Volume 26, Number 1 February & Marh 2011 • A publication of the Women’s Community Center of San Luis Obispo County

Painting by Lena Rushing

2 Women’s Press February & March 2011Women’s Press

Cover ArtistLena RushingFormerly from Southern California, I’ve called the Central Coast home for fourteen years. I portray strong, striking women in my large scale acrylic  and mixed media work.  Women who’s posture, or expression, communicate  their strength intrigue and inspire me.  Seventeen years ago I started showing my  paintings with the intent of encouraging the public to make, support, and enjoy art.  My work can currently be seen in person at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Pismo (across from the outlets), at Coalition  on Monterey in downtown San Luis Obispo, and Tigerlily on  Higuera in SLO. Or you can find me online at lenarushingart.blogspot.com

CAll for Ad reps

Women’s Press is currently in need of some bright and energetic folks to join the advertising team.

Hours are flexible, pay is based on com-mission, and in many cases we just need people to keep contact with the advertis-ers we currently have.

If you’re interested in joining our team, call us at 544.9313 and leave a message for the Women’s Press or email us at editorwpslo@aol.com

I was very happy when the opportunity arose for me to become the new editor of

Women’s press. for many years I submitted my poetry and articles to the paper and

joyfully anticipated each issue. Well, here we are in 2011, and I am presenting this

february-March issue, the first with me as editor, proudly like a new mama..

I also need all our readers, who have enjoyed our newspaper these many years, to know

that we need to raise funds to continue Women’s press. We welcome ideas about fund-

raising events, workshops and of course donations at Coast National Bank. Just ask for

the Women’s Community Center, Women’s press account, and remember, any donation

is important! Thank you in advance!!

We invite you to relax, read the articles from women near and far, enjoy the lovely art, poetry,

and catch up with the local activities, workshops and programs, available.

In sisterhood,

Sonia Paz Baronvine

Women’s pressVoices, views, and visions of the women of San Luis Obispo County, California 6,000 free copies distributed in SLO County • Subscriptions are available

sTAff

Managing editor

Sonia Paz Baron-Vine

layout & design

Ashley M. Kircher

advertising

editorwpslo@aol.com

Website

womenspress-slo.org

CoNTrIBuTors

Alba Balboni Sonia Paz Baronvine

Mary Aine Curtis Inglis Carre-Dellard

Ruth Cherry Elaina Geltner

Jeanie Greensfelder Laura Grace

Judythe Guarnera Hilda Heifetz

Lisa Jonet Angie King

Heather Mendel Theresa Mortilla Ashlee Newman

Berta Parrish Robin Rinzler

Adele Sommers Berta Urbina

Karen Wilkins

voluNTeers

Debbie Hall Jane Hill

Judith Berstein June Beck

Kathleen Deragon Mary Aine Curtis Shantel Beckers

Suzanne Delinger Jill Dubois

Tatiana Vine

WCC

Women’s Community Center of San Luis

Obispo County

A 501(c)3 not-for-profit public corporation

Office located at 1124 Nipomo Street

Suite D San Luis Obispo

CA 93401

(805) 544-9313 wccslo@gmail.com

www.wccslo.org wccslo.blogspot.com

suBMIssIoNs WelCoMe

The Women’s Community Center of San Luis Obispo County, founded in 1974, under the name Women’s Resource Center, exists to educate, enlighten, and empower women and their families in San Luis Obispo County by helping them seek new ways to express and develop themselves; to be a center for the repository and exchange of information of interest and concern to women through workshops, seminars, classes and other outlets; to facilitate communication with other women’s resources both locally and nationally.

WCC produces the Women’s Press in furtherance of these goals.

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letter from the Editor

3Women’s Press February & March 2011 Health & Beauty

postcard from MauiTiramisu

Good Stuffit is that we came from. We have the choice to radiate natural beauty wherever we are.

A few of the ways I choose to keep this won-derful feeling alive is through the way I eat, the way I take care of my skin, and the way I choose to exercise. I eat locally grown, whole, organic foods, use only natural and organic, non-toxic skin and bath care products, and I choose to exercise in nature. Eating good food and a love for nature are two aspects of my life that have always been important. As for my skin care regimen, I am blessed to have been educated over the last few years by my Aunt, Janene Lasswell, Creator and Manufacturer of Ja Nene Natural Body Products. She has taught me that what I put on my skin is a key part of total personal health.

I have made these three things mandatory in my daily life and because of my choices, I am able to keep the radiance shining through me everyday. You have the choice too. What will you choose?

By Ashlee Newman

“Nature is where it all begins for the Hawaiians. In fact, they call themselves Keiki O Ka ‘Aina – ‘Children of the Land’. – MJ Harden

Aloha! I’m one week in to my three week vacation on the Hawaiian island of Maui. As I sit here looking out at the ocean, I am reflecting on why it is that I chose to come here. The answer is simple…I want to be surrounded by the raw, natural beauty. I take a deep breath and try to take it all in – the smells, sounds, and the overall feeling. I love how I feel and I don’t want to forget a second of it. I love the very essence of this place! I love the way the beauty radiates through everyone and makes us all shine from the inside out. We all feel it and that’s a big part of why we choose to come here. But this feeling doesn’t have to end once we board our planes and head back to wherever Photo by Bert Grantges

A Holistic Approach to WellnessBy Clare Lowery LAc.

Human beings have used herbs, plants and other natural substances for healing purposes for thousands of years. In ancient times we were dependent on the natural resources in our immediate environment. It was perhaps not difficult for our early ancestors to notice the effects of the substances that they consumed on their bodies. As cultures developed, the shamans and medicine people categorized herbs and plants according to their specific effects. Recipes were passed along by the women who cooked and took care of their families. This information was passed on through the generations.

