A Boy, A Girl, and a Magazine

it don't come easy

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 07:34:00 +0000

I had somebody comment on one of my past workout posts, saying that it sounded so easy. Which would be a lie if that was my intent. Because it isn't easy. It hasn't been easy. I can justify a thousand and one reasons why I shouldn't step foot in the gym because there are more pressing concerns. Or that my body hurst more than it used to 10 years ago, or that one donut won't hurt (or one more piece of fried chicken).

The reality is that the process of change is hard. It's supposed to be. Nature likes a status quo. Our bodies like the status quo, even though the end result could be life threatening. It's easier to justify skipping cardio today because ... well, just because.

The other obstacle is seeing the results of these changes. The cliche is true: it is easier to put it on than take it off. So when you're at it for a month and aren't at your goal yet, you start feeling discouraged and wondering if it's worth it to keep going.

But, changes are being made, and one day you look in the mirror, and realize that your body is improving - the weight is coming off, your posture gets better, your endurance is longer, and you get a lot more self confident in yourself. You find that food you liked no longer tastes as good as you thought it would, and you start rationalizing not how good that donut would taste, but about all the hard work you've put into yourself, and not have it ruined by a lousy donut (or fried chicken ... sigh).

I recommend that if you are starting a fitness program, take a photo of yourself (with your iPhone maybe), starting that first day. And then keep taking photos of yourself each day you work out. You may not notice the subtle changes on a day-to-day basis, but when you start comparing before and after photos after about a month or two of exercising, it will keep you motivated to keep going.

Over and out for now!

oh yeah, it's on

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Actually, it's off! 10 pounds, to be exact, in the last month. Woohoo! Though I think my new exercise routines and training sessions have a lot to do with it, I think what really got me going on the weight loss trail was enrolling at http://www.dotfit.com/. It's a nutrition diary (UFC members get to use it for free, or you can sign up individually online), and I highly recommend it. There are several similar diaries online so choose one that best fits what you like, but most important, stick with it.

To use dotfit I had to input my current weight and body fat and then give a timeline for my goals. In my case, it was loose 30 pounds in 3 months. Then it gives you how many calories you need to consume per day in order to obtain that goal. The difference between your calories consumed (my limit is 1,850 per day) and calories burned (calculated at 3,500) is called a calorie deficit, and that indicates how much weight you are loosing.

By inputting on a daily basis a breakdown of everything you eat, you get a picture really quick of your eating habits, and in my case, a lack of portion control. It's been tough, especially being honest with oneself, but the progress graphs inspire you to keep going.

Give it a try!

Peter Pan Like You've Never Seen Before

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:46:00 +0000

My wife, 5-year old daughter, and I finally made it downtown San Francisco to the Peter Pan show/play/spectacle that's been in town for the last couple of months. I had seen the previews and was intrigued, but my expectations were not all that high.

However. However. However. Wow. After walking out of the show yesterday, I, and my family were dumbfounded by what we had just seen. It was one of those experiences that you know will stay with you - and your child - for a very long time. It was touching, engaging, funny, poignant, and sweet - all rolled into two hours (plus a 20-minute intermission) of suspended belief.

Suspended being the right word as for most of the show you were treated to the actors - Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy, and her brothers Jon and Michael - suspended by wires as they flew through the skies or swam underwater.

The "tent" within which the show takes place presents an in-the-round viewing experience, and with most rows of chairs only going 12 or so rows back, there are no bad seats in the house. The stage is in the middle, and actors make full use of its area, giving members from all around the house a good view of the action.

Sparse scenery on stage gives the audience enough of a clue of where they are, and the actors room to appear and disappear from view. There's also a 360-degree "screen" about 10 feet tall that circumvents the top, providing a video backdrop for what is going on center stage. So when the actors fly from their homes to Neverland, guests are treated to four actors on wires "flying" in and around buildings, through clouds, and underwater.

The way some of the characters - most notably the Crocodile - are shown gives full whimsy to the imagination.

With tickets starting at only $35, this is a must-see event for you and your family. The show is going to be gone soon, so go now. I guarantee you will be enthralled, and your children will be amazed (and thankful). Children under five are not recommended.

Go to www.peterpantheshow.com for more information.

Honestly, this is one of the best stage shows I have yet seen. You owe it to your child - and the child in you - to go see this show.

But it's a good excuse!

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:26:00 +0000

So wow, it's been a while, huh?

