The Comet - October 2022

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

everything will be fine

editor: Ron Evans

contributors: Sarah Sims, Cory Calhoun, Skylar Hansford, Lindsay Breidenthal, Jamie Howell, Christopher F. Hart, JessicaDawn.Co, Anna Spencer, Dan McConnell

The Original Magic Triad at Collapse Gallery

COMET HEADQUARTERS

Greetings,

I’m writing this LIVE from a haunted pumpkin patch using a typewriter made of bones and teeth with blood for ink. Ok, fine. I’m in my PJs typing on a 300 buck laptop while sipping lemon tea and my cat is barfing. Oh, hang on…no she got it up. All good. Now back to the previously scheduled spookiness.

Did you know the number one costume predicted for this year’s Devil Night is Barbie and /or Ken? I have a hunch we may see some tasteless (or spot on) tributes to the late Queen as well. Number two on the costume prediction lists as far as I can see from my limited and half-assed research? Clowns. I shit you not. Classic. I guess. I mean, I never felt one way or another about clowns. Never found them creepy. Or funny. Or wanted. But I am clearly in the minority. Clowns just won’t go the hell away. Again, I don’t really care - it’s more of a mild amusement (bemusement) for me to ponder clowns in general. They are beloved by some, reviled by many. And I guess they are the herpes of the costume world (actually that’s glitter) so let’s just accept their foreverness and normalize them. Killer clowns, goofy clowns, comic book clowns, sexy porno clowns, and…whatever the fuck a mime is. There clearly will be a lot of wanted and unwanted clowning around this month.

Seriously though, what gives with mimes? Like…use your words you strange little painted man! Ok, that’s ableist. Maybe he can’t talk. But I suspect he can. And he just wants us to watch his hand stories instead. “Uh-huh…rolling down a winda. Got it. Oh no! Trapped in a glass box? How the fuck did that happen, guy? Oh what’s this? Climbing a ladder and yet not getting anywhere a’tall? Your world seems sad and futile and dangerous, my quiet friend. But sure I’ll clap. Also, really? Horizontal stripes? After Labor Day?”

Fine, I’ll stop. I’m sorry to the three mimes out there reading this. I look forward to your animated and passionate feedback. “Ok, it’s a phrase. Two words…got it. Looks like something large is furiously going into a smaller, more cramped thi…Hey!”

Ok that’s charades. But it’s my magazine and this is the page where I get to do what I want. And I guess I needed to get some things off my chest concerning silent painted folk. And now that that’s done I think I’m gonna try this silly mime stuff out for myself. How hard can it be? “Oh look, I’m trapped inside an imaginary box and you can’t even hear m...................................

Happy Trails, Ron Evans Editor of The Comet

CORY "DAMN YOU" CALHOUN'S

Puzz e Corner

"BURIED TREASURE"

ACROSS

1. It may be red

6. Jeopardy

11. Kill Bill actress Lucy

14. Mischievous one

15. Carne (burrito filler)

16. Ltr. holder

17. Pensive

19. Sch. of the NCAA's Spartans

20. Scottish cap

21. CNN sister network

22. Non-drowsy cold remedy

24. Reacts with fear

27. "Major" animal

28. Galileo and Sagan, for two

33. On ___ (without a contract)

34. "Outlander" network

35. Shed securer, often

39. Death Cab for Cutie or Dashboard Confessional

43. Anticipate

45. "Mediocre" author Ijeoma

46. Wordlessly accompanied a tune

52. "What ___ with that?"

53. Like jambalaya

54. Leaves in a big hurry

58. Org. protested in 1999's "Battle of Seattle"

59. Doze

62. Singer DiFranco

63. Message on old Cracker Jack boxes or what this puzzle’s circled letters suggest

66. London's Big ___

67. Discussion group

68. "Let's do this!"

69. Dump

70. Brace

71. Diary bit

DOWN

1. Datebook abbr.

2. Italian bread?

3. Let off the hook

4. Brazilian city, familiarly

5. Electronic music genre

6. Spare tire

7. Clairvoyance, e.g.

8. Surprise attack

9. Noodle concoction?

10. Gaga

11. Madagascar mammals

12. Be emphatic

13. Tonsil neighbors

18. Hair holder

23. Academic trivia competition

25. High-intensity lights

26. The "S" of CBS: Abbr.

28. Cleopatra biter

29. Hydromassage facility

30. Fr. holy woman

31. Cartesian conclusion

32. ___-Magnon

36. Be in debt

37. Lowlife

38. Sedona and Spectra maker

40. Caleb Carr novel,with "The" (that soundslike it's about a UFO fanatic, but isn’t)

41. Cashew, e.g.

42. Cry from Homer Simpson

44. "Waterfalls" R&B group

46. Some veils

47. Online newsgroup system

48. Sailors' uprising

49. "1984" author George

50. pot (sinus treatment)

51. One of the kids in an 1985 Spielberg film

55. Pos. and neg., for ex. 56. Phi Delt, e.g. 57. Minute 60. Bouquet 61. Turn down 64. Calzone’s center? 65. RR stop

COMING NEXT ISSUE: THE FINALPART OF THE MEGA META!

Seebelow fortheanswertolastissue'sPart5.Visit tinyurl.com/2022megametarules forcontestdetails.

SOLUTIONS TO LAST EDITION'S META CROSSWORD PRIZE CONTEST

removed letters (1 per word)

anagrammed words:

ABBOT RETAIN VAIN RACK

wordanagrammed from removed letters:

soundlikepluralsof lettersofthealphabet:

Four of the long Across answers (in red, at right) end with syllables that sound like plurals of letters of the alphabet:

FLYINGTRAPEZE > PEZE > P's

JEOPARDIZE > IZE > I's

STRIPTEASE > TEASE > T's

TURNCLOCKWISE > WISE > Y's Thisiswherethepuzzle'stitle,"SingularKindess" comesintoplay.When youmakethoseplurallettersounds"singular,"yougetP,I,T,andY--which spellsPITY, a 4-letternounmeaning"kindness"thatsatisfiesthepuzzle's hint.Nowinnerthistime.Nextissuewillhavethelastpuzzleofthe MegaMeta--andwillbejoinedbytheMegaMetahint!'Tilnexttime!

SOLUTIONS TO LAST EDITION'S ANACROSTIC CHALLENGE

ANSWERS: schemer, "It's way too soon," MBA, use up, low birth rate, inchworm, UV radiation QUOTE: Anti-Asian racism won't be solved with a romcom or superhero, but with you QUOTE'S AUTHOR: SIMU LIU (spelledoutbytheanswers'firstletters)

I CRAVE FEEDBACK! Thoughts? Suggestions? Lemme have it. CSCXWORDS@GMAIL.COM

Over the years at the Wenatchee Valley Museum, there have been some odd and strange things that have been donated to the collection. While currently there is a screening process and procedures in place for donating items, this wasn’t always the case. We occasionally find oddities lying around from years gone by with little or no explanations.

As we come upon October, a month known for all things spooky, we thought it appropriate to share some items from our collection that we find to be a little less appealing to the eyes. These three dolls, one with quite the makeover, another made of a dried apple resembling a shrunken human head, and the third a corroded tin doll face. It is unknown what purpose these served when given to the Museum or before, but now they serve the purpose of creeping out staff members who catch them out of the corner of their eye.

Curated and written by Anna SpencerCollections Coordinator at Wenatchee Valley Museum And Cultural Center wenatcheevalleymuseum.org

DUNZO: THE STITCH WORK OF CHEYENNE DUNN

26 year old Cheyenne Dunn recently started a small brand of clothing and other stitched goods called Dunzo. The Wenatchee artist is not new to the craft, however. She’s been stitching together one of a kind creations since she was 9 years old using her mother’s sewing scraps to make outfits for her dolls.

“This sparked the desire to be a fashion designer when I grew up because I had so much fun designing outfits, playing dress up, or playing those online fashion games.” Dunn said.

She later took a break from making clothes as she pondered where she wanted to take her professional life.

“I stopped making clothes when I stopped playing with dolls, and for the rest of my school days I had many dreams of what I wanted to do that had nothing to do with fashion. A couple of the more serious ones

were becoming a painter or opening up my own restaurant. In high school, I began thrifting because it was cheap and I was a freshly licensed driver who had new freedom to shop without my moth er’s approval. Years went by and I rediscovered my love for sewing again, this time combining fashion design with thrifted materials. In 2021 I started Dunzo, and here we are!”

The Comet reached out to Dunn to chat more about this creative medium that doesn’t often get its due spotlight in the world of fine art.

Tell us more about how you found your way to working with material as a medium?

My mom has sewn her whole life so I was

around fabric and sewing machines since birth. I grew up playing with Barbies, Polly Pockets, and American Girl dolls, and it was the early-mid 2000’s when fashion was super bright, colorful, and fun, so fashion easily became an interest. When I was around 10 I started making clothes for my dolls and that took it to another level, now that I could design the outfits myself. The dolls had fabric bodies and movable arms so they were basically a mini dress form. This taught me a lot about the curves of a body and how to piece together something that’s flat in order to create something that fits a 3D form. I’d drape and pin the fabric on them and then (poorly) sew it together with my mom’s

machine. I’ve always had an interest in clothes and the way they can instantly make you feel different or help express your mood of the moment. I also love that you get to choose whether you want to be bold and stand out, or dress down and blend in. There’s so much versatility with fabric. So many patterns, textures, types, and the possibilities of what you can create are endless.

Are you making clothing for the most part? What kinds of other things are you stitching together?

I mainly make clothing but I experiment all the time. My brain is a bit chaotic when it comes to making anything and I can never stick to any niche. I’ve made hand-sewn and machine embroidered patches, done free-motion embroidery, dabbled in quilting, made pillows, keychains, and more. Painting and drawing used to be my main medium so I really like to mix visual design with textiles to create a textured pic-

ture you can wear.

