Jam on down to the blog where you’ll find everything that rocks and a few things that roll. Everything from 1963 – 1975 fits in the blog that covers any amp that’s ever roared. Other than that we have some sub-pages to cover the kangaroos from down under that kepts rocking for a few years and never left much room for Silver Chair or new wave rock to really fill the enormous school boy shoes. The things that really rock these days are a lot more tame like small business growth and investment opportunities. No longer can you rage from dusk till dusk without a drop of water – you’ve got to look out for local deals in spinal wellness and financial stability. Orange County is a pretty gnarly place if you are comfortable being fiscally responsible and patient waiting for the right real estate agent to show your home. These things are part of growing up in a competitive market, however aging rockers will never let something cover their amp. They’ll turn the new life leaf over and smash a double fat strat on the stupid leaf.
Daycare Disaster And How An Oriental Rug Cleaning Service Saved The Day
Welcome back, rockers and rockettes! Today, we’re going to feature a story about a near-run catastrophe featuring: my grandkids!
I love my grandkids. Really, I do. These days, there’s nothing I enjoy more than spending a few afternoons a week watching them run wild in the backyard, introducing them to the ukulele, and hearing their half-formed stories about space aliens and superhero dogs.
They bring a kind of energy to the house that I didn’t even know I was missing. It’s chaos, sure, but the good kind—the kind that makes an old man feel young again, even if only for an afternoon. Of course, it’s not all sunshine and joyful racket. Every now and then, chaos gets a little too chaotic.
Case in point: just last week, I found myself playing the role of temporary daycare while their parents were out for the day. Things started off well.
We built a fort out of couch cushions, had a musical performance in the living room, and finished it all off with a snack of cereal and juice. That, in hindsight, was where things started to go south.
The Juice Gets Loose
I’m not sure exactly how it happened. One moment, we were laughing at a particularly silly knock-knock joke, and the next, my granddaughter’s elbow caught the juice cup just right. In a split second, the entire contents splattered across the living room—and right onto my most prized possession: a handwoven oriental rug I brought back from Beirut during our international tours in the ’70s.
I did my best to stay calm for the kids, who were already looking at me with guilty eyes and trembling lips. Trying to reassure them, I grabbed what towels I could find and began blotting at the mess, all while trying not to panic. I rolled up the rug and stored it away, hoping—maybe foolishly—that I’d managed to catch it in time.
Spoiler: I hadn’t. The combination of juice, cereal milk, and a handful of crushed crackers had worked its way deep into the fabric. I knew I couldn’t handle it on my own. That rug was older than my youngest and probably more valuable than most of the furniture in the house.
Disaster Relief
After a few calls and some frantic Googling, I landed on Sunny Hills Cleans, a local company that specializes in oriental and fine rug cleaning in Orange County. I explained the situation, and they immediately reassured me that they had handled far worse. A team came out within the week and gave the rug a careful, thorough cleaning that brought it back to its former glory.
You’d never know that rug had been through what it had. The colors were vibrant, the texture restored, and best of all—no lingering smells or stains. The team at Sunny Hills was professional, efficient, and clearly experienced in handling delicate and valuable items. They not only saved my rug, they saved me from weeks of regret and second-guessing.
If you’re ever in a similar situation, feel free to skip the “professional cleaners near me” search, because I can’t recommend Sunny Hills Cleans highly enough. Whether it’s a fine Persian rug, antique upholstery, or just the result of a little too much fun in the house, they’ve got the tools and know-how to handle it.
And take it from me: when you’ve turned your house into a daycare for the day, move the priceless décor out of the warzone. If you forget, like I did, at least you know who to call.
Sunny Hills Cleaning
+17142599999
2001 Ritchey St, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Why The Friant Standing Desk Is Still Making Waves In Los Angeles
Back in the day, I was more likely to be found backstage with a guitar in hand than behind a desk. But times change, and after a couple of decades of distorted power chords and sold-out shows, I’ve swapped out the tour bus for a boardroom. These days, I’m investing in a few businesses around Los Angeles and doing my best to stay sharp, stay healthy, and keep my team feeling the same.
One thing I’ve picked up on my latest health kick is the importance of ergonomics in the workplace. If you’re going to spend eight hours or more in an office, you’d better be doing it in a way that doesn’t wreck your body. That’s why I’ve made standing desks a fixture in every office I’ve invested in. And let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer.
Why Sitting All Day Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore
Let’s face it—sitting all day isn’t doing anybody any favors. Extended periods in a chair can lead to back pain, poor posture, and an increased risk of everything from heart disease to diabetes. Even when you think you’re being mindful of your posture, the human body just wasn’t made to be in a seated position for hours on end.
Standing desks give people the ability to stretch their legs, stay alert, and shift positions throughout the day. When your body is more active, your mind tends to follow. Energy levels go up, productivity gets a boost, and employees feel more engaged with their work. For me, it’s just common sense—and good business.
Why The Friant Standing Desk Is a Personal Favorite
After trying out a number of different standing desks, I kept coming back to one brand: Friant. The Friant standing desk is a rare combination of function and style, which is something even an old rocker like me can appreciate. It’s highly customizable, which means you can tweak the size, shape, and finish to match whatever look you’re going for in your office.
More importantly, it’s affordable without cutting corners on quality. The mechanisms are smooth, the construction is solid, and it’s versatile enough to work in both creative and corporate environments. In a city like Los Angeles, where style matters just as much as substance, Friant hits the sweet spot.
And when it comes to getting your hands on one? Creative Office Design is the best source around. They’ve helped outfit a couple of my spaces already, and they know what they’re doing. Their team gets what business owners are looking for, and they make the whole process easy from start to finish.
Call Creative Office Design Today
If you’re trying to create a workplace that keeps your team healthy and productive—or you just want to look like you know what you’re doing—you can’t go wrong with a Friant standing desk. And if you’re in the Los Angeles area, the best office furniture supplier is is Creative Office Design. Give them a call, and get your office up to speed. Your back (and your employees) will thank you.
Creative Office Design
The Miami Downpour Blues And The Roof Repair Ballad
Hello again, rockers and rockettes! Today, we’re going to do something a little different and tell someone ELSE’S story for a change. My old high school buddy Tommy wrote me some time back, relating his story about his troubles keeping himself and his home high and dry down in old Miami.
Miami weather is nothing if not dramatic. One moment, the skies are clear and the sun is shining, and the next, rain is coming down in sheets so thick you can barely see a few feet in front of you.
In this part of Florida, it’s not unusual for torrential downpours to flood streets, batter homes, and disappear within the span of 20 minutes, leaving everything soaked and steaming under the returning sun.
For homeowners, this cycle of extreme weather is more than just an inconvenience—it’s a direct threat to the integrity of their homes. No part of a building takes a beating quite like the roof.
The constant exposure to intense sun, sudden storms, and heavy winds means that even the best roofs can develop weak spots over time. When that happens, the next storm rolling through could be the one that sends water pouring into your home.
A Leak Today, A Disaster Tomorrow
Water damage is no joke. A small, seemingly harmless leak can quickly turn into a homeowner’s nightmare. Dripping water stains ceilings, weakens support beams, and creates the perfect environment for mold to thrive. Worse still, what starts as a minor issue can spiral into major structural damage, costing homeowners thousands in unexpected repairs.
