Page 28 – Good Times

Street Talk

Street Talk

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February 5, 2025

How will artificial intelligence change our world?

My main issue is how it affects the creative community. AI takes a lot of artists’ work and copies it, and I think it takes away creativity when people rely on it too much. There’s potential for good things.

Sydney Yeats, 22, Santa Cruz Hostel

I’m optimistic about it. On the internet it’s leveled the playing field to access information that people might not otherwise find. Hopefully it proves to be so smart that it will take the human element out of certain decision making.

Austin Raymer, 34, Researcher

Any technology has good and bad results. Like Spider-Man, with great power comes great responsibility. Worst case is it becoming a propaganda machine. Best case is that it passes knowledge to the next generation.

Emma Yeats, 26, UC Berkeley Physics Ph.D. Student Researcher

It’s a learning curve of good and bad, but I ultimately think it will do good. It’s supposed to help us cure disease, like it has with cancer, creating a vaccine. It could help play the stock market. Hopefully it will help me find my car keys!

Will Morse, 59, General Contractor

I think for the worse. Education will be minimized when children rely on AI for answers. Factory workers are being replaced by robots and teachers will be next, doctors too. But I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was a kid.

Cielo Vera, 20, Teacher

AI will become normalized, but now it requires more energy than we can create. We’re also creating something we don’t know how to contain. One AI has already said we’re going to be gone. If that was me, I would have said, “Um, pull the plug!”

Will Schein, 55, The Hat Company

Life Lessons

Wellness

Elizabeth Borelli

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February 4, 2025

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Back in my career coaching days, I was slightly obsessed with a certain book. I owned multiple copies, which I would readily loan, while referring to the work in numerous presentations over the years. So, it was especially exciting to learn that Dave Evans—one of the co-authors of this book, the international best-seller Designing Your Life—is a Santa Cruz local.

The book, based on the popular Stanford University course, has helped countless individuals navigate their personal and professional journeys using principles of design thinking. It’s an approach rooted in curiosity, creativity and iterative problem-solving—tools he and co-author Bill Burnett refined through years of teaching at Stanford and beyond.

For me, Evans’ work holds a deeply personal resonance. Years ago, I attended the Odyssey Planning workshop at 1440 Multiversity in Scotts Valley. Armed with a signed copy of his book, I dove into the exercises with enthusiasm. As life went on, however, I forgot about the worksheet I’d completed—until recently, when I stumbled upon it in an old notebook.

One of my “alternative plans” leaped off the page: Write a book. Become a yoga teacher. Collaborate with health and wellness companies. At the time, I was exploring other paths; looking back, it’s clear how the seeds planted that day have blossomed into my current reality. It’s a reminder of the quiet power of setting intentions, even if we’re not actively tracking them.

When I caught up with Evans for this interview, I asked him about what inspired the creation of Designing Your Life. His response was deeply human.

“Like most people, it started with walking out my own pain,” he shared. “In my twenties, I didn’t have great guidance from the adults around me. That struggle planted the seed. Years later, I was invited to teach a class at Berkeley called ‘Finding Your Vocation.’ What started as a favor for a friend turned into 14 semesters of teaching.”

By the time Evans and Burnett began collaborating at Stanford, the groundwork was in place. Burnett’s background in design paired seamlessly with Evans’ insights into personal development. Together, they created a course that would evolve into a global phenomenon.

Since the book’s release, the framework has only deepened. “We realized people are often stuck because they haven’t articulated their core values or examined their lives honestly,” Evans explains. “When they finally map out their time and energy, they’re often surprised by what they discover—like how much time they spend scrolling on social media.”

For those unfamiliar, Designing Your Life invites readers to approach their futures with curiosity and experimentation. The Good Time Journal, a foundational exercise, encourages tracking daily activities to identify what energizes or drains you. It’s a process of aligning your actions with your values—a small but profound step toward intentional living.

IDEO founder David Kelley calls it the “go-to book that is read as a rite of passage whenever someone is ready to create a life they love.”

Of course, like any transformative process, the journey isn’t without its challenges. “The biggest hurdle we see is people who think they know what they want but are afraid to start because they’re beginners,” Evans says. “We call it the ‘gravity problem.’ It’s about accepting what you can’t change and moving forward anyway. That acceptance can feel constraining, but it actually frees you to focus on what’s possible.”