Every culture had its own way of passing on medicinal information. For many it was an oral tradition and the information was lost. Fortunately some cultures had written language. The Chinese culture was partic-ularly refined in its written language. They also were very advanced in the cataloging of medicinal substances. The Taoist philosophy and understanding of nature through obser-vation helped to produce an incredible body of information in ancient China. As far back

as the Yellow Emperor, ca. 2500 BC, they began to document the properties of herbs. These ancient scholar-physicians developed a system of categorizing substances according to their flavors, heating or cooling proper-ties, and nourishing or clearing effects. Even which organs they effected, and in what specific way. There are over eight hundred herbs which have been cataloged. The herbs are combined into formulas which can be specifically tailored to a patients needs. Traditionally these herb formulas were boiled to make a tea. Now, more often, they are prescribed in pill, liquid extract or freeze dried form. Chinese herbal medicine has developed over thousands of years to help balance,nourish and cleanse the body. The whole body is seen without isolating its parts. A skilled herbalist can prescribe formulas to maintain and optimize health. Herbal formulas are often taken for years or a life time, being subtly for changing physical conditions. We all have idiosyn-cratic health issues, using herbal remedies can bring balance. In China herbs are even incorporated into meals. Congee, a rice soup, is very popular. Roots, and herbs are added to the congee according to a persons

needs. Herbal/Food medicine is a simple and practical way to maintain health. Modern life has largely cut us off from our roots of using natural substances for healing. If we want to get back to balance and harmony within ourselves  and with the earth as our sustainer we can learn a great deal from our ancestors.

The earth contains the medicines and is our sustainer. The wisdom of the ancients has been preserved. Traditional Chinese Medicine is intact with thousands of qual-ified practitioners and many reputable sources for herbs and formulas which are organically grown and naturally processed. Availing ourselves of these resources is cost effective and nourishes our earth as well as our bodies. We can reclaim our connect-edness with the earth by learning about herbal medicine!

Clare Lowery is a licensed acupuncturist with over 20 years of experience in herbal medicine.

For more info go to ClareLowery.com

INgredIeNTs

1 pint fresh strawberries 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 cup mascarpone cheese 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur 18 ladyfingers 1/3 cup chilled espresso 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

dIreCTIoNs

step 1: Cut off the tops of the strawber-ries and slice the berries. Reserve 2 large whole berries for garnish.

step 2: In a blender, place 2 cups of strawberries and 2 tablespoons confec-tioners sugar; blend to puree and set aside.

step 3: In a medium bowl, combine mas-carpone cheese, 1/4 cup cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and liqueur; beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until thickened.

step 4: Place 6 ladyfingers on a serving plate and brush each with approximately 1 teaspoon cold espresso coffee. Spread or pipe out 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers, and layer with half of the sliced strawberries.

step 5: Repeat with the next 6 ladyfin-gers, espresso, remaining cheese mixture, and sliced strawberries; top with remain-ing 6 ladyfingers.

step 6: In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar; beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until just whipped, approximately 1 minute. Spread cream evenly over top layer of ladyfingers.

step 7: Dust cocoa over whipped cream, and garnish with 2 reserved strawberries. Pour strawberry puree onto two serving plates. Cut tiramisu in half, and place onto puree.

4 Women’s Press February & March 2011Mother Earth

Cayucos Land ConservancyBy Amanda Atkinson

Driving north on Highway One I’ve always loved the view approaching the quaint beach town of Cayucos. No strip malls or sprawling subdivisions in sight, this small community sits tucked into a largely undisturbed stretch of coast with a rather lost-in-time feel. I never wondered why this particular area was so undevel-oped until I stumbled upon an intelligent and active group of ladies, members & vol-unteers of the Cayucos Land Conservancy (CLC), who have been hard at work since 1999 to keep Cayucos surrounded by beau-tiful hills & coastline.

If you are interested in local ecology and enjoy the outdoors, you won’t want to miss an opportunity to join the CLC and some fascinating women at their “Come Outside and Play” celebration February 12th.

This event features a variety of activities focused on natural habitats, history, & conservation led by an area expert. Among them, Kara Blakeslee, noted Central Coast conservationist, is leading an informative and entertaining bus tour of the North Coast’s prized lands. There will also be activities led by Elise Wheeler, archeologist and storyteller, Lou Smith, historian and architect, and Barbara Renshaw, amateur botanist and popular native plants artist..

For more information visit www.CayucosLandConservancy.org or call 995-1972

Central Coast Activitesinfo on hike trails, bird watching, bike riding, butterflies and botanical gardens

TrAIls of sAN luIs oBIspo CouNTy

Cerro AltoDistance: 2.5 Miles (One Way)

Cerro Alto, 2.600’, is one of the highest mountains in our local area located on West Cuesta Ridge. The area offers a wide variety of hiking, from a four-mile, 1,600 elevation gain, round trip hike ot the top of Cerro Alto, the two-mile Margie Cooper Loop, as well as a seven-mile hike to the top of Cerro Alto that returns via the front of the campground. The vegetation varies from lush vegetation to dry chaparral, with a year round stream. The diversity of the area makes it a great study area as well.

Bishop peAk

The Bishop Peak Trail, 2.2 miles to the summit (one way) from the Patricia Drive trailhead, is now complete to the top. In a joint effort by government agencies and volunteers, this trail was constructed by the Sierra Club, California Conservation Corps (CCC), and California Department of Forestry (CDF).

BlACk hillDistance: .5 Miles (Round Trip)

Black Hill is probably the shortest trail around. This 1/4 mile long trail offers spec-tacular views of Morro Bay, the Chorro Valley and the Estuary. A longer trail (1.5 miles) starts at the Morro Bay State Park entrance. In spring the hiker is treated to a great variety of wildflowers.

Courtesy of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club

More Information

www.santalucia.sierraclub.org

pIsMo BeACh MoNArCh BuTTerfly grove

Each year thousands of vibrant orange and black Monarch Butterflies flock to Pismo Beach, seeking shelter from the freezing northern winters. From late October to February, the butterflies cluster in the limbs of a grove of Eucalyptus trees at Pismo State Beach. The grove is easily accessible. It is located on State Highway 1 at the south boundary of the city limits of Pismo Beach.

