3. I’m leaning towards naming my car either Janet, Mabel, Beverly or Floyd.
4. It’s candy corn season again! I totally get candy corn haters (haters gonna hate), they say it’s nothing but sugar wax, but I totally disagree. You don’t need a bunch to satisfy a sweet tooth, and there’s only about 7 1/2 calories per piece. Brachs candy’s nutritional facts state there’s 140 calories in a serving (about 19 pieces).
My favorite way to enjoy candy corn involves nibbling on them in combination with a small bag of movie-popped buttered popcorn. I’m sure that increases the calorie count somewhat. 😉
5. Jealousy, envy, resentment are very close first cousins all of them bad.
6. There are a few items over the course of my life that I could never bear to throw away including this baseball card. It was given to me by Mike Strahler when I was a waitress at Bob’s Big Boy on Beach Blvd in La Habra, CA. I came across it while sorting through some stuff and decided to Google him; sadly, Mike passed away this past July. I did a little research and learned that a non-signed card is going for $1.25 on Amazon and a signed card sold for $24.99 on Ebay.
7. The worst: Having someone sit next to you at a bar and it slowly – and painfully – becomes apparent they have a bad case of gas. Do they think you don’t notice? Or do they just not care?
8. Have you ever feared being killed by a shark? I hope this helps to put things in perspective:
(average annual animal-caused fatalities in the US 2001 to 2013)
Animals most likely to kill you…per year:
1 – Shark
1- Alligator
6 – venomous snakes/lizards
7 – spiders
9 – non-venomous arthropods (various ants & other bugs)
20 – cows
28 – dogs
52 – other mammels (horses, pigs, deer, raccoons, etc.) RACCOONS????
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
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.”
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 visits me, so I started perusing pet adoption sites of the local animal shelters. It didn’t take long before I came across this photo and I had to go see if we were a match.
How sweet is she? 9 pounds and about 2 years old (a little younger than I want, but look at that face!)
Well I drove directly to the Camarillo shelter after work just in time to see her owner get reunited with her. She was so happy; it was a bittersweet moment. When I was leaving I saw her and her owner walking away, it appears he is homeless, which is sad, but they made a lovely couple, and hopefully he won’t let her get away again.
5. I’ve mentioned before how stores rarely cater to single people and if they do, it’s more expensive; but now I have another pet peeve and it has to do with fast food coupons. All of a sudden, they’re two for one! WTF!! I don’t need two burgers. I need a discount on the one meal I want to buy.
And what PR firm decided I’ll fall for “Free Burger” then in a much smaller font “with the purchase of another burger” instead of “Two for One?”
And speaking of coupons…
6. From my Grammar Nerd file:
If the majority of people mispronounce a word, does that then make it correct? One of my pet peeves has always been the coo-pon vs cue-pon debate. I’ve always sided with the coo-pon camp, so I was surprised when I stumbled upon a blog on this very topic. They said that Coupon.com commissioned a nationwide poll and found that 57 percent of the people polled pronounce the word as cue-pon.
Furthermore, if you look up the word on Dictionary.com (Random House Dictionary) they give both pronunciations. Source Article
I investigated further and found a Pronunciation Note on Dictionary. com explaining the origin of the difference which gives understanding: “Coupon,relatedtocopeandcoup,isofFrenchorigin.Ithasdevelopedan Americanpronunciationvariant[kyoo-pon]withan unhistoricaly-soundnotjustifiedbythespelling.Thispronunciationisused byeducatedspeakersandiswell-establishedasperfectlystandard, althoughitissometimescriticized.Itsdevelopmentmayhavebeen encouragedbyanalogywithwordslikecurious,cupid,andcute,wherecis followedbya“longu” andthe[y] ismandatory.” Source page
7. Apparently you can push semi-illiterate people too far.
8. A quick of word of advice, don’t text questions, unless the question can be a five-word-or-less response.
9. I have a confession, In less than a month I got through the entire PBS Masterpiece Theater series, “Downton Abby.” It’s just soooo good! I now understand the term “binge-watching.”
