The Foothills Focus Cave Creek 01-18-2023

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Rodeo Days bringing All Bulls, All Night

Cave Creek Rodeo Days will celebrate tradition while introducing new events starting Saturday, March 18, at Cave Creek Memorial Arena. Guests can expect with family-friendly activities such as rodeo events, parades, music, and food and drink vendors.

A nonprofit, Cave Creek Rodeo Days do -

nates to a variety of local charities while bringing awareness to the western history rooted in Arizona.

“We give thousands of dollars to local charities, and that’s why we went from three days to four days — so we can make more money to give back to the community,” said Mike Poppenweimer, Cave Creek Rodeo Days Inc. board president.

These charities have included the 100 Club, the Cave Creek Museum, Desert Foot-

hills YMCA and Rodeo Royalty, which promotes leadership skills and provides educational scholarships for young women in the rodeo scene.

On Saturday, March 18, the organization will begin its week of activities with a parade honoring Arizona’s western heritage on Cave Creek Road. The organizers will hand out awards for float entries in sever-

see RODEO page 4

Questions remain about hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Gordon Brown used to be a licensed psychologist and U.S. Navy petty officer 1st class. But a severe blow to the head caused bleeding on the brain and led to surgery in 2002 that left him struggling to read and speak.

Brown said he’s now mostly recovered, and he credits hyperbaric oxygen therapy, known as HBOT, which most commonly is used in hospitals to treat burn victims and severe skin and bone infections. Patients are placed in pressurized chambers and breathe pure oxygen.

“I couldn’t have done this interview prior to see HYPERBARIC page 4

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

The Foothills Focus is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the North Valley. To find out where you can pick up a copy of The Foothills Focus, please visit www.thefoothillsfocus.com

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HYOPERBARIC from page 1

the dives (therapy sessions),” said Brown, now 68.

HBOT of Arizona uses the therapy to treat thousands of brain injury patients – roughly 2,000 this year – although the Food and Drug Administration has not approved hyperbaric oxygen for that purpose. However, “off-label prescribing” is allowed for all drugs or treatments the FDA has approved for any condition.

“The risks and benefits of HBOT when used for off-label have not been established,” an FDA spokesperson told Cronkite News. “At this time, the FDA has not approved, cleared or authorized the use of HBOT for cognitive improvement.”

The FDA has approved HBOT treatment only for certain conditions, and it notes on its website that “some claims of what it can do are unproven.” Further clinical trials are underway or completed for use of the therapy for traumatic brain injury, PTSD and long COVID, according to the FDA and clinicaltrials.gov.

But that doesn’t stop patients from trying off-label treatments.

The FDA says hyperbaric chambers vary in size, shape and material, but all are pressurized to an atmospheric pressure below sea level while patients breathe 100% medical-grade oxygen through a mask.

When they’re in the chamber, HBOT of Arizona patients can read books or watch TV through a window of the chamber, but

RODEO from page 1

al categories and will be followed by a mutton-busting event in the afternoon and a kickoff dance at the arena in the evening.

they can’t bring in electronic devices due to the pressure change, which can ruin electronics, the for-profit clinic says on its website.

According to HBOT of Arizona, the oxygen and pressure combined promote faster healing by increasing oxygen in tissue, which leads to the growth of new capillaries. The company has a certified hyperbaric technologist present for all sessions.

Brown said he suffered two grand mal seizures after the surgery in 2002 “and flatlined both times. I died twice.”

In addition to post-operative challenges in reading and speaking, Brown had anger issues, memory loss and trouble with balance after his injury.

The Navy veteran and scuba diver was

Rather than including typically recognized competitions like steer wrestling and barrel racing, this event will solely feature bull riding starting at 7:30 p.m. Food and drink vendors from 5 to 10 p.m.

familiar with HBOT because it’s used to treat divers with decompression sickness. He started the therapy in 2015 at HBOT of Arizona.

“As I went through the days,” he recalled, “I started noticing that a lot of memories started coming back, and they weren’t coming back in a linear fashion. They were just memories that were popping up and I didn’t know what they were.”

Toward the end of his 40 treatments, known as dives, over the course of two months, his friends started noticing his speech improving, he could read again and his memory started returning.

A typical regimen at HBOT of Arizona

see HYPERBARIC page 6

Sunday, with gates opening those days at 5 p.m. and noon, respectively.

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Wednesday, March 22, will spotlight another recent addition to the activities — the invitation-only Crazy Horse Memorial Fundraising Event at Mountain View Pub in Cave Creek. The Crazy Horse Memorial aims to “protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians,” according to the foundation. This year, the board added what it hopes will become tradition as well: All Bulls, All Night on Thursday, March 23, at the Memorial Arena.