Spectators come from all over the Central Coast and throughout the state to view the Monarchs. Visitors are greeted by knowl-edgeable and well-informed volunteer docents offering daily talks and information.

The butterflies form dense clusters with each one hanging with its wing down over the one below it to form a shingle effect. This provides shelter from the rain and warmth for the group. The weight of the cluster help keeps it from whipping in the wind and dis-lodging the butterflies.

Our colony is one of the largest in the nation, hosting an average of 25,000 butterflies over the last five years.

More Information Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce

800-443-7778.

Morro CoAsT AuduBoN overlooK {Parking, Handicapped access}

Covered viewing platform overlooking the Morro Bay estuary.

Location: From Los Osos Valley Rd. take South Bay Blvd. to Santa Ysabel traffic light, turn left to Third St. Turn right to end of street, turn right onto dirt lane to parking area.

Highlights: Snowy Egrets, Willets, Marbled Godwits, many duck and shorebird species, Brant, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, terns, White Pelicans, gulls, Black Phoebes, Belted Kingfisher. Sora and Virginia Rail are found in the reeds.

Best season: August through April. In winter, four hours after high tide best for duck and shorebird species.

More Information

www.morrocoastaudubon.org

The sAN luIs oBIspo BoTANICAl gArdeN

Located on Highway 1 in El Chorro Regional Park, between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, the Preview Garden is open daily during daylight hours. Admission is free. 

The business office and gift shop are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Parking at El Chorro Regional Park is $2 during the summer months.

More Information San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden.

3450 Dairy Creek Road San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

Phone: 805-541-1400

Debbie Hoover dhoover@slobg.org

CurIous ABouT The sloBC?

The SLOBC, organized in 1971, is a non-profit organization that promotes safe and legal bicycle riding for recreation and trans-portation. We are several hundred strong of all ages who love bicycling and enjoy the company of like-minded people as we explore the hundreds of miles of pictur-esque roads and byways along the beautiful Central Coast and nearby coastal hills, vine-yards and Morros.

We invite you to come to our monthly meeting, stop by our farmer’s market booth and explore this web site for information about our club and its activities.

More Information San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club, Inc.

P.O. Box 1585 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406

Phone: 805-543-5973

(Hotline Answering Machine)

5Women’s Press February & March 2011 Music, Poetry & Art

Music Poetry Art

WAITINg

By Karen Wilkins

“Chick Tuesday”

Wait until the time is right... Wait until I’ve won that fight...

Wait until I’ve found my might....Wait until I’ve got good sight

Waitin’ for that brighter day...Waitin’ for the lotta to pay...

Waitin’ for the right thing to say...Waitin’ till I deserve to play

Waitin’.....I just keep waitin’....

Wait until I’ve fed my soul... Wait until I’m on a roll

Wait until my egos dead...Wait to hear what spirit said...

Waitin’ for that fear to go away... Waitin’ for a much brighter day.

Waitin’ till I have my say...Waitin’ for every-thing to be O.K....

Waitin’....I’m still, waitin’....

Waitin’ for the rains to fall...Waitin’ for my man to call...

Waitin’ for my child to grow...Waitin’ till I somehow know

Waitin’ for my dream to change... Waitin’ for my mind to rearrange

Waitin’ til new beliefs sink in, Maybe then I can Begin...

Why am I still waitin’....

If I wait too long, precious time will be gone...

And the chances are, I won’t get as far...So I’ll push through my fear, really living

becomes quite clear...And keep my faith very near, for deep desire

put me here...I have these great big dreams, but they’re

waitin’ in the wings...Life happens in the bat of an eye, I must use

my gifts before I dieWait until I’ve got the words, especially if

they’re not absurd...Wait until I write this song, and hope it isn’t

too long.I ‘m not waitin’, no I’m not waitin’....

copyright Karen Wilkins 2010

sprINg Is NeAr...

By Sonia Paz Baronvine

Walking thru the parkholding my little grandson’s handI see the blooming pink treesand he points at the pretty flowers..

Spring is near,I can feel it in the scentthat surrounds us...

As I hold him in my armsthe wind blows some petals on my hair,and I delight with his giggle..

our BurIed BoNes

By Benjamin Daniel Lawless

I found some old photos recently,realized there’s something archaeological

about us.A decade ago, we built statues to ourselveson the old ocean’s edge.Your smile stony in the photo flash,my hair bleached from a sepia sunset.

We were this dead civilization at parties,an ancient language.At the prom I was a riverweaving through your forest.That night, we were two bodiesasleep in a chair built for one,like a young Pharaoh and his brideburied together,entombed in the sand.

As I hold this photoI feel ancient.Now the river bed is cracked under

night dew,your forest is petrified.These memories are fossils and

abandoned citiestoo precious to be forgotten,yet too fragile to be held.

“Vultures” by Lena Rushing “Vultures” by Lena Rushing

“Bluebird” by Lena Rushing Lena Rushing

6 Women’s Press February & March 2011Women Around the Planet

My SmilerBy Judythe A. Guarnera

As the Program Director for a divorce support group I belonged to, I often was too busy at meetings to meet newcomers. The group went to Lyons, a local coffee shop, after the meeting for dessert and a chance to talk in a more relaxed setting.

The officers would often arrive late after taking some time to discuss business. One day I was making my way down the tables, stopping to talk to people I knew. I noticed one of my friends sitting next to a man I had never noticed before. As I chatted with my friend, I realized that I was wishing he had an “off” button, so I could concen-trate on his seatmate. This new guy’s smile,

Forever TangoBy Alba Balboni

Is it fashionable? Is it fascinating? May be…The truth is that it has been around for at least 120 years. Many people had tried to define it, to capture its mystery in a few words with different degrees of success. It remains elusive, escaping language and its limitations, because it is a language itself, it is a music, it is a dance, it is a way of assuming life and its consequences.