Well, I do have an excuse, and I think it's a good one. Our youngest, our 2-1/2 year old son, broke his femur, and has been in a spica cast (basically he has a cast all over one leg, half up the other, and a body cast up to his nipple line - yes there is an opening for ... well, you know). So he's been couch-sitting, which means my wife and I have been catering to his every need. Add to that a 4-1/2 year old daughter who just started having homework to bring home, normal day-to-day to-do lists, and a growing business to run and ... agh!

But he's starting to become a bit more accepting of life and is quieting down so we're starting to breathe a bit easier and get back into a groove. Hence, this post.

One thing I did learn is that we are lucky - I've seen parents with very young children in these casts, and parents facing months and even a lifetime of having a son or daughter immobilized, and .. my heart goes out to you.

In the midst of a whirlwind, get fit

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:03:00 +0000

If you've been following this blog, you'll know that one of the things I'm trying to do is find out how to balance my life as father, business owner, and husband, and still live a healthy life, including getting fit.

With two young kids, it's hard enough to find some time for yourself uninterrupted, much less try and fit a whole workout into your life. And yet, it can be done. I've been working with a trainer (Shawn O. at Club Sport San Ramon) and setting up a routine that fulfills my goal of getting fit while only taking up a 1/2 hour of my time. (This doesn't include drive time or changing).

My personal goal has been to loose weight and gain muscle mass through weight training, but he (and I'm sure other trainers), can work with anyone's goals within a minimum 1/2 hour window. This includes cardio (in fact he gave me a great step workout program I'll share later).

I've only been doing his program for the past two weeks, but it's been amazing at what he can do with me in only that alloted time. A lot of it is combining different exercises into what he calls supersets, but also just keeping the workout focused and trimmed down and on schedule.

I will be offering more tips and tricks in this blog as we progress, so stay tuned!

Everard

Halloween DIY photos wanted

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:44:00 +0000

Have you ever made a costume for your children or created one from clothes and accessories? Send photos to editor@bakidsmagazine.com with some information about how you did what you did and we'll include it in our next issue! (Include your name and city too).

Yoshi's? Yum!

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:41:00 +0000

My wife says my blogs are too long, so I will try and keep it short and simple (stupid!).

Went to Yoshi's at Jack London Square for dinner with our daughter and gorged on sushi and other good stuff. Am full, but satisfied, and happy because my daughter tried most everything we put on her plate at least once. She really liked the chili/pepper edamame and calamari too (full review coming in the Oct/Nov issue of Bay Area Kids magazine!)

Finished off dinner by grabbing a cone at Ben&Jerry's across the way and walking along Jack London Square. Nice, calm, cool night - good break from everything.

I think that was short but sweet, right?

No Guilt Trip at the Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:51:00 +0000

So I've started going back to the gym after four long years, four years that produced two offspring which has been a major reason for not being able to get back to the gym ... such a vicious circle :)

But we just joined Club Sport San Ramon (www.clubsportsr.com) after doing a lot of searching and comparison shopping. One of the main reasons we opted to join CSSR was because of their KidsClub. Of course it's one thing to read and be told about how fabulous an offer is, it's another to experience it for yourself.

So it was with trepidation that we brought our youngest (two years old) to the gym and dropped him off at the KidsClub. His reaction? He looked at the toy train table, the oversized crawl space, the kids reading in another corner ... and he walked right in and went to work (I mean, play). As a parent, there's a huge sigh of relief knowing that your child is in good hands, and it was great to be able - for two hours - to concentrate not on whether my child was having a good time - but on my new fitness routine.

Mamma Mia Sing A Long

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:46:00 +0000

Bring your blankets, pillows, lawn chairs, and singing voices to Wente this Monday for a night of under-the-stars sing-a-long fun as they host a free showing of the movie Mamma Mia! Come early, mark out your spot on their lawn and then go grab some munchies (popcorn, hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken sandwiches, along with lots of popcorn, and beverages - including some wine for the adults). Movie starts at sundown, but you should get there early as the popular event tends to fill up.

http://www.wentevineyards.com/

Speaking of Wente, you should check out the cool concerts they have coming up:

The Wente Vineyards Staycation Four Pack The Concerts at Wente Vineyards announces a special “Staycation Four Pack” for upcoming concerts this summer! The package includes 4 Mezzanine Dining Tickets to your choice of Gretchen Wilson, Steve Miller Band, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello, and Chris Isaak a bottle of Wente Vineyards Estate Grown Wine, and reserved VIP parking, all for just $399 (with no additional fees!)! Call (925) 456-2424 today and mention the four pack to purchase this fabulous package!

