#or at the very least means you probably ain’t native to washington. or if you are you’re so old you predate entire empires. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

belladonnaandulriched · 3 years

Text

the artist | chapter one

The pandemic had left us all feeling all manner of shaken. My mom and I knew we had to make the stimulus checks go as far as we could ever possibly make them go in those especially tough months given the whole ordeal came in the form of waves; my dad on the other hand clutched onto his money for dear life. Every penny had to count. Every single one.

It was because of all this here that I learned to hold onto things for dear life, the real important things. The good stuff, in particular Chris' number.

I kept my promise to him: little by little, I worked on the roses surrounding the portrait of him. I always had trouble mastering roses, from their shape to their delicate petals. But I somehow did it with the edges of each of the red and orange colored pencils. Once he was finished, I took a few pictures and sent them to Chris himself.

He titled it “Fresh Deadly Roses” after a song which he felt Soundgarden would make at some point once the music studios opened again. Even though the pandemic was over and the vaccine had made its way into everyone's hands, paranoia still lingered throughout the country. That vaccine might not be fool proof after all: as a result, the future of anything pertaining to music had been thrown up in the air.

In the mean time, I had found my way back towards the darkness that made up Anthrax. Adjacent to that was the power within Nirvana. It sounded so contradictory, especially given the underrated status of the former, but I needed to seek out the darkness, and the current music wasn't doing shit for me. Granted, I found Anthrax a few years before but it was good for me to make a triumphant return to them.

Such salubrious music I listened to as I found out high school would be ending so early for me. But it helped me. I lost myself in Joey's rough but strong melodies. His voice lifted me up from the floor. Those high registers made my toes curl into the soles of my shoes while his lower registers were full, almost sensual at times. I often pictured him singing from the bottom side of his flat belly, and he let it fill out just enough when hitting those low notes.

No one knew when anyone would tour again, and notably, I had no idea when Anthrax would touring again despite the posts from their Instagram and my incessant keeping up with them. But I had my hope they would come to the Pacific Northwest when time permitted: I was dying to see them, and I was dying to see Joey in particular. I confessed it to Chris at one point, “I wish you guys could tour again.”

He replied back with: “me, too. I miss going out and playing up on stage.” He often made note of that on his Twitter.

On the other hand, Joey was often quiet on social media, even though he had his own account next to Scott, Frankie, Charlie, and Danny. There came a point in which while I was drawing Chris and the roses when I wanted to draw him, too. To draw those coarse and yet strangely luxurious curls down around the sides of his head and atop the crown, and that nonchalant and yet emotive face.

I needed to find a good picture of him, one that would take me aback like the portrait of Chris and yet there wasn't much.

The poor man was too underrated—of all the metal singers in the world, he was one difficult to name off in the world. He always brought up the rear and yet I always found it incredibly strange that was the case surrounding him. He had such power and such intensity, and yet there was a quaint little boyish quality to his voice: he was just a boy after all. A lanky little Iroquois boy with a head full of jet black hair. Black as night and eyes as brown as the earth.

The lack of Joey depressed me, and yet I wanted to draw him so much. I really had nothing better to do than to take a stroll outside while there was a break in the rain. I kept my hands tucked in my snug jeans pockets as I made my way towards the center of town. The gray sky over my head served as a blanket of sorts, a cool moist blanket even with the rouse of the marine layer. The breeze blew through the roots of my hair with each step down the cobble stone walkway.

A voice to my right caught my ear.

“I was gonna be singin' the National Anthem—now I dunno what's gonna happen.”

Not an accent we heard here in western Washington. It was almost alien to this area, if I'm honest. Kind of like a New Yorker accent, except there was something different to it. Some kind of warping, like it had been turned inside out.

I halted in place to find out where the voice was coming from. I turned my head to the right to spot him there on the grass. I recognized him almost immediately even by not seeing him too much. He lingered before the little ice cream bar there in the middle of the grass; I recognized him even while he was wrapped up in a fitted little black leather jacket and snug black jeans. My heart skipped a few beats as I ambled towards him.

An opportunity had opened for me, much like the few days before with Chris in the art shop.

He was very handsome, more handsome in person than I had imagined. He even reminded me a bit of Chris with his black curls and soft features: however he stood at a much shorter stature and his skin had a slightly darker tint to it. He was also much slimmer than Chris, a lot slimmer in the chest in particular. He ran his fingers through the little bit of soft looking ringlets on the side of his head and he noticed me walking towards him. He raised his eyebrows at me.