Many still cast shadows over the origin of the name, reluctant to admit the proud African roots of the name Tango, even when Spanish Dictionaries as early as 1802 were using the name and defining it as a house where slaves would meet to cele-brate reunions and dances, with permission of their masters. Racism is still obscurely hiding in the local culture somehow, where even local politicians or prestigious news-papers resort to the use of racial slurs when tempers get somehow out of control. From the names of dances associated with tango, like candombe and milonga to the rhythm it will be hard not to admit the African roots of the tango as it is today. It represents therefore the largest and longer lasting gift of the African people to the people of South America. The 1853 Constitution facilitated the coming of immigrants to the region and set the rules for the definite abolition of slavery, corroborated years later by laws that declared free all slaves coming to the country and acquired by masters under foreign laws. Millions of immigrants were coming to

the area with very little baggage, but with heads full of dreams, languages, knowl-edge, habits, pains and vices. Locally, the wounds of the genocide perpetrated by the government on the indigenous people of the region were still open, the stigma of racism and slavery was lingering above the region like a toxic cloud, the measureless pain of the tragic and devastating Paraguayan war, where the blind ambition of the politicians of the country’s neighbors, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, did not have any objections to the killing of most of the adult and adoles-cent male population of Paraguay in pursuit of a shameful victory of sorts. Tango came about in that kind of Historical landscape.

A ritual dance was born that nightFrom the infinite confrontationBetween man and his destiny,Pain, anguish, rebelliousness, dreams.Somebody call it tango,Nobody knows why or when.May be it was God who decided itIn that latitude and that time.

As beautifully described by Ridardo Ostundi in his poem, Tango was born simultaneously, on both banks of the Rio de la Plata, the wide unruly brown flow of water that fills the wide gash to the heart of South America, on the days when communication was difficult and slow, perhaps like a divine inspiration or an answer to prayers, coming strictly from the heaven above the mystic river. It was a time of change, perhaps a time of sorrow for many, of complex emotions and feelings. Nobody has been able to explain how or

why this combination of rhythms, echoes, memories, thoughts, frustrations, nostalgia, loneliness, hopes and hopelessness, longing and pain gave birth to this music. It had “a butterfly effect” in the chaotic world of the beginning of the twenty century.

These flattering of wings started in the poorest outskirts of the town somehow have managed to have universal significance.

The simple songs of the beginning evolved into richer and more complex songs. Original tunes where enriched by poetic and meta-phorical lyrics, singers step into the picture to lend presence and originality to all perfor-mances. The original precarious movements gave way to a complicated dialogue between two people dancing with the heart and the soul as well as the body. Wildly condemned at the beginning by the local aristocrats and the clergy, as an almost pornographic dance, was finally accepted after Europe received it with enthusiastic open arms.

Tango made the trip to the Old Continent hidden among the few belongings of the Fragata Sarmiento’s crew members and reached Europe at a very special time. Waltz had been accepted as a couple’s dance at the beginning of the XVIII Century. During the industrial revolution there was a true social struggle trying to establish a public place for the couple and the waltz came to publicly acknowledge and accept the couple as a social unit. According to the French researcher Remi Hess this dance came after many centuries of group dances and fero-

cious prosecution, even public burning of people daring to dance in couples, because according to the moral rules of the time “the devil will be in between two people dancing together”. Waltz was a joyous, festive, enthu-siastic and positive encounter between two people. Tango came to Europe with all its subtle complexities and deep meanings. It came to Europe when the continent was starting to open up to the mysterious and complicated world of psychoanalysis, and its wild search within the exclusive territory of the mind and the soul. It took Europe by surprise, offering this unabashed encounter between two real people, in the shivering flesh of their complexities.

The music and the dance have continued their evolution; they have been transported and translated to every corner of the world. It seems to have its own way of reaching out and grabbing people’s heart. It seems to breath, beat and pulse in every corner of Buenos Aires. People come from all over the world to search for hidden clues of its magic.

In the complex world of today, where people compulsively grab ear phones and electronic devices to escape reality it offers a different, exhilarating challenge. The meeting of two vulnerable, fragile, delicate human beings willing to surrender to the mystery of the moment, to the enchantment of an embrace, defying differences, distances, ages, color of the skin or unsurpassable different ways of looking at reality.

which was reflected in the invitingly warm blue of his eyes, had captured my attention. My insides felt like an ice cube melting in a drink on a hot summer day.

I had recently finished a book entitled, “Smart Women, Foolish Choices.” It had inspired me to open myself to the endless pos-sibilities that new relationships could bring. This was pretty brave for a newly divorced woman, fresh out of an almost  thirty-year marriage. The encounter with “my Smiler,” as I had already dubbed him, was my first opportunity to try out my new philosophy. My reaction not only startled,  but scared me as well. I was looking for friendship, not romance, but something told me that this could be the romance of a century.

Unfortunately, “my Smiler” and my friend left a few minutes after I had found a place at

a nearby table. I felt like a candle whose flame had been snuffed out with no warning. I was restless and bored for the rest of the evening.

I convinced myself after a few days that I had overreacted to that chance encounter. Fate intervened that very night; my friend called, begging me to join his support group. Lack of attendance had plagued them from the start. He explained that the therapist in charge had indicated she wouldn’t continue, unless there was at least one more person who agreed to come each week.

I thanked him for asking me, but reminded him that I had been in the divorce group for more than a year and was ready to move on to some non-divorce type activities.

A visual image of the man with the incred-ible smile interfered with my thoughts.

Trying to sound politely disinterested, I asked who else was a member. He named a few people I knew, Mary, Sarah and then...Steve. As my heart did calesthentics in my chest, I cleared my throat and asked, in what I hoped was a casual voice, “Who’s Steve?”

“Oh, he’s the new guy, the one who was sitting next to me at the coffee shop the other night.” We then chit chatted for a few minutes, my friend convinced, I hoped, that there was no chance I would join the group. Before I hung up, as nonchalantly as I could, I told him I would give the group a try. His relief was nothing compared to mine.

