Shirley MacLaine Turns 79

Actress Shirley MacLaine is celebrating her 79th birthday today.

From Wikipedia:

Shirley MacLean Beatty (born April 24, 1934), known professionally as Shirley MacLaine, is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author. She has won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy twice, for her roles in The Apartment and Irma la Douce, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama twice for Terms of Endearment and Madame Sousatzka. She was honored with the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1998. She was nominated for an Academy Award five times before winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1983 for her role as Aurora Greenway in Terms of Endearment.

She is also the sister to actor Warren Beatty.

I met Ms. MacLaine three years ago while on patrol in Malibu.  The story of our encounter is recounted here in one of my "Tales of Adventure In Malibu" blog posts. She's quite a character!

Happy Birthday, Shirley!

Gas Prices Up In Malibu

The latest "Tales of Adventure In Malibu" is not funny as ones I posted in the past.

Heading down the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu this morning to work in Zuma Beach, I noticed that gasoline prices are sky-high.

One gas station posted regular at $4.70 per gallon.  Premium gasoline at the station was over $5.00.

The gas station at Point Dume posted regular gasoline at $4.65 per gallon.

It will be interesting to see how these prices affect the November elections.  

News On My Acting Gig

With my attention directed lately over my upcoming presentation this Friday at Monsterpalooza, I neglected to inquire about the pilot (or promo) of a proposed reality show that I got my first paid acting gig last month. (See this post.)

I checked with my "Hollywood agent" (i.e., my co-worker) and he said he had talked to the producer of the show the other day and was told that they are still in the process of filming it. So, it will be a while before I get the chance to see for myself how I did (even though the producer said that I was "perfect").

Strangely enough, I felt very comfortable doing my two takes.

Can't wait to see it! (Well, I guess I have to!)

A Drunk Driver On Pacific Coast Highway

It was an uneventful night of work patrolling in Malibu last night in my "parachute" job.

The fun started after work as I headed home down Pacific Coast Highway. No sooner than I started down the six-mile southbound drive from Point Dume to Malibu Canyon Road when a white Toyota sedan came along side of me. He was in the fast lane and I was in the slow lane. My initial thought was, "This guy is awful close."

I slowed down a bit to put some distance between him and me. I then noticed that he was weaving into the painted center divider and my lane and would apply his brakes for no apparent reason. He appeared to be under the influence of something.

I then called 911 and told them of this driver and gave the operator the vehicle description and license plate number. The operator kept me on the line so I can give him our location on the highway.

During this, another car came up in the fast lane and its driver seemed to notice the erratic driving of the white Toyota. He also kept back from the car.

The 911 operator told me that they have sheriff units at Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road. A minute or so later, I saw a sheriff vehicle parked on the northbound shoulder of Pacific Coast Highway about a quarter mile north of Malibu Canyon Road.

The Toyota then went into the left turn pocket for Malibu Canyon Road and stopped. I thought, "If this guy goes on Malibu Canyon, he'll most likely go over the side and down into the canyon." No sooner than I thought that, the sheriff vehicle made a u-turn and swooped in behind the Toyota and pulled him over.

While it is too bad the driver had to be placed under arrest (I've no idea if it was a male or female driver) for DUI, at least he/she won't be putting himself/herself or anyone else in jeopardy from their stupidity.

Who knows? I may have saved someone's life last night!

I have to give the Malibu sheriff big kudos. The time between the start of my 911 call to when the sheriff pulled the drunk over was 6 minutes, 27 seconds. Not bad!

A Star Is Born...(or Something)!

Sometimes, things fall right into your lap, be they good or bad things.

Fortunately, something good did.

I was informed last week that I would be working two nights a week back in Malibu. I was a little reluctant due to the gasoline prices, but I indicated that two nights per week would be okay. Before, when I worked Malibu five nights per week, I spent about $40-45 on gasoline every week.

My first night back was Monday night. It was, admittedly, nice to be back in Malibu. I've a lot of friends there.

The item that dropped into my lap was a little acting gig. Yes, you read it right. Acting!

Except for some school or Boy Scout skits, I never acted in anything. A producer who lives in Malibu needed someone for a particular role (I can't specify what it is at present, but it falls in line of what I do work-wise). One of my co-workers was approached about it but since he couldn't do it, he suggested me. So, the producer contacted me.

This involves a reality show pilot (or demo) that would be shopped to network buyers. It won't be broadcast, but it will show what the proposed reality show is all about.

My part in it is brief, but it's a speaking role. Tonight was the night to do the filming. I arranged my schedule to be at the location at the appointed time. I was promised that it wouldn't keep me any longer than 15 minutes or so. I agreed to do it as a lark and, also, because it was a paying part!