That’s why regular roof maintenance and timely repairs are so crucial. But as any Miami resident will tell you, finding a roofer who actually does the job right is easier said than done. The industry is filled with unreliable contractors who show up late, overcharge for simple repairs, and leave homeowners with shoddy work that barely lasts through the next storm.
The Search for Reliable Roofing Ends Here
If you’ve gone through the usual hunt through “roof repair near me” results, you probably already know how difficult it is to find a roof contractor you can trust. Most are either unresponsive, overpriced, or just plain bad at what they do. That’s what makes A&E Bros Roofing such a rare find.
Unlike other contractors who overpromise and underdeliver, A&E Bros Roofing has built a reputation for reliability, professionalism, and quality craftsmanship. Miami residents who have worked with them consistently praise their attention to detail, punctuality, and commitment to getting the job done right the first time.
One satisfied customer shared their experience online, saying:
Read Sue G.‘s review of A&E Brothers Roofing on YelpDon’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Miami’s storms aren’t going anywhere, and neither is the wear and tear they bring to your home. If you’ve noticed missing shingles, water stains, or even the faintest signs of a leak, now is the time to take action before the next storm rolls through.
A&E Bros Roofing is the go-to choice for homeowners who want dependable, high-quality repairs from a team they can trust. With years of experience and a track record of satisfied customers, they have the expertise needed to keep your home safe, dry, and protected from Florida’s unpredictable weather.
If your roof has seen better days, don’t wait for the next downpour to remind you why repairs are essential. Call A&E Bros Roofing today and get your home storm-ready before it’s too late.
A&E Bros Roofing
+13058157208
4391 SW 74th Ave, Miami, FL 33155
Pregnancy Is A Tough Scene: How One Massage Therapy Clinic Is Helping Orange County Moms-To-Be Manage Pain And Discomfort
Welcome back, rockers and rockettes! As you can tell from the title, today’s subject is going to be a little off the beaten path for this old-timer.
It might surprise readers to hear that I have a couple of kids – I know, I don’t really give off the “dad” vibe. Well, it might surprise them even more to learn that some of those kids are already adults themselves.
As guys who have been on tour are no doubt aware, the lifestyle isn’t exactly good for a stable relationship. You spend nearly 2/3 of the year on the road, often making barely enough money for gas to get you to your next gig.
Obviously this isn’t going to make for a very happy wife. As many people did back then, I tried to fix the problems with a baby. As also usually happened, it didn’t work very well!
That being said, I love all of my children and I’m happy to report that I enjoy a very good relationship with all of them. And, as of recently, I will also get to enjoy a good relationship with my first grandchild!
Yes, my oldest daughter just had her first baby and we could not be happier. I was the third person to ever hold her in her life – something I’ll treasure for the rest of my days.
Of course, there was one person even happier than us. The woman of the hour, my daughter, cried tears of joy, but not just because of the safe birth of her daughter. She was ecstatic that she would no longer have to be pregnant.
She had spent the last four months cycling between deep discomfort and outright pain from the pregnancy. This had left her in a state of near constant fear and stress – no matter how many times doctors reassured her, the pain and discomfort made her worry about complications.
Thankfully, in the last month or two of her pregnancy, she was able to find one source of relief: prenatal massage. When performed by a highly trained professional, it can work wonders for mothers-to-be.
How Prenatal Massage Can Help
In the premodern world, pregnancy was a very risky proposition for women. Any number of complications can arise that may impact both the baby and the mother’s health.
Luckily, modern medicine has reduced the fatality rate of complications quite a bit. Unluckily, pregnancy is still a very uncomfortable and often painful process for women, and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon.
Prenatal massage works by targeting the areas that are most impacted by the added strain of pregnancy. The masseuse works on the muscles, which reduces inflammation, improves bloodflow, and releases a flood of endorphins.
All of this makes for a far more comfortable mommy and even better health outcomes for the developing baby. Lowering stress levels provides enormous benefits for both mom and baby, as mom can go back to living her life and baby will not be swimming in cortisol.
Of course, the impact of the massage is determined by the skill of the provider. Before Orange County moms-to-be rush off to search for “prenatal massage near me“, they should do themselves a favor and look up Massage Matters.
Massage Matters has been providing high quality professional massage services to OC residents for the last decade. They’ve provided hundreds of expectant mothers with the relief they need to finish out their terms in relative comfort.
The firm’s expertise extends beyond just prenatal massage, however. MM has helped everyone from athletes to victims of chronic pain heal quicker or manage their conditions to drastically improve their quality of life.
In short, Massage Matters was one of the best things that happened to my daughter during her pregnancy (outside of giving birth, that is!). If you are in need of therapeutic massage services, there’s nowhere I’d recommend higher. Check ’em out!
Massage Matters
+17142423390
16525 Von Karman Ave E, Irvine, CA 92606
Creating A Rockin’ New Look With San Diego’s Favorite Landscape Contractors
Welcome back to my blog, rockers and rockettes! I apologize for the rather on-the-nose title, but I cycled through about 15 different rock-related puns before I decided to just keep things simple.
Those who know me know that I’ve come to find a new love for nature in my advancing age. On any given day, you’re likely to find me surfing, hiking, skiing, or…bird watching. That last one may come as a surprise but it’s difficult to explain how exciting it is to capture a new bird species on film.
Even my spare time at home is often spent enjoying the gorgeous southern California weather in my yard. As a lifelong cityslicker, a yard is a novel thing. Nothing beats watching the sun slowly disappear over the western horizon with a warm mug of tea in your hand.
Recently, however, I’ve once again found myself wanting *more*. Rather than more money or the usual avenues for avarice, however, I found myself wanting a better outdoor space to spend my time.
My evening soujorns in my yard saw me imagining an expansive backyard retreat rather than a scraggly patch of grass. Running water, a nice fireplace, and maybe a game area to host my buddies all sounded rad.
If my career taught me anything, it was that dreams shouldn’t stay dreams. You have to put in the work to make them reality! With that in mind, I started asking around for a solid landscape contractor that could put my scattershot ideas together into a cohesive design.
Soon enough, all signals began pointing to the same answer: Torrey Pines Landscape Company. I took a look at some of their project pages and something immediately shouted “yes” inside me.
The company has designed dozens of custom fire and landscape water features that could transform our semi arid environs to a near-tropical oasis. The Torrey Pines team also seemed uncannily talented at matching their floral plantings with any architectural design.
Reading on about the company’s design process, it also became apparent that they genuinely cared about conservation as well as aesthetics. The team prides themselves on creating waterwise landscapes to preserve our parched resources. Even for seemingly water-intensive landscapes, the team is able to use irrigation methods that significantly reduce waste.
With my mind racing about the dozens of bird species I may be able to attract to my private nature reserve, I called and set up an appointment immediately. The person on the phone was barely able to keep up with my stream of consciousness ideas. They assured me that their team of landscape architects would be able to handle it, however.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast looking to spruce up your outdoor spaces, you owe it to yourself to give Torrey Pines Landscape Company a call. Their intricate designs can turn your yard into anything from an extended entertaining space to your own little botanical garden. Call today!