10. I saw a headline recently which read, “Why ex-KKK leader’s son fled the movement.” Do we really need to ask why?
11. Have you ever walked into a bar or music venue and thought to yourself, “These are not my people”?
12. From my favorite quotes file: “Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred.” – Bryant H. McGill
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.
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?”
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
1. I decided to turn in my car and lease a new one for a number of reasons. For starters, my Nissan Sentra reminded me of those Disneyland motor boats where it takes a few seconds for the mechanism to recognize you’ve given it gas to proceed. SOOO slow on the uptake. Truly a gutless wonder. Secondly, I can’t remember having a car without a loan payment (except my ’67 VW bug which was given to me by my father. I had to push start it everywhere, I LOVED that car…but I digress). I’ve had the Sentra three years and I’ve only put on 13,000 miles plus I’m saving over $100 monthly for a much better car, so why not lease? I’m liking my car so much, I’m considering giving it a name!
2. I’m going to miss my next High School class reunion because I’m attending the Topa Topa Folk Fest in Ojai. I either really love music, or I really hated high school.
To be honest, I was an honor school student, and I continue to enjoy taking classes to further my education, but I couldn’t wait to get out of that place. I had intended to go originally, but didn’t realize it fell on the same day as Topa Topa. So now I’m going to Whittier the following afternoon to meet up with a handful of friends…the only ones I really cared about seeing anyways, plus I’ll save $150, AND, I get to drive my new car!
3. There is some new commie rat bastard around the area who has taken it upon himself to tag local businesses with his obnoxious graffiti. Thankfully, we have the best graffiti team at the City; they respond quickly to all complaints. I just hope PD nails the fucker sooner than later, and I don’t run into him myself.
4. I use to wonder if anyone else covers the camera on their laptop, then I read in a NY Times article that Mark Zuckerberg does; not only that, he also covers his microphone. Be afraid, be very afraid. Apparently, the practice is fairly technologically simple: Hackers trick people into clicking on links or unfamiliar websites containing malware that allows them access to the devices.
Consider this my public service announcement to protect you.
Here’s the a link to the NY times story.
5. A quick Grammar Nerd hint on how best to use “two”, “too” and “to”.
In a really good dictionary, there are over 25 definitions of the word “to.” Crazy, right? So at the very least, you should learn the other two really well. We all know the definition of “two” (and if you don’t, move along). So really learn the definitions for “too”. Get them down pat.
1. in addition; also; furthermore. Example: He was handsome and funny too.
2. excessive, beyond what is desirable fitting, or right. Example: He was too sick to travel.
3. extremely; very. Example: The plant was too near the window.
Everything else is most likely “to”! You’re welcome.
6. I subscribe to Yummly where they send me an email several times a week sharing recipes all types. I saw one recently entitled, “Lazy Chicken Soup for One.” Wouldn’t that just be adding water to a condensed can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup?
7. My girlfriend Linda and I were discussing how much I hate to shop when she suggested that I could just make myself comfortable in the store of my choice’s dressing room and she’d bring me items within my budget and my fashion sense (what little of that there is). I’m willing to go along as long as I can bring a glass and a bottle of wine. Now that’s shopping I can get behind!
Sydney Rose, what do you think of that idea?
8. I found a blog called, “A list of rules for being a gentleman in 2014” and I confess that No. 9 truly confuses me. It reads: “Do not refer to things as ‘gay’ that aren’t homosexual human beings. People who call things ‘gay’ as a pejorative are truly the raisins in the trail mix of life.”
So, raisins are bad? That’s just a horrible metaphor. I can think of much better figure of speech to demonstrate using ‘gay’ is unacceptable; such as, “People who call things ‘gay’ as a pejorative are truly the booger flavored treats in a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.”