Work it out

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:00:00 +0000

I warmed (and warned) my body last week, so this week I'm really starting to tackle the weight room at Club Sport San Ramon. I'm still going slow - I'm planning on two sets (first one 10 reps, second 8 reps minimum) per station, straining a little, but not going overboard ... not yet :)

It's been almost 4 years since I stepped into a gym, so I was a little out of my element at first, but like riding a bike, the minute I lay down and started on my first bench press, it all came back. So I did upper back, chest today, and I think will stick with a MT TF schedule, and maybe throw in a Sat/Sun if I can.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, is going to be interesting as we'll bring my two-year old son with us and see if he likes the drop-off at CSSR. One of the services that attracted me to CSSR was their very cool, fully staffed child drop-off center. Some gyms claim to have an "infant room," but really includes no more than some old gym balls, torn up kids' books, and one disgruntled employee who got stuck with the shift.

Not at CSSR. They have a full nursery, and a huge kids room that includes a climbing fort and an arts/craft section too, all staffed by fully-trained personnel who look happy to be working with the children. This means less stress for me while I work out. So we'll see what happens.

The objective of all this is to show that it is possible to be a parent of a child (in our case two), have full-time job/s, and still fit in at least 30-45 minutes a day to get some sort of exercise in. I'm also going to be working on some better eating tips too. I do want to post photos as I go, but am waiting to make an appt. with the trainer and get a good routine going first, and then provide more up-to-date info. Stay tuned!

Wiggle Why You Work (a review of the Wiggles concert)

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:50:00 +0000

This was my kids first concert, and it being the Wiggles, I thought my own two children (two year old boy who lives/breathes Wiggles videos, and a four year old daughter) would be super hyped about it—what with Wags the Dog, Capt'n Feathersword, Henry the Octopus and the regular cast all going to be on stage singing their favorite songs. However, I don't think my kids really understood what "live concert" meant until we got there and found our seats. Only then did they realize that something cool was afoot.

As a parent, my last concert was B.B. King live at the Shoreline and before that Barenaked Ladies, and Metallica, so seeing the Wiggles was going to be a bit of a departure, and wasn't sure what to expect.

The stage was pretty bare for a multi-million dollar franchise like the Wiggles. A blow-up circus backdrop, and some steel frames, along with Jeff's keyboard was all that was there. Once the show started, however, it became obvious why so little props were needed—there was too much dancing and cavorting, and the dancers and the Wiggles needed all the spare room they could get hold of.

The show had a Cirque de Soleil feel to it, with lots of human tricks, and dancers dressed as medieval performers and Parisian street players. What the show didn't lack was energy—dancers and piroueters and acrobats jammed and jimmied and jumped and summersaulted all through their repertoire of our childrens' favorite Wiggles tunes, including one of my favorites, "Old Man Tucker" (not sure why, just dig it a lot). Sidelong glances at my two children showed them bobbing their heads and mouthing the words, and wide-eyed joy when they recognized one of their own favorite songs playing.

As a forty-year old man, I must say I was a bit jealous when I saw the actual Wiggles—Sam, Jeff, Murray, and Anthony—do so much physical work, usually along with the professional dancers, for four guys getting close to their fifties. To say they were fit would be an understatement, especially Anthony, who was jumping and playing on the monkey bars like a twelve-year old.

Overall it was a great show, one of those shows where the time flies and the lights go on before you realize it. My two-year old son lit up when Wags came on stage (we brought the prerequisite dog bones for him), and my daughter was digging the dancers. Can't wait to catch them next time around!

August 10: Mamma Mia Sing-A-Long Movie Night (free)

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:07:00 +0000

Save the date: Wente Vineyards (www.wentevineyards.com) will be hosting their final Summer Movie Night on August 10 with a showing of one of the highest grossing musical movies of all time: Mamma Mia! Guests at this free event, however will get a special treat: the movie features a sing-a-long version so the whole audience can pipe in!

Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and jackets (it does cool down), but keep food/drinks at home. Not to worry, Wente has a full array of yummy drinks and food for both young and old, including popcorn.

Movie starts at sundown, but it's advisable to get their early, around 6:30.

Mamma Mia, here we go again!

See you there!

Fitness Journal, Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:39:00 +0000

So today was my first day at the gym (Club Sport San Ramon, if you're looking for a great family-oriented gym) in over seven years. I like Club Sport because it's big, they offer tons of stuff for the whole family (including karate for kids), they have a heated outdoor pool, and both circuit equipment and free weights.

