Most of us take summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer will offer to let you off with "just" a fine. They will ask for a credit card as well as a Social Security number and date of birth so he/she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and the results could be disastrous. With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.
This fraud is spreading and has been reported so far in 11 states, including California. The scam is particularly insidious because the caller pretends to be with the court system and uses threats and intimidation in an attempt to bully people into giving out their information. The FBI and the federal court system have reported it on their web sites and issued nationwide alerts warning consumers about the fraud. You can read about it at http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm
Friday, November 30, 2007
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
SMS got this from someone at school and I checked it out -- It looks like a legit warning so I pass it on to you (my 4 faithful readers!):
Sunday, November 25, 2007
The Knight in the Shining Lucy
This is a picture of L jumping for joy as SMS, in Lucy the Silver Bullet, pulled up to the parking lot at the Fryman Canyon overlook today.
"Why was she jumping for joy?" you ask.
Because we were stuck there and SMS came to rescue us.
"How did that happen?" you ask.
It started innocently enough.
For a few weeks L and I had been toying with the idea of changing up our hiking route. Typically we hike Wilacre Park: we enter off of Fryman Road, near Laurel Canyon, and we exit on Iredell. It takes us about 50-minutes to do the whole loop. We have known for a while that there is a "second part" to this hike off of Iredell that takes you up to Mulholland Drive, so today, L brought snacks and we gave it a try. It was more strenuous and more desolate than our typical route, and we liked that. However, there were far fewer markings than we expected and a lot more "up-and-down" rather than the "up-up-up" we expected, but we ran into a few nice people and a few cute dogs and even spent a little time in a rain forest!
It was a nice hike all around, but when we reached Mulholland, an hour and fifty minutes after we started, we realized we were pretty much stuck up there. We had a few options:
- Try to go back the way we came (we weren't sure we'd be able to find our way),
- Try to go back another way that some other hikers recommended (we weren't sure we'd be able to find their way),
- Ask a "normal" looking person for a ride down the hill (against our better judgement and the advice of our both of our mothers),
- Walk along Mulholland, in either direction, to try to find a more direct way back to our cars,
- Call my husband, L's boyfriend or a cab!
The whole experience reminded me of a time at Long Lake Camp when, in the summer of 1990 or 1991, Bruce, the Australian rocketry counselor (yes, there was a rocketry counselor, and a circus program!) took us for a hike on which we got lost, all the while hearing the whir of cars on the highway nearby, but not being able to get to the road. Eventually, somehow, the camp director showed up in a school bus to get us. He was none to happy with Bruce and I remember we really weren't allowed to joke about it that summer.
Before today I'm not sure I would have believed that you could get lost in a park in LA. Granted, we weren't lost, we knew where we were and where we wanted to go, we just couldn't figure out how to do it, but I was afraid if we tried to go back the way we came we would get lost and I wasn't willing to take that chance.
------------------------------------------------
In other news, someone stole our New York Times today (bummer!) and part of my bumper is no longer attached to my car (major bummer!). I'll have to deal with that tomorrow.
Still not working and no interviews scheduled.
Strange place this Los Angeles, strange, strange place.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving
What I am thankful for today...
1. My Husband
SMS is really coming into his own in his career. Last night he said these exact words: "Teaching 9th and 10th grade World History and coaching basketball is really a dream come true. I don't know how this happened!" I told him it was because he was smart and worked hard and had an uncanny rapport with teenagers. He's really good at his job and when he's happy at work he is even more fun to be around. I am thankful we found each other and that we are surviving the current transition in our life. I am also grateful to his employer for providing health insurance for both of us free of charge. That has given me the freedom to look for a job that will be right for me and not to jump at the first thing that comes along...not that anything has actually come along yet...
2. My Cats
Henry and Mae have also had a rough transition to the West Coast, but they are still the cutest, sweetest, most wonderful friends to us. We feel lucky that even when we are having a great time on vacation, we look forward to going home to see our furry friends. These days Henry sleeps right between us and though Mae is a bit more independent (preferring the red chair or ottoman), every once in a while she'll spend the night at the foot of the bed. She did last night! Thanks to the Prozac, Mae is peeing in the box again and thanks to the change in climate, Henry is throwing up less. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I am very grateful for the two of them.
3. My Family
I have a small family: I have one brother. My mom has one sister. My dad had one brother. When you tell someone you've just moved across the country they often ask:
"Do you have family out here?"
