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.
Flashes of Inspiration
Hey, everyone! Just wanted to give y’all a quick update on what I’ve been up to as of late. I know it’s been a while since I posted here, but I’m retired and enjoying myself, OK? You get this stuff for free, so stop complaining!
Anyway, you all know how I get sudden flashes of inspiration when I find new things to throw myself into headlong. Not so long ago it was sailing, and while I still enjoy going out on the boat, the lady muse is a fickle creature and has turned my attention to something else.
That something else is…a little strange, admittedly. I was recently walking through the local botanical gardens and it just so happened to coincide with the opening of their newest exhibit: the Japanese stone garden, or karesansui.
When I happened upon the garden, I was utterly captivated. I watched the caretaker make flowing paths in the rock, creating a perfectly level design that seemed to emulate the ebb and flow of life.
I had to have it.
Problem was, my yard was already filled with stuff! Hardscapes and landscaping would need to be removed or altered completely in order to accommodate the new zen garden I would be adding, and I simply did not have the tools to do it myself.
Luckily, my friends over at Torrey Pines Landscaping are world famous for their wide-ranging portfolio for landscape construction in San Diego, so I gave them a quick call and explained the situation to them. Bemused but accommodating, they agreed to help me clear the yard in preparation for the new and unusual addition.
Torrey Pines Landscaping, one of the finest local firms I have the pleasure of working with, is well known for their thoroughness, professionalism, and quality of work. If you don’t believe me, just scope out a couple of their reviews:
Torrey Pines Landscape Company Was highly recommended to us.
If you want the best this is the company to use.
When we met the owner Harry, we immediately felt very comfortable working with him and his team.
He is extremely knowledgeable, many years of experience, passionate and has a great personality. We had a lot of fun working with him. His team is top-notch. Lei, his Architectural designer and John, his Supervisor were excellent.
Always available, very professional, and dedicated.
It was impressive to watch how hard and efficient his crews worked. They were always accommodating and helpful.
Harry and his team have high standards and want the customer to be happy.
We at all times were welcome to share in choices and decisions. So ultimately, we now love our new courtyard, hardscape, landscape and driveway.
We enjoyed the journey and are thrilled with the results. It filled our expectations and more. – Melane L.
We had a fantastic experience working with Torrey Pines Landscaping. Harry and his entire crew were wonderful to work with. They designed a beautiful and functional front yard for our family that fit our lifestyle and compliments our home. They really went above and beyond with every detail and the quality of their work. Our yard stands out now and truly beautifies our home. – Christine B.
In preparation for the work to be done, I have already begun practicing my stone gardening by buying a bonsai tree featuring a mini stone landscape. While I’m not especially good at it yet, hours fly by without me even noticing.
If you’re like me and need to make some major changes in your yard, don’t hesitate getting in contact with Torrey Pines Landscaping – they’ll transform your yard into something unrecognizably beautiful.
Growth of the Cannabis Industry in the United States
As a former wild child, I can attest to the amazing benefits of cannabis and I am glad that the industry is booming! The following is a report from my friend, who is a business analyst.
The cannabis industry is booming at an all-time high, even though many other sectors are strugglingly considerable with current economic conditions.
Marijuana cultivation facilities and dispensaries were rated as essential service platforms by several states in the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic. It became apparent to many restaurant businesses that cannabis would be the best pivot to make use of their facilities. With steady support from the government, this industry has grown consistently during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of jobs were added to this industry in 2020, nearly double that of the previous year.
Approximately 321,000 Americans work in the cannabis industry right now, and reports show a 32% rise within one year. With these rates, legal marijuana has become the fastest-growing business sector in the nation. The country even has more legal workers in the cannabis sector than those in the engineering and medical fields.
Many retail workers were also laid off during lockdown. There is no doubt that many were triggered to reassess their jobs during the pandemic and proceed to make efforts to reshape their work lives. There was a record-high number of people switching away from the retail industry to look for other more stable work opportunities during the crisis. Many found themselves switching to the cannabis industry.
The lucrative opportunities in the cannabis industry are attracting more entry-level workers, as they are receiving great opportunities for promotions as well.
Governments in different states are working towards the legalization of marijuana. California allowed the use of medical marijuana 25 years ago. And now, almost 37 US states now allow medical use of cannabis, with many others working in this direction. This is the main driver behind the rising popularity of marijuana, further contributing to the incredible rise in business.
Legal cannabis sales have grown by almost 60% in the previous year with an estimated amount of $19 billion. Sales are expected to grow up to $41 billion by the end of 2025.
The cannabis industry is now experiencing tremendous pressure with its retail chain. The limited 10-hour shifts are now being extended to 12 to 13 hours. The dispensaries and retail stores have even started hiring more people to serve the rising number of customers via online and offline platforms. Industry experts are making consistent efforts to develop favorable working conditions so that they can attract high-performing employees, which can potentially help them to sell marijuana products to different parts of the world.
In order to ensure adequate working conditions in the marijuana industry, Cannabis Security Plans are more important than ever in order to safeguard the employees and products from harm or theft. Employers are also making efforts to train new workers to handle workloads and specific roles in the company. Furthermore, the high-performing employees are also being promoted to higher profiles with better salary offers.
With all the positive market conditions and favorable returns, the marijuana industry in the United States is expected to become a global leader within very little time.
Cannabis Compliant Security Solutions
Why Some Employees Still Prefer Working At The Office
I know nothing about corporate office life, so here’s a guest post from my son, who works at a technology company in Orange County!
Did you know that employee burnout is a vital issue among American employers, with at least fifty percent of workers suggesting they experience symptoms like being dissatisfied with their jobs and feeling overwhelmed? Workplace burnout causes many health concerns in organizations, including unsatisfactory customer experiences and high turnover rates.
One of the most typical causes of workplace burnout is having too much work on your plate. A 2017 research found that thirty-two percent of employee burnout was associated with an unreasonable workload. Another thirty-two percent was due to too much overtime or after-work hours.
Taking in an ambitious workload may seem productive at first, mainly when dealing with tight deadlines. However, there may soon come a time that forces you to evaluate how the intensity is impacting your wellbeing.
Another cause of workplace burnout is the sense of a lack of control. For most, control feels like the capability to affect workplace decisions or access needed job-related resources. Unsurprisingly, employees with more perceived control are more likely to be engaged in their work.
It can be demoralizing to work in a place where you don’t have control over your tasks or feel like you cannot make changes that align with your values. If that’s the case, you need to communicate your needs to supervisors.
The Benefits of Working from Home
The most significant advantage of working from home is the possibility to lower your stress levels. There is no daily commute, family commitments are simpler to handle, you can sleep a bit longer, and you will likely accomplish a better level of focus without the interruption of telephones and office chatter. You could also save money on work attire, food, and travel.
Indeed, it’s not possible to prevent all work-related stress. Nonetheless, it makes sense to avoid environments and situations that trigger feelings of emotional stress. Further, the sheer pressure of going to work regularly can be debilitating and overwhelming for others, especially those with pre-existing mental health concerns.