My weight: 257 (I'm 6'9" so my frame hides this extra weight, but that's about 37 lbs over what I should be.)

I am going to be working with a trainer starting next week, so for the next couple of days, I decided to ease back into the "exercise groove" by doing some basic cardio without taxing myself too much, and yet shocking my body into letting it know that things are going to change.

Exercises:
• pre-stretching (they have this stretching contraption that you sit in, and it really works well)
• basic cardio: three minutes of slow walking and then 15 minutes of medium running on a treadmill, 4.9 speed, 1.5 incline. Followed by 2 minute cool down. I was winded, but felt good.

Here I go again on this road

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:32:00 +0000

10 years ago, I was a lean, healthy, active young(er) man with almost no body fat. I loved working out, going to the gym, climbing, and all that fun stuff. Since then time — and two children — have taken their toll, and I now find myself overweight by about 40 pounds, with horrible eating habits, without having set foot in a gym in hardly six years. From talking to other parents, I know I'm not alone, and it also got me thinking about an idea.

Bay Area Kids magazine has teamed up with Club Sport San Ramon and we will be offering an online journal - through this blog - showing that it's possible to get fit while still having a full schedule and all the other challenges that come from being a parent.

We will be exploring nutrition, simple weight loss ideas, basic exercises, stretches, and more to help other parents out there get their health back. So stay tuned, it's going to get sweaty, but fun too!

Editor's Letter, August/September 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:19:00 +0000

Thirty Minutes to Go

"Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high
Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry."
-George Gershwin, "Summertime"

IT’S 6:30 AM on a monday morning. This magazine needs to be in the printer’s hands in half an hour. It’s a good time to rewrite the editor’s letter.

The original letter, while grammatically and logically sound, was at odds with the early morning sunshine peeping in the back sliding door. The message—that parenting was difficult but the rewards were worth it—was a bit too morose for the day. So I decided to rewrite it. I think this version is much better:

It’s summertime! Enjoy it along with your kids; it’ll be gone before you know it and you’ll wonder where the time went ... again. So go. Go outside. Roll in the grass. Run through the sprinkler. Look for birds. Feed the ducks. Jump in the lake. Jump in the pool. Sing silly songs. Wave at passing motorists. Build a lemonade stand. Buy ice cream with the profits from the lemonade stand. Get an extra scoop of ice cream. Make your own ice cream. Roast marshmallows. Sleep under the stars. Stay up later than usual. Tell stories in a tent. Take a train ride. Visit a ghost town. Go to the zoo and make funny faces at the monkeys. Make funny faces at each other. Make mud pies. Plant a garden. Wear pretty dresses and have an outdoor teddy bear tea party. Plan a pirate raid. Hunt for grass sharks in the backyard. Map out a treasure map. Design a scavenger hunt. Sit still and listen to nothing. Visit that one place you’ve always planned on going but haven’t yet. Be a tourist. Take pictures of strange people. Take pictures of bugs. Imitate your favorite bug. Ride a bike. Ride a surfboard. Go on a fishing boat. Rent a canoe, Rent a paddle boat. Learn to kayak. Visit the mountains. Visit the beach. Visit your neighbors. Go to a concert. Host an impromptu karaoke party. Sing in your best Ethel Merman voice. Laugh. Love.

Whatever you do, we hope you and your family have a fun, wonderful, memorable summer!

Oh, and one more thing ... don’t forget the sunscreen!

Happy Summer Day!

Everard G Strong, Publisher, Editor, and Father
estrong@bakidsmagazine.com

Water Ways: A Conservation Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:40:00 +0000

As I was prepping my family's dinner dishes for the dishwasher, it struck me that we — a collective "we" — are paying for what is, in essence one of the main necessities for our survival as a species. If we were really truly a land of the free, shouldn't free access to water in one's home be part of those basic liberties? So this got me pondering the idea of how to provide said free water even though the liquid itself is becoming something of an endangered species. As I ruminated, I came up with a general concept that I think might work.

This plan is based on a couple of presuppositions:
1. The average person uses roughly 80-100 gallons of water per day, or about 3,000 gallons/month, so a family of four (two adults, two tweens), consumes about 12,000 gallons/month.
2. This plan is based on the city level as that's on the level that I pay my water bill.

Here's the plan:
(a) The free part: Each household gets a free allotment of water use based on a formula of expected water usage for that household (based on number of people in the homes, ages, requirements, etc...). However, the formula will err toward the lower number, so people will get their daily requirement, but they'll have to start thinking about how their going to use it, and will shift their usage accordingly: shorter wash cycles, shorter showers, more efficient toilets, and so on. This formula is based on basic needs, so things like pools, hot tubs, spas, are not included.