Evans emphasized the importance of combining big dreams with realistic steps. “We regret putting the word ‘plan’ after ‘Odyssey’ in the book,” he admitted with a laugh. “It’s less about rigid plans and more about animating your curiosity. What’s the next small thing you can do to explore an idea? That’s where growth happens.”

For anyone feeling stuck, Evans offers simple advice: Start where you are. “Ask yourself, ‘What’s draining or supporting me?’ Most people don’t have an objective view of their own lives. The Good Time Journal can be an eye-opener.”

Beyond the book, Evans and Burnett continue to innovate. Their second book, Designing Your Work Life, expands on strategies for thriving in your current job or making small changes to improve your day-to-day. And in a tantalizing teaser, Evans hinted at a future project exploring how pain can inform meaningful design. “We’re calling it Designing by Pain. It’s about using life’s hardships as a creative force.”

Evans’ work resonates deeply in Santa Cruz, a community known for its openness to personal growth. Whether you’re navigating career changes, exploring creative pursuits or simply seeking more joy, Designing Your Life offers a framework to reimagine what’s possible.

As I reflect on my own Odyssey worksheet, I’m struck by the synchronicity of it all. My goals felt like distant dreams years ago. But by taking small, curious steps, I’ve found myself living them.

So if you’re wondering what’s next, try picking up (and hanging onto!) a copy of Designing Your Life—and let curiosity guide the way.

Learn more at prhspeakers.com/speaker/dave-evans.

Elizabeth Borelli is the author of the new book Tastes Like La Dolce Vita. To learn more about her, visit ElizabethBorelli.com.

Bad Gateway

Cannabis

Dan Mitchell

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February 4, 2025

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When Elon Musk smoked weed on Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2018, there was a general freakout. The media treated it as if Musk had done something naughty, even though pot was already legal in California by then.

And they didn’t focus much on the fact that Musk also drank whiskey during the 2-½-hour show, nor on the fact that he mucked about with a flamethrower and a samurai sword during the “interview.” He took one big hit of a spliff (weed mixed with tobacco) and suddenly he was “doing drugs.”

Hilariously, ABC7 in Los Angeles presented its self-serious report with the headline “Musk appears to smoke pot during interview; Tesla stock falls 9 percent,” as if it were possible that Musk had been faking the whole thing.

That stock dive, though, got to the heart of what most likely concerned most investors, and that has lately become a topic of national conversation as Musk has moved into a powerful position in the federal government: the man acted like a troubled tween throughout the show.

The episode amounted to a real-time case-study in arrested development on the part of both men. The conversation, though it touched on “issues,” like artificial intelligence, mostly came off like a couple of obnoxious 12-year-olds hanging out in a tree fort.

For many, the Rogan appearance was a revelation. Musk hadn’t been media-shy before that, exactly, but he hadn’t tended to do a ton of interviews or big public appearances. And when he did, he tended to be soft-spoken and to hew to what had until very recently been basic social conventions (though he was increasingly saying troubling things).

While Musk fanboys loved the podcast as much as they would later convince themselves they loved the Cybertruck, many others were plotzed by how immature, awkward and vaguely creepy he seemed. His spliff-hit was, at most, one tiny part of what perplexed people: one of the richest men in the world, and the leader of two major companies (Tesla and SpaceX)—long presented by the media as a “visionary”—turned out to be an addled manchild.

And now, he’s wielding enormous powers as a top member of the Trump administration, in charge of (oy) “DOGE,” a basically made-up “department” in the federal government that’s supposedly dedicated to “cost-cutting,” but which seems mostly aimed at vindictively gutting big swaths of the government based on the whims, resentments and authoritarian ideologies of both Musk and Trump.

Still, on the Rogan show, and later, Musk said some stuff about both weed and drugs that seems interesting in light of subsequent events, revelations and rampant speculation over whether he might be abusing hard drugs, especially ketamine.

The speculation isn’t surprising given Musk’s increasingly bizarre public behavior over the past several years. In 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had “told people he microdoses ketamine for depression, and he also takes full doses of ketamine at parties, according to the people who have witnessed his drug use and others who have direct knowledge of it.”

