Correction to this reporter’s article: It is not residents who petition the RTC for Quiet Zones (QZ). Residents can petition their City or County jurisdiction and it is those jurisdictions (aka taxpayers) that must petition the RTC. It is also those jurisdictions (aka taxpayers) that will be financially responsible for the extra infrastructure of the QZs and for liability at the QZ crossings. Question: how much will all of this cost? In 2022, when voters thought they were voting for a train, no one had a clue what the total cost of such a project would be. The only figure that has been proffered so far is about $1.3 billion. Wanna bet it will be more?!
JeanBrocklebank
Jack Brown and his failed friends at “Greenway” (LOL!) are going to forever crush any other type of motorized transportation in our county. Pity. Thankfully, many of us support the rail line.
As a Cabrillo trustee, speaking ONLY for myself ( not the campus president, the other trustees or the college), I am delighted to welcome either a bridge or a tunnel onto the Cabrillo Aptos campus to facilitate student and employee traffic to and from the campus. it will complement the new dorm we hope to have finished by mid 2027. Time marches on, folks. The Census Bureau reports CA population is now growing again, up to and past 40 million. It is NOT 1959 anymore, and we will have to live with growth in population. That means dorms on the campuses and electric trains to transport people. We can make it quite livable and see the beauty in it.
Steve L Trujillo
So, this pipe dream group gave a commercial rail license to Progressive Rail. We are now 6 years into that 10-year contract, and not a single freight shipment has been made. How’s this all going to work out for you?
There is not enough population to support this. The entire Bay Area train system runs at a deficit, but at least there’s millions of people that can use it! The population density here is far, far too low. And your estimates to build it? Triple or quadruple them, because nobody building these things seems to be able to predict a budget. And the trail system that could have been on the east side is slowed down by this idiocracy.
Santa Cruz has long been a hub for innovation in wellness and consciousness, and on Dec. 6, the Psychedelic First Friday & End-of-Year Celebration at Green Magic Yoga promises to expand this tradition. This free event—hosted by the Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society—combines art, music and thought-provoking talks, offering attendees an opportunity to explore the transformative potential of psychedelics in health and personal growth.
Before you assume this is just another of the many microdosing events held in Santa Cruz, rest assured. In a wild west world of rampant experimentation, two local credentialed experts are bridging traditional and emerging approaches to wellness.
Dr. Michelle Bean, DC, and Dr. LeTa Jussila, DAOM, offer science-backed insight into the innovative applications of psychedelics in healing. Joining them is Dr. Cathy Coleman, who will reflect on the legacy of her late husband, Ralph Metzner, a Harvard-trained psychologist and psychedelic pioneer.
Dr. Metzner, alongside Timothy Leary and Ram Dass, played a foundational role in psychedelic research during the 1960s. His work at Harvard and later at the California Institute of Integral Studies established him as a revered figure in consciousness studies. Coleman’s new book, Ralph Metzner, Explorer of Consciousness: The Life and Legacy of a Psychedelic Pioneer, offers an intimate look at his groundbreaking contributions. Her talk will celebrate Metzner’s enduring impact, providing historical context for today’s renewed interest in psychedelics.
Bean’s presentation will explore the therapeutic potential of substances like psilocybin in addressing addiction, mental health challenges and chronic stress. As a chiropractor with a passion for holistic health, Bean emphasizes that psychedelics can provide profound breakthroughs for individuals seeking alternatives to traditional recovery methods.
Complementing this, Jussila will share her journey from acupuncture and herbal medicine to becoming a certified psychedelic facilitator through Naropa University. Her personal and professional experiences with cannabis and psilocybin have inspired her to develop microdosing protocols that empower individuals to harness these substances’ healing properties.
Jussila’s work extends beyond her Santa Cruz practice, as she prepares to launch a microdosing supplement line and lead retreats in Colorado. “Small shifts can lead to big transformations,” she explains, underscoring the accessibility of practices like microdosing to enhance creativity, focus and emotional well-being.
The renewed interest in psychedelics, supported by groundbreaking research, has positioned these substances at the forefront of mental health innovation. Studies show that psychedelics like psilocybin can alleviate symptoms of depression, PTSD and anxiety, while also fostering spiritual insights and emotional resilience.