To make a long story short (as if I ever could), I did a first take and the director and producer were pleased at the result. But, they decided to do one more for "insurance," so I got back into position and did another take.

Once "Cut!" was yelled, I signed the Release form and got paid (in cash) and I was on my merry way. I did voluntarily share 10% with my co-worker for referring me. Now he can call himself a "Hollywood agent"! The amount wasn't huge, but it was more than what a full eight-hour patrol shift pays. This is even after I gave my co-worker a 10% piece of the action. Not bad for less than 15 minutes of acting work! (Maybe I should've done this long ago!)

The director and producer did have my part done in fifteen minutes as promised.

Later, my co-worker talked to the producer and the producer said that I was "perfect" and he was very "jazzed" that the shoot involving me turned out so good. I should be getting a copy of the completed pilot demo.

Would I do this again if the opportunity arises? You bet I would!

Year End Thoughts

2010 started badly for me as my mother passed away January 15 at 76 at the Tarzana Medical Center. Although she had been in ill health (she started getting worse around Christmas 2009), her passing was unexpected. This threw me for a loop as The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan "went live" on January 12 at ComiXpress. My mom was ambulanced to Tarzana Medical Center January 12. Exploratory surgery that night found a dead gall bladder and sixteen feet of dead intestine. The dead tissue was removed. Unfortunately, the toxins (sepsis) from the dead tissue were causing problems with my mom's kidneys and other organs. She died of total renal failure.

For weeks, my attention was diverted from getting on the promotion bandwagon by dealing with her death, making funeral arrangements, clearing out her apartment and dealing with her estate. Somehow, I muddled through. Thank God I have a tight-knit extended family who pitched in and helped. My mom's passing hit my daughter Amber hard as they were close and Amber would occasionally "kidnap" my mom for shopping at the mall. Amber and my cousin Lydia were at my mom's side when she died. I was down the block getting my car jump-started with Amber's boyfriend when the time came. I went back to my mom's room in ICU and the respirator was still on. Lydia led us in a prayer over my mom and we then departed. This was about 2:00 a.m.

Although exhausted by the ordeal, sleep was impossible. I made a few calls and blogged an announcement of my mom's passing. The first condolence message in response to the announcement was in an email from actress Christine Nguyen.

One would expect that going to a mortuary to make funeral arrangements would be a traumatic experience. For some people it is. For Amber and me, it was a hilarious experience. This happens to a lot of people. Quite often, levity is used as a shield during this task. We had the mortuary's representative in stitches. It was my mom's wish to be cremated and we were shown a number of urns. I had Amber there so she will know what to do when the need arises in the future. Amber (or me) asked if a particular one was big enough to contain my mother's cremated remains. The representative said it would be big enough for me. Amber then said, "But grandma had osteoporosis!" I said that "it wouldn't add any more mass. The only time it would if she had the "Elephant Man" syndrome." That caused the representative to burst out laughing (well, we all did). She was embarrassed as, she said, "I'm supposed to present a serious demeanor."

Her services took place at Riverside National Cemetery. Strangely, her services were held in the same cemetery shelter as my dad's in December 1999. She died exactly ten years and one month to the day after my dad's passing. It was surreal as recent storms left clear blue skies and snow on the nearby mountains. Her urn was buried at my dad's grave. (One thing I learned, although the body was cremated, the urn has to be placed in a urn-sized "vault" according to federal national cemetery regulations.)

I had to consult with a grief counselor as the effects of my mom's death affected me in ways I never experienced before. It caused judgement impairment, irritability, sleep disorders and other problems. It caused the loss of a job (I've heard this happens to a lot of people in such situations).

My mom's estate in California was easy as all she had were her personal belongings and furniture and bank accounts. For the farm in Nebraska, I had to hire a Nebraska estate attorney to handle the transfer of the property to me along with all the paperwork for the various farm programs of the U.S. Agriculture Dept. and Buffalo County. Luckily for me, I found a good estate attorney through the Nebraska Bar Association.

The estate matters were finalized in May, so that gave me more time to devote to the travel guide promotion, which became a third job. The other two jobs are my adjusting position with Crittenden Claim Services and my "parachute" job working in security patrol. The guide itself is doing well and has met with favorable reviews. Although J. D. Lees and I had a parting of ways back in December, much credit is due to him for the splendid job in laying it out and editing. Archie Waugh's talents as a graphic designer shone with his work on the cover based on an idea of mine utilizing photographs I took during my previous visits to Japan.