9. I’ve mentioned Tammy and Brother Rob before because it’s always so much fun when we get to hang out together. Tammy makes it out to Ventura a couple of times a year to work on special events (Beer Fest, Wine Walk, Tequila and Tacos) and Rob can only go out when he has those night’s off. So it’s always a treat when we make it go right. We yap it up, and reminisce about when we worked in radio together back in the 90’s. Those were such good times! I especially love it when they joggle my memory and bring up something I’d forgotten like giving the morning show guys a “cease and desist” notice when they’d make fun of our afternoon drive guy. I so loved being the program director of an alternative rock radio station. I’m sad those days are gone, but so happy they happened.
10. Well it looks like the crew in Transportation Engineering will be dressing up for Halloween this year. Photos to follow 😉
11. Speaking of Halloween, I’ve been thinking of buying my first bag of the year of candy corn. When I went to find a photo I found this great idea of making candy-corn-on-the-cob! This gal used cookie dough for the center which only makes it more intriguing!
Here’s a link to her recipe: http://www.instructables.com/id/Candy-Corn-on-the-COB/
12. From my favorite quotes file: “I’ve been shopping all my life and still have nothing to wear.” ~Author unknown
1. Well I did it! Nine months after my total knee replacement surgery, I got back out on the basketball court and worked up a sweat. It felt so good!
I most likely could have gone out earlier, but I didn’t want to push my luck. I’ve been lifting weights for upper body strength in the gym and walking briskly (just before breaking into a jog) on a treadmill. I felt strong, albeit still proceeding cautiously on sprints to retrieve the ball. No pain, just stiffness and a little bit of numbness. YAY!
2. My daughter still holds an unhealthy amount of resentment that her parents did not get her a Barbie car when she was a little girl. Baby, “TIME TO LET IT GO!”
3. My department at City Hall is famous for their guacamole which they prepare several times a year, some batches are spicier than other.
The most recent notice went out via email from Sergio. It read: “Ventura Guac, Yeah it does!” Hehehe. Now that’s funny! See, it’s a play on…nevermind.
4. From my “Women are Making Progress” file, I recently saw this news article on MSN.com originally from Woman’s Day magazine article that Lawyers who call Women “Honey” and “Sweetie” will now be fined. Right on! The American Bar Association voted in favor of an amendment prohibiting lawyers from using harassing and discriminatory language while practicing law. Now, lawyers can be fined for calling women darling, honey, sweetheart, and other sexist terms. Please read the article.
5. I hit another milestone, or accomplishment without even trying! I got my name on the credits of a feature length film. I showed up to be an extra for local musician friends (Army of Freshmen) and they were sweet enough to include me (and other Ventura locals) in the credits. So for my first acting credit on my upcoming resume, I was, “woman in stands at neighborhood park cheering on baseball game.”
Now to make it onto IMDB.com. Check out The Bet.
6. Every year I go to the fair and every year I think I’m going to eat a load of crap…because that’s what you do at the fair, but every year I end up with corn on the cob. This year because it would actually be good to gain a couple of pounds I was planning on indulging in deep-fried Twinkies and other fair fare; but, I ended up not dining there at all.
I’ve really trained myself to eat well, and to budget my money…but there’s always next year (when I’ll probably be watching my weight again)!
7. I hope there is a special place in hell for people who use their kids as pawns. Whether it be a divorce, or cutting off ties with other family members because you’re mad at them….tsk tsk. I’ve personally witnessed it a number of times and it’s pure evil.
8. I think buttered popcorn might be one of my favorite foods. I’ve actually gone to see a movie on more than one occasion because I was craving popcorn. A rib-eyed steak, with a fully loaded baked potato and a big bag of fresh buttered popcorn along with an ice cold Arnold Palmer, might be my last meal request on death row…that is, if I ever decide to go homicidal.
9. Another grammar nerd observation:
“It’s so funny when someone rants on Facebook about how stupid someone or something is, and then they misspell a word, or use “there” instead of “their”. It instantly takes their credibility away. Just like misspelling “Grammar” on one of my previous post (now corrected) 😉
10. I’m totally digging the app from my bank which allows me to take a photo of
my check and deposit it. I no longer have to go to the bank. This rocks my world!
