A schwiggler is a sneaky person, someone who is trying to trick you or hide from you. It’s something my friends and I call each other. Of you’re trying to avoid phone calls from someone …

In the early ’80s, at 19, I enrolled in a culinary school in Hyde Park, New York. I’d planned on finding an apartment off campus, but after getting lost and stuck in a traffic jam …

Thirty Years Ago“Jacumba Hotel, Ida here.” “Hello, I’d like a reservation for this weekend.” “Sorry, honey, we’re filled up. We’ve got two groups coming in — the glider club and the A.A. — plus all …

Mauricio ChernovetskyDirector, Cassandra To someone who’s a fan of long, contemplative takes and abstract narrative techniques, Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Syndromes and a Century really delivers! But what’s most refreshing is the lightness and humor …

I think there’s a particular kind of relationship — specific to each person — that you must endure before you find the one that you are going to spend the rest of your life with. …

Thirty Years AgoSunday, country music figurehead Johnny Cash makes his annual visit to San Diego at the Civic Theatre with his perennial partners, June Carter and the Carter family. Cash has long been the most …

Greeth is a combination of ‘“gross” and “teeth.” I guess it could also be “green” and “teeth,” depending on how long it had been since the person brushed. “Grums” is the same idea but pertaining …

Considering they’ve been making noise and upsetting parental status-quo sensibilities since 1980, it’s not only a pleasure to be on the receiving end of fresh Bad Religion albums every 24 months or so, it’s also …

Keturah StickannAssistant director, San Diego Opera, 2008 seasonsdopera.org John Carney’s Once is one of the best depictions of the creative process I’ve ever seen. I love its sincerity, and I really love its soundtrack. Little …

Levi, “social chairman” of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Cal State San Marcos, says, “Most of the students don’t live within a five-mile radius of the campus. There isn’t much to do on campus. …

It was the night I became a man. It was Ocean Beach, California. It was a Halloween party in 1999 and I was dressed as a P.E. teacher. You should have seen my outfit: tiny …

My word is “squadouche,” which basically means “nothing.” Don’t really know where I heard it from... But basically used in the context, “Hey dude, what’d you get at the store today?” “Squadouche! I didn’t get …

Thirty Years AgoWhile I have permitted myself, the last week or two, to become hopelessly tangled up in writing about, or trying to, Wim Wenders’s The American Friend, a near traffic jam of other important …

He was gorgeous. Kristen and I sat on the lawn at Orange Glen High School, watching Chris walk by on his way to the cafeteria. It was winter in sunny Southern California, and he wore …

Karen Huff-WillisDirector, San Diego Black Film Festival, sandiegoblackfilmfestival.com For Black History Month I would like people to see something by Oscar Micheaux, like Within Our Gates. He’s from the 1920s, and he made wonderful films. …

Post Date: September 17, 2007Post Title: Kokeshi 101Kokeshi is the name for a traditional Japanese doll usually representing a woman or girl. Made from wood, they are originally believed to have been created for tourists …

“There is no single person who has the juice to book major acts [at 4th&B],” says an insider who suggests that the 1500-capacity venue has created the best business plan it could, considering the competition; …

I saw Queensrÿche at the Sports Arena in the early ’90s, when Operation: Mindcrime came out. I wasn’t even in radio back then. There were two things I noticed about the crowd: a lot of …

Thirty Years AgoIt’s 1:30 a.m. Standing beside a pair of pay phones and a silver train of piggybacked carts, you figure you’re ready for Mayfair Market’s morning crowd. The store lights up a quiet section …

I had just seen the movie Across the Universe about an English guy who falls in love with an American girl. It brought back all my memories of visiting England when I was 18. That …

I just recently heard “ass antlers” and I think it’s wonderful. It refers to tattoos on the lower back, sometimes also called a “tramp stamp.” They are usually tribal tattoos in a v-shape and sit …

I met Paul online, and it wasn’t long before we were talking on the phone, engaging in the most introspective, enlightening, and enjoyable conversations I’ve ever had, replete with deep discussions about the world, about …

Thirty Years AgoDear Matthew Alice:How did the word “pot” come to stand for marijuana? Does it have anything to do with the old joke about people “going to pot”?Julie Simms, North Park No. “Pot” is …

“Carlsbad’s gotten ugly,” says a musician who supports himself by playing music in Carlsbad clubs. Following noise complaints by nearby residents, the City of Carlsbad is enforcing a new entertainment ordinance that went into effect …

Edoardo MuellerPrincipal guest conductor, San Diego Opera, sdopera.org Renata Tebaldi: Profonda ed infinita is a collection of the best videos Renata did in her life — her interviews and performances, and footage of all her …