“All night is exciting. The fact that it’s all action packed for the whole night, and the most exciting thing about most rodeos is the bull riding,” Poppenweimer said. “We anticipate booking anywhere from 35 to 45 bull riders.”

Friday, March 24, sees the first of three Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeos of the weekend at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 5 p.m. These rodeos will feature all eight traditional disciplines. The second and third rodeo events will follow Saturday and

“It’s a very festive atmosphere with vendor booths, and then, when it comes to the rodeo, there is going to be a lot of flair and flags, music, as well as a couple of rodeo clowns,” Poppen-

Cave Creek Rodeo Days

WHEN: Various times Saturday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 22, to Sunday, March 26

WHERE: Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N. 28th Street, Cave Creek

COST: Tickets start at $30 for Friday to Sunday for the rodeo; $45 for All Bulls, All Night INFO: cavecreekrodeo.com

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HYOPERBARIC from page 4

consists of 40, hour-long dives, said general manager Lori Klauber, but it may take more sessions to reach a plateau. Treatments may vary depending on the condition but averages $200 or more per session without insurance, she said.

“We take on-label and off-label (patients),” Klauber said, noting the company

uses HBOT to treat conditions hospitals typically don’t, including post-traumatic stress disorder, “TBI, (COVID-19) long-haulers, autism, cerebral palsy.”

When it comes to off-label uses of HBOT, the risks and benefits are not established. HBOT risks for all uses include ear and sinus pain, middle ear injuries, temporary vision change and lung collapse, according to an FDA spokesperson. Oxygen tank

fire is also a potential risk when using the chamber.

Regardless of FDA approval, Brown said, HBOT has worked for him and other brain trauma patients he has sponsored for the therapy.

Before the therapy, Brown spoke halting-

ly and was embarrassed to talk to people.

“I knew I had a brain at one time. It was very frustrating, but by the time I finished my 40th dive, I felt like I was about 85 to 90% back.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

Hiker finds remains

A hiker found human remains around 12:30 p.m. Jan. 7 near 13000 N. Joan De Arc Avenue.

The body was in late stages of decomposition, according to the Phoenix Police Department.

The identity of the individual is not known at this time and the circumstances surrounding the death are still being investigated by Phoenix Detectives as well as Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office.

Learn to snap better photos

Cave Creek Museum is hosting “Kids Cell Phonetography Workshop” with Anthony Nex from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18.

Participants can use equipment ranging from cellphones to DSLRs. Today, more than 85% of all photographs are taken with a smartphone. Come learn what smartphones can really do.

From 2 to 4 p.m. the same day, Nex will teach “Cell Phonetography” for photographers of all experience levels who want to participate in a creative learning experience while shooting photos of Cave Creek Museum. Participants can use equipment ranging from cellphones to DSLRs.

Nex is a Los Angeles-based commercial photographer, specializing in liquids, cosmetics and children. He has won numerous awards for his work, including being named one of the top 200 photographers in the world in 2022 by Archive Magazine.

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Super Bowl is a food fest day for all

Football. Once again it is that time of year when we Americans obsess over who will make it to the Super Bowl. The fate of our beloved Cardinals has been decided as they got crushed by San Francisco. Maybe our consolation prize is that Arizona is hosting the Big Game.

And that Super Day is not just a sports event. It is a cultural phenom-

enon that sweeps the country, starting out in our kitchens!

We will have consumed about 100 billion chicken wings just watching the playoffs. But on Super Bowl Sunday we Americans will eat over 125 billion wings! That would be enough chicken wings to fill up 1,083,333 football fields! Oh yea, but we won’t stop there. Domino’s Pizza claims it will deliver 12 million slices of pizza on that one afternoon! And to wash it all down? How about 325 million gallons of beer?

Football is not a game. It is a sensation! We will not be derailed by current events or nightly news. Politics? Don’t really care! Inflation? Oh well! We have more important things to think about! There is rushing, passing, unnecessary roughness, tackling, kicking, interceptions and touchdowns to consider.

We don’t even need to have a home team in the finals to still pick a favorite. The Super Bowl is a spectacle, a show, a never-ending food fest. It is the second-largest American food

consumption day of the year, right behind Thanksgiving. We will eat all manner of unhealthy, fattening, tasty things that we rarely bother with the rest of the year. Which is a very good thing, because we’d all blow up like blimps if we kept it up.

Fortunately, the Super Bowl only comes once a year.

I might get some yummy Velveeta and make one of those delicious cheese dips. My daughter says Velveeta is made by the devil and is nothing more than yellow chemicals. My girlfriend says the thought of Velveeta makes her ill and it should be banned as a food product because it is not even cheese! My doctor says that it could clog our arteries faster than you can scream, “Touchdown!”