When I say "No," they often ask:
"Are you close to your family?"
" I am," I say.
I basically text or talk to my brother every day. I email or talk to my mom daily. I am in touch with my three first cousins frequently. (I've always been close with J, but as an adult I have become close to A and R also and they all mean so much me.) I also have a couple "fake" or "not exactly cousins" who mean a great deal to me. And even though around the holidays it is hard not to feel sad for all the family I've lost, it's important to me to focus on all the love they brought into my life before they left. Sometimes I feel like I've lost more love than some people have in a lifetime, but then I remember you can't really lose love, you just have to look for it harder.
4. My Friends Out Here
K&M, R&D and L have made this transitions not only easier than it would have been otherwise but fun, too! I don't know what we would have done without them. I don't like to think about it! We're spending today with R&D and their family. We're very thankful they have included us.
5. My Friends Everywhere
We left behind a lot of important people in New York. We also have friends all over the world that we wish we could see more often. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and unlimited long distance it's easier to keep in touch than it once was (like back when I got yelled at monthly for my phone bill due to my summer camp friends in other states!) but certainly IM, email and phone calls don't compare to hanging out. I feel lucky to be the kind of person who can fall back into friendships pretty easily even after months or years of little contact, but it doesn't mean I miss my friends any less.
6. My Challenges
Although sometimes I like to pretend I'm perfect, I know I have a lot to work on. I appreciate the situations in my life that have allowed for (and continue to allow for!) growth.
7. My Health and The Health of Those Around Me
Even though my back has been acting up and I miss my D.O. in New York terribly, I'm thankful that my health problems are minor and manageable. My family has seen it's share of tragedy in the health area, but I am grateful this year that everyone seems to be doing ok.
8. Football
You heard me, FOOTBALL! GO STILLERS!
Love to all and Happy Thanksgiving!
1. My Husband
SMS is really coming into his own in his career. Last night he said these exact words: "Teaching 9th and 10th grade World History and coaching basketball is really a dream come true. I don't know how this happened!" I told him it was because he was smart and worked hard and had an uncanny rapport with teenagers. He's really good at his job and when he's happy at work he is even more fun to be around. I am thankful we found each other and that we are surviving the current transition in our life. I am also grateful to his employer for providing health insurance for both of us free of charge. That has given me the freedom to look for a job that will be right for me and not to jump at the first thing that comes along...not that anything has actually come along yet...2. My Cats
Henry and Mae have also had a rough transition to the West Coast, but they are still the cutest, sweetest, most wonderful friends to us. We feel lucky that even when we are having a great time on vacation, we look forward to going home to see our furry friends. These days Henry sleeps right between us and though Mae is a bit more independent (preferring the red chair or ottoman), every once in a while she'll spend the night at the foot of the bed. She did last night! Thanks to the Prozac, Mae is peeing in the box again and thanks to the change in climate, Henry is throwing up less. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I am very grateful for the two of them.3. My Family
I have a small family: I have one brother. My mom has one sister. My dad had one brother. When you tell someone you've just moved across the country they often ask:
"Do you have family out here?"
When I say "No," they often ask:
"Are you close to your family?"
" I am," I say.
I basically text or talk to my brother every day. I email or talk to my mom daily. I am in touch with my three first cousins frequently. (I've always been close with J, but as an adult I have become close to A and R also and they all mean so much me.) I also have a couple "fake" or "not exactly cousins" who mean a great deal to me. And even though around the holidays it is hard not to feel sad for all the family I've lost, it's important to me to focus on all the love they brought into my life before they left. Sometimes I feel like I've lost more love than some people have in a lifetime, but then I remember you can't really lose love, you just have to look for it harder.
4. My Friends Out Here
K&M, R&D and L have made this transitions not only easier than it would have been otherwise but fun, too! I don't know what we would have done without them. I don't like to think about it! We're spending today with R&D and their family. We're very thankful they have included us.5. My Friends Everywhere
We left behind a lot of important people in New York. We also have friends all over the world that we wish we could see more often. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and unlimited long distance it's easier to keep in touch than it once was (like back when I got yelled at monthly for my phone bill due to my summer camp friends in other states!) but certainly IM, email and phone calls don't compare to hanging out. I feel lucky to be the kind of person who can fall back into friendships pretty easily even after months or years of little contact, but it doesn't mean I miss my friends any less.