For Bean and Jussila, this resurgence aligns seamlessly with their commitment to holistic health. Both practitioners began their journey into psychedelics through personal experiences, which deepened their understanding of the endocannabinoid system and the mind-body connection. Their shared dedication has fueled their exploration of alternative therapies, culminating in their certification as psychedelic facilitators.
The Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society’s First Friday gatherings are more than just educational events—they’re spaces for connection, inspiration, and community. Held at Green Magic Yoga on Squid Alley, these gatherings attract a diverse audience, from curious newcomers to seasoned psychonauts.
The Dec. 6 event is no exception. Doors open at 5pm, with talks beginning at 6pm. Attendees can look forward to lively discussions, artistic expression, and meaningful conversations about the role of psychedelics in personal and societal transformation.
Elizabeth Borelli is a certified plant-based nutrition expert, professional life coach, yoga teacher and author of the upcoming book Tastes Like La Dolce Vita. Learn more at ElizabethBorelli.com.
Do you feel like you are in a sci-fi movie about the end of the world?
You should.
This week’s cover story spreads the word about the effects of climate change on the wine industry. It’s a clarion call we should all pay attention to, like the people in the sci-fi movies who ignore that meteor heading to Earth.
“Beyond warming average temperatures and more frequent heat waves, climatologists predict that California will experience more frequent and severe wildfires, storms, droughts and other climatic events, all of which will impact viticulture and enology,” says Jordy Hyman’s report.
But we don’t seem to hear.
We’ve replaced an administration that believed in climate change with one that believes in drill, baby, drill and use more carbon fuels. Why do we call this climate change instead of climate crisis?
Sure, in our little Santa Cruz nest, we’ve banned plastic straws, shopping bags and plastic hotel shampoo bottles. But where is the leader willing to take the big step—banning plastic altogether and selling products in recyclable packaging, like glass bottles, as we did before the plastic industry got its stranglehold on the world?
I’ll raise a glass to that.
Meanwhile, Jordy’s story isn’t just about doom. He covers the history of wine as grape varietals traveled around the world and has plenty of information you can share while imbibing. It’s a great read.
On the upbeat front, if you like the music of Radiohead and Porcupine Tree, you will have a chance to meet an English band in their genre. What do we call it? Modern Prog? Spacy Music? Floydian Roots? The band is called The Pineapple Thief and it plays Sunday at the Catalyst. Let it be known, this is one of the reasons we love Santa Cruz.
We get to see internationally known bands in our hometown clubs. You don’t get this chance in much larger cities, like San Jose. I don’t think there’s a city of our size in the country with as much diverse and great music. Check this one out and drop us your review.
That said, the best show I saw this year locally was a lesser-known jam band called The Third Mind fronted by Dave Alvin and it returns to Moe’s Alley Dec. 19. I would drive hours to see them, but they are in our backyard.
Need a reason to visit the Capitola Mall? How about a vegan restaurant called Terra Superfoods. It’s probably the last thing you’d expect in a mall. They are planning to open an outlet in Downtown Santa Cruz, but for now, Terra Superfoods, holiday shopping and the Flynn Creek Circus, which is parked in a tent outside the mall, are great reasons to visit 41st Avenue.
Plus, there’s plenty of free parking.
Thanks for reading, writing, keeping the faith.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
WINTER WONDERBEACH Recent storms light up the skies as winter approaches Hidden Beach in Aptos. Photograph by Andy Stack
GOOD WORK
Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation introduces the Inaugural Holiday Glow Guide—a community-driven showcase of our area’s most festive and dazzling holiday displays.
The Glow Guide features local homes with twinkling lights, creative decorations and festive charm.
How to Join: Register your home as a festive stop by submitting your address and a photo at 2024 Holiday Glow Guide and Contest. Once registered, your home will be added to the online Glow Guide map for the community to explore. Every entry receives a $5 promo code for Winter-Spring activity registration. The winner will receive a $50 Parks & Recreation gift card.
GOOD IDEA
If you think the following are good ideas, you have a chance to be heard.
There are proposed pickleball courts at Depot Park and a public hearing at the London Nelson Community Center at 5:30pm Dec. 4.
There’s also a meeting to talk about renovations at Grant Park 5-7pm Dec. 5 at the Market Street Senior Center (222 Market St.).