I call, “Foul!” Dice up the yellow log of God knows what, add a little salsa and microwave for a minute. Heaven waits. Why worry when there are games to watch!

Derived from English rugby, American football was started in 1879 with rules instituted by Walter Camp, a player and coach at Yale University. Actually, football has its roots in soccer, which was played 200 years B.C. when Chinese players kicked pig bladders or skulls (hope not human)

see BLUHM

Good service evaporating on the business Landscape WARNING!

Can we talk for a moment about service in America circa 2023?

This seems necessary because one of two things is afoot in this land of ours.

Either we are seeing the result of businesses being distracted from the real reason they operate – to serve their customers or clients. Or there’s a less pleasant possibility Americans are getting dumber with each passing year.

Whatever the explanation, I think we all can agree that the old days – when the customer was always right and spending money at a business meant they strived to fulfill your needs – is deader than a doornail, though we’ve yet to bury the corpse.

I say this having recently returned home from Starbucks with what was allegedly a black coffee. In theory, this should be the easiest beverage to manufacture in this $26 billion global brand’s arsenal.

Drinking said beverage revealed it to be the approximate sweetness of a cinnamon roll, My pancreas spasmed like Kari Lake on Election Day. Reading the cup revealed I had received something called a caramel brulee latte, a drink I can neither pronounce nor stomach. Typically, I wouldn’t complain about such trivia. But it seems nowadays that everywhere I go – that any of us goes –we end up with the wrong order.

Last week, I got not a few wrong groceries delivered, but every single item wrong. I feel bad for the poor lady who ordered tampons, skim milk, salad fixings and Purina cat food, but ended up with my ground beef, spinach and popsicles.

One place I favor that rarely screws up is In-n-Out. Maybe they do a superior job training their people, but more likely their very limited menu makes screwing up difficult.

They serve burgers, fries, and drinks.

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

There’s no Sponge Bob kiddie meals, no tuna sliders on special this month. And they don’t seem anxious to shove their politics down your throat.

At Starbucks, the menu is in constant flux. So are the pronouns on employees’ name tags and the associated politics of the workplace.

In the last quarter of 2022, the company announced a new loyalty partnership with Delta Airlines, the opening of their 6,000th location – in China – and an international “leadership excellence” retreat to help managers “lead their stores and store partner (employees) through the company’s reinvention.”

“We must all think of ourselves as brand new – for the next few days we’ve got to get into a growth mindset,” North American Vice President Sarah Trilling told her colleagues. “What worked yesterday may not work today. We have to think differently.”

Actually, what Starbucks has to do is make coffee. That’s why people go to Starbucks – for the coffee. Not for the growth mindset.

Or for what company founder Howard Schultz described in a letter to employees late last year as his “business philosophy” based on “the compounding momentum” of love.

I’m not sure what that means. And it

Mesa AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious

cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition

Aspen Medical in Mesa AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

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The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling

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The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope!

Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until January 31st 2023 Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment

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As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

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BLUHM from page 10

back and forth. In fact, entire villages got involved and one game lasted three days with 900 players! Now that would have been fun to watch! From pig bladders to pig skins, we have come a long way. (Not to mention eating like piggies).

LEIBOWITZ from page 11

may be a felony in Arizona.

The other possibility for this poor service is human error. Last week, the White House announced that a record number of Americans – nearly 160 million – are now employed.

Part of that is population growth. It also may be that people are so poor these days, they can’t afford to retire or skip work to attend college. Given how

Dear readers, I hope your favorite team makes it through the playoffs. If not, we can drown out our blues with 325 million gallons of beer. One glass at a time. Game on!

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Have a story of a comment? Email Bluhm at judy@judybluhm. com.

often we hear about businesses struggling to find workers, one thing seems certain: We appear to have scraped the bottom of the talent barrel.

The basic qualification for work today isn’t the willingness to exude perspiration. It’s the ability to exhibit respiration.

Employees who show up get to work. Customers who show up? Don’t expect much and maybe you won’t be disappointed.

How to get a letter published

E-mail: christina@timeslocalmedia.com

The Foothills Focus welcomes letters that express readers’ opinion on current topics. Letters must include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number. The Foothills Focus will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. The Foothills Focus will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not the Foothills Focus, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.

When a hand out is a hand up

to become.”

Where do you want to go today?

Microsoft uses that slogan to convince you that you can head in any direction you please with their software. But Earl Nightingale, one of the great motivational speakers, said it better. “Imagine that you are the captain of a great ocean-going vessel,” he suggests. “Before even leaving the harbor, you lay out plans for your voyage. Using maps, choose a destination, then employ your navigational skills to arrive safely”.

“Without a chosen destination and a map to help you arrive,” he continues, “you are akin to a ship without a rudder. If you leave the harbor, you’ll probably be a derelict on some deserted beach.” In other words, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re bound to get there.