Torrey Pines Landscape Company
+18584541433
5560 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121
Emergency Plumbing Clears My Clogged Toilet
You know what they say about men and directions, right? We can be pretty stubborn. We can be totally lost, yet refuse to ask for help even when we’ve been running around in circles. Once upon a time, driving around town as a cool young dude in my new Mustang. I felt like a real hot shot with my girlfriend at the time in the passenger seat! That is, until the tire popped and we had to pull over. I think I just stood there with the spare tire, staring at my car confused and trying to mask my embarrassment. My ex laughed it off and handled it.
Now before anyone gets mad at me, I know that the gals can do anything guys can—just as well, if not better! But at the time, I felt like there were a few things that a dude like me was expected to be able to do.
So why do I bring up this memory? Well I’ve been back on the dating scene recently and things have been going pretty well with someone I deeply cherish and value. I invited her over for an elaborate, romantic dinner at my place.
But a few days before the dinner, I realized that my toilet was clogged. I suddenly remembered how I felt as a young man with the popped tire. “Oh boy,” I thought. Was history bound to repeat itself as a smelly, pungent mess? There was no way I could let that happen. But what exactly was I supposed to do? I had no plumbing experience and there wasn’t enough time to let my pride get in the way of asking for help
So, I did what any wise man would do: I swallowed my pride and called a professional. I called a San Diego plumber that specializes in plumbing emergencies. When California Plumbing arrived, they got right down to inspecting the situation and explained that generally clogs are removed with either an auger, or with a water-powered method, hydro jetting. Hydro jetting blasts high-pressure water through the pipes without chemicals, and it’s a process that is known to be both effective and environmentally friendly.
Long story short, the plumbing technician cleared out my toilet clog, and I couldn’t have done it myself! Now if you’re wondering why I didn’t just use a plunger or pour some drain cleaner down there, I have some more backstories to share. One of my worst memories was trying to unclog a toilet with a plunger, only for that to backfire on me. I won’t describe that any further. As for drain cleaner, I’ve heard some pretty scary stuff about those chemicals. The thing is, whether you use a plunger or drain cleaner, there’s a risk that you haven’t removed the whole bulk of the clog, as gross as that sounds. Sometimes you can try those DIY methods, only for the clog to come back because in actuality, it was never fully removed in the first place.
California Plumbing
455 Willowcrest Way, Chula Vista, CA 91910
A New Leaf From A Biodynamic Italian Farm
I used to live like there was no tomorrow. Now, I live like there was no yesterday. Let go of past mistakes and do better; “hakuna matata”.
After stepping away from the stage, I spent a few years wishing I had done some things differently…specifically, to my body. But then I realized, what is the point of beating yourself up over things you can’t change? Or remember? As far as I’m aware, apparently, plenty of nights used to involve questionable choices—but hey, I blame it on my youth! Back in those days, my bandmates and I really knew how to party.
I wish I had understood that “health is wealth” in my younger days of rock and roll, but it’s never too late to become the person you want to be. Before you say that I’m full of fertilizer, if a regular old dude like me is choosing kombucha over whiskey, I’m willing to bet that anyone can break old bad habits.
I called up an old bandmate of mine who had patched up a lot of gaps with nutrients from eating plants. “Dude, it’s all in the gut,” he said. I was recommended olive oil for these dishes—real and undiluted. It had to be organic, cold pressed, and extra virgin. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was drinking blueberry kale collagen smoothies in the morning, and eating Mediterranean chicken salads for lunch.
I never knew I could enjoy healthy food until I tried Shayna’s Kitchen Italian olive oil. It was like being teleported to an olive grove in Italy, it was everything I was looking for in a high quality olive oil.
If I had used my keen senses wisely back in the day instead of indulging in my vices, who knows what could have been! Maybe a retired rockstar turned rockstar homecook. Virtues and vices alike, it’s all about the source. If your supplier is mixing stuff together, chances are they’re simply trying to make a bigger buck at your expense. A lot of these so-called olive oils on shelves aren’t exactly what their labels say they are.
I guess you could call me an olive oil connoisseur, but here’s the thing—my days of endlessly searching for the next best thing are long gone. I think I’ve already found the best thing out there from a biodynamic organic olive farm, meaning that all parts of the farm, from livestock to crops, all work together and help each other grow and flourish. Olive trees need fertile soil to become rich in polyphenols with antioxidant powers to help your body fight inflammation, which my doctor says too much of wreaks havoc on the body.
I used to wake up with headaches and stomach aches every morning. What could I expect after years of kidney- and self-destruction? It’s never too late to start taking care of your body. Discover olive oil and biodynamic farming at Shayna’s Kitchen.
Shayna’s Kitchen
Casella postale, 46, 06073 Chiugiana PG, Italy
https://shaynaskitchen.com/
Rocking The Work Life With System 2 Office Cubicles
Hey again Rockers! Some of you may remember my son, who had a lot to say about appeal of working from home. Well, as industries worldwide make great strides in recovering from the health crisis that sort of sounds like “panini”, whether or not workers should return to offices has become a hot-button topic. I am happily retired and I don’t have a horse in this race. That said, after talking with my son, I found the arguments for and against the different work arrangements fascinating. Let’s take a bit of a dive into the pros and cons of each option.
Picture this: rolling out of bed, grabbing a cup of coffee, and settling in at your home office (or falling back into your couch). What once seemed like an absurd way to work has now become the reality for many—and a method that is preferred in magnitudes.
Working from home means no long morning commutes, which is great for you and the environment. It also offers the ultimate freedom and flexibility: no dress code or colleagues—just you and your work. While I never joined the rat race myself, I can definitely understand the appeal of working from home.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The lines between work and personal life can blur, leading to longer hours and burnout. Additionally, working from home isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation: some people may find the lack of social interaction stifling. My friend, for example, thrives in the collaborative atmosphere of a bustling workplace.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this conversation is that different people thrive differently in their work and lives. At the end of the day, it’s about finding the right setup for you, even if that means sticking to traditional office habits despite what’s cool or trendy in the post-panini world. One unique advantage of working remotely is that you can design your office autonomously.
So, how can you get the same distraction-free experience in the office as you would alone at home? The importance of a well-designed workspace cannot be overstated. For those of you in or around Irvine like myself, Creative Office Design offers some of the best Office Furniture in Orange County. Their System 2 office cubicles allow for customizable layouts, with high-quality materials made of over many different fabrics. They are also quick to ship and easy to set up! Creative Office Design’s commitment to quality and innovation gives you the tools to really elevate the way you work at the office.
I hope this post has inspired you to kickstart a relatively easy and low-cost office revamp. It’s important to evolve and upgrade your work environment as the world constantly changes.
For offices of any size, I always turn to Creative Office Designs. I have found the best used and new office furniture in their showroom and warehouse in Orange County. Their office furniture experts will help you find what you need at a price you’ll love.
Creative Office Design
+17143287627
http://creativeofficedesign.net/
How A Well-Needed Message Therapy Session In Irvine Saved My Last Tour
Hello once again, rockers and rockettes! Despite my advancing age and receding hairline, I am feeling VERY high energy today, which inspired me to put pen to paper (so to speak) and harken back to a not-so-distant past.