“Hi,” he greeted me in a soft voice: a few ringlets sprawled down his brow and down around the sides of his neck

“Hi—are you waiting in line?” I asked him in a kind voice.

“Um—maybe,” he quipped with a slight twitch of one eyebrow. I grinned at him; an Iroquois boy faced on a Blackfoot girl. Who would've thought this would happen?

I locked onto his brown eyes even as I stood right next to him there at the shiny metal counter.

“You gonna get ice cream or sump'n?” he asked me.

“Either that or a lemonade,” I replied.

“Eh, it's kinda a li'l too chilly for ice cream anyways,” he said.

“Says who?” I teased him. He parted his dark lips but no sound came out.

“Yeah…” he said as he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. He was quite the cute boy, even though I knew he was a bit older than me. Chris was older than me and yet he and I bonded pretty well prior to then. Joey lingered there off to the side as I asked the guy with latex gloves who stood on the inside of the counter for a glass of pink lemonade.

I had a dollar in my pocket but nothing more than that, though. I nibbled on my bottom lip as I delved through my other pockets for some loose change but I found nothing.

“Here, you need some change?” he offered me as he searched inside of his jeans pockets. He took out some quarters and a couple of dimes and handed them to the man.

“Good man, Joe, good man,” he stated to Joey. “You still want a gelato?”

“Of course,” he said with an air of sass; he and I lingered back as we watched him pour me a glass of lemonade and then set it on the counter. I thanked him and stood back next to Joey again.

“Thank you so much,” I told him, and he showed me a sweet little smile.

“It's my pleasure.”

We waited for a couple of minutes and then the man handed Joey his chocolate gelato. He gave his curls and ringlets a toss back behind his head and then he took a little nibble of the ice cream. He padded over to me as I stood away from the counter to let someone else ask for something.

“I hope Anthrax can tour again,” I confessed to him and he gazed on at me with a pensive look on his handsome face.

“Yer tellin' me,” he said as he took another nibble of gelato. “The five of us have been gettin' kinda antsy as of late—especially once the vaccine came out.”

“I'd love to see you guys in particular.”

“I hope ya can! It's not often we see some girls in our audiences, at least from my point of view anyway...” I liked the way he enunciated certain words, like there was something endearing about his way of saying “not” as “naht” coupled with the soft boyish tone of his voice. He then turned his head to me with that pensive look still upon his face.

“Are you—Native American, by any chance?”

“Blackfoot. On my mom's side.” He raised his eyebrows at me.

“I ain't fuckin' with you,” he remarked.

“Why? The Iroquois are badasses.”

“But you guys fought the Sioux nation.” He moved his head in closer to me. “You guys 'n the Crow—ya fought the Sioux nation.”

“Yeah, but you guys fought the British, the French, and the Mohicans, though.”

“Oh, please, like no one would'a fought the British anyway,” he scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “Or the French or the Mohicans, either.”

I took another sip from the paper cup of pink lemonade before I spoke again.

“I wish more people would show you some love,” I said to him. “You deserve it.”

He raised his eyebrows at me again and then his dark lips formed that quaint little Mona Lisa smile, complete with a filling out of his full cheekbones.

“So do you,” he retorted to me. “You n' I, we lived through the pandemic.”

“That, and I don't know anyone who could name Joey Belladonna, though,” I pointed out. He nibbled on his bottom lip and brought the gelato closer to his chest.

“I dunno anyone who could name—” he hesitated.

“Holly.”

“Hahlly.” He took another nibble of gelato.

“By the way, I love your accent,” I complimented him, and he shrugged at me.

“It's just that upstate drawl,” he explained, “nuttin' fancy.”

“I like it, though. It's kinda—”

“Kinda what?”

“—sexy.”

He tilted his head forward and raised his eyebrows.

“Ya think it's sexy,” he muttered as he stuck out his tongue and took a lick of the gelato. He locked eyes with me all the while, and I giggled at him. I probably should have told him that I wasn't eighteen yet, even when he gave me his number. I probably should have told him that he was the older guy for me.

But then again, there was something about reveling in the comfort of that mystery, especially with him involved.