(b) A tiered payment system: So let's say based on the above formula, my family (two adults, two young children) is alloted 240 gallons/day, or 7,200 gallons/month, and we've adjusted accordingly. But it's summer, and we want to fill our 400 gallon kiddie pool. Now is when paying for the water comes into play. We can either prepay for that month - like a prepaid credit card - based on our expected needs, or be billed according to how many gallons over we are. Or we really like our green lawn and don't mind paying the extra 200 gallons/month usage to keep it lush.

To incorporate all of these various ab0ve-and-beyond usage requirements, a payment plan would be devised based on a tiered system. For example, if you are over your requirements by say 5-200 gallons for one month, you pay a low per-gallon fee (which would actually be higher than our current rates). If you use between 201 and say 500 gallons (and these numbers are fabricated), you'd pay a slightly higher fee, and so on. At this stage, because rates would be higher than what we're paying now, the water company/companies would still be generating income. Let's face it, a typical family at some point is going to go over the limit. As a consumer, this will help me because if I know I will be using more water than usual (in the pool scenario), I can start budgeting ahead of time, or I can take advantage of a water credit system.

(c) Water credit system: Working on the same premise as the pay-as-you-go model, the credit system would reward you for going under your alloted use. So let's say that I manage to lower my water usage down to 2,000 gallons/month.

With those extra 400 gallons, I can either store them up for future usage (the pool in the summer), or I can return those unused credits back to the grid and receive a credit in the form of a refund or some other non-monetary reward system. Maybe there can even be a donation system where we can donate our unused water credits toward a local charity or something and get a credit/reward as well.

Obviously, for businesses, there would have to be a different model in place, but you could also provide a similar provision and formula for a business, rewarding them for creating a water-efficent working environment.

This system would work in several ways:
(a) As consumers, we would figure out how to make the most of our free alloted water and take steps to make those gallons last longer: more efficient toilets and showerheads, less frequent lawn watering (or re-planting our lawns with more drought-tolerant flora), washing clothes less frequently, and so on.
(b) Because there would be times when the average household would need to increase their water usage, income would be generated. Because these fees would be higher than they would otherwise be in our current situation, water companies would be recouping costs.
(c) Because water demand would drop, the amount of energy and resources needed by the water company to deploy this water would drop as well, lowering their costs in supplying the water.
(d) Cities benefit because the standard of living would improve, making the city more attractive for more people to come in, buy homes, and pay property taxes on those homes.

That's my plan. Phew, after all that, I need a drink. Of water, that is.

What do you think? Let me know your opinion or idea on how we can save water. Send us a note to editor@bakidsmagazine.com.

Mother's Day Claremont Hotel Overnight Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:37:00 +0000

Mother’s Day Overnight Renewal Package at the Claremont Hotel

One lucky Mom and her special guest will be pampered guests at the luxurious Claremont Hotel for one night of rest and relaxation as only they can provide. Their Spa Renewal Getaway package includes two 50-minute spa treatments, overnight accommodations in the Elite Spa Room, and unlimited use of the Hotel’s pools, fitness classes, gym, and more.
The winner will also receive a Boudoir Photography session ($225 value) courtesy Lani Allen Photography (www.laniallenphotography.com), a special Chloe and Jane gift set (www.chloeandjane.com) and an eyebrow makeover from La Di Da Lounge (http://www.ladidalounge.com/).

To Enter
Send your best hand-made Mother’s Day Card (and yes, Daddy can help) to the address below no later than May 9 (include your contact info):

Mother’s Day Contest
c/o Bay Area Kids magazine
P.O. Box 30442
Walnut Creek, CA 94595

One winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail or phone. All entries become property of Bay Area Kids magazine. Select entries may be posted online or in the magazine. Claremont gift certificate expires March 31, 2010. Good luck!

Five Christmas Classics (you've never heard before)

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:01:00 +0000

Holiday Jukebox

Tired of the same ol' Christmas "classics"? Are you ready to shoot your nearest relative when "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" comes on the radio? Do you swear you will take somebody out next time "I want to wish you a Merry Christmas (Feliz Navidad)" is played at the mall? Us too - that's why we searched high and low for new Yuletide classics: songs we guarantee won't mess with your inner wiring, even when your children are requesting you play it again ... for the fifteenth time.

And yes, this is a work in progress, so please send us your underground favorite songs to estrong@bakidsmagazine.com.

