Say “No” to a TAX on Veterinary Services!
Governor Schwarzenegger wants to raise millions by adding a tax on veterinary services. This will be reflected directly on YOUR BILL at the end of every visit to your veterinarian.
On November 6, 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called for an increase in the California state sales tax to address the multi-billion dollar deficit in the budget, and proposed a sales tax on all veterinary services. This was part of a larger combination of program cuts and revenue increases to balance the state budget.
Under the new plan, veterinary medical services will be taxed the same as vehicle or appliance repair and the new proposed tax is 10.25% for Los Angeles County with a 9% tax on veterinary services. None of the other healing arts will be taxed. This proposal could add approximately 9% to the cost of veterinary care. Many animals won’t get the necessary medical care and treatment they deserve because veterinary services will be more expensive. Pets are part of our families and a lot of families are already facing financial hardship in this weak economy. Increasing the cost of veterinary care will only lead to more animals being abandoned, or euthanized. It’s not fair for your pets to suffer because the state cannot balance its budget.
Here’s what you can do to help stop the tax on veterinary services!
Write letters, make phone calls, send eMails, or fax your comments to the Governor and to your elected officials. If writing, try to personalize your letter and be brief. Let them know that pets are family members and this proposed tax will add a huge financial burden to your family. Ask that veterinary services be removed from the Governor’s proposal.
If you need assistance, go to the California Veterinary Medical Association website at www.cvma.net for additional facts and contact information (under the “Action Alert” section near the top of the page, with further links including Fact Sheet, Contact Sheet and Find Your Local Legislators). It is important that every pet owner be heard. Please take action today for your pets and write a letter. The Governor wants his proposal passed by the end of November so he (and your local State Senator and Representitive) needs to hear from you now!
Thank you!
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/oln_november_08_say_no_to_vete.html
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Veterinary taxes?
This is an article from a recent veterinary magazine (I am putting comments I agree with in bold):
Sacramento, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking for more ways to make ends meet in California,including a proposed new tax on veterinary services.
California considers tax on veterinary care
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A "dramatic drop" in revenue projections over the last two months has pushed the state's budget deficit to $11.2 billion, and the solution to closing that shortfall is $4.5 billion in cuts plus $4.7 billion in revenue from new fees and taxes, according to the governor's office. More than $350 million of that new revenue will come from broader service taxes, including a new tax of nearly 10 percent on veterinary care.
"We are strongly opposed to this. We think it's inappropriate to be categorized in with appliance and furniture repair services," says Dr. Bill Grant II, president of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). "There's already people making decisions based on economic factors with caring for their pets, and this automatic increase, we think, is very inappropriate."
If passed, the new tax would make California the fourth state to tax veterinary services, following Hawaii, New Mexico and South Dakota. Besides veterinary services, the new tax would fall on furniture repair, vehicle repair, golf, amusement-park fees and sporting events, according to the governor's office. Total revenue from the new tax is estimated at about $357 million a year.
If the measure is passed, veterinary care would be the only medical service taxed in California. Grant says that unfairly singles out animal medicine as a revenue source.
"It makes no sense whatsoever. They're going to target a specific population," he says. "Do a broad-based 1 percent [increase] across the state. Don't target certain areas to fix the state deficit."
No human medical services in California are subject to taxes, says Grant, but the veterinary profession reportedly is being added because practices already are set up to add sales tax to transactions because of pet food and other sales. But Grant says that's not the case for surgical-only practices, and if that were the case, he wonders why optometrists and other human medical-service providers who sell products are not being targeted.
"My personal feeling is that they should be looking on the cost-cutting side instead of the revenue side," says Grant.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is no more in favor of the proposed change than the CVMA.
"It's a pretty unusual step and, given the economic conditions today, we are concerned about any outside, arbitrary or artificial sources to increase cost to consumers," says Adrian Hochstadt, assistant director of the AVMA State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department. "I think this is a terrible time to be raising taxes on veterinary services. A 9 percent tax might not amount to much for people at the top of the income distribution level, but for people who are hurting, 9 percent is a lot."
Still, the tax proposal is a state matter, and Hochstadt says the AVMA will wait in the wings, ready to assist the CVMA as needed. Should it become a national trend, the AVMA might become more involved. But Hochstadt says he doesn't think the issue will go far.
Grant has the same hope, saying the proposal must be passed by both state legislative bodies. It could go through the current "lame duck" houses, or wait to be presented to a new group of legislators taking over in the New Year," Grant explains.
"There's no way to tell," he says.
Monday, November 17, 2008
just when you think you have heard it all....
We got a phone call from a client today after her cat had been neutered... this is what was asked: "Now that he has been neutered, is his voice going to change?"... after a slight chuckle, we had to assure her that it was very unlikely... I love my job!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Really Palin?
From People on-line: (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20234976,00.html)
"the retail outlay for Palin and her family since early September included a $75,062.63 expenditure at a Minneapolis Neiman Marcus and shopping trips to Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York that resulted in a combined tab of $49,425.74, all paid by the Republican National Committee."
"[A] spokesperson for the John McCain and Sarah Palin campaign, Tracey Schmitt, said: "With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it's remarkable that we're spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses. It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign." .... riiight...
This is ridiculous! No wonder that Republicans (and yes I know people who are Republican and have voiced this to me) are so concerned about Obama's plan to "spread the wealth", heaven forbid Palin and co. have to spend less on clothes that they will eventually "donate" instead of spending that money on real charities that could do some good in this country!!
"the retail outlay for Palin and her family since early September included a $75,062.63 expenditure at a Minneapolis Neiman Marcus and shopping trips to Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York that resulted in a combined tab of $49,425.74, all paid by the Republican National Committee."
"[A] spokesperson for the John McCain and Sarah Palin campaign, Tracey Schmitt, said: "With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it's remarkable that we're spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses. It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign." .... riiight...
This is ridiculous! No wonder that Republicans (and yes I know people who are Republican and have voiced this to me) are so concerned about Obama's plan to "spread the wealth", heaven forbid Palin and co. have to spend less on clothes that they will eventually "donate" instead of spending that money on real charities that could do some good in this country!!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Learning the steps
We have started rehearsals of "Fiddler on the Roof" with great gusto and are busy learning and practicing songs and we have even started on the of the dances!
This is a video of our "fiddler", who is kind enough to learn the dances with us and then let me record her to help me practice!!
This is a video of our "fiddler", who is kind enough to learn the dances with us and then let me record her to help me practice!!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The reason we tell other people to do things...because we have been there!!
At work (veterinary hospital) we tell our clients all the time to watch out where they put medications, how some medications attract dogs to the point of sniffing them out and eating the whole prescription, and how overdosing harms the dog. So, here is exactly why we, in the veterinary profession, tell you, the general public, this important piece of information:
A little background...my dachshund, Scarlett, is a little terror who gets into everything, has to chew things up to fully understand what they do, has an amazing sense of smell, and is very food/treat motivated. On the other hand, my cat, Cena, is also very food motivated (which is how I get her into the house), but when she is done eating, she would very much like to leave the house. So much so, that she has learned how to slide our screen door to the backyard open with a claw. Ingenious cat really, however, this "trick" and a young, inquisitive, and very naughty dog are not a good mix.