At these meetings, planners will listen to public input and work to accommodate suggestions. It’s a real chance to take part in local government and planning.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.” –Niccolò Machiavelli
Currently located in the Capitola Mall with imminent expansion plans to move to downtown Santa Cruz, Terra Superfoods serves an all-vegan, locally sourced menu intent on helping customers “feel good on the inside.” Manager Tina Cano has an apparent passion for their food and caring customer service, combined with deep respect for the owner, Jade, whom she says she is inspired to work hard for because of how well she treats her employees.
Born and raised in Watsonville, Cano has over 25 years of professional cooking experience, and says the menu’s headliner is the Terra Acai Bowl, burgeoning with papaya, blue chia pudding, hemp flax granola, banana, almonds, coconut flakes, pumpkin, chia and hemp seeds, cacao nibs and housemade almond butter.
The Jade is another popular acai bowl with “blue magik” spirulina, vanilla chia pudding and granola, and there is a build-your-own option as well. Other offerings include avocado and hummus toast on sourdough wheat bread, and grain bowl/wraps with mixed baby lettuce, quinoa, garbanzo beans, cherry tomato, cucumber, Kalamata olive, parsley, mint, hummus and vegan tzatziki with housemade dressings.
Cold-pressed juices and smoothies hold down the beverage side, highlighted by the Greenz with chard, kale, cucumber, green apple and lemon.
What is Terra all about?
TINA CANO: Our goal is to serve food that makes people happy and feel good. A lot of our guests tell me that our food helps them feel better, both mentally and physically. They say it helps their skin look healthier, helps them sleep better, and helps them feel better spiritually and have more confidence. It really makes you feel great and gives you the energy for your day. Our food is also very healthy for your gut, which is so important for overall health. We get a lot of great customer feedback about how our food improves their lives.
What is your philosophy on hospitality?
We really pride ourselves on making sure our customers feel heard and taken care of, and that we are very knowledgeable about our menu items and the food we serve. We take great pride in answering customers’ questions, listening to their nutritional needs and helping them pick food that will lead to better well-being. We really care about improving the health of our customers and overall community; we are truly passionate about it.
TRAE CROWDER After honing his comedy career for over three years at open mic nights in Knoxville, Tennessee, Trae Crowder, the cohost of political comedy podcasts Evening Skews and Puttin’ On Airs,gained national attention as the Liberal Redneck by sharing short monologues online that blended his rural upbringing with progressive political opinions. Crowder famously went viral in 2010 for his comedic videos responding to proposed trans bathroom bills. His videos have amassed over 17 million YouTube views, leading to appearances on MSNBC, Real Time with Bill Maher and a brief stint as “Hillbilly-in-Chief” for the New York Daily News. MELISA YURIAR
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $32-$56. 423-8209.
FRIDAY 12/6
POP
DONNA MISSAL Donna Missal’s musical roots run deep—subsoil deep. Her grandmother was a songwriter in the ’50s, and her father was a musician throughout the ’80s. So it’s no wonder her track “Keep Lying” went viral. Along with collaborating on a track with Macklemore and releasing singles, Missal put out her third album (and first independently released), Revel, last year. Her soulful voice carries the delicate touches of hope, compassion and personal truths as it flows on her river of melodies. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $27. 713-5492.
THE HUGS You gotta love that the Hugs refer to themselves as a pop band. The foursome uses a ’60s garage sound as a jumping-off point without being gimmicky before mixing in a healthy dose of psychedelic and indie experimentation, resulting in sincere and unapologetically pop music that makes our ears happy. Unsurprisingly, they’re based out of Portland, Oregon, the incubation chamber for the Dandy Warhols, the Shins and Portugal, the Man. The Hugs fit right in on this list of highly accessible bands with strong personalities who are exports of the quirkiest town on the West Coast. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
GILL LANDRY Louisiana native Gill Landry’s been a busking folk troubadour, touring the states in various Volkswagens with an acoustic guitar and a pile of poetic songs in the passenger seat. He’s slept in shacks in Oregon while putting together an act. He’s also been a long-serving member of the Grammy Award–winning and Grand Ole Opry-inducted Old Crow Medicine Show. Today, Landry’s a well-seasoned traveling singer-songwriter with a deep well of experience and influences to draw from, and he’s still out on the road, though probably staying in more comfortable accommodations these days. KLJ
ODIE LEIGH See this week’s Arts & Entertainment feature by Mathew Chipman. INFO:8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9. $22 at the door or online at feltonmusichall.com.