The Benefits of Working At The Office
Work has become more and more location independent. The driving force behind this shift can be largely attributed to cloud-based technology; the most recent and major catalyst being the global pandemic which forced businesses to operate remotely as per social-distancing protocols.
Depending on who you ask, working from home could be productive and relaxing or ineffective and loathsome. It’s undoubtedly not for everybody. Not everyone agrees that working from home alleviates the stresses and pressure of working altogether. For some, isolation can be debilitating, even causing some to further bury themselves into work in order to distract themselves from the feeling of inescapable loneliness. Many people would happily bear the inconveniences of commuting every day to the office than miss out on human interaction. Of course, we can all interact through video conferencing and email, but this can feel robotic and unnatural for some people who prefer in-person dialogue.
It is for these reasons that many companies are rebooting their on-site operations and redesigning their office spaces to ease their workers back into the building. However, safety precautions must be taken. Orange County Office Cubicles help to ensure productivity and social distancing in the office.
The modern office is still adapting to the changing times. While remote work was once seen as a taboo form of working that was inferior to on-site operations, remote work has been rebranded through the cultural mindset of millennial and Gen Z workers. But who knows? Despite its current popularity, perhaps we’ll soon see a resurgence of the office as being the preferred space of work.
You can give Creative Office Design a call today to inquire about their furniture and design services.
Creative Office Design
5230 Pacific Concourse Dr #105, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States
A Friend In Need
What’s up, cool cats. Today I have a bit of a bummer story, but I figure I could make a bit of difference in some lives if I relate some of it to my adoring fans.
I have a very dear friend who I’ve known for an embarrassing number of years and decades. She has been with me through thick and thin, and has been a great help to me as I’ve gone through my admittedly extreme ups and downs in life. She’s the person who has picked me up out of a gutter in front of a dive bar at four A.M. after I was stomped by some bikers, and bailed me out of jail on more than one occasion.
This gracious and beautiful woman has a strength of personality borne from a very difficult and tumultuous life. She was an army brat, never staying in one place for more than a year or two, so she never had any close friends growing up. All she had was a few brothers and sisters, all much older than her, who never really paid her any attention; a mother who her father had married while stationed in Japan and taken back to the states, where she never really knew up from down; and finally, a drunk and abusive father.
Her home life was never good, and so as soon as she was legally able, she left for her mother’s home country of Japan to live with her grandparents. She grew up to be exceptionally beautiful, winning quite a few beauty pageants in her day. Unfortunately, her incredible looks and her poor upbringing made for a terrible mix, and the relationships she developed with men over time did not stray far from the ones she was familiar with in childhood.
She moved back to the states with her first husband, left him, and found a second one only a couple short years later. That one wouldn’t last either – and so it went, with her floating from one disaster in love to another.
There were only two really stable relationships in her life – me (which is really saying something), and her dog, Mako. I couldn’t tell you what breed or mix of breeds this little runt is – jet black fur that tufts around the neck, with a splatter of white on the chest, and the most annoying yapping bark that you could ever imagine.
Still though, that dog has been her constant companion for going on fifteen years now. She never had children, despite her many marriages, and so Mako is the sole object of her maternal love and devotion.
That’s what makes this story so sad – she recently noticed the dog had been barking a little less, coming to greet her a little less enthusiastically, and seemed a bit less excited to go on walks than usual. She took her to the vet and received the worst possible news: cardiomyopathy.
In other words, a death sentence.
She called me up in tears, and she brought the dog over to me and cried in my arms all night. I’d never seen her like that before – the woman always seemed impenetrable, always upbeat and positive about life no matter what new tragedy she was walking into.
One thing she had always neglected was healthcare – not only for herself, but for the dog. She simply had not grown up in an environment that put much stock in taking care of yourself and making healthy choices.
If she had given the dog regular checkups, the problem might have been found a little earlier – prognosis usually improves if found in the early stages of the disease. If they had caught it a little earlier, a cardiac veterinarian may have been able to give her the tools needed to extend Mako’s life comfortably and given her a little more time to say goodbye.
I, of course, didn’t tell her any of this – don’t need to rub that in her face. For those of you reading out there, however, consider this some advice borne from experience: get your dogs regular checkups, and make sure if they find a potential heart issue, get them to Dr. Carly Saelinger of Cardiac Vet. She will give you an accurate prognosis and treatment plan that will get your pet back on track, or at least give you a little more time.
Cardiac Vet
The Shortcut
As a city boy growing up, I never had a lot of opportunities to learn how to grow much of anything. My mother enjoyed her little window planter boxes and filling the apartment up with low-sunlight plants, but for the most part my experience with gardening was looking at the landscapers work at the park as I walked past on my way to or from school.
This trend continued well into adulthood – when we first started touring, I basically lived out of our van or, occasionally when we could afford to splurge a little, a hotel. At that point, my experience with gardening was limited to watching rows upon rows of corn flying past the widow as we drove yet again through the Midwest.
It wasn’t until I was well into my 30’s that I was actually able to afford property. With the usual gusto I put into things, I bought a nice ride-mower so I could get the full experience of weekly lawn care as a productive member of society and my community.
Safe to say, that energy lasted about three months until I was absolutely sick of it. It started off with the random patches of grass that died off and just absolutely refused to come back to life no matter what I or my nice neighbors did to coax it back to the land of the living. After that came the gophers and the little rodent massacre I perpetrated on my own property, which still gives me nightmares.
Problems kept on popping up, and soon my mind became consumed with how to get my lawn back into perfect working order. My (now) ex-wife became concerned as I didn’t pick up an instrument for weeks at a time, instead working outside with a little planter’s shovel plucking out weeds.
Within 3 months, I was burnt out. I couldn’t look at the grass without feeling sick, sickened at my own failure and sickened at the grass for conspiring against me. We began paying for a landscaper to come, but by then it was too late to save my appreciation for a well-manicured lawn.
As the years wore on, I must have spent tens of thousands of dollars on keeping that damn grass alive, with the various treatments and number of landscapers I’ve had working on my various properties. If someone had told me sooner that there were viable alternatives to natural turf, I would have switched in a second.
Luckily for me and all my future endeavors, I discovered that the artificial stuff has been getting some very major upgrades since my childhood getting rubber burns on the football field. Synthetic turf gives you the beautiful vibrant green of a natural grass yard, but takes only a fraction of the time, effort, and money you’d use keeping that stupid living carpet alive.
If you’re in southern California and looking to get rid of the lawn like I was, give NoMow Turf a call. They hooked me up with some very excellent turf installations, and they can do the same for you.
NoMow Turf
+18559688873
26674 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Life Changer
A quick note for today, feeling very contemplative. Tonight my daughter went to her first high school prom, having just turned 16 a few short months ago.
She looked beautiful, in a big flowy dress with sequins and ruffles, hair up in a messy bun that perfectly matched her personality. I had to hide the tears in my eyes as she got into the limo with the other kids, waving to me one last time and promising to be home before 11.