What (who) are some of your fashion influences?

In general, I steer towards 90’s grunge, skater fashion, and modern takes on vintage classics. But, honestly, I don’t know if there are specific big name designers or brands I pay attention to. I just know when I like something and take note when I see it, whether it’s something I see on the internet or on the street. I follow a lot of creators on Instagram who make their own clothing, so I get a lot of inspiration from people who upcycle, design, and create custom clothing.

The “upcycled” look is becoming more and more mainstream. Think of anything patchworked: denim pants, exposed seam tops, jackets pieced together with different fabrics, etc. It drives me crazy seeing fast fashion brands steal designs from independent creators, while using all new material, defeating the whole reason for the

design in the first place. When you only have smaller pieces of material to work with, it takes a lot of thinking outside the box, planning, and adjusting to turn it into something cohesive and wearable. All of these independent designers have created such amazing pieces that people love, that even high end designers take inspiration from them.

Talk us through your process from concept to finished product. Are you sketching out ideas in the early stages?

My process feels like it’s different every time. I often save photos or write in my notes when I see something that sparks an idea, then either draft a pattern if it’s simple enough or I’ll find a pattern to work with. I get really impatient when it comes to sketching out ideas so I’ll use the Procreate app on my iPad to visualize an idea when needed, and that involves combining a photo of the fabric with a basic outline image of what I’m wanting to make.

Once I have a general plan, I’ll cut out the pattern and start sewing everything together. I run into obstacles all the time so there’s a lot of time spent with confused facial expressions (think of that confused woman doing math meme, it’s exactly that) while sitting in silence so I have full thinking abilities. That’s basically the process. Design, cut, mental math olympics, sew.

Any specific materials you love to work with more than others?

Corduroy and denim tend to be my favorites. They’re sturdy and reliable, unlike knits, those capricious tricksters.

What’s the atmosphere in your creative space when you’re working?

Tunes cranking? Movies on in the background?

Most importantly: open curtains to bring in lots of natural light. But also lots of podcasts and music, and lots of looking for the remote to skip YouTube ads.

Is this a job (or side job) for you? If so, how do you sell your pieces? And are you making stuff most of the time?

It’s a side hustle. I’ve been learning throughout the past year that there’s a fine balance between it being a fun job and a burdensome hobby. I might enjoy making clothes for myself too much to make clothes for others full time, but I only have so much closet space. I go in waves of productivity but there’s always a project that I’m working on along with a queue of clothing that’s in need of mending or tailoring. I have a website where everything that’s for sale is listed, and I post most of what I make on Instagram.

Any pop-up shows or collection sales planned?

Nope! I’m in a bit of a production hibernation period right now, but maybe I’ll venture out of this cave soon.

Links: IG: @so.dunzo

Website: sodunzo.com C

TOUGH TIDDIES: BREAST CANCER PART I

By Marissa Collins

Everyone’s cancer journey is different because every cancer, treatment, body, and circumstance is different. Up until now, I have avoided writing my story because I do not want anyone to think that my experience is everyone’s experience.

I have verbally shared my story with a lot of people, with the intent to open dialogue that pulls back the curtain and perhaps demystifies cancer. But I recognize my privileges and do not have the audacity to assume they are anyone else’s.

If you or someone you love is going through cancer, please do not take this as a roadmap to the cancer journey. If you have questions, talk to a doctor before taking medical advice from anyone on social media, a blog, or writing an article for a newspaper.

This is my story and mine alone.

HOW DID I FIND IT?

People often ask me how I found it. I wasn’t sick, I felt healthier than ever. I wasn’t expecting it, I had no genetic predisposition. My doctor didn’t even flag it at my annual exam, just a few months prior.

I know why they ask. If a healthy 31-year-old woman without any family history can get breast cancer, anyone canand that is terrifying.

I remember it clearly. I was reading a book in bed thinking, “I haven’t done a self-breast exam in a while.” How long had it been?

Apparently long enough to grow a 2 cm mass in my right breast.

Reasonable information would tell you a healthy 31-year-old woman is likely to have a cyst in her breast, and all you have to do is wait for it to just go away after a menstrual cycle or two. So, I waited. I was getting married and probably had a cyst, and that was that.

However, my wedding and my menstrual cycles came and went (not at the same time) without any changes, so I scheduled an appointment with my doctor who scheduled an appointment for imaging who scheduled an appointment for a biopsy, and I began to wonder… what kind of cyst is this? Because, the thing is, they don’t really tell you what’s going on.

THE BIOPSY

I was probably at the height of my denial during the “ultrasound-guided biopsy.”

It was my lunch break, one week into a new job.

I stepped into a room of the spa-like breast imaging center, took off my top, and laid on my side on an exam table with my arm over my head. The doctor and nurse came in, parked the super fun biopsy tools in front of my face, numbed me up, and proceeded to take a chunk of my breast tissue and put a little microchip in its place. The chip is intended to locate the biopsied mass in the future. How many people had to misplace their cancer-denying cysts to enforce this procedure? I really hate needles, so I closed my eyes as I bled all over myself.

Then they go to that lymph node in my armpit. Not that I know what that is or why.

The first biopsy was not painful, so I was full of blind optimism at this point. Unfortunately, [they tell me] it’s a small and deep lymph node. So, they struggle. I cannot describe the pain. I held my breath as they dug the ultrasound imager and needle into my armpit in frustration and worry that they may not get their biopsy before the numbing agent wears off. But I’m fairly certain it already has, when - in a fraction of a second - I feel the biopsy needle tear out something so deep inside my armpit that I could not help but whimper in pain. Pain that was only prolonged after the fact, by the pressure they had to put on my armpit to stop the bleeding.

Every second that passed by was one closer to being done with the nightmare, and that’s all I could focus on.

Do you know how hard it is to make small talk through that kind of situation?

When I think it’s all over, I’m sent back to the mammogram imaging machine for another scan (to confirm the microchip placement).

It took every muscle in my body to move into the positions they needed for scans, but I was in so much pain by this point, the woman giving the scan shared no empathy, and I suddenly felt so alone. Unable to hold it in any longer, I cry all over myself. I hate crying in front of people.

At this point, I am in so much pain that I cannot even put my shirt on without crying in agony. The nurse tells me to take Tylenol and the pain will subside quickly. But she cannot give me any. In a hospital. It took everything I had left in me to get my shit together, walk through a large waiting room and parking lot, drive myself home, find a Tylenol, and tell my boss my lunch break is running a little late.

As I sat in my living room in silence, tears streaming down my face, armpit throbbing, thinking about what just happened and what was likely to come, I texted my husband - the only person with whom I would be honest about the pain. You see, he offered to come to this appointment with me, and I was too stoic and independent to think I needed help. He would have had to wait in the waiting room the whole time anyway. Yet, at the end of that appointment, I would have given anything to see him in that waiting room and wrap myself in his arms that afternoon.

That’s the moment I realized I couldn’t do this alone. I didn’t have to. And then the Tylenol kicked in.

THEY WILL CALL WITH BAD NEWS

For three days I worked as though nothing had happened with only a darkly bruised armpit hidden under my blouse to give me away.

I was at work and headed into a meeting when I got the call. They wouldn’t call with bad news! So, I answered.

[Let’s take a second to review the title here…]

It is cancer, the doctor tells me.

I go numb. I don’t want to hear the rest. I want to drive home, curl in a ball, and cry. Then I think about the next few steps ahead of me. The calls I must make. The lives I’m about to alter. The questions I’m going to have to answer. The answers I still don’t have. I have to be strong.

“Invasive ductile carcinoma” she calls it. People will be asking me questions, and I’ll be expected to have answers. If I don’t remember, I will look incompetent. So, I make sure she repeats: “invasive ductile carcinoma” so I will remember.

Her voice indicates it’s a good response. She gently explains what it means: carcinoma being cancer, located in the breast ducts.

She doesn’t really have any answers, and

I don’t know what questions to ask, but I’m told I will be getting a call to set up a series of appointments with a team that can tell me more.

When my voice starts to waiver, I can tell the doctor is uncomfortable and I’ve already taken up more time than I should have, so I feel bad and let her go.

I sat in the entryway to my office building in disbelief. Alone. That is until one of my coworkers passes by and asks if I’m okay. She is the first to learn about my diagnosis and comfort me.

That moment gives me the courage to call my husband (of 2 months now), my mother, my father, and my brother to tell them that I have breast cancer.

I wouldn’t call with bad news, but I’m not strong enough to see the look on their faces right now.

DUCKY

At work, I like to keep my private life private. I was less than 2 weeks into a new job, and most of the 10 women I worked with were practically strangers to me. No one knew I had even been going to doctor appointments when I walked into my office and told my boss and coworkers my diagnosis.

Honestly, I felt like I was letting them down by getting sick.

However, what proceeded was anything but a guilt trip. In fact, I hope anyone who gets bad news like this could experience the genuine embrace that I experienced from the coworkers I now consider my dear friends.

The word “cancer” felt bitter on my tongue, and it must have shown because Kate suggests: “would it help if we gave it another name? Like… rubber ducky!” Everyone laughs. It feels so good to remember I can laugh.

So, it sticks. And the rubber ducky doesn’t look so scary.

THE DUCK HUNTERS

The weeks that proceeded are a blur of appointments, blood draws, scans, and more appointments.

Learning from my biopsy, I brought my husband (and often times my mother) to almost all my appointments. First, I met with my entire care team - a series of doctors, nurses, and various advocates that asked me a lot of questions, told me about all my resources, looked at and felt up my boobs a lot, and continuously told me how young I was. If cancer was my rubber ducky, these were my duck hunters.

My oncologist was young and new to town. He was straightforward but his youth made it less intimidating. I liked him.