#the artist #the artist fanfic #the artist chapters #chapter 1 #fanfic #fanfiction #anthrax fanfic #anthrax #joey belladonna #joey belladonna fanfic #at land's end #at land’s end series #sci fi writing #sci fi #coronapocalypse #corona world order #fan writing #writing #text

0 notes

neurotic-nimrod · 5 years

Text

The Case for Philly Wine

Philly Wine

Specialists Vs Generalists in PA Wine

Back in the day, if you wanted to be a winemaker, there were two career trajectories. You could either become a generalist or become a specialist. That meant either working for a big-brand like Gallo or a boutique winery. In California, if you opted to become a specialist, you had a second choice to make: are you going to spend your career focused on Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir?

This made sense in West Coast wine country, where the climate is a sunnier version of either Bordeaux or Burgundy.

That choice doesn’t make sense for the East Coast, as our climate is not remotely similar to Bordeaux or Burgundy, even if we are on the same latitude. Nearly all winemakers on the East Coast are generalists: we don’t yet have a lock on the ideal grapes yet. What we do know is that neither Pinot Noir nor Cabernet Sauvignon are going to be the superstars of the East Coast.

There are grapes that already do very well on the East Coast, and more to discover. Let’s find the first great Philly wine!

Looking To Europe

If you look at a wine map of either France or Italy, they look like half-eaten slices of Funfetti cake. There are hundreds of wine regions sprinkled throughout each country, and in each region, a small but distinctive set of delicious wine grapes. After centuries of growing grapes, the winemakers of each region become specialists. After generations, they sorted out what grew best in their plots of land. Unlike here in the states, only the tiniest percentage of these regions grow Cab or Pinot.

Will there be an East Coast superstar? There is no doubt that we will discover the best grapes to grow on our coast. I look forward to the time when we become as specialized as Europe, with each town and county having their own specialties. Fortunately, we have a good deal of science and data to show us the way,.

Adventure Time with the Philly Wine Geeks

With the right data, we can hone in on the European wine regions most similar to the East Coast. From there we can extrapolate what grapes would thrive in our soils. To get this right, we need four sets of data: we need to find a wine region with a similar climate, humidity, sunshine, and soil acidity.

In this article, I am focusing on the wine regions around Philly, since that is where the Wine School is located. This work can be done for any wine region on the East Coast. Links are included at the bottom of this article if you want do do your own deep dive into local wine.

Köppen Climate Classification

The world relies on agriculture, and a lot of research has gone into mapping the world’s climates. The result is the very detailed Köppen database, which integrates climate research with satellite mapping. We are at a classification crossroads in Philly. South of Philadelphia, the East Coast is classified as a “Humid Subtropical Climate.” North and west of Philly, up to Boston, is labeled as mostly “Humid Continental Hot Summers With Year Around Precipitation”

There are only a few European wine regions that fit the bill. Of the three major European wine countries (France, Spain, and Italy) only Northern Italy is categorized as a Philly-esque “Humid Subtropical Climate.” Plus, the regions north and west of Philly fall into the same classification as wine regions in Germany and Austria.

Weather Patterns

Along with Köppen, we can hone in on the goldilocks zone by tracking the average monthly temperature. The DNA of every type of wine grape has evolved to ripen under specific weather patterns. Some grapes like a cool summer and warm fall. Others love a hot hummer and a cold spring.

Since what we want are ripe, delicious fruit, we need a climate match of 98% or better . From NYC to Washington DC, the East Coast is a near-perfect match for Northern Italy, with less than a 2% variation. The only major difference is the diurnal temperature shifts: many grapes do better with cooler nights. That said, higher elevation plantings or near the coast could address this issue.

Rainfall

The East Coast is a rainy mess and we all know it. We need to find grapes that can handle up to four inches of rain, on average, during both September and October. That narrows the playing field, as well. Most wine regions rain less than an inch during harvest. As a rule, rain during harvest often means bruised, moldy, and bloated grapes. Once again, Northern Italy fits the bill. This is looking good!

Relative Humidity

Humidity is the worst. Everyone hates it except for molds and bacteria: they freaking love it. It doesn’t take a Master Sommelier (although to be honest, this isn’t covered in the Master Sommelier exam), to know that mold on fruit is a really bad thing. We need grapes adapted to a region with a similar level of humidity, otherwise, the vineyards are going to be ripped out faster than you can say “WTF is Odium?”

