2008. Sounds like a science fiction movie, doesn't it?
And it's just a few days off.
Now we know all of you are preparing for a weekend designed to ring out the old, ring in the new.
And we've a few suggestions — eight categories, eight in each.
We were thinking of doing 2008 things to do, but, frankly, that would be silly.
Read on and plan your weekend accordingly. Movies"81/2" (1963) — One of Federico Fellini's masterpieces, this powerful think piece follows a creatively flustered director on his quest to battle his insecurities and make a new film.
"Dinner at Eight" (1933) — Two Barrymores — Lionel and John — star in this society film about socialites who shelter their secrets in the time leading up to a dinner party. The great George Cukor directs.
People are also reading…
"8 Heads in a Duffel Bag" (1997) — Joe Pesci stars in one of the umpteen "Pulp Fiction" knockoffs of the late 1990s. He plays a lout who's paid to deliver eight human heads to a mob boss.
"8 Seconds" (1994) — A biopic on rodeo champion Lane Frost, with Luke Perry in the saddle.
"8mm" (1999) — Nicolas Cage plays a private investigator who investigates a murderous porn film. Weird, creepy stuff.
"Eight Men Out" (1988) — John Cusack leads the way in this stirring account of the Chicago "Black Sox," who threw the World Series.
"Eight Legged Freaks" (2002) — Humongoid spiders terrorize humanity. This is the sort of movie Scarlett Johansson starred in before she could write her own ticket.
"Eight Days a Week" (1997) — A radiant Keri Russell stars in this surprisingly arresting teen romantic comedy about a lovelorn boy's quest to win the heart of the proverbial girl next door.
– Phil Villarreal Poems
Eight poems to read, with an excerpt from each (and the Web address where you can find the full poem)
"On Turning 10" (www.americanpoems.com/ poets/Billy-Collins/809) by Billy Collins.
A heartbreaking, tender ode to the difficulties of leaving a single-digit age and moving into a double-digit one.
"You tell me it is too early to be looking back, / but that is because you have forgotten / the perfect simplicity of being one / and the beautiful complexity introduced by two."
"Eagle Poem" (www.nortonpoets.com/ex/ harjojhowwe.htm), Joy Harjo.
The member of the Muscogee Tribe's prayer about prayer.
"To pray you open your whole self / To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon / To one whole voice that is you / And know there is more / That you can't see, can't hear / Can't know except in moments /..."
"Hope" (academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/ melani/cs6/hope.html), Emily Dickinson.
Dickinson's beautiful poem tells us that while we may abandon many things, we should never abandon hope.
"Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul, / And sings the tune — without the words, / And never stops at all. . . ."
"Sailing to Byzantium" (www.online-literature.com/yeats/781), William Butler Yeats.
Yeats' luscious 1926 poem is the Irish poet's take on aging and his questioning of eternal life.
"An aged man is but a paltry thing, / A tattered coat upon a stick, unless / Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing / For every tatter in its mortal dress. . . ."
"Wild Geese" (www.geocities.com/Paris/ Metro/1170/wildgeese.htm), Mary Oliver.
Oliver's poem encourages us to look up from our sufferings and see how wonderful the natural world — and, therefore, our world — is.
"You do not have to be good. / You do not have to walk on your knees / for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. / You only have to let the soft animal of your body / love what it loves."
"Loyal" (www.loc.gov/poetry/180/159.html), William Matthews.
Matthews' poem about the challenge of embracing our contradictory notions and emotions.
"They gave him an overdose of anesthetic, and its fog / shut down his heart in seconds. / I tried to hold him, but he was / somewhere else. For so much love / one of the principals is missing,/ it's no wonder we confuse love / with longing."
"Speech to the Young" (www.poemhunter.com/poem/speech-to-the-young-speech-to-the-progress-towar/), Gwendolyn Brooks.
A great, simple, voice of reason and encouragement.
"Say to them, / say to the down-keepers, / the sun-slappers, / the self-soilers, / the harmony-hushers, / "even if you are not ready for day it cannot always be night."
"Book of Questions," IV (www.shearsman.com/pages/books/ebooks/ebooks_pdfs/mtcc_neruda.pdf), Pablo Neruda.
Every new year — heck, every day — should start with a Neruda poem.
"In heaven there is a church for every hope / and for every hope not filled, there is a church."
– Kathleen Allen Online
For every word you correctly define, this group donates 20 grains of rice through the United Nations to help end world hunger. Twenty grains isn't much (there are about 29,000 grains in a pound of long grain white rice, according to Producer's Rice Mills), but the questions are real easy, so they add up.