One day, in a small town very nearby, I left to go to work and, unbeknownst to me, I left the above mentioned animals at a potential for disaster. I had left Cena inside and had left the door to the room open and the sliding door open, so that there was only the screen door between Cena and the dogs. Silly me, I never thought she would dare open the screen door with dogs on the other side!
I happened to go home for lunch, on a whim, really. I realized that I had no errands to run and leftovers at home, it would be nice to go home and have some peace and quiet for lunch! Yeah, right! The minute I walked in the door I saw it, the kitchen was a disaster! The trash can was knocked over and there was chewed up stuff all over the floor. At first I thought, "damn cat!" But then I saw... the chewed up pill bottles on the floor. No way the cat did that! Then I saw the way she could have gotten on the table. The medications were some we give Angelik for her arthritis. She is about 8 times bigger than Scarlett, the dose she gets alone is 4 times the strength needed for Scarlett. And there had been at least 5 pills in the bottle, so if Scarlett really ate those pills that meant she had eaten at least 20 times what she could have needed. That is actually enough to put a dog into kidney failure! By this time I was certain it had been my little devil, because her belly was also much more distended than I had ever seen it without being completely obvious right away. So much for peace and quiet!
After my detective work, I had no choice put to pack up the dogs and take them back to work and hope that only one of them had eaten the tablets, but needing to make them both throw up to make sure. It took less than a minute after the injection for Scarlett to start puking and, fortunately, some pills came out whole, so she really just gobbled them up, which probably helped us all out in the long run. So after emptying her stomach I put her on fluids to help protect those little kidneys. I did bloodwork about three days later and all her levels looked good, so we were really lucky. Poor Angelik spent the afternoon drooling, but I am so glad that she had not done any of the damage (it's nice to have at least one well behaved dog!).
So make sure you put any of your pets medications somewhere they can't reach, and truly can't reach because they will use chairs and tables to get up high. Because they can poison themselves, because they can hurt themselves, because they may not have a good prognosis if you don't catch it quickly, and because it is going to be really expensive! On the financial note, the injection we give to make them vomit is about $175 per injection. Liquid gold! Seriously, that doesn't take into account any hospitalization, bloodwork, and medications, which are part of the treatment plan in these cases. Save yourself the large bill and just think about a safe place you could put such medications, or be lazy (like I was) and keep us in business! =)
A little background...my dachshund, Scarlett, is a little terror who gets into everything, has to chew things up to fully understand what they do, has an amazing sense of smell, and is very food/treat motivated. On the other hand, my cat, Cena, is also very food motivated (which is how I get her into the house), but when she is done eating, she would very much like to leave the house. So much so, that she has learned how to slide our screen door to the backyard open with a claw. Ingenious cat really, however, this "trick" and a young, inquisitive, and very naughty dog are not a good mix.
One day, in a small town very nearby, I left to go to work and, unbeknownst to me, I left the above mentioned animals at a potential for disaster. I had left Cena inside and had left the door to the room open and the sliding door open, so that there was only the screen door between Cena and the dogs. Silly me, I never thought she would dare open the screen door with dogs on the other side!
I happened to go home for lunch, on a whim, really. I realized that I had no errands to run and leftovers at home, it would be nice to go home and have some peace and quiet for lunch! Yeah, right! The minute I walked in the door I saw it, the kitchen was a disaster! The trash can was knocked over and there was chewed up stuff all over the floor. At first I thought, "damn cat!" But then I saw... the chewed up pill bottles on the floor. No way the cat did that! Then I saw the way she could have gotten on the table. The medications were some we give Angelik for her arthritis. She is about 8 times bigger than Scarlett, the dose she gets alone is 4 times the strength needed for Scarlett. And there had been at least 5 pills in the bottle, so if Scarlett really ate those pills that meant she had eaten at least 20 times what she could have needed. That is actually enough to put a dog into kidney failure! By this time I was certain it had been my little devil, because her belly was also much more distended than I had ever seen it without being completely obvious right away. So much for peace and quiet!
After my detective work, I had no choice put to pack up the dogs and take them back to work and hope that only one of them had eaten the tablets, but needing to make them both throw up to make sure. It took less than a minute after the injection for Scarlett to start puking and, fortunately, some pills came out whole, so she really just gobbled them up, which probably helped us all out in the long run. So after emptying her stomach I put her on fluids to help protect those little kidneys. I did bloodwork about three days later and all her levels looked good, so we were really lucky. Poor Angelik spent the afternoon drooling, but I am so glad that she had not done any of the damage (it's nice to have at least one well behaved dog!).
So make sure you put any of your pets medications somewhere they can't reach, and truly can't reach because they will use chairs and tables to get up high. Because they can poison themselves, because they can hurt themselves, because they may not have a good prognosis if you don't catch it quickly, and because it is going to be really expensive! On the financial note, the injection we give to make them vomit is about $175 per injection. Liquid gold! Seriously, that doesn't take into account any hospitalization, bloodwork, and medications, which are part of the treatment plan in these cases. Save yourself the large bill and just think about a safe place you could put such medications, or be lazy (like I was) and keep us in business! =)
Monday, October 13, 2008
Riots in Chico??
From the Chico ER:
CHICO — Ivy Street became a maelstrom early this morning as hundreds occupied the roadway between West Fifth Street and the Chico State University campus.
Many participants said the incident began at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday after police broke up a party at a property on Cherry and West Sixth streets. Several people from the party moved toward the popular intersection of Fifth and Ivy streets. There, the crowd swelled as others joined in.Melissa Gonzalez of Richmond said people were upset the police were trying to break up all the parties. She said the actions left nowhere for people to go, but the streets.
"When cops broke it up, everyone just went to the street," Gonzalez said.Chico Lt. Jennifer Gonzales said the initial call was a pre-party contact, which usually means a concerned neighbor or a passing officer notices a gathering that has the potential to get out of hand.
At the site of the party, there were reportedly multiple fights breaking out and bottles being thrown, though Gonzales wasn't sure if they were being thrown at officers or other party-goers.Gonzales said the crowd built as passersby stopped to see what was going on. As police attempted to break up the conflict, the revelers spilled into the street and converged on Ivy Street, starting fires and blocking the roadway.
Just after midnight, the road was clogged with people and many bystanders were describing the incident as a "riot." The telltale glows from cell phones and cameras shone brightly, as people recorded the event.At one point, the crowd surged toward West Third and West Fourth streets where a couch had been set ablaze. A throng of hundreds of college-age participants quickly gathered around the fire. Some tossed bottles toward the blaze, others flung themselves at the flames.People clamored atop vehicles, porches, lampposts and other objects to get a better view of the gathering. The roof of one car was heavily dented.
Fires were reported along Ivy from Fifth Street to the Chico State campus. Most fires were started with vegetation and random debris.For about an hour, the largely non-violent crowd packed the street without police intervention, some chanting "Chico, Chico, Chico" and at one point "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A." There were also some profane chants denouncing the police.
