Sacramento, CA

Today would have been a gorgeous summer day if it weren’t for the thick smoke that has filled the Sacramento Valley. The hundreds of fires that have been sparked by lightening are very unfortunate, and pose health risks to sensitive groups (those with heart coinditions and breathing problems) as well as small children.

I am sure the subject of the fires is all over the evening news, but since I do not watch local news I still have to get my information somewhere. I have been referring to the www.sparetheair.com website several times a day just to see if our air quality here in the Sacramento area has improved. It seemed to improve this evening, although earlier I dared not venture outside. Every time I went outdoors my eyes would water- not a good sign.

Young children should be kept inside when the air quality is really bad. They are included in the “sensitive groups.” I think many people forget that little children are more sensitive to bad air because they actually breathe in more air than adults do, and their lungs are still developing. I have had a number of children knock on my door earlier in the day asking if my child could play outside, and the answer was a kind, but firm, no- with a reminder that the air is just too smoky.

I truly hope that all of the residents that were evacuated from there homes will be allowed to return, and that they will be able to go on with their lives as they used to.

Thank you to the hardworking firefighting crews from all over the state who are working on putting the fires out. Be safe.

So lately I have not been leaving my bat cave very much, therefore I have not had a need to fuel up my GMC truck. However, I ventured out earlier today, and the low fuel light flickered on. I missed two gas stations that had fuel for about $4.49/ gallon, and ended up paying $4.59/ gallon instead. I do believe that today I spent the most per gallon on fuel that I have ever spent in my lifetime. So now I feel that I need to help other drivers as much as possible and share some gas saving tips. I am sure you are all probably thinking that I should help myself first by getting rid of my gas hog of a vehicle…but trust me- nobody wants to buy a truck right now.

My first tip for saving fuel money is to visit such sites as www.sactogasprices.com, and http://cbs13.com/gasprices to find the cheapest gas prices around town.

Second, rsimple maintenecne can make a huge difference: keep your vehicle well maintained, keep air in the tires per manufacturer guidelines, and slow down!

Third, slow down! The optimal speed for the best fuel efficiency is said to be around 55 MPH.

For more gas saving tips check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Economy website: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Summer evenings are the perfect time to get out doors and walk. If you are like me, you might be concerned about walking alone for safety reasons. Or, you just might want to have a companion to walk with. The Sacramento Walking Sticks might be just what you need to get you motivated and out of the house.

The Walking Sticks is a group of people who have organized weekly walks in various parts of Sacramento, as well as outings to other cities such as Truckee and Santa Cruz. Walks are free, and membership is very cheap if you choose to become a member.

Tonights walk takes place in the Gold River area at 5:30pm. If you can not make this walk, do not worry as there are many more walks taking place this summer. Check out the Walking Sticks website for more information about their group and events: http://www.sacramentowalkingsticks.org/

This July will see the closing of the Sacramento Six Drive-in movie theatre. The drive-in movies is a legacy in it’s own right, and it is unfortunate to see this era of entertainment come to an end. If you have children who have never been to a drive in movie, take advantage of these final weeks of June and get out to the Sacramento Six!

Many of us have great memories of the Sacramento Six drive-in movies, and it is somewhat sad to know that the screens will soon go dark. What is in the works will be a new strip mall and new indoor movie theatres. As nice as this sounds, it seems to be a repeat of the same types of stores and the same type of expensive movie theatres that we have all over and around town. I really hope that a lot of people make an effort to get out to the drive-in to say good bye to the movies screens, the 70s-ish snack bar, and ultimately the end of an era.

More information is available at http://www.fandango.com/sacramentodrivein_aacet/theaterpage.

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend for Father’s Day, you might consider the annual Crawdad Festival in Isleton. This is always a fun event, with a carnival, games, a beer garden, plenty of Cajun style music and food, and of course tons of spicey crawdads to eat!

Admission is only $5, parking is another $5, and children under 12 are FREE!

If you are interested in taking a bus from the Sacramento Convention Center, visit www.travel.meetup.com/1199 .

The Crawdad Festival begins Friday afternoon, and lasts until Sunday.

For more details, check out the official Crawdad Festival website http://www.crawdadfestival.org/

This summer, law enforcement officers who patrol our local rivers and Delta, will be giving out free Togo’s sandwich vouchers! As with most free things though, there is a catch. Only boaters that are caught wearing life jackets will be given the vouchers. And the giving away of free stuff is pretty random….still boaters should take whatever they can get. With gas prices being so high, any kind of a break is a good break, and a life jacket is always a necessary item to not only keep in the boat, but to keep on your person.