Low doses of ketamine are a legit use for treatment of depression. Full doses at “parties” is not. He told Rogan that he had only rarely smoked weed, mainly because it’s “not very good for productivity.”

That Wall Street Journal story wasn’t just about Musk, but about how trendy drug use had become among Silicon Valley execs. Many of them use ketamine and psychedelics “as gateways to business breakthroughs,” as the Journal put it. That’s not exactly the stuff of Timothy Leary. It seems like maybe those guys don’t really understand the function of such drugs for recreation, for mind expansion or for treating mood disorders.

Given how terrible so many Silicon Valley companies have become lately—jamming the Internet with AI slop, sabotaging their core functions for no discernable reason, designing ridiculous, dangerous and unneeded products, etc.—maybe they should find different “gateways.” And if they just want “recreation,” may I suggest they just smoke a joint now and again?

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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February 4, 2025

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THURSDAY 2/6

FOLK

JACKSON EMMER

When it comes to singer/songwriter Jackson Emmer, take it from Rolling Stone: “Americana songwriters are a dime a dozen these days, but few are writing songs like Jackson Emmer.” Emmer has been compared to Townes Van Zandt, John Prine and Guy Clark for his blend of humor and heartbreak. His songs are stories, some truthful, others tall tales, but all done with a signature style that has earned him places on Billboard and Spotify playlists and getting to play with artists like Sierra Ferrell and Robert Earl Keen. Joining him are musicians Abigayle Kompst and Mike Hellman for a Nashville-style songwriters’ round, playing music while surrounded by the audience, keeping it as folksy as it can get. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Dr., Soquel. $20. 477-1341.

JAPANESE NOISE

MAYUKO HINO

Japanese noise luminary Mayuko Hino is a tour de force. Best recognized for her work in forming the trailblazing noise band C.C.C.C. (Cosmic Coincidence Control Center) in the early ’90s, the artist continues to meld raw electronics with visceral performance art. Her work brims with intensity: from metal percussion to self-made instruments and a bright-pink six-theremin oscillator—a one-of-a-kind instrument crafted for her by musician Ryo Araishi—Hino’s musical explorations continue to push the limits of the genre, forging immersive experiences that are unrelenting, cohesive and startling. With deep roots and influence reverberating across the genre, Hino remains the queen of Japanese noise. MELISA YURIAR

INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. $16.

FRIDAY 2/7

FOLK

STEVE POLTZ

The inventive Canadian-born SoCal-raised guitarist built his career blending offbeat humor with poignant storytelling. From cofounding San Diego’s underground indie-rock cult favorite the Rugburns to cowriting Jewel’s hit ’90s single, “You Were Meant for Me,” the wildly eclectic Poltz has remained a fearless and unrelenting touring musician after decades of live performances and consistent output of independent projects. His latest, Stardust and Satellites, is all wit and warmth and may be the artist’s most sincere and interesting work yet. MY

INFO: 7:30pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $39. 479-9421.

BONNIE PRINCE BILLY

Some call his music freak folk; others label it lo-fi or gothic country. What’s undisputed is that Bonnie “Prince” Billy (born Will Oldham) is an original artist. Combining a punk aesthetic with a folk mindset, BPB quickly became a critics’ darling with releases like 1993’s There is No-One What Will Take Care of You. He’s as prolific as he is creative, with some 20 albums under his own (stage) name plus nearly as many others with previous and outside projects. His latest is The Purple Bird. David Ferguson opens. BILL KOPP

INFO: 8:30pm, Vets Hall, 842 Front St., Santa Cruz. $53-$72. 454-0478.

SATURDAY 2/8

PUNK

OPPRESSED LOGIC

Oppressed Logic remembers having fun, and this weekend, they’ll make sure Santa Cruz gets a full dose of fun straight in the teeth. The Oakland punk band has represented Bay Area punk worldwide for three decades with its thrashing riffs and political lyrics. Rounding out a California showcase are Berkeley’s the Boneless Ones, Nuisance in Public and C.R.A.P. (both from Santa Cruz) and Southern California’s Paint the Town Rad! For anyone saying the punk scene is dead, this show begs to differ. We’re talking circle pits, three-minute songs and all the cheap beer and shots the Blue Lagoon offers. Pull up and remember what it was like to have a soul instead of a nine-to-five. MW

INFO: 8:30pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $18. 423-7117.