I know, it’s the little things…
11. I’m not naming names, but the athlete in the news getting all kinds of coverage and backlash for sitting during the National Anthem has me a little confused. Isn’t having the right to exercise our first amendment rights part and parcel to our freedom? We can sit down during the National Anthem, we can burn an American flag. We can protest in ways that don’t harm others. WE CAN.
11. From my Favorite Quotes file: “You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom.” – Clarence Darrow
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.
There 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.
I 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?
I 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.
The 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.
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!
7. 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.”
1. Adding insult to injury after five months of pretty intense pain due to knee replacement surgery is the fun you get to go through coming off the pain meds when you no longer need them. But I’m happy to announce that I made it through the withdrawals this week. I’ll be honest, I was whining and complaining and dragging my ass while my body adapted to working without them, until I saw a movie where a guy was going through morphine addiction withdrawal. All I’ve had to endure is low energy, flu-like symptoms and crabbiness…and the kicker is, I was down to only taking two a day (at the beginning it was two every four hours!!) and I still had to endure adverse physical effects. But I’m feeling much better and looking forward to gaining my strength back.
2. I’ve never understood the concept of what a training bra is suppose to train breasts to do.
3. Not to be a smart ass or anything, but I saw a LeBron James quote just days after winning the championship which read, “No Plans to go nowhere at this point.”
So that would be he has plans to go somewhere?
Here’s the quote: https://www.yahoo.com/sports
4. Another Grammar Nerd Observation:
It’s funny enough when someone talks about themselves in third person; but even stranger when they start talking to you in third person. Example, “Maybe I’ll go see Pam about this” instead of “Maybe I’ll go see you about this.”
5. Memorial Day recently passed and it occurred to me that we should stop saying, “Happy Memorial Day! What’s so happy about people dying while serving their country? I saw a ton of those memes and advertisements saying such that weekend. How about “Honoring Memorial Day” or “Remember and Honor” instead? Now we just need a catch phrase when you want to convey it orally to each other. Thoughts?
6. I don’t know why I feel more compelled to buy a lottery ticket once it’s reached 250 million dollars. Like 200 million dollars wouldn’t be enough? Or for that matter, one million.
7. Father of son convicted of rape said 6 months in county jail steep “A steep price for 20 minute of action“. He could have faced 14 years in prison. Prosecutors asked for six.
I wonder if he’d think the same way if it were his daughter assaulted by someone else’s son.
8. I would like to thank Bernie Sanders for engaging people. Just under 10,000 came out to see him speak in Ventura alone! I love that the younger generation found a voice which spoke to them and they supported someone who did not look like them. No matter what party one is affiliated with, you have to admit, this rocks.
9. One more political-type observation that’s as funny as shit.
President Barack Obama on Jimmy Fallon writing thank you notes (wait for Obama’s third one):
10. I’m a little over a month away from my next birthday. Here’s a little bit of trivia about my youth…more to the point, about my parents. They once confessed to me that they had celebrated my birthday on the wrong day for years! IT’S THE 30th, not the 31st!!!
From my favorite quotes file:
“Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.” ~Oscar Wilde
Hello! It’s been too long since I’ve written a blog so I thought I would get caught up on why I haven’t written, which most people know is due to having surgery.
The purpose of writing my blog is to share my thoughts and ideas and to hopefully put a smile on your face and sometimes I do write about deeper topics, but I try to come from a place of hopefulness not despair and believe that something can be done about it. So when I’m not feeling creative, or I’m struggling, I’m not coming from a place where I should be writing.
So for starters…
Samantha Boom Boom Baumgardner
The day before my surgery, I had to put my precious Sammy to sleep. She was the best dog ever. I miss her like the dickens and still tear up when I remember those big beautiful brown eyes looking up at me.
On Thursday, January 14, 2016, I had totally knee replacement surgery on my right knee. I have photos to prove it, but they are terribly graphic and once you see them, you’d be hard pressed to erase the mental image picture, and who needs that? So here is a photo on Saturday, January 16, where I’m updating VenturaRocks.com. I look alright because they have some really nice pain meds in the hospital.
