Janis: Little Girl Blue

Biographical Documentary 

I just finished watching a biographical documentary about Janis Joplin, who, to me, has always been somewhat esoteric. 

She died before I was 8 years old, long before rebellion and rock-n-roll entered my vocabulary. She was largely overlooked by my generation and misunderstood by others but MAN, what a powerhouse! 

Janis Joplin delivered her soul on stage in fierce, raw intensity. Caution, if you have a heart and feel things.

 http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/janis-little-girl-blue-review-1201587001/ 

Produced by Alex Gibney, Amy J. Berg, Jeffrey Jampol, Katherine LeBlon

Executive producers, Michael Kantor, Susan Lacy, Noah C. Haeussner, Stacey Offman, Michael Raimondi. 

Co-producers, Jayne Goldsmith, Jonathan McHugh, Regina Scully, Diana Lady Dougan.

In conjunction with:  PBS, Content Media Corporation, Disarming Films, Jigsaw Productions., Thirteen Productions, American Masters production in association w/Sony Music Entertainment and Union Entertainment Group

                                   More Thomas Fire Fallout

What rights do tenants have who are being asked to leave an undamaged rental property after the Thomas Fire in California, presumably so the landlord can re-rent to charge more? What is to stop a landlord from evicting current renters so they can turn around and move in a FEMA voucher holder or anyone else at a substantially higher monthly rental rate? 

There should be at least a 6 month to 1 year moratorium on evictions and rent increases without cause following a natural disaster that leads to a housing shortage.

Rent has increased by $500 to $1500 in Ventura County since the Thomas Fire.

20 months ago a single family home could be rented from $1500 to $1700 on the low end, $1800 - $2100 median, and $2200 - $2800 on the high end for a 3 bedroom/2 bath house.

Those same properties are now renting from $2000 - $2400 on the low end, $2500-$2750 median and $2800 - $3500 on the high end! 

Is it just me or have FEMA vouchers created a feeding frenzy for greedy property owners looking for a government guarantee that isn't HUD? There is no question that property owners are taking advantage of the fact that 700 plus families in Ventura County are homeless.

The thing is, FEMA aid and insurance are available for people who lost their homes in the fire. What about those of us who didn't lose their homes to fire damage but are being evicted so landlords can rent properties at higher rates or to personal friends and family whose homes were lost? Who protects us? We're screwed without any help or insurance because we can't prove that is what landlords are doing and landlords aren't required to state reasons for evicting people.

 After living here for 24 months, with a $2000 monthly rent, we were given notice on January 31, 2018 that we need to be out in 60 days, by March 31, 2018. No explanation, nothing. When I asked, "Why?" the landlord said he's selling the property. There is no record of a sale. We doubt he even wants to sell given the fact he started a business on the (ranch) property just last year and invested quite a bit into seven greenhouses. 

We think he wants us out to repair damage on the house that we were not responsible for on the roof and the foundation due to a long standing plumbing problem, a broken pipe under the house that went undetected although we complained about water pressure and lack of hot water for months. Instead of sending a qualified plumber, he sent incompetent, cheap labor, a handyman who missed the problem altogether.  Of course, the landlord wouldn't want to tell us that. It’s also possible that he wants us out so he can move someone else in at higher rates.

We live in a small town where my husband was raised and where we have been raising our two kids, now attending local colleges. I came here in 8th grade and set down roots. We don’t want to move to a different city. We love it here. We've always been here. It's our town.

Every single day since we were notified that we have to move, we check every possible source for available 3 bedroom rentals in town for the 4 of us and our dog and there are none! When a rental does come up, it is either snatched up right away, doesn't allow pets, or is too small without a fenced yard for the dog. 

Not only that but some property managers take applications for more than a month even if the property is already available. There is an application fee of $35 -$45 per tenant, 18 years or older. Every one of us has to submit one for each property. That amounts to $140 to $180 a pop every time we apply for a rental! We can't come up with a first plus deposit for $5,000 to $6,000 and pay those application fees to property managers every time. If we apply for two properties it will cost us approximately $300 to $400. That's a huge chunk out of our budget with no guarantee of acceptance. Who keeps property managers honest? Seriously, how long does it take to make up their minds? How many applications does it take? It doesn't cost that much to run someone's credit. On top of that, every property we apply for results in a credit check which slowly chips away at our credit ratings. We can't win.

We just qualified for a $500,000 VA loan but the houses that were $450,000 just 6 months ago are now listing at $530,000+ and we don't have enough time to wait for escrow  to close even if we are lucky enough to find a house we like that we can  actually afford.

The stress and emotional strain do not compare to that of people who lost everything in the fire but we have to deal with the fallout and it’s nerve wracking! We have less than 20 days to be out and still no place to live!

What laws protect us? If there aren't any laws protecting us, how can we be treated fairly?

