A Knots Landing Block Party

Once upon a time, there was a period in my life (like 15 years ago) when I actually watched television and was aware of what shows were popular.

Currently, I only use my TV to watch DVD’s.

It’s as if my total interest in television has flatlined.

I think the last time I consistently watched TV was when Golden Girls and Designing Women were on.

What? Was that back in the 80’s and 90’s?

Oh….and don’t laugh, I also watched all the nighttime soaps like, Dallas, Dynasty and Falcon Crest.

However, my absolute favorite was Knots Landing.

I was so addicted to this show, that my entire life revolved around 10:00 Thursday nights. I even told a director who had cast me in a show one time, that I could NOT rehearse past 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays because I HAD to be home to watch Knots Landing, pronto!

Wasn’t I a DIVA?

You should have seen how I reacted as each season came to a cliffhanging closing, and then had to wait all summer to find out what happened. I bit my fingernails for TWO months!

And you should have seen how incapacitated I became when the show finally went off the air. I lost my will to LIVE.

I can still remember how on Thursday nights I'd invite some friends over, and at 9:45 we'd fire up a doobie and catch a buzz just before the Knots Landing theme song started.

The great thing about Knots Landing was that it had the best storylines. It was a show that people could identify with because it was about things that happened to normal, everyday people.

It also had some if the greatest actors like, Julie Harris, William Devane and Michele Lee.

Earlier this week while rummaging through some old VHS tapes (YES…I STILL HAVE VHS TAPES), I came across something I had taped a long time ago. It was the Knots Landing final episode, and a special feature which included a Knots Landing Block Party. All the main characters sat around the cul-de-sac; telling stories of what it was like being on the show for FOURTEEN years.

I was instantly transported to another time, and got that wonderful excited feeling in my stomach as I had each night while watching the show - memories of how that show effected even the fashion and style of the times.

Back then, I was still a licensed cosmetologist, and can’t tell you HOW MANY clients would come into my salon with photos of either Donna Mills, Joan Van Ark or Lisa Hartman; asking if I could make their hair and makeup look like them.

WTF? Did they think I was the great David Copperfield?

EVERYONE wanted their eye makeup to look like Donna Mills.

EVERYONE wanted that blonde wispy-look like Joan Van Ark.


And if they couldn’t have Joan Van Arks' hair, Lisa Hartmans' spiral perm was their next choice.

Yes, those where the days my friends. The days when Ronnie was coiffing hair and still watching TV; anticipating all summer long those tormenting cliffhangers…..

Myxer: Privacy Policy Terms - More from The TV Theme Players

*click preview to hear the Knots Landing theme song


Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

X

115 Degrees In The Shade

Okay, I haven’t officially shared my annual "I Hate Summer Because I Hate To Be Hot" post yet, so here it is…..

Actually, it hasn’t been too-too bad this summer up until last week. Friday, the heat index reached a WHOPPING 115 degrees, and the humidity was so THICK I needed an oxygen tank and nitroglycerin to stay alive.

And can I just tell you something?

I was in so much physical pain, I would have almost rather been eaten alive by Hannibal Lecter.

The city was like a flaming furnace - my skin felt as if it was literally on fire!

Now I know how my cousins’ Barbie doll felt when I tried to cram her into an Easy-Bake Oven to see if she would bake into a cookie.

I'll tell ya, Barbie doll karma payback is a bitch!

As I was strolling down the streets on Friday, there wasn’t a single soul walking who wasn’t dripping in sweat and GROANING. I could even hear pedestrians on their cell phones, pleading, “I can’t believe how hot it is….I DYING!”

I finally got some relief when I walked into Barnes & Noble and bogarted their A/C by grabbing something to eat and drink in their café. I selected a few books off the shelf and then sat myself on the floor in a cool and secluded corner of the store.

Aaaaaaah!

However, my cool seclusion didn’t last too long because I was sitting by the restroom doors watching countless sweaty people walking by; using the bathroom sink to take a sponge bath.

I kid you not!