Why am I feeling so high energy, you may ask? Well, I recently rediscovered the incredible benefits of massage therapy, which means the searing pain I’ve been feeling in my T-band for the last year has FINALLY been taken care of!
One less-than-glamorous aspect of being a touring musician is the aches and pains you get from constantly sitting in a van day after day. As a younger man, I spent nearly 3/4 of the year on tour, so roughly 270 days ‘on the road.’
While you can spring back from this pretty easily as a younger man, the damage eventually wears you down. Once I hit middle age, visits to the physical therapist became a weekly necessity, and they begged me to start making some significant lifestyle changes.
Being a blockhead who refused to accept the reality of my aging body, I doggedly went back out on tour. A few weeks in, however, I was in so much pain I was having difficulty getting out of the hotel bed in the morning, let alone rocking on stage.
Talking the problem over with my bandmates and fellow travelers, I got the usual mixed bag of recommendations: self-medication, yoga, exercise. One older roadie mentioned that his bad back had been almost completely cured through the use of massage therapy, which sounded pretty good compared to the other options.
Wincing in pain as I stumbled through the doors of the nearest massage therapist, the girls at the counters took one look at me and cleared their schedules. This was going to take some work!
That first session was one of the most painful experiences of my life. They pounded me, stretched me out, and gave my muscles and joints a beating I would never forget. Grumbling about quackery, I limped out of the building and sped off to our next hotel, hoping to sleep it off.
Lo and behold, the next morning I felt better than I had in years! It was the first time I could remember getting to a show and not having to knock back a few shots of whiskey to dull the pain. I played better than ever, and I knew then that I had discovered my lifeline.
Once I retired, I picked up yoga and a healthier lifestyle, so I figured the need for massage therapy was now behind me. After a few years of enjoying the quiet life, the old pains began to catch up with me – but this time I was prepared.
After a cursory Google search for ‘messages near me‘, I drove up to Irvine for a place that had pretty solid reviews – Massage Matters. The masseuses used a wide variety of tools in addition to the typical massage techniques, which once again gave me a savage beating.
The effects, however, were just as startling as they were the first time I went. The aches and pains were gone, replaced by a pleasant tingling sensation.
If you are getting consistent aches and pains in your muscles and tendons, I’d heartily recommend giving massage therapy at Massage Matters a try. The team is top notch, and the work they do makes you feel like a million bucks. Call today:
Massage Matters
+17142423390
16525 Von Karman Ave E, Irvine, CA 92606
Organic Orange County Pest Control Removes Kitchen Termites
The other day I walked into my kitchen with a pep in my step, humming a nice riff, and then suddenly, the sight of my old wooden table gave me a flashback to a rather scary incident. I thought I’d reminisce and jog down memory lane.
I remember the incident as clear as day. I’m embarrassed to admit that I jumped out of my skin when I first saw them—the critters. I’ve never been great with bugs. They give me the heebie-jeebies! But once my shock subsided, I had a little chuckle at myself, and that’s when the real horror of the situation dawned on me: where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Those little buggers were signs of real termite damage somewhere in mi casa.
You may wonder why I was so scared of just a few bugs, but as it turns out, termites are a nightmare. There are a few different types including subterranean, which usually dwells beneath the house, and dry wood, which, you guessed it, thrives in dry wood.
These relentless invaders feast on cellulose found in wood and plants, essentially eating away at your home. The consequences include structural damage, which renders your living space unsafe and in need of costly repairs. If that’s not bad enough, termites can also encourage mold growth as they produce moisture when devouring wood. They multiply in the blink of an eye and are notoriously hard to detect, often causing significant damage before you even realize they were ever there.
Now if you’re hearing this and you’ve also seen termites squatting in your house like they own the place, you may be tempted to grab a trusty can of bug spray. But before you do, call a professional exterminator for an inspection of the infestation and a recommendation on the best solution.
Organic extermination can be just as effective as fumigation for lighter termite infestations. A solution of orange oil is one of the most popular environmentally friendly and organic treatments that kill termites without the invasive effects of tent fumigation. While chemical fumigation may be necessary for a severe termite infestation, I highly suggest looking into an organic termite specialist first and exploring the possibility of spot treating.
With the knowledge and experience that professional exterminators have, you can safely bet that your unwanted guests will get lost and stay out for good. My pals at Natural Science Exterminating employ organic treatments to deal with termites, using orange oil to give them the boot and a borate salt solution to keep them out. They’re even licensed to install TAP insulation, which is infused with borate that not only exterminates termites but also serves as an effective thermal and acoustic insulator.
When I made the call to Natural Science Exterminating, they arrived within 24 hours and conducted an inspection free of charge! Over a few days, they successfully exterminated the termites and even offered semi-annual or annual maintenance to keep them out for good.
As lucky as I am to have had natural exterminators put an end to my termite hell week, these memories serve as a warning to all property owners that termites are not to be underestimated. They’re sneaky, stubborn, and destructive, making them extremely hazardous and costly if left unaddressed. My advice is to get ahead of the damage they can cause—call an exterminator as soon as you realize you have an infestation, and consider if organic extermination may be something you’re interested in. For me, not only did it work pretty well as I haven’t had any unexpected guests since, but I ended up getting some new insulation out of the ordeal as well.
May your homes be termite-free. Rock on!
If you’re dealing with a termite infestation or suspect that you have a termite infestation, contact Natural Science Exterminating for a free inspection.
Natural Science Exterminating
11642 Knott Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92841
Getting Good With Gut Health Using A Zeolite Detox!
Welcome back, rockers and rockettes! Today, we’re going to discuss the topic of aging. I know it’s a subject I, in particular, don’t enjoy bringing up, but sometimes we just need to stare reality in the face.
In my rockin’ youth, I grew up in a working-class family in the 70’s and 80’s, which meant lots of TV dinners mixed with the occasional fast food. As I grew older and started my music career in earnest, the lack of money meant this diet didn’t change until well into my 20’s, when suddenly champagne and caviar were added to the mix.
Despite the wealth, my eating habits remained pretty terrible until I hit my 30’s and noticed a new and unwelcome spare tire growing around my midsection. Not only was I quickly becoming unable to fit into my old leather pants, I found myself nursing an upset stomach most days of the week.
Ever since, I’ve tried every diet and health kick in the books to try and get my digestive system back into gear with mixed results. Keto and an all-meat diet were terrible for my system, while pescatarian and vegetarianism seemed to have an opposite (but equally unwelcome) effect.
My diet coaches were finally able to create a complicated and bland diet that seemed to quiet things down a few years ago. Unfortunately, this wasn’t exactly an enjoyable way to live life – I felt like a Spartan living in the barracks with nary the occasional treat!
After the umpteenth breakfast of bland toast and eggs, I was fed up with it all and began to look for a solution that would fix the underlying problem: my gut health. The years of eating garbage had done a number on my intestinal health, and it was time I made amends with my digestive tract.
During my frantic research, I discovered a number of gut health supplements designed to assist those in desperate need like myself. The most powerful of which – Zeolite – seemed to be the miracle cure I had been searching for.
Zeolite is a naturally occurring mineral made from the mixing of volcanic ash and seawater. This mixture creates a unique structure that can help scrape away the toxins built up in the intestines and soothe the inflammation caused by a lifetime of poor choices.