Tommy Caulfield said he thought the incident was both crazy and cool. He said it was unfortunate that police or firefighters weren't on hand to monitor the situation. Caulfield added that, unless police intervened, "The only thing that's going to stop this is the sun." Starting at 12:43 a.m., a line of police officers in riot gear began methodologically walking up and down Ivy Street from West Fourth to West Second. The sea of bystanders quickly parted for the streetwide cordon, but the crowd reformed behind the officers almost as quickly.
Gonzales of Chico Police said the matter was serious."People have huge potential to be hurt, whether it be because of the fires or people throwing things," she said. "We had bottles thrown at us, even some type of citrus fruit, and there was some serious potential for even the bystanders to be hurt." The officers fired pellets similar to a paintball filled with a low-strength chemical powder irritant. There were some tussles as some officers brusquely moved people aside, but the vast majority of the crowd didn't confront the police. The crowd eventually dissipated and a fire engine was able to extinguish the fire.
Justin Rossi and his friends watched while the cops swept through the street. Rossi said he was at the original party."It didn't really get all that crazy until people started gathering in the street," he said.
Rossi said Sunday's events were like first three weeks of fall semester festivities together. He said he was surprised about such an event happening eight weeks into Chico State's fall semester.
Shortly before 2 a.m., the intersection of Fifth and Ivy was reported as clear, according to radio communications.Gonzales reported at least two arrests related to the incident.The Chico Police Department received assistant from the University Police, the Butte County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol to control the crowd.
CHICO — Ivy Street became a maelstrom early this morning as hundreds occupied the roadway between West Fifth Street and the Chico State University campus.
Many participants said the incident began at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday after police broke up a party at a property on Cherry and West Sixth streets. Several people from the party moved toward the popular intersection of Fifth and Ivy streets. There, the crowd swelled as others joined in.Melissa Gonzalez of Richmond said people were upset the police were trying to break up all the parties. She said the actions left nowhere for people to go, but the streets.
"When cops broke it up, everyone just went to the street," Gonzalez said.Chico Lt. Jennifer Gonzales said the initial call was a pre-party contact, which usually means a concerned neighbor or a passing officer notices a gathering that has the potential to get out of hand.
At the site of the party, there were reportedly multiple fights breaking out and bottles being thrown, though Gonzales wasn't sure if they were being thrown at officers or other party-goers.Gonzales said the crowd built as passersby stopped to see what was going on. As police attempted to break up the conflict, the revelers spilled into the street and converged on Ivy Street, starting fires and blocking the roadway.
Just after midnight, the road was clogged with people and many bystanders were describing the incident as a "riot." The telltale glows from cell phones and cameras shone brightly, as people recorded the event.At one point, the crowd surged toward West Third and West Fourth streets where a couch had been set ablaze. A throng of hundreds of college-age participants quickly gathered around the fire. Some tossed bottles toward the blaze, others flung themselves at the flames.People clamored atop vehicles, porches, lampposts and other objects to get a better view of the gathering. The roof of one car was heavily dented.
Fires were reported along Ivy from Fifth Street to the Chico State campus. Most fires were started with vegetation and random debris.For about an hour, the largely non-violent crowd packed the street without police intervention, some chanting "Chico, Chico, Chico" and at one point "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A." There were also some profane chants denouncing the police.
Tommy Caulfield said he thought the incident was both crazy and cool. He said it was unfortunate that police or firefighters weren't on hand to monitor the situation. Caulfield added that, unless police intervened, "The only thing that's going to stop this is the sun." Starting at 12:43 a.m., a line of police officers in riot gear began methodologically walking up and down Ivy Street from West Fourth to West Second. The sea of bystanders quickly parted for the streetwide cordon, but the crowd reformed behind the officers almost as quickly.
Gonzales of Chico Police said the matter was serious."People have huge potential to be hurt, whether it be because of the fires or people throwing things," she said. "We had bottles thrown at us, even some type of citrus fruit, and there was some serious potential for even the bystanders to be hurt." The officers fired pellets similar to a paintball filled with a low-strength chemical powder irritant. There were some tussles as some officers brusquely moved people aside, but the vast majority of the crowd didn't confront the police. The crowd eventually dissipated and a fire engine was able to extinguish the fire.
Justin Rossi and his friends watched while the cops swept through the street. Rossi said he was at the original party."It didn't really get all that crazy until people started gathering in the street," he said.
Rossi said Sunday's events were like first three weeks of fall semester festivities together. He said he was surprised about such an event happening eight weeks into Chico State's fall semester.
Shortly before 2 a.m., the intersection of Fifth and Ivy was reported as clear, according to radio communications.Gonzales reported at least two arrests related to the incident.The Chico Police Department received assistant from the University Police, the Butte County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol to control the crowd.
Friday, October 10, 2008
I got a part!
Yay! The cast list came out on-line today and I got a chorus part!! Yay! And I am flexible in what I play, I'm short so I can be made to look younger...or make myself look older... just don't try to make me do Russian Splits because that is so not happening!! Lol!
First read-through is on Monday!
First read-through is on Monday!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Auditions for "Fiddler on the Roof"!!
So today there were auditions for Fiddler on the Roof at the theater. I have always liked this show so I decided to go ahead and audition. My friend Joanna helped prep me for my audition song, which was "I could have danced all night" from My Fair Lady. Actually, that is a good audition piece because it is very light, it lets you act a little and you can show off your voice a little at the end. I liked it a lot!
Anyway, this was the most people I have ever seen at an audition potentially! I mean, there were about 36 people on Sunday night and there were also auditions on Monday night, so there were a lot of people to get through and listen to the songs. Plus there was cold readings of scenes. Thank goodness that there weren't any dancing auditions because otherwise it would have gone on all night! =)
Hoping to get a part because this would be a fun show to be a part of!
Anyway, this was the most people I have ever seen at an audition potentially! I mean, there were about 36 people on Sunday night and there were also auditions on Monday night, so there were a lot of people to get through and listen to the songs. Plus there was cold readings of scenes. Thank goodness that there weren't any dancing auditions because otherwise it would have gone on all night! =)
Hoping to get a part because this would be a fun show to be a part of!
Friday, October 3, 2008
New Presidential Candidate...it is someone we know!!
There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know! Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee:
http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.
Jot back a note to let me know what you think!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Learning to compost
I've been trying to learn the secret of composting for awhile here. We have had a compost bin going since we moved to Chico, so about 1 year and a half, at this time it has yet to resemble something that I would like to add to my garden. In other words, it's gross...
So this Saturday at the Farmer's Market there was a young woman giving a demonstration on how to make a compost bin. She gave us a nifty little bookmark that says, "brown + green + worms + air + water = compost".
The browns and greens are basically anything that was once organic (brown = leaves, cardboard, straw; green = fruits and veggies, grass, coffee grounds). You don't want to add any kind of dairy or meat because of unknown pathogens that could affect your worms. There needs to be some air and this person basically said that she puts sticks at the bottom of her bin to allow for air flow underneath the compost. Also you don't really need to add much water, but it needs to stay moist because your worms absorb moisture through their skin.
In other words, composting now sounds very simple to me and the key ingredient is the WORMS! So, I know that compost needs worms, but I have found all of two worms in my garden during this past year and a half, so where to find worms? Fortunately we live very close to the Durham Worm Farm where you can buy compost, worm castings, and live worms. I decided to get live worms and let the little buggers do what they do best, eat everything in their surroudings and make compost!!
