Free Will Astrology: Week of January 3

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): The plan I will propose in this horoscope is for temporary use. I’m not recommending you stick to it for all of 2024, but just for the next 15 to 18 days. If you do, I believe it will set you up for beautiful success in the coming months. Here’s my idea: Embark on a free-form extravaganza of playing and having fun. Just for now, set aside your ambition. Don’t worry about improving yourself and producing results. Simply enjoy a phase of suspending inhibitions, creatively messing around, having nothing to prove and being motivated by the quest for joy.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Climate change is impacting rainbows. Rising temperatures and dryer conditions mean that some parts of the world will get fewer rainbows, and other areas will get more. Canada and Siberia will benefit, while the Mediterranean will be less well-endowed with sky-borne arcs of color that come from sunlit rain. But I predict that no matter where you live, the rainbow will be a potent and regular symbol for you Bulls in 2024—more than ever before. That means you will have increased reasons to entertain hope and more power to find beauty. On occasion, there may even be very good luck at the metaphorical rainbow’s end. If you’re an LGBTQIA2S+ Taurus, be on high alert for breakthroughs in your ability to get the appreciation you deserve.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): As one of your inspirational stories for 2024, I offer this tale from singer-songwriter Tom Waits: “Once upon a time, there was a crooked tree and a straight tree. They grew next to each other. Every day, the straight tree would look at the crooked tree and say, ‘You’re crooked. You’ve always been crooked, and you’ll continue to be crooked. But look at me! I’m tall, and I’m straight.’ Then one day, lumberjacks came to the forest and looked around. The manager in charge said, ‘Cut all the straight trees.’ And that crooked tree is still there to this day, growing strong and growing strange.” (PS: Here’s more from Gemini writer Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Be true to your own act, and congratulate yourself if you have done something strange and extravagant.”)

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Japanese artist Hokusai (1760-1849) developed a fascination for his country’s iconic Mount Fuji. In his 70s, he produced a series of woodblock prints titled Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Later, he added three books of prints collectively called One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji. Some art historians say his obsession stemmed from the legend that the mountain was home to the secret of immortality. The coming year will be a fine time for you Cancerians to celebrate and concentrate on your own Mount Fuji-like passion. Sometime soon, identify what it is and start making plans to commune with it intensely.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you will ever in your life go viral—that is, create or do something that suddenly becomes widely known and influential—I bet it will be in 2024. Even if you don’t produce TikTok videos seen by 10 million people, you are at least likely to become more visible in your local community or field of endeavor. Of course, I would prefer that your fame and clout spread because of the good deeds you do, not the weird deeds. So I urge you to cultivate high integrity and a wildly generous spirit in the coming months. Be a role model who inspires and uplifts.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I expect 2024 to be a free-spirited, wide-ranging, big-vision type of year for you, dear Virgo. I predict you will feel an abundance of urges to travel, roam and explore. You will be more excited than anxious about the prospect of leaving your comfort zone, and you will have a special fondness for getting your mind expanded by interesting encounters. That doesn’t mean you will avoid all awkwardness and confusion. Some of that stuff will happen, though it will usually evolve into educational adventures. And the extra good news is that wandering out in nature will provide even more inspiration and healing than usual. Treasure this quote from conservationist Rachel Carson: “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure: the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I am pleased to inform you that a visit to hell will not be on your itinerary in 2024. You may be invited to take a few excursions into the realm that depth psychologists call the underworld, but that’s a good thing. There you will be able to hunt for treasures that have been hidden and uncover secrets that will illuminate your epic, months-long quest for wholeness. It may sometimes be dark and shadowy down there below, but almost always dark and shadowy in ways that will lead you to healing. (I will reiterate what I implied above: The underworld is NOT hell.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I hope that working hard on togetherness will be a fun project for you in the coming months. To do it well, you must outgrow some habitual ways of doing friendship and intimacy. You will have to be imaginative and ingenious. Are you willing to believe that you do not yet know all there is to know about being a fantastic ally and partner? Are you ready to approach the arts of collaboration and cooperation as if enhancing your skills is the most important thing you can do? For the sake of your best selfish goals, be a brilliant teammate in 2024.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Each of us is a complex, kaleidoscopic work of art, whether or not we consciously approach our destiny in that spirit. Every day, we use our creative imagination to craft new elements of the masterpiece known as the story of our life. Leos come by this fun project naturally, but you Sagittarians also have great potential to embrace it with glee and panache. I trust you will be especially keen on enjoying this sacred work in 2024. And right now, today and in the coming weeks, will be an excellent time to ramp up the scintillating drama.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I am against sex education in schools because sex is more fun when it’s dirty and sinful.” So said Capricorn author Florence King. I reject and rebel against that perverse declaration—and encourage you to disavow it, too, in 2024. In my astrological opinion, the coming months will be a favorable time to learn everything about sex and eros that you don’t already know. I hope you will dive deep as you gather a rich array of teachings about how to enjoy the art of making love more than ever before. (Consider consulting tantric manuals like Margo Anand’s The Art of Sexual Magic: Cultivating Sexual Energy to Transform Your Life.)

