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About A Couple of Things by Pam Baumgardner

Living the good life in Ventura, CA.

A Couple of Things…

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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.
Bugs
5. 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 Bow

6. 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…

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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.com

4. 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!

A Couple of Things…

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Jeez it’s been awhile since I last wrote anything. I’ve missed you!

1. Mother’s day this year was nice enough.  I had breakfast with the Mimiagas, shot hoops for an hour, then had dinner with my Dad and Carol down in the Harbor. Of course I had the obligatory phone call from Sydney Rose, but it was short because not much new had happened since she had called earlier in the week on Mexican Mother’s day (I had texted her to alert her to that fact and to remind her that I am in fact half Mexican).

2. Father’s day was short and sweet taking pops to Casa de Soria for dinner. This photo represents me being Daddy’s little “angel” with my favorite doll I took everywhere with me.  If you’re old enough, then you just might remember who Emmet Kelly was.

3. OH!  In between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, I took a mini vacation to Portland to visit my Sydney Rose and we had a blast visiting Sydney’s favorite places to hang and I got to meet so many of her friends (who all told me great job on raising my daughter). I rented a VRBO where Sydney stayed with me during my visit. We took in a couple of movies including “Wonder Woman” which we both absolutely loved!!!  I found Portland’s rapid transit to be pretty amazing.  You can take the MAX (light rail service) right outside the Portland airport directly to downtown for only $2.50, or you can get an all day pass for $5.  That includes their buses as well. They also have a huge bike riding community and bikes you can rent all over the city.

4.  It’s time to confront the fact that I no longer wear a size 2 let alone a 0.  It’s sort of a weird strange dream that I use to be that skinny and it was just one year ago! The last time I weighed 114 pounds  was when I wore a training bra. And while I am confronting this fact, and I’m happy I feel healthier and look healthier, I still find it so hard to part ways with these skinny pants. the stupid thing is that I wasn’t trying to lose weight (it was a side effect of my knee surgery), so it wasn’t much of an accomplishment anyway!
Side note:  I gave Sydney a few pairs and they fit her so their staying in the family at least.

5.  Variety is the spice of life I guess when it comes to the new line of Ken dolls from Mattel. You can choose Kens from different ethnic backgrounds to dolls with dad-bods and man buns.

6. So I’m back on the radio! CAPS Media cancelled my Ventura Rocks cable show last summer as it was too costly to produce (it took seven staff to pull off a half hour program); but they told me they had a radio station in the works.  Well they went live on air in February and I’ve been hosting a weekly radio show highlight local musicians.  I’m going to be calling it the Pam Baumgardner Music Hour where I play mostly local music, but a few indie artists are thrown in and every now and then along with a national act who has actually played in Ventura before.  It’s been a blast but it takes four to five hours to produce.  At least it’s only my time and the CAPS Media staff’s time.

7. And speaking of being back on the air, it’s the first time I’ve used my legal name since college.  I’ve always gone by Stephanie Rose as a professional broadcaster. It was weird getting use to saying Pam Baumgardner.

8. The day after I don’t buy a lottery ticket, I always think the winner owes me, because had I bought a ticket, he would not have won.

9. Some people assumed the reason why men cheat on their wives is because they were bored, but according to Superdrug’s Online Doctor, the most common reason why men are unfaithful is because the other person was just really hot.
I say, give me a freakin’ break!  The reason he cheats is because he has no self control.

10.  And speaking of bad men bored of their wives, or worse, can’t stand their wives, do you remember the story of the man who robbed a bank and deliberately got caught so he could get away from his wife?  Well according to the Associated Press (via MSN.com) June 14, 2017, his sentence was home confinement.  Now that’s just brilliant Karma.

11. From my favorite quotes file:  “I think a bad husband is far worse than no husband…” – Margaret Cavendish

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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Winter Wine Walk 2016

1. One of my favorite events of the year is the Ventura Winter Wine Walk and this year’s event once again did not disappoint.  I love events where you run into people all night long walking up and down Ventura’s downtown area sipping wine, listening to music and have a great time.

