Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Live From the Van Nuys Courthouse

It arrived two months ago, and I was so overwhelmed with STUFF that I didn't have my usual reaction of horror at the inconvenience it entails:

SUMMONS FOR JURY DUTY SERVICE
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

The court system in L.A. has changed a lot since the dark ages of the 1980's, which was the first time I was called upon to serve. Back then, I was kind of excited at the opportunity to perform my civic duty. I faced the Monday morning traffic on the 101 and reported on time to the downtown courthouse...

...and quickly lost my eagerness to be a good citizen. Jurors back then were treated like cattle,corraled into an aged, uncomfortable jury assembly room with no amenities to alleviate the boredom of waiting -- for anything to happen. I sat there for two days before I was selected to go to a courtroom for voir dire questioning...

...and was dismissed the moment I told them that my employer was The Tonight Show, even though I disclosed that I was just a production assistant. I don't know -- did they think their court proceedings would end up in the monologue?

At any rate, I got called a total of three times over the five days of service, and each time I was immediately dismissed. By the third day, I was annoyed at how much time I had been forced to waste there. On the fourth day, I was resentful of the disrespectful way the courtroom staff treated the potential jurors. By Friday, I was pissed. I now knew why people try to get out of jury duty and I vowed that the next time I was called to serve, I would do the same.

Weirdly enough, I didn't get another summons for another 10 years and by then, I was a stay-at-home mom of a toddler... and I was able to use the fact that I was her only caretaker to get out of it (we have no family left in Los Angeles, and I had not yet made friends in our northwest Valley neighborhood). That excuse worked well into her elementary years...

...and then, they changed the system. Lack of childcare is no longer a reason for dismissal. The court doesn't care. You may delay your service if you've been called during an inconvenient week... but you may not get out of it.

However, the system has changed in a lot of positive ways too. For one thing, while there is still a lot of waiting around to be called for a case, you now begin your service "on call": You phone the court over the weekend before you're due to serve and often, you discover you are not needed on Monday. From that point on, you call in every evening after five for your instructions.

MOST IMPORTANT: If you are not selected to serve on a panel by the end of the day, you're dismissed. Your service is done. This is a huge improvement over the bad old days of waiting around.

So even though my summons for service began on Monday, I did not have to come in until today (Thursday), thus wasting a lot less time.

On top of that, I was pleasantly surprised when I set foot in the jury assembly room: not only is there wifi, but there are a number of internet computer stations clearly labeled "FOR JURORS ONLY." (Good, as my laptop battery is next to useless and there are no places to plug in).  So I am actually able to put this time to pretty decent use.

Of course, that will come to an end if I actually get selected to serve on a jury. But we'll see... I have a feeling that in the eyes of an attorney, the job title of "blogger" may be even worse than someone who works in late night television.

We shall see...

June Gloom - or Doom?

The annual cloud cover known as "June Gloom" arrived on time today, and it's a good thing -- because this is the day the city has imposed radical new restrictions on water usage, due to California's ongoing drought.

Beginning today, automatic water sprinklers may only be operated on Mondays and Thursdays--and it is ILLEGAL to do so any other day of the week. We are also prohibited from watering lawns between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., watering for longer than 15 minutes per station, using water on our driveways or allowing runoff into city streets and rain gutters due to watering.

You are now breaking the law if you allow a leak to go unrepaired, and restaurants are breaking the law if they serve water without being asked.

Anyone discovered breaking these new water regulations are subject to huge fines.

On top of that, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has instituted new "Shortage Year Rates" on its customers. The goal is to reduce water usage by 15%; as long as you comply with your water allotment (calculated as 85% of your average seasonal usage), you won't have to pay more (they are calling this the "first tier" rate). But anything over your allotment gets hit with an expensive "second tier" price tag.

DWP has been trying to reassure everyone that the reduction can be made through simple changes like reducing your watering to twice a week (a suggestion codified by the new sprinkler restrictions) and taking five-minute showers.