Two other passings of note occurred in March: Elizabeth "Bette" Shayne, widow of actor Robert "Inspector Henderson" Shayne of the Adventures of Superman television show of the 1950s and mother of actress Stephanie Shayne, and Denise Geriminsky, wife of friend Mitchell Geriminsky. Bette Shayne's passing wasn't totally unexpected as she had been battling cancer for several years. I had the privilege in meeting her in 2001 found her to be a very nice lady with a great sense of humor. Her passing left Stephanie in the same boat as me: no living parents to enjoy. I attended her memorial service at the Motion Picture Home and Hospital. Stephanie and I commiserated over our losses and occasionally "compared notes." I had to return to Riverside National Cemetery for Denise's burial. Denise's passing from a blood clot following hip surgery was a shock as she was younger than me. Mitch was as shocked over her death as I was with my mom's. While at the cemetery, I visited my parents' grave for the first time and put flowers there. The new marker was in place. I was able to tell Mitch how a shocking death can affect survivors and what to expect from what I learned from my own experience.

I started a new job in late March and found myself in great surroundings in Malibu. A number of interesting things occurred while I was working there and they've been recounted on this blog in articles under "Tales of Adventure In Malibu." Who can complain about working at the beach surrounded by bikini-clad college girls? Funny thing, I made a friend in a Malibu Pavilion's market checker, Heather Johnson. She was transferred to a Von's market (Von's and Pavilion's are owned by the same company) in Reseda in September. Then, in November, I ended up working two nights doing patrol (in a golf cart) at a townhouse complex across the street from it. We were talking the other night noted that it was funny how we both ended up near each other again.

Things looked like they were brightening up in April when I was reunited with a gal I met in mid-2009. We seemed to be hitting it off but I discovered that appearances were deceiving. And I was deceived. Once that came to light, I ended the relationship. I had just come out of the shock of my mom's passing a few weeks before when all this transpired, and my "b.s. antenna" was still not working as it normally would. On the bright side, through all this I did have friends who had my back. For that, I am very grateful.

In May, my daughter Amber made us proud when she graduated from Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in biology. She's currently taking classes at Moorpark College before she decides on what graduate school to attend for the field of veterinary medicine.

The summer was mild by San Fernando Valley standards heat-wise. On those rare hot days, I would get relief at my job in Malibu.

One night, in late-August, I was heading home from work up Malibu Canyon Road when a deer decided to dart into my path. Fortunately, I was going slightly uphill at about 30-35 m.p.h. and hit the brakes before we impacted. The deer darted off and I haven't, to this date, heard from its attorney. The only damage to my car were some slight paint cracks to my front bumper.

My tenure in Malibu ended in November and I am working closer to home. It is almost like getting a raise as I am not spending so much money on fuel. The round-trip to Malibu and back was 52 miles. The furthest I have to drive is Burbank. Otherwise, I am working areas under 2 miles from home. Big difference in fuel costs!

The November elections turned out splendidly. The people rebelled against the excesses of the congress and White House of the past two years. Hopefully, most of the extreme legislation can be reversed by the new congress.

2010, at least, ended on a much happier note as I returned to Japan for the first time in 3 1/2 years for my 6th trip there. Thanks to the corn crop proceeds from the Nebraska farm I inherited, I was able to afford the trip. It was a mix of business and pleasure. I was able to meet with book dealers/buyers and media on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. An interview with Japan Today has already made the rounds throughout the Internet (other sites picked up the feed) and that has led to another interview with Japan's number one English-language magazine, Metropolis (circulation: 30,000). I also interviewed with Daily Yomiuri in Hibiya. That interview is slated to be published/posted on Christmas Eve (December 24).

I managed to roam around Tokyo a bit. I visited Toho Studios and had some photos taken at the front gate with the Godzilla statue. I noticed a lot of changes there since I was last visited in 2001. I also visited the Tokyo sections of Nakano, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Asakusa. While in Asakusa, I photographed the new Tokyo Sky Tree Tower that is currently under construction and expected to open in 2012. I also saw the new movie Space Battleship Yamato at the Toho Theaters in the Yurakucho Mullion Building in Tokyo. It is hoped that a distributor can be obtained by Toho to show it in the United States. I had lunch with former Toho-Los Angeles General Manager Masaharu Ina in Hibiya. We caught up on things and had an enjoyable visit. It was a real treat to see Ginza and Shibuya decked out in Christmas decorations, especially at night. I did some gift shopping in Asakusa's Nakamise Avenue. Early one morning, I visited the Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market (commonly known as the Tsukiji Fish Market) where the latest catches are bought and sold. It is Japan's most important fish market. I also had the best sushi ever at a restaurant near the fish market.