Lots and lots and lots of "how to" articles.
A social networking site where everybody reviews local shops, restaurants, movie theaters, etc. It's community journalism at its best.
Sites that play music based on your stated tastes.
Just SO DAMNED CUTE!
Umm . . . just check it out.
Lots of cool images created by photoshop masters.
The latest baseball hot stove gossip.
– Coley Ward Public art
Sonora, Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave., was the first major work commissioned using funding from the city of Tucson's Percent for Art program. The large red sculpture, completed by David Black in 1991, stands in bright contrast to the library's white marble facade. Grab a seat on the plaza and look at the structure's abstract Southwestern imagery as its shadow stretches and changes throughout the day.
Freeman Pioneer Memorial (the Bufano Bench), 200 S. Sixth Ave., at the Tucson Children's Museum, is the earliest work of public art in Tucson's Public Art Collection. The memorial, completed in 1920, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Think about the early days of our state as you sit on the curved marble bench, designed by Bernard Maybeck, and contemplate the bas-reliefs, designed by Beniamo Bufano.
Purple Heart Park Memorial Wall at Purple Heart Park, 10050 E. Rita Road, is a sandstone wall with a heart-shaped inset of purple glass blocks. Designed by Simon Donovan in 2006, it honors Purple Heart medal recipients. Take a seat on the bench facing the wall, on which is engraved the Thomas Moore quote "Here bring your wounded hearts; here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal."
Sun Circle, by Paul T. Edwards, Susan Holman and Chris Tanz, in the Rillito River Park north of the wash between North La Cañada Drive and North La Cholla Boulevard, was completed in 1994. Welcome each new day inside the eight curving walls, which can be used to track the sun's movements over the course of a year.
Shade Structure, at El Pueblo Senior Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, was made by Simon Donovan and Geoff DeMark in 2005. When you grab a seat on one of the benches below this shade structure be sure to gaze up at the ceiling, which is a steel grid with 40 panels of glass marbles wedged between sheets of perforated aluminum.
Sentinel Plaza, on the northwest corner of Interstate 10 and Congress Street, was completed by RLV Arts in 2004 in honor of the people who lived there in prehistoric times. It includes four Earth Sentinels — rammed-earth sculptural monoliths — that face the black volcanic mountain now called Sentinel Peak ("A" Mountain).
Diamondback Bridge (Broadway Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge), completed in 2002, stretches over East Broadway west of Euclid Avenue and is art you can walk, run and ride all over. Thanks to a fanged head, rattle-shaped tail and painted diamond pattern, the long, thin, caged bridge designed by Simon Donovan looks like a diamondback rattlesnake — a symbol of the Southwest desert and a benevolent, protective symbol in American Indian mythology.
Pavo Cristatus, at the entry of Reid Park Zoo, off Randolph Way north of East 22nd Street, is an oft-photographed sculpture that celebrates the beautiful Pavo Cristatus (the Latin name for the peafowl, or peacock, that wander freely around the zoo). Stephen Grede made the bronze-and-concrete sculpture with Nina Borgia-Aberle's glazed earthenware tiles in 2004 as a child-friendly piece of art and a public bench.
– Sarah Mauet Concerts
Calexico today. Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., 8 p.m., $20. Seeing our hometown boys create gentle atmospherics in a small space? Sign us up.
Ryanhood and Friends Fourth Annual Christmas at Congress today. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., 7 p.m., $8. The local acoustic-pop duo will be playing along with acts like Al Perry, . . . Music Video?, American Android, Sunshine Brothers, and Tater Pig.
B.B. King on Saturday. Maricopa County Events Center, Sun City West, 7:30 p.m., $30-$65. The blues legend visits the desert, this time up north, one last time in 2007.
The Tubes on Sunday. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress, 8 p.m., $19 in advance, $21 day of. Originally from Phoenix, The Tubes came of age in the '70s and created sometimes wacky synth rock that flew under the radar.
Haley Jane, Leila Lopez, Tryst on Monday. Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., 9 p.m., $10. Come ring in the New Year with some hard-working and talented local musicians for only $10 — a bargain cover in any city on NYE.
Club Congress New Year's Eve Party on Monday. Club Congress, 8 p.m., $15 in advance, $20 at the door, $50 VIP per person (includes entrance to separate VIP area, which includes a bar, food, music, restroom, etc.) The theme for this year's Congress bash is Brazilian Carnival, promising an indoor/outdoor event with live music, DJs, dancing and the midnight ball drop. Oh, and thongs.