My daughter arrived from Portland on Saturday night in time for my release from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. She was my necessary caretaker, otherwise I’d have to of gone into a convalescent hospital for a couple of weeks. As I wrote on FB page, “I’m grateful for Sydney Rose playing Nurse Ratchet, she literally would not let me take my pain meds 1 minute earlier than scheduled. She kept a chart of shots, pills, Metamusial, machine therapy, exercises, PT visits, plus she kept me safe, fed, clean and she let me color in her tattoo on her arm.
You’re lucky I didn’t write during the first few months of my recovery because I had to do everything possible to not bitch and complain and moan and groan about the pain and forced idleness. It sucked. It sucked hard. I couldn’t even stand in the shower on my own!
I re-watched every episode of The West Wing, and actually looked forward to falling back asleep again. I was sleeping at least 15-20 hours a day in the beginning. I would even break down and cry three to four months into it because I couldn’t believe the pain was not alleviating. I was frustrated.
For fun, here’s a little known fact during this time. I continued to write my article for the Breeze. I actually wrote my column that Sunday in the hospital before heading home. It’s been the only time I asked Sheldon (Publisher) to look over my writing for mistakes or inappropriateness. And then on Sunday, January 31, I had to record the Q&A for Ventura Rocks at CAPS Media at W20 at the Watermark. I had to be driven of course (more on that later), but I was still using a walker to get around and I was high as a kite from the pain meds. People say you can’t tell, but if you have a moment, check out the episode, the Q&A comes in at about 7:40:
Now about that video, I look HORRIBLE in the studio, I KNOW!! We’re just now getting the lighting right (five episodes out). I don’t mind the out-of-the studio footage, but man o man!
In any case, did you see Eve Mimiaga on the other side of the bar? She was my chauffeur. And not just for getting me to the Watermark that day, she literally drove me everywhere for a couple of months. To my doctor appointments, physical therapy twice a week, and when I started back to work she would take me to and from work every day. She was a lifesaver and I’m eternally grateful to her.
So I was on a walker for three weeks, and then a cane for another two or so weeks. I learned on the third day in the hospital how to get up and down stairs (up with the good, down with the bad), and I’m just now, this past week taking the stairs one foot on each step (instead of two feet per step), going downstairs.
I started back to work at City Hall on a shorter schedule at three weeks, but returned full time at four.
At about 3 1/2 months I was able to bend my knee to about 102 degrees, they want 120 (I started at about 40). My doctor told me I could continue with physical therapy working on getting it to bend, or he could just put me under and bend it for me. I asked about what could go wrong (other than anesthesia mishaps) and he said he could accidentally break my leg. He didn’t, and he provided a photo to prove he did bend my leg, and I was in physical therapy within an hour and at 120 degrees without pain.
I continued with my physical therapy for another couple of months to get more limber so I could wrap my arms around my knees and to be able to get my leg flat. I started at -10 degrees, then -7, and at my final appointment last week I was at -3; and bending wise, I’m at 133 degrees with my arms around my knees.
About that physical therapy? They say knee replacement is about the hardest PT you can endure, and I agree 100%. It’s painful and I couldn’t have done it without pain meds. I remember the first time I could actually pedal the incumbent bike all the way around with the seat all the way back; it was a major milestone. I started just going back and forth, but eventually I got to where I could pedal without pain rapidly and with the seat all the way forward. I took baby steps and made progress little by little. But the physical therapists themselves have a tough job of inflicting pain, I was reduced to tears on more than a dozen occasions. I even refused to work with one particular person due to his roughness.
I went in for surgery feeling pretty fit, so I don’t know how out-of-shape or older people get through this procedure. It’s harsh! But I’m beginning to feel better and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. My pain level started (scale of 1-10) at 8-9 and then down to constant 4-5 when not medicated. Now I’m at 1-2 and weening off the meds which is also a hard endeavor as my body is use to having them in my system. I’m riding my bike, able to walk up and down some steep hills (California Street up to City Hall), walking without limping, dancing, and hoops can’t be far off (I’m giving it another month or two to heal).
