Tag Archives: Sydney

A Couple of Things…

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So…Happy New Year!  As I write this, today is January 1, 2020. I have not written a blog since last March for a number of reasons but mostly because I lost my father on April 9, 2019.  What I’ve learned is that you can’t really predict how you’ll handle a death.  I thought I had it figured out as we had time to prepare.  He had been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer the previous spring; it was a long year in many ways, yet a short year in many ways as well. I’ll be honest, I feared and dreaded that my dad would succumb to bitterness and anger, something so many people faced with pain do.  But he remained dignified and always looked strong while his body betrayed him.  Even during his final days I thought we had another month with him.

My dad, less than a week before he passed away.

I was with him his final night.  He had grown weaker and hospice supplied a hospital bed that evening at 8:30 to make him more comfortable and so I wouldn’t have to worry about him getting up in the middle of the night and falling.  The last thing anyone wanted was for him to end up in the hospital. We had spent the previous day together indoors and then outdoors in the sunshine in the backyard.  He talked about many things, I tried my best to alleviate his worries he had about those he was leaving behind.  In any case, that final evening, I slept on the couch with the hospital bed nearby in the same room.  I knew immediately something had happened. It was about 12:30 am and I got up, and saw he was peaceful with no pain in his face. He had passed.  I kissed his brow and said, “Good job Dad.”

The next few days were a blur, but I was surrounded by loving family and friends who I am indebted to for their kindness and support.

I compiled photos and short stories and anecdotes dedicated to life and created a website for him:  www.GilbertRSanchez.com.  He was 84 years old.

After writing the above, and then reading what I wrote, I’ve taken a deep breath and know that 2020 is the year to move forward.  Not necessarily to “let go”, but I have to confess that I’ve had this thought in the back of my mind that it would be disrespectful to be joyful and happy, but you know that is exactly what he would want for the ones he loves, for Sydney, for Carol, for all his family and friends, and of course for myself, so onto 2020 and creating that life he thinks I deserve.

A Couple of Things…

1. Last July, the day after my birthday, I adopted two senior dogs. They came as “Bambi” and “Lady” but I immediately dubbed them “Barney” and “Missy.”  They are 11 and 12 years old respectively and Barny, the tan one, is a Shih Tzu Maltese mix and Missy is a Shih Tzu (she may have been a puppy mill dog, and I’m pretty certain Barney’s mother).  I melt every time I open the door to these faces.

Barnie and Missy

2.  I got a promotion at work!  I’m a Management Technician, no longer a Secretary.  That’s quite a title, right? I get to handle all the Engineering Capital Improvement Project files for Design.  I make sure contracts, insurance, terms and payments are handled.

3. I will be traveling abroad this year with Linda.  We are going to Italy.  I got my passport a couple of weeks ago in the mail, we’re working with a travel agent to line up our flights and hotels but most importantly, I need to learn key phases such as “Where is the wine?”
Thank god for online translators, I now have the following phrase embedded in my mind, “Dov’e il vino?”
4.  A couple of highlights from the past year were being asked to emcee shows: the Topa Mountain Music Fest at Libbey Bowl in Ojai, and the fundraiser for Tommy and Paddy Marsh at Oak and Main.

5. I spent Christmas in Ashland, Oregon, with Sydney Rose as she has to work (I have time I can take off), it’s super cute there, and home just reminds me too much that this is my first Christmas without my dad.  We had a blast as always talking about everything under the sun, taking walks, playing backgammon and on Christmas we took in a movie (our tradition) at the local theater.  We saw Bombshell and settled in with a tub of popcorn knowing that would be our dinner, but the butter flavored oil they used could not have been further from butter tasting if you tried.  It was made out of soy which I guess Vegans would love.  I had to move the tub two seats down so I couldn’t smell it anymore!

6.  Back to Bombshell, the movie is about taking down Roger Ailes for sexual harassment at Fox News. We both really enjoyed it. Charlize Theron needs to be nominated for best actress portraying Megyn Kelly as well as Chalize’s make up artist.  I didn’t even realize it was her until she spoke!