I am intensely proud of my children, both of whom are growing into fine and upstanding people, and the thought of losing either of them sends chills up my spine and a great pain in my heart. The fact that I almost did thanks to the guile of my ex-wife’s attorney eats away at me when I look back on it.
I am beyond thankful that I had access to some incredible legal help of my own, even back then when I was younger and much, much dumber. I was one of the lucky ones, but there are many who have been in my shoes who either couldn’t find or didn’t know where to look for a solid divorce attorney.
I know most of my readership is in southern California, so for those of you who are either in the process of getting a divorce or will be in the near future, I recommend you take a look at Shuff Law Firm and their excellent team of family law attorneys. They come heavily recommended by both my own law team and the excellent testimonials their clients have left them over the years:
“He was so understanding. He helped me get my daughter back into my life after years of estrangement. I had changed my life and became responsible for my actions. He helped me plead my case and get me a step-up plan would prove my new direction to all parties involved. My daughter is still in my life and i am forever grateful.”
Travis Kratsch, Google Review
“Shuff Law Firm was recommended to me by a dear friend and I highly recommend them to you!
Joe, Tamara and their entire team work with the utmost professionalism coupled with a genuine care for their clients needs. This Father- Daughter team brings many many years of experience to the table! They’ll represent you with integrity, honesty, and a great energy, yet will not be steamrollered by opposing counsel.
Most recently, Tamara held my hand during an incredibly tough situation while believing in me and the justice to prevail. Her kind heart keeps her honest and her experience keeps her strong!
I can’t recommend Shuff Law Firm enough!”
Laura K., Yelp Review
“After 6 years of having one disappointment after another with a different attorney I decided to find someone else that would hopefully do a better job. From the very first phone call Shuff Law Firm handled my unique case with respect and care. Tamara was simply amazing. I was kept apprised of everything that was happening as it happened. The job she did was so well done that the ex actually backed down and reversed her decision to go to court for more support. I can finally take the last step in moving forward with my life thanks to the hard work of Tamara and the team at Shuff Law Firm.
If you have to go through a divorce, then you have to use them.”
Michael G., Yelp Review
A good team of custody attorneys can mean the difference between seeing your children grow up and not seeing them until they are already grown up. Do yourself a favor and give Shuff Law Firm a call –
Shuff Law Firm
+17148340175
2634, 2107 N Broadway STE 301, Santa Ana, CA 92706
Home Improvement and Design Ideas While We Have Nowhere Else to Go
I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but lately I have been listening to my wife more. She’s asked me to pause my old rock and roll habits and to do some more “family man” shenanigans. She asked me if we could spend this pandemic lockdown time period making our home more snazzy. I researched some design ideas and methods and I wanted to share what I learned.
No matter what decor theme or design ideas you have followed, every home is in need of some additional space. Whether you live in a small apartment or a large detached home, it is always important to maximize space and create a welcoming and spacious feel. Your ideas should not be limited to any one room, instead, it is necessary to think creatively about almost every part of your home. There are many creative strategies that you can try for enhanced home improvement.
Create a more open entryway
The entryway is the most important area of your home where you come home after a long day and welcome your guests for parties and weekends. Therefore, the foyer of your home must be functional and efficient. You can maximize space by arranging storage vertically. For example, you can hang shoes on the shoe rack and use wall-mounted hooks to hang clothing. Consider adding a large mirror, as this naturally creates visual space expansion.
Add functionality to your cooking and dining space
In most homes, the kitchen is the busiest space. Cooking can be stressful, but you can make cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner easier by adding functionality. Try to maximize space by using vertical storage arrangements and use drawers or cabinets to store food items. In addition, add shelves for pots, pans, and cooking appliances.
Expand your bathroom
This is the space that most see first in the morning and last at night. Getting ready for work in the mornings can be a nightmare if your bathroom is cluttered and tight. It is possible to maximize the space in the bathroom so that you can get ready each day in peace. For instance, shared bathrooms may require more shelves and drawers to store items in a more organized manner. Consider adding drawer organizers and dividers to keep makeup, skincare, medicine, and other self-care accessories organized.
Elevate your living room
There is no doubt that sometimes your living room may be the messiest room in your house. As the living room is usually where most of the activity happens, this is the space that people like to focus their home improvement efforts. If you are in need of more storage options, you can maximize space by adding multifunctional furniture such as a coffee table with drawers and open shelves. You can also get creative with sofa arrangement to add more space.
Revive your bedroom
Sleep and rest are critical. Your bedroom should create a relaxing and rejuvenated feeling. After all, this is the room where you come to sleep after a long tiring day. It is best to treat your bedroom as a sanctuary. As the adage goes: “out of mind, out of sight.” If you don’t have one already, consider building a walk-in closet. A painting or mirror on the wall adds luxury instantly.
Read Johnny B.‘s review of Inspired Remodels on YelpFor the best design ideas and construction, I highly recommend that you give Inspired Remodels a call today.
Inspired Remodels
21098 Bake Pkwy Suite 102, Lake Forest, CA 92630, United States
Importance of Termite Inspections for Protecting Real Estate Investments
Hey y’all! I hope you are all staying safe. I haven’t been in the best mood as the stay at home orders mean that I can’t get together with the band for jam sessions. No concerts or gatherings either. So this is a guest post from my real estate expert friend!
As of this year, the CDC has confirmed almost one million cases of Americans infected with the COVID-19 virus. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of Americans have died as a result of this pandemic virus. No matter where we look, we see that we are in the middle of a crisis that will be recorded in history. What does this suggest for those wishing to sell or buy a home in the middle of a pandemic?
This article discusses some real market estate trends to look out for in this new decade.
Some cities will notice an increase in home prices. The median home value has gone beyond pre-recession peaks. It is now greater it has ever been within the last decade. Hence, major cities may be out of the price range of today’s millennial buyer segment, which is is a substantial part of the makeup. Most will forgo the expensive options of living in major cities and opt for more affordable options in the suburbs.
Interest rates are projected to stay low. Economic improvements remain to be seen. However, if so, the federal government may raise interest rates to meet inflation, as they have in recent years. Therefore, prices for consumer goods may also increase. The national rate of appreciation is anticipated to increase along with home valuations over the following twelve months. We may see that homes will appreciate at a rate that is a bit more reasonable than in previous years. However, the economics of supply and demand will inevitably test the market and apply pressure.
When it comes to buying a house, homeowners should definitely consider a termite and pest inspection.
Importance of Conducting a Termite Inspection before Buying a Home
A termite inspection can determine if there is any structural damage from termites or other pests. The inspector will disclose any problems they discover. The future homeowner will then know what type of maintenance they may need as the home’s future owner.
Moving to a new home can feel like a beautiful dream, and that’s why it is crucial to ensure that it doesn’t turn out to be an unexpected nightmare. Without a termite inspection, a homeowner may overlook serious structural damage and issues, which will cost them more down the road.
Read Stephanie T.‘s review of Grand Oaks Termite Control on YelpA termite inspection can take anywhere between thirty minutes to hours depending on the home’s size and crawl space, basement, or additional areas. The inspector will check the home’s exterior and interior surfaces for any signs of infestation, damage, or other areas that might be prone to termites.