Anyhow, I hate this heat more than I hate eating Brussels sprouts, liver, or cilantro. I'm someone who is naturally energetic, but the heat just wipes that out of me. I can’t wait until the fall gets here so I can wear my turtlenecks and jackets, and not have to consume 100 gallons of water everyday so I can replenish all the H2O I’ve sweated out of body. I feel like an unquenchable CAMEL!

Look, I don’t mind sweating but I would rather it be from doing the nasty with Tom Ford, then from this heinous summer heat.

I would like to conclude this post by sharing a short video I created last weekend.

This is the first time I’ve created a video using my new camera and Windows Movie Maker. And holy cow....what a looooooong learning experience that was - YIKES!

Without further ado, I give you….Hot Summer In Philly!

Stay COOL, peeps!

Crime Doesn't Always Pay

Living in this city for 10 years, I’ve seen a lot of crime.

And by a lot, I mean excessive.

I’ve witnessed people come into my store and literally grab four fragrance gift sets off the counter and then run out the door. And this happens anywhere from 2-4 times a day.

Some of these people are caught by security, but MANY get away free and clear.

I could tell you a lot about the crime I’ve witnessed, but I would like to share a particular story concerning a crime I saw earlier this week, that will BLOW you away.

First, allow me to share with you that Philadelphia is one of the most crime-ridden and violent cities I have ever lived in, however that’s not something most Philadelphians care to admit. Philadelphia is a very angry, paranoid, and highly segregated city. And each segregated area believes that Philadelphia belongs to them, and THEM only. Philadelphia doesn't know how to coexist under one roof and prosper as a unit. And yet, as a visitor, when you look at how beautiful and charming this city is you wouldn‘t think it. That’s because all the anger, paranoia and segregation is hidden underneath. But trust me, not only was I born here, I currently live in Philadelphia, therefore I SEE what goes on behind the image of The City of Brotherly Love. The crime and violence in this city has nothing to do with the economy and people desperate for food because those are not the one’s who are stealing. It has to do with the people who have always been angry at life because they fear growth and evolution - they fear a change in consciousness. And they steal and act violent because they somehow think they're entitled because of their unhappiness at life.

Allow me to interject here, that I applaud the police force of Philadelphia because they have a lot to deal with. And they’re also the nicest and most helpful police force ever. So, thank you Philadelphia Police Force!

Tuesday, I witnessed an attempted robbery.

I was walking down Walnut Street close to the corner of Broad Street, when I suddenly heard a woman’s voice scream, “STOP THAT MAN! STOP THAT MAN! HE JUST STOLE MY IPHONE!”

And as I focused on what was going on about 25 feet in front of me, I saw the woman who was probably about 70 years old RUNNING after this man. Yes, RUNNING!

All pandemonium broke loose. People on the street and sidewalks were trying to trip the thief in an attempt to stop him, but he kept getting way. The next thing I saw was the thief running down a subway entrance, and this 70-year old woman running down after him!

As I hurried closer to Broad Street, I saw the thief running UP the subway stairs on the opposite side of the street. Which means he ran underground, assuming he was going to get away by exiting on the other side.

Well…it just so happens there were policemen patrolling underground who must of seen this thief running so they ran after him. And all the while this 70-year old woman was running too, screaming, “STOP THAT MAN! STOP THAT MAN! HE STOLE MY IPHONE!”

As I crossed the street, I saw one of the policemen grab this guy and throw him face down onto the sidewalk. The guy resisted by trying to get up….when all of sudden the policeman WHIPPED out his gun and pointed it at him with BOTH hands, yelling, “STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!”

Now, here’s the greatest ending…..

This 70-year old woman, reached down into the thief’s hand and grabbed her iPhone, holding it high in the sky, exclaiming, “YES!….I GOT IT BACK…I GOT IT BACK….THANK YOU, POLICEMAN!”

OMG…you should have heard me! I was clapping and cheering, “YOU GO, GIRL!!!!!!”