As I stepped across the threshold the first night, I felt a jolt of electricity when I saw “my Smiler” sitting on the couch.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 - SMILER

7Women’s Press February & March 2011 Spirit & Peace

On a cold rainy day, looking out my window at the wet grass on the quiet park, I think of my friend Chelita.

That is how we called Doctor Graciela Sarmiento, a Peruvian born physician who died tragically, south of Ensenada, Mexico. She had gone along a group from San Luis Obispo, California in a mission to Baja with the Flying Samaritans, a charitable group that does free medical procedures for underprivileged/needy people in rural Mexico.

The Beeachcraft A-36 plane took off from the San Luis Obispo Airport, and landed in Ensenada, Mexico. It then, took off for it’s final destination in San Quintin in Baja California. At about 15 miles south of Ensenada, the pilot called the control tower and said he was climbing to get above heavy fog... radio contact was lost around 2 PM.

The people aboard the plane were Roger Lyon an attorney and pilot from Cayucos, Doctor James Thornton MD a plastic surgeon from San Luis Obispo, Andrew Theil a Cal Poly Student and Paramedic and my friend Doctor Graciela Sarmiento MD a physician who worked at the Community Health Center in Oceano, California. All of them were wonderful selfless people, doing what they loved, helping the poor.

I met Doctor Graciela Sarmiento in 1993 at a BBQ at the house of another physi-cian friend, Alba Barberia from Argentina. I found doctor Sarmiento to be sweet, bright, fun and someone very friendly. She had moved from Seattle with her family to work at the CHC Clinic in Oceano, hired

by yet another physician friend from Peru, Isabel Ruiz MD ( R.I.P ). Dr Sarmiento went to medical school in the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain graduat-ing in 1984 and she did her residency at University of Kansas School of Medicine. We had long conversations about our lives in South America, we being neigh-bors her from Peru and me from Chile, we had similar cultural, culinary and musical memories. She was married and had three children, I did too.

Years later, she saved the life of my oldest son, when he was an inpatient at Arroyo Grande Hospital, taking over his medical treatment and aggressively treating him with antibiotics and thus controlling his rampant infection. I was forever in her debt.

I attended a Catholic Mass in her honor, along my son now a young man, at Saint Patrick’s Church in Arroyo Grande, California. At least 600 or more people were there, the church was filled with teary eyed family members, friends, colleagues, patients and neighbors. We heard about Graciela’s kindness and tenderness, about what a great woman she was, a great wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, neighbor and a super doctor.

She leaves behind her husband Jocelin, and her children Maya, Saioa and Sebastian. I had the pleasure afterwards to meet her sisters Camuncha, Patricia and her brother Francisco, all of them sweet as Chelita. I asked them to please let her mom and dad back in Lima, Peru, know how much Chelita was loved and admired by so many, but what an imprint she left forever in my life.

Remembering a Wonderful WomanBy Sonia Paz Baronvine

Photo by John Nyberg

Soul Path AlignmentBy Elaina Geltner

I have always felt a strong urge to be a catalyst for transformation. It is my greatest joy to be a witness to people stepping into who they truly are! I always “knew” that if everyone could just stop trying to be what they thought would get them love, security, and the approval of others, and instead be who they truly were, we could have the world of our dreams. At the age of 16, I began many years of study in the fields of spiritual, psychological and personal growth, trying to find out where I fit. I became a massage ther-apist, studied Hands-on-Healing, counseled troubled teenagers, worked with Native American teachers, and taught pre-school, while continuing to assist others on their Spiritual Paths. What became very clear to me was that I was not going to find a discipline that encompassed all I was here to do. In my 30’s, I consciously surrendered to being a pioneer and began working closely with non-physical teachers, guides and healers to synthesize and refine this system. Together, we have created Soul Path Alignment which brings together all the different tools, techniques and concepts that I have used over the years with hundreds of students and clients. I am grateful for the privilege of assist-ing people in finding out what they are doing here and how to do it.

Elaina Geltner is the co- founder and director of QuietStar Center for Transformation, an ordained

minister, the originator of Soul Path Alignment™ and the creator of a line of Transformational Essential Oils.

Bringing 35 years experience as a body-worker and intuitive healer, she is now teaching and writing so others can learn these techniques. She can be contacted

at (805) 458-7373 or by email: elaina@QuietStar.com.

More information at

www.QuietStar.com/SoulPathAlignment.htm

I Want to Share These Moments

By B.U

I want the share these moments...To give up your life, having to care for your parents who are senile, is a difficult task. Suddenly I feel overwhelmed! With no life! And dedicated to them who have become children again. To think for them and try to guess through their penetrat-ing gaze what it is that they are searching for...

Nobody is taught to be a caregiver, less of all , for your parents, who regress back to being children, taciturn , moody and to try to understand what is happening to them. It is not easy, one’s life. They are in another world, dealing every day with this tremen-dous uncertainty that they may leave at anytime.

Sometimes I wish that this responsibility lie on all their children, but I am the only one left with this. I feel very alone, sad... struggling with an emotional load that I have been carrying for a long time now. It’s tremendous! But this is the life I must live!

I am a Chilean woman, 61, and just living in the present. The future does not exist for me...

smiler Continued:

I surreptitiously chose a seat at the opposite end. I remember little of that evening, other than that sensation of an electric current connecting me to the blue-eyed smiler. Fortunately no one sat between us, or they might have gotten caught in the electrical crossfire.

I left that night, plotting how I could see more of this man. When I heard that a well-known politician would be speaking at the university, I called several friends from the support group, suggesting that we attend the speech. I boldly added that I would be willing to call Steve, as we could all fit in his van. Then I asked Steve to pick me up first, so I could direct him to the homes of the others. I made sure that I sat next to him at the event, and then hustled to reclaim my seat on the way back, as well as the one next to him at the coffee shop afterward. (Flirting is like riding a bike; you never forget how to do it, even 30 years later.)

What I discovered later, was that my bold tactics fit right into “my Smiler’s” plans. I wasn’t the only one who had experi-enced that electricity! After twenty years of marriage, that smiler is still my best friend.