Downtown Ventura

Milt, Dad, Carol, me and Sharon

2. I was looking forward to just getting through Thanksgiving this year as Sydney Rose would not be around and there would be no home cooked meal; instead, my dad and Carol invited Carol’s sister and her husband (sharp as a tack at 90) to dine with us at Mimi’s Cafe.  Yeah, I know! Mimi’s??  The restaurant only offered Turkey dinners with all the typical side dishes and operated at full capacity like a factory assembly line, very effective getting people in and out and the meal was quite delicious.
It turned out to be a lovely day starting with a video chat with Sydney Rose and ending with the Thanksgiving episode of The West Wing.

3. Speaking of Turkey, Sydney has informed me she back to being a Vegetarian.

4. I’ve always had a problem keeping my cheese mold-free, but I thought it was because I didn’t use it quick enough.  It turns out, that some people report the worst thing you can do is wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.  They say you’re suppose to first wrap in wax or parchment paper, then a layer of plastic wrap.  The best solution for me is to stop buying huge blocks (cheaper) and just buy what I know I’ll eat in a short period of time.

5. Keeping with food for one more tidbit, I read an MSN article about fast food items you’ve been eating wrong your whole life. There were a few tips I found interesting, and some I found condescending, like the description on how to eat Toblerone chocolate, “lightly push your thumb against the top of the triangle to break it off.”  Really?  I did find value in a couple tips like using a fork to dip an Oreo in milk (or coffee), and cutting hot dogs into spirals allowing for extra crevices for condiments.

toblerone

See article here.
Side note on Toblerone, they’re shrinking their bars changing the shape to keep prices down…making it even easier to “lightly push your thumb against the top of the triangle to break it off.” 😉

Florence Henderson

6. I was sorry to hear the passing of Florence Henderson, she was such a hip upbeat mom, she broke the mold of TV moms (and real moms for that matter). I’d like to think that my generation of moms all have a little bit of Carol Brady in them.

7. I’ve officially submitted my application to Cal State Channel Islands, I’ll be entering as a junior next fall. Did you know that they now ask questions about whether you are gender conforming, gender non-conforming, or both?

8. I read an interesting article from Redbook Magazine titled, “50 Things Every Woman Needs to Know about Her Body.” I figured I better read just in case there’s some mystery I’m not aware of, for instance, #18 states that not drinking enough water can make your breasts sag?  WTF, right!?? No wonder women always have water bottles about. And of course #41 is hard to face which is cellulite is incurable.  But I love the way they word # 12, “Your Hoo-Ha can change colors.”  That’s just funny. Odd…but funny.

Source article

9. I had a short discussion (private messaging) with a man who was ranting on Facebook about being accosted by police because he was sitting in his van at a local park.  They questioned his reasoning for being near children playing.  He thought it rude and started getting all kinds of sympathy from his friends on Facebook.
See, I thought it appropriate for a police officer to check on him.  That’s exactly what child molesters do. They hang out near children.   He just couldn’t see how that could be a problem, and PD was just doing their job.

10.  We actually have a Burt & Ernie who work in Public Works at City Hall.  An even funnier pair of employees who found themselves working together were Neil and Bob; thankfully these two salesmen had a sense of humor.  They were salesmen when I worked in radio and the morning show guys were relentless with them on the air.

96-ZTR

11.  Speaking of radio, looks like I’ll be hitting the airwaves soon.  The CAPS Media station has a small signal here in Ventura but they will be streaming it on the internet soon. I hope to have a weekly program showcasing local bands of course.
It will be the first time since I was in college that I haven’t used an alias on air.  I was thinking of pulling a Prince, and calling myself, Pam Baumgardner, the DJ formerly known as  Stephster (or Stephanie Rose).

