MERCURY IS RETROGRADE UNITL MARCH 25 Retrograde motion is the apparent backwards motion of a planet as it revolves around the sun. It is akin to the optical illusion that occurs while riding in a car on the highway alongside a train. Due to variations in speed, the train appears at times to be moving backwards, relative to the speed of the car in which you are riding. Likewise, from the perspective of the faster moving planet, the slower planet appears to be moving backwards. In general, Mercury rules thinking and perception, processing and disseminating information and all means of communication, commerce and transportation. By extension, Mercury rules people who work in these areas, especially people who work with their minds or their wits: writers and orators, commentators and critics, gossips and spin doctors, tricksters and thieves. <--Oh My! Think Hamburgler and OJ. Mercury retrograde gives rise to personal misunderstandings; flawed, disrupted, or delayed communications, negotiations and trade; glitches and breakdowns with phones, computers, cars, buses, and trains. And all of these problems usually arise because some crucial piece of information, or component, has gone astray, or awry. It is therefore not wise to make important decisions while Mercury is retrograde, since it is very likely that these decisions will be clouded by misinformation, poor communication and careless thinking. Mercury is all about mental clarity and the power of the mind, so when Mercury is retrograde, these intellectual characteristics tend to be less acute than usual, as the critical faculties are dimmed.

Even though Mercury is retrograde, I bought a bidet today. And got a perm. To be closer to God.

Rocket Girl Betsy-Dawn Williams, set to Blast Off Recently signed to the roots music label El Toro Records in Barcelona, Spain and armed with her new CD release, “Rocket Girl”, Betsy-Dawn Williams is letting the cat out of the bag at The Elevens in Northampton, on Friday March 17. Williams, who’s musical meanderings are embedded in roots music, and known for playing in the honkytonk band Girl Howdy, and the zydeco-influenced R&B band Slippery Sneakers, will be showing her rockin’ side with this new project, “Li’l BeeDee & the Big Melodee Combo”. Joining her will be Jeff Potter on piano, who once teamed up with BeeDee in a former roots rock band project, is back on the track getting the rock & roll train going again. Also on hand will be Graham Tichy (son of Commander Cody guitarman John Tichy) on lead guitar, who is well known in the Albany area as the premier rockabilly guitar cat, along with Jimmy Haggerty on string bass and Clark Howell on drums.

Potter, Tichy & Haggerty comprised the core of musicians on her CD “Rocket Girl”. These guys are the kind of players who really showcase the rockabilly sound that keeps the “roll” in rock & roll. Li’l BeeDee & The Big Melodee Combo hit the stage at 7pm, Friday March 17, 2006 $8 at the door. The Elevens is at 140 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA

Northampton Community Music Center 139 South Street, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 585-0001 www.ncmc.net MUSIC CENTER HOLDS ANNUAL MUSICAL FEAST Celebrating the Music and Cuisine of Ireland On Sunday March 19, 2006 at 5:30 pm, the Northampton Community Music Center will have its third annual "Musical Feast."

Each year, the event celebrates the music and cuisine of one region. This year, the Musical Feast will showcase Ireland, with music by two prominent local Irish bands, Shay's Rebellion and Selkie, and contemporary Irish cuisine prepared by Irish-born Chef Michael Corduff. The event will take place at the Delaney House, and the evening will consist of an elegant four-course dinner, musical performances, and a silent auction. The dinner menu will feature such items as "Dublin Cheddar and Chive Soup," "Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint Demi-Glace," and "Bailey's Chocolate Ganache Cake." The Silent Auction will feature, among other things, a Yamaha P22 45" Upright Professional Collection piano; a week's vacation at an inn in Vermont; a private aerial sight-seeing tour, and a framed, signed, limited edition lithograph by Eric Carle. Now in its 20th year, the Northampton Community Music Center is a not- for-profit organization whose mission is "to foster the love and pursuit of music within the community through quality musical education, performances, and activities that are accessible to all." NCMC's talented faculty offer a diverse range of musical programs to more than 700 participants a year—both adullts and children—and bring concerts and other musical evvents to hundreds more in our surrounding communities, uniting people of all ages and backgrounds through the shared experience of music. NCMC is the only music program in Hampshire County that offers financial aid: no qualifying student has ever been denied scholarship. The Musical Feast has been generously underwritten by The Log Cabin & The Delaney House, Bank of America, Duseau Trucking, 88.5 FM/WFCR, and Wright Builders, Inc. Attendance at the Musical Feast is $75 per person, which includes the dinner and a glass of wine or Guinness. Seating is limited and reservations are required; call the Music Center immediately at (413) 585-0001 to reserve your spot

