Is anything weirder, more interesting, or as fraught with potential
than places where humans never go? In Ice People, Antarctic
geologists—tiny people in big landscapes—dig holes, sip
coffee, watch the clock, weather windstorms, pour urine into a urine
funnel, climb huge mountains you’ve never heard of, and try to
uncover the mysteries of Antarctica’s Dry Valleys. “You have to take
yourself out of your human world and put yourself in the geology
world,” says one scientist, quietly (everything is quiet). “And now I’m
just rocks and tills and glaciers.” (Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th
St, 523-3935. 7 and 9 pm, $8.)

Lindy West was born an unremarkable female baby in Seattle, Washington. The former Stranger writer covered movies, movie stars, exclamation points, lady stuff, large frightening fish, and much, much more....