6. My Challenges
Although sometimes I like to pretend I'm perfect, I know I have a lot to work on. I appreciate the situations in my life that have allowed for (and continue to allow for!) growth.
7. My Health and The Health of Those Around Me
Even though my back has been acting up and I miss my D.O. in New York terribly, I'm thankful that my health problems are minor and manageable. My family has seen it's share of tragedy in the health area, but I am grateful this year that everyone seems to be doing ok.
8. Football
You heard me, FOOTBALL! GO STILLERS!
Love to all and Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 19, 2007
This Past Weekend
SMS and I were treated to another visit from my brother, Mr. Happy, this weekend. I love it when he's here because we eat really good food and I get to do things that I don't normally get to do. The last time he was here coincided with my birthday -- this time it was his turn: Mr. Happy turned 35 last Thursday!
I picked him up at the Burbank airport on Friday morning and we went to lunch at The Counter. We both had veggie burgers and then we went shopping in Santa Monica with L.
We celebrated Friday night at Vitello's -- a very yummy, old-school Italian joint in Studio City (also the scene of Bonnie Lee Bakely's last meal) -- and we had dessert at The Gelato Bar.
Saturday we woke up earlier than needed to watch the Russia v. Israel football match on TV (time difference issues) and then Mr. Happy and I headed out for lunch before checking out a punk show in the LA River. Lunch was at Casa Vega but it was not what Matt had expected. He said that when he thinks of California Mexican food he thinks of "lite and healthy" or burritos served out of stands next to car washes. Casa Vega was neither, it was more like Chi-Chi's (if you don't know the reference, you must not be from Pittsburgh!). Think heavy, saucy, cheesy, fried stuff. Needless to say, neither Mr. Happy nor I could risk being far away from a bathroom so we bagged the punk show and came home to watch TV.
This incident with Casa Vega drives home an issue I've been having for quite some time now here in Sherman Oaks: I am having trouble finding good, inexpensive, neighborhood joints -- what I call "go-to" restaurants. After 10 years in New York, I had a very good handle on go-to places. Even now, it is not unusual for me to get a text from my cousin in New York that says something to the effect of (or quite literally) "where's the place that serves free hot dogs while you're drinking?" And of course, I know the answer ("Rudy's 44th(?) and 9th"). So we're new here, and I know you can't cram 10 years of experience into a few months, but I am already bored with the Ventura Boulevard restaurant rut we've gotten ourselves into: Mel's, Cafe Marmalade, Le Frite, Corner Bakery, Baja Fresh...all too uninspiring.
I was trying to figure out why it was that I wasn't finding more interesting places to eat around here and it occurred to me that it's actually three things:
1 - We don't know anyone in our neighborhood
2 - We drive Ventura Boulevard more than we walk it and it's hard to see what's around when you're wooshing by at 45 miles an hour
and
3 - I'm not working!
It occurred to me that I got to know New York's restaurants because I worked with a foodie and paid a lot of attention to where she ate. I don't have a restaurant mentor here and I'm suffering for it.
But this weekend when a local blogger offered her email address for a local question or two, I took her up on it. She proved to be very hospitable! She not only gave me suggestions of where to eat in my neighborhood, she is helping me plan my mom's December visit!
But back to this weekend....Saturday night we went to see No Country For Old Men at the brand new Arc Light Cinema in Sherman Oaks. Arc Light is an upscale, RESERVED seating theatre that we can actually walk to! It was quite an experience (and quite a movie!) and it, like flying first class, may have spoiled me for "regular" movie theatres.
Sunday brought us to another great meal. Matt and I had lunch at Pizzeria Mozza, the LA version of my favorite New York restaurant, Otto. YUM.
Unfortunately a wonderful meal was followed by a disappointing Steelers lost to the Jets (J-E-T-S) but all in all, it was a nice weekend.
In other news, despite the meals we consumed, all my pants are currently too big. A nice problem to have, but a problem none the less! I guess there is a benefit to not knowing where to eat!
I picked him up at the Burbank airport on Friday morning and we went to lunch at The Counter. We both had veggie burgers and then we went shopping in Santa Monica with L.
We celebrated Friday night at Vitello's -- a very yummy, old-school Italian joint in Studio City (also the scene of Bonnie Lee Bakely's last meal) -- and we had dessert at The Gelato Bar.