FESTIVAL
HOLIDAY MAKERS’ MARKET The Holiday Makers’ Market will feature ten vendors displaying their wares, offering an opportunity to ring in the holiday season with shopping that supports local entrepreneurs and crafters. Some featured items are original art, handcrafted jewelry, knitted goods and pottery. An array of Discretion’s flavorful beers will also be available on tap and in cans, and local psychedelic rock band Love Creek will offer a mix of classic and original songs from 3 to 5pm. The market’s slogan sums it up: “Shop small, drink beer and enjoy live music.” BILL KOPP
INFO: 1pm, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave. Suite A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
SUNDAY 12/8
SKA
SLACKERS The Slackers, a long-running band from New York City, delivers the sounds of the Caribbean with over a dozen albums released since ’91 showcasing the group’s blend of ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul with an unmistakable Noo Yawk flavor. Their 2022 album, Don’t Let the Sunlight Fool Ya, charted impressively and captured the essence of this hard-touring (thousands of performances to date) outfit. Acclaimed LA-based Chicano soulsters Los Yesterdays and ska-soul-reggae outfit the Bandulus (featuring the Aggrolites’ Jesse Wagner) are also on the bill. BK
HUNTERTONES The Huntertones are truly an American band; they play the most American form of music, jazz, and they formed in Ohio but moved to Brooklyn. Originally called the Dan White Sextet after founding member Dan White, they changed their name to the Huntertones in 2014 and have wowed audiences nationwide and internationally with high-energy shows of jazz, soul and fusion delivered on a platter of fun. Last year, they released their Christmas EP, A Joyful Noise (Part 1), and if more people in the audience are on the nice list than the naughty one, they might play a tune or two for the season. MW
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $42. 427-2227.
TUESDAY 12/10
COMEDY
DNA
THE ROAST OF DNA It’s impossible to express how essential local comedian DNA is to the Santa Cruz comedy scene. For eighteen years, he’s been, well, the scene’s DNA, organizing shows, booking middle-to-big-league names and giving fledgling newbies stage time to work out material and build up nerves. He single-handedly organized the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival for the last 11 years—even during Covid, when it was a drive-in show—and owned the beloved but short-lived DNA’s Comedy Lab. After so many laughs, DNA’s ready to move on to different pastures, but not before some of the best names in Santa Cruz stand-up bid him goodbye with a proper circle roast at the Blue Lagoonies Comedy, a tradition he started in that very room. MW
INFO: 7:45pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-7117.
WEDNESDAY 12/11
ROCK
COLOR GREEN
COLOR GREEN This California-based quartet’s sophomore album, Fool’s Parade, blends kaleidoscopic Americana with dreamy guitar leads, rich harmonies and classic songwriting to produce a gem of a record. While known for embracing a cosmic spontaneity with dynamic and often unpredictable live performances, the band’s music is dreamily grounded in earthy melodies. Drawing from ’60s Southern California folk rock, classic ’70s rock and psychedelic dance-rock, Color Green’s approach to music is very much about choosing your own adventure. Join them in stepping into the unknown—an ever-so-delightful reverie. MY
MIKE RENWICK’S HOLIDAY DELUXE Now’s the time for Christmas music, and Mike Renwick’s annual Holiday Deluxe kicks off the season! Mike Renwick and other talented musicians bring an old-school R&B and rock spirit to beloved Christmas classics, warming up the room on a cold, wintery night. The casually comfy concert is purposefully cozy, intending to bring people together to celebrate and relax. Renwick has hosted this Christmas party for over 20 years, and the musicians and songs change every year. So grab a friend, grab a drink, and be merry. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
When we arrive at Harley Farms, a beautiful goat farm and dairy farm in Pescadero, owner Dee Harley is busy in her store. We both grew up in Yorkshire and it’s lovely to share a few memories of our British homeland. Harley Farms makes fresh and delicious goat cheese and many other products with goat milk.
Sante Arcangeli Family Wines holds a glorious wine-tasting experience in a rustic 140-year-old barn on the Harley Farms property in Pescadero—a unique place to try the magnificent elixirs made by winery owner John Benedetti.
A tasting paired with Harley Farms goat cheese is the best way to go. My family and I sampled a platter filled with different goat cheeses, crackers, all kinds of nuts, dried fruit and more. It’s a plentiful spread to pair with a flight of four to six Sante Arcangeli wines.
