Category Archives: A Couple of Things…

A Couple of Things…

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I blame my parents for this fashion statement.
I blame my parents for this fashion statement.

1. Strep Throat sucks.  I don’t recommend it.

2.  Feeling better now and back to living a productive life!  But not well enough to shoot hoops yet.

3. I have another birthday coming up this month.  I haven’t figured out how to make that stop yet.

4. I’ve never been into Astrology, but the fact that I’m a Leo makes so much sense.

5. Just so you know, if it doesn’t get any better than this, I’ll die a happy camper!

6. I was thinking about what are my most treasured possessions? Of course I first think of people or animals, but they aren’t really possessions.  They hang out because they don’t know any better.

7. So what about physical possessions?  My Ibanez guitar, Spalding women’s basketball,  loaded mp3 player, camera.  Luckily all things I could grab all at once in case of fire.   My photos are uploaded in cyperspace.  I don’t really watch TV.  I can’t carry out my furniture.  I don’t really wear jewlery.  So yeah, I’m prepared.   If I’m not home, all these things are replaceable.

8. I find that more times than not, when a person is explaining something and then they say, “To make a long story short…” It’s already too late.

9. It took some time, but Sydney Rose succumbed not too long ago to Facebook, and I was happily surprised when I received a Friend Request from her.

10. I keep seeing posts about privacy concerns on Facebook and people trying to “declare their rights to intellectual property…” blah blah blah.  My thought on the matter, get off Facebook if you are concerned about what you post.  Seriously, it probably isn’t for you!  It’s SOCIAL MEDIA!  Facebook makes the rules clear as a bell when you sign up.  Sorry Charlie!

11. Speaking of which, I do a lot of Facebook posting for VenturaRocks.com.  What I don’t understand is why people don’t message you with a correction, rather than posting a derogatory comment for all to see about what is wrong.

12. A month an a half after Ventura Music Week and I think…yes, I think I’ve collected the last check and it looks like we made enough to cover all our bills.  YES!!!

13.  From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life’.”  Maya Angelou     WORD

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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HAHAHA!!!
Great Weekend in Ventura
VenturaRocks.com!!!

1.  I love saying, “I’m going to band practice.”  Or, “I’m coming back from band practice.” Or “I just left band practice.”  Or “Band practice was a lot of fun.”  I’m driving Sydney Rose crazy!!

2.  I LOVE BAND PRACTICE!!!  Just saying.

3.  Fortunately, I can only get better on the guitar!

4.  And I thought my wrists were sore from shooting hoops!  I had no idea!!  Standing up playing guitar is a whole different ballgame.

5.  We did a punk version of one of Charles Law’s original country rock songs. We fuckin’ rocked it!!

6.  I imagine I’m a cross between Courtney Love and Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders.

7.  There is no reality in the previous statement.

8.  Someone mentioned recently that life gets better after a certain age.  I have to say that life gets better when you decide to finally chase down your dreams.  You can do this anytime.  Start!!

9.  Next up, surfing!

10.  Speaking of surfing…Surf Rodeo was this weekend.  We had a blast!  Sold all kinds of VenturaRocks.com t-shirts.  Two days of fun at Pierpont Beach with music and surf, Ventura is definitely my kind of town!

11.  The fact that I lost my hat, camera, and purse on three separate occasions during the two days of Surf Rodeo, and I managed to find all three in tact (eventually), only goes to prove how much Ventura Rocks!

12.  From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file: A friend recently posted a quote, but the author was listed as Unknown. It’s a worthy quote and I found the author:

“Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself” – George Bernard Shaw.   I agree, “WORD!”

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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Jonny, me, Susan and Syd
Ones to Watch
She beckons me everyday at lunch!

1.  Made the three hour round trip to Camp Scheideck last Friday with Syd Rose, and Jonny and Susan from Amigos.  I’ve been watching the photos being posted on Facebook and I’m super glad we made the trip, because WE NOW KNOW BETTER!  It’s a Hole-in-the-Wall dive bar with a fenced in backyard with dirt everywhere!  Scheideck is three days of all our favorite local bands we can typically see any given week in Ventura.  We had some fun, but stayed less than four hours.  The highlight was driving back with Syd behind the wheel dodging wild deer.