Ilise Gersten BushCurator, San Diego Jewish Film Festival, sdcjc.lfjcc.org Tonight’s opening film, Sixty-Six, is a quirky coming-of-age comedy that reminds me in spirit of Hope and Glory. It’s the story of Billy, who holds on …

The slang I use is mostly terms for metrosexual guys. I’m a hairstylist, so a large amount of my clients are men. I like “manscaping” for guys who are picky about grooming their body hair, …

Coors Amphitheatre, owned by Live Nation, will soon lose its name. Effective March 1, the Coors Brewing Company will end its connection with the area’s largest outdoor venue (10,000 reserved seats and a capacity for …

Thirty Years AgoI would not complain that Jeannette De Wyze’s story on nudists (“What You See,” February 2) was completely one-sided. But still, De Wyze never once treated any of the serious objections to nudism. …

I was in my sophomore year of college, and I’d never had a boyfriend. Not because I wasn’t interested but because I’d been too busy with my own life to consider being a part of …

Zakiya KhabirSan Diego market coordinator, Landmark Theatres Many have said it before, but HBO’s series The Wire should be required viewing. Not only is it incredibly addicting, it’s scarily realistic. Having lived in Baltimore for …

Thirty Years AgoEver since the Ocean Beach Planning Board has begun recommending how the beach community should grow, they have given fast-food franchises a cold shoulder. Now, however, the antifranchise wall may be cracking: although …

At [one] point, I felt there were people in the audience who had paid to come to see a conference about porn, who didn’t necessarily have any feminist concerns. I realize that I am approaching …

Seeing Wyclef live will turn any fan into a fanatic. I have seen him break out into a tightrope walk on a wooden fence while rapping. I’ve seen him grab and play every instrument on …

Finest City Broad-Cutting? The 25th anniversary of 91X (on January 11) was ignored by everyone, including station management at Finest City Broadcasting. "For the tenth anniversary, they had the 'X years of the X' promotion," …

Don’t Yuck My Yum It’s the best thing to say whenever anyone tries to shove their opinion on you. I hate it when I’m into something and someone comes over and starts yucking and making …

Tim BerrothFilm reviewer, www.hollywoodjesus.com In Deathtrap, director Sidney Lumet ably crafts Ira Levin’s play into an engrossing thriller with wicked plot twists and a deliciously devious ending. The brilliant Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve (shedding …

So I traveled to Miami this Christmas to see my family, mostly to see my mom, who was diagnosed earlier this year with breast cancer and needs all the cheering up she can get. Two …

We’ve all done it. It doesn’t matter how confident you are, how secure, how much you wear self-love on your sleeve for all to see — if you’re a woman with a pulse, chances are …

Wetware. Hardware is part of the computer; it’s internal and it’s permanent. Software is executed with the hardware, like a game or program. And wetware are the brains in your head that let you keep …

Dmonstrations have confirmed upcoming tour dates in Japan, thanks to their new overseas booking company. They would have toured Europe last year, were it not for a falling out with Germany-based Dial Booking, which had …

Thirty Years Ago Dear Jonathan Saville: I have read all your reviews since you began writing for the Reader, and I have hated them all. But the one in the January 26 issue on the …

Thirty Years AgoBallard Smith, executive vice president of the San Diego Padres, had a terrible day at city hall last week. Councilman Larry Stirling called him “Mr. Ballard,” Bill Mitchell forgot Smith’s name altogether, and …

I had these old roommates that used the word “dinty” to describe a good, hearty meal. I don’t know if it comes from Dinty Moore stew, which is not a good, hearty meal, but I …

College students often think they are ready for everything. I know I did, but I was sorely mistaken — I was in no way ready for what was about to befall me. After my second …

Cecil PrattAssistant manager, UltraStar Mission Valley 7 School Daze: Set on a historically black college campus, this film shows the struggles against racism within the black community. Although it presses on a heavy subject, your …

I’ve had the pleasure of having dinner several times with Fourplay’s keyboardist Bob James. One funny time, at Croce’s, Fourplay had a new release out [in 1994]. We were talking about the guest artists featured …

What About Soccer Dads? Please fire the person who approves your cover titles. In “Soccer Moms Are the Absolute Worst” (January 10), the article discusses parents who pressure and berate coaches, referees, and their children …

Tom PlonkaHockey player from Rhode Island I’m on the water a lot with my boat going to Catalina and Mexico, so I guess I like movies that take you out to the high seas. I …

Thirty Years Ago Soon I will join the bulk of you in the suburbs. I can hardly wait. In my mind is a vision of provincial bliss, complete with the aroma of back yard barbecues …