Well it was just a thought 😉

12. From my favorite quotes file:  “Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.” – Oscar Wilde

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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candle

1.  As this post is just after our Presidential election and I know so many of us were disappointed, I thought I would start with this quote.  I saw a video clip of Ellen DeGeneres trying to help people feel better.  Ellen said her job is to be hopeful and to make everybody feel good.  I like that job 🙂   She reminded us of a quote by one of my favorite women who ever lived:
“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Halloween 2016
Halloween 2016

2. Halloween was fun at City Hall.  We don’t always dress up, but when we do, we go all out.  This year the Transportation crew dressed up as Fast Food Mascots. We won “Best Group Ensemble.”  My co-worker, Derek, summed it up best when he posted on FB, “Food has always been the key to this team.”  Did you see my Fast Food Challenge I posted a few years ago?  (See Post)

The photo at the top shows Rick as the Meat Distributor guy (horse meat that is, it’s Halloween after all!), Sergio as Bob’s Big Boy, Derek as Burger King, me as Wendy’s, Frank as Colonel Sanders, Tom as the Pizza Pizza guy from Little Caesar’s Pizza, and Jeff as Long John Silver’s Fish and Chips.
I love that the so many of the team were so committed to their costumes!

3. There were a couple of incidents when I was growing up where I thought for sure I was going to be in the doghouse but my parents ended up laughing at me, like when I had to confess to my mother when she got up one Saturday morning that I had tried to help by ironing some clothes including her pantyhose.
Of course as soon as the hot iron hit the hosiery, it melted immediately onto the face and there’s no way you’re ever going to clean that off.
She looked at the iron, then the look of shame and resignation on my face that I would be in trouble, but she just laughed and gave me a hug

The other time I was about 8 years old; I was so angry and frustrated with my dad that I felt compelled to covertly display how I was feeling, so I gave him the finger, albeit behind his back…but he turned around just in time to see me flipping him the bird.  He just looked at me with shock, but then he tried to suppress a smile, gave up and laughed.  I’m sure he realized that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

It never truly made sense to me until I became a parent myself.  Sydney Rose was always a hoot.

veteran

4. Happy Veterans Day!
My father was drafted, never saw any action…but he still served his country.

california-flag

5. Did you know the Grizzly Bear is the State of California symbol?  It’s on our state flag.  Did you also know that the only place you’ll find a Grizzly bear in the State of California is in the San Francisco zoo? And that the last one to be found in the wild was shot dead way back in the early 1920s?

I’ve read articles on how to defend oneself from a bear attack and I’d always be worried that I would forget which way to behave because you defend yourself differently with a Black Bear than you would with a Grizzly Bear.

Black Bear
It’s silly because I don’t spend a whole lot of time in the wild, but there are black bears in Ventura County and I have been known to take hikes and bike on trails off the beaten path from time to time.  Now I just have to remember, to carry bear pepper spray, stand my ground and make lots of noise, don’t climb a tree, and fight back.
Source article on bear attacks:
lettuce progressing

6. In case you’re wondering, I haven’t killed it. It’s actually thriving!  My romaine lettuce experiment continues.  It still has a ways to go, it looks like the leaves would be bitter (undergrown) at this point.

7. I have one of those tracking devices you wear on your wrist to track the number of steps you take daily. The other day I was out running errands when I looked down and I saw that it was gone.  Dammit!  There’s $75 out the window. I decided to backtrack and went back through the different stores I had shopped at the mall but to no avail.  I was even checking out people to see if anyone had found it and they were trying to figure out how it worked. I gave up defeated and retreated to my car to find it in my purse next to my keys.  Yay for me!

8. Have you ever been disappointed when you find (what you conceive to be) a flaw in someone’s character?  And I clearly understand that when this happens, I know it is from my own point of view.  I’ve struggled with this. I try to understand and see their point of view.  I struggle because I don’t want to feel “superior” and if it’s a friend, I don’t want to think less of them.
I’ll be honest, sometimes I have more of a tough time with the justifications, than the original “infraction.”  Case in point, “It was only locker-room talk!”

9. Pudgy dad vs ripped bods
A local morning news crew ran a story about a new book by Yale professor, Richard Bribiescus titled, “How Men Age”.  He states, women prefer bigger bellies and flabby arms to “six pack abs” and bulging biceps.
I did some online research and found from on Gawker that their survey results showed that men still prefer ripped bods over “dad bod.”

Personally, I don’t mind a little pudge; they just have to keep up with me 😉

And by the way, you should get your mind out of the gutter!!!