Whenever I go to Japan I try to visit places I hadn't been to before. This time, I wanted to see the Sea of Japan side of Honshu (the main island) and went for a few days to Niigata. It is much more laid-back than Tokyo. Astro Boy is prominently displayed at a bank's ATM machines throughout the city and at their branches. Niigata is known for its soba (noodles) and sake. I sampled some soba and sake while there and brought home a bottle of rice sake.

I had another reason to go to Japan in December. I anticipated a bit of gloom as this will be the first Christmas without any living parents. A trip to Japan, I figured, would be the right tonic to beat back the gloom. So far, I was right! The trip, plus the media coverage of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan, has lifted my spirits.

I am writing this in the middle of the night with pouring rain outside. I am in the biggest guard "shack" I've ever seen. It is as big as a "McMansion." Literally! This place is huge! It also has a kitchen and an upstairs conference room. The restroom alone has more floor space than most guard shacks. Normally, I just work patrol in my "parachute" job (as claim assignments are sporadic), but they needed someone to cover for the regular guard. And, it is about a mile from home and has full cable television. So, what the heck? Here I am.

Hopefully, 2011 will turn out to be a much better year. We can only hope, right? If I were to make a New Year's wish, it would be for no funerals. I've had enough of them this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Halloween In Malibu

Here's some photos of Halloween Night 2010 in Malibu:

Above, Michael Myers mans the gate of a Malibu gated community. If someone doesn't meet his criteria for entry, well, see the head hanging there?

Above, a resident's display.

Above, an inflatable Dracula rises out of his inflatable coffin.

Above, did Michael Myers do away with the sheriff deputy in the squad car? (Actually, the sheriff deputy is a real hottie named Angela.)

Tales of Adventure In Malibu: Tragedy Averted

Sometimes I have to wonder about some parents.

Yesterday evening, I was doing a routine foot patrol at the swimming pool area of one of the gated communities I patrol in Malibu.

There was a party of about 20-25 people at the bar-b-que area which is located at the southwest corner of the pool area. As I was walking along the east side of the pool, I noticed a baby crawling from a grassy area and headed towards the swimming pool.

As I approached, I checked around to see if anyone was watching him. Nobody was. The baby was crawling pretty fast and was headed directly to the swimming pool's southeast (about 30 yards from the bar-b-que area). [He is nine months old, I later found out.] I was still watching him and scanning the area to see if someone was going to come fetch him. Seeing that nobody was going to (the people at the bar-b-que were oblivious), I reached down and picked him up just as he got to about five inches of the edge of the pool.

After picking him up, I yelled to the people at the bar-b-que area, "Whose baby is this?" Everyone looked up with stunned looks on their faces. The baby's mother then came over and I handed him over to her. I then headed towards the exit gate and looked back and noticed the mother (without the baby) looking distraught and dashing towards the clubhouse.

I proceeded out and went to my patrol vehicle to get my incident report written up.

About an hour later, I returned to the clubhouse/pool area and the mother of the baby approached me in the parking lot and profusely thanked me. She said that she was busy eating and cutting up food and forgot about the baby. She said that after I gave him to her, it suddenly hit her that a tragedy had just been averted and she broke down and had to go to the ladies' room in the clubhouse.

I told her it only takes a few seconds for a baby to drown. According to a website of a company specializing in perimeter pool fences:

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths to children ages 14 and under. It can happen in a matter of seconds - in the time it takes to answer the phone. There is often no splashing to warn of trouble. Children can drown in small quantities of water and are at risk in their own homes from wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, and toilets, as well as swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs.

The statistics are frightening. Each year in the United States, 1,150 children (ages 14 and under) drown - more than half of these children are preschoolers (ages 0-4). An estimated 5,000 children (ages 14 and under) are hospitalized due to near-drownings, and of children surviving near-drownings, 5-20 percent suffer severe and permanent disability.

This time, we were lucky!

An Interesting, But Busy Night

It was an interesting, but busy night last night in Malibu.

It started off routinely until I went to patrol one of the gated communities early in my shift. I was going down one street when I spotted actress Shirley MacLaine with her dog (she has a home in the community). She seemed to wave me over so I stopped and rolled down the passenger window to talk to her.

Above, Shirley MacLaine during the filming of "Two Mules For Sister Sara."

She was waiting for a friend to arrive. I introduced myself and she said, "I'm Shirley!" We shook hands. Then I pointed to her and said, "Two Mules For Sister Sara!" At that, she gave a good hearty laugh and said, "Clint [Eastwood] and I would like to forget that one!"