The termite inspector may suggest frequent termite control to keep the critters at bay, especially if they were discovered during a termite inspection. You can give Grand Oaks Termite Control a call today.
Grand Oaks Termite Control
110 S Worthy Dr, Glendora, CA 91741, United States
Man’s Best Friend
What’s up, cool cats! It’s been a while since my last post, but some recent events have pushed me to write up about something that’s a little bit of a downer, but stick with me.
When I was growing up, my family owned a couple dogs that I basically knew from the time of my birth through my earliest memories. This isn’t strange by itself, but let me tell you, I loved one of these pups like it was my own brother. I took him everywhere with me, and if I couldn’t, good Lord would I make my displeasure known to the world.
Well, unfortunately for both me and my little buddy, my parents were not particularly good pet owners. More to the point, they were also not great cooks or health buffs, which meant that dinner a lot of the time was either frozen pre-packaged meals or an unholy amount of pasta.
My mom, as my dad would say while chuckling, made spaghetti like the president and his retinue were joining us for dinner. She would make multiple boxes at once, leading to huge bowls of the stuff that would just sit in the fridge for weeks, wasting away.
Because we hated food going to waste, my father decided to start supplementing the normal dog food with the leftovers. This went on for years, and soon enough my furry friends were becoming so fat and unhealthy that they could barely walk.
As I said, my parents were neither good pet owners or very health-conscious, which meant they just kept on feeding the dogs spaghetti up until the older one suddenly died while I was trying to take him on a walk. Just yelped and fell over, then he was gone for good.
The younger dog, my little girl, lasted a short while longer. I begged my parents to take her to the vet so that she wouldn’t meet a similar fate, but by then it was too late. Her poor health and the heartbreak from her brother dying suddenly and away from her caused her heart to give out too, and we had a burial for her just a few short months after his.
Why am I telling you this? Well, obviously, this was a rather traumatic experience for me. I’ve gone through most of my life totally incapable of owning another dog, all because my parents were stubborn as mules and ignorant about how to keep their pets healthy and happy.
We all love dogs, but most of us aren’t exactly veterinarians, so it’s up to us to make sure that they are taken to the vet regularly to make sure they aren’t getting too fat or unhealthy because of our questionable decisions. For those of us worried about whether or not our pets are already suffering from a heart disease because of symptoms that have popped up, I recommend you enlist the help of southern California-based Cardiac Vet and her veterinary diagnostics support to help determine the severity and treatment course for your pet.
Even now I live in constant paranoia that my beautiful pups will just drop over dead, despite the fact that no expense is spared on getting them the best food available. Carly at Cardiac Vet has been indispensable in calming my fears and, if trouble does appear, I have complete confidence in her ability to give me the correct course of treatment.
Cardiac Vet
+13233930616
Beware of Termites Before It’s Too Late
Many of you who know me through reading my blog know that us rock ‘n’ roll dudes don’t mince words. We like to scream our discontents into a mic and smash everything on stage.
So allow me to get morbid today and tell you the scary truth about your home. It’s my way of showing you tough love and potentially saving you from a disaster…
Most people are not aware that termite colonies can chew through the flooring, wood, and even wallpaper undetected. The sneaky behavior of termites has given them the nickname silent destroyers. That’s because homeowners do not often realize there is a problem until it’s too late. Just like the current coronavirus pandemic, it can spread even without people knowing it. It is a silent killer.
What is a termite?
Termites cause over five billion dollars in property damages in the United States that are usually not covered by homeowner’s insurance.
Termites are considered social insects, which means they live in clusters. A home’s structure becomes infested when these pests settle. However, different types of termites need different things.
Once termites are inside, they are a significant threat. Their munching can compromise the structural integrity of a home from the inside and out.
For instance, subterranean termites seek the flourishing of a moisture source. They will either use moisture they find from condensation or leaks or go into the ground and carry the moisture back.
On the other hand, dry wood termites don’t need any extra moisture and will attack solid wood. They can build colonies with little or no connection to the ground. These termites are often seen in Hawaii, southern California, Arizona, the southern parts of Gulf Coast states, and south Florida.
How does termite infestation happen?
Winter weather can leave many homes prone to moisture accumulation and damage. Termites are pros at locating and capitalizing on such opportunities.
Termites need food, as all living creatures do. Many termites in North America feed on drywall coverings, furniture, boxes, books, and wood. They continuously forage and have been seen to travel over one hundred feet away from their colony.
Infestation can happen in two ways. Healthy colonies fly and reproduce to begin new colonies. They also start a colony when they find the right area to feast. Subterranean termites begin their infestation by looking for food and finding their way into a structure.
Protect your home from termites
Many individuals treat their house as a home and investment. As such, termite infestation and damage can be extremely devastating. Likewise, termite infestation in a commercial establishment can be just as terrible.
Unfortunately, homeowner’s insurance habitually excludes termite damage, as insurance will not pay for repairs or treatment. That’s why many infestations may go unreported. Often, these infestations go unnoticed until massive damage is done to a structure. Hence, proactive termite inspection and termite extermination treatments are the best ways to safeguard property and lower the possibility of costly repairs.
If a termite infestation is detected, it is crucial to call licensed pest control specialist Natural Science Exterminating in Garden Grove, Orange County. You can give them a call to assess the damage and book an appointment for them to provide the best treatment plan.
Natural Science Exterminating
11642 Knott Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92841, United States
Revamping The Architecture Of Outdoor Living Spaces
I’ve got so much pent up energy and nowhere to go. Unfortunately, backyard concerts are out of the question as we all maintain social distancing to stay safe from the pandemic. I decided that it would be best to focus my energy on doing something productive that would allow me to get outside but still stay in a safe space.
A wide range of homeowners are building sheds, personal gyms, or home offices within their backyard. People around the world need to abide by work from home protocol and are now ready to set up a well-designed home office in their premises. In addition, people are looking for personal gyms in their backyards in order to maintain social distancing without compromising their health. Detached and self-contained spaces provide a practical and affordable solution. Companies that sell different backyard services and products started gaining more popularity in the United States.
The modern shed suppliers are even ready to design premium arrangements depending upon the unique needs of the buyers. You can find a variety of materials to design these structures. Price ranges vary with size and other options.
That said, I haven’t been thinking about building an office or gym in my backyard. What I really wanted was a landscape overhaul. If you’ve got the same idea on your mind, I highly recommend this resource on landscaping mistakes and solutions. Composting is one of the most important and nourishing practices you can do to maintain a beautiful and healthy backyard. When it comes to adding plants, consider the climate of where you live, and give yourself a realistic estimate of how much time you can spend on a weekly basis to maintain. Many people don’t understand how much goes into the architecture of outdoor living spaces. It doesn’t just happen overnight, and you can’t simply dig a hole, fit it with a plant, and leave it there. It needs to be fertilized, watered and nourished on a regular basis.
