Category Archives: A Couple of Things…

A Couple of Things…

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So it’s been a year now since my last post. I trust you’ve been good. Thanks for checking in and I hope, if necessary, you’ll forgive my absence. As for an explanation, well someday I’ll explain.

Meanwhile…

Sydney Rose was home for the past month arriving a few days before Christmas. Unfortunately she missed out on this all important photo shoot at our local Wharf store, the one that caters to animals. Santa was there patiently taking photos of locals with their animal friends. I’m still not sure how I got roped into this one, but you can’t say I’m a poor sport. I love the dog’s expression. To me she’s saying, “Really?”

Preparing for Sydney’s visit, I managed to drag the Christmas tree upstairs and get it set up. First time in years, and apparently Molly was fine with it.

 

On Thanksgiving, my dad decided we needed to go see The Blue Man Group, so Carol and I arranged a family trip to Las Vegas in January. We flew out of Burbank on one of those private jets, JetSuite X (I highly recommend it); staying two nights at the Luxor. It turns out, The Blue Man Group was a lot of fun! Afterwards in the lobby we enlisted some stranger to take a photo of us and lo and behold, one of the Blue Man members stepped in just in time for the shot! And I can’t stress enough, once again, you can not say I’m a poor sport as I wore that blue shirt provided to me by Carol…and Sydney to wear as a group to the show.

Sydney Rose and I decided to participate in the local March for Justice held here in Ventura. Several thousand residents showed up along with Assembly member, Monique Limon, Congresswoman, Julia Brownley, and Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson. Also in attendance were all four of the women on Ventura’s City Council. Yep, we now have a majority of women two of which are minorities! In any case, we march along with everyone else, and it was a few days later that Sydney spotted the front page of the Ventura Star on her grandpa’s coffee table and exclaimed, “Mom! You made the cover!!” Yes she was right, but just barely.

Sydney is one proud woman stating it like it is.

Jumping around just a bit. This year for Halloween, my group in Transportation at City Hall decided to dress up after taking a hiatus last year. The theme? You guessed it, the Addams Family.

This past fall, the Breeze celebrated their ten-year anniversary, and Sheldon took his staff to lunch. I’ve now been writing my Ventura Music Scene column for five years and I’m proud to report that I’ve never missed a deadline.

Mimiaga took me to a Dodger game last summer. We had great seats too. Little did we know they’d go to the World Series this year!

Just a few friends to help celebrate my birthday.


Sydney Rose sent me this photo…or I stole it from her FB page. In any case, I had it, and I’m sharing it! She’s been a baker on bread detail at St. Honore French Bakery in Portland. This is from last spring or early summer. She’ll be taking some time off soon to return to school moving to smaller town in Oregon. She’ll be going for a Food Science degree. Ain’t she cute?

 

I believe this past year was the first time I didn’t actually ride my bike to work on Bike to Work day. We are a motley crew, no?

Okay. I think I covered, a lot.

Thanks for checking in, I hope to get back into the swing of posting my silly observations and such.

A Couple of Things…

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1. I can’t even put into words (though clearly, I’m attempting to do so) how much it meant to me to be asked to emcee the 805 Love Notes Thomas Fire Benefit concert at the Ventura Theater.  I’ll be honest, I wasn’t nervous about being in front of a large crowd, but I was nervous about crying in front of a large crowd as we reflect on what so many friends and family have had to go through after losing their homes and how our community has come together to help, well, it just moves me to tears. My voice did crack a couple times, and I had to stop briefly, but I held it together.

Many thanks to local musician, Bill Benson, for the candid photos from back stage.
The artists were Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Shawn Jones Trio, Shades of Day, Franklin for Short, Chris Pearce, Jesse Siebenberg, Todd Hannigan, Shane Alexander, Max Kasch, Leslie Stevens, Shelby Figueroa, The Pemberton Sisters (Jamie Drake and Justine Bennett), and Brother Sal. It was a long day, but so many heart-felt performances from all the artists who donated their time. #VenturaStrong #805Strong

2. I have to continually remind myself that life is too short to wear uncomfortable shoes.

3. Some mornings start better than others.

4.  It’s really quite disconcerting how many conversations I’ve had with different men I know that believe women are going too far on “this sexual harassment trend.” For starters, it’s not a trend, it’s a notion whose time has come. It’s time for women to band together and demand their dignity.They shouldn’t have to live in fear or shame. Yes, women are coming out of the woodwork to speak up, finally, and I’m glad. It makes me smile how many men are living in fear that they could be called out for past bad behavior.

That being said, this isn’t just a women’s problem. Men are abused as well, sexually and/or mentally belittled; they too have suffered in silence. It’s time we talk about this, because the more we do, the more future perpetrators will think twice before acting on their evil impulses.