Lilliana Pereira Image

At the March Creative Cocktail Hour on Thursday, March 16, there will be a Slide Slam from the NEXT artists, and a preview of art submissions for the Real pARTy. For more information and directions see the Real Art Ways website at www.realartways.org/events.htm The real art party wHere they are giving out the submitted art is April 8th. See work by OUR Liliana Pereira at the slide slam and also at www.lilliannapereira.com I decided to look up the directions for you so here you go: From 91 South take I-84 West in Hartford Take Exit 46 - Sisson Avenue. At the end of the long exit ramp, turn left at the light , onto Sisson Avenue. Very quickly you come to another light (Capitol Avenue); turn left. Your third right is Arbor Street (if you pass the UHaul you've gone too far.) Turn right onto Arbor Street; you will immediately see our large sign on the left. Turn into the driveway at the sign, and proceed all the way to the back of the building. You will see lights, windows, an entry way, and people. Park (not on the people) and come in!

MatchBook.org is an online cultural marketplace designed to bring together New England's performing artists and the people and organizations wishing to present them. This free website features an easy-to- search directory of artists, performance spaces and presenting organizations, designed to 'MATCH' artists with presenters that 'BOOK' them to perform. PARTNERS New England Foundation for the Arts and Massachusetts Cultural Council are MatchBook.org's lead development and administrative partners. Other partners include: Vermont Arts Council, New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, Maine Arts Commission, Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, and Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

FUNDERS MatchBook.org is generously funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Technology Opportunities Program of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; and The Boston Foundation. CONTACT For questions or comments, contact the MatchBook.org team at 617-951-0010 x29 or info@matchbook.org.

Must not have previously had a solo show at a commercial gallery. Contact: Gary Duehr, gduehr@mindspring.com

Gary Duehr, a Somerville artist who managed Bromfield Gallery, would like to invite submissions to the Bromfield's annual SOLO COMPETITION.

You may email Gary at gduehr@mindspring.com if you have questions.

SOLO 06 Exhibition Competition

Juried by Nick Capasso, Curator, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, this contest will award each of two winners a solo exhibition in January, 2007 at Bromfield Gallery. Open to Northeast artists in all media who have not had a solo show in a commercial gallery (university galleries, art centers, libraries, etc. do not disqualify).

Postmark deadline: May 1, 2006. Fee: $30 Send 5 slides, slide list, resume, statement, and SASE.

For full prospectus, visit www.bromfieldartgallery.com or send SASE to SOLO 06, Bromfield Gallery, 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, 02118.

A fiefdom of freshly laundered flapping fanny rags. John Allen, known by most as the morning DJ of WRNX 100.9 and the lead singer of the Big Bad Bollocks takes to the stage at the Academy of Music on Saturday March 18th at 8PM. “What affect this constant exposure to the undergarments of my village's elderly matriarchs had on myself and the other children is chronicled in UNDIEWORLD-THE STAGE SHOW”. A musicy thing featuring the songs of the Big Bad Bollocks and Sir Tom Jones, UNDIEWORLD is the stage adaptation of a short story by Allen recently published in the Massachusetts Review. UNDIEWORLD is a community extravaganza bringing together the Big Bad Bollocks, a few of the women from the Young @ Heart Chorus, some local urchins, Chris O’Connor as Sir Tom Jones,