My radiation oncologist reminded me of my brother. He was quietly smart and a patient teacher. He explained the bigger picture, the process of diagnosis, and treatments. His computer was not working that day, so he drew it all, and I would think of those drawings every time I explained that cancer was like a dandelion: surgery removes the plant and billions of cancer cells; radiation deadens any leftover roots systems and thousands of cancer cells; the chemo destroys any little seeds that might have flown away and their hundreds of cancer cells.

The first surgeon I was paired with was also young, but he appeared timid and eager to recommend me to another surgeon that could do a more advanced lumpectomy surgery if I was interested. I am eternally grateful to this man.

Keep in mind - ever since I found out that my cyst was actually an active serial killer trying to murder me from the inside, the only women looking at and feeling up my boob were the nurses that were required to oversee the process because all my doctors were men. While I would highly recommend them to anyone, I also didn’t realize how badly I needed a female doctor - until I met my surgeon.

It was just a consult, but as I walked down the hallway, I realized this would be different.

The walls leading to the exam room were covered in large portraits of older, white male men - but their faces were covered in cutouts of female faces. Her assistant was a former classmate of mine, and I was surprised to take comfort in it. The clicking of her heels coming down the hallway was reminiscent of my own walking down that same hallway. She was young, wicked smart, and made clear boundaries: she wanted to joke with me but would be serious when necessary. This was my surgeon.

I often tell people that the best thing a patient can have in their cancer journey is a credible care team that they can trust. With their life.

It’s kind of like standing naked in front of a group of care providers with a rubber ducky on your head. These providers are all 50 feet away from you with their weapons of choice, and you have to trust that they can aim, shoot, and destroy that ducky. You’re not going to walk away unscathed. Some people don’t even survive. And you don’t have any control over this terrorist on your head. But you can choose to have duck hunters that you trust, and that makes it a helluva lot easier to feel seen, heard, and understood in some of the most painful and vulnerable moments.

Read Part II in November’s Comet

Marissa Collins is a Wenatchee native and WSU alumni that currently works as the Development Director at the Numerica Performing Arts Center. She is also a native to the arts, growing up as the daughter of a high school art teacher, graduate of the graphic design program at WVC, and adult performer in productions including Follies, Hot August Nights, and most recently the Apple Blossom Musical: The Wizard of Oz.

RUBBER

UNF*CKABLE!

By ROn Evans

Local author, Lucy H. Delaney has just released her eighth book, UNF*CKABLE! A 90 Day Dating

Guide to Long-Lasting Love. As you can most likely discern from the title, Delaney turns her gaze toward the hit or miss (to say the least) world of modern dating with this latest effort. It also marks the author’s first foray into long form non-fiction. I recently chatted with Delaney about her adventures in writing, dating, researching, publishing and...more writing.

Tell us a little about yourself and when and how you got started down the path of writing.

I like to tell people, who I am depends on who you ask. I have my hand in a lot of different buckets or wear a lot of different hats on my head, or whatever cliched term best fits a hyperactive family-focused do-gooder that likes to be outdoors when at all possible. Most recently, my life has centered around caring for my ninety-one year old grandmother who has mid-stage dementia.

I’ve always loved the written word and since my elementary school years have found it easier to communicate with the written word rather than spoken words. I think this is related to having ADHD. In intense situations, be they good, bad or just plain exciting, words get jumbled up with all the energy and emotion inside me and speaking clearly is a challenge. When writing, I have time to craft and create what I want to communicate in the way I want it to be received.

What was your first completed book and when/how did you publish it?

Ahhhhh my first...You always remember your first don’t you? My first completed book, Waiting on Justin, was actually the second book in my Road to Love series. I wrote it as a project with high school students at the Tech Center here in Wenatchee. The students in my JAG class gave me story ideas or subjects they wanted in it and I crafted the book to include their ideas. Each of the characters mentioned in the

book has either a first or last name of one of the students in my class. I pitched the book to a publisher, they loved the story, and it was the first to be published.

I currently have eight published works; three in the Road to Love series are what I call “real-life romance” because nothing I write is simply sweet. There are triggering themes and serious social issues I bring attention to within the main characters’ love stories, but I do promise there is a “mostly” happily-ever-after at the end of each of the books in the series. Three other books are part of the Just Gia series, a coming-of-age story about, Gia Gianelli, a Leavenworth shopkeeper’s daughter. It is very dark and raw. I have a standalone, Scandalous Affair, that’s a super spicy billionaire boyfriend story (it was my best attempt at erotica, but just not a genre I think I’ll write too much in). My newest book, UNF*CKABLE! is my first non-fiction and focuses on mid-life dating in this day and age. I am about 63,000 words into my next work, it will be by far my longest story to date. I’d say it’s the truest to who I want to really be as a writer, instead of being a “who done it?” it’s more like a “who is it?” kind of story where the reader spends most of the book trying to piece together which character is which. It’ll be a fun mindbender!

Are you self-published or have you worked with an agent/agency or publishing house?

I was originally published with Booktrope, and put out the Road to Love series, Scandalous Affair and the first book in the Gia series with them. They ended up dissolving and I made the personal decision to self-publish, call me greedy but a 70% royalty of my own work sounds a lot better to me than 5-15%, which is the going rate for most publishers. I’m not opposed to working with a publisher again if it makes sense, but I’m not going to waste my time begging a publisher to take me in when I have an open market of voracious readers at my fingertips.

Talk about your writing process from start to finish - are you often thinking

in terms of series or do you think one book at a time and potentially add more books later?

Hmmmmm... this is a tricky one. I suppose I think in terms of the world in which the stories live, if that makes sense. Some story ideas come to me and they’re by nature just one story. There’s not a whole lot of room within the confines of that world to do much more with it. For example, the Gia series is all about Gia. There’s no escaping her in that world. For marketing sake, I made her story into three books, but it could really be one larger all encompassing novel, either way, I can’t see expanding that world. However; the Road to Love stories are all written with more in mind. Each of those books had a “pull-out” character that readers can follow into their own story within that world. I have visions for stories with expansive worlds, which will definitely be large series works, but then again, like Scandalous, there are some ideas in this brain of mine I want to get out, or try out, but they don’t necessarily have a structure to build more books on.

Do you have a designated space(s) to write? And do you have trusted readers you can bounce things off before committing to publishing?

I am the “Riding Writer” and currently write most of my words during my Link Transit commute from Wenatchee to Leavenworth and back. Over the years I’ve written just about anywhere you can think of. I’ve had dedicated writing rooms and nooks and love having a sacred space, but in a way it’s also a little restrictive. If I get used to writing in “just” one space it’s hard to pull out my laptop and get in a few hundred words if I find some free time in a day. I feel like keeping the “space” fluid allows me the opportunity to write more, therefore, I can produce more. I will say, with the exception of my current afternoon commute writing sessions, I like to write in the morning. For the forty-minute bus ride I can get my head in the game but I’m definitely better at free-flowing ideas before the clock strikes noon for some reason.

I don’t bounce my ideas off anyone, they do enough bouncing off the grey matter in

A 90 DAY DATING GUIDE TO LONG-LASTING LOVE

my brain until I can find the time to get them out. I’ll go to other writers or readers to get ideas on how to shape the story, character, or world to suit the audience, but the stories seriously just take up shelf space in my head until I can purge them. The way I see it - if stories spontaneously conceive inside me, it’s my decision and almost a duty to bring them to life and share them with the world; what the world does with them after they exist is of no consequence to me, I did my part.

How do you define your preferred genre to work within?

This is going to come across as strange, but my preferred genre to write in for fiction is actually... time travel! I have grand ideas and storylines inside me that need more time and attention and skill then I currently have. The books I’ve published so far are all just the warm-up, if you will, to who I really want to be as a writer. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve done so far, but none of them are my preference, they are the practice to get me to where I want to be. My current work, (working title of The Big Y) will be the closest I’ve gotten so far to it, but I’m still getting there.

Your new book, UNF*CKABLE!, seems to be a bit of a departure from previous books. Tell us about the inception of this book and the format/concept?

This question is a perfect segue for the previous one. UNF*CKABLE! is one part strategy, one part memoir for mid-life dating in this day and age. It came about because I found myself unexpectedly single at the end of my thirties. I didn’t want to be single but didn’t want to leave too much up to time, chance and feelings so I studied dating to figure out how to attract and get the right guy for me in the shortest amount of time possible. My husband and I have been married five years now, so I felt the strategy had long-lasting merit and I wanted to try my hand at non-fiction anyway. I suppose I stepped into non-fiction with UNF*CKABLE! for the same reason I’m “practicing” with other fiction genres. I have grand plans for an intense non-fiction series someday but before I can do it justice, I need to get plain old non-fiction down first. There will be a follow-up book,

UNF*RGETTABLE, to help me further hone my non-fiction skills and also share our strategy for saving monthly memories to keep a relationship thriving.

It seems like you did quite a bit of research on the dating app world. Talk about that, and about the research aspect of working on any of your books. I did TONS of research for UNF*CKABLE! Way back in 2015 when I found myself reluctantly single I started looking into dating in this day and age and used the information for my sole dating purposes. I am a data geek and science nerd. I love statistics and psychology. I knew enough to know that physical attraction clouds rational thinking. I wanted to make as rational a decision as I could to find a lifelong partner this time around in the most time-effective way. I did a lot of research into attraction, human preference, and relationship longevity. I followed dating gurus, read relationship books, employed my personal faith and beliefs and developed a pretty strict set of rules to date men by. It worked remarkably well so I wanted to present my findings, if you will, to the population at large. In order to best present my findings, I dug in again to research dating, attraction, and relationships, as I wrote UNF*CKABLE! to further support my previous research and provide a broader application of the strategies I used.

