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I savor the days with no commitments, schedules, or appointments. Time ceases to be linear. It stretches and condenses; it feels liquid. My body and soul are attuned to its deeper rhythms. My rational mind relaxes and observes. There is no anxiety and no pressure this morning to move from one task to another. There is only time to get lost in the moment and a task if there is one. For now, I watch the sky turn pink with the dawn and feel the warmness of the cup of coffee in my hand.

My body had woken naturally, away from an alarm. During the day, I listen to its wants for food. The desire for Pita chips fades into a desire for oranges and salad. I yield to the organic flow of conversations with others instead of thinking about what else must be done, impatient to move on.

The last year has felt like a marathon, 5 months in Michigan to help get our parent's house ready to sell. Then, the decision to downsize to a condo in Palm Springs meant 5 months here, finishing projects from the previous summer, and finally, we are ready to list the house. Satisfying but exhausting.

Our culture has an odd relationship with time, at times more adversarial than healing. A nation filled with many exhausted, angry people. Efficiency has often become a morality at the expense of humanity. A relentless grind of work, sometimes for survival, sometimes for the trapping of success. We read fewer and fewer books (too time-consuming), we watch more 15-second reels on Facebook and TikTok, and we lose our connections to each other and the deeper currents of life. Often, we lose the connection to the deeper parts of ourselves.

I don't have answers. I think about the time I spent in Italy, with their 2 or 3-hour lunches. There is time to savor food, time to enjoy the beauty of surroundings and the light, and time for friendship. A sensual culture exploring the rich bounty offered up by life rather a culture centered on efficiency.

I hope you have moments of richness this week.

Kim

Self-awareness is your awareness of the world, which you experience through the five senses (sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell). Pay attention to your sensory impressions and be aware of those five ways the world comes to you.

Deepak Chopra

My book Travels Into Discomfort is available on Amazon.

It is a travel adventure in its prose and a journey to the heart in its poetry.

Travels Into Discomfort

Barbara Carpenter Realtor 

Shann Carr

Comedian, Event Producer, Realtor, A Lesbian Concierge In The Desert

Andrea Voras, Gerontologist Dementia Specialist Life Aging Life Care Manager 

Constance Clare-Newman, Somatic Work for Pain Relief and Stress Reduction

Corlyce Photography 

Chris Ann Kallgren Realtor 

Sunny Designs-Website & Graphic Design & Video

Rice Notary 

Nancy Minger - Massage Therapist 

Poochsitter 

Motivation Changes — Life Coaching - Dr Ann Sarah Engel, MSW, PhD  

The Roost

V Lounge

The Hollywood Times is looking for Palm Springs entertainment event writers/interns

Coachella Valley Invitational Soccer Competition with the National Women's Soccer League Feb 16th and Feb 22nd

Coachella Valley Invitational

• Cork Women's Fun Weekend
• AdventureWomen: organizes exceptional women’s only travel groups spots around the globe.
• Trafalgar: offers women-only guided vacations to various destinations, with local female guides and experts.
• Road Scholar: provides educational and cultural trips for women of all ages and interests.
• Adventures in Good Company: creates active and adventurous trips for women who love the outdoors.
• Intrepid Travel’s Women’s Expeditions: explores local cultures and traditions from a female perspective, with female leaders and hosts.

Fur babies needing family at Animal Samaritans

Shelter — Animal Samaritans

Email me at gabriolakim@gmail.com if you want something posted on the bulletin board, or an event promoted.

Worried about the legality of gay marriage and thinking you should get married just in case the laws change and having a problem booking an appointment at the City Clerk's office?

Fera Mostow  

I am a minister and will do marriages for any gay couple that wants to get married before the inauguration free of charge or   until Trump does something that eliminates gay marriage. 

All they have to do is email me and they can come here - Sun City Shadow Hills, and I'll do the ceremony.

Contact Fera at fmostow@gmail.com

LEA OF COACHELLA VALLEY. Join us for food and games Monday, 11AM February 24th at the PLAY LOUNGE 2825 E Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs. There is no admission charge. For more information, please text or call Kate, 760-574-3595, or email LEAofCoachellaValley@gmail.com.

And later--April 4-12 we are presenting the lesbian themed play THE CAKE which is a touching and topical dramatic comedy about a vivacious, conservative North Carolina baker named Della. She faces a crisis of conscience when Jen--whom she loves like a daughter--asks her to bake a cake for Jen's lesbian wedding. Tickets are $40

Buy Tickets – THE BENT

Easy/Moderate/Difficult Hikes

The heat us coming, hikes wil be earlier or at higher elevation.

Tuesday Feb 18th 8:00am

Indio Badlands

Length   5.5 miles

Type     Loop

Elevation 900 ft

Time     3 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Meetup   42000 Golf Center Pkwy, Indio, CA 92203 is the trailhead

Fun hike, slot canyons, and ridges.

Saturday Feb 22nd 7:30 am

Chapperosaa Peak - Pioneertown Preserve

Length    7 Miles

Type      Loop Elevation 1200 feet

Time      3 -4 hours

Difficulty:  Moderate - Difficult because of length and elevation

Incredible views, homestead and and petroglyphs

Meetup:   My house at 7:30am

Bring at least 1 liter of water.

New hikers must register and sign a waiver.

Every Month Bird Watching Walks at Prescott Preserve

Join OLT Volunteer Kurt Kosek for bird watching walks at Prescott Preserve every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 8am. Birders of all ages and experience levels welcome. Walks are under 1.5 miles on dirt trails. The group meets at the old golf cart crosswalk on Farrell, just north of Mesquite. Plenty of parking on Farrell. 

Desert Legends

PALS’ no-cost educational seminars provide up-to-date information, resources and opportunities to engage in essential planning ahead conversations before a major health or life-altering event occurs. For info about upcoming PALS Seminars with in-person and zoom registration links click here. 

9:30 to 11 am. 3rd Saturday

September thru June

PALS Death Cafe is a group-led open conversation about mortality that’s not a counseling or bereavement group. There’s no specified topics or designated outcomes. Just bring your questions about any aspect of death and dying that interests you. RSVP for the next PALS Death Cafe here. 

PALS Circle is an hour of enjoyable connection, support and friendship among LGBTQ+ seniors and allies. There's no agenda, no formal topic — just fun conversation and camaraderie each Monday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM on ZOOM. Sign up to receive PALS Circle announcements here. 

The L-Fund empowers cis, trans, and queer identifying lesbians through financial crisis assistance as well as grants in the areas of education, the arts, and health and wellness.

If you would like to donate, please find us at https://l-fund.org/