I would also like to promote goodwill and good relations between each other. I do not support man bashing. I LOATHE generalities. I hope we never lose the art of seduction and being attracted to one another. What joy there is in finding good companionship (short or long-termed).

5. Last month while visiting my daughter for Christmas, I made it go right to catch up with a dear old friend of mine, John Nyman. He and his wife moved to Portland about a year ago.  It’s been way too many years since the last time we saw each other, I think it was at my wedding in 89.  In any case, we yapped it up with Sydney Rose in tow for over an hour in a coffee shop, and afterwards I kicked myself for not having Sydney take a photo of the two of us.  So I did the next best thing.  I grabbed a photo of him from his FB page and a photo of myself and photoshopped them together.  He has not changed at all, except for the beard!

6. The other thing that happened while visiting my daughter in Portland over Christmas is that I visited my first strip club, apparently the oldest one in Portland called Mary’s, or Mary’s Club or St. Mary’s or something like that.  Sydney actually was taking me to her favorite Mexican restaurant but warned me that the diner shared a bathroom with Marys.  I swear I tried to hold it in, but finally gave up and timidly made my way to the back, through a heavy door and around a sharp corner where yes, a woman was dancing on a pole.  But now that I think about it, and as God as my witness, I couldn’t tell you whether she was naked or not….so yeah, no photo for this one 😉

7. I love that my dad and Carol “Represent” when they step out for jazz.  This is Nate Birkey from NYC.  My dad came to know him when he played here in Ventura in the 90’s at a popular hub for jazz, California 66 (now Cafe Fiore)..

8. While taking a walk out to the mermaid statue down at the Harbor’s entrance on New Year’s day, just as I was arriving at my destination, a man walking his dog said hello to me and asked me where my better half was.  The fact that he thought I should have someone with me didn’t bother me as much as assuming that this “other person” would be the better half. What the hell, right?

9. I came across an article online called “8 Things InStyle Editors Actually Bought Without Hesitation in December.”  So yeah, I was intrigued because I used to peruse the mag back in the day when I cared a little more about fashion.  So I figured they’d know what is hip or not, right?  NO THEY DON’T!  WTF, Really? And…wait for it, they cost $695.  Click for article source.

10. Back when I was working on Buzzine Magazine, we shared an office space with Lin Milano, Alyssa Milano’s mom.  I always enjoyed working with her as she was a strong professional woman working in a tough field representing actors.  She once told me she would represent Sydney Rose (who was around 7 at the time).  I was thoroughly touched by that gesture.  So I asked Sydney if she would like to look into becoming an actress.  She didn’t even have to think about it.  She just flatly said, “No.”  I’ve always respected her for that. Smart girl.

11. Another Thomas Fire Benefit is lined up for Saturday, February 3, and this one headlines Kevin Costner and Modern West along with Olivia Newton John, Colbie Caillat, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and more. I was asked if I wanted to do any interviews and all I really needed was a couple of quotes for an article about the event, so I submitted questions for Kevin Costner, who said he would rather have it be more personable and preferred speaking with me instead. So yeah, me and Kevin are tight now.
Seriously, he was warm and had true concern for our community (he grew up here and lives just up the coast). He totally reminded of Ray, the character he portrayed in Field of Dreams.

12. From my favorite quotes file, “How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.” – William Shakespeare (The Merchant of Venice)

A Couple of Things…

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I was working on this post entry for my blog, “A Couple of Things…” when Ventura was hit by the Thomas Fire. Little did we know that horrific night that this fire would take over 400 homes in our town alone, continue up the coast to Santa Barbara and end up being the largest fire in California history.  As I write this on New Year’s day, the fire is about 92% contained.

For two weeks we were in a thick haze, literally.  The smoke was so harsh and thick, and toxic that everyone in town wore safety masks.  People were keeping indoors as much as possible and sealing up their homes to try to avoid contact from all the ash, especially those first few days.  Smoke and ash from forest fires are different from smoke and ash from homes that have burn. Houses contain asbestos, aluminum, copper, and all kinds of ugly toxic materials. The City was giving out boxes of masks for free.  I wore a mask outdoors at all times as the air did not clear until Sunday, December 17.

It’s been a privilege to work for the City and to work in the EOC (Emergency Operation Center) and help out with the Community Meetings to keep Venturans informed. I know so many people were trying to figure out how to help.  As a civil servant, I had more opportunities to do so.

Just about four weeks later, there are so many lessons learned. Lessons for citizens, lessons for the City, and continued lessons for first responders. I personally know fifteen people who lost their home during what should be the most joyous time of the year including one of my best friends Eve. She honestly thought they’d be back in their home that next morning.  They still don’t know if they’ll rebuild.

