Borders Books at the Capital Mall Promenade hosts a reading group for ages 10-13. We currently are discussing the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. This months book in the series is "The Arctic Incident".

This month we will be meeting SAT NOV 18th from 2pm to 3 pm, in the Childrens Section of the store. Snacks and activities!

We hope to see you there!!
Questions call 360-352-3438

Joyanna Zacher, Nathan Block, Daniel McGowan and Jonathan Paul appeared in federal court this morning before U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken to enter pleas related to acts of property destruction and arson. Zacher and Block each plead to one count of conspiracy, attempted arson, and two separate incidents of arson. McGowan plead to conspiracy and to two separate incidents of arson. The government is recommending they be sentenced to 96 months in federal prison. Paul plead to one count of arson and one count of conspiracy. The government is recommending Paul be sentenced to 60 months in prison. All four defendants are free to argue for a lesser sentence. The next status hearing will be on December 14 to determine when sentencing will occur.

Our guests for this event will be the following contributors to this book: Ted Sexauer, Gary Thompson, Julie Thi Underhill, Michael L. Wong, and Doug Zachary.

The editor, acclaimed writer and poet Maxine Hong Kingston, is an unconfirmed guest at this stage. Please check our website for updates!

This poignant collection, compiled from Maxine Hong Kingston's healing workshops, contains the distilled wisdom of survivors of five wars, including combatants, war widows, spouses, children, conscientious objectors, and veterans of domestic abuse. "Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace" includes accounts from people who grew up in military families, served as medics in the thick of war, or came home to homelessness. All struggle with trauma - post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and other consequences of war and violence. Through their extraordinary writings, readers witness worlds coming apart and being put back together again through liberating insight, community, and the deep transformation that is possible only by coming to grips with the past."

Locally owned and operated
Wheelchair Lift
Bike Rack with four spaces
No Reservation required

Go to their website for boarding locations,  schedule and fare information: www.sharedroute.org

I'm so excited about this!

"...come on down to Plenty tonight, Thursday, November 9th, at 8 PM to hear the band Fishtank. They are an unusual ensemble consisting of violin, saw, accordion, shamisen, flamenco guitar, bass, percussion and voice. Rumanian folk music forms the bulk of the material, with a healthy helping of Flamenco, Swedish folk music, and Klezmer. I was lucky enough to catch them last year when they were in town and was overwhelmed by their virtuosity, energy and sheer musicality."

Five well-known local poets reading sacred poetry hosted by Rod Davis of Fernhaven Center:

• Jeanne Lohmann
• Bill Yake
• Barbara Gibson
• Robert Lovitt
• Don Freas

Free.

20 Questions

A week ago, I deeply offended a friend of mine - someone I'm not even sure reads this blog. I've called her since, but have yet to get a chance to apologize to her in person, or at least "live" on the phone. I can't say I'd expect her to want to extend that hand, again, but all I can do is ask forgiveness. No one can expect such a grace.

Now, it has become apparent to me that this offense of mine has become an issue with other women in my community - and thus the need for this apology to those who read this. What follows is a graphic description of what it is that I did to be so deeply offensive, so this is your fair warning - you might not want to read this if you are a sexual assault survivor. If you think of me as some kind of hero, your bubble is about to pop.

A friend of mine whom I have known now for a year and a half or so, came up to me in the Eastside Club last Thursday - their cheap beer night. I'd had enough beer, and then some more beer on top of that beer. I was quite drunk. This is not offered as explanation or excuse, however. It's not an excuse for what I did - but it is the circumstance in which I did it. In vino, veritas.

As she approached me, I held out my left arm and she slid into my loose, side-by-side embrace. Friends. My hand above her hips, in the small of her back. Then I opened my mouth, the better to insert my shoe.

My 'joke' if such a bitter lament can be called that, was inappropriate and I'll not tell it here in full. The point of it - the 'punchline' - was that the teller is a dirty old man (and I am, in actuality, a dirty old man now) and the person I was embracing was put in the disturbing position of being the object of my 'attentions.' She's about half my age, a little older, but an adult (and has been one considerably longer than I had been, at her age). She's whip smart, and alive, and wonderful to be around. But that evening, I saw her "face, at first just ghostly, turned a lighter shade of pale." Yeah, that's from a song. The line happens in the song just after the "miller tells his tale" - an off color joke. And despite that, despite being disgusted with patriarchy and our culture as a whole, I engaged in exactly that disturbing dynamic. And potentially lost a friend. Or more.