My response was, "Oh, no! That was a fun movie!" Then she said, "Yeah, that was a fun one!" She said she enjoyed working with Eastwood and we proceeded to discuss him at length. I mentioned that I met Eastwood years ago. She asked, "Really? When?" I told her, "It was at something that you'd probably wouldn't go to. It was at Reagan's victory party." She chuckled, "Oh, yes. Clint is a big Republican." I mentioned that I read somewhere he is more of a libertarian in his political views.

We talked for a little bit more and then her friend arrived and we said our goodbyes. I came away with a good impression of Shirley MacLaine. I wouldn't mind talking movies with her again.

Later, things got busy when I received a call at another community about some kids throwing feces all over the community's men's sauna/shower room. I was kept busy interviewing witnesses, photographing the mess, contacting the sheriff and showing them around. At least it made the rest of the shift go much faster.

What will tomorrow bring? We'll see!

Is A Jetta Really That Roomy?

Part of my job patrolling gated communities in Malibu is to cite vehicles for parking violations. These communities have narrow streets and because of that, they are not zoned for street parking. The reason for this is emergency vehicles would have difficulty getting through if people were allowed to park on the sides of the streets. So we're paid to enforce parking rules.

Around 11:00 PM tonight, I noticed three vehicles parked illegally on a small street. So I went to cite them for the violations.

The first car I came to was a silver Volkswagen Jetta. After taking the plate number down, I radioed our gate officer to see who it belonged to. The vehicle had no visible parking permits, residential or guest, displayed. The gate officer could not find any record of it in the computer or in the guest logs (every guest is logged in).

As I was writing the citation, I saw the car start to jiggle. The car had tinted windows and they were all fogged up. I heard no voices and thought maybe a dog was inside. But the vehicle moved too much for a dog, so I said, "If anyone's in there, better come out immediately or have the vehicle towed." I got no response, then I radioed our gate again about seeing the car moving.

Just then, the owner of one of the other vehicles came out of the house (there was a party going on inside) that the Jetta was parked in front of and asked if I was going to also cite his car. I told him yes, if he doesn't move it. He said that his friend is in the Jetta with his girlfriend and today's his friend's birthday and this is "a momentous occasion for them." Then, he said something to the occupants of the Jetta and opened the driver's side rear door. When the door opened, the interior light came on and, inside, were his friend and girlfriend. They appeared to be college age. They were both nude, with her on top of him. They were partly in the back seat area and trunk area (the rear seats were folded down). They were pretty much scrunched in. This amounted to having sex in an overturned telephone booth.

I said to the guy that he needs to get out, but put something on first, and move the car. He got out nude, a bit irate and said, "Well, you wanted me to come out!" I replied, "Yeah, I also said to put something on first!"

The general manager of the community had told me to be a "pain in the ass" to people who act inappropriately at the pool and sauna areas along with the other areas of the community (this was when I caught the two sixteen-year-olds having sex in the men's shower room).

It was a bizarre scene with the guy of the second car, the naked male and me standing in the street talking. Then, his friend and I started joking about whether I should cite him, etc. given his unusual attire, or lack thereof. We joked that since today's his birthday, he is wearing appropriate attire: his birthday suit.

Finally, I said I won't cite the vehicle if he moved it to a guest parking spot. This he agreed to do and proceeded to get dressed. His girlfriend remained in the car. Why they chose that spot to fool around instead of the nearby beach is beyond me.

A few minutes later, after both the formerly naked guy and his friend went into the house, the girlfriend came out of the car all dressed. She had a sheepish look on her face and said, "I am really embarrassed! I've never been caught like this before!" (There's a first time for everything, I thought.) I asked her, "You are over 18, right?" She said yes. I considered asking her if it was comfortable all squeezed up like that, but thought better of it.

Just when I begin to think I've "seen it all," something comes along to dispel that notion!

Oh, yes. I did wish the guy in the Jetta "Happy Birthday."

Wild Parrots In Malibu

Yesterday, I saw something unusual for Southern California.

As I was leaving the clubhouse of one of the communities I have to patrol, I heard some loud squawking. I looked up and there was a flock (about 15-20) of wild parrots flying overhead. They all landed in a nearby tree.

The photo below is of the tree. The parrots were green in color, and they blended in with the tree, so they were very hard to see. All I could see was one sitting on top. Unfortunately, all I had was my cell phone camera, and the photo came out very pixelated when using the zoom. I circled the visible parrot.



After I took the picture, I approached the tree and they got startled and took flight.

One other time I saw a flock of wild parrots in Southern California. About a year ago, I saw about 20-30 of them in the Monterey Hills section of Los Angeles.

