A Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Train Ride to Santa Barbara

This Thanksgiving my wife decided we would do something different with our young boys.  Forget about cooking and gorging ourselves in the comfort of our own home.  Forget about the relatives and the cleaning.  Forget about football games and carving.  We took the train to Santa Barbara!

Now taking the train from Camarillo to Santa Barbara is not exactly cheap.  For a family of 4, reserved coach seats put me out $108 round trip.  But this was about the experience of riding the train, not saving money.  (That said, it was definitely nice not worrying about parking and paying for parking in Santa Barbara!)

The Camarillo train station is at 30 Lewis Road. Parking was free. Taking the train was an adventure for us clueless suburbanite autobots used to our cars. We nearly missed the train because we didn't know which side of the train tracks to wait at.  Thinking our train would be on the east track, a more savvy individual informed us the other side was closed. So we literally ran up the path back to the other side with one gal who also had been waiting for the train. The train came a few minutes later and we hopped on.

We sat down near the gal who had run with us. Minutes later the ticket collector came by and it quickly became apparent she had no ticket for the train. My wife and I looked over and without discussion, we whipped out $20 to pay for her ticket. A small Thanksgiving good deed.

The train ride went by quickly. It was definitely a fun experience as we rode through Oxnard, Ventura, Carpinteria and took in sights of the Pacific Ocean.  In about an hour we were in Santa Barbara.

So this is what we did the rest of the day, leading up to a 7 pm return train ride:

• Rented a quad bike at Wheel Fun Rentals on State Street

• Rode the quad through Chase Palm Park up Cabrillo Boulevard past the lagoon to Stella Mare's Restaurant for a 1pm Thanksgiving feast.  Let me tell you, my wife and I were READY to eat after burning off calories on that bike!

• Enjoyed a 3 course Thanksgiving meal.  The main course options were (of course) turkey, prime rib and salmon.  I had the salmon and it melted in my mouth.  The rest of the crew had turkey and it was delicious.

• We burned some calories in the 70 degree weather by riding the quad back, stopping by Chase Palm Park, running around at the playground and visiting the carousel.

• Hung out by the beach near the pier, dipped our toes in the water, walked onto the pier for ice cream and headed back up State Street.

• Walked up State Street and had a snack at Baja Sharkeez, walked back to the train station, played Red Light, Green Light, Simon Says, Tag and other games until the train arrived.

What an unbelievably beautiful day it was!  There was not a cloud in the sky. The temperature was in the low 70s.  There were NO CROWDS in Santa Barbara!  I have to thank my wife for starting what may well be a new tradition for us!

And I ended the day tired...and HUNGRY! Yes, believe it or not, I think we actually burned off more calories than we consumed! What a great feeling!

Bore Your Twitter Followers to Death With These Seven Practices!

Twitter is a great way to connect with people.  I've met some fascinating people via http://twitter.com/ConejoJoe and I've made dozens of friends and acquaintances through Twitter. I'm also doing business with several fellow Tweeters and have helped some Twits finding jobs.

People join Twitter for various reasons (networking, selling, curiousity, meet people, share info, obtain info, etc.). Tweeting on Twitter is hard work. I'd say roughly 50% of my 600 or so "Followers" never post anything (that's not to say they aren't checking out others' tweets).  Another 25% post rarely.  The other 25% post regularly.

Most Twitter postings are boring, mundane and irrelevant. Often I paying attention or stop following fellow Twitter users as a result.  That's not to say that I, the infamous Conejo Joe, have been immune to such practices...in fact, I'm sure many people think I should just shuddup!

But as a prolific Twitter user, I feel it is my duty to share these 7 Twitter Practices That Will Bore Your Followers to Death!

Constantly Promote Your Product

"Eat at Joe's Restaurant" "Joe's has great BLT sandwiches!" "Visit Joe's at www.joesrest.com" "Joe's is open 7 days a week!" "Can't beat Joe's for breakfast!" "Joe's has the best omelettes in town" "Come visit Joe's"

You get the picture. I've seen this many a time. If all you do is promote your product, people will tune you out! Nobody signed up for Twitter looking for advertisements!  Mix is up a bit, interact with people, talk about something interesting, for pete's sake!

Say the Same Thing Over and Over Again

Some people set up robo-tweets that tweet the same thing over and over again, spaced out.  Booorrrring!  Originality goes a long way in Twitter. So don't do this or you'll lose people.

Publicly Thank People for Retweets

I know I'll get pushback on this because so many people do it.  But if someone "retweets" your message, do you really have to publicly thank them for it? It's nice and all but the rest of us don't really need to hear you thank them. How about thanking them via Direct Message?  Or better yet, take the time to review their postings and return the favor!

Send Me a Direct Message After I Start Following You

"Thanks for the follow! I look forward to connecting!" "Welcome to our Twitter account!" "Hi, check out this service at.." Every time I get a DM, the message goes directly to my cell phone as a text message. I hate that. If you really want to lose me as a follower, send me a DM immediately after I start following you.

Constantly Complain and Whine

"I hate my job" "It is too cold outside" "I'm sick" "My job sucks" is an excellent way to get people to tune you out.  Nothing wrong with some occasional venting of course. But to do so regularly really is demotivational to people following you.

Post Mundane Thoughts of No Particular Interest

"I ate a delicious chicken sandwich for lunch" "I'm flying to Peoria today" "Good morning everyone" "My pillow is fluffy" "I'm at Starbucks" "My shoelace broke this morning"

Yes, thank you for sharing.  Now go get a life and find something interesting to say, why doncha!?