7. I would venture to say this is one of my top peeves: when listening to the personal recording of the person I want to leave a phone message for and they say, “I will get back to you at my earliest convenience.”  I’ve even seen that in an automatic response on emails when the person is away from the office.
That’s just rude!  You’re suppose to say, “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can” or something along those lines.  The correct way to use the phrase is the other way around, “Please get back to ME at YOUR earliest convenience.”   Of course, these folks could actually know what they’re saying and just be that rude!  My Water Store has that greeting.

8. You know I’ve had my own music scene column in the Ventura Breeze newspaper for over five years, but I always get a kick when I get quoted every year in the VC Reporter

9. You’re not one of those people who thinks 2020 is the start of a new decade are you???

10.  From my favorite quotes files: “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” – Oprah Winfrey

Thanks for listening!

 

 

 

A Couple of Things…

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time1.  One of my co-workers, Sergio, shared with the crew an idea that his friend came up with, instead of Daylight Savings Time, we should all get off of work one hour early on Friday, then on Sunday, we put the hour back for the extra sleep needed to recuperate after the weekend.

I like it!

2.  So Sydney placed an ad for Portland, Oregon, on Craig’s List to sell my wrecked up car.  It’s a 2007 Nissan Altima and the estimate to repair it was $8,000.  I think she went online to do it on Saturday.  She called to see if any leads came in by Sunday afternoon but not one person had contact me.  I was bummed.  But then at 9:00 Sunday, calls and texts starting coming in.  She had gone back on Craig’s List and discovered it was still in DRAFT mode.  She forgot to PUBLISH it!

The car sold by 8:00 AM the next morning for my asking price of $3,000.  It was perfect until I told the next inquirer that I sold it for 3 and he came back immediately with, “I can bring $3500 cash right now!!!”

Live and learn.  I kept my agreement with the first guy, I don’t need any bad Karma.

3. How embarrassing is it to mistake high school homecoming pictures for Halloween hooker costumes?  Never should homecoming be the same weekend as Halloween parties.   Just saying.

dolphins

4. The site of dolphins swimming by still takes my breath away.  So freakin’ cool!!!  I love living at the beach!
Of course I didn’t realize there was a dolphin passing by until I looked at my photos later.  I was actually focusing on the couple.  But, at that point they took my breath away!

5.  Bacon cupcakes?!!!  Yeah, I think I’m gonna pass on this one.

6. Headline seen: “Touching Pregnant Tummy Banned”
It’s now illegal to touch a pregnant women’s belly in Pennsylvania.  This was pursuant to a harassment case against a man who kept tummy-touching a pregnant lady against her will. (k, go ahead and snicker, I did).

I never minded people rubbing my belly when I was pregnant.  Come to think of it, I still don’t!

malware-warning7a. My email not only got hacked but apparently the mutherfuckers installed a virus on my computer which hacked several of my websites which resulted in Google Chrome blocking access to them and saying “THE WEBSITE AHEAD HAS MALWARE!”  So yeah, it’s been quite a nightmare.

7b. I JUST discovered typing this, that my spell check points out that “mutherfuckers” is misspelled and they suggest I meant to write “muckrakers.”  But when I type “motherfuckers”, nothing.  They accept that but not the ghetto spelling?  I call racism.

8. I’m a big fan of the LBD (Little Black Dress).  I use to wear them for the slimming effect.  But now, as an older woman, I like them for the Audrey Hepburn effect.

9. As you can probably tell, I love lists.  I enjoyed item #9 on the list called, “16 Awesome Hidden Gems You Must Experience at Disneyland.”  I’ve been to Disneyland probably a hundred times and I was aware of most of these.  But this one caught me off guard regarding Big Thunder Mountain:  “Once you get to the second hill (the one with the snakes), start looking for the Billy Goat, who should be raised up on your right. Stare the goat down and don’t take your eyes off of him. You’ll experience a dizzy, disorienting feeling that will make the ride even more exciting.”