Tales of Adventure In Malibu: A Pelican's Gift

One nice thing about working at the beach, one is able to enjoy excellent scenery. Also, one gets to see different birds and animals that live at the shore.

Last night, I was having my lunch break on a bluff overlooking Zuma Beach in Malibu. It was nice out with the sunset approaching. I had just finished eating lunch and was enjoying the view with a cup of coffee. Overhead, a flock of California brown pelicans flew by.

One of them decided to give me a gift. Right on my arm.



A few inches in a couple of directions, I would have had the "gift" either on top of my head or right smack into my coffee cup.

I heard somewhere that it means good luck to receive such a gift from a bird. "Thank-you" wasn't exactly what the first words that immediately came to mind.

Topless Mermaid Sighted In Malibu!

The Fourth of July was relatively uneventful at work in Malibu.

But yesterday was a little more interesting.

While locking up and patrolling the clubhouse and pool areas of one of the communities I'm in charge of during the first 20 min. of my shift, I saw a college-age girl swimming underwater in the big swimming pool. I didn't think much about it, but then I noticed something else.

She as swimming topless!

I saw her swim underwater to the opposite end of the pool from where I was. Then, she surfaced and a friend handed her bikini top to her. She immediately put it on while looking at me (looking at her) and smiling.

First time I've seen a topless mermaid live and in-person. I gave one of the owners of the community a good laugh when I related the story to him.

Later that evening, I went to check the shower and sauna rooms of one community. I opened the door to the men's shower/sauna room and there sitting in the sauna with about 3-4 males, was a bikini-clad girl. I motioned "Out!" with my thumb and she complied with no argument.

What a job!

July 4th In Malibu

Another Fourth of July has come and gone.

I spent the evening/night hours at work in Malibu. I expected the locals in the gated communities to be going completly crazy (from what I was told about past years). Didn't happen.

For the most part, the residents were well-behaved. There was some drinking going on, but there were no incidents in the communities that could be described as major. The girls in the communities were out and about in their bikinis. It is starting to seem that "California Girls" by Katy Perry (below) is becoming an anthem in Malibu.



I did have to eject a pretty bikni-clad lass out of one men's sauna rooms. But that was it.

When night fell, the fireworks displays could be seen originating from 2-3 directions. In the back of my mind, I was concerned that some idiot would set the hills above Malibu afire. Fortunately, no one did.

Traffic wasn't bad. It seemed it was at a typical weekend beach level. Memorial Day weekend was a zoo.

I also spent some time visiting a lady friend at her residence in Zuma Beach. She has a spectacular view of the ocean and beach from her living room window and sliding doors.

Bikinis and fireworks. Who can complain?

Channeling George Reeves

Channeling George Reeves

by Armand Vaquer

One of the qualities that enamoured fans of the Adventures of Superman was George Reeves's way (as Superman or Clark Kent) of speaking to children.

One example came at the end of "The Birthday Letter" in 1951 when Superman speaks to Kathy Williams just before he flies her to the fair. He had a friendly, soothing tone of voice. Many kids growing up during the 1950s looked to him as a "father figure."

Above, from "The Birthday Letter."

Another example came in 1953 when he tied to convince Ann Carson that there's really a Superman in "Around The World With Superman." Again, George used a soothing, friendly tone of voice in speaking to Ann.

Above, George Reeves and Judy Ann Nugent from "Around The World With Superman."

Last night, I had a call to respond to at one of the communities in Malibu that I patrol. The situation was that a nine-year-old girl was screaming for hours, was abusive to her mother and locked herself up in the bathroom. This call came around 11:00 PM.

I arrived at the residence and found the mother to be at her wit's end. She told me that she and her husband are going through a divorce and that there's a restraining order on him as he's abusive. The girl is exhibiting abusive behaviors. As this is a holiday weekend, the mother tried to contact any support agencies, counselors, shelters. Either they were closed for the weekend or they were already booked up.

The mother is 47 (I told her she looked about 35, which brought a smile to her) and is a psychologist. She lamented that her training should have prepared her on how to handle her daughter. I told her as this involves an immediate family member and emotions are involved, that changes the dynamic on this.

In the beginning, the mother was reduced to being an emotional wreck, crying and cowering on the floor. At the time, I thought that she just needed an outlet to unload her troubles. So we started talking about life experiences and dealing with ex-spouses and incorrigible children. Channeling George Reeves, I spoke in a similar, soothing tone. She said that kids are growing up too fast these days and are now engaging in sexual activity at nine years of age. I recounted the story of a couple of months ago of the two sixteen-year-olds I caught in the mens shower/sauna room at one of the communities I patrol. Her mood began to change from utter despair to having a good laugh as I recounted the incident. We talked for almost a half hour. She said, "You have a lot going for you!" I asked, "How so?" She replied, "Because you have heart!"