Long, Boring Public Interchanges

"You going to the Tiddly Wink Convention in San Dimas?" "Yes, and you?" "I'll be there Friday" "We need to hook up" "Yes, where should we meet?" "Will Joe Schmoe be there?" "Yes, let's try to hook up" "OK"

ZZZZZZZ.....come on Tweeters! You really think other people want to hear this stuff?  Of course not. This is the equivalent of talking loudly on your cell phone in a restaurant. Use the Direct Message feature for one on one conversations....paleeezzee!

Like I said before, I'm not claiming to be a perfect angel with regard to these Twitter practices. But think about what you share in Twitter...is it really something the world needs to hear?

Be interesting. Be unique. Interact with people. Ask questions. Share useful information. Selectively retweet other posts you find to be standouts. Be funny. Now these are some practicies that will develop long-term relationships in Twitter and beyond!

Local Nonprofit Fuzzy Dog and Cat Rescue Saves Animals' Lives

Santa Monica based nonprofit Fuzzy Dog and Cat Rescue, Inc. has rescued, rehabilitated and placed nearly 200 animals since 2005.

Scooby-Roo's Story

Credit: Bark Pet PhotographyScooby-Roo was found covered in scrapes and wounds on his chest.  He was cowering in fear and fighting to live.  Poor little Scooby-Roo was found missing limbs and he was thumping around to get by.  He was most likely born without his front two legs and that’s why his people no longer wanted Scooby-Roo.  He is only 7 months of age and a bundle of joy.  Last week he was custom-fitted for his wheels with the donations that came in from Michael Jackson Fans, and celebrities like Alyssa Milano and Shannon Elizabeth. ABC News recently covered the story:

Angel's Story

"Angel" (Credit Fuzzy Rescue)A volunteer was at a local vet’s office getting monthly antigen shots for her personal dog with allergies. There was a woman sobbing in the lobby and we asked her why she was crying.  She regularly feeds her dogs chicken and steak bones, and one of her dog had gotten a steak bone lodged in her esophagus near the larynx (see the x-ray below).  She didn’t want to pay money for the dog’s surgery, and/or refused to take the dog to the emergency for this matter.  She propped the dog on the treatment table, and opted to put her down.  This dog, whose name is Angel, was wagging her tail and licking the owner’s hands waiting to be killed.  Her teeth were covered in tartar and she was unspayed.

Angel's X-Ray (Fuzzy Rescue)They could not see this dog die, so they asked for Angel.  She is sweet and extremely mellow, 7 years young.  The owner signed a relinquishment form and Angel was rushed to Advanced Critical Care and Internal Medicine in Tustin.  The entire treatment cost Fuzzy Dog and Cat $6,500 because it involved oxygen, nearly a week of hospitalization, peg tube, tracheotomy, IV fluids, 8 medication and endoscopy to have the steak-bone removed.

Would you like to help? The organization is seeking donations to help pay for Angel's treatment.  And they are seeking a new home for Angel!

Fuzzy Rescue is a no-kill 501(c)3 nonprofit animal welfare organization.  All donations are tax deductible.  For more information, visit www.fuzzyrescue.org.

United Parents: Local Nonprofit Helping Families with Children Having Mental, Emotional, Behavior Problems

United Parents is a parent run, non-profit, professional organization providing services to families with children who have mental, emotional and behavioral problems. United Parents was founded over two decades ago on the principle that parents helping parents makes a difference in shaping a better future for our children and our community.

Do you know a child (or parent) that:

• Is Suicidal
• Always angry
• Makes you always angry
• Has trouble in school
• Needs help with drugs
• Is a teen parent
• Is always sad
• Gets violent for NO reason
• Is always disruptive
• Makes you feel out of control
• Causes chaos in your home
• Has no hope

What we do

• Support—so parents don’t feel isolated
• Respite—parents can take a break, regroup
• Education to help manage special challenges
• Activities for children, encouraging competent, pro-social behaviors and random acts of kindness
• Knowledge about effectively navigating the many “systems” touching our children.
• Advocacy so children receive services to help them succeed in schools and the community.
• Peer to peer advice & guidance during difficult times.

“A parent’s hope for tomorrow”

If you know a family struggling to raise a child with emotional, behavioral and/or mental disorders, maybe we can help.

Monthly parent support groups in Simi Valley, Fillmore, Camarillo, Westlake Village (recently formed), Oxnard and Northridge. Foster parent association meetings in Ventura. There is also a new support group forming in Agoura.  United Parents offers free childcare during these sessions.

Visit www.unitedparents.org or call 805.384.1555 for more info or CLICK HERE for a flier.

Lifelong Conejo Valley Resident Helps Animals Through Her Art

It was through Twitter that I recently came into contact with Stella Violano, a lifelong resident of Newbury Park.  Stella is a professional artist who has a distinct passion for painting animals.  In fact, she has dedicated thousands of hour of time to an organization she founded called Art Helping Animals (www.arthelpinganimals.com). AHA raises funds for non-profits that help animals in need.

Take a look at this amazing montage of some of the over 200 paintings of homeless animals that Violano painted between 2000 and 2006. All of the animals shown found loving homes.

And I love this touching video of Brigette, a homeless senior dachshund who found a home through Old Dog Haven, a charity supported by AHA. Violano's work transforming the aging pooch into Queen Elizabeth is magical. 

Given the Conejo Valley is named after a rabbit, I asked her if she had any bunny art to share with us.  Oh she certainly does!  I selected 3 of the 6 pieces she sent my way. If you like these, let me know and maybe I'll post more at a later date!

For more of Violano's work, visit http://smvstudio.com and http://paintingaday.blogspot.com.