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Singer-songwriter Tori Amos says she’s sure she was burned for being a witch in a previous lifetime. I suspect most of us had past incarnations in which we were punished simply for being our beautiful selves. I bring this up, Aquarius, because I think 2024 will be a favorable time to get some healing from any ancient hurt like that. You will have a series of experiences that could help you recover from the illusion that being faithful to your truth is somehow wrong. Life will conspire with you to help you reclaim more of the full audacity to be your gorgeous, genuine self.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I believe 2024 will be one of the best years ever for your education. Your willingness and eagerness to learn will be at a peak. Your knack for attracting inspirational teachers will be excellent. It’s likely you will be exceptionally curious and open to good influences. My advice is to be alert for lessons not just from obvious sources of wisdom and revelation, but also from unexpected founts. Don’t be too sure you know where revelations and illumination might come from.

Homework: Make three predictions about your life in 2024. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Together for Peace: The Experience of Sonoma County Activist

It has been nearly three months since the bombs started falling on my people in Gaza. Palestinians love life and love each other.

Every one of them is my sibling; every one of them is my aunt or uncle, my cousin, friend, neighbor, classmate or teacher. Our connections go so deep and are so strong that when one of us is hurting, all of us are hurting.

On the 15th of October, I grabbed my Palestinian flag and headed down to Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa to show my support. The North Coast Coalition for Palestine and Jewish Voices for Peace had co-organized a protest against the then week-long attack Israel had launched on Gaza after the Palestinian resistance attack on the 7th of October. There were roughly 150 locals there: Palestinians, anti-Zionist Jews and conscientious people of many different backgrounds. There, at the square during that first protest, I and about a dozen others came together to coordinate our next steps and plan for future actions.

In the short time since that day, I have met so many amazing people who I wish I had met years ago and under different circumstances. They have given me support, friendship and love and have taught me so much about myself and about life. Times like these necessitate and facilitate trust and loyalty and openness among comrades. I became curious about why this is so important to the others who I have been working with during these few months.

To get some answers, I asked my colleagues what they had been motivated by.

Rachel is an anti-Zionist Jewish woman who I’ve known for several years and has been active on many social justice issues since long before I knew her. Her answer to my question about why she spends so much time and effort organizing around this issue was, “I think all of us who are organizing are just horrified by what’s happening and heartbroken, and it’s so painful to watch the news and to see the relentless murder of so many people. Our role at this time is really to shift public opinion.”

She added, “The Zionist narratives that Jewish people grow up learning about blocks them from seeing the horrors that are going on and seeing how Palestinians have been displaced from their land and their homes and are constantly under attack.”

Another friend, Tess, said, “I was raised in a Christian community, and the beliefs that I was taught in Christian school were not aligned with what I was taught at home.”

Tess’ great-grandparents were from Denmark and were part of the resistance movement against the Nazis. “There’s no way I could do anything else because my grandmother did not tell me these stories just for me to put them in my head and let them be there. She told me those stories so that I could spot oppression and fascism and occupation when I see it, and that’s why I’m here.”

Another friend I spoke with was Ronni, who is a young Mexican-American queer person. They said, “I first became aware of what has been happening in Palestine starting October 7th. …I just sat with my discomfort and used that opportunity to educate myself about what was happening. And just kind of realizing the history of how Israel came to be and how it’s at the expense of the Palestinians. It’s a clear issue.”