KIT MAJOR

As the generation that grew up post-Green Day and Nirvana now take the torch into their own hands, breaking the “rules” of punk feels more natural. Kit Major grew up in Chicago, Tokyo and Beijing and now calls LA home. Her multicultural upbringing may explain the ease with which she breaks orthodoxy, mixing indy, alternative, pop, grunge and the many other “cores” that branch off punk. The result is aggressive, at times anthemic, and always catchy. Charming sister band Dog Party and Bay Area punk four-piece Tess & the Details kicks things off. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN

INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

TUESDAY 2/11

ROCK

STORM LARGE

The appropriately named Storm Large will unleash her tempestuous voice, giving her passionately growling take on songs associated with women artists from Édith Piaf and Billie Holiday to Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Lorde, along with her original compositions. Her sound is, well, large—and powerful, combining the range of a classically trained singer with the gravel and grit more expected from punk’s maternal progenitor Patty Smith or Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon. Those who like their torch songs with a bit of gasoline poured over them will want to catch Large with longtime music director and collaborator James Beaton on piano. KLJ

INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $58. 427-2227.

WEDNESDAY 2/12

COUNTRY

NICK SHOULDERS AND THE OKAY CRAWDAD

The distance between punk and Country & Western isn’t as far as it might seem, and Nick Shoulders’ music bridges the gulf. While the Fayetteville, Arkansas native got his start playing in punk bands, by 2017, he’d pivoted to a solo career in an unabashed C&W style. He’s been a vocal critic of “ersatz country” and exemplifies the real deal in his music, complete with shouts, whistles and yodeling. Since his solo debut in 2018, Shoulders has released four albums and an EP. Jonny Fritz opens. BK

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $30. 713-5492.

All That Jazz

Stage

Mathew Chipman

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February 4, 2025

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Adapting one of America’s classic novels into a Broadway-style ballet is no small feat, but producers Gulya Hartwick and Sasha Gorskaya were up for the challenge.

After more than half a dozen years of production, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby finally hits the stage in a way never seen before in its previous incarnations as a Broadway, an opera and five different filmed versions.

“Can’t repeat the past?… Why of course you can!” said Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s protagonist (played by Robert Redford in 1974 and Leonardo DiCaprio in 2013).

Taking audiences back 100 years to the roaring ’20s, complete with dazzling sets, large parties, acrobatics, an all-original jazz score and dazzling ballet footwork, the World Ballet Company’s The Great Gatsby is coming to the Santa Cruz Civic on Valentine’s Day as a part of a 140-city tour.

“I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties, there isn’t any privacy,” said the Gatsby character Jordan Baker.

“We’ve wanted to create this production for so many years,” Hartwick says. “The idea got into our minds in 2018. When my co-producer and partner Sasha wrote the libretto, our goal was to stay as close to the book as possible because we loved the story so much. We were of course inspired by both the film adaptations and the musical as well, which had a very interesting approach.”

Hartwick loves Fitzgerald’s descriptions of Gatsby’s “no tomorrow attitude.”

The production conveys one of the most recognizable pieces of 20th-century literature through not only the medium of ballet but also the acting work of the company’s dancers.

“It’s a Broadway-style ballet, which is a unique mix of genres, and it allows the audience to truly immerse themselves in a story,” Hartwick says. “We integrate live singing, effects, projection and acrobatics with the beauty and grace of classical ballet and traditional theater scenery, making it all come together into a stunning piece.”

A hundred years after the 1925 novel debuted, its narrative about the emptiness of wealth without love—and the importance of knowing who your true friends are—still holds true today, with flashy clothes and social media stories replacing stylish cars and lavish parties.

As the last line of the novel puts it, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

“It’s a timeless story about love, friendship and most importantly the American dream,” Hartwick says. “The ending makes everyone think about what’s important. What is the chase about and is true love worth it? Questions that make you want to speak with your loved ones.”