Happy Ho Ho Holidays!

1. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas. Originally released in 1953, this charming song (sung by 10 year old Gayla Peevey), will have your child singing along in no time.
2. Don’t Shoot Me Santa. Las Vegas’ the Killers serve up a South-of-the-Border plea to the Man with the Bag.
3. The 12 Pains of Christmas. Bob Rivers’ irreverent—and hilariously spot-on—summary of the holiday season.
4. Honky the Christmas Goose. Just saying the title makes you laugh. Funnier still, this 1965 ditty is sung by Johnny Bower, who used to play hockey for the Toronto Maple Leaves
5. Dominick the Christmas Donkey. "Hey! Chingedy ching,hee haw hee haw. It’s Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey." We kid you not.
BONUS TRACK:
6. Father Christmas (Give Me Your Money). The Kings sing about a Santa Claus bell-ringer getting mugged outside a general store by a bunch of kids.
For your listening pleasure. If you like your holiday music on the eccentric side, tune in your virtual radio to San Francisco-based Somafm.com, and click on their "Xmas in Frisko" station.

Give us your favorites! Send them to estrong@bakidsmagazine.com.

Songs about Getting Old

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:42:00 +0000

In honor of celebrating my 40th Birthday party (and remember kids, 40 is the new 30!), I decided to compile a list of songs about getting old. I would include some "classics" by Bob Dylan and such ... but I don't really like Bob Dylan and such. Also, after I put the list together, I realized a lot of these are kind of dark. My birthday's on Halloween, so go figure.

Feel free to add your own (send suggestions to estrong@bakidsmagazine.com)

(In no particular order):
1. Slit Skirts, Pete Townshend
"Slit skirts, Jeanie never wears those slit skirts,
I don't ever wear no ripped shirts,
Can't pretend that growing older never hurts."

2. In this Diary, The Atari's
"Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up.
These are the best days of our lives."

3. Not Another Cliche, Coward
"Come on, come on, I'm not another cliche
Come on, come on, I'll never be a cliche

4. Those were the Days, the Limeliters (though sung by many others)
"Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way"

5. This Train Don't Stop There Anymore, Elton John
"I used to be the main express, All steam and whistles heading west
Picking up my pain from door to door,
Riding on the storyline, Furnace burning overtime
But this train don't stop, This train don't stop, This train don't stop there anymore"

6. When I'm 64, The Beatles
"Will you still need me, will you still feed me,When I'm sixty-four."

7. Ride On, AC/DC
"Got another empty bottle,
And another empty bed,
Ain't too young to admit it,
And I'm not too old to lie
I'm just another empty head"

8. Too young too feel this damn old, Garth Brooks
"And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole
I'm much too young to feel this damn old"

9. Dream On, Aerosmith
"Every time I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone It goes by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way Everybody's got their dues in life to pay

10. Return to Oz, Scissor Sisters
"Once there was a man who had a little too much time on his hands.
He never stopped to think about getting older.
But when his night came to an end, he tried to grasp for his last friend
and pretend that he could wish himself health on a 4-leaf clover."

11. Dancing in the Ruins, Blue Oyster Cult
"It doesn't matter if we turn to dust;
Turn and turn and turn we must!
I guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!"

12. Closing Time, Leonard Cohen
"The whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the devil and once for Christ
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
we're busted in the blinding lights,
busted in the blinding lights of closing time"

13. Time, Chantal Kreviazuk
"Time, where did you go?
Why did you leave me here alone?
Wait, don't go so fast
I'm missing the moments as they pass
Now I've looked in the mirror and the worlds getting clearer
So wait for me this time."

14. A Pirate Looks at Forty, Jimmy Buffet
"Yes, I am a pirate, Two hundred years too late.
The cannons don't thunder,
there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over forty victim of fate; arriving too late
Arriving too late."

15. Forever Young, Alphaville
"It's so hard to get old without a cause
I don't want to perish like a fading horse
Youth's like diamonds in the sun
And diamonds are forever"

So now it's your turn, let me know what songs you'd like to add to this list (email all suggestions to estrong@bakidsmagazine.com) and I'll post them as I get 'em.

My solution for our economic slowdown

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Here's some very quick math: The Congress approved a $700 billion bailout plan. There are, according to the latest census count, about 228,889,959 citizens in the United States over the age of 18.

If instead of writing checks to big corporations for the $770 billion, which yes, might eventually trickle down to us at some point, they were to distribute that amount equally to every adult in this country, we'd each receive a check for $3,058 in the mail.