I took myself off social media for several weeks as the images and sad stories became overwhelming. That along with working at City Hall with these industrial strength, incredibly LOUD air purifiers blowing 24/7 for over four weeks, trying to help frustrated citizens, and then walking out everyday to a view that made my heart fall, every single day. (I took center photo, the two others are from social media).

I’m so grateful to our firefighters for protecting so many properties and lives.  Yes there was an incredible amount of destruction, but it could have been so much worse. And to see our community bond and rally and help one another made me proud.

This image still makes me smile.  Yeah, I may know who placed the mask on the Father Serra statue out in front of City Hall…but I’ll never tell.  (photo credit: Sheldon Brown)

And now to lighter fare:

It was the perfect way to end 2017.  We met for early evening cocktails which evolved into a three hour dinner at Lure…where the service was superior, the food delicious and the libations spot on. The conversations were witty, inspiring, and soul soothing.  It’s so important to surround oneself with people who uplift and empower others.

I spent Christmas in Portland this year with my favorite girl in the whole wide world, Sydney Rose.  I was only there for four days, but we made the most of it, spending much needed time out of Ventura, and as if on cue, it magically began to snow on Christmas Eve.  It was perfect!

They call it “The Social Event of the Year” with family and friends strolling downtown Main Street, live music, snow fall, crafts and food booths, and a Wine Walk for those who enjoy the fermented juice of grapes. It seems to me that the more you partake the less you care about that initial, sometimes sour sensation on the palate.
Here we are hanging with Mr. and Mrs. Claus; Susie and Loree are attempting to get Mrs. Claus drunk.

Two days later, the Thomas Fire would upend our City.  It started in Santa Paula as our City Council was in the council chambers for their weekly meeting in Ventura They were notified of the fire as the winds were about the worst they’ve been in a long time. The entire area was  under red flag alert. Their fears were quickly realized as the fire progressed and hit our City within a short time.  The meeting was adjourned as council members raced to protect their homes.

I would like to move that we remove the expression “Things happen for a reason” when referring to tragic events. Screw that. “Shit happens” and that’s that. Confront and handle and come up with “lessons learned” to help prevent “Shit” from occurring again.

I am not agnostic. I believe in a higher power, but I also believe in the strength and bond of a community and helping one another through the worst of times. #VenturaStrong

I am so looking forward to 2018 and putting this year behind me.

I wish you a safe, prosperous and harmonious New Year.

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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1. Thanksgiving this year was so nice.  Family, friends, a beautiful table in a gorgeous setting. So much to be grateful for this year.  Some Thanksgivings are more stressful than others, but this year I have to say was one for the books.  Everyone contributed to the success of the day, each dish a delight, but what I’ll always remember is the warmth of gathering with people who make you feel so damn good.
Thank you Linda for hosting!

Oh! The phone call from my daughter was icing on the cake ♥

2. One of my girlfriends recently asked me if I liked to dance.  And the sad truth is that I do, but since my knee surgery, that is one of a handful of activities that hurts (mostly the next day). It’s the side to side motion that causes the discomfort. I use to dance, and I still do on occasion…but mostly while sitting in my chair now.

 

3. I confess I was a hardcore David Cassidy fan when I was a little girl.  I owned a copy of The Partridge Family Album with “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat” and “I Think I Love You” on it. I bought copy after copy of Tiger Beat magazine just so I could put up posters of David on my bedroom walls.  Of course my love for the Partridge Family gave way to my love of the Rolling Stones and I never looked back; however, when I worked for KXBS during their Oldies phase, I was asked to introduce David Cassidy at the Ventura Theater around 1992.  I got to meet my teen idol. He was super sweet, and put on one hell of a show.  It wasn’t on my “To-do” list like meeting Dave Grohl, but it was pretty damn cool.

I didn’t follow his career closely, but I was aware that he had issues with coping with stardom and drinking.  He had his demons. R.I.P. David.

4. I’m a little embarrassed (but obviously not enough) to report, I’m totally jazzed about the possibility of Taco Bell adding french fries to their menu. Tell me that doesn’t freakin’ rock!

5. I came across a meme on Instagram and I had to share it.  It featured a “generic” photo of a man sitting in front of a fireplace petting a cat to his right and it read:
“The word ‘homeowner’ has the word ‘meow’ in it.  Good luck pronouncing it correctly ever again.”
“Ho meow ner” works for me!

6. I have to say, I feel uneasy around people who don’t like music.  I mean really, what kind of person doesn’t like music?  Any of it?  I could understand if for some reason music caused them pain like a physical headache or something, but to just not like music?  Freaky, right?  I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’re untrustworthy, but something is seriously off.