There is so much more that I learned from these conversations that is so valuable, but I will have to leave that for another time. The most important thing I learned is that Palestine has opened people’s eyes to the possibility of living in a more just and peaceful world. Palestine has freed the world, and now it is time for the world to come together and free Palestine.

Tarik Kanaana was born in Palestine, works in nutrition and childcare, and lives in Santa Rosa.

Top Torn Tix of 2023

Part 1: The Musicals!

Live theater continues to struggle to find its footing in a post pandemic world.

The year was marked by audience numbers still failing to return to pre-pandemic levels, the use of understudies becoming more prevalent as a way to reduce cancellations due to Covid, the passing of some beloved members of the local theater community and the lights going out on Main Stage West, a company that often created magic on its tiny Sebastopol stage.

But, as they say, the show(s) must go on, and so they did. North Bay companies continued to produce some excellent work in service of the audiences who did show up.

Here, in alphabetical order, are my “Top Torn Tickets” for the best and/or most interesting musicals produced in the North Bay in 2023:

Evil Dead the MusicalRaven Players – Sometimes you just wanna go to the theater to be drenched in gallons of fake stage blood. No great message or moral to be found in this show, just a game cast willing to be decapitated and/or have their entrails tossed about on stage.

Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Raven Players – This early Andrew Lloyd Webber vehicle was noted for its strong vocal and character performances and an absolutely solid live orchestra.

Kinky Boots the Musical – 142 Throckmorton Theatre – This tiny company may be Marin’s preeminent producer of large-scale musicals, and productions like this give support to that theory. A sparkling cast brought energy and genuine emotion to this joyous and life-affirming show.

A Little Night Music – Spreckels Theatre Company – A cast of North Bay veterans and young newcomers blended beautifully and delivered a very sweet and amusing take on the Sondheim classic.

Side by Side by Sondheim – Sonoma Arts Live – Sondheim again as four very talented performers delivered a top-notch revue of some of the best (and least) known works of the musical theater titan.

Something Rotten! – 6th Street Playhouse – The affection this show’s cast had for the material and the joy they displayed in delivering it made for a tremendously entertaining evening of very amusing theater.

[title of show] – Left Edge Theatre – A show about two guys writing a show about two guys writing a show may be a bit too inside for many, but musings on friendship, selling out and following a dream should have resonated with many. It was also very funny.

Tuck Everlasting – Spreckels Theatre Company – Stage veterans took a backseat to members of the younger generation in this well-produced, family-friendly musical which portends good things for the replenishment of the North Bay talent pool.

Next week – Top Torn Tickets, Part II – The Plays

Third Pig Rings in the New Year and New Life for Sebastopol

I’m no quantum physicist, but I’m convinced there are places where the past, present and future exist—and can be experienced—all at once.

One of them is the Third Pig in Sebastopol, which effortlessly bridges the vibe of an old-school neighborhood drinking hole and the craft cocktail moment drenching much of wine country while pointing the way to a happy place where, very soon, it will all make sense.

The rapid shift of our small towns into tourist economies has left more than a few of us suffering a little whiplash from the velocity of change. Sometimes, you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Welcome to Third Pig.

“It has definitely been an evolution,” says Alex Bowman, who owns the bar and lounge with his wife, Katie. Some may be familiar with the couple’s other local effort, Bowman Cellars, a boutique family wine venture specializing in Russian River Valley pinot noir and chardonnay, among other varietals.

“We were always committed to supporting our community by offering a fun place to gather while offering good service in an approachable environment,” Bowman continues. “But it took us some time to settle into being a bar and lounge and not a craft cocktail bar, which was what we did at first. We wanted to be both—a bar that was elevated but comfortable for everyone, a place where you can get a shot and a beer and a craft cocktail, and I think we’ve done that.”

They certainly have. On a recent Wednesday evening—karaoke night, as it turned out—a throng of revelers grew into a full house, drawing from across the social spectrum. Special craft cocktails on offer included Break The Bank (Bank Note Whiskey, Creme de Noyaux, Lemon Angostura Bitters, ginger) and Beet The Devil (New Alchemy Gin, lemon guava vanilla beet juice, allspice dram), as well as the spectacular, low ABV and whimsically-named, 70’s Bush (sloe gin, St. George Terroir Gin, Velvet Falernum, pineapple and lime).