Epictetus wrote these wise questions we must ask ourselves long ago. “Who exactly do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be? What are your ideals? Whom do you admire? What are their special traits that you would make your own? It’s time to stop being vague. If you wish to be extraordinary and wise, then you should explicitly identify the kind of person you aspire

Let’s improve our life journey today with some wisdom. On your journey to where you would like to go, you will be offered many ‘hand-outs’ from people who want to take you to where they want to go. They have a plan for your life. My caution for today is to choose wisely the hands you hold. There are helping hands and harmful hands, at least for where you desire to go. Be wary of hands with ‘hand-outs’ wanting to pull you away from where you want to go.

Here are some life-changing thoughts about hands I found on the internet.

“A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands was worth about $33 million. It depends on whose hands it’s in. A football in my hands is worth about $16. A football in Tom Brady’s hands is worth $29 million. It depends on whose hands it’s in. A tennis racket is useless in my hands. A tennis racket in Serena William’s hands is a Wimbledon Championship. It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A rod in my hands will keep away wild animals. A rod in Moses’ hands will part a mighty sea. It depends on whose hands it’s in. A slingshot in my hands is a kid’s toy. A slingshot in David’s hand is a mighty weapon. It depends on whose hands it’s in. Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hands are a couple of fish

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sandwiches. Two fish and five loaves of bread in the hands of Jesus will feed thousands. It depends on whose hands it’s in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse. Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands have salvation for the entire world. It depends on whose hands it’s in.” Get the message?

These days many people and things are holding their hands out to us. We often give them our hand because we are impatient or feel impotent about what is happening in today’s world. So many are in a crisis or so lost that they will grab onto any hand. But, in the long term, a human-based ‘hand-out’ creating co-dependence is not generally a ‘hand-up’, no matter the reason.

After 49 years of walking with the Lord, I have seen the results of making decisions and acting without God’s guidance. I’ve also seen the results when I have allowed God’s word to guide me. Acting without holding God’s hand means I’m not holding any hand at all. It could also mean that I’m holding someone or something else’s hand, leading me away from where I want to go. Either way, the results are the same, generally not good, and certainly not God’s best for me. I’ve also learned that when I don’t get God’s best, it negatively affects my family, friends, and legacy.

Psalm 16 reflects David’s conflict and the resolution about whose hands to hold. “Keep me safe, O God. I’ve run for dear life to you. My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I’m your choice. The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, radiant from the shining of your face. I’ve been on the right path since you took my hand.”

Like David, when you put your concerns, worries, fears, hopes, dreams, family, and relationships in God’s hands, you’re on the right path. Amid our confusion, a ‘hand out’ to God is a hand up to guidance and elevation.

Here’s my advice. It’s from an old song back when I was growing up. “Put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the water. Put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea. Take a look at yourself, and you will look at others differently. So, put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee.”

Remember, the life you desire depends on whose hand you are holding. Hmm, I think I heard that old song, “I want to hold your hand!”

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

Steven Page is embracing the BNL catalog

Since the start of the pandemic, Page has performed more than 90 “Live from Home” livestream shows with different sets each time.

“I owe it to them to play surprising stuff every time,” said Page via Zoom.

“So, I’ve done every song I’ve ever written — and maybe songs I was embarrassed by — at least once now over the course of this. When you look back on diary entries you made when you were a teenager, you can’t help but be a little bit embarrassed about that. My songs are essentially that.

“In the livestreams, I’ve been playing Barenaked Ladies songs I didn’t write or sing, like ‘Pinch Me.’ It’s been fun. It’s not the kind of thing I would do every day at the in-person shows, but it allowed me to have a new relationship with all of the Barenaked Ladies material as well as my solo stuff. I’m feeling a lot less precious about it.”

BNL singer Ed Robertson lends his vocals to “Pinch Me.”

Page will perform BNL and solo songs during a gig at the Musical Instrument Museum on Sunday, Jan. 22. He’ll be joined by Craig Northey from The Odds on guitar and Kevin Fox on cello.

“We’ve been doing it in this format for, I’d say, almost seven years now,” Page said. “And we play everything from the first Barenaked Ladies album all the way to the most recent record — and we have so much fun doing it. I think the audience gets that as well. We just really enjoy being around each other, traveling with each other and playing with each other.”

Page said he constantly reminds himself how lucky he is to still be playing music as post-pandemic competition is fierce.

“It’s hard out there,” Page said. “Everybody in the world is out on the road right now. So, you’re competing with your peers everywhere you go, which is

a strange feeling.”

Sometimes, it just comes down to compromise.

“Recently, we did a show in a venue directly next door to a venue (in St. Louis) where Guster was playing,” Page said.