A lot of people will be trying their hand at long form writing this November for NaNoWriMo - what words of advice would you offer someone just starting out?

The best advice I can give to anyone jumping into NaNoWriMo is to have a story idea in mind before November begins. Start thinking about what you will write now. Envision the end! Whatever the start or middle is, know your end, or at least have a really, really good idea of how the story ends. Get your mind ready and excited and FULL of ideas you’re bursting at the seams to get out. Then when November comes, write to the end, that way if you get stuck in a scene, you can put a pin in it, and reroute yourself to the end. Don’t worry about editing or creative crafting during the month of November, concern yourself

with getting the words, characters, ideas and story out and drive them as best as you can to the end. You can fine-tune and refine it later after you have the end.

If writing to the end doesn’t get you 50,000 words, go back and puff up the arcs and characters, probably those “sticky” scenes worked themselves out as you got to the end, so go back and buff them up to fit the end. Still looking for words? Give yourself permission to play in the world you’ve been imagining, don’t just assume people know how the world works, immerse them in it. I’m big on detail. I feel like little details make characters and worlds come to life in big ways - and they take up lots of words! If you’re a “skinny” writer, fill up on detail; add color, texture, smell, and all the things our senses crave, to build up that word count and make your story more robust.

Any release parties/signings or in-person events coming up?

We’ve had so much fun launching UNF*CKABLE! We had a brunch at Weed’s cafe in Cashmere, and a celebration at the Bowling Alley in East Wenatchee where my husband and I actually met. There will be one more event at the Buzz Inn in East Wenatchee on their ladies night Wednesday, October 26th. I’ll be there to sign any purchased books and they’ll be giving away one of my books... or maybe more depending on how much I have to drink... Of course if you buy a book from me that night, your drink is on me. Otherwise, my books are available online exclusively through Amazon. You can also find most of them at Ye Olde Bookshoppe in Wenatchee or A Book For All Seasons in Leavenworth.

Any genre or topic you would love to cover but have not yet tackled? Yeah... time travel! I’m coming for it!

Website: lucyhdelaney.com/ SM Links: Facebook.com/LucyHDelaneyAuthor instagram.com/lucyhdelaney/ Brand New on TikTok: @lucyhdelaney C

THE CARCASS

By Charles Baudelaire

My love, do you recall the object which we saw, That fair, sweet, summer morn! At a turn in the path a foul carcass On a gravel strewn bed,

Its legs raised in the air, like a lustful woman, Burning and dripping with poisons, Displayed in a shameless, nonchalant way Its belly, swollen with gases.

The sun shone down upon that putrescence, As if to roast it to a turn, And to give back a hundredfold to great Nature The elements she had combined;

And the sky was watching that superb cadaver Blossom like a flower. So frightful was the stench that you believed You’d faint away upon the grass.

The blow-flies were buzzing round that putrid belly, From which came forth black battalions Of maggots, which oozed out like a heavy liquid All along those living tatters.

All this was descending and rising like a wave, Or poured out with a crackling sound; One would have said the body, swollen with a vague breath, Lived by multiplication.

And this world gave forth singular music, Like running water or the wind, Or the grain that winnowers with a rhythmic motion Shake in their winnowing baskets.

The forms disappeared and were no more than a dream, A sketch that slowly falls Upon the forgotten canvas, that the artist Completes from memory alone.

Crouched behind the boulders, an anxious dog Watched us with angry eye, Waiting for the moment to take back from the carcass The morsel he had left.

- And yet you will be like this corruption, Like this horrible infection, Star of my eyes, sunlight of my being, You, my angel and my passion!

Yes! thus will you be, queen of the Graces, After the last sacraments, When you go beneath grass and luxuriant flowers, To molder among the bones of the dead.

Then, O my beauty! say to the worms who will Devour you with kisses, That I have kept the form and the divine essence Of my decomposed love!

Translated by - William Aggeler

First published in 1857

ARTBEAT

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK MAP INCLUDED

The NCW Arts Alliance is striving to become a hub, a conduit, a switchboard that effectively connects artists and arts organizations with each other, the public, and resources that can help them thrive. We want to help creatives de-silo and find ways to work together toward common goals—producing a rising tide that can lift all boats. Our mission is to position the Arts as a primary leader in the collective effort towards becoming a more vibrant and culturally equitable region.

The ArtBeat and our nascent website are some of our first concrete examples of our efforts to get the word out about the wealth of artists’ activities and opportunities occurring in our area.

NCW Arts has also been facilitating forums to gather arts enthusiasts to learn about our collective desires for how we can strengthen the creative economy. One of these recent sessions invited investors, artists, and business owners to participate in discussing their shared visions for potential new local arts spaces in local buildings coming up for sale. NCWArts may not be in the position to buy a building and set it up as an arts facility, but perhaps it

SEEKING...

Website designer: Arts Alliance seeks website designer for contract work! We’re looking for someone who has some experience and is looking for an opportunity to work on a fresh, creative project. Please email for more info: arts@ncwarts.org

Board treasurer: NCW Arts Alliance seeks board treasurer. If you love finances and look for opportunities to use your skills to build community and connectivity through the arts, we’d love to hear from

FEATURED EVENT PECHA KUCHA

can help in the sharing of ideas and in connecting interested parties that can work together to succeed in such an endeavor.

NCWArts supports Our Valley Our Future’s goals of long-term planning for the health of the community, and we are partnering with them to ensure a strong cultural vitality for the region as one of their focus areas for action. We agree with them that artists and arts organizations are multipliers for economic and quality of life benefits, and that, to the degree that artists thrive, the community can also thrive. We’ve been engaging with organizations such as Inspire Washington, who help communities identify funding sources and provide effective means of activism to benefit the arts in our state. It will be fantastic if providing better awareness of grants and other forms of assistance can contribute to the success of local arts organizations!

We are proud of how far we have come in such a short period of time, but we are just getting started with our advocacy. As we work to create the broadest possible coalition of members, representing all creatives and every art form across our region, don’t be surprised when we come to ask you to join the team and invest in the organization, in one form or another.

Scott Bailey is the Director of WVC’s Art Program and MAC Gallery, and is serving as the Interim President of the Board of the NCW Arts Alliance

SPACE WITHIN THE LAND

you! Please email us here: arts@ncwarts.org

Set painter and foam sculptor: Stage Kids is seeking a foam sculptor and set painter for work in October! And we are always looking to connect with those interested in teaching theater disciplines (we can provide curriculum) and/or interested in being on our production staff! For more information, email stagekidswa@gmail.com.

On The Cover: Melissa Gonzalez, performer with Wenatchee High School dance group Corazon de Mexico - WVMCC on Nov. 1st.

Pecha Kucha or, “the sound of conversation,” as it is translated into English, is also a type of formatted slide presentation for speakers. Pecha Kucha (PK) is pronounced “peh-cha-coo-cha” with the stress remaining equal on all four syllables. The format has become so popular that it has inspired Pecha Kucha Nights in over 500 cities around the world where audiences gather at bars and other public venues to watch presentations, much the same way audiences gather for karaoke. Used as format to be succinct, speakers must organize their conversation to be the length of 20 slides with 20 seconds devoted to each slide.

Constraints in this format allow the speaker to organize thoughts, enhance the slide image and keep the point brief; conversely inspiring a variety of creative output.

During October’s First Friday Art Walk, Oct. 7, 5-6:30 p.m, you will be able to experience a Pecha Kucha for yourself. Join us as we dive into the topic of, “The Space

within the Land,” a theme that relates to and expands upon the current exhibit, CHA CHA, at the MAC Gallery. The CHA CHA show is themed around conservation, history, and the arts with an emphasis on our local bioregion.

The MAC will host a variety of voices in this PK Talk, including:

Adventure mom and outdoor advocate, Chelsea Murphy Poet, naturalist, and author, Derek Sheffield Teacher and environmentalist, Jenaia Johnson

Members of Wenatchee High School’s Junior AVID class, Community organizer & sustainable gardener, Dane Breslin

Historian and preservationist, Tanner Dotzauer, and others!

Friday, Oct. 7, 5-6:30 p.m in the Grove Auditorium, Music and Art Center, Wenatchee Valley College.

AND THAT’S JUST ONE OF YOUR OPTIONS! CHECK OUT THE FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS AT NCWARTS.ORG

Chelsea Murphy Derek Sheffield Jenaia Johnson Tanner Dotzauer Dane Breslin

Scott Bailey

PINS & NEEDLES: TAILORS WITH A DRAMATIC FLAIR

From my stage debut as a Parrot in the living nativity in kindergarten class (not sure what the Nazarenes were thinking, but I loved it!) to sporting a large, sexy bustle over my backside

when portraying Mina in Dracula, costumes have been a huge part of my theatrical life and career. While I am not a costumer myself, I can tell you absolutely that costume designers are some of the most versatile and talented artists you will ever meet. They are the magicians of the theater world.

Costumers from an actor’s point of view: they inhabit brightly lit rooms that smell of fresh laundry and static electricity. With their shears, their measuring tapes, and kits filled with potions and notions, they

summon you forth for a fitting (or three) where they place you in front of a mirror or next to a mannequin draped with tulle, circling around you with pins in their mouths, chanting and mumbling various incantations peppered with the occasional swear, and suddenly, you have been transformed! I first heard about the new ownership of Pins & Needles custom tailoring shop from fellow local actor, T.J. Farrell, and I knew instantly that I wanted to talk with Jessica and Carl Knowles about it. After my interview with them, I still think they are magicians, but I certainly also more fully appreciate the training and dedication that has led them to this next chapter of their lives as professional tailors and local business owners. Jessica has a business degree and Carl has a degree in Theatre and Production with an emphasis in Costuming. They both grew up in central Washington and if they have a motto, it appears to be “Keep it local and collaborate” as taking on ownership of a thriving business didn’t stop them from building over 400 costumes this summer for Leavenworth Summer Theater’s 2022 season.

