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While attending the sold-out lecture of Marrianne Williamson last weekend, locals seemed touched by Williamson’s “blessing” to the local community in the aftermath of the deaths of Sgt. Loran “Butch” Baker and Det. Elizabeth Butler, who were killed in the line of duty on Feb. 26. There were other highlights from Williamson’s talk, too, but the takeaway that hit home the most was when the revered author and lecturer noted that “the time for spiritual data gathering is over ... we all know this stuff. It’s time to step it up and ... kick some ass.”

Plus Letters To the Editor

Honoring innovation and creative people are good things, and if there’s anybody that knows how to do it really well, it’s Santa Cruz NEXT. In its annual celebration, The NEXTies, this year’s honorees include a diverse bunch: Plantronics product designer Darrin Caddes, Megan Joseph of United Way, Rogelio Ponce of Cal-Pacific Berries and Nina Simon of the Museum of Art & History.  Why these creative beasts stand out is interesting to note, so dive in. See you at The NEXTies on May 11.

I'm totally against the drones. I'm very pro Obama and that is one thing I strongly disagree [with] that he's doing. It really upsets me and it upsets a lot of us. I admit I don’t know what conflict and war is all about, but just in my heart and the feeling of the randomness ... I mean war is bad enough without having some unmanned thing up there blowing up kids and stuff.
Barbara P.
Soquel | Involuntarily Unemployed Pet Sitter

Prayers go out to the families of policewoman Elizabeth Butler and policeman Loran “Butch” Baker. And to Jeremy Goulet, the suspect in their killings. No one can replace a mommy or daddy, a husband or wife, a daughter or son. When shocks like this occur we seek answers. There are some. The situation foreshadows the chaos yet to come in our world.

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This is not the original Editor's Note I wrote for publication this week, which went to press early Tuesday afternoon. That note found me pondering the state of our culture after watching a frenzied Academy Awards telecast that, to me, was void of class. Except for when the women appeared, many of which—Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Hudson, Adele, Norah Jones—reminded us, that in an attention-hungry culture, less is more, grace is good and dignity still exists. (It's interesting to note that we rarely get reminded of that whenever we see a Bruce Willis or Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Even the cast of The Avengers didn't evoke that, try as they might, when they hit the Oscar stage Sunday.)

Women can be priests, abortion legal, and they got to share all that wealth they've been storing for centuries.
Lauren Joe
Santa Cruz | Garbage Truck Driver

We are in Pisces now, the last sign of the zodiac—“Light of the World, revealing Life itself, ending forever the darkness of matter.” Pisces contains all previous eleven signs. Pisces is the two fish, connected by a silvery cord. One fish is the personality, the other the Soul. They represent the duality all of humanity experiences. Being both animal and divine, we experience simultaneously feelings of attraction and separation, passion and despair, suffering and bliss.

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It’s 2013. We have no business partaking in activities that don’t A) water our spirit and, more importantly, B) send some good juju back into the ethers of the Universe. Alright, that sounded entirely too “California Woo Woo,” a term my Chicago pals may have been using of late. Regardless, as we venture into this decade, more and more, we may find ourselves questioning our motivations and why we are participating in some of the things we are (or have been) participating in. Especially in the realm of “work.” We get a few reminders—nudges, really—on that subject and a whole lot more this week in our exclusive interview with Marianne Williamson. The best-selling author, who hits the Rio Theatre this weekend, rounds out GT’s “Three Women to Watch” in the month of February. The first was local author Belinda Farrell, who penned “Find Your Friggin’ Joy.” Then came local teen crooner Jackie Partida. And now, Williamson. Her new book “The Law of Divine Compensation” certainly offers plenty of insights about work, profession, money, love and ... forgiveness. Williamson crafts an interesting narrative and looks at the current state of the economy as well and how all that—and all that we do—sends out ripple effects.

I hunt bike thieves. I hate 'em! Scum! They got to go! I've recovered a lot of expensive bikes, more than the cops do. And to the bike thieves I say beware! I will get you!
Michael Smith
Santa Cruz | Vigilante

Saturday Mercury turns stationary retrograde (20 degrees Pisces). Mercury remains retrograde until March 17. Sunday is the festival of Purim (deliverance of the Jewish people from destruction). Monday is the Pisces solar festival (full moon) and the Lantern Festival, signifying the end of Chinese New Year. By Wednesday Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune are in Pisces—waters that purify, cleanse and prepare us for the fires of spring.