Author’s Note

         Your time, Dear Reader, is valuable. Most books are far too long. Poetry is the ultimate in condensed language, though I’m no poet--my need to spell things out explicitly runs deep. But these short essays are packed full; I’m confident they’ll reward your investment of time. Some may inflame your anger, some may evoke laughter or even tears, others will make you marvel--“What a wonderful world.” All, hopefully, will evoke thought and reflection. They can be read in any order.
         These essays originally appeared in the McKinleyville Press during a span of a little over two years; dates of original publication are noted at the end of each. They have been reworked for this book. Some people’s names have been changed.
         Reading book acknowledgements often frustrates me, because they’re either pages long or necessarily incomplete. I just want to thank everyone who helped me; you know who you are. I’m grateful to Jack Durham of the McKinleyville Press for his consistent encouragement and especially for the freedom to explore any topic--a rare luxury for writers today.
         I hope that these essays will touch you, and that each person who spends time in these pages will be enriched in some way. Thank you.

         Brian Julian
         Blue Lake, California
         January 2001
 

Foreword, by Jack Durham

         One of the first columns Brian Julian wrote for the McKinleyville Press in 1998 is called “Food for Thought,” in which he explores how we can regain our humanity through gardening. It’s a classic In the Clear column--insightful, entertaining, educational, and inspirational.
         Shortly after reading it, I planted my own garden. A few months later, I reaped the bounty and enjoyed the pleasure of eating a delicious and pesticide-free meal that I grew myself. I have Brian to thank for that. His article gave me the “spark” I needed to get out of my house and into my garden, which had been neglected for years.
         That wasn’t the only time I was inspired by one of Brian’s columns. In May 2000, he wrote about lucid dreaming, a discipline in which a person becomes consciously aware that they’re in the dream state, takes control of the situation, and uses that realization to explore the nether regions of their imagination. It had been years since I had thought about the subject or had had a lucid dream. But after reading Brian’s column, I found myself taking control of my dream state for several weeks afterward--an incredible feat given the enormous psychological obstacles put in place by the mind. I was flying over McKinleyville and skimming the tops of waves at Clam Beach. I have Brian to thank for those experiences.
         While some of these articles are inspirational, others are educational--such as his investigations into Mad Cow Disease, the World Trade Organization, the School of the Americas, or the problems of an ever-expanding global population. Brian explores these issues in a logical and straightforward manner, backing up his views with the facts. Whether or not you agree with him, you have to admit that he approaches such topics with a level head. He avoids partisan rhetoric and cliches. His arguments are clear and concise.
         Brian’s well-researched and carefully crafted columns bring public dialogue to a higher level. When readers disagree, they’re forced to respond on the same level, presenting counterarguments in an equally intelligent manner. That raises the level of debate, benefitting all readers and expanding our understanding of the issues involved.
         As a newspaper editor, I always look forward to Brian’s next contribution to the McKinleyville Press. I never know what subject he’s going to tackle, but I know it will be relevant, interesting, and well-written.
         Readers of this book are guaranteed to be challenged and entertained, and probably inspired as well by the “Food for Thought” offered here. Enjoy.

         Jack Durham
         McKinleyville, California
         February 2001
 

Introduction, by Treacy Colbert

         In the tradition of writers, thinkers, and social activists like Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie, and Eleanor Roosevelt, Brian Julian’s quietly forceful In the Clear will change the way you think. These intelligent, thought-provoking, and witty essays stand out lucidly and cogently amidst the clamor we call “news” or “commentary.” I know that I’ll never again buy a thing without asking myself, “Will this stimulate the Diderot Effect?” And the bumblebees droning lazily in the backyard are no longer the same creatures to me.
         It’s been two years since Brian’s essays from the McKinleyville Press began arriving in my e-mail box, one every few weeks or so, each one a gift that I looked forward to reading. I’m delighted to see the essays collected in this book, given the permanence they deserve. I’ve had the privilege of reading them in advance and sharing exchanges with Brian about his writing before the columns appeared. Many of his essays made me laugh out loud and some left me near tears. Whether it was a thoroughly researched piece on a weighty topic like the World Trade Organization or population trends, or something straight from the heart about marriage, death, streaking, or football, I was always charmed, and educated, and moved. I was irritated only once, briefly and because of my own sore spot, but we resolved that in a brisk flurry of e-mail about population, women, and education.
         During our 17-year friendship, Brian has met friends and members of my family, sometimes only once, briefly, and some of them years ago now. However, each time they come to visit they always ask me, “How’s Brian?” That’s because Brian Julian makes a distinct impression on everyone he meets. You can’t help but be captivated by his enthusiasm, his positive energy, and his knack for engaging you in an animated and freewheeling conversation that might career from developmental disabilities to rent control to Jerry Garcia, always cohesively, and with logic and humor. His essays will have the same energizing and stimulating effect, awakening passions you might not even know you had.

         Treacy Colbert
         Long Beach, California
         January 2001