Now I’m more of a breaker than a builder. I’d rather tear things down than design and build something new. That’s why I did my research and found a Coronado company that offers professional landscape design and build services. Torrey Pines Landscape Company has been around for decades. If you check out their portfolio on their website, you will be blown away like I was. The company takes a site from any old backyard and transforms it into an oasis. They have the most innovative and creative designs—it’s pretty spectacular.
If you’re like me, I would leave a landscaping overhaul to the professionals. They have decades of craftsmanship and expertise in designing and bringing their clients’ dreams into the perfect Del Mar Landscape. The entire process requires a ton of communication, and the landscapers with the best reputations will be the ones who are always keeping their clients in the loop. They will also need to check out the site to take measurements and photographs so as to plan and design accordingly. Masonry, planting, hardscape, and softscape are just a few of the different facets of one entire landscaping project.
Used Goods
I really hate the ‘humble beginnings’ stories that you get from every single rock star or famous person in general; it’s cliché as heck. Seems like every VH1 ‘Behind the Music’ episode starts with some somber ballad playing over baby pictures of filthy kids that would eventually turn into superstars.
I’ve recently been doing some business that does make me think a little bit about my start as a musician, though. I was a lower-middle class kid whose parents made enough to keep us comfortable, but didn’t have a ton of extra cash that would give us all the expensive toys the other kids at school seemed to bring every day.
I worked a paper route from the time I was about 8 years old all the way until I was about 17 (with no car, no wonder I didn’t get a date until I was 20…). I never really spent any of the money outside of getting the occasional soda and burger when my friends and I went out to the mall on the weekends.
When I got into high school, on a whim I decided to attend a concert the school’s jazz band was putting on. Oddly enough, that concert altered the entire course of my life, as the guitarist was really killer (and I saw him kissing one of the hottest girls in the school after the concert was done).
So the fix was in – I was going to learn to shred on the guitar, and that was going to land me a really hot girlfriend the next day. Step one of the plan was to buy my first guitar.
Taking stock of my funds from about 5 years of slinging newspapers, I went to the music shop that weekend to see what I could afford. What I could afford was absolutely nothing, but man did I love the look and feel of that place and the cool older dudes who ran it.
So the next stop was asking my dad to drive me over to the local pawn shop where one of the guys at the shop tipped me off as a place to look. When we got there, we found one beaten up old Fender that had half the strings missing, and I bought it without a second thought.
So began my musical journey, one that would take me to a whole lot of highs and many, many lows. Now that that journey is over (in the professional sense), I’ve moved on to others with oddly similar beginnings.
Used items often are seen as lesser, but what they can represent is the humble beginnings of something far grander than anyone anticipated. That goes for anything from musical instruments to something as boring-sounding as office furniture.
Starting off your business using used cubicles, desks and everything else might seem like a pretty shabby way of operating, but it can give you the cash reserve you need to really kick off your business and put it into overdrive. Companies like Creative Office Design out of L.A., the guys who’ve been doing amazing work both selling me the office equipment I needed to start things off and designing the office to get the best use of them possible, can really help get things off the ground.
So, this isn’t really a humble beginnings story, just a helpful example of not worrying too much about where the stuff you start off with comes from. That may be humble, but it is just a beginning.
Creative Office Design
+17143287627
5230 Pacific Concourse Dr #105, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States
The Battle Between Synthetic Grass and Natural Grass
Hey everyone, I hope you’re doing great! Many of you might know that I have had many issues with my house—well, I guess I should say that my rock and roll lifestyle has caused many issues. It sure goes through a lot of wear thanks to my chaotic nights, jam sessions, and backyard performances with my band. But as you know, every now and then I opt for a more tame lifestyle. I have had synthetic grass installed, and so I have some information to share about the benefits of choosing it over natural grass. I hope you find this helpful.
Different home trends are on the rise these days. Most of these trends are decorative in nature, whether to the home’s exterior or interior. However, one of these is in the places least expected. Specifically, synthetic grass is an up-and-coming home improvement installation that can boost curb appeal for most commercial and residential properties. That said, this might raise the question of how it compares to real grass.
Any homeowner should understand why artificial grass is better than real grass, especially if they reside in dry regions and overspend on professional care and chemicals for their lawn’s regular maintenance.
Maintenance
Artificial turf does not need any intensive upkeep. Unlike natural grass, It does not require pesticides, fertilizer, or mowing. One doesn’t even need to water synthetic lawns on a regular basis, as one would for grass. The only maintenance these synthetic turf needs are a timely wash and sweep. The upkeep is relatively minimal; once you install it, you can forget about the hassle of lawn care!
Safety
People might be a bit doubtful about this one. How can artificial turf be safe? Artificial grass is made from quality synthetic fibers, hazard-free and safe for pets and kids.
Meanwhile, real grass can be an allergen, and it may require chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides for lawn care. In this way, natural grass may even be riskier than artificial grass.
Versatility
Artificial grass is both pet-friendly and child-friendly. Those with grass or pollen allergies can safely play on this turf without irritation. Dogs also love artificial grass texture, not to mention that the material makes waste cleanup simple for pet owners.
Weather Conditions
The synthetic lawn is resilient to any seasonal changes in weather. While natural grass is susceptible to nutrient loss, artificial grass will stay green and beautiful throughout the entire year. It does not need any chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides to be sustained. Homeowners do not need to mow or weed it. Meanwhile, when it comes to natural grass, this is required and can be time consuming and expensive.
If you are looking to transform your law with artificial grass, the installation is best left to the professionals. For quality turf that looks as seamless and real as possible, hire the best company in your area.
Read Dennis Z.‘s review of NoMow Turf on YelpCost
Nothing is worse than getting the water bill monthly and realizing that half of it went to the lawn. Fortunately, an artificial lawn needs far less watering to maintain; this ensures savings on the water bill all year long, allowing homeowners to spend their money on more essential areas of their life Artificial grass requires little to no pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; it is low maintenance, as it does not attract weeds or pests.
Rock Star Lifestyle – The Family
Welcome back to the blog, folks! It feels like it’s been quite a while since I managed to get enough time to post something here, but some recent events with the family spurned me into a contemplative, writing-sort of mood.
I’ve been having some pretty significant family issues recently that involved the visitation hours and custody rights allotted to me with my kids. I know this subject has been done to death with things like VH1’s Behind The Music and pretty much every biography done on the great stars of popular music since the 50’s, but this is important to me, and you are my reader, not theirs!
Years of reflection have made me recognize that the underlying issues that were the root of my family problems started in high school. A late bloomer and rather nebbish for my first years of serious interactions with women, I did not have a proper ‘girlfriend’ until well into my 20’s when my music was starting to take off.
This late start, with its corresponding years of anguish over unrequited love and watching friends, enemies, and everyone else either shack up with a girl or tear through them lead to a lot of odd ideas about what love looked like and what was proper in relationships. It also lead to a significant amount of resentment towards the fairer sex that was not fair or correct, and this in large part bled into my relationship with the woman who I eventually married, had children with, and subsequently divorced after a number of immature and, frankly, stupid mistakes.