Now imagine how quickly this economy would spur ahead if we were each given an extra three grand to spend - on bills, on Christmas and Holiday gifts, home improvements, clothes, or vacations. I think we would see faster and bigger results this way than by bailing out multinational companies.

There, that's all I'm going to say on that.

In a galaxy far far away

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:18:00 +0000

Okay, one addendum to that last post about memories.

In the second box, under a bunch of other crap, I found a stack of comic books that I found to be worth over $600 - so that's nice. But, most important, I also found ... all my old Star Wars toys. For all you Star Wars geeks, that means the original Millenium Falcon and Star Destroyer playsets, and also a lot of the characters: Han Solo, Darth, C3PO, R2D2, Luke Skywalker, Chewie, and so on.

Even better, I brought all of these out for my daughter to see, and she went nuts (my son did too, but mostly he was excited because he just found some new chew toys).

So naturally, I figured it was time to introduce her to the Star Wars movie. It was a proud moment to sit on that couch with my arm around my daughter, watching the opening scroll. We bypassed some of the more gruesome moments, but overall, a success.

Boxed in memories

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

My parents recently moved to California from the Midwest and along with their furniture, they also brought a bunch of boxes that were, according to my mom, full of my junk. These boxes were gleefully unloaded on my front porch, as my parents were pretty happy to unload themselves of the extra baggage.

So I lugged the mystery boxes into the living room and into a corner, where I basically ignored them for a couple of days, not ready to delve into what could be lurking behind those cover flaps.

Finally, however, curiosity got the better of me, and armed with an exacto knife in one hand, and a glass of cabernet in the other, sat down in front of the first one, took a deep breath ... and coughed my lungs out. That's a lot of dust!

I am not one that keeps "things" around for very long. Photos, old projects, things that others might cherish as memories from long ago - every two years I cleanse my life of a lot of these things, not because of the bad memories, but because I need to make space for newer junk. Looking back I probably threw some sentimental objects out that I would have cherished down the line, but then again, if these objects aren't around to arouse my sentimentality, I won't miss it either.

Looking through these boxes, however, I realized that my parents were quite the opposite. Inside I found papers and art projects from my youth that, though now as a parent I can see they probably kept, are not things I want or want around. Old art pieces from when I was six? Why would I want those - so I can look back and see how far my talents have brought me? Wow, I was a really bad artist back then, but look at me now?

There were also some old compositions I wrote for Freshmen lit class. Really? Do I need to look back at my attempts at poetry and romantic stories that were thinly veiled autobiographical accounts of my schoolgirl crushes? Hmmmm .... nope.

Some of the stuff - yearbooks and college directories - are great because I can Google classmates and find out how far they've come (or not - for some reason many of these people can't be Googled at all, so either they're off the grid, or doing things in their life that don't merit a Google hit.)

I know many people will say But those are your memories, you can't just toss those away! Someday you'll look back at it all, or be able to show it to your grandchildren. To which I say No, I won't look back at most of it, because most of it isn't worth looking back at. It's the same for a lot of our memories and past experiences. Sure they shaped us into what we are today, but that doesn't mean they all need to be remembered or cherished. Their job is done, it's time to move on.

Where is all the good news

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:07:00 +0000

Is it the media's job to report the news, or to actually create the news? I get the feeling more and more that it's the latter - I feel like we're in an endless cycle of bad news begetting bad news begetting bad news - which yes, I do feel affects our day-to-day outlooks and spending habits.

This has become more evident with the reporting on the current economy. If you were to read the papers and listen to NPR, you'd get the feeling that we were in a major catastrophic recession and everyone should run to the hills now because The End is Near! Run! Ahhhhh! No, don't pack your things, just go now! Not only that but we are in an eminent global fuel shortage.

And here's where I get miffed: going home after picking up the two tots from daycare, I pass by several gas stations - and guess what? Gas prices have come down. A lot. One gas station has it posted for $3.39/gallon, and a friend told me that it's down to $3.29 a gallon in Vallejo.

$3.39 a gallon! That's about 70 cents lower than it was only three months ago, or about $8.40 savings each time you fill up a 12 gallon tank! It's almost to the levels they were about a year ago. If we ever needed a sign of recovery, I would think this would be it. And yet, I hear nothing - nothing - about this in the news at all. In fact, the media is still preaching that we're in the middle of a fuel crises.