If you need a lifejacket, I personally recommend a local big box store. They are priced relatively cheap at Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart stores. For a loaner life jacket, you can check out the California Department of Boating and Waterways website, which lists locations that loan jackets out for no cost. The website can be found here: http://www.dbw.ca.gov/BoaterInfo/LifeJacket.aspx.

Keep those life jackets on, and good luck getting a free sandwich!

Our local Wildlife Care Association (WCA) is in need of volunteers to help care for the many wounded wild birds that are brought in to the facility. Volunteers can be as young as 16, and there is information about volunteering and other ways to help the WCA on their website: http://www.wildlifecareassociation.net/.

The WCA was formerly located on Auburn Blvd, near Interstate 80, but recently changed locations. They are now housed at McClellan Business Park, in the North Highlands area.

Please do what you can to help the birds and other critters that end up at the care center. Many are injured because of human activity, and deserve the chance to recoup and have a second chance at life. Just a couple of hours a week of volunteer time would be helpful to the WCA.

This coming weekend will be the second weekend of the month, which can only mean one thing- Second Saturday Art Walk!
Since Mother’s Day is on Sunday you might consider a nice Saturday night out looking at art, wine tasting, and listening to some great local bands with the mom’s in your life. If you have not been to a Second Saturday event, keep in mind that there are always vendor booths set up, and you might even be able to pick up a gift for that special lady (or for yourself), depending on your taste in crafts and art.

I always recommend Regional Transit, or riding a bike if you are going to the midtown area. However, for those who are driving, parking on side streets is not difficult to find.

Also, there are art galleries open on Del Paso Blvd, and there is decent parking there, too.

I don’t know who the first person was to ever say it, but I know we all think it from time to time- food tastes better when eaten outside. If you are backyard-less like me, or if you just like to get away without going out of town, the American River Parkway is a great place to visit.

There are quite a few picnic spots along the Parkway, as well as convenient parking (for a fee), decent restroom facilities (no fee), picnic tables, and barbeque grills. Since the weather has been so nice lately, my family and I decided to have a picnic dinner at one of these local parks. It was one of the nicer evenings we have shared together in a while, and we ended the outing with a stroll along the river.

I have yet to visit all of the different parks along the river, however, from personal experience I have found the parks in the Fair Oaks and Sunrise Blvd area to be enjoyable. Check out Sacramento Parks for more detailed information about the American River Parkway and all it has to offer.

So, I just thought I’d let everyone know that I just got my power back today–which makes me a very happy person indeed. Anyway, that’s why I’ve been gone the past few days and I shall of course be back now =) Happy blogging…

Once again, I am amazed and disgusted by the level of cruelty that humans can exact on other creatures without giving it so much as a second thought! Exit Urban Shoes and Oglivy Advertising have come up with a new set of ads which feature impossible situations with the slogan, “They’ll find a way out.” Supporters say that the ads “appeal to the scenester type who is always out on the town…[and that their] strangeness works naturally with the brands urban-hip positioning, provoking just enough curiosity, yet are simple enough to satisfy it.” Frankly, I am one of those scenster types and I think the ads are repulsive and degrading. One of the worst by far though is this one of a helpless and bound dog. (I couldn’t bear to put the whole thing on here because it is just too disgusting, but I do encourage you to see for yourself so you will know exactly why something needs to be done about this!!)

Some people have even dared to say that the ads are profound and artistic which really just begs the question, what the hell happened to our moral conscience?!! In addition to the apparently dead dog, the ad campaign also features images of a porn star that are so explicit they have to be blurred on the site itself!! The company called that their most risquee and avant-garde. I call it tacky and demoralizing…but that’s just because my mother raised me with morals!

Anyway, thank God there are other people out there who think this detestable. There are all kinds of petitions circling on various blogs across the internet where you can voice your displeasure and disgust as well. Furthermore, you can also email the companies themselves at alma.sa@chello.be and maryse.dhaene@ogilvy.com. However, I think it would eb even better to boycott the stores that sell Exit Urban Shoes as well. That way it’ll be much easier to effect change and get the ads removed–along with punishing the parties responsible for the abuse of this dog. After all, if stores aren’t willing to sell their product for fear of being boycotted themselves, then it will be much more likely that the companies will take this issue seriously! I don’t know of any shoe stores in Sacramento offhand that sell them–they’re not a favorite of mine to begin with. However, if anyone does, please feel free to let me know so we can spread the message around to everyone else too…maybe even stage a little picket or something of that nature if anyone is interested!! Thanks in advance…

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Happy New Year everyone! I figured that there had to be at least a couple of people who don’t have anywhere to be on New Year’s Eve this year and I thought I’d enlighten you. Anyway, the big party to close out the year will be at the Hilton. The Professionals Guild is holding their biggest singles party of the year at the hotel. Tickets are only $50.00 for members. However, unlike the Halloween party, tickets can now only be purchased over the phone at 916-786-5858. If you’re not a member, the rate is $65.00 if you purchase them by tomorow at 6:00PM. These tickets can be purchased online and picked up at the Will Call Station. Tickets are also available at the hotel front desk for the same price before the party starts. The party will go from 8:30PM to 1:00AM.