In Philly and much of the East Coast, the humidity levels are nasty during the summers. Average levels range between 66 and 75% in August. If you’re from here, you know Philly gets thick and greasy in the summertime. With humidity and rainfall, we can narrow down our search to the Northwest region of Italy, specifically Piedmont. It sports an average humidity of 75%.

Average Sunshine

Heat may be important for ripeness, but not nearly as important as sunshine. It’s all about photosynthesis, baby. If you ever try and grow grapes –or any type of fruit– you’ll soon realize that it doesn’t matter how hot it is, if the fruit don’t get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight, your future ain’t going to be sweet. As a rule, we need at least 2500 hours of sunshine during the growing season to match Piedmonte, and we do.

Soil pH & Drainage

Sommeliers love to talk about dirt in relation to the concept of terroir. Here’s the dictionary definition:

the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.

the characteristic taste and flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.noun: goût de terroir; plural noun: goût de terroirs

If you’ve taken a class at the wine school, you know we find most claims of terroir highly suspect. As I have told many a class of fledgling sommeliers: “terroir is often bullshit!”.

Soils aren’t magic. They have two jobs: control drainage and help in nutrient intake. Like many plants, grapevines need soils that drain well, as their roots don’t perform well in damp (mesic) topsoils. This means having subsoils that allow water to pass through into the rock fragment layer just above the bedrock. Vines perform well in soils with limited nutrients, but they need to be able to absorb calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The more acidic the soil, the less of these nutrients are available to the grapevine.

Viticulture textbooks give the optimal pH for grapevines as between 5.5 and 6.5 pH. Large segments of the Northwest coast are within that range. On the east coast, it’s a different situation. Below Philadelphia, much of the soils are too alkaline. Soils become more acidic north of Philly, but really only get into the 5.5 pH range up in Portland, Maine. Heading inland, there is a band of well-balanced soils from Roanoke, Virginia to Allentown, Pennsylvania.

So, what happens when soil is too alkaline? The grapevines take up too many nutrients, which they can’t process fast enough. As with so many things in life: too much of a good thing will kill you. But here’s the rub, kiddos: the opposite is true for most of Europe’s wine region. Their soils are often too acidic for grapevines to thrive.

Of all the elements that affect vine health and growth, soil chemistry is one of the most important, but also the easiest to alter. It’s something farmers have been doing for centuries. Amending soils with lime is an environmentally sound and inexpensive way to increase the pH of our vineyards.

What We Should Be Growing (and Drinking) on the East Coast

In the end, the data shows there are actually four wine regions in goldilock zones, each very similar to the East Coast’s overall climate. They are located in Iran, Austria, Georgia (the country) along with Northwest Italy.

While the thought of Iranian wine sounds crazy, it really isn’t: the Persians were some of the first vignerons in the world. There is evidence of wine being made 7,000 years ago. Sadly, this is a dead end: we don’t know what varietals the Persians grew. And even if we did, they are probably extinct. Georgia proves to be a better candidate. An ancient wine region as well, they continue to grow their native varietals, and some of them are excellent. This includes the white grapes Kisi, Khikhvi, and Krakhuna. For reds, Saperavi and Shavkapito are the stand-outs.

Austrian grapes that are candidates include the white grapes Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, for reds Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch are the most exciting.

It is very exciting that our climate is so closely aligned with Piedmont. This is the home of some of the greatest wines in the world, The grapes that may have great potential on the East Coast are all reds: Nebbiolo (of Barolo fame) Barbera, Bonarda di Chieri, and Freisa. Grapes from other parts of Northern Italy work may work as well, including Corvina (of Amarone fame) and Teroldego.

Wine to Try Right Now

While much of this article is theoretical (for now), there are a few of these varietals being made right now. And they are delicious!

Fero Vineyards & Winery 2017 Saperavi (PA)

Mazza Vineyards 2017 Teroldego (PA)

Presque Isle Wine Cellars 2018 Grüner Veltliner (PA)

Galen Glen Winery 2018 Riesling (PA)

Barboursville 2014 Nebbiolo (VA)

Va La Vineyards “Cedar” Nebbiolo (PA)

Channing Daughter 2016 Blaufrankisch (NY)

FOOTNOTES

Köppen Climate Classification. Here’s the data on the United States and Europe.

