gonna tell Cody we’re ordering an Uber and leaving him with his car?”

I wish I could say we all made it out that day, but some of us remained on that battlefield, waiting in the cold for AAA.

“From this day to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered. We lucky few, we band of brothers” —Henry V, the St. Crispin’s Day speech (William Shakespeare)

Long Distance Listening Party, Vol. 22

This playlist is available on Spotify, search my username, Mileserickson-354, New songs will be added.

• Need a Friend, EL VY

• Valentine’s Day, David Bowie

• Goodbye My Black Balloon, The Kills

• White Trash Heroes, Archers of Loaf

Need a Friend, EL VY. “Need a Friend” is sort of like soft sell

meets Muse. It’s a song that maybe deserved more attention than it got back when it was released in 2015. I think part of that could be attributed to the fact that it’s sort of buried in an overstuffed album full of same-ey-sounding, generic indie rock synth songs.

Valentine’s Day, David Bowie . I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, after Low, The Next Day is probably Bowies best album. I wrote an entire essay on this album back in college and it definitely warrants discussion. Previously, I talked about another song on this album “You Will Set the World on Fire,” which was Bowie doing Jack White, this song is Bowie doing…maybe... The Shangri-Las? Do-wop? It’s a song that probably would have been a number one hit had it come out in the early ’60s, but Bowie doesn’t make popular music for the time in which it would be conventionally popular, seeing as he’s a fourth dimensional space ghost.

Goodbye My Black Balloon, The Kills. Short, catchy repetitive songs are basically The Kills entire M.O. I know I’m doing a lot of “this song sounds like that song” references, but this piece does sound slightly more mature than The Kills’ usual stuff, veering more into Nora Jones territory.

White Trash Heroes, Archers Of Loaf. When discussing “Cold Little Heart”, I said something along the lines of “If a song is gonna be over six minutes, it needs a really good reason.” “Cold Little Heart” is good enough to warrant the nineminute playtime; “White Trash Heroes”…not so much. It would be a really killer four-minute song, if they could tighten everything up a bit. But instead of putting out a radio edit, they doubled down and released a WTH four-Track Demo that’s EVEN SLOWER. Anyway, give about three minutes of it a listen. It’s one of those songs that you listen to driving through L.A. at 3 a.m. with a leather jacket on and a toothpick hanging out of your mouth, even if the illusion is somewhat shattered by your gold 1999 Toyota Camry.

Miles Erickson is a recent graduate of CalArts, published author, and currently enrolled in a prestigious, four-year, student loan repayment program. Long Distance Listening Party’s vague intention is to discuss topics framed in the context of what I’m currently listening to.

Rude Interruptions

Out of the Past

By Joel Bellman

The following column contains graphic descriptions of a disturbing nature.

It was about half an hour before sunset when two boys, out for an evening walk, found the body. They walked or ran the one-and-a-half miles to a phone and called the Sheriff, and three hours later, his deputies arrived at the scene. The victim, initially tagged as “Jane Doe 30,” was lying face down in a creek bed, partially submerged, 100 feet upstream from Cobal Canyon Fire Trail, a popular hiking spot in the foothills north of the Claremont city limit. She was nude, and her bloody clothes— bra and panties, shirt and pants—were found 20 feet away. The coroner subsequently determined the cause of death to be head and neck injuries; she had apparently been raped near the banks of the creek, then fought for her life as she was beaten and strangled, and finally dragged, with a fractured skull and leaving a trail of blood, to be dumped in the creek.

Five and half hours later, at four in the morning, her stepfather—a County probation officer— identified her body at the morgue. In the following day’s local afternoon paper, I was stunned to read the front page story that announced Virginia Lynn Smith, my eighth-grade friend and classmate Ginny, had at the age of 13 become a homicide victim.

Like every other boy in our class, I had a mad crush on Ginny, who was outgoing, attractive, and popular, but we all remained firmly in the “friends” zone; her protective parents thought she was too young to date. Just a few weeks earlier, she had playfully signed my yearbook, “Joel, you’ve always been my secret lover, so bye “lover.” And then suddenly she was gone, in the most inconceivably horrible way.

I struggled for years to process her murder and researched the case to find some hook, some way to tell the story. This fall, I unexpectedly found it. • • •

For most people, jury duty is down there with root canals as an experience to avoid at all costs. For me, a jury summons in September offered the enticing possibility of a refreshing break from my usual routine, if the case proved interesting enough, so I was receptive.