2.  A friend recently explained to me that it just might be better to change my Number One rule about NOT dating musicians to JUST dating musicians.  Well I don’t know if it would be better, but it would be far easier!

3.  A dear friend of mine told me this week that she and her husband would like to help make a dream of mine come true (k, get your head out of the gutter).  I’ve been invited to play rhythm guitar on one of his songs with his band during his next gig at the Tavern.  Then of course there will be the mandatory drinking of shots until drunk afterwards to feel like a real rock star.  HELLYA!!!

4.  I have to admit, every time I think about #2, I can’t help but smile ear to ear.

5.  Had our first practice this week.  Shit!  There’s a B chord.

6.  I’ve loved bad men.  Does that make me a bad woman?

7.  Being a judge for Zoey’s One’s to Watch was really HARD!!!  So much great talent out there!  I was very honored to be asked.

8.  I keep teasing Sydney that the guys she’s been hanging out with likes her.  She keeps insisting that they are JUST FRIENDS.  And I almost believed her until she made the Freudian slip and said their relationship was just Playtonic.  I laughed until the tears were rolling down my face.  Too funny!!!

9.  Speaking of Sydney… Years ago when Sydney learned that Prince is in fact actually a man, her response was, “Prince?!!! Sounds more like Princess.” Yeah, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

10.  How is it when a group of people sing Happy Birthday, the one who is tone deaf always sings the loudest?

11.  Today is Independence Day.  My friend Kat posted on Facebook the first line of the second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
So I took a moment to review our Constitution.  It really is incredible.  Perhaps it should be mandatory reading to review it annually on July 4th.  But seriously, if it were, it could start a whole new Revolution!

12.  From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:   “If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. BE KIND ANYWAY.” –Mother Theresa

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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Syd's 19th Birthday Lunch with Grandpa
Syd’s 19th Birthday Lunch with Grandpa

Ventura Music Week ended this past weekend, but I think I will take some time to gather my thoughts and evaluations of how it went before I write about that.  So for now…A Couple of Things…

1.  A friend recently posted on Facebook that she always felt a little less sexy because she couldn’t wear high heels.   In my opinion, one out of five women pull wearing high heels off.  The rest, look so freakin’ awkward it’s ridiculous!

2.  The same thing with contact lens wearers.  Some people you would never guess they’re wearing contacts, others make such a production out of it.  Blinking all the time or opening their eyes wider, over exaggerating looking at things.  Seriously, wear glasses!  You look silly.

3.  And while we’re at it, how about those women (mostly teenage girls) who wear sleeveless short short dresses.  They are forever pulling them up, and pulling them down at the same time.  Such a production! And again, they look utterly ridiculous!

4.  In my opinion, sexy is being comfortable.  Sexy is smiling at people because you enjoy their company.  Sexy is a mindset.  Sexy is not about the clothes.  Sure, the clothes may get you noticed, but they won’t close the deal.

5.  There is a BIG difference between worshipping bodies and connecting with an individual.

6.  I’ve yet to find a drunk man or a stoned man attractive. Just saying.

7.  Do I prefer the athletic man or the don Juan lovey dovey type? Intellectual type or simple and sweet? Dresses to kill or dresses for the occasion. Tall dark and handsome or short light and comfortable in his skin? I have to say yes to all the above, but he also must be ethical, kind and have a wicked sense of humor (bonus points for being able to keep up with me).

8.  I hate shopping:  shopping for food, clothes, men…you name it.

9.  Do you think someone who is crazy knows they are crazy?  I wonder because I know people who work really hard at appearing normal.  But trust me, they are CRAY CRAY!!!

10.  I ran into one of those “quiet” Facebook friends recently, you know, the ones who never post.  I had written recently about whether they were creepers or actually had a life and were never on Facebook.  He gleefully admitted he was a creeper.  I kind of admire that about him.