Here are some photographs I got while the arrest was taking place. I apologize that some of these images are blurring, but I wasn’t even focusing. I just kept snapping.

You GO, girl!

Yup.....crime doesn’t always pay, does it?

Have a glorious weekend everyone!

X

Monday Morning Eye Candy

Today, I thought I’d brighten your Monday morning by sharing a bit of ‘eye candy’ whilst sipping your coffee or tea, and eating your toast.

Being a Libra, I can’t help but contain the one characteristic that prevails my astrological sign…

…we enjoy looking at pretty things.

And one of those things is physical beauty.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not someone who is ONLY attracted to what someone looks like. On first glance I‘ve seen many attractive individuals, however after actually getting to know them they somehow became very unattractive. You know what I mean?

Yet, I can’t help but be completely honest and say that my eyes definitely check out someone who I feel is initially attractive.

Like, say, someone I may see on the street who makes my head turn; getting a severe case of whiplash.

Oh come on….we’ve ALL done that, haven’t we?

I realize, that what I find attractive may not necessarily be what someone else sees as attractive because we’re all different.

As I’ve posted in the past, my physical type is very eclectic. I’ve been attracted to and dated tall, short, lightweight, heavyweight, and all nationalities and cultures.

I have no static type because let’s face it….our tastes change as we change.

What I thought was attractive back when I was in my late 20’s and early 30’s, is nothing like what I’m attracted to now.

Also, it’s not only what someone looks like, it’s more about the ‘whole package.’ The ‘aura’ they exude.

The only thing that often remains the same for my attraction, is that I prefer someone who is ‘seasoned’ in their looks.

Kinda like a bottle of wine. The older they get, the better they taste.

*pun intended

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been attracted to age. When I was younger, I loved hanging out with the grown-ups because most kids my age bored me to tears - both physically and intellectually. Overall, I found older people more attractive.

Age to me, whether it be male or female, is sexy. And not only on a physical level, but there is often a certain quiet confidence and contentment that comes with age, a surrender, which I also find sexy.

So, here are some people who in my eyes, are sexy eye candy….

Clive Owen


Julianne Moore

Javier Bardem

Vanessa Williams

Ed Harris

Susan Sarandon

Daniel Craig

Anne Archer

Ooops…..sorry, didn’t mean to put this one in!

David Beckham

Oh well....enjoy the candy.

Thank You, Marsha Mason

Perhaps some of you may not know who the hell I’m talking about in this post, because Marsha Mason is one of the most underrated and unused actresses in Hollywood.

And it’s a damn shame….because she’s freakin’ faaaaaaaaaabulous!


I first fell in love with her talent back in the late 70’s, when she starred with Richard Dreyfuss in the movie The Goodbye Girl. If you’ve never seen the film, please rent it because it’s a charming love story that’s also a very funny comedy. I actually own it, along with several of her other films.

My own personal favorite is, Only When I Laugh.

I believe the brilliance in Marsha Mason’s acting comes from the fact that she simply throws herself into a role. And becomes.

She can do comedy as well as drama. And well.

I followed her career for ages, and then she suddenly disappeared. I later discovered that she moved away from Hollywood and started an herb ranch in New Mexico.

Back in the late 90’s while I was still living in Florida, I found she had written a book. Not a book about acting, but rather a book about her personal and spiritual search for enlightenment. At the time, I was going through the same thing so her journey utterly enthralled me.

I know this may sound strange, but by reading her book I realized why I had admired her for so long. Not only for her talent, but more so because I saw that she and I came from the same place when it pertained to our spiritual search. I truly think that’s why I have always felt so attracted to her on the screen. I can feel HER.

In 2001, when I moved back to the north east, I went through some tremendous challenges. My life literally fell apart, only to later realize that my life was falling together. I was scared and lost, so for some reason I picked up Marsha Mason’s book and reread it. And I can’t tell you how much it helped me.

