tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:44:08 +0000sculpturesenior ballDanny NunezEdward CullenMonterey Bay AquariumStanley Middle SchoolLindsay Wildlife MuseumDelaine EastinHowe Homestead ParkBarry GroveNation's Giant Hamburger'svampireGeletaria NaiaRichard GereArts and CultureSpecial EventsDiane LaneCurtis MartinPottery Barn KidsThe Frugal FindMaegan MundiMarianne Paynerhinocerosstory polespetsChristmas dayHead ducnkingIronhorse TrailCougarsbirth control pillKKKweatherContra Costa Musical TheatreGayle VassarW.H. Audendowntown entertainment sceneHospice of the East BayCity of Walnut CreekMiramonte HighAPI scoresContra Costa Crisis CenterMark LittonBig townMatinez Detention FacilityMichael Smithcarjackingsuburban lawnsZ GallerieAcalanes School Districtteen partybanality of evilAnna Chanmessy prankVeniceNejedlyAnthony WoodsThe Lemon LadySufism Reorientedholiday shoppingConcord HiltonInvasion of the Body Snatchersautomated parkingaurachild sex abuseThe RoadEast Bay Regional Parks Districtgun violenceLark Creek Walnut Creekrainy morningSouthwest AirlinesCentury Downtown Walnut CreekLesher CenterContra Costa County Sheriff's DepartmentProp. 8 debateQuote o' the DayhttpAlex MehranDick Nicollpedestrian walkwaysMark McGwireSTDsLocal mediaCalifornia Poppy DayAlmond LoftsPacific InstitutebobsledrainbowKelli NunezContra Costa County Health DepartmentsidewalksAl Abramssanctuary projectHal Equities GroupSeason Affective DisorderHeather FarmSuburban CrimeTop Pop Culture Reference to Suburbiacuban cigarsSleep Train Pavilionmusic teachersWalnut Creek Community Development DepartmentPho Saigon NoodlesCaltransbirtthdayAlmond/Shueycardiac care unitDesign Review CommissionDudumZheng LongCommunity caringDepartment of EducationSteve LeshershoesSan Ramon CreekKevin DegnanWalnut Creek Masters SwimTales of Walnut CreekShadowbrook WinerydiversityBernard Madoff auctionDaniel AvanesyanMarie KalamantisBedford GalleryBent Spook MediaPatty WoolWalnut Creek IntermediateShell Gas StationHal JewettWalnut Creek librarycar wash fundraisers1515 RestaurantRuth Bancroft Gardenpink slipselection dayBrian HymaNorthgate High studentCo-opdisciplineBrian CopelandfoundationJohannes MehserleIn-N-OutDe Anza Collegesocial mediaBurberrysports fieldsSchools and Kidsroad closureEd SkroogStephanie MeyersBARTCalifornia Highway PatrolContra Costa Department of EducationThomas JeffersonMary PiephoInsanity defenseParentingsex educationroadworkLaShun CrossWalnut Creek Open Space FoundationChamber of CommerceSaranapWalnut Creek Chamber of CommerceCenter for Disease Control and PreventionMatthew RunteMt. 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Mark PerliteCivic Park555YVRmurder-suicideWalnut Creek City Hallschool arts fundingemergency room visitGeneral PlanJack DudumPrima RistoranteStephen Hinshawcustomer complaintsOak Grove IntermediateFoothill Middle SchoolStephen ColbertTaubmandowntown Walnut CreekTodd HagerA Christmas CarolYgnacio Valley LibraryKevin CollinsKQED QuestCoco Swirlvalet parkingPaul SequeiraGilbert DoubetNorthgate RoadAcalanes Union High School DistrictSteven LawrenceOrinda soccer momContra Costa County librariesJohn Cummins24 Hour FitnessSt. Louis CardinalsSave Our SaranapBing Crosby'sRobert Kochlyindecent exposureNorma AlsterliEconomyComcastContra Costa County Animal ServicesclosureRecreation and Open Space CommissionSunriseDSM-IVChristianitynarcoticsgunmanThe Big Lebowskibank robberyJaycee DugardMissing manMacerichtransportationElizabeth Strattonassault with a deadly weaponCell Phone BankKindle iPadclass sizesGrey Goose vodkaAmazon.comOpen spaceSusan PratherContra Costa Times watchDaniel HorowitzParking GarageEast Bay Homework Blogbikini car wash fundraisersLawrence Beamandebt ceilingJoseph MagninKitty GenoveseSan Juan CapistranoIMFHomeworkBethany BrownAlmond BungalowsSummer FunThe China SyndromeBrian HymanLeonidasMichael JordanContra Costa Board of SupervisorsLa Russafrozen yogurtdowtown parkingstate Alcoholic Beverage ControlAcalanes High SchoolHeather Farm Dog ParkIlene Misheloff1515 restaurant and loungeWalnut Creek magazineschizoaffective disorderShadelands DriveNutshellgrafittistormsparking tokensWalnut Creek Planning CommissionIn the NutshelldreamSex and the City 2Selma Kingpharmacy robbery7-Eleven robberySullyCapital Improvement ProgramPenelope CruzMehserleWB YeatsCinco de MayomarijuanaBaja FreshChinese flagbudget cutsJoseph LoudonContra Costa Consolidated Fire districtContra Costa CountyHome ChefFather's DayAcalanes Open Spaceguest writerPartiesCenter Repertory CompanyHolly MadisonCafe Delle StelleJames HoganProzacHIVDe Young museumWalnut CreekMedical marijunajewelry storeWhite ChristmasOlympic BoulevardContra Costa County Academic DecathlonChesley SullenbergerJulie ChenYVR555mothers who killcircumsionPacific OceanDowntown Business Associationempty storefrontsalcohol abuseCity CenterAnn CainEast Bay DazeRainFleming's Prime SteakhouseViggo MortensenOakland diocesedetergent suicidesWalnut Creek Library FoundationChevron gas stationtraffic accidentRacismJohn T. NejedlySuperintendent Patty WoolAlcohol Task