High-quality zeolite can be tough to find, but I was lucky to come across a company that had just started distributing it: Shayna’s Kitchen. Shayna’s Kitchen offers a variety of different health-boosting foods and compounds, including ceremonial matcha, a long-time favorite of mine I discovered when touring Japan.
The zeolite was able to rectify some of the worst symptoms of my intestinal problems, greatly expanding the diet my coaches prescribed. I was once again able to eat tomatoes – an experience so sweet I nearly cried!
If you are looking for some A-grade health foods and compounds, there’s no business I would recommend higher than Shayna’s Kitchen. Give the website a look, and do yourself a favor and order some of the matcha. It’s seriously delicious.
Shayna’s Kitchen
Cannabis Security At A Distance
I recently spent some time relaxing in the best way possible: in the backyard with the warm weather and a wonderfully crafted joint. While doing so I started to reminisce about the days when a joint wasn’t something you’d smoke out in the full view of neighbors, even if some were doing the same. Once upon a time (and still the case outside of California) weed was smoked away from prying eyes, out of some cheap bong, and grown by a mystery man. It’s crazy to think about how we got to this point, and even crazier to think about what it takes to stay in the legal pot business. So with that, let’s zoom out and look into the rich history of cannabis in California from the distance of hindsight.
Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that for as long as anyone can remember, the culture of the Golden State and cannabis is a relationship that goes way back. The vegetable of good vibes has been here forever, but cannabis use and the push for its legalization saw its peak in the 1960s. Enjoyed for therapeutic uses, spiritual journeys, or pure relaxation, cannabis was the soundtrack to the laid-back Californian lifestyle. But, as the 20th century unfurled its uncertainties, concerns about cannabis use grew. Yet still, enthusiasts of cannabis bonded and became their counterculture of non-conformity, freedom, and creative expression. Despite the odds, recreational cannabis was eventually legalized in California, a trailblazer of the industry we know today, where legal pot is a reality.
But the legalization of marijuana in certain states doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing and clear skies. To keep the cannabis business grooving means that we have to play things by the book. From cultivation to distribution, the state has laid down the law to ensure that industry players have safety as their number one priority. In this era of strict regulations and high product demand, companies like Cannabis Security Solutions have become indispensable, with solutions like remote guarding to ensure the safety of your people, product, and business. Remote guarding combines security personnel with artificial intelligence cameras to enhance safety and significantly lower the costs of monitoring. Prevent theft, trespassing, break-ins, and access control issues with features like digital line barriers, intrusion alerts, voice-down live communication, and 24/7 recording.
Now, some of you may be wondering if the long road to marijuana legalization has been worth it, at least in the sunny state. Take it from someone who’s lived it. It’s a night and day experience when you not only feel safe to smoke within the eyesight of strangers and even police, but it’s also a huge relief to know that the herb you’re about to consume into your body is something grown, harvested, and packaged by a competent and regulated dealer instead of something that was illicitly grown (and potentially laced!). The quality control, safety standards, and transparency enforced by legal requirements allow for the peace of mind every cannabis enthusiast deserves.
So, here we are. Smoking, chilling, and vibing with legal pot! California has come a long way, and it’s been a wild story that’s still being written. From a secretive movement of counterculture to a well-regulated industry, the evolution of marijuana has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.
If you run a cannabis business, whether in growing or retailing, then I can wholeheartedly recommend Cannabis Security Solutions to help you navigate cannabis laws and safety compliance standards, securing your business and organization with custom security management plans.
Cannabis Compliant Security Solutions
https://ccsecuritysolutions.com/
Landscape Company Builds Ultimate Kitchen in Mission Hills
Hey there, rockers! Normally you’d start the New Year with some New Year’s resolutions, but I thought I’d change it up. Instead of New Year’s resolutions, let’s talk about New Year’s renovations! Over the holidays I felt like my backyard was missing a bit of spice. The backyard is where I spend time with my family and pals to relax in the incredible South California weather.
With my music blasting and a few cold ones, I decided that my new project would be an incredible outdoor kitchen with pizzazz, perfect for family get-togethers or band reunions.
It’s great having company around, but too often, this means my wife or I have to pause a conversation to grab food or drinks from the kitchen. So, picture this: a kitchen where you can unleash your inner grill master, right in the middle of the party. Or, channel your inner bartender and shake up a perfectly mixed drink for your guests. It’s no wonder outdoor kitchens are becoming so popular. I could never pass up the opportunity to entertain guests while grooving under the sun.
Before I dove headfirst into the shenanigans, I drew my ideal layout. A grill is a no-brainer—there would be no point in having a separate one since we’re going all-in with this. An oven is also a staple, but I stepped it up and decided to add a wood-fired oven pizza because you never know when you will crave that perfect slice (a great hangover cure!).
A drink cooler is perfect to keep the alcohol flowing, and a sink to help with any unexpected messes. Last but not least, for rain or shine, I knew I had to revamp the patio to make it fit for the best of wining and dining with some shade from the sun and some shielding from any rain.
While I would love to have you believe I did this whole project by myself, and without breaking a sweat, the heavy lifting was done by my trusted friends at Torrey Pines San Diego Landscape Company. The folks at Torrey Pines are an incredible group of hardworking and detail-oriented landscapers. They’ve helped me before with similar projects, and with their expertise, this project was completed quickly, and with quality.
Did the outdoor kitchen live up to my expectations? Honestly, no—it surpassed them. Everything turned out exactly as I had envisioned it in my head. I can’t sing praises about these guys enough! If you decide to do any landscaping this year, don’t hesitate to call the professionals to design and build your dream outdoor space. The architects and contractors clearly understood my preferences and needs and completed a backyard landscape remodel with excellent communication and attention to detail, from beginning to end.
My experience with my new outdoor kitchen has been filled with joy. I didn’t have to hop in and out of conversations just to get hotdogs and hamburgers off the grill. The pizza oven was the talk of the night. The only problem with this of my new, fully-equipped outdoor kitchen is that I’ve started cooking a lot more than usual. Woe is me!
Building My Office & Studio With Fast Ship Cubicle Solutions
Some of the best recording artists of all time produced their greatest works right at home.
And I have as well—scrawling lyrical ideas on the back of a napkin at the kitchen table and belting out my lungs in the shower.
In all seriousness, I have toyed with the idea of getting back on the horse. The thing is that I’m no spring chicken. The kids these days would much rather listen to Taylor Swift or Billie Eilish. But hey, I also know that I have nothing to prove, nothing to lose. My love for music transcends any desire or need for external validation through fame, money, or status.
As passionate as I am about music, any time I sat down to write or practice, I struggled to focus on getting into the zone. I realized that I needed to integrate music into my home office somehow. The songwriting process is like a flowing meditation—you need a space where your mind can wander, where you can let loose and express your innermost, deepest thoughts without losing momentum.
I have always had a dedicated room in my house that serves as a casual office. But I could never really get into a flow state there. I guess it just never inspired me.
To get inspired, I decided to convert the space into a recording studio. But what was I going to do with the rest of the office? There needed to be some separation between the musical space and office space, but how would that all fit together? I did some digging on the web apparently the open office is out and cubicles are in! I even discovered that businesses in my area are installing cubicles to redesign and maximize their office space to improve worker productivity.