How gullible do they think we are?  Yeah, I’m gonna try it.

George
10. George passed away last week, one month shy of his 8th birthday. George made the Guinness World Record in 2010 as the world’s tallest dog at 5 feet. .  RIP Giant George.

dad-double-duty-130911. Speaking of birthdays, My dad’s 79th birthday is today, October 29.  He still loves going out to hear live music, especially jazz, he still has a wicked sense of humor, and he still drives me crazy. . . which I hope he continues to do for many many more years to come. Happy Birthday Dad!

12. “Women are angels. And when someone breaks our wings, we simply continue to fly…on a broomstick.  We’re flexible like that.”  Anonymous

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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Syd for a quick visit while I was on the air.

Syd for a quick visit while I was on the air.

Mostly I like to have my blog be uplifting and not depressing, but lately, there are a number of downers going on not including Syria or Miley Cyrus.  So I will start with something up:

1. I’m eternally grateful that it takes so much more energy to hate than to love. Love is easy. Hate is work.

2a. Another friend dealt the cancer card. That’s just fucked up. She’s still in shock and is now facing a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.    K, you guys, this is it. Clean tissue. Health. Vitality. Mock it up. See it. Feel it. Be it. We can do this!!

2b. According to the National Cancer Institute, one in eight American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Get those mammograms ladies.

2c. Of course men can develop breast cancer as well, but you don’t get the luxury of your insurance (if lucky enough to have it) to cover annual exams. So you’ll have to do due diligence and do those self exams which are so much fun!  Or better yet, have your wife or girlfriend do them for you.

3. Self proclaimed Christians who have no love and tolerance for all beliefs and lifestyles are amongst the scariest people I know. Just saying.

Gus exposing himself at the Central Park Zoo

Gus exposing himself at the Central Park Zoo, June 2009.

4. Sad to hear that Gus was euthanized this week at the Central Park Zoo.  He was 27 years old.  The average life span of a polar bear is 20.7.  He had an inoperable thyroid tumor and his health had deteriorated.  Sydney and I got a real up close view of Gus on our last visit to New York City.

5. My dog Sammy has been staring at me a lot recently. This worries me. She’s a senior citizen and may be having lapses in memory. I feel like she’s reaching out to me waiting for me to help her, but it’s probably more like she’s wondering who I am.  She use to jump up the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning and follow me from room to room, and she’d be at the gate waiting for my return.  Now she sleeps in and she’s sitting on the couch and when I get home.  But she’s there, and I love that she still demands my lap before retiring for the night.

6. I recently saw a post about how life is hard, but if you eliminate expectations and replace with a little bit of gratitude, maybe that’s enough.

That post made me sad.  Life is about creating and making the most of it.  Sure be grateful, but be satisfied because you’re living life to the fullest!  Don’t expect others to make it happen.  You need to make it happen.  Be responsible for your happiness!  Be grateful for that!

7. But I do admit that I get a little tired of the “Grateful” posts on Facebook.  After a while, I’m like, “SO FREAKIN’ WHAT!!! Who cares what you’re grateful for…unless of course it’s for the perfect lemondrop martini.

8. I’m too outspoken.  I say what is on my mind.  I use to have a filter, but the older I get, the more I blurt out what’s just sitting there.    On the upside, I won’t have regrets of things left unsaid.   Both bad, and good.

9.  From my “Little Did They Know” file:  I use to nurse Sydney while I was on the air.  🙂

10.  Have you never seen the Honey Badger video?  Do yourself a favor and check it out because, “Honey Badger don’t give a shit!”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

Me and Kat Merrick

Me and Kat Merrick

11. Happy Birthday to Kat Merrick.  August 29 is her birthday.  She’s one of the hardest working women I know working to improve conditions in her community.  She loves her family, treasures her friends, and knows how to have a real good time!  I admire & adore her and am pleased as punch to call her my friend!

12. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “I decided if you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.”  – Catherine Aird

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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First day of school – Dianne, me & Jeff

1. Remember after a nice long hot summer that anticipation of the first day of school? Yeah, I don’t miss that so much.

2a. Speaking of school, I’m taking off this semester from college and taking this personal time to do a full body purification.  I did one once over 25 years ago.  While I realize I am not a body, I do have a body that needs tending to from time to time.

2b. Just in case you’re wondering, I am a spiritual being with this particular body. When this lifetime ends, the body stays (or in my case, gets incinerated), and I’ll go onto something else.

3a. I was reading a list called “10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science”  It was written by Belle Beth Cooper.
Out of 10 points, my favorites are: “Exercise more – 7 minutes might be enough”; “Plan a trip – but don’t take one.”

3b. I love that someone narrowed it down to 7 minutes, and planning a trip is good enough, you don’t actually have to go!  It’s the Antici—pation that boosts happiness.  So mark shit down on your calendar, and look at it from time to time.  Love it!

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Your cat is asking for you.

4. I took this photo of Molly Monday night around 9:30 and sent it to Sydney (who moved to Oregon last week without her cat) via text message saying, “Your cat is asking for you.”  Then, I swear to God, the cat disappeared until Wednesday evening.  Half of me was dreading telling Sydney her cat disappeared, probably left looking for her, the other half, not so much.

5. AT&T internet providers blocked one of my postal worker’s union websites for security reasons.  Patriotic Act?  dDOS attack?  I couldn’t work over the weekend on this particular website and lost billable wages.  Commie Rat Bastards!

6a. I walked into my neighborhood donut store (I owed “goodies” at work because I bought a new car…this rule, by the way, is in the Engineering ByLaws), and I happened to have a bag of grapes I just bought at Vons.  The woman behind the counter asked if I had tried the new Cotton Candy grape.  I got super jazzed because I had read about these a couple of months ago.  She brought some out for me so I could try, and yes, THEY TASTE LIKE COTTON CANDY!!!  Crazy!

6b. So if kids (or adults for that matter) taste the sweeter Cotton Candy grapes, will they ever be satisfied with just the original sweet grape?

6c. And are these genetically modified grapes?  And is GMO ALWAYS a bad thing?  Cross pollination isn’t bad is it?

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Crazy!!!

7. I work with a bunch of crazy-ass fitness buffs who do this gnarly cross-fit training at lunch.  No comment.  Just a statement of fact.  I watch them from time to time as I have fun shooting hoops.

8. I recently read an article posted on the Huffington Post called, “23 Signs You’re Secretly An Introvert.”  It was written by Carolyn Gregoire. I fit 15 out 23 signs.  One sign is that you screen your calls, even from your friends (sorry bout that one), another one is that you’re a writer.  I call “BULLSHIT!”

9. My new Nissan Sentra did not make the Top Ten Most Stolen Cars in America list.  Yay!

10. I have a friend who is a gluten for punishment.  See what I did there!  She can’t tolerate certain grains yet she still eats them…. K, not so funny.

11. I had a bite of a papple this week. Technically, it’s called Asian pear, but it tastes a little like a pear & an apple, and Sergio from Engineering has dubbed it a Papple.  Regardless, it was delicious!

12. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:
“Sometimes, the first step towards forgiveness is realizing the other person is totally bat-shit crazy.”   Michelle Barlett

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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So much has happened in the past week!

1. Sydney Rose has embarked on her newest adventure moving to Oregon.  I finally wore her down and she allowed me to accompany her up there; however, she didn’t allow me to drive once (she was making a point that she could do it on her own).

The first day she played her music.  The second day she didn’t turn on the radio or mp3 player once.  She did however insist on playing car games.  We took turns naming off the 50 states, we did it with Wisconsin being the last, and we played Twenty Questions.  We laughed a lot and I’m so glad we had those last two days alone together.  Looking forward to her coming home for Christmas.

