“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry In writing classes and programs there’s a lot of talk about the importance of an author or poet’s voice. Emerging writers are urged to find theirs. Book club groups discuss authors who have […]
Culture
Posted inCulture
Movement Enthusiast Unlocks Joy Through Dance
Local entrepreneur, Elise Porter, provides therapeutic movement, mobility and strength training services focused on rebalancing the body.
Born to dance, Elise Porter, a Bend resident and local movement aficionado, pursues her life’s purpose by helping “humans get unstuck and release into the full joy of movement expression.” Propelling herself into as many styles of dance as possible, from high-school belly dancing classes and ballet-modern fusion in college, she’d jumped at every dance […]
Posted inCulture
Food, Books and Connection
Real or made-up, these tales of culinary exploits tickle the tastebuds
In my half-filled baby book, my mother wrote several entries about my appetite such as, “Loves bananas, crackers, and cookies” or “Loves to eat all the time.” Was this an early indication of my affair with food? I use that word quite seriously because it’s something I keep quiet about unless I’m around other food-smitten […]
Posted inCulture
Horoscope Week of May 22, 2025
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini writer Raymond Carter (1938–1988) established a reputation as a master of terse minimalism. One critic noted that he practiced the “Theory of Omission”—an approach to writing fiction that mandates the elimination of superfluous narrative elements. But it turns out that Carver’s editor Gordon Lish had a major role in all […]
Posted inCulture
The Psychedelic Frontier
Psychedelic Use in End-of-Life Care
Q: “I am a successful, stable, satisfied man in his late 70s who has just been given a terminal diagnosis from an aggressive brain cancer. I am reasonably disappointed with the situation but also feel satisfied with what I have accomplished in my life and accepting that it may be my time to go. I […]
Posted inCulture
Death and Log Trucks
Final Destination: Bloodlines breathes life into a dormant franchise
I watch so many movies. Like, if you knew the sheer amount of film I consume weekly, you would wonder if I ever sleep or just slip into rest mode for a few minutes here and there so I can keep filling my brain with high-brow art, low-brow schlock and everything in between. Because of […]
Posted inCulture
Llama Love: Spreading Joy
A La Pine man and his llama casually stroll around Bend
“I can’t believe I saw a llama.” That’s a phrase often repeated as folks encounter Jeff Wagner and his llama, Yogi. Wagner hauls Yogi in a trailer, from La Pine to the Old Mill District, on a regular basis so they can take a stroll. He started doing this during the pandemic because he thought it […]
Posted inCulture
Horoscope Week of May 15, 2025
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The most successful people aren’t those who merely follow their passion, but those who follow their curiosity. Honoring the guidance of our passions motivates us, but it can also narrow our focus. Heeding the call of our curiosity emboldens our adaptability, exploration, and maximum openness to new possibilities. In that spirit, […]
Posted inCulture
May theatrical roundup
Planes, Cage and a Really Good Boy
Cinema is robust enough to feel almost limitless as an art form. Although movies are nearly 130 years old, a few filmmakers continue to push the medium forward every year, finding innovative and groundbreaking new ways to tell stories. While it’s rare to come across a film that feels wholly singular, I still find joy […]
Posted inCulture
Understanding Intimacy
A column that fosters deeper love between couples
Dear Dr. Jane, My husband and I have some minor communication problems, but overall we get along pretty well. Last summer, we started couples’ counselling because I discovered that he was secretly watching porn. My sister said that it wasn’t a big deal, but it feels terrible to me. We have a pretty good sex […]