My husband, daughter and son-in-law loved all the wines we tasted, but we fell hard for the 2023 Santa Cruz Mountains Rosé of Pinot Noir ($35). “Crisp, pale and bone dry, with wild strawberry and grapefruit notes,” says Benedetti, “it’s refreshing and fruit-driven, with an underlying earthiness that is unmistakenly pinot noir.”
FARM FRESH Sante Arcangeli wines pair well with Harley Farms goat cheese. PHOTO: Contributed
This simply delectable rosé would be a delightful pairing with many a festive dish over the holidays, especially rich and highly seasoned food.
Wine tasting at Harley Farms is fun and fabulous, especially when getting to pet a few goats.
79 North St., Pescadero. 831-265-2713. Hours are noon–5pm Friday–Sunday. Reservations are encouraged. Sante Arcangeli also has a welcoming tasting room in Aptos Village next to the Sockshop and Shoe Company at 154 Aptos Village Way, Unit C-1. Visit santewinery.com for more info.
Odie Leigh, known for her honest, raw and thoughtful musicianship, will be flying into the Felton Music Hall on Dec. 7 as part of her “Carrier Pigeon” tour.
Leigh began her career in music as a bet with her roommates. She’s come a long way in the last four years, from independent tracks on Tik Tok to releasing her debut album, Carrier Pigeon, in July.
Now on her third national tour, Leigh spent her early career as a photographer and filmmaker. She credits her first steps toward building a music career to the Covid pandemic, when she spent her downtime making music for herself and eventually sharing it as part of that bet which kick-started it all.
“I grew up singing in church choir and school choir but never really imagined myself as a musician. I just never really thought it was a possibility. It wasn’t until the pandemic, when I had a lot of time, that I started making songs for myself,” she says.
“At the time, I was living with these two rappers and DJs and they were doing this little game because there was nothing else to do, so we made this little bet to see who could go viral on TikTok first,” Leigh recalls. “I just posted this random song and it did well. Then another and it did even better, and then another that did even better—and now I am miraculously a musician.”
One of Leigh’s biggest influences as a “miraculous” pop/folk musician is Fiona Apple, whose conversational tone and blunt poetry she greatly admires and strives to build on through her creative process.
“I love Fiona Apple. She’s a huge influence on everything I’ve done. I remember being so blown away by her lyrics when I first heard her music. What I took away was her honesty, the conversational truths, and I took that with me through my music,” Leigh says.
Often after a triggering event we feel like we need to get our emotions out, and often we do not get them out in a healthy way. One of Leigh’s goals as a songwriter is to use music as a platform for sharing those “crazy emotions” as art without being destructive.
Songwriting “starts with an event or conversation that sparks a feeling that I need to get something out, before I’m self-destructive,” Leigh explains. “Music is a safe space for me where I can turn those crazy feelings into art rather than send a really long text.”
Leigh believes that every concert is an invitation for the audience to explore the joys of the human experience and come away from it having had a great time and feeling like they have the agency to be active in their own lives and embrace the joys of everyday life.
“I always hope I can help everyone have a good time and leave the show feeling more like themselves. My songs really romanticize the little things, and I want the audience to come away feeling like their life could be a movie,” Leigh says.
Odie Leigh plays at the Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, on Dec. 7 at 8pm. Tickets are $22 at the door, or purchase online at feltonmusichall.com.
Blaming others for our problems is rarely helpful. If we expend emotional energy focusing on how people have offended and hurt us, we diminish our motivation to heal ourselves. We may also get distracted from changing the behavior that ushered us into the mess. So yes, it’s wise to accept responsibility for the part we have played in propagating predicaments. However, I believe it’s also counterproductive to be relentlessly serious about this or any other psychological principle. We all benefit from having mischievous fun as we rebel against tendencies we have to be dogmatic and fanatical. That’s why I am authorizing you to celebrate a good-humored Complaint Fest. For a limited time only, feel free to unleash fantasies in which you uninhibitedly and hilariously castigate everyone who has done you wrong.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
What you are experiencing may not be a major, earth-shaking rite of passage. But it’s sufficiently challenging and potentially rewarding to qualify as a pivotal breakthrough and turning point. And I’m pleased to say that any suffering you’re enduring will be constructive and educational. You may look back at this transition as a liberating initiation. You will feel deep gratification that you have clambered up to a higher level of mastery through the power of your intelligent love and feisty integrity.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
You are now about halfway between your last birthday and next birthday. In the prophecy industry, we call this your Unbirthday Season. It is usually a time when you receive an abundance of feedback—whether you want it or not. I encourage you to want it! Solicit it. Even pay for it. Not all of it will be true or useful, of course, but the part that is true and useful will be very much so. You could gather a wealth of information that will help you fine-tune your drive for success and joy in the months to come.