~Renter's Rant, Deb

Election Day 2016

To state the obvious, Tuesday's election is pivotal. We are all responsible for voting our conscious and I'm of the frame of mind, you have no grounds to complain if you don't exercise your right to vote.

~ * ~

I do not agree with everyone's opinions but I respect the people I know and the fact you have your own values and reasons for making the choices you make based on your beliefs and life experience even though I do not now, nor will I ever respect Donald Trump. I'm perplexed and stunned that anyone could think he is Presidential material.

_____ ~ * ~ _____

I'm not a party hardliner neither Republican nor Democrat, I am an independent voter. I vote for the people who support the issues that I consider most important and who I believe to be the best person reasonably qualified and in this case realistically within reach of the job.

_____________ ~ * ~ ____________

I am passionate about everyone’s right to clean air, clean water, and a decent education and I happen to believe the science behind climate change and mankind’s contribution to it and the demise of polar ice caps. I tend to side with the Pentagon about climate change being a concern to national security. I firmly believe it is unjust for anyone to profit at the expense of someone else’s health and well being even though we all contribute to this spinning wheel inadvertently.

~ * ~

Aside from profiting through his own agenda, I don’t think Trump gives a rat’s ass about any of it and I believe his Presidency would be a major setback in the progress we have made thus far to combat these issues. All of the money in the world cannot fix the damage that our continued rape and misuse of global resources will cause. None of the other issues will matter if we pollute ourselves to early extinction.

~ * ~

I don't want Trump to win, not only because of these issues but also because I believe he is disingenuous at the core and any man that says it’s okay to grab a woman’s, “Pu$$y” because, “When you’re a celebrity, you can . . .” and then laughs it off claiming it’s every man’s locker room talk has no business representing any country! The men in my family, including my sons are decent human beings and would never, under any circumstances do such a disgusting thing. I like to think that any civilized man who has ever loved or respected a woman would not think Trump with his self proclaimed entitlement to grope women and break laws should be President of the United States.

_______ ~ * ~ ______

WHY I INVOLVED MYSELF

~ * ~

I'm not convinced that Facebook is the place for politics but decided to get involved because I thought it too important to idly stand by and watch people *mindlessly derail one candidate with propaganda and praise a disingenuous, misogynistic, foul mouthed billionaire who, on National television during a Presidential Debate, bragged about, then later denied he said he is smarter than the rest of us because HE learned how to manipulate the system through a loophole by filing bankruptcy. Basically he left honest taxpayers who would go to prison over such a thing, holding the bill. He may say what some people want to hear but I don't believe he cares about the middle class. I think he wants to employ people he owes and his pals and I think he wants to save on taxes for himself and his rich buddies.

_______________ ~ * ~ _________________

I say *'mindlessly' based on the parade of things people posted without bothering to read the stories behind the headlines or checking the facts or sources behind their claims and leaving comments on headlines without reading the stories thus basically not knowing what in the heck they or the rest of us were talking about.

_______________ ~ * ~ ___________________

I apologize for the length of this rant but it was written on the fly. Had I taken time to edit, it would not have been posted before Tuesday.

~Deb                                                                                                                                                         Please watch, Before the Flood, before you vote for the idiot who thinks climate change is a Chinese hoax.

Your Vision Fixed in a Jiffy!

Last night I was watching television when a commercial came on for Lasik Vision. The key selling point of this commercial was that you could be in and out of the office with the entire procedure done in less than 45 minutes. Why, your EYE SURGERY could be done in 15 minutes or less! They also added that you could be back at work the next day.

 What a relief! Or not.

I appreciate efficiency just as much as the next consumer but trust me, I really would rather you take your time with my eyes!

It struck me as comical although I'm sure that for some doctors it's common operating procedure. On the other hand, it's not so funny in the way of its cow herding mentality. Doesn't that just open the door for doctor error? Too familiar, bored with the procedure in how it's become mundane, too many patients sitting in different rooms waiting? Seriously, why the rush?

Theoretically, you could have sharper vision by the time the National Anthem has been sung but you may be saying, "Oh, say can you see?"

 I can't.

Link and credit for original video for gif:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9oxmRT2YWw

Spooning (A Primary Attempt at Poetry}

Someone asked me to enter a MWC poetry competition. I did. And this is what they received as my submission. By no means a winner. It was fun to write, nonetheless.

Spooning 


Spooning, swooning, trust
Sweetness, completeness, lust

Adventure, laughter, going
Loving, sharing, knowing

True, blue, skies
Pining, shining, eyes

Giving, living, heart
Measure, pleasure, art

Learning, yearning, years
Choosing, losing, tears

Breaking, aching, hope
Handing, expanding scope

Moving, grooving, bed
Gliding, sliding, head

Cooking, looking, lens
Being, seeing, friends

Spacious, gracious, lands
Molding, holding, hands

Aging, gauging, time
Older, bolder, mine

The Day the Music Died

The following was a quickly penned write up for a 500 word short story competition at MWC with the prompt of using the name, Jessie and probably two other words I no longer recall. It didn't win anything and the story could still use some work but for now, a quick read if you're so inclined. Enjoy.