Because NCW Arts is fascinated with the intersection of art and commerce, we spent some time talking about the “art of fabric manipulation,” as Carl calls it. The Knowles both agreed that their approach to the business of tailoring is directly informed by their theatre training and experiences in the performing arts. Building and altering costumes for plays in a variety of different eras has helped them develop a broad skill set that is very relevant to today’s fashion trends. Carl says, “most modern fashion is informed by previous periods,” so it follows that having immersive experiences where you are required to nail the details of a certain time period helps with understanding and executing current trends.

Building on that concept, Jessica talked about the idea that if you know what you’re doing, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for quality tailoring. If you’re on stage, you must be able to breathe and move (even in a corset), but you must also look completely in character and the details do matter if you want the costumes to seamlessly (!) contribute to the tone, mood, and feel of

the play. According to Jessica, the same principles should apply in the clothes you wear on the street. It is possible to have high quality clothing that fits you well and is also highly functional and comfortable.

The Knowles plan to build on the solid reputation of Pins & Needles established by previous owner, Melinda Sinclair, and to also add their own theatrical flair whenever called for. They have retained a staff of three and are working on adding some new services to their existing daywear and bridal lines. This may include custom built clothing and costuming, bridal emergency kits for those unexpected sewing needs on your big day, and possibly even some original T-shirt designs for your bachelorette party!

You can find them on the bottom level of the Grand Central Building at 25 N. Wenatchee Ave, Suite 106. Business hours are Tuesday through Friday, 12pm to 6pm. Contact information: www.pinsandneedleswenatchee.com, 509-662-0813.

Megan Kappler

2017 cast of Chicago, costumes by Carl & Jessica Knowles (photo McKenzy Lakey)

SCAN FOR DIGITAL

INTERACTIVE FIRST FRIDAYS MAP!

FEATURED OPPORTUNITY OF THE MONTH

Applications accepted for TAT Lab Core Program until October 17

Info sessions on Oct.7 & 11 - see arts.wa.gov to register for these.

-Create more inclusive and culturally responsive learning spaces for youth.

-Level up your personal teaching practice. -Gain tools and resources to expand your abilities as an advocate for arts education. Annual program applications are open to Washington State arts educators, teaching artists, school-based arts specialists, youth arts providers, and classroom teachers working in all artistic disciplines.

SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES, SO LITTLE TIME! FIND MORE AT NCWARTS.ORG

The Wenatchee Downtown Association is partnering up with Teams Learning Center for First Fridays! The cost is $20 per child from anytime between 5pm-8pm.

All ages up to 13 includes childcare and a pizza party while caregivers can venture downtown and experience First Fridays Downtown!

FIRST FRIDAYS ARTS MAP

8. Collapse

A three person show: ‘The Original Magic Triad’, Chynna Jenkins, Emily Hillburg, Lisa McDonnell. And a two person show: ‘Co:Lab’, Michael Caemmerer & Adele Little Caemmerer

1. MAC at Wenatchee Community College

Cha Artists in Residence & Pecha Kucha talks, 5-6:30p.m.

2. Lemolo Cafe

Dawn Krantz pastels, 4-8pm

3. Two Rivers

Marie Alice Hurst stained glass and encaustics, 5-8pm

4. Mela Allison Lewis, 5-8pm

5. Salt Creek Apothecary

Blue Heron Quilting 5-8pm

6. Pan’s Grotto

Group show: ‘Cryptids, Creatures, Urban Legends, and Myths’

7. Ye Olde Bookshoppe Mystic North Jewelry, 4-7pm

9. WVMCC

The Zoo in You, traveling OMSI exhibit

10. Pybus Art Alley

Dan McConnell, featured Musicians: Steve and Mary Sanders with Amy Edwards

11. Wenatchi Wear

1 year anniversary celebration - Art Reveal! Colville Tribal artist, Smoker Marchand ltd. ed. , framed prints will be available

Online map courtesy of the Wenatchee Downtown Association wendowntown.org

By DOUG and Kayla Nunn

The year was 1997, the Spice Girls were on top of the world, Princess Diana died, and Hanson released “MMMBop.” I was there, ten years old, just killing all the Tamagotchis I couldnot on purpose of course but because I had no idea how to take care of them. I don’t think anyone did. 1997 was a huge year in cinema, television, and pop culture in general. I’m not gonna talk about everything that went down that year because a lot went down and we want to stay on the theme of Movies and Entertainment. But to skim the surface, George Clooney was the sexiest man alive, having played Batman in Batman & Robin, the song “Barbie Girl” by Aqua was released and the Notorious B.I.G. was murdered. Virtual Pets were all the rage and 007 for the Nintendo 64 was released paving the way for first person shooters and multiplayer games all together. Some other noticeable game releases were Star Fox 64, Fallout, Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy VII - the game that would change story based games forever with its amazing cut scenes and immersive story.

1997 was also a great year for televi-

sion, releasing some great titles such as Todd McFarlane’s Spawn: The Animated Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, King of the Hill, Daria, and one of the biggest things to come from the year and still staying funny today, South Park. It was a massive year with a lot of great things coming from it but one thing dominated the year: the Box Office. So many great titles were released in 1997 like Good Will Hunting, Men in Black, Starship Troopers, Flubber, the Postman, Alien: Resurrection, Good Burger, Liar Liar, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Wild America, Contact, the Fifth Element, and the live action Spawn! The 90s was the decade of the disaster movies and 1997 did not disappoint with Dante’s Peak and Volcano. I’ll throw in Anaconda as well. Nicholas Cage of course had a killer year with Con Air and Face/Off, both being released. 1997 was a huge year for Star Wars, George Lucas saw what ILM was doing with Jurassic Park and thought that the digital technology had caught up to his original image of Star Wars and decided to release a Special Edition that completely digitally remastered all three original movies with added scenes, one noteworthy scene of Han meeting Jabba and of course the changes to the “Han shot first” scene. As far as animated

movies go it was a far less exciting year with only two noteworthy mentions Hercules and Anastasia.

1997 was definitely the year of movies, not only were there a lot of great titles released there were also records broken. On December 19, 1997 James Cameron’s Titanic was released and took the Box Office by storm becoming the highest grossing film of the year raking in a staggering $1.84 billion dollars, beating Jurassic Park: The Lost World which received a still impressive $618.6 million dollars, Jurassic Park: The Lost World also broke box office records, one of them being the first film to reach the $70 million dollar mark on its opening weekend. Titanic became the first film to ever break one billion dollars, and was the highest grossing film of all time. It held on to that title for 13 years until yet again another James Cameron film Avatar would surpass it in 2010. I still remember going to see Titanic in theaters and it being the only movie I remember with an intermission. You might go as far to say this is one of the first great movie experiences I can remember and maybe the movie that got me into movies. I saw plenty of movies before this but on the big screen this was one of the most powerful memories of the movies I had seen.

As you can see there were plenty of movies released in 1997, every month seemed to have a huge title released and they all seem to be classics. Not just a movie you’ll see once but classics that you have to watch every couple years. Is there a reason? How does 1997 stack up to other years? I truly don’t know, I’m not gonna do all the work plus I’m almost done with my 800 words. But I do know some of my favorite movies and shows growing up were released that year, maybe it has something to do with the age I was and just being able to understand deeper plots, maybe it had something to do with technology and the progression of film. Maybe it was a financial thing and somebody high up knew the numbers were gonna be big. We may never know why it was such an impactful year in pop culture but what we do know is box office records were broken in 1997.

Doug and Kayla Nunn are owners and operators of The Time Capsule, a retro media hub that celebrates all things nostalgic and pop culture related.

Find them: @retromediaman | 23 Orondo Avenue, Wenatchee and at timecapsulecollectibles.com C

EVERYTHING IS FINE

By Varuca Salty

Content warning: menstruation, neuroses.

Well, it’s my favorite time of the month where I get to play, “does everyone actually hate me or am I just about to start my period?” It’s a super fun game because I can honestly never tell which is true. Maybe it’s both?! Two opposing things can be true at the same time! Even after deleting my cycle tracking app I always know when it approacheth because I always think everyone hates me. Sure, I also feel this occasionally when I’m not about to start my cycle; after all, I do have a personality disorder. But it’s especially strong at this particular time. I have to wrestle with my own mind to figure out what is real and true or at least what likely isn’t true. I’d have to be pretty damn full of myself to think that I’m important enough for EVERYONE to hate me. More than likely most people are either indifferent to me or don’t even know I exist because I’m a complete hermit shutin. I’d be very surprised to find people actively hating me out in the world. I know this all logically... and yet. Hormones are a funny thing. I suppose my hormones are probably trying to tell me that my cycle is coming and maybe I should take some

quiet alone time. Time to curl up with my heating pad, who I may have given a human name because we spend so much time together and he’s the warmest friend I have... Anyway, I’m fighting those forces today, the ones that tell me everyone hates me and probably thinks I’m the worst. Not sure why my brain feels the need to tell me these things for a full week every month, but here we are. It’s probably all of the mental illness and neuroses.

Anywho, here are some tips that help me through the PMS specific neurosis:

Step 1: Try to remember that you’re not important enough for EVERYONE to hate.

Step 2: Feel bad that you acknowledged (and remembered) just how unimportant you are.

Step 3: Go into a tailspin about not knowing your place in this world or why you even exist. Is it just to have chronic anxiety and panic attacks?! Is this all life is?!?

Step 4: Remember that you were only trying to remind yourself that it’s unlikely everyone is walking around thinking of you, let alone actively loathing you.

Step 5: Remember to breathe. You’ve been holding your breath this whole time and now you’re concentrating so hard on breathing you may actually be hyperventilating.