Innersoul and The Groove Thang will be playing simultaneously in different rooms. A DJ will be playing different music in a third room and the fourth ballroom at the Hilton will be transformed into a mini-Casino. All guests will receive two free drink tickets as well. In addition, there will be champagne fountains and a big balloon drop at midnight. The dres code is semi-formal. Casual dress will not be allowed and a coat and tie are preferred.

Since everyone will likely be drinking, the hotel is offering a special room rate for partygoers. Rates begin at $139 and go to $189 depending on the type of package and room you want to get. If you are reserving your room online, make sure to enter the promotional code ANY when prompted. Be safe and have a very Merry New Year’s Eve!!!

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As I was sitting and enjoying a cup of Ginger Snappish tea this morning, it occurred to me that I never told anyone about the Gingerbread Houses that are currently on display at the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum. Every December, people are invited to design their own glorious gingerbread creations to be displayed and judged at the Schoolhouse. Anyway, judging for this year is long past–it was on December 8th. However, the delectable creations are still on display through Sunday, December 23rd.

In any case, it’s the perfect opportunity to escape reality for a few moments when you start to get too stressed out. With only a scant few days left before Christmas, God knows we’re ALL feeling at least a little bit stressed out. There are presents still to be bought and wrapped, cleaning to be done, cookies to be baked, groceries to be bought, anxiety that Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary will get drunk and fight AGAIN…and well, you get the picture I’m sure! As for me, I’m STILL not done making my sister’s Christmas gift and she’s coming tonight so I’m not quite sure that I’ll be able to finish it without her knowing what it is. *ARGGGG!!!!!!*

The point is that we could all use a little bit of a break and I can’t think of anything better than to escape to a land where houses are made of candy and children’s innocence lives on unchecked. If you can’t manage to escape for even a couple minutes, then I reccommend you check out Mary MacIntyre’s page. She has a couple of other really brilliant ideas for how to relax amidst all of the stress this season inevitably brings with it.

And if that doesn’t work, you can always try getting a tad bit drunk

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Against all odds, the missing Dominguez family was blessed with their own Christmas miracle when they were found alive and well yesterday afternoon. They had been missing since Sunday when they got lost looking for the perfect Christmas tree. Many people believed that they would not be found alive as the mountains saw a ton of snowfall over the past couple of day. Somehow, by some miracle they managed to survive with only mild hypothermia.

The family didn’t have any food or water and no survival skills. Yet somehow they managed to live through their ordeal anyway. They apparently camped out in a concrete tunnel underneath a mountian road. They wrote the word “Help” in the snow and a helicopter pilot–who wasn’t even supposed to fly because of the weather–found the father waving his hands in the air next to it. Anyway, I won’t go into more details, but you can read them yourself in today’s Sacramento Bee.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who prayed for their safe return. Few people believed that they would be found safe and sound–yet somehow it still happened. It just goes to show you how much can be accomplished with the power of prayer. In any case, because of this little miracle, this is certain to be the best Christmas the Dominguez family will ever have!!

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On Sunday afternoon, Frederick Dominguez and his three children–Christopher, Alexis, and Joshua–disappeared in the mountains near Inskip where they were looking for a Christmas tree. None of them were prepared for a long trip out in the snow. In fact, they were only wearing T-Shirts, jeans, light jackets, and sneakers.

They certainly weren’t prepared for the snow storms that have been hitting the area over the past couple of days. As of now, rescue teams are hoping that they managed to find someplace to hide out during the storm–like one of the many cabins that dot the area. However, tehre has been no trace of them so far and Madde Watts of the Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team said that “The elevation ranges from 4,000 to 6000. It’s been really cold up there. The weather has moved in, the terrain is difficult. It’s desperate, all right.”

In any case, their future isn’t looking too good right now so I would entreat anyone who believes to pray for their safe return. It would be such an immense tragedy for their mother to lose her entire family so close to Christmas–especially over a Christmas tree. Frankly, I think there have been quite enough tragedies this year already…

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