Holy Bon Mots, Betsteroids! As the French like to say, The more things change, the more they stay the same. Heated city council elections. Zoning debates. The incredible Julie Cesarini running for office. Judge Hornaday back at the gavel. What is this, the 20th Century? Nah, just think of it as the great circle of being as the wheels of change clunk forward once again.

In the grander scale of the planet, what goes on here seems so minor, so inconsequential. Heck, out there in the big wide universe, stars are exploding and being born and black holes are sucking everything into existential confusion. You think you're having a bad day? Out there in the constellation Aquarius 3 billion light years from here, some star just burped gamma rays, and any day now, the whole shebang could go kaboom.

Only, hey, this is our back yard, our home, so what goes on here affects us. We should take pride in living in a place so cool and wonderful we give our hearts to this place. If you want to see how the universe affects us -- or at least this corner of it -- take a walk at sunset next Wednesday. Using protective eyewear, of course, you might notice the earth's shadow taking a little bit out of the sun. We're blessed to see a partial eclipse next week, so pause in the wonder.

While you're absorbing all that deep, heavy philosophy, dudes, why not check out some of these Best Bets?

BEST POWER OF OLD WOMEN BET: You know the drill. Whether they're elder Inupiaq, crusty Midwest farmers or New York African Americans, yo, sit up, pay attention, these women have been around the block and can teach you something. Today through Saturday at Pier One Theatre, actresses Shirley Mae Springer Staten and Vivian Kinnaird perform "Having Our Say -- The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years," Emily Mann's play about two women who watched the world change. See the Arts page for show times.

On Sunday at the Homer Council on the Arts, the actresses participate in "Every Family Has a Story: What's Yours?" from 2-4 p.m., one of the free Second Sunday Seminars.

BEST I PASSED THE GUY AT THE HARBOR BET: The fisherman who caught that big halibut gets most of the Homer Halibut Jackpot. The captain who took him out gets a cut. Even the person who sold the guy his derby ticket gets a prize. So how about those of us who think we ran into him at the harbor? Shouldn't we get a little something? Well, you might win a door prize if you go to the 19th annual Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby Awards Dinner from 6-8 pm. Friday at the Homer Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center. If nothing else, you can bask in all the glory.

BEST SNAKING THROUGH THE SLOUGH BET: We have one of nature's own little miracles right here in our back yard, an estuary, where rivers and lakes meet the sea. Check out "Beluga Slough: Homer's Little Estuary," from 3-5 p.m. today at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center, one of the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve's discovery labs scheduled for the season.