Step 6: Wonder why you’re like this...

Step 7: Remember why you’re here in the first place. Re-center, refocus, reel in that dissociation. Try saying positive affirmations like, “you’re beautiful and worthy of love.”

Step 8: Remember that affirmations only work if you believe them, so rework your affirmation into something more believable like, “you’re objectively attractive, probably, and are capable of being loved... probably.”

Step 9: Feel slightly better about yourself and your situation. Remember that friends and support can be really helpful when you’re struggling in these ways.

Step 10: Reach out to all of your closest friends and wait impatiently for the support to come rolling in because god damn it, you are deserving of love!

Step 11: Realize after about 15 minutes of impatiently waiting and staring into the void that no one is available and/or going to respond. Wonder how Every. Single. One. of your friends is busy at the exact same time, the time when you need them most.

Step 12: Think to yourself, “it’s probably because everyone hates me.”

Step 13: Go back to Step 1 only to discover, wait, what’s this?? Of course! You started your period. Realize it was probably your hormones making you feel bananas that whole time and that you’re actually pretty awesome and then just casually stop beating yourself up mentally. Problem solved.

Repeat every 28-31 days.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.....

I hope you find my tips helpful. Now get out there and enjoy your life! Or if you’re like me, get out there and question whether you’re likable or more likely deeply hated by everyone! Until next time. C

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2022 AT 6 PM – 10 PM

The Sam Leyde Band with Gideons Daughter

The Sunshine Ranch Wedding and Event Venue

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2022 AT 2 PM – 5 PM

Live Music with Gina Belliveau

Succession Wines

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2022 AT 6 PM

Taste of Whisky at Hard Hat Winery!

Hard Hat Winery Tasting Room - Wenatchee

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2022 AT 6 PM – 8 PM

paint + sip | potions + pottery

Inspirations Ceramic & Art Cafe

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2022 AT 6 PM – 9 PM

Rylei at WVB

Wenatchee Valley Brewing Company

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2022 AT 7:30 PM

Black Box Concert ft. Argonaut & Wasp

Numerica Performing Arts Center

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022 AT 9:30 PM

The Finger Guns, Hilltop Rats, FCON!!! Live at Wally’s House of Booze!!!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022 AT 10 AM

The Met: Live in HD - Medea

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022 AT 9 PM

Brett Benton ALBUM RELEASE PARTY w/ Bryson Evans Club Crow

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2022 AT 9 PM – 12 AM

Queeraoke at the Rock in Rock Island

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2022 AT 7:30 PM

HALLOW-QUEENS DRAG SHOW 2022

Numerica Performing Arts Center

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2022 AT 8 PM – 9:30 PM

“Ha-ha Haunted” Musical Comedy Show w/ Michael Glatzmaier Sigillo Cellars Chelan

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2022 AT 2 PM

2nd Annual Witch & Warlock Community Paddle

Wenatchee Confluence State Park

OCT 28 AT 2 PM – OCT 30 AT 3 PM

Summit to Sea FilmFest

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts

ORIGINAL MAGIC TRIAD COMING TO COLLAPSE

By Ron Evans

This October, Collapse Gallery in Wenatchee is hosting a unique and eclectic show featuring three artists (Chynna Jenkins and Emily Hillburg of Los Angeles and Lisa McDonnell of Renton) called The Original Magic Triad. “The concept of the show is in our diverse and eclectic artistic style and content. We each have a voice and a place in the Triad. We are Ying/ Yang and Balance!” says McDonnell

I reached out to all three of the artists about this exhibit, their collaborations and the various mediums they use to find - and perhaps provide - balance in this creative Triad.

First off, give us a little artistic and biographical background on yourselves.

Emily: I live and breathe Long Beach, CA. Chynna is my art wife and I met Lisa when we applied for the first Olympia Zine Fest in 2015. I work mainly with upcycled porcelain pieces and use bloody red paint to paint the destruction and painful demise of the patriarchy.

Chynna: I was born and raised in northeast Los Angeles and have a background in illustration, screen printing and now tufting. Emily was the first person who introduced me to zine-making back in 2014 and I met Lisa, who officially became my spirit animal/twin at our job at an art store. This show is important because being in lockdown during the pandemic was so weird and as a group, we really relished the feeling of being able to show work in a public space and participate in zine fests. Our show truly represents all of our talents and personalities rolled into one. When I reached out to Chad (Yenney - owner/curator) about having a show at Collapse, he was 100% all in. This is our step forward into showing our work again and connecting with new people. We are just great friends who make kick-ass work. We welcome you to feast your eyes on the works of the Original Magic Triad. We hope you enjoy our show!

Lisa: I am a multidisciplinary artist with works including paintings, mixed media, digital prints and comics. My love for characters and the strange and unusual are often the subject of my work. I have lived in Los Angeles and New York and shown various works in both cities. I am currently living in Renton, Washington. Chynna and I met while working in an art supply store in L.A. and have been friends for many years.

Tell us about your history in the zine world and what it is that appeals to you about this creative medium? Will there be zines at this show?

Emily: I love zines and will make zines till I die!

Chynna: I started taking zines seriously back in 2015/2016 (thanks Em!). I really had no idea there was this world of artists from all different backgrounds and mediums literally making zines out of printer paper. I remember getting some at punk rock shows but didn’t expect the scene to be so in-depth. I love that zines are such a tangible itemyou can trade them, gift them, save them and pretty much learn about anything. Honestly, my zine-making is really just me overthinking an idea to the point of insanity (usually about a few days) and then it falls in place. I actually do it all on the computer in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign and either print at home or at Staples. My zines are mostly illustrative but I really love collecting zines printed with the riso, music/perzines and learning about anarchy. As I’m writing this, I’m hoping to have one zine at this show - I mean, you know how it goes. You are dealing with artists, after all.

Lisa: The thing about zines is you have to write them, or have a concept or story that you want to convey. It needs to be blocked out to carry the story from page to page, it has to have a visual rhythm to propel the reader to turn the page. The drawings need to follow the narrative. There is a lot of planning which is not my nature before I ink the artwork. I love the inking process, the India ink lines and the feel of the pen as it flows across the artwork. I have also made single pane cartoons culled from my drawings which is more of an editing task than writing a story. I will have zines at the show.

From the images I have seen, this looks to be a rather eclectic show concerning style and mediums. Talk about the techniques and pieces each artist brings to this show.

Emily: I search for porcelain treasures all over LA to bloody up with my pure feminist rage - my favorites are Princess Diana plates, especially the one with that ding dong Charles, who didn’t deserve her. I use a special porcelain paint that cures with heat, so when they emerge from the oven, they are extra spicy. I’ll be showing some porcelain sculptures, along with some plates and tapestry.

Chynna: This show is me really highlight-

Emily Hillburg

ing my ideas with my brand, Psychic Friends (cool kids stuff). I taught myself how to use a tufting gun during the second year of the pandemic from watching people go rug crazy online. A lot of these ideas that you’ll see are repurposed from some older ideas that I’ve changed over the years but in tufted form, so you’ll be seeing lots of surreal, amorphous characters. I love using a range of colors to give my work a fun and odd personality. I’m attracted to objects that are considered cute and absurd, maybe something you would find in a dream. Lots of yarn is involved and I actually think it’s one of the most obnoxious materials ever because it can get very tangled. You can leave the room and it will get tangled on its own, I’m serious. I got a 4’ x 5’ frame made to accommodate my ideas and I use one color at a time. Working on this show has taught me a lot about patience and taking my time - which is a technique on its own!

Lisa: The techniques in my work include painting, drawing, rubbings of objects and my own collagraph pieces, digital prints including reproductions of collage, graph-

ics drawings and hand-drawn and inked mini comics.

How do you approach the creative process when starting new works, and how much do you consider the viewer’s (reader’s) experience during the creative phase, if at all?

Emily: I use a lot of found objects for my work so I’m very informed by the random way I find things. It feels kind of like destiny when I see something sitting in a thrift store and I can just picture how I’m gonna transform it instantly.

Lisa: I don’t discuss ideas with anyone. I find that I can talk away all the energy I had for the piece. I generally don’t ask anyone’s opinion along the way because their vision distracts me from my own. Once it is done it belongs to the viewers to see what they can see.

Chynna: There are mostly words and color choices at first, and then I’ll create loose ideas on my iPad. Because I’m self-taught, most of my work flows from a personal

perspective of just doing what brings me joy. Obviously, I want the viewer to experience that same sense of joy. But I truly do this work for myself.

Many artists tend to hide in their respective nooks for long periods of time while in the creative phase and then later make a foray out into the world to exhibit new works. How would you describe the importance of that shared communal experience of viewing and discussing art - live and in person?

Emily: Making art can be such a solitary experience. It’s so important to get the opportunity to talk to people that appreciate art and see the work of other artists. It’s such a beautiful, inspirational thing.

Chynna: I feel like one of my biggest downfalls that is very subjective and personal is filming myself working on something. I really don’t like it at all yet, it’s the guideline to potentially making yourself known online. It’s an unspoken pressure that if you’re not posting behind the scenes or showing step-by-steps on self promo-

tion, then what are you doing? I just find it very overwhelming personally. However, I do enjoy watching others create but I don’t feel the desire to share constantly. I enjoy showing the finished product and being able to talk to someone at a show or an event because I feel like my personality shines through in the moment and not through a photo or video.

Lisa: The shared communal experience stretches your mind outside of your usual thinking patterns beyond your own vision and brings you into the world of the viewer. What other people see is a revelation to me.

Is this group an ongoing collaboration?

Chynna: I would say it’s on and off since Lisa is in Washington and Emily and I reside in LA and we haven’t tabled at a zine fest since 2019 - aka pre-covid. Maybe it’s time that we get back into the swing of things?

