Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Jerry and Jessica tie the knot








We did it. We tied the knot Friday, June 13 at 1300 (1 pm) at the store. We were handfasted so the knot was tied quite literally. My (Jessica) daughter Megan and her husband, Brooklyn released me into a lovely new relationship and were both an integral part of the service. Our friend Curt Clay officiated with warmth and humor. It was a lovely day made even more special by lots of well-wishers. Several folks brought spectacular bouquets, so we were surrounded by the lusciousness of flowers everywhere. Thanks to Sandi and David we have another wonderful plant for the store. We even had a lovely bouquet, created at the last minute and contributed by Daina Swanson. And if you see her, congratulate Bobbie Black, who caught the bouquet - may she see much love and luck in her life. My brother Matt assures me that I was floating through the air most of the day. I believe it. What more could a woman ask for than to be united for life with a man who sings to her?

We closed for the weekend for a short honeymoon to the Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon. This was the perfect place to honeymoon for a couple who love books. Each room is named for an author and holds a collection of his or her books. We were lucky enough to stay in the Lincoln Steffens room. For those who don't know, Steffens was born in 1866 and died in 1936. He was also one of the first to proudly claim the title "muckraker" an invective used for a really effective investigative reporter. Since Jessica was an investigative journalist for 30 years, this was another wonderful piece of serendipity.

Saturday we played tourist in Old Newport taking in 'high tea' and wandering through the WaxWorks. Of course we managed to scout a few bookstores too. Finally, we spent a couple of hours at the Aquarium. Favorite bits included the Jelly Fish which always enchant with their beauty and the playful otters. One male seal stole the show at feeding time by hamming it up for the audience. It was good to take time for a different kind of stimuli. We vowed to get away at least once a month.


Our Ground to Globe: Conversations about Food series continued last night with Rollie Lobsinger of OR Coast Community Action speaking about the Politics of Hunger. He shared some hard facts about food cost - From April 2007 to April 2008, milk prices increased 13.5 percent , eggs increased 30.5, bread increased 14.1, and cheese increased 12 percent. The increases are expected to continue. Already, food pantries are seeing folks who were considered middle class needing food assistance.

Lobsinger said hunger issues are due to a systems problem that encompasses fuel costs, climate change, growing populations, concentration of ownership and speculation. The latter two are directly linked, according to him, to a loosening of and lack of enforcement of the Sherman Anti-trust laws that prevented large companies from buying pieces of a completely unrelated industry. When the large corporations control so much of the food, the effect on the average person can be very potent, since the corporation doesn't look at well-being, but instead searches for a strong return to investors.

What can we do? We need to hold our representatives accountable for votes that are influenced by lobbyists and their money. We also need to take as much local control of our food as possible. This means being willing to make changes in what and how we eat. It means educating ourselves and making new choices about how to live our lives.

Block out Sunday, June 22 at 2pm for a reading by local author and poet, Mark Sturges. He'll be reading from his poetry book The Fertilizer King and his new manuscript Letters from the Turn of the Century. He's pungent, funny and will leave you wanting more.

We're normally closed on Mondays, but we'll be opening at 5pm on June 23 for another in our Ground to Globe: Conversations about Food series. Lecture will start at 6pm. Bobbie Stewart will talk about the Coos Head Food Store: Becoming a Co-op. Here's a chance to hear what is being planned and to see if their idea of a co-op matches the ones some of us remember from the 60's, 70's and 80's. Is it the answer? Come and decide for yourself.

My good friend from Freedom, CA, Singer/ Songwriter Michael Gaither will be bringing his guitar and harmonica to our stage on Saturday, June 28 at 7:30pm. $10 at the door which goes directly to him. Let's show him a wonderful Oregon welcome as it is his first time here on the coast.

And on Sunday, June 29 at 2pm local outdoor author Tom Baake will be signing his new edition of Out our Back Door a collection of day trips and local hikes in the area. It's the one I used when I first moved here and it's a gem! Tom has also promised to talk about some of the best little known hikes in the area. With the weather finally warming up, now is the time to plan some day trips.

We're just about ready to open the new space just two doors down from Colette's. The Catalyst will include meeting rooms available for rent, a meditation room, and a small metaphysical store called The Center. We're planning to hold lots of classes in the space as well. We'll be ready for the public by the first of July or sooner.

And, on that note, we are avidly looking for a yoga teacher who would like to teach in our new space. If you know of anyone, please let us know.

Finally, we're continuing to work to make welcoming spaces that allow community to happen.







Jerry and Jessica
"tycoonistas"

1 comment:

Lynda C. said...

Hi Jerry and Jessica,
Congratulations on your wedding!
I left a message on the cafe phone a few days ago but no answer, I guess it fell through the cracks?I have four topics to discuss.
1.I just got back from visiting and playing music with Dano the guitarist in Ventura.He is planning to come back the first couple of weeks in September for a visit if we can get some paying gigs together. Do you have any interest in having us do a concert while he is here? Also any ideas of a place in town he could stay part of the time?He can stay a little at my house, but he is a guy that likes to be out and about a lot and my place is a little isolated.
2.I notice you have been having some sort of food series?I'm really feeling the time has come to organized a better food sharing, barter system, For example I have several fruit trees and would share fruit, and can fruit if I had help, but don't feel inspired to do all the work myself, I'm sure there are other people in the same situation.Is your food series adressing ways to develop a barter system for trade?
3.I teach mindfulness based stress management classes at the hospital, and have taught classes on ways to access inner creativity and wisdom.I would be open to teaching an occasional special workshop, but don't want to be tied down to a weekly class.
4.I noticed you have a bi-weekly singalong group, do you have anything like a once a month open mic night for music and poetry? Maybe a Sunday afternoon type event?I would be willing to try to help getting talent in to start something.
Well, that's it for today, I've run out of topics!
Best wishes and kind regards,
Lynda Cole