A Couple of Things…

Posted on September 29, 2026 by A Couple of Things by Pam Baumgardner

1. There’s nothing quite like catching up with a dear friend from high school. I love rehashing memories yet again and being reminded friendships that last decades are the best! It’s always so lovely to see Joyce and to know she’s doing well…in freakin’ hot Arizona.

2. I saw a cute meme listing several signs you’ve gotten very used to living without a man. This one rings so true for when you think you hear something late at night. This is my personal checklist:

1. Freeze
2. Listen
3. Check camera
4. Turn on the lights
5. Consider calling somebody
Absolutely do not investigate like the woman in a horror movie.

3a. There were a couple of “Firsts” when it comes to animals this past week. For starters, a new wild cat species was discovered for the first time in over 100 years. It was spotted in Boliva and the powers that be named it “Tigrino.” I’m not saying I would say no to this one as a pet, as they are super cute and I would name mine, Suzie Q.

photo of sea turtle eggs — Image courtesy of NOAA Fisheries

3b. The second first was more close to home. For the first time in recorded history, sea turtle(s) laid eggs in North America, specially at Seal Beach and then at Huntington Beach, California (it could have been the same turtle). The species of turtles is called ridley turtles and they’re the smallest of sea turtles weighing up to 100 pounds. Though I would never think of having a turtle as a pet, I think it would be cool as shit to have them up at my beach here in Ventura! [due to potential residual effects of hurricane Polo and resulting high tides, the Museum of the Pacific relocated the eggs to its facility]
#WarmerWaters #ClimateChange

4. My friend Mary Kay posted this on social media this past week and I couldn’t agree more. Her husband Steve’s response? “I see nothing weird about any of that.” To which she said, “I dig your weird man.” Me too. Love both Mary Kay and Dive Bar Steve Kramer. Miss you guys like the dickens and hope to visit you again up in Oregon soon. Need to see the new place…and get some couch time with the pups!

Steve, Brian and Mick were the Dive Bar Messiahs and they would play classic rock at Amigos, or the Watermark, or Grapes and Hops. You knew I’d be on the dance floor whenever they played “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Stones, which I always felt was just for me. They took a bit of the soul of our music scene when they disbanded, and then when Steve and Mary Kay left the area for the great Northwest.

Photo of Syd Rose, Me, Mary Kay and Steve and all the pets

5. My friend Linda is now a proud grandma! She got the word her daughter-in-law was in labor shortly after the photo taken in #1 above. Congratulations to Nicolas and Isabela, and a big welcome to Esther Rose! Some complications, but all is well in the universe again.

Wishing the family continued growth and happiness!!!

photo of Nicolas holding daughter Esther Rose

6. Brad Pitt’s latest film is called Heart of the Beast and it’s a story about him and a dog lost in the wilderness. I find it extremely entertaining that all reviews I’ve read to date provide the information that the dog does not die. Ever since Marley and Me I will not go see a film based on a relationship with a dog unless I have a guarantee that the dog does not die. Pitt can die, but not the dog.
This is now on my list of movies to see.

7. I was surprised and slightly disappointed to find when I searched for a new Stud Finder, I did indeed get photos of stud finders…though there were a couple of studs in a few of the advertisements. I renamed the photo from Stud Finder to Stud Found. #ArtworkNeedsToBeHung

8. Don’t you hate it when customer service prefaces everything with, “Thanks for your patience”? #NotFeelingPatient

Also, when taking a survey after receiving customer service online and then the final question is “What could we do to better our service?” I like to answer with “less surveys.”

9. If you’re of a certain age, do you remember Hands Across America in the 80s? I participated and held hands with five million other people across the nation On May 25, 1986, to raise awareness and funds to combat poverty and hunger. So when I saw our local chapter of Surfrider Foundation promoting Hands Across the Sand, I was intrigued. A rally was held on Saturday, September 26, 2026 on the sand just north of the Ventura Pier. The rally was to generate attention and let the powers that be that we say “NO to offshore drilling and YES to clean energy.” I attended and heard stories about previous oil spills. From Surfrider website:

Oil spills have been tied to the Central Coast’s history for decades. In early 1969, a blowout on an oil rig offshore from Santa Barbara made national headlines. For a period of ten days, an estimated 3.4 to 4.2 million gallons of crude oil flowed into the Channel, closing nearby beaches and critically threatening flora and fauna. The largest spill recorded at the time, the event created the groundswell for the first-ever Earth Day, on April 22 of the following year.
Bill Hickman – Surfrider Central CA regional manager

Done photo of Hands Across the Sand — Drone shot of us north of the Ventura Pier

I’ve seen more than my share of black tar ball substances on our local beach here in Ventura over the years. I knew I needed to stand with Surfrider, the Sierra Club, cfrog (Citizens for Responsible Oil and Gas), Patagonia, IndivisibleVentura.org, Chumash People, Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez and all the people who came out to support this effort.

