Learning to think positively, love freely, forgive lavishly and have an open mind
The City I Love
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Good and bad, I love my city. It is where my heart is.
Ventura is a very laid back, relaxed town. Culturally diverse, fun and funky...
There's about 106,000 people here....76% white, 31% Hispanic, etc. At the last count, of those 106K people, 306 were homeless. That number seems a little low to me but I'll take it. With all its beauty and great location, it is not cheap to live in Ventura. A young family of 4 needs to have an income of $82,000.00 to live modestly. Childcare and housing being the largest expenses in a budget, averaging around $1150.00 for childcare and $1500.00 for housing, minimum wage jobs just don't cut it.
That being said, if you are one of the lucky ones who can afford housing, food and other basics, there are many things to enjoy about our town;
According to a Washington Post article in 2015, Ventura County is the most desirable place to live in America for climate. I can't argue with it. Our warm months are from June to October where we see an average high of 73°F (22°C). We will see a spike of a few weeks in the summer where we all suffer through it and go to a lot of movies because very few people in Ventura have A/C. The cool months are November to April with an average high temp below 67°F (19°C) and rarely going below the 50°'s. We get a May-June gloom that I am not overly fond of but some people enjoy.
All in all, we have the beach, mountains, good food, great weather, decent schools and loads of brewerys for you beer lovers. I love it mostly because it is where my people are and where my person is.
Welcome!
Mission San BuenaVentura - founded in 1782
(That's REALLY old for us Californians)
View from City Hall
Famous Two Trees♥
One of the lucky ones that can afford to buy a home.
Our dear friend Nancy turned 100 a few weeks ago. Her daughter arranged for a lovely party at the local zoo that Nancy has generously supported through the years. She always has said she loves 4 legged creatures much more than 2. We flew down to Burbank Saturday morning and flew back home Monday. Quite a whirlwind trip. Loads of longtime friends showed up to honor her and she was childlike in her delight at each face, many of them she had not seen in years. Part of the celebration included a performance by the students of The Teaching Zoo of Moorpark College . The entire party moved into a lecture hall, Nancy and her daughter sat front and center. The student handlers and their animals came in one by one. We learned about several different animals, their habitat, unique characteristics and how they are worked into the zoo program. I was not aware that porcupines are rodents. We were in a traditional lecture hall that rear seats loom high above the lecturer. The Boy Scout and ...
Recently, I went to Denver to visit my daughter. It was a good visit. I brought my best self there and enjoyed her company thoroughly. One night, after she went home, I was still antsy and decided to go see a movie. Jurassic World was ok but, good or bad (mostly not that great) I’ve seen them all because of falling in love with the first in the series. The Cinemark theater was a little sketchy, somewhat run down but I got my popcorn and enjoyed. The next day I was telling my girl about the movie. She was quiet and then said, “I probably should have told you mom, that is the theater is where the Batman shooting took place 12 years ago. I sat there stunned, without words. After a while, I realized not only did I go to the same theater complex but in the exact theater where the killing spree took place. Questions entered my mind. How in the world did Century Theaters decide to keep that horrible place open? How is it that they think it’s ok to pretend like it did no...
It can be hard to put my whole self out there. It can be hard to know who I am in some situations. When someone from the past asks about child #3, they will say things like, How is Prescott doing? How’s he liking England or Portland or his work etc. When that happens now, because everyone important or close has been told, I have to dig deep. Who am I in this situation? Do I just say, “SHE”, and go on with the conversation as if it is nothing big? It is big! Do I smile wide and say “oh, she’s in the process of transitioning”, without going into anything else. Do I let them ask questions? Do I know how to answer? This is her personal journey. I am a bystander, a caring one, but bystander just the same. Do I avoid the subject completely and just be careful with pronouns so that I am not disloyal. If I am avoiding, am I being disloyal? Maybe they haven’t earned the right to hear her story. There is a protective defensiveness that I have to be aware of too. My feelings are still comple...
It does look like a tropical paradise!
ReplyDeleteAs we are in a drought, not incredibly tropical but we are all adjusting and trying to do our part.
DeleteIt looks lovely. The weather sounds perfect! No wonder you love it so!
ReplyDelete