About twenty minutes into our discussion, the daughter came out of the bathroom and stood on the staircase just inside the entryway of the apartment. Channeling George again, I spoke to her and she was responsive and began smiling. Her mother was amazed as usually the child is afraid of people in uniform. I told her that maybe she senses that I'm just a "harmless little fuzzball" (as Rush Limbaugh describes himself).

I told the girl that we know she's going through a rough time right now, but things will get better soon. I told her that family break-ups are hard on kids. I told her my daughter made it through and just received her Bachelor's in Biology.

I left the mother and daughter in a far better mood than when I arrived. They were smiling and laughing when I left. The call took close to forty minutes to complete, but the goal was to defuse the situation so that the neighbors can sleep in peace.

Thanks to using George's manner in speaking to the mom and her daughter, I think I accomplished my "good deed for the day." Thanks, George!

July Already?!

July already?!

This year seems to be whizzing by at hyper-speed. It all started with my mom's final illness and passing in January and getting The Monster Movie Fan's Guide to Japan launched. It was a slow start due to my mom's passing, but things have picked up and are rolling along quite nicely.

The photo shoot in March with Yuu Asakura was accomplished and was enjoyable. The photos from that shoot have been nice eye-catchers for the Guide. I plan to do a second round of promotional photos this fall. The shoot with Yuu seems to making her a "household name" in kaiju fan circles.

Another shocking death occurred in March, when my friend Mitch's wife Denise died of a blood clot to her lung. She was only 55. We've known her since college.

Things seemed to be getting better when I got re-acquainted and involved with Ally. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a "bum steer" since I found she was weaving a tangled web of lies. I ended that. It's better to find out about things sooner rather than later. The fortunate off-shoot of that was I gained a good circle of friends. So, sometimes there is a silver lining to some dark clouds.

The job in finishing up my mom's estate matters was completed in May. So now, for the first time in my life, I am a "land baron." I have a lot to learn about the agriculture industry. My farm's tenant has been a big help and has been the Buffalo County, Nebraska agriculture agencies and (surprise!) the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

At least I am getting more insurance claim work these past few months than I did at the final quarter of 2009. My "parachute job" of patrolling Malibu is helping to supplement my income and guarantees that the bills are paid. If the insurance work were more steady and reliable (not sporadic), I'd be able to drop the patrol job. At least I am working in a beautiful area and have had some interesting experiences (as recounted in my Tales of Adventure In Malibu).

Will the second half of 2010 be better? Who's to say? But as far as I am concerned, it couldn't be any worse than the first part of the first half. But, I am expecting it to be much better. While the first half of the year did have its pluses, my mom's unexpected death still cast a major pall over those months.

As soon as I receive the funds, I am immediately making my reservations for a return trip to Japan. This will be the first time in three years since I've set foot there. It will be nice to get back to the Land of the Rising Sun. I can use the R & R and visit with friends there.

Although J. D. Lees and I had a falling-out last December, the Guide will be available at G-FEST XVII next week at Monsterland Toys' booth in the dealers room.

I am also looking forward to a major political shift this coming November when the general elections are held. Conservatives have been winning their primary battles over RINO Republicans. The stimulous/porkulous bills have been failures. Obama has shown he's inept as a leader in his handling of the Gulf oil spill. The economy is either stalled or sinking again. It doesn't look good for the political elites. Once a new congress is installed, maybe the excesses of the past year and a half can be reversed and get this economy moving forward again.

The current news of former Vice President Al Gore's alleged sexual assault on a masseuse is both disgusting and hilarious. He's beyond creepy if the allegations are true. No wonder Tipper left him.

As of now, I am feeling optimistic.

Tales of Adventure In Malibu: Psychic Connection of Twins

Last night, I was talking to a girl I know at the supermarket near my work in Malibu. She told me that she has a twin sister.

Strangely, there have been a number of twins in her family although she and her sister were the first ones to survive, where (in the past) one of the twins did not survive.

I asked her if she has a "psychic connection" with her sister. She said "yes" and related a story.

She said that when she was seven, her nose was broken when it was hit by a baseball bat. At that moment, elsewhere, her twin sister complained of intense pains to her nose to their mother.

She showed me a recent picture of her sister and herself. Sure enough, they are identical twins. I have heard of psychic connections of twins before, the most recent was a story told to me few years ago by a co-worker who also is a twin.