and Jimmy Crack – a roving poet/singer from Wichita Kansas who found John on the radio, and was inspired to write his own ode to underwear. Purchase UNDIEWORLD tickets ($10 in advance, $12 day of show) from the Academy of Music, State Street Fruit Store and the Northampton Arts Council in Northampton, Coopers Corner in Florence and For the Record in Amherst. UNDIEWORLD is presented by the Northampton Arts Council and sponsored by Marmite, Faces, The Valley Advocate, and WRNX 100.9. Check out www.northamptonartscouncil.org for more information. Don’t miss the short, wide-but not so tall tale-of one lad’s lingering look at lingerie.

Kelsey Flynn in THE SUNSHINE BOYS

Playing Now

March 9, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NCFA HOSTS ART-THEMED SUSTAINABILITY SESSION On Sunday, March 26, there will be an opportunity for Northampton-based artists, cultural organizations and arts businesses that value Northampton¹s cultural landscape and worry about its future to weigh in on a variety of issues that are important to the city. The session (one of eight associated with the city¹s current sustainability project that are being held during March and early April) will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Northampton Center for the Arts. Although all sessions will have a similar format, it is hoped that the March 26 discussion will focus on the revitalization of the city¹s arts scene, which has been eroded in recent years, in part, by gentrification, lack of affordable business and living space and changing consumer and real estate market conditions. In advance, you might think about this: ³Assuming that change is a constant aspect of a vibrant community, what characteristics or community values should guide Northampton as it plans for the future?

While the meeting is open to everyone, those who are participants or particularly interested in the future of the arts in Northampton are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting. Ideas and opinions expressed at the meeting will contribute to the formulation of a new city master plan. It is important for the voice of the arts community to be included. The meeting will be preceded from 1:30 to 2 p.m. by an (artful) interlude: the Northampton Community Music School jazz ensemble will play, and a short spoken word piece will be offered by Northampton High School and Columbia University alumnus Edward Rueda. Rueda was the winner of the first annual NHS poetry slam and says that his piece, "Dispose- Ability," at the March 26 event will be "a clarion call to the meeting's participants to preserve the elements in Northampton that foster creativity." With non-negotiable rent increases of %15 and more in effect here at the arts & industry building and evictions already begun for those who cannot afford to pay such increases it is important for everyone concerned to attend.

 

AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE TERRY ROONEY AND BETTE ESLDEN...

whose generosity is so sweet and appreciated.

Special thanks to Terry and Bette who brought us this week's newsletter. DID YOU KNOW...? Halos are caused by the light of the sun or moon passing through a very thin layer of cirruform (ice- crystal) clouds in the upper atmosphere. The ice crystals refract the light of the moon, similar to the way water droplets in the lower atmosphere can refract sunlight to produce a rainbow. Just like a rainbow, strong halos can have bands of color in them, due to slightly different refractive properties of the ice crystals for different colors. and here's where it gets crazy!---> Essentially, halos ARE rainbows caused by primary refraction in ice crystals.

DUCK STAMP CONTEST

Does this not remind you of that scene in Fargo?

Federal Duck Stamp Contest Opening Date: June 1, 2006. Entry fee: $125 U.S. citizens, nationals, or resident aliens are eligible to participate. All entrants must be at least 18 years of age by June 1. This year's contest will be held on Friday, October 6 through Saturday, October 7, 2006 with entries on display at the Memphis College of Art, 1930 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38104. The winning artist receives publicity and media recognition, a pane of Duck Stamps signed by the Secretary of the Interior, select travel to ceremonies, guest speaker at special events and opportunity to market their winning image.

Postmarked not later than midnight August 15, 2006. For entry guidelines and application criteria contact Federal Duck Stamp Contest, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, MBSP- 4070, Arlington, VA 22203-1622. Phone: 703.358.2000. Fax: 703.358.2009. Website: duckstamps.fws.gov