Weather Patterns. A great resource for identifying regions with similar climates. http://www.codeminders.com/weather_similarity/

Mean Relative Humidity. For month to month maps of humidity in the USA, check out EldoraoWeather.com For a quick breakdown of humidity, this article on Forbes is a great place to start. For humidity data in Europe: https://weather-and-climate.com

Soil Chemistry. For detailed analysis, check out SoilGrids. It’s catnip for soil geeks.

The post The Case for Philly Wine appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.

Source: https://www.vinology.com/philadelphia-wine/

0 notes

johnboothus · 5 years

Text

The Case for Philly Wine

Philly Wine

Specialists Vs Generalists in PA Wine

This made sense in West Coast wine country, where the climate is a sunnier version of either Bordeaux or Burgundy.

There are grapes that already do very well on the East Coast, and more to discover. Let’s find the first great Philly wine!

Looking To Europe

Adventure Time with the Philly Wine Geeks

Köppen Climate Classification

Weather Patterns

Rainfall

Relative Humidity

Average Sunshine

Soil pH & Drainage

Sommeliers love to talk about dirt in relation to the concept of terroir. Here’s the dictionary definition:

the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.

the characteristic taste and flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.noun: goût de terroir; plural noun: goût de terroirs

If you’ve taken a class at the wine school, you know we find most claims of terroir highly suspect. As I have told many a class of fledgling sommeliers: “terroir is often bullshit!”.

What We Should Be Growing (and Drinking) on the East Coast

Austrian grapes that are candidates include the white grapes Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, for reds Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch are the most exciting.

Wine to Try Right Now

While much of this article is theoretical (for now), there are a few of these varietals being made right now. And they are delicious!

Fero Vineyards & Winery 2017 Saperavi (PA)

Mazza Vineyards 2017 Teroldego (PA)

Presque Isle Wine Cellars 2018 Grüner Veltliner (PA)

Galen Glen Winery 2018 Riesling (PA)

Barboursville 2014 Nebbiolo (VA)

Va La Vineyards “Cedar” Nebbiolo (PA)

Channing Daughter 2016 Blaufrankisch (NY)

FOOTNOTES

Köppen Climate Classification. Here’s the data on the United States and Europe.

Weather Patterns. A great resource for identifying regions with similar climates. http://www.codeminders.com/weather_similarity/

Soil Chemistry. For detailed analysis, check out SoilGrids. It’s catnip for soil geeks.

The post The Case for Philly Wine appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.

Via https://www.vinology.com/philadelphia-wine/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/the-case-for-philly-wine

0 notes

isaiahrippinus · 5 years

Text

The Case for Philly Wine

Philly Wine

Specialists Vs Generalists in PA Wine

This made sense in West Coast wine country, where the climate is a sunnier version of either Bordeaux or Burgundy.

There are grapes that already do very well on the East Coast, and more to discover. Let’s find the first great Philly wine!

Looking To Europe

Adventure Time with the Philly Wine Geeks

Köppen Climate Classification

Weather Patterns

Rainfall

Relative Humidity

Average Sunshine

Soil pH & Drainage

Sommeliers love to talk about dirt in relation to the concept of terroir. Here’s the dictionary definition:

the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.

the characteristic taste and flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.noun: goût de terroir; plural noun: goût de terroirs

If you’ve taken a class at the wine school, you know we find most claims of terroir highly suspect. As I have told many a class of fledgling sommeliers: “terroir is often bullshit!”.

What We Should Be Growing (and Drinking) on the East Coast

Austrian grapes that are candidates include the white grapes Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, for reds Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch are the most exciting.

Wine to Try Right Now

While much of this article is theoretical (for now), there are a few of these varietals being made right now. And they are delicious!

Fero Vineyards & Winery 2017 Saperavi (PA)

Mazza Vineyards 2017 Teroldego (PA)

Presque Isle Wine Cellars 2018 Grüner Veltliner (PA)

Galen Glen Winery 2018 Riesling (PA)

Barboursville 2014 Nebbiolo (VA)

Va La Vineyards “Cedar” Nebbiolo (PA)

Channing Daughter 2016 Blaufrankisch (NY)

FOOTNOTES

Köppen Climate Classification. Here’s the data on the United States and Europe.