Good Girls Revolt

10. Now that I’ve delved into binge watching, my good friend Linda recommended an original series to me and having now gotten through the first season (I’m waiting with bated breath for season 2), I too recommend “Good Girls Revolt” from Amazon.  The series is based on (but takes lots of artistic license on) the 1970 sexual discrimination class action lawsuit against Newsweek Magazine.

There were a couple of scenes that struck a nerve such as when one of the supervisors told one of the women to smile, or when one of the women wore pants for the first time to work and was given a warning; or having to make the coffee, or when they discovered the salaries their male counter-parts were making.  It’s a great reminder just how far we’ve come, and a must watch for younger generations (but not too young, there’s a lot of sex, drugs, and rock & roll) to see as they may not realize it wasn’t so long ago that women had to fight for the same basic rights as men.

11. I confess that I got chocked up the day before the elections when I realized how close we were to electing a woman for president. I felt a profound sense of equality. Alas, it did not come to pass.

12.  In closing, as much as I am all for human rights and equality for all, I understand that in the end, our election process is not about whether we have a female president or not; it’s about selecting the right person for the job that our nation will get behind.

I’m not convinced we did that this year, but I do want our nation to succeed and be prosperous and so I will first hope that our divided nation will heal and will work together, not slack off, and help to make our government accountable; but more importantly, I hope that those who surround and work closely with Trump will help him to be a better man, and for all the love in the world, CLOSE HIS TWITTER ACCOUNT!

I concede that this quote is outdated as it’s becoming mainstream that women have wives too (again I get to mention Ellen DeGeneres), but I love this man, and so I share from my favorite quotes file: “Women will never be as successful as men because they have no wives to advise them.” – Dick Van Dyke

“The times they are a changin” – Bob Dylan

Thank God.

A Couple of Things…

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With my mom and dad

1. Happy 82nd birthday to my father, Gilbert.  This is one of my favorites.  He was around 26 years old in this photo.

lettuce

2. Yeah, this is happening on my window sill.  It works!  I’ll get back to you on whether the regrown lettuce is tasty or not.

See original post, item #3

3. I’m leaning towards naming my car either Janet, Mabel, Beverly or Floyd.

candy-corn-facts

4. It’s candy corn season again!  I totally get candy corn haters (haters gonna hate), they say it’s nothing but sugar wax, but I totally disagree. You don’t need a bunch to satisfy a sweet tooth, and there’s only about 7 1/2 calories per piece.  Brachs candy’s nutritional facts state there’s 140 calories in a serving (about 19 pieces).
My favorite way to enjoy candy corn involves nibbling on them in combination with a small bag of movie-popped buttered popcorn.  I’m sure that increases the calorie count somewhat. 😉

5. Jealousy, envy, resentment are very close first cousins all of them bad.

Mike Strahler

6. There are a few items over the course of my life that I could never bear to throw away including this baseball card.  It was given to me by Mike Strahler when I was a waitress at Bob’s Big Boy on Beach Blvd in La Habra, CA. I came across it while sorting through some stuff and decided to Google him; sadly, Mike passed away this past July.  I did a little research and learned that a non-signed card is going for $1.25 on Amazon and a signed card sold for $24.99 on Ebay.

7. The worst:  Having someone sit next to you at a bar and it slowly – and painfully – becomes apparent they have a bad case of gas.  Do they think you don’t notice?  Or do they just not care?

8. Have you ever feared being killed by a shark?  I hope this helps to put things in perspective:
(average annual animal-caused fatalities in the US 2001 to 2013)

Animals most likely to kill you…per year:
  1 – Shark
  1- Alligator
  6 – venomous snakes/lizards
  7 – spiders
  9 – non-venomous arthropods (various ants & other bugs)
  20 – cows
  28 – dogs
  52 – other mammels (horses, pigs, deer, raccoons, etc.) RACCOONS????
  58 – bees, wasps and hornets

Source article

Mauna Kea Road
Mauna Kea Road

9. Did you know it snows in Hawaii?  It actually snows there every year on their three tallest volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala).  This totally blew my mind!

10. Geek Alert:  When I was in grade school, I loved school so much I would make up homework to do at home.

11. Do you know anyone who is perpetuating a culture that promotes violence against women? Is there any chance that you help to perpetuate it, without realizing it?