A couple of nice side effects? Being taken care of by some extraordinary friends. And it may sound vain, but I was afraid of gaining weight due to inactivity. But instead of gaining I lost 20 pounds at one point. I haven’t weighed 115 pounds since before puberty when I got breasts. A friend pointed out that I lost all my muscles I had gained after having been active and exercising the past five years and muscles are more dense. Physical therapy was all about building up my quad and other muscles because they stopped working to protect my knee. So now I’m rebuilding my muscles (legs and upper body) by working out and drinking protein shakes.
I knew I was coming around because I started writing down tidbits to share with you on my blog, “A Couple of Things…” I thought I’d just get you caught up on my status, and be done with it. Like I always say, I’m not looking for sympathy, or encouragement, just understanding.
# 3 – The Smartest Plan
Having a designated driver
New Year’s Eve was great and exactly how I thought it should go. Lots of fun, music, dancing, hugs from friends, walking downtown from venue to venue running into even more friends, cold drinks, hot texts, getting home before midnight to avoid that awkward moment, and the highlight of every New Year (this one no exception), a phone call just minutes after midnight from my daughter Sydney Rose.
Going to sleep on the first day of the new year knowing everything is all right, is comforting in every way. Waking up later that morning with a hangover, not so much.
So many horrible photos that night, but here are a couple of my favorites with Diego from Bombay’s, Mike from Amigo’s, Brian from the Dive Bar Messiahs who was REPRESENTING!:
2. Twin babies born in Ventura are making news. The first at 11:59 am December 31, 2015, and the second at 12:01 am on January 1, 2016.
Sage words of advice to the baby girls. For sure it will be a thorn in the side of the younger girl up until she’s about 35 that her twin is “one year” older than she, but then all of a sudden, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES, you will forever be the younger one. Wear it well baby girl!! Wear it well.
3. True story: A gentleman – who I assume was hitting on me – was telling me bluntly how having deep long kisses are more important than the Big Chalupa (yeah, I know a horrible metaphor, but he was too graphic). In any case, I wasn’t offended until he referred to me as me a seasoned older lady. So honestly, I don’t know if he was hitting on me because I didn’t stick around to find out. #NotAGreatPickUpLine
4. I have to admit these bad boys were my favorite Christmas gift. I asked for slip on slippers, and well…no doubt about it, my family has a sense of humor!
4a. My second favorite is a brand spankin’ new Spaulding basketball my dad bought for me as incentive to get back on the court. I keep it in plain view for inspiration.
5. I saw an article on USAToday.com about the world’s first “smart bra.” I guess it measures a woman’s biometrics (measuring heart rate, steps, etc…) At $150 a pop, I’m thinking, not-so-smart bra, and anyways, I still consider the “Wondrabra” the first smart bra!
6. People walking around with a giant chip on their shoulders very rarely get the cognition that they have anything to do with it.
7. Sydney Rose walking to work on Sunday, January 3, 2016 sent me this photo from Portland, OR. BURRRR!!! So glad I got her that jacket that has an internal heater for Christmas! She sold her car and canceled her insurance and either walks, Ubers or uses public transportation.
8. I read somewhere that if you’re using a period while texting, you might be coming off like a jerk, in fact, some people think it’s a sign of insincerity
9. I thought I would share with you this amazingly quirky video of a small dog enjoying a head massage. I not sure why this particular piece of music was chosen to go with the video, it just makes it even that more goofy.
10. Have I mentioned that the guys at work introduced me to spicy seasoning you shake onto fresh fruit? OMG!!! Sooooo good! It was a tad bit hard to find because it was not on the seasoning rack in the market, in fact it was found along side the fresh fruit in the produce department. The guys first squeeze lime all over the fruit, be it watermelon, apples or oranges, then generously season the fruit with this godlike spicy goodness.
11. And with my knee surgery on the horizon, I choose this one from my Favorite Quotes file: “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” – Paul Theroux
Doubtful I’ll blog until after my surgery. So wish me luck and see you on the basketball court as soon as humanly possible!
Self Portrait from my photography class a few years ago.
A Couple of Things... 