Weather Patterns. A great resource for identifying regions with similar climates. http://www.codeminders.com/weather_similarity/

Soil Chemistry. For detailed analysis, check out SoilGrids. It’s catnip for soil geeks.

The post The Case for Philly Wine appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.

source https://www.vinology.com/philadelphia-wine/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/188220872504

0 notes

cep2000 · 6 years

Text

Where to Now, Albuquerque?

| PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK

News Editorial The seer, the jester and the scholar

So the earth continues to travel undisturbed in an unfathomably huge elliptical path around the sun, an impossibly massive, hot, yet verifiably real object only 93 million miles away. That burning blob of plasma gives us life. So remember that whatever spiritual, metaphysical, religious or scientific ideas this essay on prognostication engenders, we’re all ultimately sun worshippers and our god is at least 4.5 billion years old—constantly aflame with just the sort of radiation fleshy beings like us need to survive in the depths of space, by the way.

With all the uncertainty such a labyrinthine existential scheme breeds, it’s no doubt the big-brained, hairless, bipedal apes—of which you and I are invested tribe-members—are going to go seeking for further clarification.

That’s probably especially true these days, when American culture has just spent the past two years transitioning from a hopeful, progressive, democratic society with growing global reach into a dour yet determined, regressive populist-nationalist regime dressed in protectionist and isolationist costumes to hide its ravenous imperial nature.

What’s next? is not so much a rhetorical question or urgent bourgeois expletive uttered every month on bill day as it is the symbol of a real, growing quest to understand the massive changes facing human culture right now.

In the midst of crisis the answers folks seek tend to come from experts. The advice of the common man just won’t do it in times when there just ain’t no job growth and the North Koreans have an A-Bomb aimed at the heart of our enterprise. Economists are consulted. Planetary scientists. Mystics and lawyers. Rabbis, priests and bishops get a say too, as year-end predictions come pouring out through a gazillion media outlets.

But among our small communities, at the beginning of an all-too warm winter, we also tend to talk among ourselves. Here at Weekly Alibi, there’s always a plethora of the informed, curiously shaping and inhabiting the spaces of our lives right here in Burque.

Here’s who we talked to: local psychic Reta Crook-Bray, legendary Burqueño poet and bunny-man, Jeff Hartzer and public health scientist John Scariano. While their looks at the future varied and sometimes were at odds, they all wrote to us from their hearts about the future—the place where, the Amazing Criswell noted, we will spend the rest of our lives.

Reta Crook-Bray has been a part of the metaphysical/psychic community all of her life. While in high school her aunt and mother opened Abitha’s with the hope of bringing the tools to folks who practice the old ways. Reta has served Albuquerque’s Pagan community for near 30 years and looks forward to the years to come.

Weekly Alibi: What is happening in the world now, why have the last two years been so chaotic and where are we going?

Reta Crook-Bray: First, the past two years, fear and doubt have ruled side by side. Psychically meaning that once one allows fear and/or doubt to have a place in their life that person loses their own power.

The start to 2018 is blessing us with the full moon, Jan. 1. It is what is called a wolf moon and is full of strength and determination. It is also a supermoon, meaning that it is unusually close to the Earth, this will allow us to shed the guck and muck that we have been carrying for the past two or so years. Giving us the chance to lay a sound and strong foundation to build our goals and dreams upon.

Putting into place "resolutions" at this time of year is the norm, but think more if you will to be putting "the law" into effect, saying in effect, “This is how my year will be!” I will not settle for anything less than. … Placing such statements into your energy/aura, one is adding intention and purpose to what they want and deserve.

How will things continue to change in 2018?

2018 is going to be a great year. Full of opportunities and new experiences. If one works on growing a positive vibration of good intent, all the ill and negativity that has been breeding will have no place and will have no strength to meddle.

Are there forces at work in this world beyond what the average human imagines? Are those forces working for or against us?

The extra energies that have been "hanging" around have been with us on this plane since Samhain, also known as Halloween. Several folks have felt the presence of their loved ones and others who have passed for several weeks now, not knowing exactly why but open to understanding it.

During the time of Samhain the veil between our world and the next becomes very thin. At that time spirits are able to visit and if they wish help those of us on the physical plane with what we might be trying to achieve. Energies of our guides, ancestors and guardian angels are always with us to try and help keep us on the path that we were placed upon from birth.

