today
8:30 a.m. Audubon Society Field Trip See Event Description
read >9 a.m. Arcata Farmers' Market Arcata Plaza
read >9:30 a.m. Discovery Walk: Unknown Waterfront See Event Description
read >9:30 a.m. Manila Dunes Restoration Manila Community Center
read >10 a.m. Manila Dunes Guided Walk Manila Community Center
read >10 a.m. Library Book Sale Humboldt County Library
read >10 a.m. Dia de los Muertos and Mexican Folk Art Sale Private Eureka home
read >10 a.m. Final Arcata Farmer's Market Arcata Farmers' Market (off the plaza)
read >11 a.m. Donlin Foreman Dance Workshop Dell'Arte
read >2 p.m. Humboldt Coastal Nature Center Draft Trails Plan Walk Stamps House
read >5 p.m. Bati Zado and Show Redwood Raks World Dance Studio
read >6 p.m. The Tumbleweeds Chapala Cafe
read >6 p.m. Ali Chaudhary (jazz duo) Libation
read >6:30 p.m. Not Evil, Just Wrong Humboldt Area Foundation
read >7 p.m. Guitar Stan (country) Old Town Coffee & Chocolates
read >8 p.m. Guitar Orchestra of Barcelona Arkley Center for the Performing Arts
read >8 p.m. Stones in His Pockets Arcata Playhouse
read >8 p.m. A Christmas Carol North Coast Repertory Theater
read >8 p.m. Donna Landry Swing Dance Moose Lodge
read >8 p.m. North Coast Wind Ensemble Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU
read >8:30 p.m. The Last Minute Men (international) Cafe Mokka
read >9 p.m. Ian McFeron Band (folk rock) Six Rivers Brewery
read >9 p.m. The Michael Paul Band WAVE @ blue lake casino
read >9 p.m. The Generatorz (classic rock) Central Station Cocktail Lounge
read >9 p.m. Taxi Bear River Casino
read >9 p.m. VJ Itchie Fingaz Pearl Lounge
read >9 p.m. Jack Ruby Presents + Blue Street + Acufunkture (DIY rock) Jambalaya
read >9 p.m. 2nd Annual Scorpio Bash The Red Fox Tavern
read >10 p.m. Music by DJ Sidelines
read >10 p.m. DJ Icy Hot Aunty Mo's Lounge
read >10 p.m. Jemimah Puddleduck (rock) Humboldt Brews
read >10 p.m. White Manna + Midday Veil + The King Salmon Duo (rock) Jambalaya
read >11 p.m. Radio Moscow (psychadelic blues) + Mosquito Bandito (one-man surf/garage) The Alibi Lounge and Restaurant
read >previous columns
April 10, 2008
Whispers
I was too young to know him well as a ...
read >April 3, 2008
Growing Tomatoes in the North Woods
Every spring I gather the plants like a hen hovering ...
read >March 27, 2008
Winter comes to an end
The hot sun rays Reminding us of peaches, lettuce, watermelon ...
read >
NOTHING IN LIFE
By Mark Shikuma
Nothing in life prepares you for this. She asks for help, to get out of her bed. The mattress is now too high, inconvenient, an obstacle; the bones in her back are crumbling. Pain shoots upwards; nerves are pinched. You see this on her face. You pretend not to take too much notice that she has aged, greatly. (Slow, unsteady movements, back bent over, thinning gray hair, dark spots on her lined skin.) She grips onto your arm with her small hand, leaning her body into yours, as you both walk across the hall and onto the tile and bright light of the bathroom. She cannot sit on the toilet seat without discomfort, effort, trouble. You partially close the bathroom door. In that instant, you see her sigh, not of relief, but of exhaustion. You smile at her. It is 3:35 a.m. "Call me, when you're done," you say, waiting in the hall.
Later that morning, she tells you the injections of cement into the lower blades of her back does no good. "No help," she says. You suggest alternatives, like acupuncture. "I'm so tired," she replies, with a stern resignation. "Sick and tired." And you know this woman is looking at you, with a truth. This woman who sees a light fading. This woman who is your mother.
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