CANCER June 21-July 22
Legend tells us that the Buddha achieved enlightenment while meditating beneath the Bodhi Tree in Bihar, India. He was there for many weeks. At one point, a huge storm came and pelted the sacred spot with heavy rain. Just in time, the King of Serpents arrived, a giant cobra with a massive hood. He shielded the Buddha from the onslaught for the duration. Now I am predicting that you, too, will receive an unexpected form of protection and nurturing in the coming weeks. Be ready to open your mind about what help looks and feels like. It may not be entirely familiar.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
In written form, the Japanese term oubaitori is comprised of four kanji, or characters. They denote four fruit trees that bloom in the spring: cherry, plum, peach and apricot. Each tree’s flowers blossom in their own sweet time, exactly when they are ready, neither early nor late. The poetic meaning of oubaitori is that we humans do the same: We grow and ripen at our own unique pace. That’s why it’s senseless to compare our rate of unfoldment to anyone else’s. We each have our own timing, our own rhythm. These ideas are especially apropos for you right now, Leo.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
I hope you will hunker down in your bunker. I hope you will junk all defunct versions of your spunky funkiness and seek out fresh forms of spunky funkiness. In other words, Virgo, I believe it’s crucial for you to get as relaxed and grounded as possible. You have a mandate to explore ultimate versions of stability and solidity. Shore up your foundations, please. Grow deeper roots. Dig down as deep as you can to strengthen and tone your relationship with the core of your being.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Every one of us is a hypocrite at least some of the time. Now and then, we all ignore or outrightly violate our own high standards. We may even engage in behavior that we criticize in others. But here’s the good news for you, Libra. In the coming weeks and months, you may be as unhypocritical as you have ever been. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you are likely to be consistently faithful to your ideals. Your actual effects on people will closely match your intended effects. The American idiom is, “Do you practice what you preach?” I expect the answer to that question will be yes as it pertains to you.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Author George Orwell advised us that if we don’t analyze and understand the past, we are likely to repeat the mistakes of the past. Alas, few people take heed. Their knowledge of our collective history is meager, as is their grasp of recurring trends in their personal lives. But now here’s the good news, dear Scorpio: In the coming months, you will have exceptional power to avoid replicating past ignorance and errors—IF you meditate regularly on the lessons available through a close study of your life story.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
In his song “Voodoo Child,” Sagittarian musician Jimi Hendrix brags, “Well, I stand up next to a mountain / And I chop it down with the edge of my hand.” I encourage you to unleash fantasies like that in the coming days, Sagittarius. Can you shoot lightning bolts from your eyes? Sure you can. Can you change water into wine? Fly to the moon and back in a magic boat? Win the Nobel Prize for Being Yourself? In your imagination, yes you can. And these exercises will prime you for an array of more realistic escapades, like smashing a mental block, torching an outmoded fear, and demolishing an unnecessary inhibition or taboo. To supercharge your practical power, intensify your imagination’s audacity.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
The name of my column is “Free Will Astrology” because I aspire to nurture, inspire and liberate your free will. A key component in that effort is to help you build your skills as a critical thinker. That’s why I encourage you to question everything I tell you. Don’t just assume that my counsel is always right and true for you. Likewise, I hope you are discerning in your dealings with all teachers, experts and leaders—especially in the coming weeks and months. You are in a phase of your cycle when it’s even more crucial than usual to be a good-natured skeptic who poses exuberant, penetrating questions. To serve your soul’s health, refine your practice of the art of creative rebellion.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Be like a beautifully made fountain that people love to visit, Aquarius. Not like a metaphorical geyser or stream or waterfall out in the natural world, but a three-tiered marble fountain. What does that entail? Here are hints. The water of the fountain cascades upward, but not too high or hard, and then it showers down gently into a pool. Its flow is steady and unflagging. Its sound is mellifluous and relaxing. The endless dance of the bubbles and currents is invigorating and calming, exuberant and rejuvenating. Be like a fountain.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
Around this time of year, persimmon trees in my neighborhood have shed their leaves but are teeming with dazzling orange fruits. Pomegranate trees are similar. Their leaves have fallen off but their red fruits are ready to eat. I love how these rebels offer their sweet, ripe gifts as our winter season approaches. They remind me of the current state of your destiny, Pisces. Your gorgeous fertility is waxing. The blessings you have to offer are at a peak. I invite you to be extra generous as you share your gifts with those who are worthy of them—and maybe even a few who aren’t entirely worthy.
