A Couple of Things…

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Photo of the band Toad the Wet Sprocket

1. We had pretty good seats for Toad the Wet Sprocket on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara. It was an acoustic night filled with deep cuts and all their hits including “Something Always Wrong,” “All I Want,” “Good Intentions,” and of course “Walk on the Ocean.” Glen Phillips’ voice sounded just a strong as it ever did!
Back in the 90s all tunes by Toad were a “shoo-in” when adding songs to our playlist at KXBS radio in Ventura. #SoGood #StandsUpToTime


2. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone. First I love supporting local art whether it be music, paintings, ceramic or theater. Secondly, Young Frankenstein will always hold a dear place in my heart. I’ve loved the movie since the 70s (1974 to be exact) and I was happily delighted to find my daughter Syd Rose loves it as well (almost 40 years later).
The production at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center was a musical and very well done. The young talent was inspirational!

Advertisement for Young Frankenstein

Favorite lines, “Put…zee…candle…back!” and “It’s pronounced ‘Fronkensteen’.”


3. You are your own best advocate when it comes to your health, and healthcare, but you must be educated on all the different options when something bad happens, or even when your body is starting to slow down. I was once prescribed anti-seizure medication for numbness I was experiencing on the top of two of my toes on my left foot. Turns out that exercise such as brisk walking has kept the symptoms to a minimum….for FIFTEEN years!
The side-effects of anti-seizure medications include mild to severe drowsiness, dizziness, and cognitive issues along with gastrointestinal distress, skin reactions, and declined bone health. Had I taken them, I would now be on different medications to keep the side effects at bay.

I’ve watched lots of food-related documentaries on healthy diets and my biggest take away is that doctors are not taught about prevention, but rather how to treat problems. As we progress, I trust this is changing. #FingersCrossed


photo of man holding sleeping baby

4. An article that piqued my interest was called, “16 male traits that attract almost all women, even when they are not aware of it.” (story by Hasthi Wand) #TitleTooLong

The first one is Perfect Timing; which isn’t what you think it is (wink wink). The article states, “Socially intelligent men know that they don’t have to stay till the bitter end. They know when to walk away from a conversation after it’s peaked, when a party is fizzling out, when it’s time to say goodnight instead of prolonging a good time till it gets uncomfortable.
Knowing how to make people wish they could hang out with them for another ten minutes is powerful.”

My other favorite one is The Softer Side: “Observe how a man treats a skittish animal, holds a sleeping baby, picks up something fragile, or assists a hurt bird. Physical gentleness can make a memorable juxtaposition to an otherwise man’s man or hypermasculine man. That contrast can be more powerful than blatant aggression.”


Photo from cross overlooking City of Ventura

5. I took a quick impromptu trip up to the cross overlooking the city I love so much!!! Sure it may have been 90 degrees, but keep in mind it’s a mere five minute drive to the water!


6. You ever come across someone and you want to so badly ask, “What is wrong with you?!!” but you don’t because you’re 100% certain they absolutely will not know. #ThatsTheProblem #NoSelfAwareness


7. I started to research AI photo detector apps because I really want to believe certain photos are real and not fake. Case in point, alleged photo of cat on bear’s lap circulating on social media. I tried out a demo of “TruthScan” and the results were AI Probability 39% and confidence as “medium.” Reasoning: “The image appears authentic due to its natural photographic qualities, including the realistic texture of the bear’s fur and the cat’s coat, the authentic depth of field that blurs the background appropriately, and the organic shadow falloff on the furniture and ground. The natural color temperature variations across the scene also contribute to its genuine appearance.”
Regardless, I want to believe it’s true…and, the cat survived!

photo of bear with cat on its lap

8. From my “Things that drive me crazy file”: When provided with a new Number I need to remember or enter on a platform like a bank or TSA precheck and they mix it up with numbers and letters…I would like the letter “O” to never be used. How much does it look like a zero? TOO MUCH! I had a very hard time trying to tell if my new TSA Precheck number is was a Zero or the letter O based on the TSA’s OWN fonts. The difference between Zero and the letter O is almost indistinctive:

screenshot of letters and numbers from the TSA
Screenshot from TSA website

9. It would have been cool for the Los Angeles Dodgers to win a three-peat for the World Series this year, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be when the Milwaukee Brewers swept them 4-0 in the National League Championship series. I love attending Dodger games, the stadium, Dodger dogs, cold beers, the fans… and watching the boys do their thing. Looking forward to next year. #StillAFan

I love this self-evident quote from Dave Roberts:

artwork of Dodgers logo

“I think at the end of the day, we got beat. We got outplayed in all facets. Those guys played flawless. Defensively, they pitched better than we did, they hit better than we did, they slugged better than we did.”