It turns out that one of the fastest cubicle suppliers is located right here in Orange County. My cubicles were delivered soon after I ordered them. Awesome and sturdy, they were surprisingly easy to install! Without these cubicles, I would have had to spend loads of time and money on remodeling to get the musical space and office space configured the way I envisioned. If I ever do want to change the layout, I can easily reconfigure the cubicles by moving them around.
I can’t believe I didn’t think of this solution sooner, but I sure am glad that I eventually stumbled upon it. I am happy that I now have a space that inspires me to spend more time on what I love. And the whole project was a breeze from start to finish. Cubicles have helped to elevate the space so much that my creativity and productivity are heightened. I find it easy to focus without being interrupted or distracted.
I also look forward to having friends and family join me in jam sessions or as a multi-use, multi-functional hybrid co-working space. I am thrilled with my new office and studio. Why didn’t anyone tell me about cubicles sooner? Well, I guess it’s better that I learned about the solution sooner rather than later. And I lived to tell the tale!
Retirement Diary: Lake Forest Fake Grass Greens
Welcome back, rockers! Today we’ll discuss one of the few consistent hobbies I’ve had since making it big in the biz: golf!
I don’t usually like talking about this because I get the impression that most people think golf is for rich old guys with too much time on their hands – all of which is true. That being said, I like being outdoors, I enjoy day drinking, and I enjoy yacking people’s ears off, and golf lets me check all those boxes. Win-win!
Since the pandemic started, I’ve been dead set on trying out all the courses within driving distance of my sunny southern California residence. Doing what you do at home in some exotic locale is pretty lame anyway, and I get to meet and make some good contacts with local bigwigs that can help grease wheels when needed. Yet another win!
My latest trip took me to a small Orange County community called Lake Forest, a little piece of suburbia I would usually pass right by. The course was fairly standard, though well maintained, and it was a great day for golf. I even met an old acquaintance of mine who had driven up from a ritzy little community called Coto de Caza, and we got to drinking like we were in our 20’s again.
After the 9th hole, we determined we were a little too sloshed to continue the game once we both got a bogey with half the course left to play. My acquaintance mentioned he had recently gotten a putting green with a couple of holes installed on his property, and we decided to take a taxi back to his place to continue the party.
We putted (and drank) until about 10 in the evening, studiously ignoring his wife’s hints about him needing to stop and help with the kids’ homework. Even in my revelry, I was seriously impressed with the little course he had installed in the yard. Well-placed obstacles, perfectly manicured grass, and tasteful elevation changes-it was like a classy miniature golf course.
After sleeping it off in the pool house, I sauntered into the kitchen at around 11 in the morning and treated myself to some waffles that my acquaintance’s scowling wife said she had planned to only make for herself and the kids. He stumbled in shortly afterward, and we went to the backyard so he could get some air.
As it turned out, he had worked with a Lake Forest local company-NoMow Turf-to design and install the fake grass putting green. He and I marveled at the craftsmanship of the installation a little more as I waited for the taxi to get me away from the cold, unwelcoming stare of his wife.
Safe to say, I’m now considering getting my own putting green installed, if only because I’d like to invite my acquaintance to hang out and get a break from his henpecked existence. If you’re considering something similar in the Orange County area, I can’t recommend NoMow Turf more than I do. Seriously, their turf installations have to be seen to be believed. Call today:
NoMow Turf
+18559688873
26774 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Commercial Pest Control For The Modern Business
As a guy who has been a sponsor of every environmentalist organization you can imagine over the last four decades, it shouldn’t be too much of a shock to say I’ve never been a fan of exterminators. The chemicals they spray, the way the poisons work themselves up the food chain…for an old tree hugger like myself, it represented pretty much what I hate.
Then I became a business owner whose establishment was raided by a particularly nasty colony of termites. My objection to using exterminators quickly began melting away as evidence of their spread throughout my building started mounting. I needed a solid exterminator and fast.
Luckily, in this day and age there’s no reason to have to choose between being an environmentalist and a pragmatic business owner in need of pest control, thanks to companies like Natural Science Exterminating. The company uses naturally occurring substances to eliminate ongoing infestations and prevent the critters from coming back later on.
The company doesn’t just have an advantage in methodology – they also have impeccable customer service. Check out what their clients are saying:
Read Corinne L.‘s review of Natural Science Exterminating on YelpI could not be happier with this company. We have pets and I did not want to have to move out during termite treatment. I was hesitant try this method but it works. The areas that I could see now have no termite evidence. Fast forward to August we had flying ants coming in through our bedroom window sash in the evening. Brian identified them and treated them. He said they’d be gone by a week. They haven’t appeared since he sprayed. I highly recommend this company. They are reachable, friendly and professional. Their prices good also. Win-win
I really appreciated the honesty and upfront nature of this company. We had a bad ant problem all throughout our home that we need to bring professionals in for. We wanted something that would work but that was nontoxic or eco friendly as we have 2 little people living with us that can help but put everything in there mouths (children ). From first contact I felt taken care of. I explained our situation and was given options that would best suit us. They let us know that the product they’d be using inside may not be as effective but would still work.
Wild K., Yelp Review
They even came back out at no cost to spot treat a few areas for us (within 30 days).
All and all it’s been a little over a month and we haven’t seen a single ant. It’s such a relief since ants were in the little ones cribs upstairs.
I’d highly recommend them.
If you’re like me and are a big fan of the environment but still need some pesky bugs or rodents removed from your property, get in contact with Natural Science Exterminating. They’ll ensure the problem is taken care of without the need to release industrial poisons into the local food chain. Win-Win!
Natural Science Exterminating
+18002467378
11642 Knott St, Garden Grove, CA 92841
Marijuana Security Solutions On The Brain
The summer of love of the sixties was all about self-expression, experimentation, non-conformity, and, of course, love.
Despite the age of my old bones, I am still a wild child and a flower child at heart. I do not trust the government or corporate America and I never have. I do not support bigotry or violence and the like. I support peace and unity, and I hope that our collective will one day awaken to realize and end the harm that humans have inflicted upon each other and our planet.
I have many fond memories of exploring and experiencing the expansion of my consciousness. That said, I could style myself as a cool dude and tell you that drugs are amazing, awesome, and exciting, or I can be honest with you about the dangers and consequences of consuming potent, mind-altering substances.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have enjoyed the life that I have lived. If you ask me, I would certainly do it again. But that is not to say that my life has been without suffering.
All of my most profound transformations and chapters of growth were brought on by quite painful experiences of heartbreak, loss, tragedy, or failure. Life is a rollercoaster. You go up. You go down. You never stop screaming.
But what if that rollercoaster ride is scarier than it is fun, time and time again? And what if it is so frightening and troubling that we’re left with scars—physical and emotional?
I know of many, myself included, who have struggled with post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression.
Medical cannabis and CBD have quite literally saved my mind and body from mental and physical pain. I learned about these solutions from a few friends I practice yoga with.
