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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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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 20161. 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 Sharon2. 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 be 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.

See article here.
tobleroneSide 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 Henderson6. 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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candle1.  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 2016Halloween 20162. 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.

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

california-flag5. 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 BearIt’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 progressing6. 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 Revolt10. 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 dad1. Happy 82nd birthday to my father, Gilbert.  This is one of my favorites.  He was around 26 years old in this photo.

lettuce2. 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-facts4. 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 Strahler6. 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.

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 Lost puppyvisits 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 Coupons5.  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 police7. 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 Abbey9.  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 car1. 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 Tammy9. 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 Cob11.  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 BB1.  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!”

Avocados3. 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 Bet5. 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 Popcorn8. 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!

 

 

 

Questioning the Mental Health Field

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NOTE: In no way shape or form should one go off their medication without being under a doctor’s supervision.
NOTE: This article is not trying to discredit human suffering or behavioral issues. It’s designed to educate so informed decisions can be made on treatment.
NOTE: There are nearly 80 million people taking psychiatric drugs in the U.S. alone; 8.5 million are children with 1 million of them between zero to five years old.

NOTE: in 2016, tHE APA (American Psychiatric Association) is pushing for electroshock therapy for children and teens.

Snopes logoThere has been an article circulating about how the father of “ADHD” (Dr. Leon Eisenberg) discredited the “disease” before his death.  So I thought I would go to SNOPES.com to find out what they have to say and they state that it’s partly true (due to German to English translation issues). I enjoyed the SNOPES fact checking article because they reveal even more damaging information to the psych field as they found an additional interview where the interview was in English (no translation from German needed).

Additional information from SNOPES:

On a related note, an August 2012 Der Spiegel English-language interview with (now retired) Harvard psychologist Dr. Jerome Kagan quoted Dr. Kagan as being critical of “fuzzy diagnostic practices” and the over-prescription of drugs such as Ritalin for behavioral problems in children, and as referring to ADHD as “an invention”:

SPIEGEL: In the 1960s, mental disorders were virtually unknown among children. Today, official sources claim that one child in eight in the United States is mentally ill.

Kagan: That’s true, but it is primarily due to fuzzy diagnostic practices. Let’s go back 50 years. We have a 7-year-old child who is bored in school and disrupts classes. Back then, he was called lazy. Today, he is said to suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). That’s why the numbers have soared.

SPIEGEL: Experts speak of 5.4 million American children who display the symptoms typical of ADHD. Are you saying that this mental disorder is just an invention?

Kagan: That’s correct; it is an invention. Every child who’s not doing well in school is sent to see a pediatrician, and the pediatrician says: “It’s ADHD; here’s Ritalin.” In fact, 90 percent of these 5.4 million kids don’t have an abnormal dopamine metabolism. The problem is, if a drug is available to doctors, they’ll make the corresponding diagnosis.

keyboard imageI did further researched online about a government-funded clinical trial (1999 to 2003) about the Neuro-imaging of Dopamine Metabolism in Normal and Psychiatric Patients.  It gave all kinds of technical data about their hypothesis, but in the end (study was completed in 2003) no results were given. Hmmm.

CCHR Int (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) has published a number of quotes from psychiatrists themselves and I would like to share some of them with you.  The purpose?  To educate, open your eyes, hope you’ll demand better solutions than dangerous pysch drugs.

“There are no objective tests in psychiatry-no X-ray, laboratory, or exam finding that says definitively that someone does or does not have a mental disorder.” “There is no definition of a mental disorder. It’s bull—. I mean, you just can’t define it.” — Allen Frances, Psychiatrist and former DSM-IV* Task Force Chairman

(*DSM: Diagnostic Statistical Manual, version 4, classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals)

“Virtually anyone at any given time can meet the criteria for bipolar disorder or ADHD.  Anyone.  And the problem is everyone diagnosed with even one of these ‘illnesses’ triggers the pill dispenser.” — Dr. Stefan Kruszewski, Psychiatrist

“Despite more than two hundred years of intensive research, no commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders have proven to be either genetic or biological in origin, including schizophrenia, major depression, manic-depressive disorder, the various anxiety disorders, and childhood disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity. At present there are no known biochemical imbalances in the brain of typical psychiatric patients—until they are given psychiatric drugs.” — Peter Breggin, Psychiatrist

Of course there will be the inevitable come back that a person someone knows has schizophrenia and is a danger to themselves and society so they must be kept medicated.  Or they know someone where the psych drugs were helpful. I’m not going to argue that point.  My only come back is, what about holistic solutions?

person suffering imageI understand, who wants to suffer?!!  A pill that numbs your ability to feel seems like the perfect case scenario when one has been suffering (long or short-term); but are you aware of the side effects of some of these drugs: suicide, violence/hostility and psychotic break, heart problems, seizures, depression, addiction, stroke and sudden death…

My involvement in cleaning up the mental health field was initially to help protect children, and to educate their parents on the dangers of these labels being handed out hoping they’ll look for alternative help; but I’m also interested in seeing our Veterans receive the proper help; giving a voice to at-risk teens who are forced on medication and restrained when they rebel while in “the system”; and to advocate for our seniors who are being kept docile in their convalescent homes.