One standout company member is Hollywood composer Anna Drubich, known for her work on Navalny (2022), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) and America Unfiltered (2024). Drubich has composed a jazz score that takes audiences through the tides and currents of Fitzgerald’s narrative.

“This music is so very special that it still sings in your head when you go to sleep and then stays with you when you wake up in the morning,” Hartwick asserts. “Anna accepted the challenge by switching to a new genre for her from film. I’m sure that the audience will notice those blockbuster motifs.”

The World Ballet Company’s mission is to create professional classical ballet that is accessible to modern audiences, from fans of ballet to the “ballet curious.”

Hartwick says, “The Santa Cruz show will be a special one, because it’s on February 14th and that’s the best day to see one of the greatest love stories live on stage. You will fall in love with the dancing and singing and glitter and dazzle. This will be an evening that will be hard to forget, so get your special someone, dress up and enjoy the show.”

The World Ballet Company production takes place at 7pm on Feb. 14 at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St. Tickets: $45–$105; santacruztickets.com.

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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February 4, 2025

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ARIES March 21-April 19

The world’s largest mirror isn’t an actual mirror. It’s Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni salt flat, a vast area that’s almost perfectly flat. After a rain, a thin layer of calm water transforms the surface into a perfect reflector that can be used to calibrate observation satellites. In these conditions, it may be almost impossible to tell where the earth begins and the sky ends. I foresee metaphorically similar developments for you during the coming weeks. Boundaries between different aspects of your world—professional and personal, spiritual and practical—might blur in interesting ways. A temporary dissolution of the usual limits may offer you surprising insights and unexpected opportunities for realignment. Be alert for helpful clues about how to adjust the way you see things.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

From day to day, glaciers appear static. But they are actually slow-moving rivers of ice that have tremendous creative power. They can make or reshape valleys, moving tons of dirt and rock. They pulverize, grind and topple trees, hills and even mountains. New lakes may emerge in the course of their activity. I invite you to imagine yourself as a glacier in the coming months, Taurus. Exult in your steady transformative power. Notice and keep track of your slow but sure progress. Trust that your persistence will ultimately accomplish wonders and marvels.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

In recent weeks, have you stirred up any dynamic fantasies about exotic sanctuaries or faraway places or mercurial wild cards? Have you delivered enticing messages to inspiring beauties or brave freedom-fighters or vibrant networkers? Have you been monitoring the activities of longshots or future helpers or unification adepts who might be useful to you sooner than you imagine? Finally, Gemini, have you noticed I’m suggesting that everything important will arise in threes—except when they come in twos, in which case you should hunt for the missing third? PS: When the wild things call to you, respond promptly.

CANCER June 21-July 22

Archaeologists found two 43,000-year-old flutes in Germany. Constructed of mammoth ivory and bird bone, they still produce clear notes with perfect pitch. They were located in a cave that contains ancient examples of figurative art. Some genius way back then regarded art and music as a pleasurable pairing! I propose we make these instruments your power symbols for the coming weeks, Cancerian. May they inspire you to resuscitate the value of your past accomplishments. May you call on the help of melodies and memories that still resonate—and that can inspire your future adventures! Your words of power are regeneration, revival and reanimation.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

It’s your unbirthday season, Leo—the holiday that’s halfway between your last birthday and your next. During this interlude, you could benefit from clarifying what you don’t want, don’t believe and don’t like. You may generate good fortune for yourself by going on a quest to discover rich potentials and stirring possibilities that are as-yet hidden or unexpressed. I hope you will be bold enough to scan the frontiers for sources of beauty and truth that you have been missing. During your unbirthday season, you will be wise to gather the rest of the information you will need to make a smart gamble or daring change.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Austrian playwright Elfriede Jelinek won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004, and Romanian-German author Herta Müller earned it in 2009. But garnering the world’s most prestigious award for writers did not provide a big boost to their book sales. In some markets, their famous works are now out of print. In 2025, I hope you Virgos do in your own spheres what they only half-accomplished in theirs. I would love for you to gather more appreciation and attention while simultaneously raising your income. According to my reading of the astrological omens, this is a reasonable expectation.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

By day, Libra-born Forrest Bess (1911–1977) worked as a commercial fisherman in Texas. By night, he created visionary paintings inspired by symbols that appeared to him in states between sleeping and waking. Other influences in his art came from alchemy, the psychological philosophy of Carl Jung and Indigenous Australian rituals. His life was living proof that mystical exploration and mundane work could coexist. I’m hoping he might serve you as an inspirational role model. You are in a phase when you have the power to blend and synergize seemingly opposing aspects of your world. You would be wise to meditate on how to find common ground between practical necessity and spiritual aspiration. Are there ways you can unite the desires of your head and heart? Of your need for safety and your longing for adventure? Of your craving for beauty and your fondness for usefulness?