Homework: What can you make or do in 2025 that you have never made or done before? Start dreaming. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com
Infamous as much for his brilliant magazine illustrations and political caricatures as he was for his white beard, Gene Holtan segued into abstract painting during his final years. The results were stunning counterpoints of expressionist marks and squiggled lines that almost resolve into recognizable entities. Yet they don’t.
With a meandering palette of pinks and hunter greens, the Santa Cruz–based artist filled the surface with forms leaning against each other, as if trying to hold each other up, shambling shapes jostling for attention while suggesting an accidental perfection lying just behind. Whatever his imagination was aiming at, Holtan got gloriously sidetracked in the foreground of his picture plane.
A fabled letter-press printer, holding forth in the seclusion of the Green Gables Victorian on Beach Hill that he shared with his beloved partner, Elizabeth Sanchez, Holtan became over the years a close friend and mentor to fellow printer and broadside poet Gary Young.
Young recalls the loquacious Holtan as having taught him “more about being a poet than any of my poetry mentors ever did.” Cherishing the words, observations and ironies of his departed friend, Young has put together a stunning collection of poems around the second oldest human condition—loss.
American Analects, the title of Young’s latest suite of 60 poems, just launched from Persea Books/New York, is exactly the right size for a book that invites long, slow sips and plenty of time to savor the sensory bouquet. Beautifully printed, it allows each crisp rectangle of words a lavish surround of white space. As always with prose poetry by this prolific craftsman, each poem pretends to be simple. Direct. Effortless to read and understand. Until you read it again and watch more meanings emerge like stars in a twilight sky.
His delicious suites of words, some only two lines long, are mercurial. And deceptive. Just when we are lulled into the word-perfect rhythm of the piece, a sudden shiver occurs. Of what? Some surreality that becomes a portal, pointing to exactly what we did not expect. “The metaphor we create for our own survival is difficult to dismantle, but not impossible.” That’s very Gary Young. Offering the brusquely unexpected wrapped up in supple images of nature, or saucy sayings of his late departed friend.
The poems seem to describe a familiar world, and yet one in which we observers have been turned inside out. How can the unexpected sound so familiar?
We are seduced over and over again, until (the poet suggests) we get it. And when we do, we are invited to throw away the bread crumbs. Just step out onto whatever is behind it all. The last words of Gene Holtan were: Follow the instructions to the door. When you get to the door, throw the instructions away.
Ultimately, while romancing death, songbirds, disappointment and the mundane mystery at the edge of each day, these poems are about resilience. See what we can enjoy? they ask. See what we can endure? they suggest. We will come, and we will go, but “The rain and the moss never tire.”
Such a pleasure it is to savor Young’s poems that one scarcely minds not entirely knowing how they cast their spell. A literary magician, this man shows but never tells. American Analects (a gloss on the Analects of Confucius) will ensnare you. Painlessly it rewards the turning of each page. Come hear Gary Young read from his new book. Doors will open.
Feasting on the World: Paintings by Gene Holtan, Poems by Gary Young. Book launch andreading by Gary Young from 3 to 5pm on Dec. 8 at the MK Contemporary Art Gallery on Front Street. An accompanying exhibition of Holtan’s drawings pops up in the MAH’s Atrium from noon to 6pm on Dec. 6-8.
Progressive quartet The Pineapple Thief has been busy. The group from Southwest England released It Leads to This, its 15th studio album, in February. Led by guitarist and songwriter Bruce Soord, the band is currently on tour in the U.S., with a December date at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz; European and UK dates will follow well into 2025. Amid all that activity, The Pineapple Thief has found time to record and release a five-song EP, Last to Run.