After several fruitless days of phoning in, I began hoping that I might be released. But then I was ordered to report in person, and I was soon assigned to a large jury pool of 90. It was an interesting case, but a grim one: a double rape and double murder, enhanced by special circumstances of kidnapping. Had District (DA) Attorney George Gascón not categorically ruled out seeking the death penalty in his prosecutions, it would easily have been a capital case. The judge expected it to run six or seven weeks, Any rape and homicide case would have triggered a surge of buried emotions, but the parallels in this case were eerily similar to my friend Ginny’s murder. The two victims were also young women, 17-year-old Michelle Lozano and 22-year-old Bree’Anna Guzman, a mother of two, who had been killed eight months apart near their Lincoln Heights homes back in 2011. They had both been raped, beaten, and strangled, their nude bodies dumped alongside nearby freeway ramps a few miles from each other. Michelle’s body had been found the day after her murder by a stranded motorist on her way to make an emergency call for help. Bree’Anna had been dead for a month by the time her body was discovered by a Caltrans work crew nine months later, half-buried in dirt and leaves, the remains partly mummified,

skeletonized and unrecognizable.

After several days of voir dire, the lawyers had winnowed down the jury pool to a panel of 12 and five alternates, leaving only one empty alternate slot. And just as it seemed I might beat the odds, I was selected on the final day as Alternate #1. When I told the court my story, nobody objected to seating me. Fate, it seems, had handed me a new assignment.

No matter how many true-crime shows you’ve seen, you may think you’re prepared for the real thing, but you’re not. What haunts me still are not the gruesome physical details, which Hollywood routinely fakes easily enough, but the telling emotional moments that it cannot: the gasps, groans and whimpers from the assembled relatives in the back of the courtroom, punctuating prosecutor Beth Silverman’s dry narration as projections flashed by of the hideous coroner’s photos of their loved ones’ violated bodies—their daughters, their sisters, their cousins, their aunties—that were casually discarded like so much roadside trash.

The case against defendant Geovanni Borjas was overwhelming. Thanks mainly to dogged work by Detectives James King and Frank Carrillo in LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division, a match was discovered in 2014 in the DNA recovered from the two victims, indicating a serial killer. In 2017, the DNA database suggested a potential match through familial DNA already in the system— the defendant’s father. Police tailed his son and surreptitiously obtained a DNA sample that proved to be a perfect match with both victims. Geovanni Borjas was arrested and booked, and placed in a holding cell with an undercover cop. Soon he was boasting to his “cellmate” of the killings, sharing details of how he’d disposed of the bodies—and it was all on tape. Between that confession and other evidence, it seemed the case would soon be over.

the state parole board finally agreed in 1986 that he no longer posed a threat; and after his ninth hearing, still protesting his innocence, he won his release. He lived quietly and avoided trouble until he died at the age of 51 in 1997, almost 28 years to the day after Ginny’s murder, a free man. The cause was pneumonia and COPD, and he’s buried in the Riverside veterans’ cemetery. Ginny was cremated by her family not long after her murder, and they moved away. • • •

Some four days into the Borjas double-murder trial, after several unexplained delays in resuming the testimony, Judge Larry Fidler summoned the jury into his courtroom. “You don’t need to sit in the jury box,” he said as we filed in. “Just take a seat in the back and I want to explain what’s just happened.” And what had happened was that the defendant had suddenly decided to plead no contest, without any sort of a deal, to all five charges—two rapes, two murders, and a kidnapping, with special circumstances for multiple murder. So just like that, the case abruptly ended with no courtroom drama and no conviction by a jury based on the evidence. Anti-climactic hardly describes it; the prosecutor told me afterward it was only the second time she’d ever seen such a plea mid-trial in 28 years of trying cases.

As I write, I’ve just returned from the sentencing of Geovanni Borjas. Instead of death, Judge Fidler sentenced him to two consecutive terms of life without parole, telling the defendant that in 40 years on the bench, he had never seen a more cold-blooded remorseless killer, who had raped and murdered two victims without motive, “just because you could.” Offered the opportunity to make a statement of his own, Borjas complained that his attorney had not done an effective job of representing him, and that his constitutional rights were violated.

I was the only juror who showed up for the final sentencing, and several family members came over to thank me for respecting them; the mother of one victim and the father of the other warmly hugged me.

Ginny Smith’s 1969 murder case remained unsolved for nearly two years as law enforcement chased one dead-end lead after another. But in April 1971, a Vietnam veteran named Leon William Short was arrested in Ocala, Florida, on a charge of public drunkenness, and blurted out to local police that he wanted to confess to a murder in California. He seemed to know details of the killing that had been withheld from the public, and was quickly extradited to California and charged with her rape and murder. But after he arrived, he recanted his confession, claiming he had only made it up based on news stories as a ruse to get treatment for mental illness and alcoholism. The rape charge was eventually dropped, but after three trials, still protesting his innocence, he was finally convicted of murder in 1972, and sentenced to life in prison.