Please do the women that you love a solid, and take a look at this video.  I love his honesty when he says, “I don’t know what her ass has to do with my hamburger, but I’m gonna drive thru the very next day.”   Perhaps you have friends who might benefit from viewing it.

12. From my favorite quotes file:  “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” – Leo Tolstoy

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

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1. My last post spoke of the use of the word “pussy” and the one way that word offends me.  I thought it prudent to also state for the record I find Trump’s statement as a whole offensive; he stated in graphic terms that he gropes women without their permission. I didn’t go there for two reasons.
A. I didn’t want to debate whether Trump is suited to hold the office of POTUS, I’ve done my best to be non-political.
B. I took it for granted everyone thought it offensive.
I believe no one should have to endure an assault, be it male, female, sexual, physical or verbal.  Of course some acts are more egregious than others, but no act of assault should ever be condoned.

2. My co-worker posted recently on social media a blog regarding “The Dutch Reach.”  Sure it sounds like something Donald Trump might do when nobody’s looking, but it’s actually a potential life-saving technique everyone should use before they open the driver’s side door while parked on a street.

According to the article, “The Dutch Reach is a practice where instead of using your near hand — usually the driver’s left hand — to open your car door, you use your far hand. Your right hand. In doing that, you automatically swivel your body. And you position your head and shoulders so you are looking directly out. First, past the rearview mirror. And then, you are very easily able to look back and see if there are oncoming bicycles or cars or whatever.”
door-zone-illustration
Use The Dutch Reach to avoid this scenario.

3.  I have some words of advice for those struggling on what life is all about: “Be kind, help where you can and don’t look inward…look outward. See your environment, and truly see the person in front of you.”

Start by making this planet better by enhancing another’s life, one person at a time.

Lost puppy

4. I can’t express how much I miss my dog Sammy, and so I’m allowing the possibility of adopting another pound puppy.  Yes, we got Candy last Spring for my dad, but she rarely visits me, so I started perusing pet adoption sites of the local animal shelters.  It didn’t take long before I came across this photo and I had to go see if we were a match.
How sweet is she?  9 pounds and about 2 years old (a little younger than I want, but look at that face!)
Well I drove directly to the Camarillo shelter after work just in time to see her owner get reunited with her.  She was so happy; it was a bittersweet moment.  When I was leaving I saw her and her owner walking away, it appears he is homeless, which is sad, but they made a lovely couple, and hopefully he won’t let her get away again.

Fast Food Coupons

5.  I’ve mentioned before how stores rarely cater to single people and if they do, it’s more expensive; but now I have another pet peeve and it has to do with fast food coupons. All of a sudden, they’re two for one!  WTF!!  I don’t need two burgers.  I need a discount on the one meal I want to buy.

And what PR firm decided I’ll fall for “Free Burger” then in a much smaller font “with the purchase of another burger”  instead of “Two for One?”

And speaking of coupons…

6.  From my Grammar Nerd file:
If the majority of people mispronounce a word, does that then make it correct?  One of my pet peeves has always been the coo-pon vs cue-pon debate. I’ve always sided with the coo-pon camp, so I was surprised when I stumbled upon a blog on this very topic.  They said that Coupon.com commissioned a nationwide poll and found that 57 percent of the people polled pronounce the word as cue-pon.
Furthermore, if you look up the word on Dictionary.com (Random House Dictionary) they give both pronunciations.
Source Article
I investigated further and found a Pronunciation Note on Dictionary. com explaining the origin of the difference which gives understanding:
“Coupon, related to copeand coup,is of French origin. It has developed an American pronunciation variant [kyoo-pon] with an unhistorical y -sound not justified by the spelling. This pronunciation is used by educated speakers and is well-established as perfectly standard, although it is sometimes criticized. Its development may have been encouraged by analogy with words like curious, cupid,and cute,where c is followed by a “long u” and the [y] is mandatory.”
Source page

Grammar police

7. Apparently you can push semi-illiterate people too far.

8. A quick of word of advice, don’t text questions, unless the question can be a five-word-or-less response.

Downton Abbey

9.  I have a confession, In less than a month I got through the entire PBS Masterpiece Theater series, “Downton Abby.” It’s just soooo good!  I now understand the term “binge-watching.”