Stop the abuse imageThe fact that over a million kids are on dangerous meds and have been labeled with a psychiatric disorder is unacceptable. I guarantee you that if given the chance, one could find out why their child is behaving the way they are.  Take a look at their diet (possible allergies, insufficient nutrients, inability to process foods properly, etc…)  lack of physical activity, overloaded stimulation, someone is suppressing them, environmental issues, non-optimum home life (bad parenting, parents fighting, anger issues, illegal drug use…).  Of course the bad parenting is hard one to look at; but how often do parents take away a child’s dignity?  Almost daily.  If one of those parents spoke to you like they do their children, you would be completely taken aback and tell them to “Fuck off.” A child can’t.

As for the millions of adults who are on psychiatric medications for your ailments I beg you to learn the side effects of any drug (psych or not) before you agree to take them.  Ask questions about alternative treatments available that are non-drug in nature. Do your own research. DO THE WORK.  Do not accept wholesale that psych drugs are the solution.

In closing, I’m not saying people don’t suffer from mental conditions. But finding the cause and working with each individual is a lost art in this society when a doctor offers medication as the solution, a solution that for many is a life-long sentence.

People who have been damaged by psychiatric treatment can report the doctor and/or facility.  (click here)

Know your rights.  Know that there are non-harmful alternatives to psychiatric diagnoses and psych drugs. (Read about some of them here)

Check out Vital Warrior, a non-governmentally funded organization helping vets with “PTSD” with non-drug solutions.  Now these guys rock.

A Couple of Things…

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1. Due to recent circumstances I have found myself watching TV more than I have in years.  The causation of course started with my knee replacement surgery and being confined to bed rest for weeks. I started by re-watching episodes of “The West Wing,” and movies, but graduated to reruns of “Sex and the City,” “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory.”  So during this time I was inspired by a few television commercials, but none more than by ROBO TWIST!! I’ll be honest, I just have to have it! The device actually twists off hard to open lids. They say it works on any size jar and it’s ideal for seniors, kids and perfect for arthritis sufferers….and weaklings like me. 😉

Seriously, I’m getting it and I’ll report back!

2.You know those commercials where they claim, “These are real people not actors”? I can’t help but wonder if we’re suppose to assume that actors are not real people.

3. I accidentally came upon a program while working on the computer. It kept pulling my attention away and I was getting more irritated by the moment. It turned out to be a program called “Housewives of Orange County.” Now I had heard of these “Housewives” “Reality” shows, but seriously, what a load of crap!!! I am embarrassed for womankind!

4. So why does this society feed into the quasi celebrities that are created by “reality” TV?  The whole Kardasian, Housewives of the Orange County, New York, Dallas, or that TV show on MTV show where they all lived together?  Is this society THAT bored that these shows are entertaining?  Sadly, the answer is yes.  These shows continue and become more inane because the numbers show enough people watch that they can charge money for advertising.  That’s all fine and good, because I don’t have to watch them; but when these “celebs” start showing up in news feeds, or on the cover of magazines, that’s when I get really annoyed.

5. As much as I love having people taking advantage of the hiking trail up above City Hall (called the Botanical Gardens), I’m sad to report I have not seen any deer since they opened it a couple of years ago.  It was amazing to have deer pass by while shooting hoops.

6.  Did I mention I’ve been lifting weights? I can’t believe how quickly one loses their muscles when you don’t use them for a while. Sure I started with curling 5 lbs, but I’m proud to say I’m up to 7.5 now!

Denny's Item7. For Father’s Day this year I decided to surprise my dad and go out to breakfast and attend Church with him that morning. He was super jazzed.  What I took away from our outing, and to be honest, it’s a little unnerving, was this item on the menu at Denny’s.  If I get below 115, I’m trying the Maple Bacon Sundae!!

8. Call me naive, but I didn’t even know this was a thing:

“I quit my job to breastfeed my boyfriend every two hours.”

Here’s the story in the NY Post online.

9. THANK GOD!  Somebody finally was bold enough to reveal what the Gay Agenda really is:

Gay Agenda

10. From my favorite quotes file:

“Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law.” -Boethius

Thanks for listening!