ForceLou Ellen BurleighRetailKidsreadersCoffee housesSchool safetyContra Costa Community Development Block Grant ConsortiumLocal heroesexposing selfzoning adminstratorCD-19Kris BonfilJerry Leiberstate parksconcrete batch plantScott WeinbergPrimaryFresh Start Walnut CreekBroadway Parking GaragewerewolfRAMPARTMedical marijuanaChristmas treeElizabeth GilbertOakland BoulevardFrench LaundryEverest StudyTrevor TonsingVirginia MyerContra Costa TimesBuena Vista Neighborhood GroupDiablo Artscommunity conversationsSurvivorBlackhawk PlazaFrosting Bake Shopparental abductionWalnut Creek visionHarold JewettCrazy in Suburbiasuicidal manworker dissatisfactionWalnut Creek PatchGary PokornyScratching beneath the shiny, happy surface of a California suburbhttp://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)Blogger1204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-6374650037159519278Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:02:00 +00002012-01-29T11:29:45.526-08:00This was posted early Sunday morning on the Walnut Creek Police Association's Facebook page: It was yet another violent Saturday night downtown. Officers responded to several different disturbances around bar closing time. One subject was badly beaten in the parking garage above Lark Creek restaurant. He was transported to the emergency room and two people were arrested for assault with http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/another-night-of-fighting-in-downtown.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-5896820474559874345Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:25:00 +00002012-01-26T07:28:07.640-08:00 Dava Alizabeth-Ann Steen is likely to have some 15 minutes of fame -- or notoriety -- with the release of her booking photo following her arrest over the weekend in connection with the Nov. 25 death of her 47-year-old boyfriend. Let's just say that Steen doesn't look her best in the photo. I mean, who does? But Steen ... .It kind of makes me wish the County Jail would offer some pre-booking http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/mug-shot-most-likely-to-go-viral.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-1885496856482319319Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:16:00 +00002012-01-24T06:16:39.215-08:00Yesterday, on my Facebook page I posted a link to a story about 49ers Kyle Williams getting threats via social media following his fumbles in the NFC championship game against the New York Giants.  I said there should be a place in hell for fans who would go so far as to threaten a player and his family over mistakes he made in what is just a game. A friend followed up my Facebook post to tell http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/with-fans-like-these-maybe-49s-deserved.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-7770214504332862305Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:23:00 +00002012-01-24T07:56:52.124-08:00 Over the past few years, I've posted a number of stories about Walnut Creek's  night life, here on Crazy in Suburbia and on Walnut Creek Patch. There have been the stories about fights breaking out, usually in front of a few well-known spots that we can pretty much refer to as The Usual Suspects.  Their names pop up often enough in the police log and in press reports. These establishments http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/walnut-creek-tackles-its-night-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-8907356960629312629Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:50:00 +00002012-01-22T13:06:58.744-08:00 When I was in 8th grade, I went to pass a ball in a co-ed PE soccer game. I charged and kicked hard at the ball with my right leg. I don't know if my foot reached the ball but it connected with the limb of a boy on the opposing team. Down he went, screaming and rolling over in pain. The P.E. teachers saw that something very bad had happened and called the paramedics.  That PE class was on a http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/guilt-shame-remorse-how-do-we-go-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-3093381377780271319Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:28:00 +00002012-01-16T15:28:26.386-08:00 <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/wolves-in-fold-school-employees.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-8795676532069542311Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:13:00 +00002012-01-09T12:09:00.820-08:00In the fourth outbreak of fighting in and around downtown bars in little over a month, a private party reportedly taking place at the Shiro Restaurant and Lounge early Sunday morning got out of hand. Someone was robbed, sparking a fight big and rough enough to prompt Walnut Creek police to call for backup from the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol. During the http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/officers-assaulted-multiple-arrests-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-7764187370369529777Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:58:00 +00002012-01-06T12:07:27.870-08:00 Maybe like a lot of people, I read with surprise and alarm the initial details about how, early on New Year's Day, a 21-year-old Walnut Creek man died after being hit by a California Highway Patrol officer while walking in South Lake Tahoe.  