A Couple of Things…

1. I’m happy to report I survived my birthday again this year. From swimming in the ocean and hanging at the beach with some fabulous women, lunch and dinner with friends and family, music and the band (Crooked Eye Tommy) singing to me, I’m feeling blessed. I’m overwhelmed by all the Facebook posts, cards, emails, phone calls, and texts, including one husband/wife team sending me a recording of them singing Happy Birthday just before midnight (they wanted to be the last people to wish me a Happy Birthday).  I truly felt the love.  Thank you!!

Thanks for the photo Maggie!  I’m going to work on overcoming my shyness 😉


2. Meanwhile in Portland…
My daughter hosted a High Tea with her roommates on the rooftop of their building.  How freakin’ cute is that?
BTW, look closely at the writing on one of those tea pots (hehehe).


3. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the balance of friendships.  There are all types of personalities, some you gravitate towards and others that repel you; then, there are those that confuse you, and I find that it’s those that confuse you, are the ones that mess you up the most.  Trust your instincts.  After talking with someone you should feel better, maybe even stronger, but definitely not weaker.
Surround yourself with people who share your ideals, and don’t suck the energy out of you. If I do this to you, then you should RUN!!!


4. I worked at Claude Hall’s International Radio Report Magazine in the late 70’s as Circulation Manager.  This is where I had the epiphany that my radio heroes (from KMET) were just regular folks and as a result I decided to chase my childhood dream of being on the radio playing great music.  I returned to college, got a degree and worked fifteen years on air, and just recently returned to producing a weekly show here in Ventura on KPPQ-LP.
Claude Hall passed away this past month.  He had fallen down an escalator and never fully recovered.  I will always have fond memories of working in the offices on Sunset Blvd with Linda Stein, Victor Bornia, Jeff Salgo and the crew, and especially working with Claude and his wife Barbara and their kids. He never ever lost his love for radio and continued to write a blog: http://www.voxjox.org/

R.I.P. Claude.

Bugs5. Growing up, Saturday mornings were the best.  My parents slept in while I had several bowls of cereal (Cocoa Krispies, Froot Loops, Cap’n Crunch) then watching at least 2-3 hours of cartoons.  Among my favorites:  Bugs Bunny (#1), Pink Panther, The Flintstones, Popeye, Gumby & Pokey,  Casper, well, actually all Looney Tune cartoons.
Sydney’s cartoons never compared in the 90s but I did come to enjoy The Rugrats, Wild Thornberrys and loved Powerpuff Girls (so empowering).   But I could never give a thumbs up to  Hey Arnold or Sponge Bob, too inane.

WW Shooting Bow6. Up until about seven years, I never ever took physical fitness seriously.  In fact, I use to “pretend” to exercise during gym class in high school. I don’t think I ever broke a sweat until I started jogging around 2015.  So when it came to taking a P.E. class in college in the 80s, my choices were limited.  I had to take one to get a degree, but of course I knew I couldn’t fake it in college, so I decided to take archery.  I actually enjoyed it and became sort of skilled at it, but I’m pretty sure my heart rate never got over 100. This was basically me being “lazy” and of a sloth-like demeanor…that is until Hunger Games came out and then Wonder Woman.  Now I say, “Yeah, I’m badass; I can shoot a bow and arrow, I took archery in college!”

It’s all about how you position it.

7. Last year during the drought when conditions were extremely dire, I was in Lowe’s checking out bathtubs when a salesman encouraged me to look at getting a jacuzzi tub.  The water capacity was much higher than a normal tub and I told him water rates would make it too expensive to which he replied, “Boil water and dump it in.”
I just cocked my head to the side and looked at him waiting for him to figure out what was wrong in his strategy, but he never figured it out.


8. I read a story online about body language tricks and one of them was “Mirror the person you’re speaking to. It shows admiration and agreement.”

Wouldn’t that be a great Saturday Night Live skit, where both people are attempting to do the same thing?

9. From my favorite quotes file, “Live your life and forget your age.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Of course, only people over 50 ever say that 😉

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

1.  In honor of Independence Day, I’m posting this photo of Sydney Rose’s women who loved her to no end.  Left to right: Great Grandma Taylor (may she rest in peace), Grandma Baumgardner, Mom, and Grandma Susan (who yes, is younger than me, and a story for another day).
This photo was taken just after the Pushem Pullem Parade downtown Ventura, July 4, 1995. Sydney was just one year old.


2. Has Drano ever once cleared a clogged drain in the history of mankind?
I dare to say NAY!  At least not in my household.


3. I’d be okay if I never heard the word “pithy” again.


www.eatwisconsincheese.com4. From my “I knew it!” files:  Cheese contains a substance called casomorphins which may play a role in why people just love their cheese. You see, casomorphins are known for having an opioid effect—meaning you get so addicted you go into withdrawal without it!  (source:  Story)


5. I’d like to believe Cheese Puffs actually have cheese in them and the above story would explain my love for the Puff, but I fear I’d be stretching it.


6. While in line at the grocery store the guy in front of me and the checker were talking about how old their photos were on their drivers license.  One quipped they only wished they weighed what they did back then.  I quickly looked at mine and I am pleased to say I’m actually 14 pounds less than what my drivers license was in the 90s.  So I grabbed a bag of Cheetos to celebrate.


7. By the way, I’m pretty sure the guy in front of me was the actor from Erin Brokovich, the one who was the whistle blower in the bar scene. I’m serious!


8. And yet another side note, several scenes in the movie Erin Brokovich were filmed here in Ventura including the diner scene where she ate the crackers while feeding her kids.  That was filmed at the Main Street Restaurant and Steakhouse at 3159 E. Main Street down the street from the Mall.


9. And yet another side note, to my side note: the waitress in that scene is played by the real life Erin Brokovich.


10. I can not say it enough, Ventura Rocks!  I took this photo last weekend at the harbor.


11.  Someone bothered to do the math and it turns out, the sum of all the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666.  Coincidence?


12.  Best come on line I heard recently, “Weren’t you one of the girls in Charlie Angels?”  I had to laugh. He made my day though!


13. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that I absolutely hate shopping, especially for clothes. So forgive me for my ignorance when it came to BOGO.   For quite some time I was trying to figure out what BOGO was.  I figured it was a brand name or some product I wasn’t aware of.  It turns out it’s an acronym for Buy One Get One…free, half off, etc.
But then if you Google, BOGO, it turns out there is actually a BOGO Styles website, but if you care to investigate (like the nerd I am) it’s also an online store using that acronym.
Apparently most people are aware of this, now I am too.


14.  From my favorite quotes file, “The only reason I work out is to live longer so I can eat more cheese and drink more wine.” – Ricky Gervais

Thanks for listening!