While so many of us are looking at what to do next, there are more and more groups learning what not to do next, or to “be here now,” in the words of Ram Dass.
In fact, if you were to do a random eavesdropping survey around local coffee shops, I would bet the words meditation and mindfulness will crop up as much, if not more, than “Taylor Swift,” “Trump,” “Project 2025,” “homeless” or “Right Wing Takeover.”
Along with yoga, meditation is one of the cornerstones of life in our alternative bubble culture, one of the things that help you to “sit, feel and heal,” in the words of our cover story’s subject, as reported by journalist and explorer Mat Weir.
You have to love a quietness teacher, Joe Clements, who was the lead singer for a punk band called Fury 66. He covers all the bases.
He found his cure for hopeless mindlessness after trying just about everything else. “He knew drugs and alcohol wouldn’t ease any of his problems after a ‘lifetime’ of trying,” Weir writes.
Take a slow read on this one and it may lead you to a new path.
You aren’t going to want to miss Mark C. Anderson’s Dining column this week, for news of two favorite restaurants closing and one surprise: Cantine in Aptos is celebrating its 10th year. Man, that went quickly.
Speaking of a decade passed, the 10th annual Círculo de poetas and Writers Conference will be held at the MAH on Aug. 23, and online Aug. 30.
If you’ve ever wished you could craft a poem using only the glossary of DEI words banned by this administration, that’s one of the many opportunities afforded at this poetic gathering featured in Sean Rusev’s insightful story.
“When I saw the list, that there’s actually people in the government scratching off words on documents, I was shocked,” says poet Adela Najarro, who will be leading that particular workshop’s prompt, “Disappearing Words,” during the conference. “What is this, 1984?” she asks.
How’s this for a review’s beginning sentence? “Bravo to a director who refuses to condescend,” writes Christina Waters in her poignant review of Pericles. Read on, MacDuff.
How about some good news, you might ask. What would you say to learning that the numbers of Santa Cruz County residents experiencing homelessness dropped 20% from those of last year to the lowest number in the count’s history? Todd Guild’s article this week will clue you in to some surprisingly good news.
Have a great week and go out and have some fun while it’s still summer.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
CHASING THE BUBBLE For kids, what could be better than the beach and giant bubbles? Photograph by Eric Olsen
GOOD IDEA
There’s one thing that never fails to bring this whole county together: The annual Santa Cruz County Fair, which runs Sept. 10-14 and features exhibits and prizes for the best Livestock, AgHort, Amateur Wine, Fine Arts, LEGOs, Photography, Poultry, Baked Goods, Floriculture, Collections, Hobbies, Home Arts and more. The deadline for many of them is Aug. 21, so hurry. Some entries can be made as walk-ins. Check santacruzcountyfair.com for details.
GOOD WORK
The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery unveils its groundbreaking Enchanted Forest exhibit this week, featuring innovative technology that brings children’s drawings to life through artificial intelligence. The immersive exhibit represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration between local youth technologists, master craftspeople and museum staff to create an enchanting space that Santa Cruz has never seen before. The exhibit’s centerpiece is a massive, hand-crafted hobbit hole designed for children to climb and explore, featuring a recycled textile moss wall, woven waterfall, and interactive mushroom sound installation. This installation was made possible with generous donations via Santa Cruz Gives.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘I was able to find relief, my nervous system relaxed, and from then on I was all in.’
—Meditation teacher Joe Clements