Getting hit by a CHP vehicle while he was just out walking?  How unlikely is that? Well, in reading past the first paragraph of the various news http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/walnut-creek-mans-death-points-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-3204118268987199354Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:07:00 +00002012-01-05T09:21:20.398-08:00 Maybe there are a number of people around town who celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas, Twelfth Night and the Epiphany. These are concepts of which I was largely ignorant until looking them up a few hours ago. Driving home from work last night and tonight I saw every fifth or sixth house on streets in and around my neighborhood still displaying Christmas light and reindeer and Santa http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/hanging-on-to-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-2317676558538876007Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:10:00 +00002012-01-04T09:01:57.346-08:00Got emotional baggage? Don't we all? Feel sad sometimes, lost, disappointed, full of regrets? Yeah, I do. Sorry, to keep going on in this vein. But hey, that's the way it is. I have an assignment to work on mine. It's an exercise my therapist has given me. It is, as he explains, a way to help me say good bye to and moved past the unfinished emotional issues surrounding relationships or http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2012/01/grief-relief.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-693836711690969899Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:34:00 +00002011-12-29T13:34:16.108-08:00Peet's Coffee and Tea was no longer selling pumpkin, eggnog and gingerbread flavored lattes when I stopped in Wednesday evening. So, I guess the Christmas season 2011 is over.  Further evidence that we're swiftly moving in 2012? At the downtown Walnut Creek Safeway Thursday, I spotted a cardboard shelf holding bins of Easter-themed Cadbury creme eggs, in their distinctive blue and gold foil http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/easter-is-coming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-9062140117302073801Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:04:00 +00002011-12-24T09:04:45.630-08:00 'Tis the season, truly, to deal with all the ghosts of Christmas and of life. Who knew? While I have always loved the holiday season, I've had the blues this year. They've been coming with waves of nostalgia, memories, reflection and regrets. Anything and everything triggers the nostalgia, that bittersweet yearning for the past. All the Christmas songs extolling this most beautiful time ofhttp://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-nostagia-blues.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-4561711729040467519Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:49:00 +00002011-12-23T07:49:18.531-08:00 Police arrested a 44-year-old custodian with the Mt. Diablo Unifed School District on charges he molested a child, according to a news release.  John A. Astor was arrested at his home 7 p.m. Thursday at his home in the 500 block of Jones Place. Walnut Creek police had gone there to serve a search warrant and to investigate a complaint that he had engaged in lewd acts with a child under 14. http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/walnut-creek-custodian-arrested.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-5408863536974502403Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:10:00 +00002011-12-27T14:07:56.907-08:00It's now a dusky  looking building that appears empty, except for a shelf of file folders visible through one of the darkened windows. But back in the day, the late '80s and early '90s, California Cafe on North California Boulevard was the hip place in town to dine. It showcased what was becoming known as "California cuisine," the informally haute style of food preparation and presentation http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-development-could-replace-one-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-6166226940185700964Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:21:00 +00002011-12-16T17:25:45.796-08:00 The probe into the death of a 47-year-old Hayward man has led to a shift in crime scenes, jurisdictions, investigating agencies and suspects. Walnut Creek police took over the case from Contra Costa County Sheriff's detectives after learning that Jeffrey Mead Patterson didn't die at the San Miguel Drive property where his body was found Monday evening but at an address on Oak Knoll Loop. The http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/revolving-suspects-in-homicide-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-4326422683374781319Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:14:00 +00002011-12-13T11:14:36.746-08:00Another homicide took place in southeast Walnut Creek, with the death Monday night of a 48-year-old Hayward man whose body was found at the San Miguel Drive home of the suspected killer. Walnut Creek Patch and the Contra Costa Times are reporting that the killing took place in unincorporated Walnut Creek at the far south end of San Miguel Drive. At about 7:12 p.m., deputies responded to a http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/homicide-in-walnut-creek.