Surly Wench New Year's Eve Party on Monday. Surly Wench Pub, 424 N. Fourth Ave., 9 p.m., $7 at the door, $5 if you RSVP to myspace.com/ blackmondays. Local DJs Matt McCoy and Dewtron will step up their game on a special NYE edition of their weekly dance night, "Black Mondays." The music will be eclectic and the Jell-o shots $1. What else do you want?
Kanye West on Monday. Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Hotel, Las Vegas, 10:30 p.m., $150- $350. If you can't find anything decent to do New Year's Eve in Tucson, you could head up to Vegas and catch Kanye performing songs off his Grammy-nominated album, "Graduation." We'd rather support local, non-whiny, un-millionaires, but that's just us.
– Kevin W. Smith Hikes
Mica View-Cactus Forest Loop. This easygoing two-mile walk in Saguaro National Park East follows the Mica View Trail to a picnic area. The trail resumes on the far side of the picnic area and then connects with the Cactus Forest Trail for a return to the starting point.
Trailhead: Go east on Broadway and park just west of Camino de Codorniz. It's near Broadway's eastern dead end.
King Canyon Trail. Starting near the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, this trail climbs for 3.2 miles to a junction with the Hugh Norris Trail. A final 0.3-mile segment leads to the 4,687-foot summit of Wasson Peak.
Trailhead: Go west on Speedway, which becomes Gates Pass Road. Cross Gates Pass and continue to Kinney Road. Turn right, northwest, on Kinney and follow it to a trailhead parking lot on the right side of the road just a few hundred feet past the entrance to the Desert Museum.
Rillito River Park Trail. The route, which traces the usually dry river on its course through Tucson, offers scenic, flat terrain for walking or bicycling.
Trailhead: Find entry points to the trail system where major streets meet the river.
Dutch John Spring Trail. A 0.6-mile, moderately steep walk takes you through oak woodlands to a spring site among towering sycamores in Madera Canyon south of Tucson.
Trailhead: Go south on Interstate 19 to Green Valley and take the Continental Exit. Then follow signs southeast about 13 miles to Madera Canyon. Turn left onto the Bog Springs Campground road and continue 0.6 of a mile to the trailhead. You'll pay a $5 parking fee.
Pontatoc Ridge Trail. This 2.6-mile route offers a mix of urban and wilderness vistas. For the first part of the hike, the trail shares a route with the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. Take the right fork where the two trails split.
Trailhead: Follow East Skyline Drive to North Alvernon Way. Turn north on Alvernon and follow it to a parking lot for hikers at its northern dead end.
Birding Trail. Here's a mile-long loop route in Catalina State Park north of Tucson that takes hikers through excellent bird-watching habitat.
Trailhead: Go north on Oracle Road to an entrance for the park at Milepost 81. Drive to a parking area at the end of the main park road. Start walking on the main trail and watch for a signed junction with the Birding Trail just after crossing broad, sandy Sutherland Wash. You'll pay a $6-per-vehicle fee.
Picacho Peak. The two-mile Hunter Trail will take you to the top of this shapely rock summit along Interstate 10 between Tucson and Phoenix. The steep route is guarded in several places by handrails anchored in the rock.
Trailhead: From Tucson, take Interstate 10 northwest about 40 miles to the signed exit for Picacho Peak State Park. Drive to the park entrance station and pick up a map that will direct you to the trailhead. The entrance fee is $6 per vehicle.
Esperero Trail. Beginning in Sabino Canyon, this route offers short out-and-back walks or a more challenging six-mile trek to Bridal Veil Falls.
Trailhead: Take Tanque Verde Road to Sabino Canyon Road and follow Sabino Canyon Road north to the canyon, where you'll pay a $5 parking fee. Walk east about 0.1 of a mile on a broad path that begins at the southeastern end of the parking lot and watch for the Esperero Trail on the left.
– Doug Kreutz Books
"The Story of the Other Wise Man" by Henry Van Dyke. (Publisher: Ideals Children's Books, 2007.)
Originally written in 1893. Though it has been described as a story of sacrifice and redemption, Van Dyke said he wasn't sure of the story's meaning.
"What does life mean?" he asked. If that "could be put into a sentence there would be no need of telling the story."
"Prayers from the Ark" by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, translated by Rumer Godden. (Publisher: Puffin, new edition, 1995.)
Originally printed in French in 1947, it is the voice of 50 of the animals in Noah's Ark. Each speaks to God in a poem that reveals its traits and personalities. At times, though, the voices sound like some humans we've heard. The rooster, for example, says, "Do not forget, Lord, it is I who make the sun rise. I am your servant . . . (but) do not forget, Lord, I make the sun rise."