11.  From my Favorite Facebook Posts file:   “Is an argument between two Vegans still called a ‘Beef’?”

12.  Happy 19th Birthday Sydney Rose.  I Love You!!!

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…Ventura Music Week

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Kat Merrick, Totally Local VC, David Comden of VC Report & Me.

Kat Merrick of Totally Local VC, David Comden of VC Reporter & Pam Baumgardner of VenturaRocks.com.

1. Ventura Music Week is underway.  I have no idea how we’re pulling it off, but I’m thinking the endless hours of planning and running around rallying the troops might have something to do with it.

2. I love the venues and the people who have stepped up to help with Ventura Music Week.  They get it.  It’s not about what’s in it for them…but about coming together as a community to brand Ventura as a music town.

3. Monday night is a special screening of Dave Grohl’s film, “Sound City, Real to Reel.”  There are obligatory rumors of a special guest showing up…just saying.

4. Our kick off party on Friday was amazing. Music from Dan Grimm, Spencer the Gardener, Raging Arb and the Redheads and the McEuen Brothers all performing in the historic Erle Stanley Gardner Building (known as the birthplace of Perry Mason). Plus we had City Councilmen, Carl Morehouse and Mayor Mike Tracy in attendance.

5. Went to a private Whiskey tasting event Sunday afternoon at The Tavern. I’ll be honest, I was a little scared of overindulging.  Especially having not eaten all day long. Highlight was finally getting to see Rey Fresco perform.

6. I love when I go out to shoot a show that I’m never alone.  I always run into friends to hang out with.

7. One of the perks of Ventura Music Week is establishing new relationships with and getting to know business owners. Most are extremely hard working individuals who deserve help.  Some others…not so much.

8. I am grateful I was wise enough to take vacation time from my day job so I could focus entirely on pulling off Ventura Music Week.  Plus I don’t have to worry about a curfew.

9. 100 bands – 30 venues – 10 days – 1 city.  Yeah, that’s Ventura Music Week baby!

10. Many thanks to Kat Merrick whose drive, expertise and commitment to seeing this through.  Seriously, without her…well  I couldn’t even imagine!

11.  Ventura Music Week was put together by a committee of business owners who donated their time and/or resources:  David Comden, publisher from the VC Reporter, Kevin Clerici of Downtown Ventura, Sam Benner of Benner Marketing, Peter Brown of The City of Ventura, Gary Stewart of Four Brix, Pam Baumgardner (me!) of VenturaRocks.com and of course Kat Merrick from Totally Local VC…thank you for all your hard work.  We did it!!!

12. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:   “I would rather die of passion than boredom.” Vincent van Gogh

Thanks for listening.

(Photo above is from the Ventura Music Week kick off party)

A Couple of Things…

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The Predator (the cat, not my daughter Sydney)
The Predator (the cat, not Sydney)

1.  It’s the first day of June.  How did that happen?

2.  There’s something magical about that moment when two strangers acknowledge with “the head nod” that they both just saw something weird.

3.  Final grades for the semester in, I am jazzed to report that I am maintaining the “A” average.

4.  Sydney Rose’s final grades in, 3 A’s and 2 B’s.  She killed her semester in Culinary Arts at Santa Barbara City College.  But I may be more pleased with the fact that she now makes some pretty awesome bread from scratch!

5.  I struggle internally when I see people support someone they know behaves poorly to another or others.  I understand there is such a thing as freedom of choice, but unfortunately it shows their true colors.    It makes me a bit sad. No, make that disappointed.

6.  I hate to use public bathroom facilities when there’s a woman in another stall speaking on her cell phone. I get gun shy. She could be speaking to George Clooney for all I know!  TMI?

7.  I saw a book recently called, “Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making you Fat.”  So I guess I’m allergic to Cake, French Fries, Doughnuts, Bread and Snickers candy bars.  Who knew!