I have been obsessing over this for a couple of months and so have been driving the family crazy by adopting the role of "shower police:" sticking egg timers in the bathrooms, replacing our shampoo and conditioner with "all-in-one" product and banging on the door when my husband or daughter has been running the water too long.

I understand the need for the reductions; California city residents have ignored our state's water issues for far too long, and this drought is a true crisis -- and may be something we have to live with for a very long time, as the globe continues to heat up.

But I can't help but think that the five-minute shower rule was thought up by a man -- a bald one, at that. I doubt that my husband (who is follically challenged) has noticed the change to all-in-one shampoo. But my hair is less manageable without my favorite conditioner. And allowing myself just a minute or so for shaving my underarms and legs can be downright dangerous.

As for the rest of the family: Have you ever tried to restrict a teenage girl to a five-minute shower? It isn't pretty.

Then then there are those times when you just NEED to indulge in a long, hot shower, either for emotional or psychic reasons. I've long suspected a primal link between water and creativity. I cannot count all the times a solution to a longtime problem has just kind of hit me while I was taking a shower.

I'm not alone: I know a lot of people who have described washtime epiphanies. And I remember reading about famed Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who found it useful to have a typewriter set up in his bathtub.

I'm hoping that if we all stick to five minutes 90% of the time, our water allotment will be able to accommodate the occasional long shower.

Here is where we're kind of lucky to be going through our home renovation right now. With half the kitchen packed up (and the rest of it to get demolished soon), we've been relying on paper cups and plates... except for my husband, who refuses to drink wine out of a paper cup -- with good reason. At any rate, I'm not washing a lot of dishes right now and won't be until our new kitchen as been installed. I checked our water usage for the last month and it's WAAY below our allotment. So maybe reducing those showers and abiding by the watering restrictions will be enough.

Not that the change will be easy: My husband made a mistake while reprogramming the sprinkler system yesterday and it did not go on this morning. I've turned the whole thing off and we're going to have to go back to the drawing board and hope it all works on Thursday.

In the meantime, I was happy to note that today's June Gloom came with drizzle -- so the lawn shouldn't be hurt too much by the water shortage.

July will be another matter entirely,

VLog: DMV Hell

I took that video yesterday.

This morning, I went BACK to the DMV, only to discover that the system is STILL down.

"Try again tomorrow," I was told.

My license is EXPIRED as of tomorrow.

The man at the counter (who has a sense of humor) left me there for about ten minutes while he tried to find out what to do about that.

As it turns out: Nothing. The DMV doesn't have any contingency plans for a situation like this. They are unable to issue temporary licenses, extensions, or any other official document that would keep me in compliance with the law.

"Try not to get pulled over," he said.

So there you have it. I get to go back to the DMV tomorrow, too. I don't think I've considered that a great place to spend my birthday since I turned 16.

Kind of makes me feel young again...

In the meantime -- I think this is just another indication of the problems California is having with its humongous budget deficit. How can it be that the same state that includes Silicon Valley can't keep its DMV computer system in tiptop shape?

Believe me when I say I hate paying taxes as much as the "fiscal conservatives" do -- but I want my basic services, and I want them to work. I want a DMV that runs efficiently. I want good public schools. I want a strong police force and fire department. And we have to pay for those things somehow. 

I am on my way to vote in California's special election now, and I will be voting to approve the measures proposed to raise more revenue for the state, even though it will mean less money in my own pocket. With a little economic luck, I won't have to visit the DMV THREE times in one week the next time I have to get my license renewed.

A Giant Leap into SoCal

"The eagle has landed," my husband texted his brother upon arriving home with my mother-in-law.

"One small step for man, one giant leap for Mum," came the swift reply.

My British mum-in-law is adjusting rapidly to life in SoCal. It doesn't hurt that the weather has been uncharacteristically cool for April. "It feels just like home," she announced with some surprise.

Megan had gymnastics yesterday from 9:30 until 3:00, so after spending a little time watching her, we took Marion downtown to see some sights. She had always heard that downtown Los Angeles was kind of seedy, so she was surprised to see clean streets and gleaming high-rises.