Despite loving my ex wife and being absolutely enamored with my children, the voice at the back of my head always called for me to seek new things, new experiences to ‘make up for lost time’. Well, that would come back to bite me, as I have spent years looking to make up for the time lost with my children thanks to the divorce.
After a long time of resentments bubbling over and competing ideas about how to raise them, my kids have recently begun requesting that they be allowed to stay with me more often, and my ex wife’s stance on the subject has began to soften. My kids want primary custody to be switched over to me, but however much her stance has shifted, that would be a little much for her.
So, we once again have begun the arduous process of working with the family court system to determine a more fair and equitable system of sharing the kids that would leave her, the kids, and I in a better position where everyone can be…if not satisfied, then something closer to it.
For this newest round of court drama, I of course contacted my friends over at Shuff Law, one of the finest family law firms in Santa Ana and all of southern California. They gave a great rundown of everything I’d need to do and have prepared by the court date.
Hopefully, this new state of affairs will let me make up for the time I’ve lost with my children as they’ve grown up, as I can’t stand to think of what life would be like without them. If you’re like me, and need the expert help of the premier family law attorneys in southern California, give the Shuffs a call: you may get the same second chance at a life with your kids that I’m getting now.
Shuff Law Firm
(714) 834-0175
2107 North Broadway Ste 301, Santa Ana, CA 92706
The Show Must Go On: How To Treat A Termite Infested Music Recording Studio
If there is one thing I have been missing recently, it is the feel of a guitar and the beautiful music that comes from it once I am in the zone and in my flow. I recently realized that I wanted to tap into that feeling again, so I decided to renovate my office into a music recording studio to spend more time doing what I love. I may have retired from the rock and roll lifestyle and business, but I very much enjoy going into the studio to jam.
However, as we got into the demolition, I discovered something that horrified me. It had turned out that my office had been infested with termites.
If you have followed me for some time, you know that this wasn’t my first rodeo. As soon as I realized what was going on, I immediately called a termite inspector and exterminator to resolve the issue. It wasn’t an easy situation to resolve. For those who are dealing with the same issue, I thought I would share my experience with the termite inspection and removal process.
What You Need To Know About Termite Inspection And Treatment
A termite inspection will take place before the termite treatment, in order to assess the extent of the infestation and decide the best course of action. Now, this may vary among termite experts, but I was told to prep before my appointment by clearing out all items from the area so that inspection could be properly done without obstruction.
During the inspection, they looked at both the exterior and the interior and noticed a few red flags, including discarded wings and mud tubes. I hired a company in Pasadena for my termite treatment. You will need to ensure that when the inspector comes, they will have access to all the areas of the house. With the size of my property, it took them forty-five minutes to inspect. Your inspection may take more or less time, depending on your house.
There are various ways to deal with termites.
Bait Systems
This is an extreme measure, however, it needs to be taken when one has colonies of termites within and surrounding their house. This is done by installing bait stations throughout the space. The baits are then monitored to detect future termite infestations as they enter into your house.
Soil Treatment
This is usually done when the house is infested with subterranean termites. A trench is dug around the foundation of the house and the soil is treated with a substance that kills termites. The trench is then filled, and the insecticide remains in the soil to effectively kill all termites.
Wood Treatment
There are many types of termite treatments for wood, however, foams are especially useful for areas that are difficult to reach. Termite treatment foams can be used indoors and outdoors.
If you also have an infestation and are looking for termite treatment, then you should prepare yourself—be armed and ready with information and expertise. You can give Grand Oaks Termite Control a call today for consultation and inspection.
Grand Oaks Termite Control
110 S Worthy Dr, Glendora, CA 91741
How To Keep Your Dog Healthy
I had a long jam session last night, so this article is a guest post by our neighborhood dog walker. Enjoy!
Every dog-owner will agree that their pets are an integral part of their families and that they cannot imagine their lives without them. These animals are so adorable and affectionate, that their wellbeing becomes such a priority that cannot be compromised at any cost. Needless to say, a pet dog has nobody else to rely on apart from its owner to take care of its health. A balanced diet, regular grooming and exercise, and routine checkups at the veterinarian are necessary to ensure that your dog’s physical and mental health is taken care of.
Keeping your dog’s heart healthy can make your heart healthy too. According to a study titled Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, owning a dog is linked to better human well-being and longevity. That said, if you notice that your dog is suddenly having difficulty breathing or experiencing fatigue, they may have a heart problem. You should schedule an appointment immediately with a Cardiac Veterinarian.
Furthermore, it is very important for you to carefully analyze your doggy best friend’s habits in terms of their activities, such as play, eating, drinking, and sleeping. Variations in these patterns are the clearest sign that their health may be in questionable condition.
Record their weight
A dog’s weight, much like a human being, is dependent on a balance between nutrition and physical activity. For instance, if your dog has been fed nutritious meals and is yet underweight or overweight, then you wouldn’t be entirely wrong to suspect that they might be struggling with health issues. Overfeeding a dog to keep him strong and healthy is a common mistake, as obese dogs are more vulnerable to developing serious health issues. According to experts, the best way to tell whether or not you are feeding your dog more than you should is by feeling the area around its rib cage. If you can feel their ribs under their skin without much padding, then they are likely in good shape.
Wash your dog regularly
There is no better feeling than petting the soft coat of your dog after a long, hard day. That said, you should check your dog’s skin frequently, as it can explain a lot about their health. Common causes for concern include scabs, white flakes, and red patches. As an owner, you should check your dog’s skin for fleas, lice, ticks, and any other such external pests that are capable of wreaking havoc. Spotted early, it can be controlled before it is too late. If there is a spot that looks like black dirt clumping their coat against their skin, it could be flea droppings. Therefore, in order to steer away from the possibility of your dog developing any such condition, they should be washed often.
Schedule routine veterinarian appointments
Vaccinations can prevent the dog from contracting serious illnesses that might be irrevocable or even fatal. Getting your dog shielded from ailments like hepatitis and rabies through vaccination will give you peace of mind, sparing you of the headache that comes with constantly worrying about their health.
The Accident
This story comes as I was taking a hot tub soak in my San Diego abode overlooking the sea, deep in contemplation over the many scars I’ve accrued over the years. Not from any fights, mind you, or any feats of valor, but from the incredibly dumb escapades I’ve had with my good friend ‘Al’ (cohol). Hands wrecked from punching through walls, TV screens, and windows, burns from late night belligerent cooking, and all manner of scrapes and slashes from falling from various heights.
Then my eyes landed on one set of criss-crossing scars I got from before my music career took off – the one from the accident I had as a young kid just out of high school. The one that almost ended my music career before it got off the ground.
There isn’t some great story behind it – some moron who was drunk at noon decided to do some donuts in a cul-de-sac as I was passing by. Once a neighbor yelled about calling the cops, he burned rubber in an escape attempt, losing control and clipping me in the process. I was sent flying, my leg now bent in a direction it was very much not supposed to be in.