So here we are in a recession, and yet gas prices are still dropping. The media should be all over this: "Look America, it's okay to leave your house again! You got rid of the SUV, so fill up your mid-sized sedan and take your family places! Go out to eat, go to the national parks, go to faraway lands. Visit places, spend money, be free!"

Daddy was (not) a punk

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 05:06:00 +0000

I never was into punk rock - I guess I had too happy of a childhood. Until now.

It started because my old job was in Tracy, and I started listening to the Adam Carolla show (and yes, I had a bit of a crush on his co-star, Theresa Strasser) in the mornings. The problem was that whatever station he was out of in the East Bay, the signal would fizzle when I crossed the Altamont Pass.

(Trivia: do you realize that the Altamont Freeway, which is like 5 minutes passed the pass towards Tracy is where the Rolling Stones had their [in]famous Altamont concert? Rock history in our own backyards.)

So anyways, I found that they were also broadcasting the show on Sacramento's 106.5 KWOD, and the signal is strong enough that I can listen to it all the way to Oakland, and I think even into the city of San Francisco itself.

The station is mostly a music station, so I found myself listening to them even after Adam went off the air, and on the drive home. At first I was a bit put off, because they were playing the kind of music that I had been avoiding. I think it started when I heard Linkin Park's "Numb" (the video features actress Briana Evigan, better known as the hot dance star from Step Up 2 the Streets, which, btw, has an incredible soundtrack) that I started to pay more attention, and then I started really liking the Foo Fighters and getting into their whole catalog.

So now, I'm a KWOD music junkie, which also, by proxy, means I'm turning into a punk/rock/emo junkie. Their playlist is amazing, and if you're missing out on some fresh music, turn your car radio to 106.5 and give it a couple of days.

Here are some of my favorite new groups/songs (and the more I play them around my children, the more I find them dancing along too - and yes, I make sure there are no questionable lyrics):

The Killers. These guys, out of Las Vegas, are becoming one of my favorite bands just in general, with "Can You Read My Mind" being one of my favorite ever songs, but their newest single, Human, is a great 80s dance throwback while still having a wonderful melody line.
MGMT. Their song "Time to Pretend" took me several listens to really like, but now I can't stop pressing the Repeat button on the iPod. If you like Bowie's Ziggy days, you'll like MGMT.
Against Me. Their song "Thrash/Unreal" is one of those raw, emotional "us against the world" numbers backed by a really poppy score.
Fall out Boy. I avoided this band for a long time, thinking them an overnight fad, but the more I listened to "Thanks for the Memories" the more I couldn't help liking them. Plus, their cover of Michael Jackson's Beat it is just hilarious, and Petey, the guitar player, is a deadringer for a very young Marlon Brando. On stage, they remind me of the Who meets the Monkees. They have a new album out.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Beyond having what could be considered the best name of all time for a group, the Bay Area group is actually a composite of several punk bands who get together to do upbeat "punk" versions of everything from Broadway numbers to 70s schlock to 80s disco to country. Their version of "I Believe I can Fly" is better than the original. Great party music.

That's it for now, more available upon demand.

Sweet Ginger Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Bay Area Kids magazine) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:25:00 +0000

I've been out of commission for a while - was laid out for almost two weeks with a nasty cold/virus/lung thing that refused to go away. I'm not one of those types who suffers silently - I'm all about modern medications - so at the first sign of something going wrong I'm perusing the local Cold/Flu aisle at Safeway, Long's, and Walgreens.

I realize that I should have been a good boy and father figure and gone to my doctor's right away, but I rationalized that by the time I got an appointment, got the antibiotics and took them long enough to take effect, the virus would have run its course anyway, right?

Apparently, since I'm still coughing, I was wrong. But now I'm so far into it that the idea of going to the doctor's really seems unjustified.

So anyway, I have these coughing fits that leave me a wreck, and I've been trying everything to soothe the savage lung, but nothing was working: lozenges, Dayquil, special teas. Nothing was working. However I remembered that a couple of years ago a friend told me his mom used to give him a steeped ginger and honey infusion that would alleviate his coughing for a long time.

So at first I tried to find some ginger tea, but saw nothing, and finally grabbed some ginger roots and went home, cut some up, and through it into a cup with a tad bit of honey and lots of hot water and let it sit for about five minutes (covered). The results were ... amazing. I could feel my lungs and throat relax almost immediately, and even my sinuses started opening up. So there you go, the cure for the common cold. I have to figure out how to prep this so that my kids will drink it come cold season - perhaps I need a bit more honey, or maybe I'll use a spoonfull of sugar. Hey, it worked for Mary Poppins, right?