8a.  I so rolled my eyes when I found out recently that Sydney Rose had her grandpa come over to handle a “HUMONGOUS” moth the cat had been batting around in the house.
8b.  Glad Grandpa was around to handle the lizard the cat dragged in this week.
8c.  The recent baby snake eating incident was hard to witness.
8d.  Sydney and I have decided that the cat is NOT offering up gifts to us when she brings in the occasional bird, Humongous moth, lizard or baby snake.  If she were, she’d leave them for us.  Instead, she maims, tortures, and then devours her prey.
8e.  We may have to feed the cat more often.

9.  My friend just went in for reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy earlier this year. Now just recovery time.

10.  Ventura Music Week is less than a week away now.  It’s all a volunteer activity.  No one is profiting.  Actually, I think our community is profiting.  This year will be solid.  Next year off the hook!!!

11.  From my Favorite Facebook Posts file:  “Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.”  Jack Handrey

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

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Eve, Me and Kat with members of Mandex
Eve, Me and Kat with members of Mandex

1. I’ve been holding my breath waiting on my final grades for the semester.  Why are they so important?  Why do I place so much value in them.  Either I know the material or I don’t.  It really should be pass or fail, no?  Education is a privilege I don’t take lightly.

2.  So far, I got an “A” in Photography.  Neener Neener Neener!!!

3.  Another semester done.  It always feels slightly weird that I no longer have to encorporate studying into my regular schedule.  Kind of afraid my mind will turn to mush.  But it’s funny how time is like a vaccuum.  I clear up four nights of school, and immediately it’s filled with webwork.

4.  As you can tell by the photo above, I’ve been working very hard on making this music scene happen here in Ventura.  It’s really a tough gig to have sometimes!

5.  When asked what my favorite decade of music is, I’m always quick to say the 90s. But after seeing Mandex (above), I’m leaning towards the 80s more and more.  Guns n Roses, Bon Jovi, the Crue.    Good times!

6.  I’ve been putting in mucho hours toward making Ventura Music Week a success this year.  But I have to be honest, I’m so tired of whiners!!!!!

Oh wait…Was I just whining?

7.  I’ve been crazy busy.

8.  I recently had the singer of a band come up to me as I sat at a wine bar, he seranade me as he rocked me gently with his arms around me from behind.   I was very flattered until I heard he was a player…then not so much.

9.  I’m proud to say I’ve never read “50 Shades of Grey”.

10.  My father was hospitalized recently for dehydration while away on vacation in another state.  It wasn’t critical by any means, but there is nothing worse than feeling helpless.

11.  Today is Memorial Day:  “We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them.” — Francis Amasa Walker.  WORD

12.  From my Favorite Facebook Posts file:  Audrey Hepburn quote from the movie “Charade”:     “I don’t bite, you know…unless it’s called for.”

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

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Mother's Day dinner with Nancy, Dad, Syd Rose, me, and Staci Brown
Mother’s Day dinner with Nancy, Dad
Syd Rose, me, and Staci Brown

1.  Mother’s Day was great fun. Felt the love for sure!

2.  I hate falling for someone’s social veneer.

3.  Alright, I admit it.  I love a man in a uniform!

4.  If a cup of coffee costs $2.00 and the same sized cup of hot chocolate costs $1.50, then how come a cup of half coffee and half hot chocolate cost $2.50?  When a coffeehouse charges me more than $2.00 for the combo, I never return. EVER!!!

5.  VenturaRocks.com is really becoming a mover and a shaker here in Ventura.  Plus I have to admit, I love the hugs I get when I go out.

6.  I’m in the middle of finals.  I have just two this semester.  One down, one to go.  Confidence level remains moderate.

7.  I hate being mean, even when it’s warranted.  But sometimes you have to let the other person know enough is enough.  It still leaves my stomach in knots.

8.  When I was married, Chris and I started what we affectionately called, “The-Kevin-Costner-Movies-That-Matter video collection”.  Really, the only ones that really continue to matter in my book are Bull Durham and Field of Dreams, both about baseball, odd.

9.  I’m now on a quest to spot my first owl in the wild.

10.  I’m not a fan of the accordian.

11.  From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!  Hell, who am I kidding? I hope you fall down the fucking stairs too.”  Yeah, it’s been one of those weeks.