7. Sexual harassment. There are various degrees of being harassed. Even the most lucky among us, if hard pressed, would realize they had been inappropriately spoken to before.

8. There are nefarious characters out there on the web creating robots that troll websites and fill out forms, so whenever you come across a form online, you are sometimes asked to fill out a line that that’s called a CAPTCHA(Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart).  I kid you not.  It use to be where you saw an image (not text) and then you had to type in the text to prove you are human.  Now they ask you to perform a function.

But really, they’re asking you to not only prove you’re human, but that you passed the third grade.  Am I right?

9. I guess we’re now in full holiday swing. I’m looking forward to getting out and seeing friends and eating more than I should, but the one thing I’m most looking forward to is spending time with my baby, Sydney Rose.  It will be my first Christmas in Portland and only for a couple of days, but I can’t wait to see her beautiful face again in person.  Best present ever.

10. From my favorite quotes file, “Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.” – William Shakespeare

A Couple of Things…

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1. I kayaked for the first time thanks to my good friend Diana.  She took me out in the Ventura Keys on a gorgeous calm morning recently.  It’s a little cumbersome getting all the equipment together and launching these water crafts, but it’s great for the senses and helps tone those arms.
Next time I’ll not only bring gloves to prevent blisters on the inside of my thumbs but I’ll remember to relax my shoulders and let my arms do the work…Oh! And maybe Bloody Marys in the water bottle.

2. My father celebrated birthday #83 In October.  Dinner at Aloha, a little jazz at Squashed Grapes, it was a good night. 🙂

3. I gave my father a copy of this photo in a frame for his birthday.  Yeah, that’s me and dad on the far left, I must have been around 8 years old.  An old friend from school came across it and sent it to me earlier this year.  She’s next to me with her father, her name is Laura. What a treasure, no?  Look at how geeky we look, and trust me, we worked hard at getting all dolled up like this.  My mother is mostly to blame for the hairdo, however, the dress was all me.

4. Also in October, the Ventura Breeze celebrated their 10-year anniversary.  Sheldon, the publisher, takes the staff out annually to help show his appreciation.  I also celebrated my anniversary with the paper; Sheldon asked me if I would write a Ventura Music Scene column four years ago.  Well he didn’t have to ask twice and I haven’t missed a single deadline either!

5. Making ice tea is a fine art, one that eludes many fast food employees. Too much ice and you don’t get enough beverage, not enough ice and you end up with warm tea. And don’t even get me started on Arnold Palmers and the proper tea to lemonade ratio (2:3 by the way).

6. In September, I saw my first owl in the wild. It was sitting in a tree in the parking lot behind City Hall.  He hung out for several weeks, but I haven’t seen him lately.  I have to say, it was thrilling!  I wish I had a better photo; I took this one with my cell phone camera. Many thanks to Derrick for bringing me out to see it.  This has been crossed off my “to-do” list.  #IDontBelieveInBucketLists

7. I mentioned surviving another birthday last time around, but I came across this photo and thought I’d share it.  A quick toast:  “Here’s to family and friends, missing friends, and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel great.”

8. I saw this photo shared on social media with the caption, “They did not think through this water fountain.”
My response, “Or did they?”

9. Confession:  I took part in Hands Across America.  I had my bosses’ kids in the car with me (yeah I got suckered into babysitting for him) and I saw people lined up with a big ole’ gap in the line, so we all hopped out and took part on that day, a Sunday, May 25, 1986.
9a. Another confession:  I’m glad I did.

10. Could fighting intolerance be considered an oxymoron?
How about being the example: demonstrate tolerance & kindness.  Be mindful about it, do it with purpose.  Sure you can pray about it, and worry about it but how about trying to calm your area (your mind, your body, your home, your community, your country, your world, your universe).  You have more power than you think.

11. Mad respect for Taylor Swift. She counter sued a DJ who was suing her after she complained that he grabbed her backside and he was fired from his radio job.  He was suing for millions.  She sued for $1 and won.

I was watching social media’s response and the one that hit me hardest was a local radio announcer who said, “She should have gone to the police.”  He thought it needed to be reported.
I guess that’s easy for a man to say. But as a woman I can’t even count how many times my backside has been grabbed by male acquaintances and total strangers.
I think Taylor handled the whole event tactfully.  She went to his boss and reported it. She counter sued, and she won.

12.  From my favorite quotes file:  “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron

Thanks for listening!

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

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

It’s all about how you position it.

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

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

Wouldn’t that be a great Saturday Night Live skit, where both people are attempting to do the same thing?
9. From my favorite quotes file, “Live your life and forget your age.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Of course, only people over 50 ever say that 😉

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for listening!

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.