2. Missed my flight back home in Portland; first time I’ve ever done that.  Grrrr.   Portland traffic SUCKS!  Just saying.   Got on the later flight all stressed out, but the Bloody Mary and the affable conversation with an older gentleman sitting next to me helped to ease the pain to San Francisco.

3. The little twin propeller plane to Santa Barbara put me right back on edge; should have gone for a second Bloody Mary.

4. Back home on Wednesday and I bought a new car because I officially handed off mine to Sydney in Oregon.  I got myself a new Nissan Sentra.  Cute little guy.  I think he’ll do me right.

5. We had our final band practice on Sunday in preparation for our debut performance. Sydney Rose tagged along (spending as much time together before she was to leave town the next morning).   Christine actually sang on one of the songs. I hadn’t heard her sing before. I told them how great they sounded and Charles said they needed to get me a mic too. Horrified I said NO WAY, I can’t carry a tune. Syd chimed in with, “Have her lip sync!” To which Charles instantly deemed Syd Rose band manager.

6. I did it!  I made my band debut at Bombay’s Wednesday night (no lip syncing).  I was nervous, yet excited.  Having worked about 15 years in radio, I don’t mind being in front of people, but I’ve never played an instrument for anyone, and up until July, I had never played with a band. My band mates Charles and Christine Law made this girl’s dreams come true.  Tommy Marsh joining us made us sound actually pretty good!

7. Thank you Amanda for loaning me the dress (I had to follow Christine’s mandate of dresses and boots).

8. Thank you Jonny Reese for the shot of Patron as soon as I got off the stage.

9. Thank you Diego for the :15 video you posted on Facebook.

10. My dad was there to support me, he even wore a VenturaRocks.com t-shirt!  After the show he asked if he could have the pick I used to play guitar.  Could you die?  Too sweet.

11. My best buds were there to support even though I warned them I would suck.  It was quite a rush creating something out of nothing and seeing people respond to the music.  Charles Law is an amazing songwriter and I was super scared I would make a mockery of his song, “Corrine.”  But with Tommy’s help it sounded pretty damn good!

12. As for “Sweet Dreams”, it turned out that there was a guitarist in the audience who actually played on the original with the Eurythmics as a session player (he allegedly has the Grammy to prove it).  Seriously, this could only happen to me.  We played the Marilyn Manson version which sounded a lot more like a White Stripes version and he came up afterwards and said, and I quote, “I like your feel.”  I’ll take that!

13. Just saying…my band debut was everything I thought it would be.  I had a blast!  Thank you Christine and Charles Law!  Your generosity humbles me.  Love you!

14. From the “You Never Know Who You’ll Run Into” file:  Having breakfast at Art’s Cafe here in Ventura this week and a crew of nice looking young men (probably in their 20s) arrived and sat in a nearby booth.  The waitress asked where they were from as they came in a Mercedes Benz Van.  It turns out that Gary Young was one of them.  Shook his hand as he recently won the Gold at the X-Games in Barcelona for BMX Park riding.  Nice guy.  They were on their way to Santa Barbara for a demonstration at one of their sponsor locations.

15. The Saturday night before Sydney left, Molly, the anti-social cat, actually slept with Syd Rose. So, there is some minuscule amount of devotedness in her cold stone itty bitty kitty heart.

16.  From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:
“Let’s not get carried away by the fairytale okay, Pinocchio was a Goddamn liar.”  – Bodhi Elfman

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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Highlight: Scuba Diving

Highlight: Scuba Diving

1. I finally got back on the basketball court again after being ill and thought I’d ease back into it.  But between Rage Against the Machine, NIN & Linkin Park on the headphones, it’s pretty hard not to go full throttle!  They’re the best medicine; felt great to be back!