I landed, dazed, and remember only the sounds of yelling before waking back up in a hospital the next day. My knee was absolutely shredded, the bones broken and the ligaments torn to the point that they didn’t know if I was going to ever be able to walk without a crutch.
I decided that this was not an acceptable state of affairs, so I began many months of grueling rehabilitation and physical therapy, all at my and my family’s expense. The guy in the truck was thrown in the can for reckless endangerment, but walked away no worse for wear, while I was stuck on my butt for the better part of a year.
Lucky for me I had my music to keep me comfortable, but my family was in dire straights for a long time while I was getting back on my feet. If we had access to a good personal injury lawyer at the time way out in our corner of nowhere, we’d have avoided a lot of heartache.
So, while ruminating on all of this, I decided I’d help my local San Diego readers find an auto accident attorney if they find themselves in a similar situation. A local guy who comes very highly recommended by some friends is Chris Villasenor and his office, Villasenor Law offices.
There’s a ton to like from what I’ve heard about the firm. Patient, conscientious, and highly communicative, they have everything you want in a PI lawyer. Checking out their Yelp page, Jonathon S. testifies to this in writing:
Great attorney in all respects. Chris and his staff are very helpful and communicative, contributing to a fluid experience from the onset. Moreover, with his expertise and thoroughness, Chris was able to secure an excellent resolution for my personal injury case. I highly recommend his services.
Villasenor’s offices also do a bang-up job with contract law. A peek at their Google reviews has a number of good things to say about their work in the field:
“Over the last 10 years, Chris Villasenor has created several contracts for my company that protect me in case a dispute with a client or contractor crops up. He has also reviewed contracts from my potential clients or partners and made recommendations on ways they needed to be revised in order to protect my best interest. Chris was also very helpful and informative when my husband & I were faced with a real estate dispute while purchasing our current home. Chris is trustworthy, professional and a great legal resource in times of need AND he’s become my attorney of choice!”
So, if you’re in the Mira Mesa, Poway, or the greater San Diego area and need a personal injury lawyer or business attorney, these are your guys. Don’t get stuck with a bill that might crush your dreams and do the smart thing – sue the pants off the guy who had the temerity to crash into you.
Villasenor Law Offices
(858) 707-7771
12396 World Trade Dr Ste 211, San Diego, CA 92128
An Unwanted House Party
Through my years as a wannabe and then fully fledged rock star, I’ve attended a number of disastrous parties. Things getting thrown out windows, hit with blunt objects, and not a few buildings getting burnt to the ground in some particularly boisterous affairs. If I’m being honest, the disastrous parties were often times the ones that were the most fun, though my lawyer would probably advise against me saying so.
While I was mostly partied out by the time my time in the limelight came to an end, that wasn’t the end of the parties. Not only did my band mates continue their youthful shenanigans, I had some rather unwanted guests in a number of the properties I had bought over the years stage some parties of their own.
Who are these uninvited guests, you ask? Not hippies, not grungy punks, not even star-sucking sycophants looking to lap up any crumbs of clout they could steal from my plate. These guests were of an even more invasive species I’ve had to deal with.
Termites! The little critters invaded not one, not two, but three of my residences and establishments over the years, including my favorite home in southern California. This presented a pretty big problem for me, as at the time I was going through a bit of a health kick and believed most pesticides were basically evil.
One major thing I wish we had at the time was an environmentally- and health-conscious movement in society at large and pest control in particular, like we do now. As it stands, when it comes to natural removal of termites and other creepy-crawlies for my Southern California enterprises, I always call the same guys: Natural Science Exterminating.
The Garden Grove-based company prides itself on its use of natural remedies to not only remove pests once they’ve infested a building through tenting and spot removal, but also preventing infestations from occurring in the first place. They use a number of naturally derived and plant-based chemicals that the plants use to ward off pests themselves to give your home a reprieve from damaging insects, so you don’t have to worry about your pets getting poisoned or gigantic swarms of bugs coming crashing through your roof as you sleep.
When my homes were host to such unwelcome house parties, I had to just clench my teeth and allow the smelly exterminator to tent them up for a week. Once they took the tent off, I couldn’t go into the houses without my skin crawling from the thought of all the chemicals that were pumped into the walls and how every time I touched something I was now doomed to a painful cancerous death.
You don’t have to go through the mental torture I put myself through (I am a bit of a hypochondriac, admittedly, so you might not do it regardless). Natural Science Exterminating offers free termite inspections in Garden Grove and its surrounding areas, so if you’re like me and can’t stand the thought of every chemical monstrosity known to man being sprayed all over your possessions, give them a call.
Natural Science Exterminating
(800) 246-7378
11642 Knott Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92841
An Artist’s Desire To Start Over
Have you ever looked at your life and wanted to start over?
Because…I have. Like most artists, I am never quite satisfied with reality as it is. I have always believed in the possibilities of creating something new, impactful, and amazing. I believe that this creative drive is innate within every artist. Sometimes it leads me into chaos, like not sleeping for 3 days in a row, and other times, it leads to a masterpiece—like my second critically acclaimed studio album. There is no way to predict where your ideas will lead you.
I believe that life is far too short for it to stay the same for too long. We are, after all, human, and that means our tastes and preferences change over time. Some of us will come to despise what we once loved, or we will come to find that that which we once could not get enough of, is now boring. In these cases, I don’t think of it an inconvenience to change things up and get to work—I see it as an opportunity. Tearing down the old and familiar can be messy, yet exhilarating.
I’ve been wanting to remodel our house for the past year. The architecture and style of my home had been largely influenced by my grunge rock days. I was into that. It’d be typical for me to wake up in the evening and not be able to tell if it was morning or evening. The house had a bit of a dark, mysterious feel to it, no matter the time of day.
But I started thinking that maybe I wasn’t getting the most out of life, living this way. I thought about moving to a new home, but I simply love Orange County too much. That’s when I thought about renovating my home, transforming it into a brighter and more open space.
I knew I needed to find the best team of designers, painters, carpenters, and architects. I googled “home remodeling orange county” and was delighted to find Inspired Remodels, a design and build contractor! I checked out their website and discovered that they can do it all: bathrooms, kitchens, full interiors, and custom carpentry. I knew I had to give them a call to see if they could take on the remodel I had in mind.
Sure enough, they assured me that my project could be completed by their team “from floor to ceiling.” That was relieving. I certainly wanted to have no part in the process; if it were left to me, I’d create a disaster. I will always just stick to making music, not renovating homes. I also looked up their reviews on Yelp—and they are fantastic. Moreover, their online portfolio had exactly what I was looking for.
The renovations were complete a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t be happier with my new home. I find myself waking up a lot earlier. Hello, productivity!
If you have an idea for your home renovation, you can give them a call.
Inspired Remodels
21098 Bake Pkwy Suite 102, Lake Forest, CA 92630, United States
A Quick Note Of Appreciation
Hey guys! Just stopping by for a quick post today because I’m shoving off for yet another sailing adventure. I’ve almost perfected my sailing skills to the point that I can take the thing out of the marina, but we’re taking it one day at a time.