8 Women’s Press February & March 2011NOW News

geT INvolved Join nowSan Luis Obispo Chapter, National Organization for Women

Chapter Number 565; slonow@kcbx.net

Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip

Amount enclosed: $

Send a minimum of $15.00 to:

SLO NOW

P.O. Box 1306

San Luis Obispo, CA 94306

General meetings: as needed

By Leslyn Keith, slo now delegate

While there was no quorum for board actions, there was a quorum for the executive committee. The main topic for discussion was the continuing refusal by National to send out member dues rebate checks and the impact on CA NOW and local chapters.

Since the take over of National NOW’s highest offices in the 2009 elections, local and state chapters are being slowly bled dry by National’s refusal to send out member dues rebate checks. Local and state chapters rely on these funds to perform the vital work of NOW. Several state and local chapters have folded due to lack of funds. California NOW had to close its Sacramento office and now operates out of offi-cer’s homes. Unfortunately, the previous California NOW administration had signed a lease for the office, which obligates CA NOW to continue to cover the lease rent. California NOW president Patty Bellasama and the leaseholder have a pending lawsuit against National NOW to pay rebates owed to cover expenses of breaking the lease.

The California NOW state conference next May 2011 is an election year for state officers. There are rumors that National may put up a slate to replace the current officers in order to void the lawsuit. If Patty is no longer president of California NOW, she will have no standing to continue the suit. In order to ensure that nominations and elections are fair, San Luis Obispo

By Angie King

Events overtake us. When I first wrote this column, President Obama had just caved (in my opinion) on the tax extension issue and I was disappointed in him and in politics in general. By the time you read this, Obama will be well into his agenda for the next two years with the fanati-cally right wing newbies (and some oldies) busy making fools of themselves. And in between, he (and Nancy Pelosi, to give proper credit) managed to salvage a number of important progressive goals. It’s hard to stay current!

You may have noticed we did not plan a big public event this year to celebrate Roe v Wade. The issue is no less important, however, and is already becoming a hot potato in the new Congress. Check the national NOW page for on going details of efforts to restrict or ban abortion by states, and in the debate on the health care bill

NOW will send members to serve on the nominations and elections committees.

In an effort to legitimize their refusal to send dues rebates to local and state chapters, the National NOW executive committee has invented some new “rules.” One of these rules is that if a check is mailed to a chapter and it is not deposited within 30 days, no further checks will be sent. Another rule is if a chapter does not send in a year end report with updated bylaws, no further rebate checks will be sent. At a recent Executive Board Meeting of National NOW, it was stated that “Local and state chapters have no right to any rebates,” despite the plain language of the National by-laws.

All National NOW Board meetings are now held by Webinar and not in person. The moderator controls comments by muting attendees. There is no listing of attendees provided, and no way to prove attendance. Consequently, since a requirement for running for office is attendance at board meetings, the present board controls future candidate eligibility.

California NOW should be devoting its time and energy to advocating for women, and not to the internal politics of the organization. We continue to monitor the situation with National.

repeal. The “good” news, if there is any (see NOW News on the selection of Stupak as chair of the House Energy and Commerce’s subcommittee on Health) is that while 26 “blue dog” Democrats lost election, only 4 progressive Democrats did, meaning the Democrats left are more solidly pro-abortion rights, with stronger constituent support.

NOW dues? What’s the scoop? This is January, beginning of the year, and the annual NOW dues reminders have been sent out – by National. I’ve had some responses to my article last time about possible fiscal and/or political mismanagement at National, and people ask if they should join at all, or if they do, what to do about dues.

Last summer, our chapter, in discussion with other California chapters, had infor-mally agreed we would ask members to join National at the $15 minimum level, and donate the additional $25 (or more) to their

Notes from California NOW Board Meet ing Dec. 11, 2010

CooRDinAToR’S CorNerlocal chapters, as National was not rebating the local chapter and state level dues as required. The failure of National to send the rebates had already caused a number of chapters to close and even some state offices had shut down. California NOW is still operating, under extremely reduced circum-stances. Since that meeting we have gotten some rebate moneys. We still don’t know if the numbers are accurate, though, because the monthly reports detailing the membership changes are no longer included with the checks.

So, the answer to the query whether to pay up to National or not, is pretty philosoph-ical: if you choose to remain a member of NOW, but follow that request and pay only $15, you seem also to condone the fiscal mis-management and possible political betrayals at the national level (refer to Susan Faludi’s article in Harper’s: http://harpers.org/archive/2010). But, quitting NOW alto-gether reduces total resources for NOW, both local and national, resulting in even

less ability to advocate for women’s rights, weak as even that support may be. Is the answer a more radical group to support? Is there a more radical group on the scene? Apparently not, at this time.

I intend to re-join, at the $15 level. After all, National is supposed to work on a budget that counts only that much per member as income. The rest of the dues is allocated to the state and local chapters that are, at least rhetorically, the grass roots of the orga-nization. I guess we’ll see. See the report from our delegate to the CA NOW board meeting in December. There was another national Board meeting on January 30 that we monitored. We’ll let you know next time what happened.

Please read the article by Pat Renshaw about the recent Women’s Legacy Fund Roundtable. NOW is very glad to see the community come together in sisterhood to help our community.