I then wrote her letter, not knowing if she would ever receive it or even respond. I mailed it to the publishers of the book and asked them to forward it to her. In the letter, I told her that I had admired her onscreen work for so long and was a huge fan. I also told her that I read her book and how much it had helped me through a very rough time in my life.

So, off I sent the letter, eventually forgetting about it.

However….

….six months later when I opened my mailbox, there sat a letter from MARSHA! MASON!

I could barely open the envelope without wanting to tear into it, but feared that I would accidentally tear the letter too. And when I finally flipped open the pink stationary and began to read her words, my eyes actually flooded with tears.

Earlier this week while I was cleaning out some old boxes, I stumbled upon the letter. I had placed it in a frame because I didn’t want to damage it. I scanned a copy, so I could share it with y’all.

Now I realize this may not be too terribly exciting for anyone who might not know of or admire her as much as I do, yet seeing this letter again made me believe that dreams CAN come true.

Thank you, Marsha Mason.

And I never got the chance to tell you this until I got online and started my own blog….

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my letter, because it touched me more than you’ll ever know.

Your continued adoring fan,
Ron

*click to enlarge*


Have a terrrrific weekend everyone!

X

Finally....My Own Domain Name

The smiley face you see above, is how I felt when I looked at my browser yesterday afternoon and finally saw my own domain name.

I stood up like I was at a Pentecostal revival and shouted……HALLELUJAH!

However, it didn’t come without aggravation and a certain amount of tenacity.

I love how Blogger tells you that setting up a custom domain through them is as easy as…1-2-3.

It’s more like….1-2-3.…and then spending the next TWO HOURS trying to figure out why your new domain name is not showing up; eventually discovering that it’s because they left out some very important information concerning the setup.

Easy? Yeah. About as easy as having a testicle examination with cold hands.

I’m so glad I had done a lot of online research before I took the plunge because it truly helped. Not only did I research the positive experiences other people had with changing over to a custom domain, but also the negative. And it was through the negative experiences I read about, which helped me find a solution to the problem I had. In fact, the same thing that happened to me happened to many other people when they set up their domain name through Blogger, so I was somewhat familiar with the issue. Therefore, I would like to give a HUGE thank you to all those bloggers out there who helped me find a solution through their own custom domain experiences via the Blogger forum.

I would also like to thank the people over at Go Daddy, who patiently guided me through the darkness in getting things properly set up. Blogger uses Go Daddy as one of their domain sellers, but I did not purchase the name directly from them. So, I think it was awesome they took the time to help me with a problem which had nothing to do concerning their end. Honestly, it was some of the best customer service I’ve ever experienced.

THANK YOU, GO DADDY!

I won’t use this post to try and explain what happened when I set up my domain name because it’s too long and technical. However, I will tell you that it had to do with the Google apps feature which Blogger includes with a custom domain. My biggest complaint is that Blogger needs to be WAY more thorough in explaining how to set up a domain name through them.

But I will say, that once the setup was fixed and completed, the actual domain name transference was immediate. I realize it will take some time for the full transition to occur, however I googled some of my archive posts and when I clicked on my old URL, it redirected me to my new address.

My old blogspot.com address is still working, but I would like to suggest to anyone who may have my blog in their browsers, to change the URL because eventually that old domain will be finito.

And as far as my blog feed goes, if you’re using Google Reader it will/should continue to update my posts as usual. It should also do the same thing if you’re using my Feedburner feed, because Google owns them.

If any of you ladies and gents experience issues with my new domain, or have problems with my feed updating, please don’t hesitate to contact me through email. I would really appreciate it.

Also, if any of you have tips or advice on something I should do that I may have forgotten about, please let me know in your comments. Thank you so much for your help and support during these recent changes on Vent.

Anyhoo….after four and a half years, I FINALLY have my own domain name.

P.S. You’ll notice that when you click on the comment link, I finally discovered a way to widen the comment box. Hope you enjoy it!

What A Dump (ster)!

I know in the past, I’ve shared some beautiful photographs of Philadelphia with its stunning architecture and historical ambiance.