Our destination was Olvera Street, site of the original Spanish settlement of El Pueblo de Nuesta Señora Reina de los Ángeles in 1781 (hence, one of the few parts of the city that can be deemed "old"). It turned out that yesterday was the annual "Blessing of the Animals," and so hundreds of people were there with their pets (which delighted my mum-in-law, who is an animal lover). However, all the lots near the attraction were charging "event parking:" flat rates of $13 for the day.

As we only planned to stay for an hour, we wound up across the street at Union Station (which charged the relative pittance of $2 per 20 minutes). It was a good choice. Marion could not help but be impressed by the beauty of the Mission Revival building.

I have fond memories of visiting Olvera Street as a child. It was where I tasted my first churro, visited my first fortune teller (a handwriting analyst) and once purchased a set of "Mexican jumping beans."

It was as festive as I remembered: the shops and stalls were stacked with colorful merchandise, and the restaurants were filled with happy customers (especially the ones who were sipping margaritas). There were  multiple bands of mariachis playing.

I snapped about 40 photos there and could easily have stayed the afternoon, but for the fact that we were all hungry and Mexican food is not the best cuisine for my diet. That's when my husband hit on the bright idea of heading over to Little Tokyo for lunch. (I can eat most sushi or sashimi with abandon.)

My mum-in-law is not a fan of exotic or spicy foods, so we needed to find a menu that included hot dishes as well as sushi. We hit the mark at Joy Mart, in the Japanese Village shopping center. There was something for all of us there (and it was GOOD).

I'm enjoying the idea that in one trip to Los Angeles, Marion got to experience a little bit of Mexico AND a taste of Japan.

Flirting with Disaster

I've got a new post up at Los Angeles Moms Blog. It deals with a topic most of us don't like to think about (until it's too late): disaster preparedness. 

This is a topic I don't spend a lot of time thinking about -- until Mother Nature sends me an urgent reminder. (Can you say "denial?")

I'm giving away a number of disaster preparedness kits like the one pictured here. Read on to find out more.

Apparently, when it comes to denial, I am not alone: "Statistics show that less than half of Californians have a disaster plan," says CaliforniaVolunteers.org, the agency that is spearheading a state Disaster Preparedness Initiative - the reason for last week's mom blogger gathering with Captain Stacy Gerlick of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Captain Gerlick explained that having a plan in place is the best insurance a family can have in the event of a disaster. "It's about having people take meaningful action," she said.

"When you put together a plan, you alleviate the anxiety that comes with fear of the unknown. When you do it collectively there's a lot more cohesion and even the kids feel a sense of belonging to the decision. so it's a win-win."

Captain Gerlick, who has been with the fire department for 23 years, is a longtime instructor in the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) unit, which trains ordinary citizens in everything you ever wanted to know about disaster response: "It gets you to become aware of what you had no clue about," she said.

"More often than not, we're going to be dealing with the earthquake issue," she said. "Fires are huge - we have them all the time. But it's the earthquake thing - we don't know when it's coming and it catches you off guard and that's the scary part."

Captain Gerlick then led us on a tour of Erin's home, pointing out all the areas that could be made more earthquake-safe.

We've got a lot of work to do:

1. Identify and fix hazards in your home. (Find out how at DareToPrepare.org )
2. Create a disaster plan. (California Volunteers has made it easy for you - click here.)
3. Create disaster supplies kit.
4. During an earthquake: Drop, cover and hold on.
5. After the earthquake: Check for injuries and damages. (Detailed information at the Earthquake Country Alliance)
6. When safe, continue to follow your disaster plan.

Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on the web: The links above are a great place to start. If you have young children, you should take a look at the special book you can customize and give them to help them understand what to do in the event of a disaster (without scaring them!)

We adults can all benefit from this comprehensive booklet issued by the Los Angeles Fire Department (which deals with preparedness for all kinds of emergencies - so it's useful for folks who live in other parts of the country, too.)