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, arranged for himself to be buried after death with an army of 8,000 soldiers made from terracotta, which is a clay ceramic. Joining the gang below the earth’s surface were 770 horses and 130 chariots. For over 2,000 years, this assemblage was lost and forgotten. But in 1974, farmers digging a new well found it accidentally. In this spirit, I am predicting that sometime in the next five months, you will make interesting discoveries while looking for something other than what you find. They won’t be as spectacular as the terracotta army, but I bet they will be fun and life changing.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Author Zora Neale Hurston said, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” I will adjust that counsel for your use, Sagittarius. According to my astrological analysis, the first half of 2025 will ask questions, and the second half will answer them. For best results, I invite you to gather and polish your best questions in the next five months, carefully defining and refining them. When July begins, tell life you are ready to receive replies to your carefully wrought inquiries.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Hemoglobin is an iron-bearing protein that’s crucial to most life. It enables the transportation of oxygen in the blood. But one species, the icefish of the Antarctic seas, lacks hemoglobin. They evolved other ways to obtain and circulate enough oxygen in the frozen depths, including larger hearts and blood vessels. The system they’ve developed works well. So they are examples of how to adjust to an apparent problem in ways that lead to fine evolutionary innovations. I suspect you’re now in the midst of your own personal version of a comparable adaptation. Keep up the good work!

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Born under the sign of Aquarius, Clyde Tombaugh discovered the heavenly body known as Pluto in 1930. This was years before he earned advanced degrees in astronomy. His early education was primarily self-directed. The telescopes he used to learn the sky were built from tractor parts and old car components from his father’s farm. During the coming months, I surmise there will be elements of your life resembling Tombaugh’s story. Your intuition and instincts will bring you insights that may seem unearned or premature. (They’re not!) You will garner breakthroughs that seem to be arriving from the future.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

One of the world’s deepest caves is Veryovkina in the nation of Georgia. At its lowest, it’s 7,257 feet down. There are creatures living there that are found nowhere else on earth. I propose we make it your symbolic power spot for now. In my astrological opinion, you will be wise to dive further into the unknown depths than you have in quite some time. Fascinating mysteries and useful secrets await you. Your motto: “Go deeper and deeper and deeper.”

Homework: Here are all your long-term, big-picture horoscopes for 2025: tinyurl.com/YourDestiny2025.

Street Talk

Street Talk

John Koenig

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January 30, 2025

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When you’re feeling low,
what will always make you smile?

Making myself a hot macha green tea and taking time to relax by myself.

Nhi Le, 20, UCSC Computer Science Major

Being with my friend Nhi Le, and spending time with my roommates, doing things that doesn’t take much mental effort.

Waylon Williams, 20, UCSC Computer Science Major

Golden Retrievers! When I see a Golden Retriever, I can’t help but smile.

Irene Hunter, 17, Student

The sun makes me smile, and I’m happy when I go bird-watching on a sunlit day.

Jim Sylva, 80, Retired

When I go out in the morning, what makes me smile is a sunny sky and twittering birds.

Kathleen Sylva, 73, Retired

Lunch with my friends is a guaranteed smile, getting Mexican food at La Cueva in Saratoga.

Tom Vaughan, 18, Student

Preventive CARE

Todd Guild

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January 29, 2025

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The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 23 unveiled a new website to help law enforcement officials when they encounter people with mental or behavioral conditions that affect the way they communicate and behave.

Under the CARE Alert Program, people can use the website to enter information about their loved one or someone they know, with such data about what triggers them and what calms them down, what name they prefer and if they hate loud noises.

This can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that individuals receive appropriate treatment during interactions with law enforcement, county officials said.