However, today I would like to share some of its not-so-stunning ambiance.

Like with most cities, there is both beauty and the beast.

With my camera in hand, I spent 4th of July afternoon walking around the city and enjoying the fact that I had the place to myself, because most urban dwellers were at the Jersey shore tanning their epidermis in the summer sun.

No thank you. I’ve done enough of the sun while living in Florida for 20 years.

I now cheat, and use self-tanner during the summer months. Which kinda makes me look like George Hamilton.

As most of my longtime blogging friends know, I’ve gone from worshipping the sun to treating it as if I were Dracula; cautiously walking on the shady side of the street, as not to turn into a pile of ash.

One of the truly horrific things about city life is that once the summer temperatures reach into the 90’s, the urban air becomes embellished with the pungent aroma of dumpster trash.

I mean think about it….imagine a restaurant dumpster filled with food waste; being magnified by HEAT.

OMG….I hate to be graphic, but it smells like TEN hippopotamus's vomited.

Therefore, as you’re walking pass a garbage dumpster in an alleyway, you literally have to hold your breath in fear you’ll pass out.

In fact, as I’m writing this I can vividly recall exactly what it smells like.

Overall, Philadelphia is a clean city. Yet, it does have area’s that look as though someone dropped a bomb on it. The strange thing about Philly is that on one street it may be gorgeous, however on the next street it appears like a war zone.

But hey….that’s city life. You’ve got the extreme good, bad and ugly.

And as much as I don’t relish looking at it and smelling the bad and the ugly, city living keeps me in touch with how extreme and raw life can be at times. There is no escaping it when you live in a city, because everything is right in your face 24/7.

I know this may sound strange, but there is a part of me that actually likes it.

I can be extreme in areas of my personality, so that’s probably why I feel comfortable as a city dweller.

Here are a few images of some dumpsters and a trash can that I photographed on Monday.

Oh….please feel free to scratch and sniff over each photo, because I had them digitally engraved with the scent of hippopotamus vomit.

This dumpster was perhaps the worst smelling one out of the bunch. I wanted to take out a clothespin and clip it to the end of my nose.

This dumpster was behind a Chinese restaurant. Imagine how pork fried rice smells after being fermented in 95 degree heat. Gag me with a chopstick!

This dumpster I discovered behind another restaurant, and I have to say….it was the lesser of the three evils. Yet, it did stink.

This trash can didn’t smell bad, but it looked disgusting. Notice the pigeons on the right, eyeing that Wendy’s bag on the ground. Pigeons will eat anything. Even half-eaten PICKLES!


I would like to leave you with one of Bette Davis’ famous lines from the movie, Beyond the Forest.

Take it away, Bet….

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

X

Vent Remodeling

SURPRISE!

Yes, it’s a new template design.

I bet you thought you were at the wrong blog, hu?

This weekend, I decided to do a bit of remodeling here at Vent. I wanted something new. Something with a bit more color, but still clean and minimal. I’ve had a simple white blog design for the past several years now and felt like a change. I kept my old template design on file because I might one day go back to it. I like the look of a predominately all white template, but hey…it was time for a change.

Also, this was the perfect time for me to do this because I’m a long vacation from work. Three and a half weeks to be exact. And brother did I ever need it! I’ll tell you all about it in another post this month.

Lately, I’ve been feeling extremely creative, visually.

Let me just say, that I did not create this template myself. I got it from Deluxe Templates, who provides both Blogger and Wordpress Themes. I searched and searched for DAYS until I found this one. I was actually going to use another template at first, but decided that this one had better features. I’m also able to play with the HTML coding more on this one than the other. I customized this template a lot, but the overall design was not made by me.

There’s only one thing that bugs me about this template. You may have already noticed it on your computer monitors. There is a thin black line between the post date and post title. Do some of you see it? And the reason I ask is because I don’t see it on my desk top computer, only my laptop. I’ve tried doing everything to remove it, but I can’t seem to find out WHERE that particular piece of code is located.