Dave Roberts,
Dodgers Manager

10. From my favorite quotes file: “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.” – Yogi Berra

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

Make a wish artwork

1. Why do people make wishes at 11:11? They have two chances every single day, 365 days a year.
Google says:
* Cultural Significance: Many cultures associate 11:11 with good luck and positive energy.
* Numerology: The number 11 is often seen as a master number, symbolizing intuition and enlightenment.
* Mindfulness Moment: Wishing at 11:11 serves as a reminder to pause and reflect on one’s desires.
* Collective Belief: The shared practice creates a sense of community among those who participate.
* Spiritual Connection: Some believe it’s a time when the universe is more receptive to their intentions.
* Habitual Ritual: For many, it has become a fun and lighthearted tradition to make a wish at this time.

Pam says:
* It’s poppycock
* It’s bull puckey
* It’s malarkey
* It’s bullcrap
* But then again…It’s better safe than sorry


Photo of Linda, JR Richards and Pam

2. This week, JR Richards (original lead singer for Dishwalla) played an intimate show at an Italian restaurant in Moorpark, CA, called Carrara’s. It was a solo acoustic on either guitar or keyboards and he absolutely nailed it! He has such a beautiful voice, so well preserved after all these years.
I interviewed JR in 2002 for Buzzine Magazine. The interview was conducted after a photo shoot in Santa Barbara in JR’s car. He remembered the interview when I asked him to sign my copy.


3. I try to keep my opinion to myself when it comes to art whether it be in the form of paintings, music, jewelry, etc… But while walking past a booth at an Arts and Crafts fair recently, I really had to bear down and work on keeping my face composed (showing no opinion whatsoever) as the paintings were truly…”not my cup of tea.” I couldn’t help but glance around to see if others had the same opinion, but as the booth was devoid of shoppers, I guess I wasn’t the only one.

I still believe putting down an artist is evil. So I keep my opinions to myself…or to a close network of friends 😉


4. In one of my recent posts, I wrote about an article regarding women over a certain age should stop doing or wearing. Well I found one entitled, “10 Outdated Things That People Over 60 Should NEVER Have in their Homes.” Yes the “never” was in all caps. It was a blog written by Julia Guerra.
A few of the items were a matter of opinion, but others make sense for our aging community such as
* Bathroom tripping hazards
* Stairs without proper handrails
* Low-slung sofas sectionals
But other items regarding bulking entertainment centers, or formal dining spaces or holding on to relics from your children’s bedroom should continue to be a matter of choice.


5. May I make a recommendation if you subscribe to HBO Max? The series is called Rooster staring Steve Carell. HBO says, “…the new comedy series focuses on the complicated relationship between a successful author and his daughter.” So cleverly written, directed and the actors are spot on. I can’t praise it enough!
See more…


6. While on a recent phone call with a close friend, I told her to guess what I was doing, specifying it was something I really hated. She guessed group texting. I laughed and said, something I hate almost as much…clothes shopping.


Oscar Mayer weinermobile

7. Have you ever seen the Weiniemobile out in the wild? I did once in the late 80s driving down the Conejo grade in Camarillo, CA.

I spotted it, took a double take, and thought, “Am I trippin’?” I wondered if this was finally the flashback I was warned about over fifty years ago.

According to the Oscar Mayer official website, you can track it, and even invite it to your next party though they don’t specify how much that would be.

It seems that every January, Heinz (parent company) offers applications to recent college graduations for a one-year employment to drive one of their six Weiniemobiles on cross-country road trips attending hundreds of events. Saddens me that it’s open to only recent college grads and not to recent retirees because that sounds like a bucket list item to me.


8. I saw that comedian, Anthony Jeselnik, was performing at a nearby comedy club in the Collection in Oxnard, so I snagged a couple of tickets and we took in an early show. No topic was off limits though I cringed at a lot of his off-color humor. I mean it was reeeally REALLY dark. It kinda delights me he hasn’t been “Cancelled” yet! Good for him!!


Dutch oven advertisement

9. While doing research for a new dutch oven for my sourdough baking journey, the image above was one of the several photos advertising the product. Just who do you think is their target audience? It has to be either straight male sourdough bakers, or lesbians. Am I wrong? Or just maybe…the ad suggests if you buy this product you will be as attractive as the woman shaping the sourdough. #FoodForThought


10. From my favorite quotes file: “I love a Hebrew National hot dog with an ice cold Corona – no lime. If the phone rings, I won’t answer until I’m done.” – Maya Angelou