Today, I was ruminating on how much my life has changed since the divorce, and how incredible the family law attorneys I used were to leave me with as much of my shirt on as they did, considering the water-tight case my wife had when we separated. The firm (Shuff Law Firm) comes with two thumbs up from me.
Since I’m running short on time today, I’ll let some other clients of their speak their piece about them:
Shuff Law Firm was recommended to me by a dear friend and I highly recommend them to you!
Joe, Tamara and their entire team work with the utmost professionalism coupled with a genuine care for their clients needs. This Father- Daughter team brings many many years of experience to the table! They’ll represent you with integrity, honesty, and a great energy, yet will not be steamrollered by opposing counsel.
Most recently, Tamara held my hand during an incredibly tough situation while believing in me and the justice to prevail. Her kind heart keeps her honest and her experience keeps her strong!
I can’t recommend Shuff Law Firm enough!
My highest respect and regards for this law firm, in which I am extremely thankful for the level of professional care, support, advice and representation I received during a most difficult divorce. Tamara is the first lawyer that actually understood the complexity of my situation AND took action. Her support staff were caring and timely. I highly recommend this law firm to all my friends and anyone who is need of understanding and intelligent help. I am forever grateful
Finally, Jeff H., the guy who convinced me to use the firm:
If you want results? This is the firm and people that will get your Family/Divorce situation/case solved effectively, efficiently, and the best. I used 2 other lawyers prior to coming to Tamara and her father and they completed what I needed to be done in a short period of time and without the BS associated with family courts. Could I have been lucky with my situation? Maybe – BUT what I have learned in business is over communication, being straight forward (hearing the GOOD and the BAD), and relentless (like TAMARA was and is) is the best medicine to quell the sickness of this not so fun process of divorce. I would AND have recommended this firm to EVERYONE on the planet. Seriously the best people in the business and I would be more than happy to give you a personalized reference about how ecstatic I am that I was referred and used Shuff Law Firm to CLOSE my case swiftly. Thank you Tamara for everything you did for me and my family – words cannot express to you how impressed and overly satisfied i am with all you did. I know you will do the EXACT same for all of your clients in the future! JEFF
Quite a mouthful, Jeff, but he certainly gets the point across. Regardless, if you are in Orange County, I would most certainly recommend the Shuff divorce attorneys, based in Santa Ana.
You can find them here:
Shuff Law Firm
(714) 834-0175
2107 North Broadway. Ste 301. Santa Ana, CA 92706
Cultivating a Legacy
As I travelled the world as a young man, the one thing that always really got to me was the feeling that America was…lacking something that almost every other country had. A rock-solid connection to a shared history, perhaps you could call it.
In other words, a culture! Hah!
It’s a pretty common observation, I know, but whenever you’d walk out into a city like Budapest or Prague, you could see thousands of years of history built straight into the very essence of the town around you. With each block came structures that were built hundreds of years ago by people who knew that they’d never get to use them, but knew that future generations would.
There’s something to that concept that got lost in translation as people packed their bags and moved here. It may be because we got all the poor buggers of Europe moving over here in the early days whose idea of adequate shelter is a thatched roof on a pile of rotten logs, but whatever the case may be, I feel we got short-shifted in the exchange. Their houses and the landscaping surrounding their dwellings captured a feeling, a spirit, a people! Ours are…pragmatic. The frontier spirit, I guess.
Since our first tours out to Europe and then my own personal travels to places like North Africa, India, China, Southeast Asia, and Japan, I’ve been determined to grab a little of that time-transcendent energy and put it into a home that my family can use for generations to come. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know the family aspect of my life can definitely use some work, but I do believe I have the house and its landscaping worked out perfectly.
The perfect generational house has to have the permanent, opulent yard to match, and for that I found an incredible company to help me get my plans worked out just to my liking, Torrey Pines Landscaping in La Jolla. Those guys have made some genuinely incredible landscapes over the years, and they’ve helped me on more than one occasion work up some landscaping plans that would be fit for a minor Asiatic prince, harem and all.
For the real major jobs, the company provides a full CAD (computer aided design) mockup of what the yard is going to look like, and as changes are made or requested, you get real time updates on how those changes are going to affect your landscaping without the need to just visualize it in your head. This leads to you being less stressed during construction and makes it way easier for everyone since you’re way more likely to fall in love with the design instead of making last minute adjustments.
So, if you’re looking to reclaim a little of that Old World spirit in your abode to pass on to future generations through some landscaping in your La Jolla home, I can’t recommend Torrey Pines Landscaping enough.
Torrey Pines Landscaping Company
(858) 454-1433
5560 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121
The American Dream Becomes Reality
I would like to speak about something near and dear to my heart to hopefully inspire all of you dreamers out there. I guess this will probably sound a bit more serious than usual, but here we go…
Who was the first person to give you one big chance at making your dreams come to life? For me, it was an executive in Los Angelos who gave me my first record deal. I was a young kid with no money and sky-high dreams. If it weren’t for that record deal, I probably would have ended up homeless in LA or back on my mom’s couch in Minnesota.
Every artist dreams of their lucky break. But for many of us who were born in the United States, we tend to take the American dream for granted. Success stories like Kenyan musician J.S. Ondara remind us of the transformative impact immigration has on the lives of artists around the world. In 2013, Ondara received his United States green card, and today his album “Tales of America (The Second Coming)” has been nominated to receive a Grammy Award.
Stories like Ondara’s remind us to persevere no matter our circumstances, and to appreciate how lucky we are to live in the United States. Moreover, my point is this: no matter how hard it seems for you to create your art, you must push yourself to do it anyway. You should unleash your creativity against all odds, because every day is an opportunity to make something beautiful even if it seems unlikely to make it big. You never know how many people are working harder than you while having fewer opportunities and resources. I truly believe that each one of us got to where we are today because someone decided to give us a chance. That person saw something in you that reminded them of themselves, and it was your determination and drive that convinced them to take a bet on you. And it’s up to you to pass on the good deed.
While on tour in Portugal, I met with an up-and-coming band out of Lisbon. They opened for one of our shows, and I was very impressed with their talent. After the show, their lead guitarist Adriano stopped by backstage for some advice on immigrating to the United States. I was caught off guard and I didn’t have all of the answers. I promised Adriano I would ask a lawyer in the United States and get back to him with answers.
Having dealt with a previous issue with my bandmate George (he almost got deported back to Canada), I reached out to the best immigration lawyer I knew of based in Orange County, Kiran Nair of K Nair Law Group. I knew that I could trust her expertise. Ms. Nair has represented cases in Los Angeles and San Diego, in front of the California Superior and Immigration Courts.
The next day, I met with Adriano and his band at one of Lisbon’s best coffee shops and shared some good news: I would fund their legal expenses to immigrate to the United States, and I knew exactly who to refer them as their immigration lawyer.
Keep on dreaming and never give up! And if you need an immigration lawyer, I recommend you give Ms. Nair a call.
K Nair Law Group, P.C.
31897 Del Obispo St #225, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States