A Couple of Things…

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Last year’s Bike-to-Work day

1.  Bike-to-Work week starts Monday!!!

2.  Is saving $20 worth it for a used wet suit, knowing someone most likely has peed in it? The gal at Play it Again Sports said, “Well you can wash it!”

3.  Mother’s Day has always been a tad bittersweet for me because I miss my mother so much, on the other hand as a Mother I get to celebrate being Sydney Rose’s mom, which has been the greatest adventure of my life.

4.  I absolutely love the sound of a basketball swishing through a metal net. Especially those 3-pointers!

5.  I wrote a blog for VenturaRocks.com on The Worth of an Artist and was promptly attacked for supporting RAW which does in fact require their Artists to sell tickets to their events. I’m going on the record as saying that RAW actually offers a great service when done correctly to all artists. And I’ve heard nothing but great things about our Ventura chapter. That being said, I’ve asked Sara from RAW to remove VenturaRocks.com from their posters because technically it is Pay-to-Play. We’re still listing RAW, just not a sponsor now.

6. The other morning at work as I was trying to wrap my mind around why Sergio Albarran listens to Hall and Oates all the time, I asked him how old he was and he said 27. It just doesn’t make sense! And then he said and I quote, “Hall and Oates are gangster.” Life is a mystery. Some things are just not meant to be understood.

7.  Just learned that Hall and Oates are playing the Ventura Fair this year.

8.  I found an old aircheck from when I worked weekends on B95.1. No comment.

9.  All spiders are Brown Recluses to me

10.  I’m not a big fan of Westerns, western music or rodeos. But man, certain cowboys make me swoon!

11.  From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “When one door closes, another one opens. Or you could just open the closed door, that’s how they work.”

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

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Playing with lifesized Tonka Toys

Playing with life-sized Tonka Toys

1. There are few things worse than giving up on a person you really care about.

2. Being served dinner by handsome firemen has been added to my Highlights in My Life file.  Thanks again Christine!

3. I love hot weather, hot salsa, and a hot man.  Definitely not in that order.

4. We have a small-time business entity here in Ventura County that has done nothing successful, continues to steal ideas from their competitors and undermine the efforts of those who are trying to make this music scene happen by serving their own self-interests.    You know who you are.  We do too.

5. I’ve never been a fan of Starbucks.  Instead, I support the mom & pop doughnut shop whenever possible.  The only problem is getting out without a doughnut…with maple frosting, or crumb on raised glazed, or an old-fashioned, or double chocolate cake, or…

6. WARNING!!! Flashback moment:  That moment when it hits you in the fifth grade.  You still have a minimum of seven more years to go.

7. Can you believe, I use to hate sports?

8.  I get that I need to get the mechanics down for taking a good picture, but I find my photos suffer when my attention is on how…instead of what.  I shoot what inspires me.  I do know in the long run that I will be a better photographer once the basic are second nature and again, I’m shooting what inspires me.

9. My next photo assignment is simply entitled “Addiction”.   Crazy fun!  Not.

10. If someone “friended me” and then they never comment, like or post…it kind of feels like they’re a creeper, no?  Of course, one has to consider that they may have a life and rarely check in on Facebook.

11. I worked in Construction Management for a couple of years and towards the end of one of the jobs we were overseeing, the Construction Foreman asked if I would like to try out  one of the big pieces of equipment.  I was floored!!!  Of course I jumped at the chance. It was amazing! (see photo above)

12. Sometimes the rumors are true! So often when I attend a festival of music I’ll hear rumors that “so and so” is expected to show up and jam. I had heard the rumors earlier in the week and because of past disappointments, I gave this one no weight. It was Moorpark College for Christ’s sake!  Well this past Saturday at the Ventura County Blues Festival, George Thorogood was heard to be on the grounds, and did in fact join Johnny Rivers on stage for about four songs. Too cool.

13. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “Due to the recent budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.”  author unknown.

Thanks for listening.