in other words
By Lynn Berry
Let’s stay on the topic of risk. Why?
Well, technically, it’s still a New Year, and
we can still ride on the tails of either the
tradition or the anticipation of what the
New Year will bring, and this may be a
part of the motivation we need to help
move us toward our aspirations. Hey,
the sparkle and the glitter of the New
Year still continues---just as it does in
our lives, but we may just need to kick
up some of that New Year dust and ask
ourselves some fundamental questions to
get us moving toward our creative and
purposeful selves. The questions are
different for all of us, and yet, the irony
is that we already know the questions
and the answers very well. You see,
the ultimate risk is to be honest with
ourselves—to have the courage to look
at the grim as well as the magnificent.
Layers of denial, justification, avoidance,
and the inability to understand ourselves
in an honest way is the cause of most
harm and suffering. So, when we live
under those layers, it is difficult to reach
our full potential as artists and as humans.
Taking this risk is a process, and it is not
an easy task because risk usually leads to
change, and change involves risk, and risk
involves change, and that can get messy
and uncomfortable; however, with those
changes, we evolve.
Live life—get messy, dig deep—
reach, love, stretch, risk, pull, push, relate,
but do no harm.
Your Life
Squat on the floorboards
And let your life surge out of you
Hot, sticky, and wailing for attention
Red fisted fingers raised with demands
Your life wants you undivided
In treeforts and toeshoes
Clarinet howling at the mounting moon
Gyrating disgracefully to an untamed song
Be luminous, scraped and scarred
In mud and blood and bright green glitter
She wants shameless love to burn her
Brand her with its valor
She will seethe and storm and slam doors
Strand you with your reasons
Forsake your obligations
And fearsome responsibilities
Your life would rather be held against a raw heart
With all the ache and passion and mess there
Than sit cross-legged in some therapist’s chair
Wondering why her soul is barren
Why she won’t squat on the floorboards
And bring her life to birth.
---------- Diana Peach
Readers Lend Their Voices... continued from page 4
Ladd to Jay Tappan “ Us sending a letter
to say we are “outta here” by the health
district is not a mutual dissolution...”
“This is a one sided statement and
really violates the terms of the IGA.
(Intergovernmental
Agreement)”
“Would you be willing to talk to Earl
(Commissioner Fisher) and ask him
to go talk to Sara (Tyson - one of the
county attorneys) and see if he can set
something up with us and them to start
mutual dissolution of the IGA talks.”
4/4/11 from Jay Tappan using
the public owned computer at the fire
department “I just finished talking to
Earl (Commissioner Fisher) and I think
we have a good understanding of where
we are going.” “We will not reference
any arrangement past 30 June so as to
blunt the criticism of us doing a sleight
2012
19
---Writer’s Idea: Looking at your life, what
passion, dream, or deep whisper of truth
keeps bubbling up from within that you are
deferring or avoiding? Find time TODAY;
sit down and write about your calling, even
if it’s one page. This simple action will help
to shift directions, and you will experience
how writing brings forth personal truth.
---Writer’s Tip: Observe when and where
your creative self flourishes and honor
your muse. Does your writing flow when
the sun first cracks the sky, or when the
moon reflects the dark of night? Where
do you enjoy writing; alone at your desk,
or in a crowded area with background
noise? What kind of mood works for your
writing? Some writers pour out the pages
when they feel the bluest, and others when
they feel energized. Whatever your writing
style, work with your creative self and write,
and keep writing.
---We would love to publish your poems!!!!
Please send your submissions to, (or if you
would like a copy of any of the published
poems), InkwellVernonia@gmail.com
or by mail: PO Box 333 Vernonia, OR
97064. Please include your name and
contact information. Write--Express--
Expand.
Lynn Berry holds an M.A. in English,
specializing in feminist literature and literary
criticism. She has spent several years teaching
Literature, Composition, Poetry, Creative
Writing, and Critical Thinking at various school
districts and colleges, and occasionally provides
writing workshops.
of hand....” “The commissioners need
to have that impression of “selecting”
a next provider of PH (public health)
services past 30 June.” “Is there any risk
in this? - - yes, but it’s the only clean
way to do the deal.” “Let’s not talk about
the Foundation until much later in this
I suspect we said too much at our last
Board meeting...” “The goal is to get far
enough along on the dissolution so that
the angry folks who are going to take
over as CHD Board members will not
be able to un-do the process. Regardless,
they will not have the PHA by that time
anyway.”
4/5/11 from Jay Tappan using
the public owned computer at the fire
department to Karen Ladd “I think
we are on a good footing with the
Commissioners in terms of them not
screwing us out of the deal after July
1. I may be wrong about all this, but I
think what’s driving them is a total fear
of working with the crazy people. They
also live in fear of the public perception
that we are pulling a fast one on this.”
“The crazies will not have a district to
inherit, or at least they will be stuck with
one that is being erased.” - Jay Tappan .
And on that note, we will
leave you to your own research at
nohospitaltax.info (available February
1). Please let us know if you find
anything which we have missed. There
is so much more to read through and we
could use a thousand pair of eyes. This is
up to all of us as taxpayers now.
Nancy Whitney, St. Helens
Tammy Maygra, CHD Board Chair
ral
Path Health Ser
ces
vi
Na
tu
Let us share some of the “secret”
messages sent amongst the CHD and the
commissioners. Oh, and by the way, it
appears the City of St. Helens was also
in on this back room maneuver.
3/17/11 from Karen Ladd (public
health administrator) using public health
computer to Jay Tappan “I spoke with
Akin (one of their five attorneys) this
morning. He said that the mayor, city
admin, commissioner, you and Aki and
I should meet to discuss the transfer of
assets ...”
3/24/11 from Jay Tappan using
the public owned computer at the fire
department “ Hi, Pam - Just a note...I
left a message on Randy’s (Peterson,
St. Helens mayor) cell phone to call me
about the CHD move to the PNP (private
foundation) status.” 4/4/11 from Karen
february14
Dr. Carol McIntyre
Naturopathic & Chinese Medicine
Owned and Operated by
Don & Kim Wallace
503.429.3928
cccmnd@yahoo.com
naturalpathhealthservices.com
786 Bridge Street
Vernonia, OR, 97064