Saturday we woke up earlier than needed to watch the Russia v. Israel football match on TV (time difference issues) and then Mr. Happy and I headed out for lunch before checking out a punk show in the LA River. Lunch was at Casa Vega but it was not what Matt had expected. He said that when he thinks of California Mexican food he thinks of "lite and healthy" or burritos served out of stands next to car washes. Casa Vega was neither, it was more like Chi-Chi's (if you don't know the reference, you must not be from Pittsburgh!). Think heavy, saucy, cheesy, fried stuff. Needless to say, neither Mr. Happy nor I could risk being far away from a bathroom so we bagged the punk show and came home to watch TV.
This incident with Casa Vega drives home an issue I've been having for quite some time now here in Sherman Oaks: I am having trouble finding good, inexpensive, neighborhood joints -- what I call "go-to" restaurants. After 10 years in New York, I had a very good handle on go-to places. Even now, it is not unusual for me to get a text from my cousin in New York that says something to the effect of (or quite literally) "where's the place that serves free hot dogs while you're drinking?" And of course, I know the answer ("Rudy's 44th(?) and 9th"). So we're new here, and I know you can't cram 10 years of experience into a few months, but I am already bored with the Ventura Boulevard restaurant rut we've gotten ourselves into: Mel's, Cafe Marmalade, Le Frite, Corner Bakery, Baja Fresh...all too uninspiring.
I was trying to figure out why it was that I wasn't finding more interesting places to eat around here and it occurred to me that it's actually three things:
1 - We don't know anyone in our neighborhood
2 - We drive Ventura Boulevard more than we walk it and it's hard to see what's around when you're wooshing by at 45 miles an hour
and
3 - I'm not working!
It occurred to me that I got to know New York's restaurants because I worked with a foodie and paid a lot of attention to where she ate. I don't have a restaurant mentor here and I'm suffering for it.
But this weekend when a local blogger offered her email address for a local question or two, I took her up on it. She proved to be very hospitable! She not only gave me suggestions of where to eat in my neighborhood, she is helping me plan my mom's December visit!
But back to this weekend....Saturday night we went to see No Country For Old Men at the brand new Arc Light Cinema in Sherman Oaks. Arc Light is an upscale, RESERVED seating theatre that we can actually walk to! It was quite an experience (and quite a movie!) and it, like flying first class, may have spoiled me for "regular" movie theatres.
Sunday brought us to another great meal. Matt and I had lunch at Pizzeria Mozza, the LA version of my favorite New York restaurant, Otto. YUM.
Unfortunately a wonderful meal was followed by a disappointing Steelers lost to the Jets (J-E-T-S) but all in all, it was a nice weekend.
In other news, despite the meals we consumed, all my pants are currently too big. A nice problem to have, but a problem none the less! I guess there is a benefit to not knowing where to eat!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Please, I NEED your help!!!!
I don't know if there are many of you out there reading this, but if you are, please use the comments section below (you can do so anonymously) to answer to the following question:
If you are invited to a wedding but you do not go, do you still have to send a gift?
If you answer anonymously, please identify yourself as male or female.
Thanks! You may be the person who saves my marriage!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
How much toilet paper do YOU use?!
So, I'm feeling better, but don't have much to report. The toilet is still on the fritz -- the landlord came by again and asked again if Sam and I use too much toilet paper. How do you answer a question like that? How do you know if you use too much toilet paper? I told him what I told him last time: SMS and I have known each other for 10 years, lived together for most of it and we've never had this problem. He is sending his ancient father by with an auger to try to snake the toilet again tomorrow or Thursday. Wonderful.
In other news, I built a grill. Yup, I built something that produces fire! And I cooked a pretty good meal on it tonight: Tuna for SMS, burgers for me and L, corn on the cob and roasted potatoes. I'm quite pleased with myself, though I wish I would have put on a better bra before L snapped this shot.
And I'm still unemployed. Sigh.
And writers are still on strike:
Yup, that pretty much sums it up.
In other news, I built a grill. Yup, I built something that produces fire! And I cooked a pretty good meal on it tonight: Tuna for SMS, burgers for me and L, corn on the cob and roasted potatoes. I'm quite pleased with myself, though I wish I would have put on a better bra before L snapped this shot.
And I'm still unemployed. Sigh.
And writers are still on strike:
Yup, that pretty much sums it up.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Sick, Sick, Sick...