"The Man Who Was Magic" by Paul Gallico. (Publisher: William Heinemann, 1966.)
This tale mixes humor and melancholy in a story about a true magician who travels to Mageia, home of the masters of the craft, to prove himself so he can become a member of the guild. But he discovers that Mageia's people are mere conjurors who use smoke and mirrors to do magic. It is an allegory of innocence and good overcoming evil.
"It's Hard to Be Hip Over Thirty and Other Tragedies of Married Life" by Judith Viorst. (Publisher: Persephone Books, new edition, 1999.)
Viorst has written a book of poems for every decade beginning with this one. One offering in this volume says, "Where is it written that husbands get twenty-five-dollar lunches and invitations to South America for think conferences while wives get Campbell's black bean soup and a trip to the firehouse with the first grade. . . ." Her latest book in the series that looks at our aging is "I'm Too Young to Be Seventy: And Other Delusions." Published by Free Press, 2005.
"These Is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner. (Publisher: Harper Perennial, 1999.)
Turner used her great-grandmother's experiences in the Arizona Territory as the basis for her novel. The main character is Sarah Prine, intelligent and headstrong and capable, who lives near Tucson in the late 1800s. Through her diaries, you see how she matures, in her writing and in her life.
"Founding Mothers — The Women Who Raised Our Nation" by Cokie Roberts. (Publisher: William Morrow, 2004.)
You always read about George Washington, John Adams and the other Founding Fathers. But what about the women left behind in towns and on farms while the men battled the British, struggled over the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the creation of a new nation? They, too, were determined and just as passionate about this new nation.
"The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and How to Do Them)" by Peter Sagal. (Publisher: HarperEntertainment. 2007.)
You know Sagal from National Public Radio and the news quiz show he hosts, "Wait Wait . . . Don't Tell Me." His new book is described as a "hilarious, harmlessly prurient look at the banality of regular people's strange and wicked pleasures."
"Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories With Recipes" by Maya Angelou. (Publisher: Random House. 2004.)
For Angelou, good food always has played an important role in her life. In this book, she tells the stories of her life and the foods that she has loved, including maple cake. Her grandmother baked it especially for the young Maya when she was expelled from school for being afraid to speak.
– Rosalie Crowe CDs
Manu Chao "La Radiolina" — This wandering Parisian was a pioneer in the Latin alternative scene and returns with his first studio release in six years. The lively 21-track recording has lyrics in French, English and Spanish and is a rowdy walkabout through politically charged lyrics bundled in with catchy hooks and melodies.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo "Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu" — Ladysmith has been on mainstream America's radar since Paul Simon's "Graceland" hit shelves in 1986. On its latest release, the vocal ensemble pays tribute to Shaka, the famed first leader of the Zulu people. Ladysmith hypnotizes with smooth a cappella harmonies perfect for relaxing evenings at home and quiet dinner parties.
The Turtle Island Quartet "A Love Supreme" — This Bay Area string quartet takes on the music of John Coltrane with bows blazing. Songs like the jazz master's "La Danse du Bonheur" and "Model Trane" set to cello, viola and violin are not to be missed.
Will Clipman "Pathfinder" — Clipman, Tucson's percussionist extraordinaire, has produced yet another Grammy-worthy album showcasing his arsenal of beat keepers, including the African udu, the Celtic bodhrán and the South American caxixis.
Putumayo Presents "New Orleans Brass" — An entertaining collection of jazzy brass tunes from the heart of Crescent City. Tracks include songs by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Preservation Hall and Kermit Ruffins. The perfect compilation for a New Year's Eve Mardi Gras.
Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation "Don't You Weep and Moan" — Indulge in some acoustic blues from the Piedmont region with artists dedicated to keeping the music of guitarist Archie Edwards alive. The CD features songs that have served as staples of the group's weekly jams since the 1950s. Find out more at www.acoustic blues.com.
Belanova "Fantasía Pop" — Belanova pumps out some retro, Spanish-language electropop with its latest album, recorded in Argentina. Songs like "Bye Bye" will sound like heaven to fans of the '80s New Wave era.
Cademon Audio presents "Essential Hughes" — This spoken-word release features candid and fascinating interviews with critically acclaimed poet Langston Hughes amid readings of popular poems "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "One-Way Ticket" and others. Some brainfood for long car rides to Phoenix, Las Vegas or California.
– Gerald M. Gay