After the information is verified, it is sent to emergency dispatchers, who can relay it to responding law enforcement officials.

The website gives law enforcement officials another tool to help them effectively deal with people with mental challenges. That’s important, since sheriff’s deputies respond to roughly 3,000 of those crisis calls every year, said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark.

“At the heart of all of this is just providing the best safety we can countywide,” Clark said.

The program has been successfully implemented in several cities on the East Coast, but Santa Cruz County’s is the first in California, said Lt. Ian Patrick, who is coordinating it.

The information on the website provides officers with “one more tool they can use when they have a contact with somebody, and the idea is to have that be safer and more efficient with that knowledge in hand,” Patrick said.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig, who brought the idea for the system to the sheriff’s office, said it came from a woman whose son had a misunderstanding with the police and ended up in jail.

“That was probably a step backwards rather than a step forwards for his condition, and we really want to avoid those kinds of situations from happening again,” he said.

To register for the program, visit carealert.santacruzcountyca.gov.

Short and Sweet

Stage

Christina Waters

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January 29, 2025

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Liberally splashed with references to AI, gender confusion, the odd capitalist critique and psychotherapy gone wrong, the Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre stage currently offers an eclectic array of 10-minute attractions. New this season was the use of projected backdrops that changed with each play, adding mood and context. The projected photos by various designers expanded the scenic possibilities of the theater’s small stage, transporting us into the specific world each play required. Great idea!

Could we please just clone Ward Willats? Or at least his voice? Perhaps the only drawback of this season’s rambunctious 8Tens@Eight Festival is that the dashing Willats appears in exactly one and only one of the wide-ranging productions. But I’ll settle for it. Besides, there’s ample excitement and surprise in the 16 swift pieces showing in two installments (Part 1 and Part 2) through Feb. 16.

Seasoned players return to the tiny stage this winter—Avondina Wills, David Leach, Helene Simkin Jara among others—as well as notable newcomers inspired by the energy of fresh scripts chosen from hundreds of submissions. Our annual short play festival has gotten so good, so reliably appealing, that most nights play to full houses of highly receptive audiences. Of course it’s all pot luck, but each of the evenings has its hits.

The Nearest Far Away Place, by Aleks Merilo, offered steadily increasing tension powered by newcomer Jennifer Honka and never-better Michael LaMere. A surprise twist at the end worked its magic perfectly, thanks to actors, script and direction by Cathy D. Warner.

Honka later teamed up with scene-stealing Mathew Chipman, Geneffa Jahan and Lucille Nye in Grouchy, a little gem that depended on clever word play, over-the-top performing and Chipman’s ownership of the stage. All were knockouts in this one, newcomer Jahan holding her own easily against the catty duo of Nye and Honka. Here’s hoping all four of these actors show up regularly on future stages.

Which brings me to the versatile Willats, hilarious as the long-suffering partner of Eve Schewe in Giver of Beauty. The two portray a clueless tourist couple attempting to cross the border into Tibet. Gurjeet Bagri was tone perfect as the unflappable border guard while Schewe and Willats worked their way into hilarious meltdown thanks to a brisk sit-com script by Randy Warren. Karin Babbitt’s direction was spot-on in this post-SNL sketch.

Part 2 offerings included spitfire acting from the incredible Manirose Bobisuthi as a foul-mouthed witch in Duels and Detentes. In an almost charming but definitely distinctive two-hander, The Wakers, both David Leach and Tom Boyle created an unusual and compassionate couple engaged in irregular sleeping habits.

The second half of Part 2 provided my two favorites of this season. The Scorpion Dance by Jon Haller proved a charismatic send-up of equity bias assumptions in the hands of director Andrew Davids, himself a notable regional actor. In this one Rebecca Clark (of Santa Cruz Shakespeare fame) delivered the goods as a performance coach for defendants preparing for their day in court. Avondina Wills, as a know-it-all corporate defendant sparred impeccably with Clark in this study of emotional intelligence that had me completely captivated.