“We have fans in common and that seemed very unfair. So, we decided we would trade encores. So, we ran across the alley, and they played for our audience and we played a song for their audience. Trying to coordinate the timing was a little awkward, but we just texted as we shuffled through the shows.”

Page is touring in support of his latest album, “Excelsior,” his first solo record since 2018. The collection’s 11 tracks were composed and produced entirely by Page, who co-founded Barenaked Ladies before departing on a solo career in 2009.

The lion’s share of “Excelsior” was “workshopped” on the “Live from Home” virtual concert series Page has

been conducting via Zoom since 2020 from his home near Syracuse, New York.

“I kept thinking I could make this thing happen by traveling up to Canada and recording it, which I couldn’t do,” he said about the pandemic.

“So, I ended up just doing almost all that myself, apart from some of the drums and the strings that Kevin Fox played. I’ve never really done a record like that where it’s all me. It feels very exposed and it’s the first album I’ve done where they’re all sole compositions, meaning I haven’t co-written with anybody else. I was proud of it at the very end of it, but I was very nervous about it the whole time making it.”

Page’s songs are personal and thus sometimes difficult to write and perform.

“I’ve been put in a position — partially by me — where I had to be honest about things like my mental health

struggles,” he said. “I’ve been doing public speaking about it and writing songs about it for years. But when I was younger, I was writing songs about it, and I think being slightly coy about the whole thing.

“But then I could no longer afford to be coy about it. I realized I was getting such feedback from people about how helpful or liberating or comforting it was for them (fans) to hear somebody else sharing similar experiences and similar struggles. And after doing that, I got less afraid of being honest about the emotional journey.”

His music and lyrics have impacted fans since the early days. Case in point: the BNL song “Brian Wilson,” which Page calls “one of the earliest songs I ever wrote when I was about 19.”

“I wasn’t diagnosed with anything then,” he said about his mental health state. “It’s a real gift to the middle-aged

Steven to kind of see what young Steven was willing to explore. At the end of the day, that was a song about the power of music.”

Songs like “Brian Wilson” are comforting and make listeners feel like they’re not so alone, he said.

“With mental health struggles, you feel like you’re the only person who feels that way,” he said.

“Even if you rationally know you’re not in that moment, there’s a feeling of loneliness and isolation and music can create companionship that doesn’t pander.”

Recently, Page opened for The Who on the East Coast leg of the classic rock band’s jaunt. Most of the set featured familiar Barenaked Ladies songs, but fans will hear more from “Excelsior” at the MIM.

“We had about 40 minutes in front of 20,000 people,” he recalls. “I don’t need to go out there and play them my new stuff. I think I needed to go out there and remind them who I am in case they didn’t recognize it. Now, we can settle into playing the hits plus digging into

the back catalog and learning some of the new stuff and just feeling like it’s a little bit more freeform.”

Like The Troubadour or the Village

Theater at Cherry Hill in Canton, Michigan, Page is focused on playing venues that are serious about music. They tend to work best, he said.

“I mean, we can play anywhere,” he is quick to add.

“I’m happy to play anywhere people want to come to see us. I’m not finicky about that anymore. If it happens to be a black box or a rock ‘n’ roll bar, that’s fine. I do want the audience to be comfortable. Honestly, my audience is not as young as we once were.

“The romance of standing in the back all night wears off pretty quickly. I spent 30 years of my life in those rooms. I’m comfortable in them but I’m not that nostalgic about it. I want everybody to feel like they have a comfortable place to enjoy the show. If the venue is a little bit stuffy, we always say people will remember, from seeing me 30 years ago, that that spirit of blowing up the stuffiness will always be there.”

WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22

WHERE: Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix

COST: Tickets start at $38.50

INFO: 480-478-6000, mim.org

$225 27¢

Concerts are Michael Kaeshammer’s purpose

Canadian pianist and vocalist Michael Kaeshammer can’t say enough good things about the Musical Instrument Museum.

“I love that venue,” said the German-born Kaeshammer. “It’s not just the museum or the theater. It’s the whole group there. Lowell (Pickett, artistic director) is great. We’re looking forward to coming. Plus, we’re from Canada, so Arizona in January is always good.”

Kaeshammer is referring to his Friday, Jan. 20, at the Musical Instrument Museum. In December, he had just wrapped a four-week tour through Canada. He’ll play the MIM and then head to Europe in March in support of a new record dubbed “Turn It Up.”

His signature style weaves classical, jazz, blues, boogie-woogie, stride and pop. The MIM show will be a retrospective of his career.

“It’s very upbeat, very fun music,” he said. “I love when people say they don’t like jazz. Everybody has their own taste. There’s a lot of jazz I don’t like, either. But people will have a good experience at our show. I love being on stage and connecting with the audience.”