2. Call me goofy, but I get super excited when someone I like, likes me back.  You know, you make a connection.  And I’m not talking about men, I’m talking about people in general, including kids.  Connecting with good people is about my most favorite thing in the whole wide world…right behind being able to help those who are worthy of help.

3.  And just so you know, I know many people who don’t like me.  You can’t please everyone.  And seriously, I do my best to not let it affect me.  But there are a few that I’m determined to win over!

4.  And please don’t accuse me of seeking praise because I do love it when someone likes me and I made a special connection.  You would be mistaking praise for camaraderie!  Sociability is like an elixir for me! It cures all ails!  I really do love social-personality people!!!

5. It’s my birth week and I’ve decided to start dancing again!  It’s been way too long since I’ve gone out to dance.  It may not be pretty, but I’m having a blast!!

6. Kat Merrick and I had a short discussion last night about the exchanging or the no exchanging policy of birthday gifts between friends.  I like that a lot, because if the truth be known, I never remember what I got for my birthday, but I always remember where I was and who I spent it with.   A good time is the best gift!

7. I don’t worry about dying.  I worry a tad bit about how it will end, but not that this lifetime will end.

8. I’ve had more than one’s lifetime worth of experiences – here are just a few highlights (PG 13 Version):

  • Body surfing and building sand castles on hot summer days
  • Nailing water skiing on one ski, FINALLY
  • Going to my first rock concert: The Rolling Stones 1971
  • Having my high school crush call me out of the blue!
  • FINALLY graduating high school, and with honors
  • Continuing, by choice my education
  • Nailing algebra in college
  • Surviving my teens
  • Turning 21, FINALLY
  • Flying down the ski slope, completely out of control
  • Broadcasting trip to England
  • College trip to New York City
  • New Year’s Eve in Time Square
  • Seeing David Bowie in the Elephant Man on Broadway
  • Seeing Tim Curry & Ian McKellan in Amadeus on Broadway
  • Getting that very first full-time radio job offer
  • Falling in love
  • Being proposed to…a few times
  • Accepting a proposal
  • Getting married
  • Honeymoon in Kuaui
  • Buying a home
  • Finding out I was pregnant
  • Holding Sydney for the first time
  • Earning my program director stripes in radio
  • Live radio broadcast at Sea World, Disneyland and Catalina
  • Learning to scuba dive
  • Driving a speed boat full throttle, catching air, along Pierpont Beach
  • Behind the controls flying a twin engine airplane over Lake Casitas
  • Being flown in a aerobatic plane doing stunts over Camarillo
  • Mardi Gras in New Orleans
  • SXSW and meeting Trent Reznor
  • Receiving a Platinum Record from 311
  • Meeting Gavin Rossdale
  • Taking Sydney when she was a tot to Disneyland
  • Taking Syd & carload of pre-teen friends to Magic Mountain…riding rollercoasters
  • Launching a national music & entertainment magazine as editor-in-chief
  • Dinner party with Danny, Richard & Jenna Elfman
  • Shooting Pearl Jam, Collective Soul, Bush, Everclear, Better than Ezra, Sugar Ray, INXS, Third Eye Blind…
  • Getting my braces off, FINALLY
  • Vacation with Sydney Rose to New York City; getting lost in Central Park
  • Cougars winning basketball CIF championships 2011
  • Hitting my very first three-pointer!
  • Sydney Rose coming back home
  • Being served dinner by firemen in uniform.
  • Band Practice!

9. So when I think of the few low points in my life such as losing loved ones or my divorce, all I need to do is look at all the highlights and reflect what an awesome time I’ve had!

10. I’m ready to take on yet another year of living it up!

11. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “To me – old age is always ten years older than I am.” – John Burroughs

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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I blame my parents for this fashion statement.

I blame my parents for this fashion statement.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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

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

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

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

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

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

7.  There is no reality in the previous statement.

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

9.  Next up, surfing!

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

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

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

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

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…

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The Predator (the cat, not my daughter Sydney)

The Predator (the cat, not Sydney)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for listening.