The other bit of pungent theater was thanks to playwright Jim Larson and director Sally Bookman’s Exit Strategy. The set-up was timeless and timely, a daughter trying to convince her father to sell his house and move to assisted living, while his housekeeper busily eavesdrops. Susy Parker was all daughter-knows-best persistence, a brilliant Tom Boyle having fun as the defiant dad. Playing housekeeper Denise Keplinger provides the zingers that move toward a crisp, entertaining ending.

Live theater at its most brisk, theatrical diversity at its most playful. Quick, grab some of the remaining tickets.

8Tens@Eight runs through Feb. 16 at Actors’ Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz. santacruzactorstheatre.org

Sing Louder

Music

DNA

-

January 29, 2025

1

When California splits into thirds, Santa Cruz should declare autonomy from the entire debacle, and immediately make Coffee Zombie Collective president. Six musicians running a futuristic country beholden only to the laws of kindness, compassion and a zeal for fun, scruffy, eclectic music? By Jove, I do believe there is a way forward!

With a brand-new release titled There’s a Ball of Fire in the Sky, debuting at Balefire Brewing Company on Saturday, Feb. 1, CZC has never sounded better. And while musical comparisons are the sour bread and rancid butter of reviews, CZC defies categorization. But if you had to break the band down, imagine if Squirrel Nut Zippers and Devo got swept up in a non-locational force field that had them confined to the borders of Santa Cruz county, while mutating their DNA so they resembled a close-knit tribe of troubadours who met at a full moon alien abduction.

One of the more familiar faces around Santa Cruz, usually framed by a red Viking beard, is Nate Lieby. Father, husband, software engineer, but more notoriously known as the lead singer of Coffee Zombie Collective. “Ever since COVID,” Lieby says, “it’s been hyper local mostly. We have a running joke within the band that we are not allowed to leave the county.”

On the new disc, mixed in amongst covers like “Punk Rock Girl”(The Dead Milkmen), a smoking “Bad Guy” (Billie Eilish) and“Seven Nation Army” (The White Stripes) are some of CZC’s brilliant originals. The eponymous track “There’s a Ball of Fire in the Sky” starts off like somebody created an AI version of Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass. And it’s this left-of-left-field approach, which CZC inhabits, that keeps the audience on their toes.

In the song, like an unexpected, completely amped dinner guest, Lieby begins a rant about meeting a mysterious person who reveals what the cause is of all of humanity’s sorrow. “It’s a story about a guy who runs into some old traveler out in the forest. The guy explains how the sun is trying to kill humanity. All the time.”

But it’s not just a poppy They Might Be Giants song, weaving a funny tale without depth. CZC is more like the San Lorenzo River, with canyons of deep, bottomless, sparkling water. “It’s about how nothing we do has meaning. But what’s the point of complaining about all of our trials and tribulations, when the sun’s gonna go supernova and consume us. So, might as well chill out,” Lieby laughs.

If Banana Slug String Band is Santa Cruz’s daytime music for kids and weirdos, the collective is definitely the nighttime messenger for oddballs and kooks. Its high-energy ebullience emanates from the stage, and its infection rate is zombie level. The other songwriter on this album is Zach Langton, who is a daytime nurse anesthesiologist. His tune, “Why Can’t We Get Along,” busts out like a Violent Femmes B-side, then rises to the top of the album as one of its best compositions. Trying to nail down Langton on a break from his healthcare job, he is concise on the new album. “The song ‘Ball of Fire’ came together so easily in the studio. Nate is inherently funny, and the story he sang became the spark that pulled the whole album together,” Langston says.

Lieby, the aforementioned ginger shaman, is in transit from his daytime gig at Joby. And pardon the hyperbole, but Lieby and CZC represent everything Santa Cruz is about. Hardworking, family and community conscious, environmentally hip, creatively talented. So, it’s not a stretch to consider his band (yes, they are a collective) as one of Santa Cruz’s most crucial voices. CZC works from the core roots of what music is. “Music goes back to cave people sitting around a campfire, clacking rocks together,” Lieby notes.

Coffee Zombie Collective is about accessibility. They want to root for you, as you root for them. Their presence is a walking, dancing affirmation of family. “We just want to lift everybody up together, and make something bigger than just the individual pieces,” Lieby says.

Coffee Zombie Collective’s album release event takes place at 7pm on Feb. 1 at Balefire Brewing Company, 21517 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. Free.

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