LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the Arctic, the sun shines for 24 hours a day during midsummer. There is no night, only the surreal glow of prolonged gold. The human body, confused by the unending day, may be confused about when to sleep. For some, this creates disorientation, and for others, a strange euphoria. In […]
Culture
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Something Witchy This Way Comes
Colten Tyler Williams and Jesse Locke create a sensory experiencewith Witch Eyes
For Bend locals, certain names have been a part of the arts and culture scene for so long that it’s hard to imagine the evolution of the scene without them. Jesse Locke has been directing, shooting and editing features, documentaries and music videos as long as there has been a burgeoning film community here and […]
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Savage in Bend
Hospital Hill
“Recently, a local told me she was born on Hospital Hill. I had no idea what she meant. Do you know the story?” Absolutely! When I moved to Bend, I heard the same thing. People born on a hill? Bend was a smaller town not so long ago, sure, but the citizens weren’t that backwards, […]
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Beyond the Trip
The quiet rise of psilocybin integration in Bend
Since Oregon became the first state to legalize supported adult psilocybin use in 2020 under Measure 109, most media attention has focused on the so-called “heroic dose”—the 30-40 milligram, four-six hour guided psychedelic trip that promises a mystical, mind-expanding journey. But for the experts working in the field, the real story begins once the trip […]
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Horoscope Week of July 31, 2025
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In ancient China and ancient Greece, the lion was not the king of beasts, but the guardian of gates. The threshold keeper. The one who asked, “Are you ready?” Now is a good time to bring this aspect of Leonine symbolism to your attention. You may soon feel a surge of […]
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The Third Act: A Column on Ageism and Ageing
Building Bridges
July is a time to get away from it all—exploring America’s rivers, coastlines and national parks or just holing up at a cabin on the shore of a nearby lake. Any one of those sounds wonderful. But in a recent podcast on “The Journal,” travel guru Rick Steves proposes a different idea. Instead of heading […]
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Aren’t There Any Books for Teen Boys?
Here are some titles for young male readers
“My son doesn’t read anymore.” “My middle schooler needs more mature books, but I don’t know what to get him.” “Do you have anything that’s not a romance?” The challenge I encounter most often as a bookseller is recommendations for teen boys. As they age out of middle-grade (ages 9-12), it feels like all they […]
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Horoscope Week of July 23, 2025
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I predict that your imminent future will be a ticklish and tricky but ultimately uplifting masterpiece. It will feature guest appearances by members of your private hall of fame, including one future luminary you have not yet fully appreciated. This epic series of adventures may begin when you are nudged to […]
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The Psychedelic Frontier
Preparing for the Journey
Q: “I have my first intentional mushroom session coming up and I have found conflicting information in my research into hope to properly prepare for such an experience. What can someone best prepare for the most effective experience?” A: Preparing for an intentional, deep psychedelic experience is an intimate act of self-care, expansion and connection. […]
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2020 Vision
Ari Aster goes west with Eddington
Ari Aster’s new film, “Eddington,” is a lot of things. It’s a period piece set in May 2020, right as the COVID lockdown and mask mandates were being implemented. It’s a Neo-noir revisionist western hung across the backdrop of a dying town in New Mexico (Noir Mexico?). It’s a doomscroll into the heart of America. […]