I also learned that you don't need any fancy composting bins or have to worry about rotating the soil that often. I currently have a trash bin (our original bin) and a smaller storage bin as my compost bins. No need to poke holes in the bottom either, just make sure that if it is raining, cover the bin so the worms don't drown, and if it is hot, take the lid off and cover with cardboard so it can "breathe".
So now you know... =)
So this Saturday at the Farmer's Market there was a young woman giving a demonstration on how to make a compost bin. She gave us a nifty little bookmark that says, "brown + green + worms + air + water = compost".
The browns and greens are basically anything that was once organic (brown = leaves, cardboard, straw; green = fruits and veggies, grass, coffee grounds). You don't want to add any kind of dairy or meat because of unknown pathogens that could affect your worms. There needs to be some air and this person basically said that she puts sticks at the bottom of her bin to allow for air flow underneath the compost. Also you don't really need to add much water, but it needs to stay moist because your worms absorb moisture through their skin.
In other words, composting now sounds very simple to me and the key ingredient is the WORMS! So, I know that compost needs worms, but I have found all of two worms in my garden during this past year and a half, so where to find worms? Fortunately we live very close to the Durham Worm Farm where you can buy compost, worm castings, and live worms. I decided to get live worms and let the little buggers do what they do best, eat everything in their surroudings and make compost!!
I also learned that you don't need any fancy composting bins or have to worry about rotating the soil that often. I currently have a trash bin (our original bin) and a smaller storage bin as my compost bins. No need to poke holes in the bottom either, just make sure that if it is raining, cover the bin so the worms don't drown, and if it is hot, take the lid off and cover with cardboard so it can "breathe".
So now you know... =)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Visit to Ashland!
Hi All! So we went to the Ashland Shakespeare Fest in Oregon on Thursday and Friday with DJs students. It was really fun!We got to see two Shakespeare shows, although they have all different kinds of theater, musicals and new shows too.
We saw "A Comedy of Errors" which I had heard of before but had never read or seen before. What a funny show! It was not done in Elizabethan times, more set like a western, but with all of the original dialogue. It really amazes me that Shakespeares plays, being hundreds of years old, can still appeal to a modern audience.
We also saw "A Midsummer's Nights Dream", which I think is one of Shakespeares most popular plays. It was an interesting interpretation...again, not set in Elizabethan times, it was set in the 70s. It had a real 70s feel to it, complete with disco ball and painted VW bus. Then the fairies were very gay and that had more of a rave aspect to it. It was done well, not quite what I would expect to see in a Shakespeare play, but again, amazing how one can portray their version of such a play and have it appeal to a younger audience.
Since we were there on a school outing we also got to take a backstage tour of the theater and get the inside scoop on what the Shakespeare Festival is all about. The coolest part about that? Well, aside from seeing how professional theater works (there were at least four actors that were in both plays we saw...eek...two completely different shows back to back?? Tough!!)... as we were walking into the first part of the tour this guy says to me, "sorry, but do I know you somehow?". I swear I looked around because it was wierd for someone to say this to me. "I mean you", he says. Once I get a better look...? It was Elib from our group in Madrid!
He went to CSU Humbolt, and I remember him as a nice guy that got mugged at least twice, once right before a group trip we were taking. So Elib was our tour guide too! Turns out that he is a carpenter for the Shakespeare Fest and is married and has a baby. He has been doing that for a couple of years and it was nice having a little blast from the past totally unexpectedly! Here is a photo of Spain and now!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Bitten by a dog!
Today I was bit by a dog... I have a puncture on my left wrist and half way up my arm looks like someone tried to chew on a corn cob. The only deep wound is the puncture but the other bites have also swelled and are uncomfortable.
My attacker was a 5 month old shepard/rottie mix that weighed about 40 lbs. He was a bit mouthy to start but did not really offer to bite. I asked a kennel assistant to help me because he was really rambunctious. I gave the first vaccine and then he turned into a shark! I ended up getting bit because I was trying to hold him so that he would not bite anyone... so I got the sharp end of the bite! Argh!
So I put a muzzle on him, gave him his last vaccine and then asked my co-worker to talk to the owners about the importance of obedience and not letting this dog get aggressive because it is going to be a large, powerful dog. I, in the meantime, went to wash my wounds and had a mini-breakdown because I realized what had actually happened and it made me cry out of shock.
I decided to go to see the doctor right away because of all the bacteria dogs have in their mouths (it may be cleaner than our mouths, but it still has bacteria that I don't want in my body!). I got a tetanus shot (ouch!) and strong antibiotics and some sort of anti-inflammatory and pain medication. It is really close to a joint, so I want to make sure that swelling doesn't affect my wrist or nerves. I'll wear a splint to protect it too because I have super limited range of motion.
Ahh, the joys and risks of working with animals!!!
My attacker was a 5 month old shepard/rottie mix that weighed about 40 lbs. He was a bit mouthy to start but did not really offer to bite. I asked a kennel assistant to help me because he was really rambunctious. I gave the first vaccine and then he turned into a shark! I ended up getting bit because I was trying to hold him so that he would not bite anyone... so I got the sharp end of the bite! Argh!
So I put a muzzle on him, gave him his last vaccine and then asked my co-worker to talk to the owners about the importance of obedience and not letting this dog get aggressive because it is going to be a large, powerful dog. I, in the meantime, went to wash my wounds and had a mini-breakdown because I realized what had actually happened and it made me cry out of shock.
I decided to go to see the doctor right away because of all the bacteria dogs have in their mouths (it may be cleaner than our mouths, but it still has bacteria that I don't want in my body!). I got a tetanus shot (ouch!) and strong antibiotics and some sort of anti-inflammatory and pain medication. It is really close to a joint, so I want to make sure that swelling doesn't affect my wrist or nerves. I'll wear a splint to protect it too because I have super limited range of motion.
Ahh, the joys and risks of working with animals!!!
Dana and John Wedding
This weekend my dear friend, Dana, married her wonderful husband, John, in a very sweet and happy emotional ceremony in Santa Clara.
Dana and John met about 10 years ago through our friend, Corrie, who actually went to high school with John and stayed in close touch since those days. Dana and Corrie (and me) became friends when we were studying abroad in Spain. Fast forward to this past New Years when Dana had a party and Corrie asked if we could invite John. Dana said sure, we all had a great time and sparks flew!!
I am so happy for Dana and John, they just finally met the right person at the right time in their lives and have been and will be very, very happy with each other!!
I am still waiting for some pictures, which I will post with more about the night a little later!
Dana and John met about 10 years ago through our friend, Corrie, who actually went to high school with John and stayed in close touch since those days. Dana and Corrie (and me) became friends when we were studying abroad in Spain. Fast forward to this past New Years when Dana had a party and Corrie asked if we could invite John. Dana said sure, we all had a great time and sparks flew!!
I am so happy for Dana and John, they just finally met the right person at the right time in their lives and have been and will be very, very happy with each other!!
I am still waiting for some pictures, which I will post with more about the night a little later!
Monday, September 8, 2008
DJ graduates from UofPh
On Saturday, DJ officially graduated with his Master's in Education from the University of Pheonix.