But that’s not quite the end of the story. After only six years, Short became eligible for parole in 1978. Year after year, he was turned down, until

Borjas deserves to rot in prison, or worse, forever. But even that isn’t guaranteed: the law could change, he could withdraw his plea and petition for a new trial, or he could challenge the severity of his sentence. Last July, DA Gascón announced that he was disbanding the so-called “Lifer Unit” comprising deputy DAs who notify surviving family members when a violent criminal is up for parole so they can appear and testify, because Gascón has decided they have a “right not to be contacted.” Nor will he send deputy DAs to those hearings to oppose violent felons’ release, a policy change he announced early in 2021 soon after assuming office, claiming his office is too short-staffed to spare them. Another new policy entails public defenders acting on behalf of his office (!) potentially supporting defendants in their appeals to overturn their sentencing and even his own office’s previous convictions. Gascón is currently arguing a case before the state Supreme Court appealing lower court rulings overturning his policy of forbidding his own prosecutors from seeking tougher sentences for felons with prior convictions.

Was Short truly guilty of Ginny’s murder? Will Borjas actually serve out his life in prison? If he were somehow released early, would the families of his victims even find out? Is true closure, for any of us, even possible?

Maybe the novelist William Gaddis said it best: “Justice? You get justice in the next world. In this world you have the law.”

Permanent Change

By Paula LaBrot

We live in an Age of Disruption. People wake up every day to find old paradigms broken and replaced by new sets of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices. The problem is not “change.” The problem is the velocity at which change is occurring. As we catapult into the future, humans are grappling with a constant state of instability. How are human beings to cope with such rapid-fire change?

A Little History of Change

During the Stone Age, early man had time to adapt. Time to absorb and master walking erect and bipedally. Time to absorb the development of language, tools and cognitive thinking processes. Time to absorb paradigm-shifting technologies like fire, tools and weapons.

Twelve thousand years ago the Age of Hunter-Gatherers gave way to the Age of Agriculture. New technologies gradually led to greater food production, permanent shelters, surplus crops for trade…a whole new paradigm of life. Change was still linear though. Humans had time to learn to adjust.

From 1750 to 1900, the Industrial Revolution sped up change exponentially. We begin to see the human cost of rapid change. Products previously created by hand were industrialized. Populations shifted from rural to urban settings. Adjustments were difficult. Workers were treated abysmally. Country dwellers found themselves in squalid urban slums, performing pressured, repetitive tasks, working in hazardous conditions in factories that were doing environmental harm. Huge cultural shifts occurred. Change mowed a lot of people down before humans got a handle on the rapid changes to their lives.

“Despite the immense achievements of technology by 1900, the following decades up to the present witnessed more advances over a wide range of activities than the whole of previously recorded history. The airplane, the rocket and interplanetary probes, electronics, atomic power, antibiotics, insecticides, and a host of new materials have all been invented and developed to create an unparalleled social situation, full of possibilities and dangers, virtually unimaginable before the present century,” according to “Britannica’s History of Technology.” Let’s put it this way: From the time of the first Wright brothers’ flights to landing on the moon was 66 years.

How Adaptable to Change Are We?

Speed is revered and sought after; Run a less than four-minute mile. Break the sound barrier. Build a faster processer. Deliver goods and services overnight.

Everyone is affected by the ramped-up pace of technological advancement and an ever-increasing volume of information coming to us at warp speed. However, it is important to understand that Speed has been separated from its important companion, Direction. Where are we going?

Before one can even begin to understand a new paradigm of cultural or technical standards, a new set of assumptions must be learned. People are struggling to keep up with exponential as opposed to linear change.

Who and What Will Survive?

The World Economic Forum advocates “three key skills to take on the challenges the fast-paced, disruptive world throws at us: learning agility, resilience and grounded (realistic) optimism.”

Alvin Toffler, author of “Future Shock,” wrote: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

Some people are slow and resistant to change. The world will pass them by. Some people are built for speed and will meet the future with openness and flexibility. Robert Safian of the Flux Group writes, “Charles Darwin foreshadowed this era in his description of natural selection:

TheCanyonChronicle.com

‘It is not the strongest of the species that survives; nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change.’”

No one is saying it will be easy. Toffler wrote that people exposed to “too much change in too short a period of time… could lead to feelings of helplessness, despair, depression, uncertainty, insecurity, anxiety and burnout.” It is true

that mankind is always resistant to change, but trying to replicate what worked yesterday will not work in the current chaos of change. There is a constant pressure now to learn new ways of doing things. Luckily, there is a great capacity in humans to adapt and survive. Openness is the key.