Me watching KC Rodriguez — Me on left listening to KC Rodriquez

From my favorite quotes file: “We’re a part of nature. As we destroy nature, we destroy ourselves. It’s a selfish thing to want to protect nature.” Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia.

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

Posted on September 22, 2026 by A Couple of Things by Pam Baumgardner

1. I had an excellent 4th row seat for the Brandi Carlile concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl this past weekend. She was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! She has such a strong presence and she’s totally in communication with her audience. And she’s a fan of the BIG notes! I love her so much!! #NewestFan

I was able to buy a single seat ticket up near the front via AXS and not the commie rat bastard company Ticketmaster which forces you to buy seats in twos.

2. I’m sure I’ve mentioned in the past that I’ve been a fan of the Big Bang Theory for many years and I tend to have it on in the background while doing household chores, or working on the computer. One of my all time favorite lines is when Sheldon asks Leonard while dining at Cal Tech’s cafeteria, “Do you know how I know we’re not in the Matrix? To which Leonard asks, “how?” And he says, “If we were, the food would be better.”

3. Typically I do not start a series before they wrap it up with a bow and all episodes are available to binge watch. Unfortunately, it was too late when I realized I made the mistake of starting the 4th season of Reacher while they were still rolling them out week by week. BUT!!! The grand finale was being offered on the big screen along with the premiere episode of Neagley. Plus you know I’m all about the popcorn so I attended. The cost was $20, but Cinemark gave you a $20 voucher to be used at the concession stand.
Seeing the finale on the big screen in XD was extraordinary! Happy I made it go right to attend. BTW, after seeing Neagley, I binged watched the whole season.

4. And keeping with the binge watching theme…when the hell is 3 Body Problem’s second season coming? If you haven’t watched the first season, here’s the synopsis: A fateful decision in the 1960s China echoes across space and time to a group of scientists in the present, forcing them to face humanity’s greatest threat.

The series debuted March 2024, and the second season still hasn’t been launched. I understand there will be two more seasons. I watched the fist season twice because there’s a lot of information to take in. I might watch it again before I watch season 2.
I dove in to investigate and found that there is a three-body problem in physics and this is the simplest explanation I could find from Live Science:

“In a system of only two bodies, like a planet and a star, calculating how they’ll move around each other is fairly straightforward: Most of the time, those two objects will orbit roughly in a circle around their center of mass, and they’ll come back to where they started each time. But add a third body, like another star, and things get a lot more complicated. The third body attracts the two orbiting each other, pulling them out of their predictable paths.”

I highly recommend the series found on Netflix.

5. I’m not saying this meme I found on social media is true, but it’s funny as shit!

True signs a woman like you:
eye contact, physical touch, compliments, nervousness, engages with you and asks questions, body language such as mirroring your movements, she says, “I like you.”

6. Thankful that GOD has St. Peter holding the line on yapping during concerts. I knew I wasn’t the only one who cared. #ThanksBigGuy

7. Hero or idiot?
Story posted on social media from local LA news station, KTLA:
“A man was arrested for allegedly pepper-spraying someone who was using their cellphone during a movie screening at a Burbank theater.
Details: https://ktla.com/…/man-arrested-pepper-spray-moviegoer…/“

Yapping during a movie is also rude behavior. #STFU

8. The Coastal Cleanup day has come and gone. As a rule, when I’m walking around the neighborhood or along the shore, I pick up trash already. But I checked it out to see if there were a lot of interested citizens to get out there and pick up trash. I would say, it was an “okay” turnout. But then again, I didn’t hang out all day. I’m happy that people do get involved and volunteer their time. #Grateful

9. I’m sorry to report that I saw my first incontinence commercial for men, except instead of calling it leakage, they called it dribbles. So I did a semi-deep dive on the internet and found this article from Harvard: What Can I Do About Urinary Dribbling?

I remember in the 90s being quite irritated with commercials about Viagra when it hit the market and it was being advertised with spokesperson Senator Bob Dole. It really creeped me out.