Emily: We are all big admirers of each other’s work (and each other in general)

Chynna Jenkins

Lisa McDonnell

so we love having opportunities to work together and show our art together.

Lisa: I am always open to collaborating with these two women.

What’s up next for you all?

Chynna: The year is coming to end and since Emily and I live in LA, we enjoy applying to makers markets for one last push, and then we will hibernate for a while!

Lisa: Let’s see where this takes us, one thing leads to another.

What’s one studio/creative item you can’t live without:

Emily: My doggie to pet while I work!

Chynna: At this point, my iPad Pro and Procreate.

Lisa: There is no studio/creative items I can’t live without.

Biggest inspiration(s) for creating:

Emily: It’s partially informed by what I find but I’m usually processing big emotions. I’ve been inspired a lot by anger at the crappy state of the world and especially for women in this world! I put it all into my art.

Chynna: I love old Nickelodeon cartoons, 90’s nostalgia, color theory, punk stuff, The Aquabats for sure!

Lisa: Odd people, characters, inventions, obituaries.

Biggest distractions from creating:

Emily: self-doubt SUCKS

Chynna: INSTAGRAM

Lisa: The news of the day. The phone, Netflix, housework.

Favorite Quote and who said it:

Emily: “…to all the devils, lusts, passions, greeds, envies, loves, hates, strange desires, enemies ghostly and real, the army of memories, with which I do battle — may they never give me peace.” Patricia Highsmith Chynna: “Survival never goes out of style.” - “Save Your Generation” by Jawbreaker

Lisa: Can’t think of one.

Social media links:

Lisa: @inkybird2

Chynna: @psychicfriendsclub

Emily: @boytearsllc

Also premiering this First Friday at Collapse, two-person show, ‘Co:Lab’ Michael Caemmerer & Adele Little Caemmerer. C

Chynna Jenkins

Emily Hillburg

Lisa McDonnell

Dear Moxie Rose, I recently bought those little metal vaginal balls, I think they’re called Kegel balls? But I’m having trouble keeping them in, like they keep slipping out… Am I using them wrong?

S.

Hi S.-

It doesn’t sound like you are using them wrong. But it does sound like you may have started with Kegel balls that are more, for lack of a better word, advanced. It can make things a little confusing when it comes to these because, with any other weight, the general rule of thumb is: the bigger it is, the heavier it is, the harder your muscles are gonna have to work to lift it. Kegel balls are a little different.

The ones that are a little bit bigger are going to have some natural help from your body in being held in place. And that has to do with the fact that the ball itself will be bigger than your vaginal opening. So without even having to flex those muscles, the size difference between the ball and the vaginal opening is helping to keep it in place. When you go down to a smaller size, you get closer to the size of the vaginal opening so your pelvic floor (Kegels) are needing to work a little bit harder, clenched down a little bit more, in order to keep it in.

Now, it doesn’t mean that you can’t work up to using those smaller metal balls but you may want to start with something a little bit bigger. There are also Kegel balls that have two attached in a row. The point to this is - if you have both of them up inside you your muscles are having to flex a little bit to help keep them up (but not as much as they would have to for the little small ones) but if you pull one of them out, because it is still attached in a line to the next ball that’s still inside you, it turns that ball into a free weight. So your body is flexing a little bit more than it needed to and both were “up inside you.” And you can sort of alternate back-and-forth between having both in or letting one hang out like a free weight, building up those pelvic floor muscles that way… Then start to move towards the smaller sizes as those muscles strengthen.

Dear Moxie Rose,

My partner (Cis-male) has recently expressed to me that they would like to try prostate stimulation in the bedroom. I’m 100% down for this but I don’t really know much about what type of products to look for. Is there really a difference between prostate stimulators and other type of anal products?

-A.L

Hello A.L.-

Yes and no. There are products that are specifically designed to stimulate the prostate but it doesn’t mean that other anal products, that are not specific to the prostate, can’t be used as well. What sets prostate stimulators apart from other anal products is a lot like what sets G-spot stimulators apart from other vaginal toys. It all has to do with the angle, the upturn, that the product can have. Because the prostate, like the G spot, should be worked a little like a pressure point. This is the reason that with the G spot you’re told to do an ‘in and up’ sort of a “come hither” motion with your fingers. Because you’re going for that upturn. This is the same for the prostate. So if they are laying on their back on the bed you would want to go in and up (you should be able to feel a slight difference in texture (many describe the prostate as feeling like a soft, squishy walnut). For that reason many of the “prostate specific” products will have a little bit of an up turn to them (regardless of what else they may do or have incorporated into that toy – vibrations, thrusting movements, etc.). This also means that if you are going for a prostate specific toy you want to make sure that that upturn is not super flexible. Meaning that if you pressed against the upturn it’s not going to bend away easily when you press on it. You do want it to have a little bit of rigidity so that it stays pressed up towards the prostate regardless of what other movements may be happening. Now that being said… using “regular” anal products – for example anal plugs that don’t have any specific upturn to them –can still stimulate the prostate area. This is because, even without that specific upturn, enough pressure from just anything being in the anal cavity, is still going to push outwards towards the prostate. So for some people that’s just enough stimulation

and some people want there to be a little bit more direct stimulation. And that will come down to a matter of personal preference so that may require you both to try different products. I would maybe start with one prostate specific product and one general anal product. I would also highly suggest going into an adult store and speaking with the employees about what you are looking for so that they can help customize their recommendations to you and your partner specifically.

A small sidenote: I would like to mention from personal experience: being familiar with what your/your partner’s prostate normally feels like (whether that’s physical touch or what it feels like being stimulated) can alert you if something is changing or wrong with your prostate. Prostate cancer alone affects over 3 million people per year just in the United States. So in the same way that people are told to do breast exams and familiarize themselves with how their breasts normally feel and look, to spot potential changes that could be red flags early on, being familiar with the feel of the prostate can alert you (or alert your partner) that some thing is happening and possibly deserves a trip to the doctor.

Dear Moxie Rose-

What is “sounding?” I kind of have a general idea but it doesn’t really make sense to me and I can’t figure out what the appeal would be or how that’s supposed to work? Help!

D.

Hi D.-

You are definitely not the only person to be confused by sounding. And believe it or not this is going to be another prostate question!

But I would like to point out, before I answer this, that my answer about what it is and what it’s used for should not be taken as the only “directions” you need to experiment with this. Sounding is definitely more of an “advanced” (again, for lack of a better word) act. And it requires a lot of research into products and materials and lubrication and anatomy – so for anybody that is interested in trying this, I strongly recommend doing some research about

sounding and safe practices, and I strongly recommend going into a trusted adult store to talk to the employees about products and materials and lubrication.

Now that being said – sounding is the act of inserting some thing down inside the urethra, through the shaft of a penis, most often with the intention of stimulating the prostate.

I say “most often” because there are people that wish to do this because they genuinely enjoy the feel of it regardless of the prostate stimulation.

I know there are many people who just read what I wrote and cringed very hard but let me assure you… this is not meant to be a torturous, painful act (aside from those, who are well-versed in kink, using pain as a form of stimulation). Like anal, the potential for feeling pleasure versus feeling pain is going to completely come down to how it is being used and what is being used.

The reason that this is used for prostate stimulation is because it offers more direct stimulation to the prostate than going through the anal cavity. Because, while you can stimulate the prostate very well from inside the anal cavity, the prostate is not actually INSIDE The anal cavity. There is just a very thin wall of tissue between you inside the anal cavity and the prostate, allowing you to feel it and stimulate it through the wall of the anal cavity. But the urethra actually travels directly through the prostate. So going down the urethra allows you to stimulate the prostate more directly than going the anal route.

Moxie Rose: (sex and kink advice/education) from For The Love Of It in Wenatchee, WA.

The information provided in this column is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. C

This summer we ran the first ever Comet Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by Inner Grove Tea - tasking local writers to craft original short stories (1000 words or less) and we were thrilled to have so many great submissions! Our judges (Holly Thorpe, Michael Lee Miller and Ron Evans) were fairly simpatico on the Top 3 but they had a tougher time narrowing down the ultimate win- ner. So they re-read them and ordered another round and discussed. Finally a winner was named. Along with an honorable mention because it was just too damn charming (as well as seasonally appropriate) to not be included.

Thanks to all our sprinters for sharing your works with us and we hope to do this again next year so start writing! We also really want to thank our sponsor, Inner Grove Tea, for providing the swell prizes! We agree that few things pair better with writing than a fine cup of tea. Or three. Or seven. Be sure to stop by Inner Grove Tea at 1 S Wenatchee Ave, Suite 101. in Downtown Wenatchee for the tea, teapots, mugs and accessories to stay fueled for all your upcoming writing projects. Anyone doing NaNoWriMo? 3000 words a day with no tea? Psh. GOOD LUCK!

First place (and the honorable mention) are on the facing page - the 2nd place writing will run next month and 3rd place will run in December’s issue.