Anyway, I’ll have to live with it until I can figure it out.

But if any of you DO see it, please ignore it.

Because it’s bugging the SHIT out of ME!!!!

I'm OCD…..what can I tell you?

Oh, and before I forget, I will also be purchasing my own domain name for this blog sometime this week. So if things get a bit strange when you click over on my blog link, just know that it will be going through a transition period. I read a few stories on Blogger forums, that sometimes it can take a few days for things to fully make the transition. So say a prayer for me that it goes SMOOTHLY.

If I have any trouble, I’ll post and let you know.

My blog feed may also change, so I’ll let you know if you have to change it in your readers. But I also heard that my feed changes over automatically.

So…welcome to my new blog design!

Please let me know in your comments if something is not easy to read, like the fonts or link colors. Are they too light? Too dark ?

Oh, and one more thing….the pageload.

Did this template load at a decent speed for you? I does for me, but I don’t know how it is on other browsers.

Anyway, thanks for your feedback everyone.

It is currently 1:30 a.m., and I've been working on this new template remodeling for HOURS, so it's time to go to bed. I'm a'pooped!

Have a grreeeeeeeeeat week!

And Happy 4th of July, America!

What Am I In The Mood For To Eat?

Did you ever have one of those days when you don’t know what you’re in the mood for to eat?

Or you THINK you know what you’re in the mood for to eat, but then after you eat it you say to yourself, “Gee…this was NOT what I was in the mood for to eat.”

So then you try eating something else because it looks good, but then after you eat it you say to yourself, “Gee…this was STILL not what I was in the mood for to eat.”

Then, once again, you try eating something else because it looks delicious, but then after you eat it you say to yourself, “Gee…maybe I should just go to bed and start over tomorrow, because no matter what I eat it’s really not what I want.”

And by 9 p.m., you’re FULL and BLOATED with food in your stomach that you THOUGHT you were in the mood for, but none of it filled that feeling of, “Yes…this is exactly what I was in the mood for to eat!”

Monday, I had one of those days.

And I hate those days because it feels as though my taste buds are playing some SICK mind game with my brain.

First of all, I was practically out of food in my kitchen because I didn’t have time to go to the grocery store, therefore I ate what was left in my refrigerator. I ate a big bag of frozen mixed vegetables that were seasoned with herbs and garlic sauce. Now normally I love this food, but for some reason it left me feeling flat and unfulfilled.

So I flossed and brushed my teeth, and then walked to the Wawa convenient store down the street to see if there was something I was in the mood for.

Initially, I picked up a pre-made Greek salad because that looked good.

Then I picked up a pre-made container of cheese, grapes and pita chips because that looked even better.

Then I went over to the deli section and thought I might enjoy a nice Italian hoagie. But as I was glancing at the menu I thought to myself, “Yup...I know exactly what I’m in the mood for….a Mexican quesadilla!”

Thus, I walked TEN blocks to a new Mexican fast-food restaurant, but discovered they DID NOT serve quesadilla’s. That’s right, NO quesadilla’s.

Yeah, see if I ever go back to that so-called AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurant again.

Adios muchacho!!!!!

So....I walked TWO more blocks to a Quedero Mexican fast-food restaurant and ordered a large vegetable quesadilla with a side of avocado and sour cream. I took it To Go. And then ran back to my apartment because I wanted to sit down and relax; enjoying what I had FINALLY figured out what it was that I was in the mood for to eat.

*insert unhappy look on my face*

But, it wasn’t.

In fact, I ate the WHOLE thing thinking to myself, “ Nope…this isn't it either.”

And the worst part about it was that the quesadilla made me extremely GASSY, which caused me to I walk around my apartment for the rest of the evening, TOOTING like Thomas The Choo Choo Train.

Therefore, if I can give you any advice if this should ever happen to you….

“Gee…maybe you should just go to bed and start over tomorrow, because no matter what you do it’s NEVER gonna be what you’re in the mood for to eat.”

Wishing you a not-one-of-these-days weekend everyone!

X