For “Turn It Up” he worked with pop producer Ron Lopata to put a new spin on his music.

“He’s not jazz-related,” he said.

“I wrote songs over the last two to three years during the pandemic. He put his stamp on it by making it a little more radio friendly or commercial friendly. It’s nine original tunes and a cover of ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love.’”

Born and bred in Germany, Kae -

shammer began performing club, theater and festival stages throughout Europe in his early teens and continued when he moved to Canada with his family in the mid-1990s. His first studio album, “Blue Keys,” dropped in 1996 and acclaim has continued. He’s opened for the likes

of Ray Charles and Anne Murray; backed Marva Wright, the late blues queen of New Orleans; and wrote songs with rockers Randy Bachman and Colin James.

“I’ve never done anything else,” Kaeshammer said about music.

“Music was always a big part, so pursuing it as a career came naturally. After school, here in Canada, I watched people play in bars for $100 a night. I knew that even if you’re not famous it’s possible to make a career out of it. This is what I want to do. It’s all I’ve done since I was 5. It just seems natural.”

It’s also taught him a lot about himself. His career has kept him happy in life.

“It’s making me happy and I’m making positive music because I am happy,” he said. “I’ve learned to be honest with myself and to be in the moment. When you’re younger, you’re trying to prove yourself or fit into a scene or genre. One day, you figure out that letting go is what it’s all about.

“You’re just using the music as a vehicle to express yourself or be in the moment.”

Michael Kaeshammer

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 WHERE: Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix COST: Tickets start at $38.50 INFO: 480-478-6000, mim.org

CAVE CREEK

The Foothills Focus publishes on Wednesday. The weekly calendar — a listing of entertainment events such as concerts, theatrical performances, events for schools, churches, county parks and nonprofit groups — runs every issue.

Events must be open to the public to be considered and generally must be held within the Foothills Focus coverage area. Events such as concerts and theatrical performances that fall outside the Foothills Focus circulation area will be considered because there are no concert halls or theater venues within our boundaries.

Weekly calendar items print on a space-available basis. The only way to guarantee that an item will print is to purchase an advertisement.

Submissions must reach our office by 4 p.m. Wednesday to be considered for the following Wednesday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, christina@ timespublications.com.

Live Music at Janey’s Coffeehouse

NIGHTLY

Listen to live music every night at Janey’s Coffeehouse, performed by a variety of talented local artists. The venue has over a dozen performers each month, and new talent is encouraged to sign up and play. This week, check out Jeremy Graham, Coyote Joe, Audio Farm, Steve Howes, Jay Allan and Big T Tim Brady.

Janey’s Coffeehouse, 6602 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., free admission, cavecreekazmusic.com

Free Couples Dance Lessons

JAN. 19

Learn how to line dance to country music with significant others, friends or alone. Anyone from beginners to seasoned dancers are encouraged to swing by and learn the ropes.

Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse, 6823 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 7 to 10 p.m., free, buffalochipsaloon.com

Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival

JAN. 20 TO JAN. 22

Enjoy fine wine and high-class art in one place in the heart of Carefree. With over 150 juried artisans coming from all over the United States, the festival prides itself on variety and quality. Visitors are encouraged to check out the paintings, watercolor works, life-sized sculptures, hand-blown glass, jewelry and photography.

Carefree Town Center, 101 Easy Street, Carefree, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $5 cash admission, thunderbirdartists.com

Cornhole Tournament for Triple R Horse Rescue

JAN. 21

Grab your partner and throw bags to support the Triple R Horse Rescue. The tournament comes in two tiers, a casual social tournament, and a bigger advanced bracket for the pros.

Harold’s Cave Creek Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 1 to 6 p.m., $50 entry fee, 480-488-1906, haroldscorral.com

The Boulders at The Boulders Aren’t Really Boulders

JAN. 21

Learn more about the geology of the Desert Foothills, and why the Black Mountain is black. Figure out

what strange minerals are lurking underground, as well as why saguaro mostly grow on the west slope. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek, 2 to 3:30 p.m., $10 for nonmembers, free for members, 480488-2764 cavecreekmuseum.org

Cave Creek Park with Joe Ford

JAN. 21

Come go on a relaxing walk through Cave Creek Park and take a look at the famous birds of history and animation. Meet up on the back patio and enjoy the cool January air. See email below for more information.

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N. Lava Lane, Cave Creek, 8 to 11 a.m., free, local. aarp.org, lford25@cox.net

Cave Creek Indian Market

JAN. 22 TO JAN. 24

Enjoy an open-air market celebrating the Native American arts. Either come by to pick up interesting art or souvenirs, or just take a look around, listen to the music, and learn more about the native history of Cave Creek.

Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, onlineartfestival.com/

Brown Bag Business Series

JAN. 25

Bring a brown bag lunch to the library and participate in workshops designed to help hone business

sense and figure out the future of their career. Learn more from experienced business strategists and developers on how to plan.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. School House Road, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., free, dfla.org

American Legion Rummage Sale

JAN. 27 TO JAN. 28

Support American veterans with Post 34’s American Legion Rummage Sale. The community has donated tons of great items to sell like furniture, electronics, household items and collectibles.

American Legion Post 34, 6272 E. Cave

Creek Road, Cave Creek, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., free, 480-772-6778, azpost34.com

Antique Appreciation Day

JAN. 28

Bring the old antiques from the attic down to the Cave Creek Museum for appraisal, and expert Sean Morton will tell guests if the item is of significant value, as well as what the item was used for years ago. Limit two items per guest.

Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $20 per item appraised, 480-488-2764 cavecreekmuseum.org

Girl Scouts unveil cookie season dates

Each year, Girl Scouts in Arizona participate in the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world: The Girl Scout Cookie Program. This year, the Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council season is longer — seven weeks — from Monday, Jan. 16, to Sunday, March 5.

“As in year’s past, all the Girl Scout Cookies’ proceeds stay local to help girls fund impactful projects to benefit the community; embark on amazing girl-led troop adventures; provide programs in STEM, the outdoors, life skills and entrepreneurship; maintain and improve four camp properties; and provide financial assistance that keeps Girl Scouting available and affordable for all girls,” said Mary Mitchell, co-CEO of Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council.

More than 7,000 girls grades K-12 in over 90 communities across Central and Northern Arizona will take part in the 2023 Girl

Scout Cookie Season.

“We extended our cookie season by one week to support girls interested in selling our new, limited-edition raspberry rally cookie, as Feb. 27 is the earliest date the flavor will be available for shipping from our baker. Now our community has more time to support girls and stock up on their favorite cookie flavors,” said Christina Spicer, the council’s co-CEO.

To add to the anticipation of the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie Season, Girl Scouts is excited to welcome Planet Oat as a national sponsor of the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Planet Oat Oatmilk is free from dairy, gluten, soy and peanuts, and pairs with the entire cookie lineup. Girl Scouts champion millions of girls as they learn, grow, and thrive through adventure, and Planet Oat is proud to support these efforts as a national sponsor of the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

In addition to the extended sale dates and the national partnership, here is a snapshot of everything as it relates to the 2023 cookie season across Central and Northern Arizona, including the new digital-only cookie, the return of the Bring Home the Cookies 5K, the Devin Booker Girl Scout Bus and Cookie CEO Fast Pitch.

Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council cookie lineup

Visit girlscoutsaz.org/cookiefinder and use the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a cookie booth near you. Enter a ZIP code and choose from a list of locations nearby.

• Adventurefuls: Brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt. $5

• Lemon-ups: Crispy lemon cookies baked with inspiring messages. $5

• Thin mints: Mint flavored with a delicious chocolaty coating. Vegan. $5

• Tagalongs: Layers of peanut butter with a rich, chocolaty coating. $5

• Samoas: Caramel and toasted coconut-covered cookies. $5

• Trefoils: Iconic and delicious shortbread cookies. $5

• Do-si-dos: Crisp and crunchy oatmeal outside and creamy peanut butter inside. $5

• Girl Scout s’mores: Crunchy graham sandwich cookies with creamy chocolate and marshmallowy filling. $6

• Toffee-tastics: Buttery (and gluten-free) cookies with sweet, crunchy golden toffee bits. $6

• New raspberry rally: Thin, crispy cookie infused with raspberry flavor and dipped in a delicious chocolaty coating. $5 (will be available through digital sales only, and only from Feb. 27 to Mar. 5, while supplies last)

Digital cookie

Through the Digital Cookie platform, which Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council has utilized since 2016 in addition to traditional booths, girls build a custom website so they can invite friends and family to purchase cookies, with the option of having cookies delivered in-person or shipped directly to their home. Girls can also use the Digital Cookie Mobile App

to accept credit card payments on the go from customers. Digital Cookie also introduces lessons about online marketing, application use, and eCommerce to Girl Scouts, through building their own cookie website and managing their virtual sales.

New financial literacy badges

Girl Scouts’ newly updated financial literacy badges offer entrepreneurial playbooks for every age level. From the Cookie Goal Setter badge earned as a Daisy to the Entrepreneur Accelerator for girls in high school, the Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches girls financial literacy, planning, budgeting, teamwork, innovative thinking, and confident decision-making.

Local Cookie CEO Fast Pitch and NEW Kick-Off Block Party: Tuesday, Jan. 21

Valley CEOs are preparing Girl Scout entrepreneurs for a successful cookie season at the Cookie CEO Fast Pitch on Jan. 21. During this event, local CEOs/executives will guide Girl Scout Juniors, Seniors and Ambassadors and help sharpen their communication skills, sales pitches, and give them sound business advice and tips to

unleash their inner CEO.