Get started NOW. The folks at California Volunteers are graciously awarding disaster prep kits like the one pictured at the top of this post to 12 readers of SoCal Mom (leave a comment at the bottom of this post - first come, first served). The kit includes a flashlight, whistle, emergency blanket, bandages and enough food and water to last one person for three days. I am keeping this kit in my car (because there is no guarantee you'll be home when disaster hits!).

The Jonas Brothers: NOT the Reincarnated Beatles. And That's OK...

... because two days after I attended the world premiere of their new concert film, my ears are STILL ringing.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. This week, I found myself in the enviable position of being invited to TWO simultaneous red carpet events. The fact that this largess has nothing to do with my own accomplishments (Donna WHO?) is one of the many ironies of spending a life in the shadow of Hollywood.

(NOTE: I will eventually get to the part where I talk about the Jonas Brothers and their first headlining concert film. But this is my blog, and you're gonna have to read what I have to say about ME first.)

However, here's a little taste of what I saw on Tuesday night:

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

California is a state with problems.

Our $42 billion dollar budget deficit is so ginormous that it has overshadowed the news of other states in similar financial straits. (Of course, the fact that our dysfunctional Constitutional process that makes it impossible to pass tax hikes without a super-majority doesn't help matters at all. But that's an aside that belongs over at MOMocrats.)

And then there's our weather. We've been in the news today because the state is being battered with a series of winter storms ("Midwestern weather," as my friend Jaelithe put it). Since we have been suffering from a devastating drought (made worse by global warming, some say) -- I'm not complaining. I even rather enjoyed the brief hailstorm we experienced yesterday here in the Northwest San Fernando Valley.

But major rainstorms tend to bring mudslides in California -- especially in areas that have been hit hard by fire damage. And this year, that includes the part of the state I live in.

I'm not worried about my own house - the fires got to about a mile away from here. But officials are concerned about some of the neighborhoods that got a lot of fire damage. And over the weekend, I marveled once again at how close those those fires got... and the skill of our firefighters, who saved so many more homes.

I took the photos you see below in Aliso Canyon Park, which is about a mile away from where I live. This was the first time I went walking through an area that had actually been on fire, and I was fascinated by the charred oak trees left in its path:

You may also notice how very green the hillsides have become - especially the parts that didn't have all the brush burnt off by the fire. Green hills are evidence of a decent rainy season in Southern California, and they don't last long. That greenery turns into brown, dry brush pretty fast -- fuel for the next wave of brush fires.

Shhh! Wanna Be in a Movie?

In my ever-expanding quest to bring you the finer points of living in SoCal, I belong to a number of lists that purport to give you entertainment industry opportunities.

I rarely receive anything from them (which gives you an idea of how few opportunities there are for "just plain folks").

So this email stood out.

It looks legit.

Want to Be In A Movie ?
NEW DATE OF FILMING ADDED for Warrior
With Stars from the hit film "TWILIGHT"

Attention All Movie fans:
If you missed last weeks awesome shoot you're in luck.

Another date of filming has been added for THIS FRIDAY 1/30, this is the LAST day of filming. (Evening Shoot)

So you can be IN the Movie "WARRIOR" and be
on set with all the stars during filming in Valencia, CA (near Magic
Mountain at College of the Canyons).

BeInAMovie.com would like to invite you to a once in a lifetime Movie
opportunity!  The scenes were shooting are the final scenes of the movie
and we get to be right on the field up close with the stars.

They have also said cameras are ok which is very rare.
Everyone last week had TONS of fun and were really excited for Friday.

In the great tradition of sports movies like "Rudy" and
"Remember the Titans" comes "Warrior".  We will be filming live action
Lacrosse scenes for the upcoming film in near Los Angeles

And BeInAMovie.com can invite you to be a part of this film history.
We will be filming FRIDAY Jan 30th, at College of
the Canyons.

This is an Evening Shoot (5:30 PM - 11:00 PM)
We want your Love. We want your Energy. We want your Fun for these on camera scenes.

This stars Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz from "Twilight" and Cary
Elwes from The Princess Bride and Robin Hood Men in Tights.

This film is going to be a once in a lifetime experience for movie
fans ages 18+.