On Sunday, we celebrated his achievement with a BBQ at the Ashby family home in Sunnyvale! It was really nice because a lot of people who are special to DJ came and there were some really nice words said by our parents (his mom and dad and my dad).
I've been so bad at taking pictures this weekend, but I know my dad got some, so pictures will be posted in the future!
On Sunday, we celebrated his achievement with a BBQ at the Ashby family home in Sunnyvale! It was really nice because a lot of people who are special to DJ came and there were some really nice words said by our parents (his mom and dad and my dad).
I've been so bad at taking pictures this weekend, but I know my dad got some, so pictures will be posted in the future!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Scarlett turns 1 year old!!
Here in Chico we have a cute little pet store called Scraps Bakery (but I'm not sure they actually do the baking anymore) that actually has dog biscuits that have doggie friendly frosting and they sell some that say "Happy Birthday"! How cute is that?
So I had to get one for Scarlett to celebrate her 1st birthday! Angelik got a doggie donut to celebrate too! They were really cute because they just licked off the frosting and then looked at me because they were unsure of if they could eat it or not.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Yo hablo espanol...y luego?
So I have used my Spanish a lot recently, at work and in the neighborhood, and most recently when we had a yard sale this past weekend. It just so happened that we had some friends come over towards the end of the yard sale and they were just hanging out with us when our neighbor came by for a last sweep of the sale. She is a Spanish speaker so we changed the conversation to Spanish for a little while with her. When she left our friends basically said "Hello, we can't understand! Speak English!"... this disturbed me on so many levels!!!
Now, I know that English is the "official" language of the US, I have no problem with that. I personally speak many languages so I don't really care what is being spoken around me because I feel like I can communicate regardless of the language. I also agree that when you go and visit or live in a country, that you should make the effort to learn and understand the language of that country. That being said, I don't think out neighbor has any problem understanding English, but she just feels more comfortable speaking in Spanish, since DJ and I have no problem speaking either language with her, we just revert to what is the most comfortable method of communication.
Anyway, I think that it is high time that Americans get off of their high horse, or whatever it is, and learn to accept the fact that learning a foreign language is a benefit and not a detriment to their country. Was this not a nation that started as a "melting pot" of people who wished to start a new life and before it even became the "new world", it was comprised of peoples who spoke other languages other than English. California used to belong to Mexico! Spanish is really the offical language of this state originally!
I digress... most other countries have seen the benefits of teaching their children a second and even a third language. As a result, most European countries (for example) have a better social structure, a higher per capita income, and better cultural education. I know that I have had a chance to visit different countries and meet different people and I feel very comfortable in those situations because I know that I am making an effort to learn about a different culture and so do they!
So, it isn't my fault if you can't understand when I speak to someone in Spanish. Sucks to be you.
Now, I know that English is the "official" language of the US, I have no problem with that. I personally speak many languages so I don't really care what is being spoken around me because I feel like I can communicate regardless of the language. I also agree that when you go and visit or live in a country, that you should make the effort to learn and understand the language of that country. That being said, I don't think out neighbor has any problem understanding English, but she just feels more comfortable speaking in Spanish, since DJ and I have no problem speaking either language with her, we just revert to what is the most comfortable method of communication.
Anyway, I think that it is high time that Americans get off of their high horse, or whatever it is, and learn to accept the fact that learning a foreign language is a benefit and not a detriment to their country. Was this not a nation that started as a "melting pot" of people who wished to start a new life and before it even became the "new world", it was comprised of peoples who spoke other languages other than English. California used to belong to Mexico! Spanish is really the offical language of this state originally!
I digress... most other countries have seen the benefits of teaching their children a second and even a third language. As a result, most European countries (for example) have a better social structure, a higher per capita income, and better cultural education. I know that I have had a chance to visit different countries and meet different people and I feel very comfortable in those situations because I know that I am making an effort to learn about a different culture and so do they!
So, it isn't my fault if you can't understand when I speak to someone in Spanish. Sucks to be you.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Marriage...Really?
So this happened to my friend and co-worker recently (here is the link to her blog because I'm not going to post her whole blog here):
http://lovelifeandpuppydogtales.blogspot.com/2008/08/violated.html
And this was my response:
"Yeah, that is crap. A marriage can't really be defined as a man-woman thing, a marriage should be defined as the relationship that two individuals share and one would hope that, be it a heterosexual couple or a homosexual couple, that relationship involves the same ideals (love, trust, friendship, sharing, etc.) which I would think are essential in any marriage.
Being raised by a single father, who I feel did a great job, I can't agree that the ideal situation for a child is necessarily with married parents (hello, how many abusive households are there because parents stay together when they should not?!!).
My own parents were miserable with each other, how is that a great situation for a child? [Fortunately I didn't have to deal with that for my whole life!] Kids should not be brought into discussion for this Prop, they just deserve a home that will love them, nuture them and teach them. Single parents, two parents, same sex parents...as long as a child grows with love, care and education, that is an ideal environment."
As someone who has met and befriended many gay couples over my lifetime, I can't help but think...really? Have we reached a point that we are going to deny happiness to persons because of whom they choose to love and form relationships with? And if someone is willing to make the commitment it takes to enter a marriage, who really cares whether it is a man or a woman?
Times are changing folks, this is an age that is blind to sex and is all about love and personal happiness. Yes, we all want our children to get married to the perfect person and have wonderful grandchildren, but the reality is that people have to find what makes them happy and not worry so much about what society wants or what our parents and grand-parents want because they have already had a chance to live their own lives and it is your life that YOU need to live and who cares what anybody else thinks?
On a tangent...Mormons have tons of kids, anyone telling them they can't have all the kids they want? No, of course not, because it is their own choice to have all of those kids. I don't agree with it, there is a huge population explosion going on in the world, there are housing problems, recessions and food shortages, so I think that people should only have 2 children. That makes sense, one child per parent. No really, I really do think this (sorry Dad, I know you want a billion granddaughters)... And I think that anyone who goes on any kind of social program like Welfare should not be compensated for having more than two children (I believe that sterilization is a reasonable solution). Really, the more kids you have the more money you get? That is rediculous!! Is this scandalous? Maybe... and to have any props that support my ideas would be outrageous to most of the community. Why? Because to expect anyone to restrict the number of children they have, especially in the USA, would be an infringement of personal freedom!
Personal freedom...hmm...how about religious beliefs? Again, we are allowed to believe and practice any religion we want...so lets stop being hypocrits and let people live they way they want to live, especially if it does not affect anyone else in a negative way.
Can't we all just get along?
Oh, and vote "No" on Prop 8!
http://lovelifeandpuppydogtales.blogspot.com/2008/08/violated.html
And this was my response:
"Yeah, that is crap. A marriage can't really be defined as a man-woman thing, a marriage should be defined as the relationship that two individuals share and one would hope that, be it a heterosexual couple or a homosexual couple, that relationship involves the same ideals (love, trust, friendship, sharing, etc.) which I would think are essential in any marriage.
Being raised by a single father, who I feel did a great job, I can't agree that the ideal situation for a child is necessarily with married parents (hello, how many abusive households are there because parents stay together when they should not?!!).