Classic, regular offerings include Blood & Sand (Bank Note Whiskey, Cherry Heering, sweet vermouth and orange juice ) and their Black Manhattan (Spirit Works Rye, Averna Caribbean Spice Bitters, black lemon bitters).

Of course, the most classic offering is the perfect pairing of a beer. The boilermaker is available in two arrangements: Miller High Life and a shot of Old Forester Rye or Modelo and a shot of Luna Azul tequila.

What’s next?

“We’re really happy with our executive chef, Noel Hernandez, who has been making smash burgers on Thursdays. People say they are the best in the county,” says Bowman. “So, I think we want to offer more food options, integrate with other community events and expand on our local live music.”

Thinking of the “third place” concept advocated by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg—a space that’s not one’s home and not one’s work but meaningful for social well-being—it seems that the Third Pig has leaned into the concept and coalesced a real community. How have the Bowmans cracked this essential equation where others have often failed?

“The concept of the Third Pig in the story of the Three Little Pigs is that he worked hard, and it paid off, so we wanted to create a space where everyone gets to walk in, be welcomed and relax. It’s a place where hard work pays off. That’s what we do at Bowman Cellars, in our home and at Third Pig—we want folks who we are serving to feel welcomed and relax,” says Bowman. “Sonoma County is as great as it is because people feel welcome here, there are good people here and there is a diversity of lifestyles, so we kept that in mind. And so the bar is just an extension of our larger community.”

Third Pig’s New Year’s Eve offerings will be no exception. Planned festivities include a burlesque show, gogo dancers and an array of special cocktails. DJ Dray Lopez will be on hand to facilitate a dance party and midnight toast. The early bird ticket includes Champagne and treats from Chef Noel for $45.

“It’s going to be fun, and the tickets will sell out fast, so get on it!” encourages Bowman.

Tickets are available via instagram.com/thirdpigbar (link in bio).

Top New Year’s Eve Celebration Picks

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Marty O’Reilly

Ring in the new year at Sonoma’s Sebastiani Theatre with Marty O’Reilly and Little Worth. The event will take place from 8:30pm to 12:30am and include a complimentary glass of Champagne at midnight. Tickets are $50. sebastianitheatre.com.

Remain In Light

Adrian Belew and Jerry Harrison bring their act, Remain In Light, to JaM Cellars Ballroom, at 8pm. The venue is located at 1030 Main St. in Napa. Punk rock legends X open the show. Tickets are $89 to $199. jamcellarsballroom.com.

Anuhea

Anuhea, a singer, songwriter and musician from the island of Maui in Hawaii, will perform from 7 to 10:30pm at Blue Note Napa, 1030 Main St., Napa—$55 to $105. bluenotejazz.com/napa.

High Tea

A New Year’s Eve Day High Tea Social: Costume Party will take place from 4 to 7pm at 123 Register First Lane in Calistoga. The event will feature sparkling libations and merriment for attendees in their fancy attire. bit.ly/high-tea-NYE.

Charlie Brown

The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa is hosting a New Year’s Eve event called Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!, which includes crafts for kids, a balloon Snoopy to make and watching Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! on the big screen. There will be an Up Down Balloon Drop and Baby Balloon Drop for children four and under and their families at noon, and a second Balloon Drop at 3pm. Admission is included in museum admission, and capacity will be monitored. 2301 Hardies La., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org/calendar.

British Invasion

The Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country in Santa Rosa is hosting a New Year’s Eve British Invasion Costume & Dance Party. The event will feature DJs, drag artists, a snack bar, full bars, a photo booth and Champagne to celebrate the new year. Guests can dress up as their favorite British superstars and win prizes for best costumes and trivia. 8pm to 12:30am, Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country, 170 Railroad St., Santa Rosa. $80. tudorroseevents.com/nye-british-invasion.

Gala Concert

The 15th Annual New Year’s Eve Gala Concert will take place at Petaluma Historical Library & Museum. The event will feature Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet and members of the Santa Rosa Symphony, as well as special guests Kyle Craft on violin and soprano Rachel Walters Steiner. Tickets range from $50 to $70, with balcony tickets available for an additional $10. Doors open at 6pm and the concert begins at 7pm. Located at 20 Fourth St., Petaluma. petalumamuseum.com/events.