So this “dribble” product creeps me out as well, though I’d love to see our current sitting president be the face of it like Dole was, because you know he gets the dribbles. #HighlyLikely

Young teenager training on street court playing basketball

SIDENOTE:
when I went to find a photo to go with “male dribbling” rant, thankfully all photos were of men dribbling a basketball. #ThankYouGoogleImages

10. The Bill of Rights contain the first 10 Amendments of the Constitution. And just as a reminder or a teaching moment. The First Amendment of the our Constitution states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

From my favorite quotes file: “It is part of the price of leadership of this great and free nation to be the target of clever satirists.” – Lyndon B. Johnson

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

Posted on September 14, 2026 by A Couple of Things by Pam Baumgardner

1. More and more I’m seeing AI pop up where I don’t want AI help. Specifically, when building websites. I know a lot of people are worried about AI and its potentially devastating consequences of handing over the human thought process to an automated autonomous entity.
Honestly for me, I enjoy using my brain and doing the research. But I can’t disagree with the gal behind the counter at my chiropractor’s office when she exclaimed, “Did no one see the Terminator?!!”

2. Because I really wanted to know if he thought the Republican Party is doing alright, I decided to see what former Vice President, Mike Pence, had to say about the Republican party when he was a guest speaker at the Reagan Library this past week. My take away: he would like civility back in the White House.
I do stay away from politics on this blog, but come on…both parties have to admit some of those late night tweets are embarrassing!
So while he didn’t really comment on the Republican party (except backhandedly at the current President), his latest book he’s touting is called, “What Conservatives Believe.”

Also, Pence stands by his actions on January 6, 2020 when he certified the election results. #GotThatRight

Photo of Pam and Mike Pence — Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Sept 9, 2026

3. A few days later on Saturday, September 12, I attended a fundraising dinner for the Ojai Raptor Center. They’re the organization where the famous bald eagle, Jackie was taken care of. This is the same place where I was gifted an owl release as a birthday gift from my friend Linda a few years ago.
Well the dinner was going well, and they had an owl release (see video at end of this blog), and then towards the end of the evening someone mention Martin Sheen was in attendance.

Okay, something I need to confess. I’m a huge West Wing fan. I’ve watch the series beginning to end at least a half dozen times. So when I heard he was there. I had to meet him. I don’t get star struck too often, but when I do, I try my best to appear like a normal human being. I feel I succeeded. I told him about my love of the West Wing, and I told him about my visit to the Reagan Library to hear Mike Pence speak. He was impressed by what the former Vice President said. Well at least those two points I mentioned above.

4. Alfred Hitchcock: Cheeky bastard, or seriously evil?

On a recent podcast, former child star, Billy Mumy (Lost in Space), shared a story working with Alfred Hitchcock and what the director told him when he was fidgeting while the crew worked on the lighting. Keep in mind, Mumy is now in his 70s, Hitchcock long dead. This occurred during a filming of an Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode. Mummy recounts this during the podcast of Pop Culture Retro Podcast

“So Alfred Hitchcock, who was a very physically imposing presence—I’m a little guy—Alfred Hitchcock was a big guy. He was always sweating. He gets up out of his chair, and he lumbers over to me on my mark, fidgeting around, and he bends down. And this is exactly what he said to me: ‘If you don’t stop moving about, I’m going to get a nail, and I’m going to nail your feet to your mark, and the blood will come pouring out of your feet like milk. So, stop moving.’ That’s exactly what he says to me.”

As a child, I was a huge fan of Lost in Space, and to this day I can still hear and sometimes quote, “Warning Will Robinson, Warning!”

And by the way, I go with seriously evil.

5. When you talk to yourself out loud and give affirmations such as:
Pam, you’re a strong, healthy woman.
Pam, you have such a great memory.
Pam, you’re a delight to others.
Can you just say it, or do you also have to mean it? Seriously, doesn’t your brain know the difference???
Also, if you’re doing affirmations, you already believe you aren’t those things. Am I wrong?
But it is safe to say, we all want to improve and what better way to manifest what we want by stating it out loud to ourselves. #CarryOn

artwork stating: Today I'll be a freaking ray of sunshine.