My own parents were miserable with each other, how is that a great situation for a child? [Fortunately I didn't have to deal with that for my whole life!] Kids should not be brought into discussion for this Prop, they just deserve a home that will love them, nuture them and teach them. Single parents, two parents, same sex parents...as long as a child grows with love, care and education, that is an ideal environment."
As someone who has met and befriended many gay couples over my lifetime, I can't help but think...really? Have we reached a point that we are going to deny happiness to persons because of whom they choose to love and form relationships with? And if someone is willing to make the commitment it takes to enter a marriage, who really cares whether it is a man or a woman?
Times are changing folks, this is an age that is blind to sex and is all about love and personal happiness. Yes, we all want our children to get married to the perfect person and have wonderful grandchildren, but the reality is that people have to find what makes them happy and not worry so much about what society wants or what our parents and grand-parents want because they have already had a chance to live their own lives and it is your life that YOU need to live and who cares what anybody else thinks?
On a tangent...Mormons have tons of kids, anyone telling them they can't have all the kids they want? No, of course not, because it is their own choice to have all of those kids. I don't agree with it, there is a huge population explosion going on in the world, there are housing problems, recessions and food shortages, so I think that people should only have 2 children. That makes sense, one child per parent. No really, I really do think this (sorry Dad, I know you want a billion granddaughters)... And I think that anyone who goes on any kind of social program like Welfare should not be compensated for having more than two children (I believe that sterilization is a reasonable solution). Really, the more kids you have the more money you get? That is rediculous!! Is this scandalous? Maybe... and to have any props that support my ideas would be outrageous to most of the community. Why? Because to expect anyone to restrict the number of children they have, especially in the USA, would be an infringement of personal freedom!
Personal freedom...hmm...how about religious beliefs? Again, we are allowed to believe and practice any religion we want...so lets stop being hypocrits and let people live they way they want to live, especially if it does not affect anyone else in a negative way.
Can't we all just get along?
Oh, and vote "No" on Prop 8!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
My Dad is back!
For all who did not know, Dad has just spent the past 6 months traveling around the world during his sabbatical semester. Here is the link to his blog so you can catch up...
http://hfaroundtheworldin180days.blogspot.com/
I went to pick him up from the Reno airport on Friday, one of the hottest days this summer!
We also got a visit from our friend Gael who is biking down from Canada to Mexico. It was a really nice weekend, so I'll upload some pictures and write more about it soon! =)
http://hfaroundtheworldin180days.blogspot.com/
I went to pick him up from the Reno airport on Friday, one of the hottest days this summer!
We also got a visit from our friend Gael who is biking down from Canada to Mexico. It was a really nice weekend, so I'll upload some pictures and write more about it soon! =)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Welcome to the Subaru family!
So we went to Sunnyvale this to celebrate Ryan's birthday and homecoming, it was a really nice time! Good to see family, it has been awhile since we all got together!
I also got a new car! It is an 2002 Subaru Forester, which I shall call "The Silver Bullet". It needed an alignment and a new tire so I could not drive it off the lot like I wanted to on Saturday, but we got to go back for it on Sunday. Yay, happy day! I love the new little car, it drives like a champ and gets better gas mileage! My truck gets something like 18mpg, so ANYTHING has to be better! I happen to really like the Subarus and found this at a real opportune time!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Babies!!!
So I have realized that I have pregnant friends everywhere!
This past weekend we went to visit our dear friends the Dulings who have a beautiful mountain home in Garden Valley. I have known them almost my entire life (since I was at least 3 years old) and, in turn, I have known their kids their entire lives (their daughter is about 4 years younger than I am and I think their son is 8 years younger). Now their daughter, Kristi, is pregnant! She is about 5 months along and looks absolutely adorable! In this picture it is Bradley (the Dulings son), me, Kristi, and proud papa-to-be Jared.
So to the preggers list I am adding Corrie, Danielle, Dyoni, and Julie P. Not to mention all the friends who have recently had babies, such as Claudia, Mary, Tasha, and Domenica. Whew! There is a whole lotta loving out there these days! =)
Monday, July 14, 2008
Spain Reunion 2008!
What else can be said but "Viva"!!! As usual, when this group gets together, it is just too much fun that is over waaay too soon! Fun weekend, congratulations Dana and John and Corrie and Shaun! Miss you already!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Monterrey, weddings and babies
This past weekend we went to Monterrey to visit our friends, Anna and Kevin, who were celebrating their marriage. As it happens, they happen to live 1 block away from my cousin, Armando, his wife, Monica, and their baby, Armandito. So it was great to be able to visit with family as well as our good friends! Unfortunately we did not get to visit with all of our friends there, but there really is only so much time in a weekend! Here are some of the pics:
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Welcome to Mr. Ashby's Classroom
As many of you know I have been working towards getting my teaching credential and Master's of Education. I have recently received my degrees! Thank you to all of my professors who helped guild me along the way.
So now that I have these cool degrees, what should I do with them? I have been looking for a teaching position for the past few months and nothing has opened up. I was under a dark cloud of considering yet another year working as a substitute teacher.
So now that I have these cool degrees, what should I do with them? I have been looking for a teaching position for the past few months and nothing has opened up. I was under a dark cloud of considering yet another year working as a substitute teacher.
Until last Friday, I signed a contract to teach at a private Catholic school in Oroville, CA. Oroville is about a 30 minute drive from Chico, so I'll be able to commute to school. I'll be teaching a 7/8 grade combo class. There will be 6 eighth graders and about 12 seventh graders. Since the school is a very small school, I'll have to teach all the subjects in a self-contained class. So my work is cut out for me this next school year.
Bring it on!
Cheers,
DJ
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Meet Scarlett
This is the newest little addition to our furry family! Her name is Scarlett and is a 9 month old, female, black and tan dapple dachshund. She is a complete sweetheart and loves kids, cats and other dogs, which means that she is a very happy little social dog! She also has one blue eye and one brown eye and I just love how unique her markings make her! She has become a complete mommy's girl and is also a very dainty little dog. Funny because she also loves to run around with the big dogs (because Dachshunds are really big dogs in small bodies, you know).
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Fires in Chico
So many of you have already heard that there was a pretty big fire in Chico this past week. First of all, we are fine and completely on the other side of town. The air quality is not great, but we "townies" have not been worried about it spreading our way. The fire started on the East side of town that runs right into the foothills of the Sierras.
It started on Wednesday and I believe it could have been contained easily if it were not for some strong winds that day which truly made it spread like wildfire. The town further up the hill is called Paradise and they were also affected and on precautionary evacuation because the winds lasted 2 days and really put many homes in danger. I have a few friends that had to evacuate, fortunately none have lost their homes. At work we were to capacity as far as boarding animals because so many people had to evacuate and most of the hotels don't take pets. We are even boarding a guinea pig!
As of today, only 50% of the fire has been contained. The fire has burned 23,162 acres but has not burned any further acreage or homes since yesterday, according to CAL FIRE. It has taken 74 residences, 20 have been damaged, and eight outbuildings have been destroyed. There are 3,823 personnel fighting the fire from 68 fire crews with 520 engines, 53 water tenders, 47 bulldozers, four air tankers and four helicopters. This picture was taken near my work.