Pandemic aid ends as food prices soar

Food insecurity in California ticked upward over the past year, bringing the share of hardship back up to levels early in the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data released by the California Association of Food Banks last week.

“Families are buying less food,” said May Lynn Tan, the association’s director of research and strategic initiatives, who conducted a survey of food aid recipients this summer. “They’re running out of food, not being able to afford nutritious meals and worrying more about food.”

Advocates credited a pandemic-era federal aid program that gave food assistance recipients more money for groceries for pulling food insecurity below 20% of California households between 2021 and 2022. The additional aid, Tan said, helped recipients buy healthier food and become more financially stable.

As prices soared last year, food insecurity spiked. Then, the boost in federal aid ended in April. By October, more than 1 in 5 California families—more than 3.1 million households, including 1.1 million with children—were steadily reporting uncertain access to food, according to census data analyzed by the association.

While hunger overall is disproportionately borne by people of color, Black families in particular reported sharp increases this year. In April, 30% of Black households in California were food insecure. Six months later, the figure was 40%, and nearly half of Black families had children.

Anti-poverty advocates had feared a rise in hunger after the end of the aid boost this year, which affected the nearly 3 million California households that receive CalFresh, the federally-funded food stamps program.

For three years, the program had given all families receiving CalFresh the highest possible amount of food assistance for their family size each month, with $95 on top for those already receiving the maximum.

When the program reverted to ordinary aid levels, the decrease was anywhere from 32% to 40%, depending on the recipient, according to the food banks association. In a survey the association conducted over the summer, more than two-thirds of the state’s food banks reported increases in the number of clients seeking meals and groceries.

The uptick in food insecurity also follows an increase in poverty last year, triggered by the end of a different pandemic-era policy.

A one-time, yearlong expansion of a tax credit program in 2021 sent thousands of dollars to most families with children and pulled child poverty levels down to historic lows; after it ended, poverty spiked again.

Both trends are likely to be the basis of advocates’ calls next year for California to expand safety net spending, even as the state faces a projected $68 billion deficit in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The Green-Washed Governor

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At the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31 of this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom will begin celebrating the 20th anniversary of his 10-year plan to end homelessness in San Francisco…YEAH BUDDY!

Now, our illustrious governor says he has a plan to end homelessness in California…YEAH BUDDY!

On a recent trip to China, Newsom met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss strategies to combat global warming. Not quite as recently, Newsom appeared in a video where he proclaimed to the whole world how he is “proud to be on team Biden/Harris.”

Now that (investigative journalist and political writer) Seymour Hersh—and his extremely well-protected sources inside the Pentagon—have pretty much proved that President Joe Biden is the one who blew up the Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which caused the largest single release of methane in human history, the concept that Newsom could ever care about global warming is laughable.

Like many other corrupt politicians in California, Newsom’s rise to power in the Golden State was necessitated by selling out to the growth machine, which, in the United States, is directly or indirectly responsible for 40% of all greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere. Worldwide, that figure goes up to 50%!

Newsom recently approved the construction of the Sites Reservoir in Glenn and Colusa counties, which, according to scientists, will produce about 362,000 metric tons of methane due to decomposing organic material under the lake and won’t do much to solve any water problems.

If one looks at Newsom’s face long enough, one can almost see the dollar signs in his eyes. Perhaps it is time for all good Californians to wake up and realize that politicians like Newsom will always sell out faster than tickets to a Rolling Stones concert.

Now, more than ever, is the time for a brand new third party. What better place to start that third party than in one of the most corrupt states in the union? I could help with that, but I cannot do it alone.

Doug Haymaker lives in Santa Rosa.

Your Letters, 12/27

Sex Ed

I’m a professional sex surrogate, and disagree with Dan Savage’s advice on love and sexuality (Savage Love, Dec. 20, 2023).

When people experience erectile dysfunction, medications are best used as a last resort, due to their medical and psychological side effects.

To get at the root issues, a thorough medical exam and seeing a therapist or surrogate are important. A healthy diet, regular exercise, body awareness techniques and Tantra also help.

These things would also help Mr. Savage’s asexual advice seeker and people wishing to enrich their lovemaking with their long-term partners.