In the earliest days of The Pineapple Thief, the group wasn’t a group at all. Instead it was the name used to describe the music made by Soord, as featured on Abducting the Unicorn, a 1999 debut album for which he wrote all the songs, played nearly all the instruments and sang all the vocal parts. With a style that has been likened to a mashup of Porcupine Tree and Radiohead, Soord crafted an engaging set of songs. He employed the same approach for 2002’s 137 and Variations on a Dream from 2003. But shortly after the latter’s release, he made the decision to put together an actual group, one that could play live.
Over the next decade-plus, The Pineapple Thief continued to create and release well-received albums that drew on the melodic side of progressive rock, with inventive and compelling arrangements. Songs often explored themes of isolation, conflict and a melancholy air. Soord continued to write alone, and the overall character of the group’s music reflected that.
Then 2014 brought major changes to The Pineapple Thief. Drummer Gavin Harrison joined the group. Harrison’s peerless prog pedigree already included tenure with two of prog’s biggest acts: Porcupine Tree and King Crimson. And while Harrison didn’t take a major writing role in either of those groups, he would collaborate extensively with Bruce Soord.
The change showed. “For 20 years, the way I wrote music was on my own,” Soord explains. But once he engaged Harrison as a songwriting partner, the entire dynamic shifted. “When he came on board, I would work on an idea, send it to Gavin, and he’d go, ‘Oh, I like this,’” Soord says. “He’d add some ideas, chop it around, send it back to me.” There was a leisurely flow to that process. “I’d get a part from Gavin, and I’d spend the next couple of days mulling it over until I was really happy with it, then I’d send it back.”
That approach—Soord writing lyrics and working with Harrison to craft melodies—served The Pineapple Thief well; the run of albums beginning with 2018’s Dissolution onward are considered some of the group’s best work. But as they approached the making of their latest full-length release, 2024’s It Leads to This, The Pineapple Thief changed their working methods yet again.
“There’s a track on the new album called ‘Rubicon,’” Soord explains. “Gavin said to me, ‘I’ve got this rhythm.’ It’s in a quite challenging time signature, a sort of 5/4 shuffle.” They played together, and the song grew out of that spontaneous jamming. “That kind of thing is very old-school,” Soord says. “It’s a sort of ’70s mentality to writing: Put a bunch of guys in a studio, and six weeks later an album comes out.”
That method stands in stark contrast to the unhurried approach to which Soord had become accustomed. “It’s very pressured,” he admits. “For days you’re at absolutely 100% concentration: ‘I’ve got to do this, and I’ve got to get it right.’” He’s very pleased with the results as showcased on It Leads to This, and fans and critics alike tend to agree. “But it’s intense when you’re not used to it!” he admits.
Soord is now completely sold on the idea, and says that the group will use a similar approach next time they’re making an album. “And we’ll do even more with the other guys in the band—John [Sykes, bass] and Steve [Kitch, keyboards]—to get it back to that romantic vision of what a band is supposed to be,” he promises. “When you’ve been together on the road like we are now, you become close. And that really helps create the songs. You get a lot when everybody can contribute; the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”
While the methods used to create, develop and complete their albums may have changed over the years, there’s a continuity running through the group’s work. Like many albums from The Pineapple Thief, It Leads to This is a concept album. “I think all of our albums are, loosely,” Soord says. “They’re all about where I am. Lyrically there’s a lot of you and I and us.”
It Leads to This focuses on what’s happening in the world, viewed from a personal perspective and with an eye toward how it impacts individuals and relationships. “An individual grows older, has children… your sense of mortality becomes more vivid,” Soord says. He believes that writing from a personal perspective in that manner results in themes that are universal and relatable, qualities that are found throughout the Pineapple Thief’s body of work. “Because we’re all in the same boat, really. And that’s what I aim to achieve.”
The Pineapple Thief and Randy McStine play at 7:30pm on Dec. 8 at the Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $27/adv, $32/door. catalystclub.com.
PULL QUOTE: In the earliest days of The Pineapple Thief, the group wasn’t a group at all. Instead it was the name used to describe the music made by Soord, as featured on Abducting the Unicorn, a 1999 debut album for which he wrote all the songs, played nearly all the instruments and sang all the vocal parts.
The Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society’s First Friday gatherings are more than just educational events—they’re spaces for connection, inspiration, and community.