9Women’s Press February & March 2011 Our Town

sWAp-o-rAMA-rAMAA BeNeFIT FOR THe SLO MuSeuM OF ART

A giant clothing swap and do-it yourself sewing and crafting workshops. We explore reuse and creativity through the recycling of used clothing.This year’s embellishments, be Sewing and Yudu everyone is donated clothing that is available. Finished The event is to benefit SLO Museum of Art and their children’ s programs. It is a greatevent for the whole family to come out and support local arts and sustainable crafts.When: Sat, March 12, 2011 1pm - 6pmWhere: The Art Center 1010 Broad St., SLOTickets: pre-sale, $10 at the door and any size-bag of clean unwanted clothing. Tickets avaulable at 543-8562

slo fIlM fesTIvAl

Kicks Off 17th Season with New, Enhanced WebsiteSan Luis Obispo’s Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) has teamed with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) to expand local and out-of-area attendance for this year’s March 9 – 13, 2011 event through a comprehensive marketing overhaul which includes a new website (www.SLOFilmFest.org) and strategic online advertisement.To learn more about the SLO Film Festival, visit www.SLOFilmFest.org.

slo syMphoNy BAll & AuCTIoN

Marking the Symphony’s 50th anniversary, the San Luis Obispo Symphony’s Annual Gala Ball and Auction will reflect the year 1961-the year the Symphony was officially born-with décor, dress, drink, food and entertainment all in the unmistakable style of the early 1960s. An elegant and entertaining event, the annual Ball is also a critical fundraiser for the Symphony, raising more than $50,000 each year in support of the Symphony’s extensive artistic and music education programs reaching more than 16,000 children and adults every year. The evening will include a sumptuous multi-course dinner, entertainment, dancing, and silent and live auctions. Please call (805) 543-3533 for reservations or order online at www.slosymphony.com.

lovINg your-self ANd BeINg IN LOVe WITH WHO YOu ARe

By MaryAine Curtis

Why don’t I do what I know is good for me? I know meditation helps me with my feelings, relationships and creativity. So why don’t I do it? Walking always clears my mind and I get great ideas on the walk! Then why is it so hard to get out the door?I hear these questions all the time. I’ve said them too. Self-love and self-motivation are in the realm of a foreign language because we aren’t trained to do this. It has to be learned as a translation of the soul that is affirmed actively by loving yourself enough to make the time to do it. Start right now!Say or think: I love myself enough to , (fill in the blank with: Exercise, meditate, socialize, eat organically).Now notice how that feels to you and to your body. I’m guessing that you relaxed right into the vibration of self love...yummy, isn’t it? Keep it up and make a note of what to say to your self to put on your “fridge” or mirror as a reminder.The energies that we’re all experiencing are a human wave of excitement, a quickening of our soul. It’s an awareness that each and every one of us matters and the only way to make this happen is to love ourselves as much as we believe we love others.Yes, the earth is changing, we are changing as the earth, and planets, goddess awareness and self awareness are bringing in an exciting phase of a new lifestyle and consciousness for men and women. Embrace the changes as you decide to let go of things that no longer work for you. Many people are doing it. I hear it all the time. People are downsizing and only keeping the things that bring them joy. (That’s part of self- love).Creating a pattern of loving yourself is something that you already know how to do. I’m assuming that you brush your teeth twice a day, brush your hair, take a shower, make tea or coffee and eat several meals a day. That’s a great start.What do you really want to do that can be added and require 15 to 30 minutes a day to start doing three times a week? You can increase the time as you want to. Add one indulgence per week as a reward to your self!

• Gift your self a relaxing bath or a hot spring soak• Expensive chocolate or wine• A new plant• Lunch date with a friend.• Make the time to give yourself something special.

Add the days up to a 4 day weekend of special nurturing time knowing that you’re indulging your self in care and self-love. Everybody can do something. Here’s where you start:

• Recognize that you want to feel better. Feeling good is your Divine birthright.

• Make a commitment to add one thing you want to do, each week for YOU.

• Make it do-able and put on your calendar to do consistently.• Select your big deal indulgence reward that you give to yourself.

Make it happen!• Have a wonderful time! Smile and laugh as much as possible.

Start this New Year off by loving yourself more than you ever have before. Get busy being fabulous and make this a great life..

MaryAine Curtis offers Feng Shui for the Soul and is the local Emissary of JOY! www.maryainecurtis.com\par

March 9-13, 2011

www.slofilmfest.org

The Blot

Nothing Special

A Not So Still Life

Directed by Louis Weber, the first woman to direct a full-length feature film.

"Transformative in the way that it regards life from

the perspective of age." - Roger Ebert

"A film that shines a beacon of light to the moviegoer.”

“A deliberate, careful and ultimately loving look at the dynamics among thee women.”- Sylvie Drake

The San Luis Obispo

proudly presents...

presenting sponsor

Come celebrate women in film with wine, snacks, stimulating panel discussions with industry pros and great movies such as:

I Know a Woman Like That

International Film Festival

10 Women’s Press February & March 2011Legal Help

for more information online visit:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/government/department_directory.htm

ChIld supporT servICes

The Department of Child Support Services establishes paternity and court orders for child and medical support and enforces these court orders by collecting support from non-custodial parents.

1200 Monterey St.

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Mailing Address :

P.O. Box 841 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-0841

805.781.5734 Fax 805.781.1293

ClerK reCorder

Here you’ll find information and forms you need to get married, register to vote, file a fictitious business name, record documents and obtain birth, death and marriage certificates. The Clerk-Recorder is responsible for vital and official record documents, elections, Board of Supervisors’ records and many other processes and functions.

San Luis Obispo Office :

1055 Monterey St. Suite D120

San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 805.781.5080

Fax 805.781.1111

North County : 5955 Capistrano, Suite. B

Atascadero, CA 93422 805.461.6041

Fax 805.461.6043

dIsTrICT ATTorNey

Here you’ll find information about the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s office, including the Bad Check Program and Victim / Witness Assistance Program.

1035 Palm St.

San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 805.781.5800

San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-0841 805.781.5734

Fax 805.781.1293

fAMIly lAW fACIlITATor788-3418

WoMeN’s shelTer progrAM of slo(805) 781-6401 or 88059 781-6400 ( 24 hours hotline)

CAlIforNIA rurAl legAl AssIsTANCe(805) 544-7994

CreATIve MedIATIoN(805) 549-0442

seNIor legAl servICes proJeCT(805) 543-5140

slo CouNTy superIor CourTs

The Superior Court handles civil, criminal, small claims, and traffic courts for the County of San Luis Obispo and the State of California.