Barbara Daugherty

Santa Rosa

Common Sense

Dr. Barry “The Genius” Barnett has presented us with a prime example of logic and common sense in declaring, more or less, that a circumstance in which Joe Biden and Don Trump sit atop the respective ideologically bankrupt major political parties is a hideous and monumental global embarrassment for the United States of America, in addition to being a daily practical nightmare.

The hope is that it is also a sign that we have finally descended to the bottom of the political pigsty and a harbinger of better days ahead. There is no other intelligent way to view the issue.

Craig J. Corsini

San Rafael

We Love to Hear From You

Send your letters to the editor to le*****@******an.com or le*****@********un.com.

Marty O’Reilly and More

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Sonoma

Countdown to ’24

Marty O’Reilly brings his special sauce of steamy, down home blues and soul to New Year’s Eve at the Sebastiani Theatre, Sonoma. Currently in the studio recording his first solo album to be released in the coming new year, O’Reilly and openers Little Worth will be sharing that triumphant feeling with everyone else. Says O’Reilly of performing for an audience, “They come with you on the journey if your heart’s in the right place.” Marty O’Reilly with special guests Little Worth. Doors at 8:30pm, Little Worth 9:30-10:30pm, Marty O’Reilly 11pm-12:20am. Sunday, Dec. 31. Sebastiani Theatre is located at 476 1st St. East, Sonoma. $50 ticket includes a midnight Champagne toast. Winery Sixteen 600’s wines available for purchase.

 
Novato

Bounce Right In

In the We Do It Because We Can category, bouncy balls will be poured 40 feet down onto the street to celebrate New Year’s through physics in action. Scientifically valuable? Maybe. Technically feasible? Definitely! Kids of all ages are invited to Downtown Novato to see what happens when “22,000 small bouncy balls” pour onto the street from the raised ladder of a truck. Kids get a “hard hat” courtesy of Rempe Construction. The bouncy balls are for the kids—and kids at heart— to keep if they can catch them! The organizers say that rain is no problem: “No worries! Your umbrella will protect you from the bouncy balls raining from above!” Bouncy Ball New Year, Novato. 12pm, Dec. 31. Trek Winery, 1026 Machin Ave., Novato. Free.

 
Santa Rosa

Resort Cavort

One can’t do New Year’s Eve without doing New Year’s Eve. Such a night is the White Lotus New Year’s Eve at Vintage Space. Taking on the look of the television show White Lotus Season 2, the evening will have a Sicilian style with a hint of decadence. Semi-formal vacation attire is the order of the night, giving that Italian disco feel to the DJs Miguel Migs and Julius Papp for deep-house rooted soulful dance music that defies categories. 8pm-2am, Sunday, Dec. 31. Vintage Space at Flamingo Resort, 2777 4th St., Santa Rosa. Tickets start at $50.

Napa

Chew Toy

Nothing says bring in the new like bringing out a ’90s rock band. Yet Dogstar has a staying power that is as mysterious as it is tall and handsome. And sometimes that’s all one needs for one good night, a memory of a crush with ’90s guitar music, some drinks and wild dancing with friends, both real and imagined. And yes, Keaunu Reeves will be there. Doors: 8 pm, show: 10pm, Dec. 31. Uptown Theatre, 1350 Third St., Napa. Limited VIP experiences are available at dogstarofficial.com. Dogstar is composed of guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Rob Mailhouse and bassist Keanu Reeves.

So Long, and thanks for All the Fish Wrap

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If you’re not careful, this job will turn you into a cigar-chomping J. Jonah Jameson-style cartoon parody of an editorial professional rather rapidly (except, in my case, with less gray—or, in fact—hair when it comes to my follicular particulars).

Every week is a total crap shoot since one never knows what news will break or who’s going to break your heart with unkind cuts, ruminations on the death of birdcage liner, and various and assorted palace intrigues.

That said, I’m probably composed of more NDAs than DNA at this point, so I’ll hush (as they’ll say in the ’30s, “Don’t trust anyone over 60,” says the man born in ’72). Cough, cough.

Suffice it to say, Roy Batty, the killer replicant in Blade Runner, had it right when he said, “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.” 

And that’s just in my inbox. 

Yet, I’ve also received kind words, encouragement and attaboys that have been a psychic salve throughout my tenure, especially this year. Oof.