Ugh. I have a killer cold.
It started Saturday night with some stomach issues and turned into some serious clogged head action on Tuesday morning. Yesterday I was in bed/on the couch all day.
Today I am feeling a bit better, and I'm trying to force myself to take it easy. I'm trying to do laundry, but the washing machine is taking twice as long as normal, which is troubling. The toilet in the "master bath" is being screwy again, too, which is annoying and even more so because we have another house guest. We are very excited that our friends L&A are moving out from Manhattan and until their apartment is ready A is staying with us (L is back in NYC packing up). It's nice to have A around. We are blessed with friends with whom it is very easy to "fall back into place." I was reminded of that last night while we sat around eating Thai food and catching up. I was also reminded of that while I googled-stalked some old friends yesterday and reconnected with a bunch of New Yorkers this morning via email. The internet is a wonderful thing for sick girls on couches. :)
Today is also my last day with the Daniel Pearl Foundation. I have a phone meeting at 1pm and then I'm done. They were sad to see me go and I'm sorry it didn't work out differently, but, ah, such is life. So I'm sick, unemployed and haven't worked out since Monday. Sigh.
Stayed tuned for tales of (hopefully) more exciting adventures.
It started Saturday night with some stomach issues and turned into some serious clogged head action on Tuesday morning. Yesterday I was in bed/on the couch all day.
Today I am feeling a bit better, and I'm trying to force myself to take it easy. I'm trying to do laundry, but the washing machine is taking twice as long as normal, which is troubling. The toilet in the "master bath" is being screwy again, too, which is annoying and even more so because we have another house guest. We are very excited that our friends L&A are moving out from Manhattan and until their apartment is ready A is staying with us (L is back in NYC packing up). It's nice to have A around. We are blessed with friends with whom it is very easy to "fall back into place." I was reminded of that last night while we sat around eating Thai food and catching up. I was also reminded of that while I googled-stalked some old friends yesterday and reconnected with a bunch of New Yorkers this morning via email. The internet is a wonderful thing for sick girls on couches. :)
Today is also my last day with the Daniel Pearl Foundation. I have a phone meeting at 1pm and then I'm done. They were sad to see me go and I'm sorry it didn't work out differently, but, ah, such is life. So I'm sick, unemployed and haven't worked out since Monday. Sigh.
Stayed tuned for tales of (hopefully) more exciting adventures.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Thursdays
On Thursdays SMS and I go to couples therapy in Santa Monica. For anyone who may be worried about our marriage, remember, we spent 10 years together in New York, so therapy is just like, I don't know, exercise, or riding the train -- it's normal to us and we like it.
We like our therapist but what I get really excited about on Thursdays is dinner. We eat at The Counter on Ocean Park Boulevard every Thursday night after therapy and I love it!
The Counter is a place where you "create" your own burger. You can choose from ground beef, ground turkey, chicken breast, or veggie burger. You also choose your cheese, bun (or english muffin!), lots of toppings and your sauce. You can also have your "burger in a bowl" which means served on a bed of lettuce. SMS likes the chicken breast "in a bowl" and I like the veggie burger on an english muffin. I wish I liked the ground beef better because I love a good cheese burger, but I guess it's healthier that I like the veggie burger better. This week I stumbled on my favorite combination yet: veggie burger, horseradish cheddar, fried onion strips, lettuce, tomato and bbq sauce on an english muffin. Yum!
I can't wait to bring my mom and my brother -- I think they will like it as much as I do!
We like our therapist but what I get really excited about on Thursdays is dinner. We eat at The Counter on Ocean Park Boulevard every Thursday night after therapy and I love it!
The Counter is a place where you "create" your own burger. You can choose from ground beef, ground turkey, chicken breast, or veggie burger. You also choose your cheese, bun (or english muffin!), lots of toppings and your sauce. You can also have your "burger in a bowl" which means served on a bed of lettuce. SMS likes the chicken breast "in a bowl" and I like the veggie burger on an english muffin. I wish I liked the ground beef better because I love a good cheese burger, but I guess it's healthier that I like the veggie burger better. This week I stumbled on my favorite combination yet: veggie burger, horseradish cheddar, fried onion strips, lettuce, tomato and bbq sauce on an english muffin. Yum!
I can't wait to bring my mom and my brother -- I think they will like it as much as I do!
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