With that, there are also energies that when they left their physical body did not wish to leave this plane and have taken up a space filling it with a harmful and malice desire to harm those who physically reside in that space.

When off feelings come over you you can call out or pray for safety and protection from anything that wishes you harm. Cleansing your home, work, car, family and self will help clear these energies from the space and allow more peace and positive energy to reside.

What about all the dry warm weather this winter, what does that mean?

This past November, I saw a post of my friend’s daughter building a snowman, normal for this time of year? yes. Where they live? No. My friend and her family live in Covington, La., just outside New Orleans. Here in New Mexico I see it as a blessing. Meaning that there are beings that are part of the land and are trying all that they can to make a better place for all of us. In doing so the energetic vibrations are so high that the traditional winter has no place here at this time.

Anything else you might want to add about the human condition, hope, the future?

As we go into 2018, keep your vibrations positive. When doubt wiggles into your thoughts tell it to "go away," or, "Be gone before someone drops a house on you." Give those negative thoughts and ill intent wishes no place to call home. And above all else be good to each other.

A lifelong educator, writer, poet and photographer—who was also one of this town’s first legitimate bloggers—Jeff Hartzer is also the curator of Bunnytown USA and a partner at AirDance ArtSpace. He has been a fresh and chaotic voice of this desert since 1985.

Weekly Alibi: What did you dream about 2018?

Jeff Hartzer: I awoke on New Year’s Day in the midst of an action-packed apocalyptic dream. A group including me, was each looking to hide in a ghost town similar to the set of AMC’s season one of “Preacher” at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Cerrillos—with dusty roads, old half-open buildings and surrounded by a very vast unknown of emptiness. In this dream, no one knew each other, no one knew the apparently mobile enemy. We were each weaponless, lost, hungry, tired, dirty and very afraid. We were not hiding from zombies but rather from a mobile humanity on the hunt. And, we each felt helpless and yes, hopeless.

My dream was not an auspicious start to what the Chinese Zodiac refers to as the “Year of the Earth Dog” (2/16/2018-2/4/2019). Our Commander-in-Chief was unfortunately born in 1946, making him in the Chinese parlance, an Earth Dog; yet, number 45 is the only POTUS in 130 years to not own a dog. Why would he? He genuinely only loves himself with no room for pets in his tiny cone of ‘love’. He even made “Merry Christmas” all about himself. Jesus! On the other paw, dogs receive all of our love (or hate) and return only geometrically increased amounts of true unconditional love no matter how kicked around or ignored they may be.

What do your dreams say about Albuquerque?

The world famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will be canceled this year for lack of “hot air”—the stuff will be spewing unabated in Washington, leading to a ballooning crisis. Our Peetza Governor will secede to the Democrats as scheduled. At least three giant big box stores will be reborn as marijuana dispensaries. Mother Earth’s sacred salt beds will tire of mistakes at WIPP; results unknown.

Don Schrader will finally have to pay taxes after the skyrocketing sales of brewskis and apparel merch for his new brew, WHIZZBANGERS goes national. At thefullwiki.org Don shares, “I have drunk my piss every day since 11/10/1999.” Party on, Don. Zozobra will finally marry up and have little Zozos just like Orbit’s little ones. Finally and most importantly, I predict that Mayor Tim Keller’s new beard will become white by next Christmas.

As a scientist, John Scariano works with large amounts of healthcare data to determine positive outcomes for his patients. A Chicago native, he’s also passionate about culture and politics and has 28 years of teaching and research experience at the UNM School of Medicine, Department of Pathology.

Weekly Alibi: How will American life and health be affected in 2018?

John Scariano: The life expectancy in the US will decrease again this year, largely to the huge amount of opioid addiction we’re discovering especially among white, middle class, middle-aged adults.

In the larger scope of things, how will the health of the planet be affected this year?

Approval of previously banned neonicotinoid pesticides—made possible by the Trump administration—will cause continued decrease in specifice pollinating insect populations, particularly bumble- and honeybee populations. On a related note, the western US will continue to face a significant drought and subsequently there will be more wildfires.

What do you see as an outcome to this and other scientific issues?

Despite the denigration of science and scientists, reason and clear thinking will gain a new beach head after Nov. 2018.

Source Article

The post Where to Now, Albuquerque? appeared first on CEP 2000.

Read full post at: http://www.cep2000.com/where-to-now-albuquerque/

0 notes