Having finally learned some lessons this year (like, say, I dunno, the distinction between acrostics, anagrams and acronyms), the most germane has been that there is no skeleton key to the hearts and minds of readers—except, of course, the horoscope and trivia columns, which have rabid followings and inspire the most savage vitriol if unprinted.

Every year has its moments, but 2023 had many. 

Too many—and I’m exhausted, psychically, emotionally, spiritually and financially, as I suspect you might be too.  

Understandably, this might read as a downer column, but don’t let its mawkish (or mocking?) tone obscure that one thing that keeps me sane and perhaps you: the work itself. 

Or, as Graham Green once opined, “Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation.”

Remedy for the “human situation”? 

Far from it—let’s not forget Greene is also the guy who said, “People who like quotes love meaningless generalizations”—his words are a reminder that the words are always waiting, and when in doubt, “Writer, write thyself.” Cheers!

Free Will Astrology: Week of January 3

Free Will Astrology: Week of January 3
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The plan I will propose in this horoscope is for temporary use. I’m not recommending you stick to it for all of 2024, but just for the next 15 to 18 days. If you do, I believe it will set you up for beautiful success in the coming months. Here’s my idea: Embark on a...

Together for Peace: The Experience of Sonoma County Activist

It has been nearly three months since the bombs started falling on my people in Gaza. Palestinians love life and love each other. Every one of them is my sibling; every one of them is my aunt or uncle, my cousin, friend, neighbor, classmate or teacher. Our connections go so deep and are so strong that when one of us...

Top Torn Tix of 2023

Part 1: The Musicals! Live theater continues to struggle to find its footing in a post pandemic world. The year was marked by audience numbers still failing to return to pre-pandemic levels, the use of understudies becoming more prevalent as a way to reduce cancellations due to Covid, the passing of some beloved members of the local theater community and the...

Third Pig Rings in the New Year and New Life for Sebastopol

I’m no quantum physicist, but I’m convinced there are places where the past, present and future exist—and can be experienced—all at once. One of them is the Third Pig in Sebastopol, which effortlessly bridges the vibe of an old-school neighborhood drinking hole and the craft cocktail moment drenching much of wine country while pointing the way to a happy place...

Top New Year’s Eve Celebration Picks

Marty O’Reilly Ring in the new year at Sonoma’s Sebastiani Theatre with Marty O’Reilly and Little Worth. The event will take place from 8:30pm to 12:30am and include a complimentary glass of Champagne at midnight. Tickets are $50. sebastianitheatre.com. Remain In Light Adrian Belew and Jerry Harrison bring their act, Remain In Light, to JaM Cellars Ballroom, at 8pm. The venue is...

Pandemic aid ends as food prices soar

Food insecurity in California ticked upward over the past year, bringing the share of hardship back up to levels early in the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data released by the California Association of Food Banks last week. “Families are buying less food,” said May Lynn Tan, the association’s director of research and strategic initiatives, who conducted a survey of food...

The Green-Washed Governor

California Governor Gavin Newsom is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his 10-year plan to end homelessness in San Francisco, while simultaneously promoting global warming strategies and selling out to the growth machine.

Your Letters, 12/27

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Sex Ed I’m a professional sex surrogate, and disagree with Dan Savage’s advice on love and sexuality (Savage Love, Dec. 20, 2023). When people experience erectile dysfunction, medications are best used as a last resort, due to their medical and psychological side effects. To get at the root issues, a thorough medical exam and seeing a therapist or surrogate are important. A...

Marty O’Reilly and More

Sonoma Countdown to ’24 Marty O’Reilly brings his special sauce of steamy, down home blues and soul to New Year’s Eve at the Sebastiani Theatre, Sonoma. Currently in the studio recording his first solo album to be released in the coming new year, O’Reilly and openers Little Worth will be sharing that triumphant feeling with everyone else. Says O’Reilly of performing...

So Long, and thanks for All the Fish Wrap

If you’re not careful, this job will turn you into a cigar-chomping J. Jonah Jameson-style cartoon parody of an editorial professional rather rapidly (except, in my case, with less gray—or, in fact—hair when it comes to my follicular particulars). Every week is a total crap shoot since one never knows what news will break or who’s going to break your...
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