10. I saw a headline recently which read, “Why ex-KKK leader’s son fled the movement.”  Do we really need to ask why?

11. Have you ever walked into a bar or music venue and thought to yourself, “These are not my people”?

12.  From my favorite quotes file: “Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred.” – Bryant H. McGill

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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1. There are few words that offend me, but one that does most likely has to do with my feminism, and I’ll even allow for generational gap ideology,  but I don’t like when women are refer to as “pussy”.  I’m not offended when this word is used as a noun (in a loving committed relationship, wink-wink), I don’t even mind the word being used when stating someone has no backbone, or they’re being a coward, but just referring to women as a whole as “pussy”, TOTALLY offensive.

See, Donald Trump’s use of the word didn’t actually offend me. I’m certain other presidents have used the word in a lewd manner before in private and it’s Trump’s lot in life that he’ll always be known for saying stupid things…caught on tape intentionally or not; but I used to have the biggest rock star crush on Bush’s lead man Gavin Rossdale (pre-cheating days on Gwen Stefani)…that is until the day he responded live on Las Vegas radio when asked if he would be getting call girls for his crew again this tour, and he said, and I quote, “No, they get enough pussy already.”

And like that, I was over my crush.

2. Little did my daughter know when she named her new kitten Molly that a  female cat is  referred to as a “queen” or a “molly.”  So not only is she called Molly, but she actually is a molly.
It’s pretty appropo too, a “queen” is when the cat is currently raising kittens or is a soon-to-be mother, but female cats that aren’t nursing or pregnant are typically referred to as a “molly”, which connotes less of a motherly feel.

You couldn’t get any less motherly than this terrorist of a cat Molly.   Just sayin’.

3. One of these days when I have nothing better to do, I’m going to try to regrow Romaine lettuce.  Did you even know this was possible?  Just cut off the bottom (which you don’t eat anyways) and place in a half an inch of water in a container (like a cleaned out cottage cheese container), place near sunlight and wa la.. the lettuce will start to grow new leaves and you have perpetual lettuce!
Source article

4. Speaking of being “green”, food waste has become a hot topic the last few years, I’m glad because I honestly hate wasting food.  At a restaurant I take my leftovers home for additional meals which is very economical for me. But I find shopping at the grocery store is extremely difficult for a single person. And if you do find single-person items, they’re typically more expensive!  A loaf of bread rarely gets eaten before mold starts growing and I never use up a whole can of beans, or pasta sauce or anything.  I’m sure I should be freezing and then defrost to use the remaining product, but I’m just not that industrious when it comes to cooking!  I would rather have economically fair single person portions available.

5. I find that it’s easier for me to help than to accept help.  Probably because it’s easier just to figure out and do something myself.

6. I guess I am a Type-A personality when it comes to certain areas of my life, it would be those areas where I have a strong commitment (i.e., VenturaRocks.com). But other areas?  Not so much. I can create or un-create at will.

7. It was a brilliant idea whoever came up with the Nicotine patch to help people stop smoking; that is until someone came up with an even more brilliant idea to wear the patch to get them through those periods where they were not allowed to smoke and they couldn’t wait for their break, or worst yet, they wear the patch in addition to smoking.

Creative thinking, yes. Self-destructive behavior, absolutely!

8. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person who has never seen Game of Thrones…and I’m alright with that.

9. I love endorphin rushes!

10. It always blows my mind when I come across someone who does not value music, and to a lesser degree someone who does not like to read. I can understand people being so busy they don’t have time to read a book or the paper, but music?  That’s just sad.

11. Here’s a quick car update, I still haven’t named her, but I have established that my car is female, so I’m getting there.

12. I came across this blog called “How to ruin your band name.”  It’s really funny.  My favorite way to ruin your band, “Band Names with Unfortunate Acronyms.”  Jimmy Eat World, Saves the Day.  They recommend, “Before you settle on your band name, do a quick check: do the letters spell out something potentially embarrassing like POO or ASS or KKK?”