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-9138576154461921419Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:20:00 +00002011-12-06T08:25:47.914-08:00 <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/cat-sleep.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-8088240019711208032Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:32:00 +00002011-12-05T16:56:08.832-08:00Danville Patch's David Mills asks a very intriguing question of people who live in Alamo: where do they do their serious shopping? Do these Alamo-ites, many with nice disposable incomes, head south to Danville or north to Walnut Creek? I mean, let's face it: Alamo is a bit limited. It has the basics: a CVS, a Safeway and a hardware store. But beyond that? Walnut Creek is a major shopping http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/walnut-creek-or-danville-if-you-live-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-4339255866545128371Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:53:00 +00002011-12-05T09:16:42.379-08:00 Five people were arrested Saturday night in connection with two separate "grab and run" thefts from Broadway Plaza department stores, with two customers in the second case helping to tackle a suspect trying to steal high-end purses from Nordstrom. The first theft occurred at about 6:30 p.m. at H&M department store, Walnut Creek police said. A Walnut Creek police officer driving on Broadway nearhttp://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-thieving-season-has-begun.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-3926877809593845339Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:51:00 +00002011-12-03T13:07:43.018-08:00It's called Beyond the Creek, and its publisher, Adam Silverman, is someone like a lot of us who spends time in downtown, takes note of what's new and what's changing and thinks it is all pretty interesting. Silverman wants to share those observations--and photos--and get a dialogue going. According to the site's About page, "Beyond the Creek covers the latest news and happenings in Walnut http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/introducing-new-walnut-creek-blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-2179953375535928138Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:03:00 +00002012-01-18T09:01:13.390-08:00 <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/12/fundamental-showdown-when-church-group.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-8095541872278131062Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:48:00 +00002011-11-29T06:19:56.650-08:00Over the past month or so, I came across some interesting data from two local public school districts that educate high school students in Walnut Creek, as well as in Lamorinda and the San Ramon Valley. It seems that an increasing number of graduates from the Acalanes Union High School District -- which includes Walnut Creek's Las Lomas High -- and from the San Ramon Valley Unified District are http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/11/are-tuition-hikes-at-state-universities.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-6163986783644590913Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:21:00 +00002011-11-28T09:50:59.326-08:00 "She knows that even if God is dead, you're still going to kiss his ass." --Tony Soprano to his son A.J., who on the eve of his confirmation has been reading too much Nietzsche, and questioning his mother's Catholic faith and the whole issue of God and faith in general. I have finally started watching the groundbreaking TV series, The Sopranos, more than 10 years after it premiered and four http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/11/quote-o-day-relating-to-god.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239044155809741001.post-7853880247820818273Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +00002011-11-28T07:46:01.701-08:00We recently received the first of many "explanation of benefits" from my HMO, regarding my emergency trip to John Muir Medical Center. As I explained in a previous blog post, the emergency room staff and a cardiologist quickly diagnosed me as having an irregular heartbeat that was causing me to suddenly collapse and lose consciousness. I went into the hospital on Sunday, October 23. I http://crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-155000-and-counting-pacemaker.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martha Ross, AKA Soccer Mom)5