Filming is THIS FRIDAY, Jan 30th so sign up
FAST!

TO SIGN UP VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK:
www.beinamovie.com/movie.php?mtitleid=79

And if you're part of any groups, clubs, or organizations:
If you bring at least 20 people we can arrange to get your group fundraising $ for attending.
For more info visit the link above!
or go to www.BeInAMovie.com and click on "WARRIOR"

We hope to see you all on set with us!!!
-Cash B. and Crew
BeInAMovie.com

3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #1152 Studio City, CA 91604

Another Fire!

My husband woke me up at 4:30 this morning; our house smelled of smoke.

In his sleepy state, he thought I was burning something in the kitchen, but as he gained consciousness, he realized that something somewhere nearby was on fire.

Yup, the Santa Anas are back. That's one of the reasons I went out to Hollywood a couple of days ago to take some photos. And because it's mid-November (not October), I wasn't really thinking that we would have another fire... even after the news of the blaze up in Montecito.

And it never occurred to me that the same neighborhoods that were threatened a month ago would find themselves under siege again.

This new fire broke out in Sylmar around 10:00 last night. About an hour ago, it jumped the 5 and 210 freeways and is heading into the neighborhoods that were touched by last month's Sesnon fire.

The winds are pretty fierce right now - a lot worse than the ones we had in October. The police have been in my neighborhood, ordering evacuations (we are two blocks south of the evacuation zone).

My husband (who had scoffed at me last month when I packed a suitcase in case of evacuation) was the one who insisted on being prepared this morning. He just took down his big desktop computer and hauled it into his car (priorities). Fortunately, I took photos of everything in the house then.

So we're prepared.

While I wait for evacuation orders, I thought I'd let you know I put up my review of the Chevy Traverse over at SoCal Stuff (I bet the folks at GM are happy they picked the car up from me YESTERDAY)-- and the drawing for the tickets to the L.A. Auto Show is still open! (Don't worry -- the winning tickets will be sent by the folks organizing the show, so they will still be available even if my house is not.)

I Bet This Was How AIG Was Pitched

The tough economy is hitting folks on every economic level, as proven by this actual email I received today:

Dear Valued Burke Williams Guest,

These are difficult times for everyone. On every front we face challenges reflective of an economy that seems to worsen each day and the resulting stress can seem insurmountable.

In too many instances necessity has dictated that our guests have chose to forgo a much-needed retreat due to financial concerns. Because we provide a service and an experience that you may need now more than ever, I would like to offer a helping hand that is beneficial to both you and Burke Williams.

Be our guest and take advantage of an offer that we hope will entice you to join us. Starting immediately, you'll receive 20% off any service at any one of our spas. When you bring a friend or loved one along, you can both save 25%.

Burke Williams is an accessible sanctuary offering the gift of escape in a time when we need it most. Relax in a soothing whirlpool and surrender to the expert and caring touch of one of our outstanding massage therapists or aestheticians. Feel free to unwind for an hour or all day.

Although stress can seem at times inescapable, a visit to Burke Williams can be the antidote that will see us both through these challenging times. Thank you for your patronage and welcome to our oasis.

Yeah, I'm sold. Too bad that 20% off (or even 25% off) the services at Burke Williams are still too rich for my budget.

I'm on their email list, but I've never ventured farther into their facility than the reception area. They are located in the same shopping center as the beauty school I started using to get my hair cut, as I can no longer afford to visit my old stylist. I have given up manicures and pedicures and am currently sporting bushy eyebrows and other unwanted facial hair because I'm waiting so long now between waxing -- all to save the family a little money.

Am I stressed about money? As a recent Vice Presidential nominee would say, You Betcha. A visit to the Burke Williams sanctuary for a facial and a therapeutic massage sounds heavenly. But it's not in the cards right now -- unless I find a way to bring in some more money.

In the meantime, if YOU can fit this into YOUR budget, 25% off is a great deal: Here's the link to take advantage of it.

Do you live in SoCal? Do you drive a car? Would you like to attend the Los Angeles Auto Show this month? Be sure to enter my contest here.