6. Giving credit where credit is due, I found a page with unique positive affirmations.
Here are a few of my favorites:

I am the boss of my own awkwardness.
I’m so witty, I could confuse a dictionary.
I’m proof that laughter is the best ab workout.
I’m a limited edition, not available in stores.
I am a burst of energy that even caffeine envies.
I attract good luck like a kid with a sticky hand.
I’m so charismatic, I could sell sand in a desert.
I’m so bright, I make the sun look like a flashlight.
I’m not clumsy; I’m just practicing interpretive dance.
I’m like a rare Pokémon—hard to find and absolutely legendary.
I’m a masterpiece in progress, a little messy, and utterly magnificent.
I attract good vibes like a magnet to a fridge.
I’m so fabulous, even my coffee has an attitude.
I am the CEO of my day, and business is booming.
I am a walking masterpiece of chaos and caffeine.
I’m so ready to adult today; pajamas are optional.
I am a pro at life, even when I don’t have my act together.
Today, I’ll be the superhero of my own story, cape or no cape.
I am a pro-multitasker, juggling tasks like a circus performer.
Today, I’ll handle situations like a pro—or at least like an adult.
I am the architect of my day, building it with laughter and smiles.
Today, I’ll be productive like a squirrel storing snacks for winter.

7. I attended the Los Angeles Chargers season opening on Sunday, September 13, at SoFi Stadium. The second half was quite embarrassing as the Chargers lost to the Cards, 14 – 26. But the tailgate party beforehand was super fun and we had an unexpected entertainment moment from the dude above who sneaked up behind me and said, “Ma’am, you’re need on the set.” He was hilarious. He kept pushing the button on the baby monitor and yelling, “COPY THAT.” #ShortShorts

photo of Chargers taking entering arena — View from our seats. Not bad!

8. The 25th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11 just passed. I found one of my posts on social media from 10 years ago in remembrance. It holds up today as well:

“The days and weeks following 9/11 I noticed people were looking each other in the eye; not in fear, but with kindness. I’d like to think of it as an automatic response to an outside attack on our survival, we were banning together as a community.

I truly believe man is basically good and the best response to anyone trying to undermine one’s survival (whether on a personal, national or even mankind level) is to flourish and prosper.”

No need to post a photo to remember what happened. If you were alive, it’s already ingrained your mind.

9. From my favorite quotes file: “Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.” – Mark Twain

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

Posted on September 8, 2026 by A Couple of Things by Pam Baumgardner

1. If I could, I would…

Run a senior dog sanctuary for all dogs who had to be surrendered by their owners at no fault of their own…and perhaps even those at fault.
Run a singer/songwriter listening room.
Learn to surf.
Have a second home in Tuscany, Italy.

Best case scenario: home in Tuscany where I can house surrendered senior dogs, being able to ride my bicycle into town where I host singer/songwriter evening weekly…and travel back to Ventura to surf occasionally.

image of clean pot with noodles being cooked

2. I’m a big fan of watching cooking shows, and/or short cooking videos on YouTube or Instagram. What I don’t understand is how they keep their pans so they look like they’ve NEVER been used before. #HowsThatPossible

Though I do admit, I have seen a few with grungy looking cookware and those recipes are not as appetizing.

3. Who the hell coined the expression, “Make good choices!”?

4. I came across this incredible story on social media from the Santa Barbara Independent (click for full story). It’s been years since I’ve visited the Santa Barbara zoo, probably not since Sydney Rose was a little girl (she’s 32 now). But I remember the habitat for these incredible apes (not monkeys because they have no tails). One recently gave birth in front of visitors. The fact it happened for the few who were there to witness it is amazing. But it’s the face of the mom that cracks me up! Nature is truly wonderful. Any thoughts on a caption?

5. So proud of Linda! One of her projects is to collect children’s books (English & Spanish) and then stock a local outdoor neighborhood library book stand. This weekend she took it one step further. With the permission of a popular breakfast place, she set up a table and handed out books to anyone who wanted them! Inspiration comes from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. To date, the non-profit has gifted 332,411,218. From the website, “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.”

Well Linda is doing her part in Fillmore, CA. Way to go Linda! Let me know if you’d like to donate $10 or so bucks so she can buy more books to give away.

6. My friend Carol adopted a senior pup from the San Bernardino animal shelter.
I’ve been saying for months that I’m going to wait until the end of the summer then I’ll start looking into adopting again. I guess I’m on the hunt now.

She’s thinking of naming this scrappy girl Rosey.

#ILoveHer

7. Warning: this entry is basically for women, but highly educational for men:

I was reflecting the other day about menstruation. And yeah, I guess I’m speaking to women because we can empathize. I remember when I was a little girl learning about the facts of life and how I couldn’t wait to get my first period so I could join the ranks of womanhood. It was thrilling when it it happened, but literally took less than two minutes to realize, this sucks!