FIRST PLACE

GONGFU TEA SET, CANNISTER, $10 GIFT CARD AND TEA SAMPLES

CANNISTER, ROBOT INFUSER, JAPANESE TEA CUP, $10 GIFT CARD AND TEA SAMPLES

CANNISTER, ROBOT INFUSER, $10 GIFT CARD AND TEA SAMPLES

“Unbridled” Jesemynn Čačková SECOND PLACE “Home” Lincoln Nere THIRD PLACE

“The Whom Hunters” Guylaen O’Connor

Unbridled by Jesemynn Čačková

Afrail finger pulled down a single venetian blade just enough to reveal paranoid stricken eyes. A quick surveillance of the front yard did little to ease her anxiety, but it was enough to take the edge off. Sheila retreated from the window and placed a large board that fit seamlessly within the frame. There was a little rope attached to it for easy removal when necessary. The natural light inside the home was replaced with cold LEDS as all the windows were boarded up. The interior was abnormally sterile with all surfaces clear of clutter; every item had a designated space. This was Sheila’s sanctuary that provided the only sense of normality in the chaos that devastated her world. This was a delicately weaved illusion that threatened to shatter with each passing second. Regardless of this coping strategy, she knew her grasp on reality was gripped with greasy fingers. Some of it had already puddled at her feet. Once satisfied with the security of the window, she sulked from where she was near the entrance of the kitchen, through the living room, to where she halted at an opaque plastic sheet. The very tip of her nose touched the barrier as condensation of her outward breath produced a foggy blotch. On the other side was a short hallway that madeway to the front door. The intricate characteristics of that room were lodged so deep in her brain it was easy to envision the details as she closed her eyes. Along the wall stood a makeshift coat locker with four oblong cubbies sectioned out. In each hung a painter’s suit and mask with a smaller cubby beneath which housed boots with gloves inside poking out like bunny ears. Above the suits was another cubby that had fresh clothes in white bins with a single picture taped to the front of each one.

The first picture captured a handsome man somewhere on a beach with a country-mile wide smile. It was the happiest she had ever seen her dad. He was forever memorialized in her brain with roaring laughter. Underneath this image in meticulous writing read “Dwayne.”

The bin in the next cubby over was a photograph which completed the previous photo. It was a woman with crows’ feet adorning the corners of her eyes. She looked perturbed yet amused. Sheila knew her mom was happy in this photograph, but she also knew that this was not her mom at her happiest. Dwayne had orchestrated a prank that inadvertently led to a bird shitting on her shoulder. The absurdity of it all had the three of them rolling in the sand howling at the sherbert sunset. Under this image was written, “Barbara.”

Continuing down the line was an image of a woman in bed. She lounged with smooth almond skin that pulled the genuine curve of her beaming smile. It was genuine joy that made home in the sparkle of her emerald eyes. Beneath this photograph were tiny hearts dancing around plushous bubble letters that fashioned the name: Ginger. They

HONORABLE MENTION

The Slaughter by Ry Tuthill

Every autumn in Calamityville, Illinois, an eagerly anticipated massacre takes place. Children swarm wearing grotesque masks, spurred on by parents who not long before them knew this joy. The savages pluck their victims like grapes from a vine, soon to spill the entrails across pristine table cloths. The children gleefully cut open the heads, extracting organs and flinging them haphazardly about. The mess is of no concern to the little beasts. The chosen, limp and lifeless, watch their desecrated kin with upside down smiles, feeling so fulfilled in their predestined purpose. Each is ultimately displayed with their brethren on the tables upon which they were slaughtered, hoping to be the most gruesome.

As the chilling night falls, the children brandish their weapons of choice, commence the Calamityville pumpkin carving festival.

met on the first day of trade school. Sheila loved Ginger, and in her bones, she knew Ginger was out in the ether loving her back.

The fourth and final suit belonged to Sheila. It was only utilized on the rare occasion she left the house. The cubby had no picture, no name, no associated memory. It was as empty as she felt. For twenty years she made the choice to live in the past as she chased ghosts from her broken heart through every precious memory. Under her breath, she counted to ten before she returned to the window to repeat this ritual of mourning. The house was nothing but a glorified tomb for the living. Outside her window stood nearly dilapidated houses on dirt lots lining sizzling asphalt. A nearby dead forest was actively burning in an uncontrolled fire. The smoke filtered the sunlight into an eerie glow of nightmarish rust that suffocated the region. Fresh air and green earth were just stories adults told children.

For Patsy’s sixth birthday, his mother gave him the gift of limited freedom. For a few hours a day he could play in the front yard unsupervised. That’s all Patsy ever wanted. Weeks later, he sat doodling in the sand with a plastic straw he found buried in the dirt. Mid-scrawl, unease washed over his body with the sensation of eyes on him. Without looking he knew it came from the house across the street with a reputation that demanded a wide berth. Adults shared this fear with the children.

Last year he and his friend, Zed, caught her spying on them through a crack in her blinds. In a panic they rushed to Zed’s house and told Zed’s big brother Jim. He was tall, strong, and rugged for a twelve-year-old, but in this new world, there is not much room for childhood.

“Patsy, listen to me,” Jim was kneeling in front of him, his stare so intense it made Patsy squirm. “That’s Screwy Sheila. Hundreds of years ago, her parents died in the final Zeta virus wave. A week later her girlfriend was murdered.” Jim’s nose was only an inch away from Patsy’s now, his voice a near-whisper, “I swear to mars, she came through my cousin’s window and ate both his eyes!” His voice crescendoed into a boom, “He still can’t forget the juicy pop sound they made!” The horror in his face faded to humor. He stood tall once again, “Now, he has to wear double eye patches and uses a pool stick so he doesn’t bump into anything. You want to know the secret to keeping her away?”

Patsy nodded with anguish which prompted Jim to smirk, “Dirt makes her skin boil. You best sleep with dirt under your pillow, Patsy, or she’ll come and eat your eyes too.”

Jim continued with his day unbothered, and now Patsy never sleeps without mounds of dirt lining his sheets.

THE FUNNY PAGES COMICS AND NOVELTIES

What’s it like to be kissed by a vampire? It’s a pain in the neck.

What’s it called when a vampire has trouble with his house? A grave problem. Why do vampires not want to become investment bankers? They hate stakeholders.

1) Bees. Lets fucking talk about em. I’m going to read you a few statements about bees. One is true, the other three I made up.

A) Certain types of honeybees can self-hibernate and wake up months, even years later

B) With immediate help from the queen, a honeybee can actually regrow their stinger

C) Bees can can be motivated to fly up to 10 miles round trip if the pollen collection is sweet enough

D) Bees are capable of doing basic math, and even understand the concept of zero

2) This was a reader submitted question AND answer selection by TJ Farrell! In 2019, an artist set up a solar powered installment that would perpetually do this. WHAT was this installment and WHERE was it installed?

A) An MP3 player and speakers in the Namib Desert, playing Africa by Toto

B) An LED light display that continually casts moving rainbow lights on a house directly across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas

C) A wall of LED screens in San Antonio, Texas, that continually displays footage of migrating Monarch Butterflies, to attract tourists, even when it is not Monarch migration season

D) A giant lit cross with a sculpture of Jesus on it, on a hill outside of Dakar, in the Republic of Senegal, which goes dark on Good Friday and lights up again on Easter morning

3) The electric lightbulb. One of the biggest inventions of all time... One of the following statements about the lightbulb is true, the rest I made the fuck up... Before Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb in 1879....

A) You had almost a 50% chance of having candles cause a house fire

B) The average person slept 10 hours a night

C) On an average night the stars in the sky were nearly 300% brighter to the human eye

D) Candle making nearly made whales extinct long before there was an endangered species list

4) Reese’s Pieces. One of these facts about Reese’s Pieces is true, the rest I made up.

A) They actually do not contain any chocolate

B) Their creation was entirely an accident

C) The original recipe called for lead

D) They were nearly discontinued before ET made them popular

5) We are going to wrap up weird triv, with a little fun fact about one of my favorite horror films of all time... Poltergeist. I learned something interesting about this movie recently. Guess which one of these is real:

A) The skeletons used in the infamous pool scene were real

B) The movie was LARGELY inspired by a true story of a town being moved atop a graveyard

C) They had planned and funded a whopping TEN sequels, but the deal would subsequently fall through

D) Speilberg had given Pope John Paul the 2nd a

ing of

it

It’s spooky season you creeps and ghouls and I couldn’t be happier. This month is all about your fave candy to hand out at Halloween. Wrong answers only.

Aries - Raisins. Because you’re full of resentment toward people and children with joy in their lives.

Taurus - Candy corn. Because you’re traditional and nothing says Halloween like high-fructose corn syrup flavored wax.

Gemini - Potato chips. Because you forgot it was Halloween.

Cancer - King sized candy bars. Because you’re riddled with insecurity and just want the kids to think you’re cool. (Hint: they don’t.)

Leo - Apples (that you probably grew in your own yard). Because disappointing people is just what comes naturally to you.

Virgo - Toothpaste and floss. Because you like to suck the fun out of everything. Or maybe you’re just a dentist. (Or both.)

Libra - Dollar store toys. Because you’re too healthy for candy but too cheap to buy anything good.

Scorpio - Black Licorice. Because apparently you hate children.

Sagittarius - Circus peanuts. Because you’re a monster. (THEY’RE NOT EVEN PEANUT FLAVORED.)

Capricorn - Granola bar. Still sensible after all these years.

Aquarius - Candy cigarettes. Because you’re some kind of weird 1930’s villain.

Pisces - Popcorn ball. Because letting kids down isn’t enough. You’ve also got to feed their parents’ paranoia of razor blades being in goodies.

private screen-

the movie before

released, and the pope LOVED it ANSWERS: 1- D) Bees are capable of doing basic

An MP3 player and speakers in the Namib Desert, playing Africa by Toto. 3 - D) Candle making nearly made whales extinct.

4 - A) They actually do not contain any chocolate. 5 - A) The skeletons used in the infamous pool scene were real!

Endorsed by

with STEVE WINTER

Winter shares his stories about traveling the world to photograph big cats and educates audiences on the importance of conservation.

An emotive and exhilarating tale about the choices humans have made regarding our planet and its resources. Cirque Mechanics presents Zephyr - A Whirlwind of Circus, a story wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders, and a bit of clowning around.

- PRESENTED BY -

Blind since birth, he has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theater, and many more renowned venues. He was also named a Yamaha Artist at 15, becoming the youngest musician to join the stellar group of jazz pianists.

featuring

- PRESENTED BY -

27 at 7:30pm

- SPONSORED BY -