Source article

From my favorite quotes file, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” – Plato

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

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Pam's new car

1. I decided to turn in my car and lease a new one for a number of reasons. For starters, my Nissan Sentra reminded me of those Disneyland motor boats where it takes a few seconds for the mechanism to recognize you’ve given it gas to proceed. SOOO slow on the uptake.  Truly a gutless wonder.  Secondly, I can’t remember having a car without a loan payment (except my ’67 VW bug which was given to me by my father.  I had to push start it everywhere, I LOVED that car…but I digress).  I’ve had the Sentra three years and I’ve only put on 13,000 miles plus I’m saving over $100 monthly for a much better car, so why not lease?  I’m liking my car so much, I’m considering giving it a name!

2. I’m going to miss my next High School class reunion because I’m attending the Topa Topa Folk Fest in Ojai.  I either really love music, or I really hated high school.
To be honest, I was an honor school student, and I continue to enjoy taking classes to further my education, but I couldn’t wait to get out of that place.  I had intended to go originally, but didn’t realize it fell on the same day as Topa Topa. So now I’m going to Whittier the following afternoon to meet up with a handful of friends…the only ones I really cared about seeing anyways, plus I’ll save $150, AND, I get to drive my new car!

3. There is some new commie rat bastard around the area who has taken it upon himself to tag local businesses with his obnoxious graffiti. Thankfully, we have the best graffiti team at the City; they respond quickly to all complaints. I just hope PD nails the fucker sooner than later, and I don’t run into him myself.

4. I use to wonder if anyone else covers the camera on their laptop, then I read in a NY Times article that Mark Zuckerberg does; not only that, he also covers his microphone.  Be afraid, be very afraid.  Apparently, the practice is fairly technologically simple: Hackers trick people into clicking on links or unfamiliar websites containing malware that allows them access to the devices.
Consider this my public service announcement to protect you.
Here’s the a link to the NY times story.

5. A quick Grammar Nerd hint on how best to use “two”, “too” and “to”.
In a really good dictionary, there are over 25 definitions of the word “to.”  Crazy, right? So at the very least, you should learn the other two really well.  We all know the definition of “two” (and if you don’t, move along). So really learn the definitions for “too”.  Get them down pat.
1.  in addition; also; furthermore.
Example: He was handsome and funny too.
2. excessive, beyond what is desirable fitting, or right.
Example:  He was too sick to travel.
3. extremely; very.
Example: The plant was too near the window.

Everything else is most likely “to”!  You’re welcome.

6. I subscribe to Yummly where they send me an email several times a week sharing recipes all types. I saw one recently entitled, “Lazy Chicken Soup for One.”  Wouldn’t that just be adding water to a condensed can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup?

7. My girlfriend Linda and I were discussing how much I hate to shop when she  suggested that I could just make myself comfortable in the store of my choice’s dressing room and she’d bring me items within my budget and my fashion sense (what little of that there is).  I’m willing to go along as long as I can bring a glass and a bottle of wine.  Now that’s shopping I can get behind!
Sydney Rose, what do you think of that idea?

8. I found a blog called, “A list of rules for being a gentleman in 2014” and I confess that No. 9 truly confuses me. It reads: “Do not refer to things as ‘gay’ that aren’t homosexual human beings. People who call things ‘gay’ as a pejorative are truly the raisins in the trail mix of life.”

So, raisins are bad?  That’s just a horrible metaphor.  I can think of much better figure of speech to demonstrate using ‘gay’ is unacceptable; such as, “People who call things ‘gay’ as a pejorative are truly the booger flavored treats in a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.”

Me with Brother Rob and Tammy

9. I’ve mentioned Tammy and Brother Rob before because it’s always so much fun when we get to hang out together. Tammy makes it out to Ventura a couple of times a year to work on special events (Beer Fest, Wine Walk, Tequila and Tacos) and Rob can only go out when he has those night’s off. So it’s always a treat when we make it go right. We yap it up, and reminisce about when we worked in radio together back in the 90’s. Those were such good times! I especially love it when they joggle my memory and bring up something I’d forgotten like giving the morning show guys a “cease and desist” notice when they’d make fun of our afternoon drive guy. I so loved being the program director of an alternative rock radio station. I’m sad those days are gone, but so happy they happened.