Then it slowly dawns on you that you will be dealing with this the rest of your life…whether you choose to procreate or not.

And of course it’s not only the cramps, but the bright red blood that “discharges” from your uterine lining. The past seventy or so years have seen all kinds products to help with this messy and quite colorful problem. From sanitary pads that you attach to a belt around your waist (my mother’s time), to pads that have a peel-off sticky strip that sticks to your underwear. I saw a comedian doing a bit where he thought the sticky side attached to the women’s skin. Funny, but ew. Then came along tampons that you insert and then pull out once they’ve absorbed the flow, but you never know and you can under/over estimate this. And now, there are menstrual cups and something called a menstrual disc, both of which came out after I hit menopause. You insert reusable device so the flow is kept from escaping, and you wear up to 12 hours. I can only imagine what that would look like though. But, it seems better than the tampons.

While doing this research I found one more option called Period Underwear. They’re designed with built-in layers to absorb menstrual blood, which is supposed to keep you comfortable and dry all day long. In appearance and texture, they are identical to regular undies, but it is suggested one wear a couple of pairs on the “high flow” days.

Young women today have more options both economically and environmentally, which is great, but menstruation is still a big inconvenience. For me, menopause was awesome. No more periods!!! The hot flashes (for me, warm flushes) were worth it.

And, I have to admit, I smile every time I get to stroll past the feminine hygiene aisle at the grocery store.

8. I’m fairly certain about this, when you call an older person young lady or young man, it sounds condescending.

9. This photo was taken today at lunch. What you don’t see are dozens of more pigeons outside the frame. It was crazy! Though I don’t yet have a caption for #4 above, I do for this one. “Some people will do anything for attention.” #Birdman #PromenadeVentura

Man feeding birds on promenade in Ventura

10. From my favorite quotes file: “Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?” – David Attenborough.

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things… Gloria Steinem

Posted on September 3, 2026 by A Couple of Things by Pam Baumgardner

Gloria Steinem past away September 2, 2026 at age 92. To live a life to better conditions for others is a life to celebrate. Taking a look at her Wikipedia page, and watching all the news coverage, I will be forever in awe of her accomplishments. I remember reading Ms. Magazine and following her career. I volunteered in the 70s for my local chapter of NOW in no small part trying to live up to her example.
We’ve all seen changes for the better over the decades and changes for the worse. I’m grateful the younger generation joins in to help to fight the battles yet to be won. As with all people I admire, especially those who set such a great example for others, I don’t weep for the loss of this iconic woman, but rather celebrate the life and choices she made to help others and improve conditions for all.

Taken from Steinem’s speech in 1971, Address to the Women of America, she said:

“This is no simple reform. It really is a revolution. Sex and race because they are easy and visible differences have been the primary ways of organizing human beings into superior and inferior groups and into the cheap labor on which this system still depends. We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned. We are really talking about humanism.”

My friend Linda Le Brock once met Gloria so I asked her for her thoughts:

“When I was around 18 years old, Gloria Steinem came to speak at the local college. My mom got tickets for us both to attend. My mom, raised by a single mom of six during the depression, understood the importance of women’s equality.

“Gloria was erudite, witty, passionate and preternaturally cool.

“In 2014, a dear colleague, Marybeth Carty, invited me to a private reception held for Gloria Steinem. She spoke of the importance that each generation must expand feminism to include the most marginalized.

“After her talk, we stood in a receiving line and got to meet and get photos with her. I was introduced as publisher of the Business Times. She exclaimed, ‘Oh I was a publisher too!’ I couldn’t believe it. Here she was VERY generously comparing me, the publisher of a local business journal to being the co-founder (along with Dorothy Pittman Hughes) and publisher of Ms. Magazine! I was speechless. I just stammered thank you, and she gave me a little hug. I watched as she graciously met, and uplifted in some way, every woman there. The room was electric.

“Thank you, Gloria for everything. And thank you, mama.” – Linda Le Brock

Headlines describing Steinem:

“World Famous Feminist Leader” – People
“Feminist Icon and Ms. Magazine Trailblazer” – USA Today
“Fierce Feminist Trailblazer” – NBC News
“Trailblazing Journalist and Activist” – NPR
“Personification of the Feminist Movement” – NYTimes
“Feminist Icon and Founder Ms. Magazine” – CNN

Gloria Steinem quotes:

“Imagine we are linked not ranked.”
“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off!”
“Once we give up searching for approval we often find it easier to earn respect.”
“Decisions are best made by the people affected by them.”
“A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.”

Thank you Gloria!

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