For the first time, after the Cookie CEO Fast Pitch, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council join State Forty Eight for a block party at its Chandler location at 3245 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler. The free, public event is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and features Girl Scout cookie booths as well as State Forty Eight products and deals, local entrepreneurs, food trucks and a DJ.

Local Girl Scout Cookie Night, Devin Booker Bus and Patch Reveal with the Phoenix Suns: Wednesday, Jan. 22

On Jan. 22, hundreds of Girl Scouts will descend upon Footprint Center to collectively cheer on the Phoenix Suns in their showdown against the Memphis Grizzlies. Beyond that, as the game comes to a close, dozens of Girl Scouts will take over the plaza outside Footprint Center to sell cookies as well as showcase their new Girl Scout Devin Booker Bus on the plaza. This year, the local Girl Scouts have created a custom patch to commemorate the partnership, which will also be unveiled during the

event as well.

“The mini-bus, made possible by a Devin Booker Starting Five grant, is used to transport girls to and from educational and character-building activities and experiences. Due to vandalism and theft of its prior vehicle, GSACPC had no way to transport girls to programs and events. The lack of transportation often meant that girls would not have an opportunity to participate in activities,” Mitchell said.

Local Mountainside Fitness National Cookie Weekend: Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19

For the first time, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council is teaming up with Mountainside Fitness. In addition to Girl Scouts boothing at several participating locations, after customers purchase cookies, they may take them inside to Mountainside’s MCafe and use them to make a shake.

Local: Bring Home the Cookies 5K Run/ Walk: Saturday, Feb. 25

Join Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council and State Forty Eight Foundation,

Soards Trucking LLC

for the second Bring Home the Cookies 5K Run/Walk on Feb. 25 at Westgate in Glendale. The family-friendly event, open to Girl Scout families, competitive runners, walkers, and the community at large, will start and finish at Westgate and feature music, food, and cookie booths. All registered participants will receive a Girl Scout goodie bag with a State Forty Eight branded 5K shirt, a package of Girl Scout Cookies and a medal.

To register for the 5K, visit girlscoutsaz. org/5k and for more information on the local Girl Scout Cookie Season, visit girlscoutsaz.org.

“Bring Home the Cookies 5K is a community celebration of all our incredible girls and their dedication, innovation, and creativity. Girl Scouts are learning first-hand entrepreneurship and financial skills they will carry with them their entire life. We are honored to partner with State Forty Eight and State Forty Eight Foundation to cele-

brate Arizona’s entrepreneurs before the final week of cookie season,” Spicer said. In addition to the race, the event will feature special appearances from local mascots. There will be a full-scale Runner’s Village, including more traditional vendors and cookie booths as well as local Girl Scout entrepreneurs, who will be exhibiting and selling their crafts and goods.

Is It Time For a Reality Check?

Finding the right job sometimes means asking yourself candid questions

You may need to look deeper into your own strengths and weaknesses to make the best choice.

The most successful career moves often involve experience, hard work, tenacity and sometimes a little luck. But if your search has ground to a halt, it might be time to consider one other thing: whether you are looking in the right place.

Sometimes, we don’t get the job because we’re not prepared. Other times, the job just isn’t a great fit. Avoiding these pitfalls often starts with honesty.

ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS

Hiring managers are inevitably going to ask a tough question or two. So ask them of yourself, in advance. They almost always inquire about a candidate’s perceived weaknesses. Make your own evaluation to determine if the answer is serious enough to warrant a shift in your job search. If you have an obvious issue with your resume, like a gap in your employment history, spend some time addressing that before the interview. Come up with a polished answer detail-

ing why you left a job and remained out of the workforce. Along the way, you might learn something more about the path forward, too.

ACTION PLANS

If you’re a naturally shy person, address that weakness by taking concrete steps like increased volunteering or even auditing a speech class at a local university. But understand how these tendencies should guide your career, as well. Creativity or improvisation, for instance, may be a weakness in one role, and a huge strength in another. As you learn more about yourself, concentrate on employment positions that leverage your unique personality traits.

SEEK FEEDBACK

Find trustworthy people in order to discuss your career goals. It can be very difficult to see yourself as others do, but doing so can help polish your image and presentation to potential employers. It might also

change your search parameters. Friends, family and dependable coworkers can give you the honest answers you need about where you’re headed. The conversations might not always be easy, but you’re more likely to get any needed reality check from someone who truly understands your personality, work product and history. They can also serve as moderators and interviewers for practice interviews. Ask for frank answers about how you speak, your body language and your attitude. That can also sharpen your skills for the next application process.

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