I thought this was interesting.

Geoffrey's Restaurant

A restaurant called Geoffrey's Restaurant in Malibu picked up my Twitter Tweet on my "Tales of Adventure: Where's Your 16-Year-Old?" story and posted the link to it on their website.

Looks like I'll have to give Geoffrey's Restaurant a try!

Here's the link to their site.

Tales of Adventure In Malibu: Where's Your 16-Year-Old?

This latest one is the topper (at least, so far), and we're not even into summertime yet!

Tonight, I was making my rounds at one of the gated communities in Malibu. I have to check the community's clubhouse and pool area on an hourly basis. Tonight, I made my eight o'clock rounds at the pool area. I generally check the men's and women's sauna/shower room every other hour. The first stop was to check the women's.

I knocked on the door and yelled "security" and a male voice from inside said, "come in." Huh? So I entered and found two teens in the sauna, one male and one female. Both were wearing swimsuits. I told him that he can't be in there and told him to leave. Although he complied, something told me that he'd be back inside as soon as I left. As I was walking out, I noticed he was outside watching me leave.

After completing my checks of the facilities, I left to take my lunch break. While having my lunch break near the community's laundromat, I met up with one of the general managers of the community (i.e., our client) and mentioned the incident and asked him what our parameters are in those situations. He said that those facilities are for the community and people have the reasonable expectation that they can enter them without encountering any inappropriate behavior. He told me to keep watch on the saunas and to "be a pain in the ass" to those who violate the rules. Okay with me!

After lunch, I made my nine o'clock rounds that included a check on the clubhouse and pool facilities. This time I saw a kid, about 16, sitting on a chase lounge near the sauna rooms and jacuzzi. He said nothing. So, I went into the men's sauna/shower room (in order for me to make use of the restroom part of it). I heard one of the showers on and I heard a male voice and what I thought was a young child. So, as I relieved myself, I heard mainly the male voice coming from the shower, but then the other voice became more distinctly a female one. Oh-oh! Here we go!

After I finished, I stood with my arms folded near the entry door to the men's sauna/shower room and the sinks (about six feet from the showers). Within a minute or two, both the male and female came out of one of the shower stalls in their birthday suits. They didn't notice me right off, but when they did, they scurried into separate stalls.

Although I felt like laughing, I maintained a professional demeanor and told them to get their clothes on and step outside. The girl, a blonde, came out in a bikini and the guy came out in his swimming trunks. It was obvious that something was going on as he was still in a full state of arousal and the trunks did not even begin to conceal anything. The general description in such cases is "pup tent." It is not too surprising since sixteen-year-old boys would get excited while "looking at linoleum" (as Xander once said on Buffy, The Vampire Slayer).

Outside, I questioned them and they told me their names and that they were guests of the kid that was sitting on the chase lounge. Then they told me they were both sixteen (!).

They apparently were guests of the third kid (he came forward and told me and confirmed their ages) and they didn't live at the community. I proceeded to put "the fear of God" into the shower couple's heads. I told the boy (at 16, he's still a boy) that this may possibly constitute statutory rape as the onus is generally on the male, even though they are the same age. I mentioned calling the sheriff (and they will contact their parents) if they didn't cooperate, which was received by two very audible "gulps." That did the trick!

After questioning, I told them they could leave. I then had to write an incident report and notify our company dispatcher. As my friend Jeff Horne might say (he's done so before), my incident report may read like a "PG" version of a Penthouse Forum letter.

Naturally, the gate house guard thought the incident was hilarious (well, it was). He later gave them a ride to a bus stop on Pacific Coast Highway at the end of his shift. If there was a conversation on the way to the bus stop, it might have been an interesting one.

At least I can say that working in Malibu in this "parachute" job isn't dull!

Where's your sixteen-year-old tonight?

More Malibu "Tales of Adventure"

Last night was uneventful, until I had to lock up one gated community's sauna/shower rooms.

I first went to the women's sauna/shower room. I knocked and yelled "security" and received no response. So I went in, checked it out, found nobody inside and locked it up.

After locking it up, I heard female laughter. I turned around and unlocked the women's sauna/shower room and still found nobody inside when I went back in. So I locked it up again.

I then went to the men's sauna/shower room and several guys were inside and they immediately left. I again heard female laughter. Only it was inside the men's shower area. So I went back and, lo and behold, there was a petite brunette with a guy in the shower.

She and the guy came out (she was in a bikini) and I looked at her and asked, "What are you doing in here?" She just gave a sheepish smile and left.

Summer hasn't even arrived yet and already things are getting wild in Malibu!