Unlike in my younger days, my curiosity led me to obtain these products legally, following medical guidance and my own research. My own personal experiences with the bud lit a spark within me. I thought about starting a grow facility and dispensary to offer safe and legal access to cannabis products. What seemed like a crazy idea led me down a research rabbit hole on marijuana security.
The unregulated illicit market is not safe for consumers or legal businesses. Cannabis facilities are often targeted for their stores of cash and product, which can be easily resold on the black market.
My new knowledge of security risks was quite a tough pill to swallow. I kept digging until I discovered a cannabis grower and dispensary security expert here. Cannabis Compliant Security Solutions specializes in security plans, security staff training, and security auditing and optimization. Guidance from security experts who understand compliance is crucial when considering and implementing risk management for cannabis growing or retail.
Cannabis can be consumed through smoke, edibles, topical application, and more. I do not miss the days in which marijuana was such a taboo and feared substance that neither the government nor mainstream society clearly understood. I expect more questions to arise across the industry as it evolves and adapts to the laws.
If you have questions about cannabis security management, you can give Cannabis Compliant Security Solutions a call today.
Cannabis Compliant Security Solutions
https://ccsecuritysolutions.com/
San Diego Homeowner Diaries: Getting My Landscaping Redone With The Premier La Jolla Landscape Company
Hello and welcome back to the rockin’ retirement blog! Well, that’s a bit of a lame name – I’m still workshopping it. Anywho, it’s been a while!
Since the last update, I’ve gone on yet another home renovation spree, this time targeting the backyard of my little La Jolla rental property. The home doesn’t have a ton of room, which means it’s perfect for a little tropical-themed getaway where the cityscape can disappear after entering the yard.
I know from experience it’s really easy to go too far with a jungle theme, so I enlisted the help of a landscaping company with some experience in creating similar arrangements. Here in La Jolla, the best company around for this kind of work by a fair mile is Torrey Pines Landscape Company.
At this point, TPLC should need no introduction – I’ve mentioned them on the blog before, and they have won many awards for their work here in San Diego. Their designs aren’t all that’s top-notch – the team has some insane customer service skills as well, as evidenced by their customer reviews. Here, check out a couple:
We had Torrey Pines Landscape completely renovate our “tired” little backyard into an “outdoor paradise” for us, with outdoor built-in grill area, fire pit, new sprinkler system complete with French drains, outdoor lighting, bushes, plants, etc. A few years later we had them put in a succulent garden in the front area of our home. Recently, we were working on our own backyard project and hit/broke a sprinkler line and called TPL for help with it.
Regarding the backyard project: We had a specific deadline as we were planning to use it for a wedding reception. Harry and his landscape professionals assisted GREATLY with plant selection and design. TPL went above and beyond by completing this major project on time, and were friendly, professional, and respectful at all times. Regarding the succulent garden: It turned out beautiful and we have been very happy with it. Regarding the sprinkle line repair: We called TPL for a reference or to see if they would be able to schedule a repair. They sent Ian out within 3 days, who repaired it within an hour and they did not charge us for the repair. WOW. We were not expecting that, but this is the kind of company TPL is. They truly care about their customers. We would highly recommend them to anyone wanting a quality landscape project managed by a very professional crew.
M. M., Yelp Review
I can’t wait to see what they can do with the limited space available in my rental property – no doubt they’re going to blow my mind yet again. If your La Jolla property needs a landscape redesign, do yourself a favor and get in touch with Torrey Pines Landscape Company:
Torrey Pines Landscape Company
+18584541433
5560 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121
The Boring Life of a Former Wild Child
I saw a tweet from Elon Musk the other day; it was a drawing by artist Dadara (Daniel Rozenberg). The drawing was an encapsulation of the life of an artist. In the eighties, artists would spend most of their time on s*x, drugs, and rock and roll…and a little bit of time on making art. Today, artists spend the majority of their time on social media…and a little bit of time on making art.
Having lived the life myself, I will attest to the accuracy of the drawing.
I do wonder what young people are up to these days. I guess things haven’t changed much. We’re always trying to escape our obligations. Making art is rewarding, especially at the end, but the process itself isn’t always a thrilling ride through and through.
Being hit by a stroke of inspiration is fleeting. Inspiration is unpredictable, and it gives you a feeling you want to constantly experience, even though it is impossible to constantly live in a creative high. I think this is why so many artists are prone to falling into substance abuse as well as other distractions and coping mechanisms.
I wouldn’t say I’m an avid user of social media. But I have heard that social media gives you that rush, elation, and “high” that everyone these days seems to be chasing after.
Euphoria.
It’s something we experience in moments of transcendence.
But life isn’t always euphoric. And even if we are to live in a state of pure bliss, that state must be found within us, not through external factors.
Since dopamine is so pleasurable, we can become addicted to the objects and behaviors that increase our dopamine.
Life will always have its ups and downs, and many of us have trauma from the past. If you refuse to heal your wounds, those wounds will keep festering until they rot your insides.
I had to finally take a real look at how much was rotting in my home when I realized that it was in serious danger of collapsing. I had previously seen but ignored all the signs: wings, mud tubes, and hollowing wood. I would ignore everything and pray that it would go away on its own. On the surface, my house looked like a 5-star hotel, but behind the walls and underneath the floors, everything was being eaten away.
Any issue in your mind or in your home needs to be addressed immediately. I now have annual inspections and organic termite treatments in Orange County in order to save my home from long-term termite damage. If you don’t remove them, these termites will relentlessly chew at anything made of wood, and they’ll even start new colonies in your home.
As a former wild child, I’ve retired to the hippie lifestyle. I like that my termite exterminator offers what I call “extermination for hippies”—an environmentally-friendly plant-based solution that removes termites using orange oil. Regular inspections and natural spot treatments have done wonders to help me avoid a situation where tent fumigation is necessary. PEACE AND LOVE!
Odd Jobs
Hello again, world! It’s been quite a while since my last report, and I don’t have much of an excuse. Old age hasn’t slowed down my mind much at all, which means I always have to keep busy or else I start getting a little crazy.
The recent supply crunches have been causing a lot of unplanned downtime, and it got me thinking about what I could do to fill up time and what I did before my career took off and my band got big. While I was still just a young stud playing nightly gigs at clubs and venues all over town, I took a ton of different jobs to help pay for my cruddy apartment and party-filled lifestyle.
As it happens, one of those jobs was working as a local, last-mile truck driver for a local logistics company delivering anything from food to grocery stores to furniture for big retailers. This was in ancient history when laws and expectations for truck drivers were a little more…lax, let’s call it.
I had worked at a moving company for a little while and had some experience driving medium-sized trucks around town, which was really all the trucking company needed to hire me on the spot. This was despite the fact that my work history was a little questionable, to say the least, but they were glad for the extra help and I was glad for the money.
As it turned out, it was a really well-paying gig. I made nearly $30 an hour, which back in the day was the equivalent of making well over six figures for a full-time driver. I’m fairly certain my eyes turned into giant, cartoon dollar signs after receiving my first paycheck.
I started driving longer and longer hours, even missing band practice a few times to get in just an extra run for the extra cash. With the paychecks rolling in, I seriously considered giving up the career in music that had barely begun but didn’t seem to be going anywhere – after all, I could easily get out of my roach-filled apartment and start seriously considering buying a nice McMansion in the suburbs with the kind of money I was making.