Superior Court General Information Line 805.781.5143

Criminal Court Operations 1050 Monterey Street Room 220 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Misd/Felony Cases: 805.781.5670

Civil Court Operations 1035 Palm Street, Room 385 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Public: 805.781.5677 Civil Appeals: 805.781.5677 Probate: 805.781.5677 Family Law: 805.781.5706

Traffic Processing Center SLO Superior Court 1050 Monterey Street Room 222 San Luis Obispo, CA, 93408 USA Traffic: 805.781.5696

Grover Beach Branch 214 South 16th St. Grover Beach, CA 93433 Civil & Small Claims 805.473.7077 Criminal 805.473.7072 Traffic 805.473.7070

Paso Robles Branch 549 10th Street Paso Robles, CA 93446 Civil 805.237.3079 Criminal 805.237.3080 Small Claims 805.237.3077 Traffic 805.237.3070

slo lAW lIBrAry

Here is information about the San Luis Obispo Law Library which provides current legal materials that meet the legal research and information needs of Law Library users in San Luis Obispo County. We serve all members of the community and county government.

1050 Monterey St., Room 125 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

805.781.5855 Fax 805.781.4172

vICTIM ANd WITNess AsIsTANCe servICes

The San Luis Obispo County Victim/Witness Assistance Program works to reduce the trauma, frustration and inconvenience experienced by victims, witnesses, and family members affected by crime. We do this by providing a wide variety of services to victims of crime and their families, in addition to supporting victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice process.

Director: Cindy Marie AbseyAssistant Directors: Karen Coffey & Jennifer CudworthPhone: 805.781.5821Toll-free: 866.781.5821Fax: 805.781.5828E-mail: victimwitness@co.slo.ca.usCourthouse Annex Room 384San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

deAlINg WITh dIvorCe ClAss

Non-legal divorce advice on the practical aspects of dealing with divorce and other family law issues, is offered at monthly educational workshops, Dealing With Divorce.

Workshops are held the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. $10 donation.544-9313

WCC BeTTer progrAM

Building Enduring Ties That Enrich RelationshipsWCC provides non-custodial parents with a trained community volunteer monitor on a sliding scale fee basis to meet court requirements for supervised visitation after divorce.544-9313

WCC pro per ClINIC

Sponsors a legal clinic for self-represented litigants

Through the Family Law Project, monthly divorce clinics are offered for litigants who will be representing themselves in court in family law matters. At the clinics, volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one legal advice to participants.

Clinics are held the 4th Tuesday of each month a 5:30 PM. Reservations are required. $40 donation.544-9313

11Women’s Community Center | Resources

wCC NeWsBy Angie King

Angie King steps down as head of Women’s Community Center.

After more than 10 years as President of the Board of Directors of Women’s Community Center ( WCC ), Angie King announced her resigna-tion at the January 2011 Women’s Community Center Board meeting. King, who retired from her position as Director of Senior Legal Services in 2008, has a distinguished career in women’s issues, for which she has been recognized with the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association John L.Seitz Award in recognition of commu-nity service, 2002; the League of Women Voters’ Mary Rhodes Leadership Award, and Cuesta College’s -Woman of Distinction Award, 1999.

In addition to leadership changes, Women’s Community Center also has a new home in a more central downtown location (1124 Nipomo St. Suite D).

The SLO County Law Library has agreed to house their monthly legal clinic for self rep-resented litigants; and this past year saw the creation of a new service program BETTER (Building Enduring Ties That Enrich Relationships), providing low cost community based monitors for court ordered supervision

visitation follow-ing divorce.

Programs for 2011 include the above, plus a “makeover” program for clients of the Women’s Shelter Program, who will receive fashion assistance when returning to the workforce.

King says of her tenure at Women’s Community Center, “ A lot has happened in those ten years. Women’s Community Center stabilized its infrastructure and budgets, expanded its programs activi-ties, including the Family Law Action Committee programs, and adminis-tered on-going grant awards from both public and private sources. During this time WCC also collaborated with a number of other local women’s organiza-tions to produce successful seminars on improving women’s financial literacy.” King added, “ I think we have set up a base that, will foster lasting relationship among those groups serving women in our county.”

wCC

1124 Nipomo Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 | 805 544-9313

2011 Board of Directors

Robin Rinzler | PresidentRebecca Said | Vice presidentJanet Potter | TreasurerSonia Baronvine | editor Women’s PressVickie Steffensen | Board MemberAmber Baron | Board Member

MAKeover proJeCT

By Sonia Paz Baronvine

Naomi Ventura-Aguillon co-owner of “The Mane Affair Salon” in Santa Maria, California called me and offered to do a” make over” for women that are entering the work force after experienc-ing a life crisis like divorce, being at the women’s shelter, or recovering from an illness. We met with the directors of the women’s shelters and they will select women to experience the won-derful renaissance of being pampered, by these professionals and getting a complete make over for free!! The Mane Affair Salon has served Santa Maria for ten years.

Established by Grace Segovia and now partnered with Naomi Ventura-Aguillon, they continue the proud tradition of serving our community. Naomi Ventura-Aguillon studied cos-metology at the Santa Maria Beauty College. She started her career at the four diamonds, Chumash Casino Resort & Spa. “I have had the honor

and privilege, to work with many great and talented people in my 7 years of being a hairstylist.”

The Mane Affair Salon is a full service salon offering Haircuts, Color, Nails, Waxing and more. They are located at 900 S. Broadway on the Corner of Broadway and Morrison. Contact them at 928-9800 or visit them on Facebook.

We thank Naomi for being such a great woman, helping her sisters accomplish their dreams!

ResourcesFor a complete listing, visit

wccslo.org/resources/

Thanks!

12

Women’s Community Center1124 Nipomo St Suite DSan Luis Obispo, CA 93401805 544-9313

325

Mira Vista Apartments

11153 El Camino RealAtascadero CA 93422

ph/fax 805.461.1143

Safe • Clean Quiet • Non-Smoking

www.miravistaapts.com