The Day the Music Died


Two sisters couldn't be closer than me and Emma, two years my junior. Dad called us peas-in-a-pod to irk me. I hated peas. Emma loved them.


We harvested a garden every summer on our Kentucky farm. The payoff? Good eating. Better yet… the afternoons Dad let us take the quad-runner to the pasture, by the river.


A transistor radio, towels, and we were set to swim and sing.  We knew the words to every song, words we changed to suit current dramas. Uncle Ty said he could hear our crooning plum up to his house, echoing off the mountains.


By 1981 we were boy crazy, teeny-boppers. An Australian singer became a heartthrob with his song, "Jessie's Girl." After that, every boy was Jessie and we were, of course, Jessie's Girl.  Armed with hairbrush microphones, we drove Mom nuts singing that song.


Full-bloom by the following summer, I had my license and a steady boyfriend, James - inherently nicknamed, Jessie James.


My high school senior year flew. I earned a full ride to Stanford University. James joined the US Air Force.


Mom died that summer and Dad lost interest in living. Emma, nevertheless, needed two years of high school, so I settled for a nearby junior college. Responsibilities fell on me.


Emma graduated high school, and then Dad died in August, leaving us the farm. Emma and I sang together to chase the blues away. We sold chunks of acreage to pay for Emma's college, or partying, as it were. I finished my bachelor's degree and landed a managerial job with the telephone company where I racked up frequent flyer miles.


James returned from service, opened his own automotive repair shop, and then asked me to marry him. Emma, my maid of honor, decided to sing, "Jessie's Girl" instead of, "Annie's Song" during the ceremony. Guests loved it. I was perturbed.


Emma was fickle, bouncing from one man to another. She insisted on being escorted to our homemade Sunday suppers, for approval, I supposed.  A tad bizarre, but, life was good.


One winter, the telephone company sent me to Minneapolis to investigate missing supplies. James was behind schedule with promised repairs so he dropped me off at the train station to hitch a ride to the airport, saving James a four hour drive.


In Louisville, I'm advised a blizzard, now headed our way, hit Minnesota, bringing air travel to a standstill. Thousands of flights cancelled, I wasn't getting out of Kentucky for three days. Determined I wouldn't spend that time at the airport, I took the first train out to beat the storm.


Four hours later, back at the station, it started snowing. Called home, no answer. Take a cab or risk being stranded?


Greeted by lipstick stained cigarette butts, two wine glasses, empty bottle, two wet bath towels, and sex paraphernalia… dark, I waited.


They entered kissing. 


Without a word, I walked past gaping jaws, grasped my suitcase, never looking back at Emma and James.


I still hate peas.

Deborah Galarza, About Me, The Artist

                    

                              

                        

                        Born in California, I grew up as an Air Force Brat. Uprooted often during grade school, I learned early on to adapt and be flexible. I traveled between grandparents and extended families in California and West Virginia. Both sets of grandparents had country acreage where I picked up my love of nature, travel, and appreciation of different environmental, artistic styles. 

I've always been an adventure  seeker and yearn for travel. When I was 11-years-old, I was on a life altering flight away from my family in West Virginia to go live with my grandparents in California, I decided I wanted to be a flight attendant and would forego traditional family life for travel.  I was reacquainted with a high school friend while he was home on leave.  He was an Army Ranger Paratrooper whose job was jumping out of airplanes. Working as a flight attendant, it was my job to keep people in them. We married five years later in ’92 and settled in the small town of Fillmore to raise our two sons.

I have a deep appreciation for nature and when everything in Southern California has turned midsummer brown, I long for green mountains where I feel centered and at peace. Forest hikes and strolls on deserted driftwood beaches are inspirational and soothing. Family camping road trips with lodging away from crowds near a National Park is my idea of a perfect vacation.

My watercolor paintings are primarily landscapes and still life. My landscapes reflect places I’ve been and those I create or combinations thereof. I try to imagine myself in my paintings and often find that without planning to, I’ve included a path or roadway beckoning exploration. I hope the viewer is drawn to explore as well. I prefer using natural elements, antiques, rustic advertisements, and art deco architecture in my still life paintings.

                           I enjoy varied forms of arts and crafts while my other love is writing. Next to being out in nature, painting and writing feed my soul. I’m in continuous pursuit of learning new techniques, exploring new genres, and perfecting my skills with favorite mediums. I love painting and writing equally and hope to effectively tell stories without words and paint pictures with them.

I’ve heard great pain and loss make great writers and artists. While I’m sure there are greats who haven’t suffered greatly, I do believe that we all create with our hearts. After all, no vision or idea a mind will produce can get to paper without first passing by the heart.

                          

 In everything I create, there is a little piece of my heart.

                                                                                                ~Deb