Luckily for me and my many fans, that line of thinking came to an end one fateful day when one of my driver compatriots was involved in a crash while drunk as a skunk. The rules were laxer in those days, but the injuries caused by that dummy were severe enough to create one bonanza of a lawsuit.
Unfortunately for the little family-owned trucking company I worked for, they had been seriously skimping on the insurance policies for their fleet. The lawsuit completely cleaned them out, and before long the company was forced to shut its doors and my career as a trucker came to a premature end.
When I retired from touring and was looking for new enterprises to start, logistics actually was one of the first ideas that came to mind. When I looked into what went into creating and maintaining a fleet of trucks, however, I quickly backed down from the intense wall of insurance policies required and went looking for greener pastures.
The interest remained, however, and I recently was talking to a friend in the industry who chided me for running scared rather than turning to the experts to help me through it. They talked up their insurance company – S.W.A.N. Insurance – and how they walked them through the various insurance policies they’d need and gave them some of the best rates around.
If you’re in the market for last mile insurance in San Diego, or any other policy needed to protect your logistics company, take my friend’s advice and get in contact with S.W.A.N. Insurance. They’ll walk you through the process and hook you up with all the protection you need to keep your business safe from the same fate that befell my previous employers.
S.W.A.N. Insurance
+18583813108
2148 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
I Got A Fitness Makeover—And So Did My Lawn
The sunny state of California is well-known for beaches, surfing, and stunning natural landmarks.
And it’s no secret that California is home to something else:
Hot bodies and Hollywood.
You’ve seen them on the internet—ripped, muscular, and tanned people training on Muscle Beach at the Santa Monica Pier. California is so synonymous with celebrity fitness that our governor is Hollywood superstar and former Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Champion, Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can’t make this stuff up!
Gold’s Gym in Venice, Los Angeles, California is one of the most popular destinations in the world for fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts. Unfortunately, Gold’s Gym had to close down many of its locations. These past few years haven’t been easy for the businesses in our country.
In my youth, I preferred physical activity in the form of crazy concerts and parties. Just thinking about those days gets my heart pumping and blood flowing through my veins.
I’m not a huge gym goer and I’ve never been into fitness and lifting weights. In fact, I’d rather not lock myself in a room surrounded by heavy metal equipment—the only heavy metal I like is the type that musically caresses your eardrums!
That said, these last few years have really made me focus on taking care of my health. I mean seriously, I have realized how lucky I am that my family and I are healthy and happy.
I’m not too worried about how my body looks—in fact, I think I look great for my age and all the experimentative stuff I used to do—but I do care about my health and longevity.
So instead of getting a gym membership, I decided to start working out at home with a combination of high-intensity interval training and yoga. With high-intensity interval training, you can train without equipment or use a handful of kettlebells or dumbbells. Yoga doesn’t require much equipment either—just a mat and maybe some foam blocks.
I did procrastinate just a little when I started my fitness journey. I wasn’t motivated to go outside to exercise when I saw that the grass wasn’t looking so green. I had just given up at some point with all the lawn maintenance. Pushing around a lawnmower, pulling out weeds, and carrying around a water hose was both a chore and a workout—and not a fun one at that.
One of my friends told me about artificial grass and how easy the installation was. I booked my appointment with NoMow Turf after seeing the transformations on their site. I was highly impressed by the quality and durability of the synthetic grass that they offered. Had I known about synthetic turf sooner, I wouldn’t have had to spend so much time tending to my lawn all these years!
Thanks to my fitness journey, both my lawn and I have experienced a makeover—and my wife couldn’t be happier!
As for me, I can’t stress enough how much I love exercising in the privacy of my own backyard, breathing in the fresh outdoor air, and bathing under the sunlight. I used to be sore from all the lawn care I had to do with natural grass, but now the back pain is gone and the only soreness I get is from doing exercises I actually enjoy.
I wonder if I’ll ever look good enough to become super fit and famous.
Just kidding.
If your lawn needs a makeover, you can give NoMow Turf, Inc. a call today.
NoMow Turf, Inc. – Synthetic Lawns & Putting Greens
26774 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest, CA 92630
So Long, And Thanks For The Memories
It’s a sad day today, my friends. The first recording studio I ever used with my band has shuttered its doors and the building is set for demolition in the coming weeks.
I have a lot of fond memories of the place, despite how grody and dingy it always was. The first track we ever managed to get picked up and played on the radio was recorded there, as well as every demo tape we made before we got picked up by a record label.
Ever since I heard the news, I’ve been looking back fondly on the things I used to find disgusting about the place. How the faulty air conditioning vents would drip all over the place, making the carpet always kind of damp and everything smell of mildew. The drops on your skin would even leave a track of black dirt picked up along the filthy metal.
The strongest memory is of the thing they got closed down over: the bug problem. When I say you could not sit down for more than a couple of minutes without some fresh new horror climbing up your pant leg, I am not exaggerating.
I remember falling asleep during a late night recording session and waking up to a slight tickle on my nose. I sneezed, and what would I feel as I covered my mouth but the squirming of a huge, fat roach now desperately trying to escape.
Needless to say, I freaked. I got in a screaming match with the guy who owned the place, called it a dump straight to his face and said I’d never be back. Ah, memories!
Well, apparently I wasn’t the only one who had an uncomfortable run-in with the resident insect population. A local official came in with his son who complained about the conditions of the studio and slapped the owner with a health code violation, a fine, and a mandatory inspection for any other creepy crawlies.
Unfortunately for the owner (and my nostalgia), the inspection turned up a massive termite infestation that was bad enough that the building needed to be condemned. For the life of me I can’t think of why he didn’t have a Pasadena termite exterminator come out sooner, but he was a real skinflint in my youth and I suppose old habits die hard.
Something I was surprised to find out is that the old recording studio is situated pretty close to the HQ of the company I usually use for my own pest control issues, Grand Oaks Termite Control. They’re some of the best in the biz, and if he had just listened to some of the Yelp reviews, he’d have saved himself one heck of a headache:
This is the third time we’ve used Justin and Gary and they always continue to exceed our expectations. From thoroughly and thoughtfully answering all of the questions we bombarded them with, to leaving the worksite better than when they arrived, they are always so polite, courteous, and professionally. Definitely one of the few businesses we’ve grown to trust even though we don’t have the need to use them very often. Would recommend them without any hesitation. – Amy P.
I highly recommended Grand Oaks Termite Control. I had an unusual situation where there were many areas of my wood paneling and roof that were affected by termites and wood rot. I have a decorative tree growing through the front part of my home which makes it very difficult to treat without damaging the tree. When Jason came for the preliminary inspection, he knew exactly how to effectively treat my home without harming my favorite tree. His estimate was very reasonable and his communication was top notch. He kept me appraised of all the curve balls and never stuck me with any unexpected cost. I was very impressed with the workmanship of his teammate Gary who took care of all the woodwork, a true craftsman.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Grand Oaks without any hesitation. – John B.
Don’t let yourself become like the hardheaded owner of my favorite old, dingy recording studio. If you’re having pest problems, get the best professional help in the area.
Grand Oaks Termite Control
+16265384156
110 S Worthy Dr, Glendora, CA 91741