It started on Wednesday and I believe it could have been contained easily if it were not for some strong winds that day which truly made it spread like wildfire. The town further up the hill is called Paradise and they were also affected and on precautionary evacuation because the winds lasted 2 days and really put many homes in danger. I have a few friends that had to evacuate, fortunately none have lost their homes. At work we were to capacity as far as boarding animals because so many people had to evacuate and most of the hotels don't take pets. We are even boarding a guinea pig!
As of today, only 50% of the fire has been contained. The fire has burned 23,162 acres but has not burned any further acreage or homes since yesterday, according to CAL FIRE. It has taken 74 residences, 20 have been damaged, and eight outbuildings have been destroyed. There are 3,823 personnel fighting the fire from 68 fire crews with 520 engines, 53 water tenders, 47 bulldozers, four air tankers and four helicopters. This picture was taken near my work.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Good show!
So first Sunday matinee today, not a bad crowd at all! We had a near full house and they were a really responsive and loud audience, love it! Here are just a few pictures of the show to entice y'all to come see it! There are some on the blog here or you can click on the album below to see the full set!
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| Bye Bye Birdie |
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Theater Review
Theater Review, Chico Enterprise Record, May 22, 2008
'Bye Bye Birdie' encourages audience to 'put on a happy face'By Verda Mackay - The Buzz
Conrad Birdie, played by Oscar Magana (left), dances in front of Christina Goddard (center) and Megan Johnson (right) during a rehearsal for "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Chico Theater Company on May 13. (Jason Halley/Staff Photo)The Tony Award-winning musical, "Bye Bye Birdie," opened last week at the Chico Theater Company, making a considerable splash in the bright lights of Chico's theater scene.
Give credit for the success of this production to director and choreographer Joe Garrow and music director Dara Shultz. Plus, kudos to a dynamic cast full of youthful energy and talent.
"Bye Bye Birdie," with the book written by Michael Stewart, lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse, opened on Broadway in 1960.
It is a perfect example of 1960s lifestyles and the problems with raising teenagers.
The costuming depicted an era when teenage girls wore full-skirt dresses and boys sported jeans and plaid shirts.
With two-acts and an abundance of great songs and dances, "Bye Bye Birdie" tells the story of teenage infatuation with rock star Conrad Birdie (Oscar Magana, Jr.).
Birdie's agent, Albert Peterson (Joey Bartlett), finds himself in trouble when his star is drafted into the army.
Rosie, played by Joanna Coen (left), gives her resignation to Albert, played by Joey Bartlett, during a rehearsal for "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Chico Theater Company on May 13.(Jason Halley/Staff Photo)
Albert's secretary and main squeeze, Rosie Alvarez (Joanna Coen), arranges a publicity stunt. The plan is to have Conrad Birdie give "one last kiss" to a lucky girl from his fan clubs on The Ed Sullivan TV show.
The chosen girl is 15-year-old Kim MacAfee (Megan Mitchell) from Sweet Apple, Ohio.
But things don't go as planned when Kim's boyfriend, Hugo Peabody (Daniel Tuccillo), becomes jealous of Conrad.
Meanwhile, Albert's domineering mother, Mae Peterson (Pam Thornton-Singer), comes to break up his romance with Rosie by introducing him to the sexy Gloria Rasputin (Jennifer Harmston). Later, Conrad turns out to be a swaggering jerk who tries to teach the kids how to "party."
Kim's parents, Harry MacAfee (Marc Edson) and wife, Doris (Jessica Drake), try to hold family values together. Kim's little brother, Randolph (Ryan Johns), is as starstruck as his sister.
Memorable songs in "Bye Bye Birdie" include "Put On a Happy Face," "Kids!" and "A Lot of Living to Do."
The musical was an overall pleasure with some special scenes. Edson as the agitated father gave a lively performance singing, "What's the matter with kids today? Why can't they be like we were, perfect in every way?"
Coen's lovely voice did justice to the provocative song "Spanish Rose." Thornton-Singer, as Mamma Peterson, brought down the house with her rendition of "A Mamma Doesn't Matter Anymore."
Conrad Birdie, played by Oscar Magana (left), dances in front of (left to right) Rosie (Joanna Coen), Albert (Joey Bartlett), the mayor (Russ Van Patten) and the mayor's wife (Fabiola Ashby) during a rehearsal for "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Chico Theater Company on May 13. (Jason Halley/Staff Photo)
As Elvis-like rock 'n' roll singer Birdie, Magana had a surprise when he performed his first song. An unbuckled belt and loose pants almost caused a costume malfunction.
The only disappointment in this family-friendly show is that it ended too soon.
The show runs through June 21 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Matinees are at 2 p.m. the first three Sundays in June. For tickets, call 894-3282.
Albert's secretary and main squeeze, Rosie Alvarez (Joanna Coen), arranges a publicity stunt. The plan is to have Conrad Birdie give "one last kiss" to a lucky girl from his fan clubs on The Ed Sullivan TV show.
The chosen girl is 15-year-old Kim MacAfee (Megan Mitchell) from Sweet Apple, Ohio.
But things don't go as planned when Kim's boyfriend, Hugo Peabody (Daniel Tuccillo), becomes jealous of Conrad.
Meanwhile, Albert's domineering mother, Mae Peterson (Pam Thornton-Singer), comes to break up his romance with Rosie by introducing him to the sexy Gloria Rasputin (Jennifer Harmston). Later, Conrad turns out to be a swaggering jerk who tries to teach the kids how to "party."
Kim's parents, Harry MacAfee (Marc Edson) and wife, Doris (Jessica Drake), try to hold family values together. Kim's little brother, Randolph (Ryan Johns), is as starstruck as his sister.
Memorable songs in "Bye Bye Birdie" include "Put On a Happy Face," "Kids!" and "A Lot of Living to Do."
The musical was an overall pleasure with some special scenes. Edson as the agitated father gave a lively performance singing, "What's the matter with kids today? Why can't they be like we were, perfect in every way?"
Coen's lovely voice did justice to the provocative song "Spanish Rose." Thornton-Singer, as Mamma Peterson, brought down the house with her rendition of "A Mamma Doesn't Matter Anymore."
Conrad Birdie, played by Oscar Magana (left), dances in front of (left to right) Rosie (Joanna Coen), Albert (Joey Bartlett), the mayor (Russ Van Patten) and the mayor's wife (Fabiola Ashby) during a rehearsal for "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Chico Theater Company on May 13. (Jason Halley/Staff Photo)
As Elvis-like rock 'n' roll singer Birdie, Magana had a surprise when he performed his first song. An unbuckled belt and loose pants almost caused a costume malfunction.
The only disappointment in this family-friendly show is that it ended too soon.
The show runs through June 21 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Matinees are at 2 p.m. the first three Sundays in June. For tickets, call 894-3282.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Bye Bye Birdie preview
Teeny-boppers to swoon for suave crooner in 'Bye Bye Birdie'
Chico Theater Company will turn back clocks, turn up heat with '60s-inspired rock'n'roll musical
By: Jennifer Siino
The Chico Theater Company is saying hello to "Bye Bye Birdie" May 16 to June 21.