One wonders, though, will anything be constant? I say… yes!

Enduring Value`

Celebrations like Christmas encourage and celebrate the best of the human experience carried forward from the Stone Age to now— constant values and conditions that have sustained us through the crucibles of change. Love, Peace, Family, Friends, Good Deeds, Service to our Fellows and Prayer provide a steady ground on which we can stand and rest.

I have a special moment on Christmas morning to mindfully stand on that ground. I rise in the early light of day and go outside to listen. The natural sounds of Topanga play a gentle underscore. I feel a global communion with all the good passed forward through time. It is a moment of profound beauty and constancy. I will be thinking of you, dear readers, wishing you all good changes and cheer. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Peace be With You.

Vamos a ver!

Astrology

Introducing 2023, the Year of Change

By Kait Leonard

It’s hard to say whether 2023 will be better than 2022, but there’s no doubt that it’s going to be different. With the Nodes of the Moon slipping onto a different axis and Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter changing signs, 2023 promises bold, new energy.

Our first notable shift happens on March 7th, when Saturn, the ruler of ambition and duty, moves into spiritual Pisces. Saturn spends approximately two and a half years in each sign. For the past five years, he’s been in signs he rules, first Capricorn then Aquarius. (Note, this is based on Hellenistic rulerships. Modern astrologers give Aquarius to Uranus.) This is important because for five years, Saturn’s been on his A-game, bringing the gifts of determination, wisdom, and the ability to work hard toward worthy goals. But Saturn, the ruler of boundaries and structure, is moving into Pisces, the sign of idealism and creativity. The earthy planet of building walls will be hosted by the watery sign of dissolving into The One. Sometimes earth and water create fertile ground and support the growth of new life. Sometimes they just make mud. Perhaps it would be safest to expect a bit of both.

On March 23rd, Pluto, who spends from 12 to 32 years in a sign, will transition into Aquarius. The God of the Underworld entered Capricorn on November 28, 2008, so this energy has been with us long enough to become the norm. But who wants normal? Get ready to embrace the new…or maybe the really old. The last time Pluto landed in Aquarius was in 1778. How does the song go? “Everything old is new again.”

Pluto represents power and deep transformation. Consider that both World Wars occurred around

the time Pluto entered new signs. This is not to say that a global conflict will occur. Plenty of other significant events happened in connection with Pluto changing signs. But moving from Capricorn, ruler of the status quo and governmental structures, into Aquarius, associated with technological advances and diffused leadership, is sure to bring profound changes. Expect more power-to-thepeople style social movements and technological advances. And don’t be surprised if global leaders go a bit bonkers, as they defend the old systems that supported their power.

Before we get on to some lighter, brighter news, Pluto’s transition is even more complicated because he scoots back into Capricorn on June 12th. He’ll stay there until January of 2024 taking care of unfinished business. Once he’s satisfied that everything is put right, the Lord of the Underworld will move back into Aquarius where he’ll stay until 2044. Power to the people!

On a much lighter note, Jupiter, the planet of expansion and good luck, moves into earthy Taurus on May 16th. Whew! Unlike his slower

moving sky-mates, Jupiter only spends about a year in a sign, but given everything else going on, let’s just be grateful for some good news! Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet of love, money, art, and general good vibes. Taurus’ earthiness provides soil for growth in these areas, and Jupiter brings positive energy needed to foster unlimited expansion. World economies could start to emerge from current challenges. And on a personal level, who doesn’t need more love, money, and joy?

Finally, 2023 brings the beginning of karmic change when the Nodes of the Moon start to shift their axis from Taurus/Scorpio to Aries/Libra, where they’ll remain for the next year-and-ahalf. Two of the 2023 eclipses will finish out the Taurus/Scorpio cycle we’ve been experiencing since December of 2021. The other two will give us a hint of what’s to come in 2024. The outgoing Taurus/Scorpio energy forced us to reconcile the desire for personal comfort and the pull to deepdive into emotional intensity. Do we curl up and watch a romcom or settle in with Kafka? As we shift to the Aries/Libra axis we’ll be confronted with the need to find the balance between getting our own desires fulfilled while insuring inclusivity and fairness. Especially around the times of the eclipses, we’ll all be receiving hints of where we’ll feel this energy in 2024.

It’s impossible to predict specifically how all the planetary changes will be felt on the individual level because each transiting planet triggers hot spots in our individual natal charts. But one thing is quite certain: 2023 has big changes in store for us, and it’s my guess that most of us are more than ready to move on.

Happy 2023 everyone!

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