10.  Well it looks like the crew in Transportation Engineering will be dressing up for Halloween this year.  Photos to follow 😉

Candy Corn on the Cob

11.  Speaking of Halloween, I’ve been thinking of buying my first bag of the year of candy corn.  When I went to find a photo I found this great idea of making candy-corn-on-the-cob!  This gal used cookie dough for the center which only makes it more intriguing!
Here’s a link to her recipe: http://www.instructables.com/id/Candy-Corn-on-the-COB/

12.  From my favorite quotes file: “I’ve been shopping all my life and still have nothing to wear.” ~Author unknown

A Couple of Things…

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Post Surgury BB

1.  Well I did it!  Nine months after my total knee replacement surgery, I got back out on the basketball court and worked up a sweat. It felt so good!
I most likely could have gone out earlier,  but I didn’t want to push my luck.  I’ve been lifting weights for upper body strength in the gym and walking briskly (just before breaking into a jog) on a treadmill.  I felt strong, albeit still proceeding cautiously on sprints to retrieve the ball.   No pain, just stiffness and a little bit of numbness.  YAY!

2. My daughter still holds an unhealthy amount of resentment that her parents did not get her a Barbie car when she was a little girl.   Baby, “TIME TO LET IT GO!”

Avocados

3. My department at City Hall is famous for their guacamole which they prepare several times a year, some batches are spicier than other.
The most recent notice went out via email from Sergio.  It read:  “Ventura Guac, Yeah it does!”  Hehehe.  Now that’s funny!  See, it’s a play on…nevermind.

4. From my “Women are Making Progress” file, I recently saw this news article on MSN.com originally from Woman’s Day magazine article that Lawyers who call Women “Honey” and “Sweetie” will now be fined.  Right on! The American Bar Association voted in favor of an amendment prohibiting lawyers from using harassing and discriminatory language while practicing law. Now, lawyers can be fined for calling women darling, honey, sweetheart, and other sexist terms.  Please read the article.

The Bet

5. I hit another milestone, or accomplishment without even trying!  I got my name on the credits of a feature length film.  I showed up to be an extra for local musician friends (Army of Freshmen) and they were sweet enough to include me (and other Ventura locals) in the credits.   So for my first acting credit on my upcoming resume, I was, “woman in stands at neighborhood park cheering on baseball game.”
Now to make it onto IMDB.com.   Check out The Bet.

6. Every year I go to the fair and every year I think I’m going to eat a load of crap…because that’s what you do at the fair, but every year I end up with corn on the cob. This year because it would actually be good to gain a couple of pounds I was planning on indulging in deep-fried Twinkies and other fair fare; but, I ended up not dining there at all.
I’ve really trained myself to eat well, and to budget my money…but there’s always next year (when I’ll probably be watching my weight again)!

7. I hope there is a special place in hell for people who use their kids as pawns.  Whether it be a divorce, or cutting off ties with other family members because you’re mad at them….tsk tsk. I’ve personally witnessed it a number of times and it’s pure evil.

Buttered Popcorn

8. I think buttered popcorn might be one of my favorite foods.  I’ve actually gone to see a movie  on more than one occasion because I was craving popcorn.  A rib-eyed steak, with a fully loaded baked potato and a big bag of fresh buttered popcorn along with an ice cold Arnold Palmer, might be my last meal request on death row…that is, if I ever decide to go homicidal.

9. Another grammar nerd observation:
“It’s so funny when someone rants on Facebook about how stupid someone or something is, and then they misspell a word, or use “there” instead of “their”.    It instantly takes their credibility away.  Just like misspelling “Grammar” on one of my previous post (now corrected) 😉

10. I’m totally digging the app from my bank which allows me to take a photo of
my check and deposit it. I no longer have to go to the bank. This rocks my world!
I know, it’s the little things…

11. I’m not naming names, but the athlete in the news getting all kinds of coverage and backlash for sitting during the National Anthem has me a little confused.  Isn’t having the right to exercise our first amendment rights part and parcel to our freedom?  We can sit down during the National Anthem, we can burn an American flag. We can protest in ways that don’t harm others. WE CAN.

11. From my Favorite Quotes file:  “You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom.” – Clarence Darrow

Thanks for listening!