Set in the early '60s, the musical is centered around Conrad Birdie, an Elvis-like rock 'n' roll megastar who get's drafted into the Army at the height of his fame.
Birdie's agent and songwriter, Albert Peterson, writes his big final hit, "One Last Kiss," at the suggestion of his secretary and sweetheart, Rosie Alvarez. A publicity stunt includes a performance of the song and "one last kiss" for one of his biggest fans, live on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
That lucky fan is Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple, Ohio. Kim just got "pinned" and is now going steady with Hugo Peabody, who is less than thrilled to hear his new girlfriend is going to kiss Conrad Birdie.
Megan Mitchell practices lines for her upcoming lead role as Conrad Birdie's biggest fan, Kim MacAfee, in the Chico Theater Company's production of "Bye Bye Birdie." Daniel Tuccillo helps Mitchell rehearse as her steady boyfriend and Birdie-hater, Hugo Peabody. Media Credit: Lindsey North
The real fun starts as Conrad, Albert and Rosie head to Sweet Apple to meet Kim. Screaming teenage girls march to the tune of "we love you Conrad, oh yes we do." Their male counterparts retaliate with "we hate you Conrad, oh yes we do."
Birdie's arrival doesn't just stir up hostility between the genders.
"The whole premise of the show is having the conflict between the teenagers and adults," said Joe Garrow, the production's director and choreographer.
Albert and Rosie are in the middle of the dispute between the generations.
Joanna Coen, 24, plays Rosie. She grew up in Chico and graduated from Chico State with a music degree. Her classical training gives her acting and singing a more mature tone, she said.
Rosie has been with Albert for eight years, and she's about to "flip a lid" because Albert hasn't popped the question yet, Coen said.
"I just like her because she's not afraid to get her own way," she said. "She's the complete opposite of me."
Chico Theater Company will turn back clocks, turn up heat with '60s-inspired rock'n'roll musical
By: Jennifer Siino
The Chico Theater Company is saying hello to "Bye Bye Birdie" May 16 to June 21.
Set in the early '60s, the musical is centered around Conrad Birdie, an Elvis-like rock 'n' roll megastar who get's drafted into the Army at the height of his fame.
Birdie's agent and songwriter, Albert Peterson, writes his big final hit, "One Last Kiss," at the suggestion of his secretary and sweetheart, Rosie Alvarez. A publicity stunt includes a performance of the song and "one last kiss" for one of his biggest fans, live on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
That lucky fan is Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple, Ohio. Kim just got "pinned" and is now going steady with Hugo Peabody, who is less than thrilled to hear his new girlfriend is going to kiss Conrad Birdie.
Megan Mitchell practices lines for her upcoming lead role as Conrad Birdie's biggest fan, Kim MacAfee, in the Chico Theater Company's production of "Bye Bye Birdie." Daniel Tuccillo helps Mitchell rehearse as her steady boyfriend and Birdie-hater, Hugo Peabody. Media Credit: Lindsey North
The real fun starts as Conrad, Albert and Rosie head to Sweet Apple to meet Kim. Screaming teenage girls march to the tune of "we love you Conrad, oh yes we do." Their male counterparts retaliate with "we hate you Conrad, oh yes we do."
Birdie's arrival doesn't just stir up hostility between the genders.
"The whole premise of the show is having the conflict between the teenagers and adults," said Joe Garrow, the production's director and choreographer.
Albert and Rosie are in the middle of the dispute between the generations.
Joanna Coen, 24, plays Rosie. She grew up in Chico and graduated from Chico State with a music degree. Her classical training gives her acting and singing a more mature tone, she said.
Rosie has been with Albert for eight years, and she's about to "flip a lid" because Albert hasn't popped the question yet, Coen said.
"I just like her because she's not afraid to get her own way," she said. "She's the complete opposite of me."
Joey Bartlett, as Albert Peterson, happily sings "Put on a Happy Face" to Joanna Coen, as Rosie Alvarez. The two play a rock 'n' roll industry couple. Media Credit: Lindsey North
Albert, played by 29-year-old Joey Bartlett is Coen's commitment-phobe counterpart.
"He's kind of a whiny momma's boy who learns to stand on his own two feet and cut the umbilical cord," Bartlett said.
Bartlett enjoys working at the Chico Theater Company because of the stage's size and the good sound systems, he said. Though the theater has a decent-sized stage by area theater standards, there isn't much room on the sides for actors to make their entrances and exits. Behind the stage wall there is only about 3 feet of space, which means there is nowhere else to take the big set pieces when they aren't needed for a scene.
All of the set pieces are versatile, Bartlett said. The pieces fit inside of each other so they can make a bed, staircase, bedroom or living room walls when needed.
The set pieces also needed to be versatile because the musical uses a lot of "blackouts," where the curtain doesn't actually close, but the lights go down on the stage while the scene is changed.
Using lots of blackouts helps keep the flow of the play, he said.
The cast comes out into the sides of the aisles and makes use of every entrance and exit it can, Bartlett said.
An interactive musical about an Elvis-like rock star who aims to kiss one of his biggest fans for a publicity stunt arranged by a disenchanted secretary who is also the sweetheart of a booking agent who wants to be an English teacher may be a lot to take in, but the summer show should be entertaining.
Albert, played by 29-year-old Joey Bartlett is Coen's commitment-phobe counterpart.
"He's kind of a whiny momma's boy who learns to stand on his own two feet and cut the umbilical cord," Bartlett said.
Bartlett enjoys working at the Chico Theater Company because of the stage's size and the good sound systems, he said. Though the theater has a decent-sized stage by area theater standards, there isn't much room on the sides for actors to make their entrances and exits. Behind the stage wall there is only about 3 feet of space, which means there is nowhere else to take the big set pieces when they aren't needed for a scene.
All of the set pieces are versatile, Bartlett said. The pieces fit inside of each other so they can make a bed, staircase, bedroom or living room walls when needed.
The set pieces also needed to be versatile because the musical uses a lot of "blackouts," where the curtain doesn't actually close, but the lights go down on the stage while the scene is changed.
Using lots of blackouts helps keep the flow of the play, he said.
The cast comes out into the sides of the aisles and makes use of every entrance and exit it can, Bartlett said.
An interactive musical about an Elvis-like rock star who aims to kiss one of his biggest fans for a publicity stunt arranged by a disenchanted secretary who is also the sweetheart of a booking agent who wants to be an English teacher may be a lot to take in, but the summer show should be entertaining.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Biking to work!
Yay! I finally got my bike all tuned up, a new light and tire goo! The GG is rip, roaring and ready to go! I actually rode my bike to work today, it felt great although I know I am going to be sore!! =)
It only takes about 30 minutes from home to work, which is pretty good time and a great excuse to get some exercise.
It only takes about 30 minutes from home to work, which is pretty good time and a great excuse to get some exercise.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Osteosarcoma
Here is a radiograph of a neutered male Pit Bull that is about 12 years old and presented with forelimb lameness and was painful upon palpation. Look at how moth eaten the bone looks!
Rattlesnake bite
Rattlesnake bite in a Doberman, this dog was bit on the bridge of the nose. She has had 3 vaccinations previous to the bite and was eating and drinking well. These pictures are from Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3. After that she went home and is doing well!
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