Rants About Trees & Neighbors

Last Saturday was an important day; it was the first day of fall, it was free entry day to the national parks in the US and it marked the point where we have 100 days left of this year. Woohoo! We don't really see a huge change in the weather here due to the change in seasons, although this week we are supposed to get rain (and possible snow in the Sierra) for the first time in a while. I have a maple tree in my front yard and while beautiful in the fall, it has a lot of leaves and all of those leaves need to be raked. It also has a lot of seeds and they are those little round spiky balls shaped ones and they can really hurt you if you step on them, due to both their spikiness and the possibility of rolling an ankle. My neighbor calls them ankle breakers. 

It's a constant battle!

Speaking of neighbors, she hates the tree and would probably be happy if I chopped the entire thing down, but I am not going to do that. In my area, there are rules for who is responsible for what when it comes t trees. This is something I learned the semi-hard way, as I have had tree issues with the neighbors on all three sides. The one on the side of the maple had branches touching her power lines. Technically if the branch is over the property line, the neighbor can cut the branch as long as it does not harm the tree (i.e. cutting an entire side of the tree off). However, as a good tree owner, I not only paid for the work to be done but had to coordinate with PG&E to have the power shut off and the lines taken down for the day while the arborist cut the tree. 

On the back of my house, I have a huge incense cedar, which has needles. The neighbor in the back came over and complained to me that "the leaves were dropping on his property" and he would like me to cut off the entire side that hangs over his property so he did not have to clean up the leaves. He also said that he was afraid that a branch was going to fall on a car parked under the tree. In this case, I had the arborist trim any dead looking or dangerous or extra long branches off and do maintenance for the health of the tree, but I was not about to lop off one entire side of the tree. 

The rules are that the person with the trunk on their property is responsible for regular maintenance of the tree. It should be trimmed in order to get rid of any dead, dangerous or dying limbs to keep it safe, but if a hurricane or natural event comes and knocks off a healthy branch and it damages the neighbor's property, technically they should have their insurance pay for it. If there is a branch hanging over their property and they want to trim it, technically they can; like I said, as long as it does not damage the health of the tree, it is allowed. They do not even need to ask for permission, although as a good neighbor I think that it is only polite. 

The guy in the back did not like that I did not lop off the entire tree, so when I asked him politely a couple of years later to stop leaning heavy things on our shared fence because it was starting to buckle under the weight, he gave me a "I will remove the items if you chop off the tree" retort. Sigh! Not to make this rant too long, but technically the fence is shared and if it needs to be fixed, we should share the cost. Now, if the one neighbor is a pain, you would have to go to court to request payment for half, which of course nobody wants to do, so you may just be SOL. 

The neighbor on the third side asked if he could trim a bit of the tree (the incense cedar) since it was hanging over his garage a little and I said sure and he cut off that entire side of the tree, which was much more than a "trim." In this case, I was not happy, he did not do what he said he was going to do, but the action had been taken and there was nothing I could do really at that point, so I opted to do nothing. Who knew that a simple things such as trees could cause so many discussions, issues and conflicts in the hood!? 

Enjoy the new season! Good luck with the raking! 

Have you ever had a conflict with a neighbor and if so, what did you do about it? What are the rules about shared trees and fences in your neighborhood? Is the weather changing where you are? 

A Weird One

Yesterday was a weird day. First thing in the morning, I got into a stupid argument (when are they not stupid!) with Mr. L. We made up quickly but it's still not the best way to start your morning. After that I was low on patience. I decided to go for a run to shake it off. Instead of it getting better, at first I just got more annoyed. WHY are these families taking up the entire sidewalk with their dogs and their coolers and their pool noodles and their 17 kids? WHY do they have so many kids anyway!? Why can't people have a low number of well behaved kids who stay off the middle of the sidewalk?!

Why is this car parked on the shoulder? Don't they know the shoulder is for bikes and runners, NOT for your convenience so you can be 20 feet closer to the beach so you don't have to walk your dog and your cooler and your 17 kids and your pool noodle that much farther!? Why should I have to suffer because you decided to come to my neighborhood today? You probably need the extra 20 feet of exercise because I bet your cooler is stuffed with hot dogs and Cheetos and sugary sodas anyway!

It was not my day. I was being totally negative. In my head of course.

I am passive aggressive. I would probably never actually say anything to anyone. Actually the other day I really and truly ACCIDENTALLY bumped into one of the bathing suit clad ladies carrying a pool noodle. The reason I bumped into her is because the pool noodle is kind of long and I was trying to devise a strategy for getting around her as I was coming up behind her. I mean, do you go to the right around the shorter end of the noodle, or to the left around the bigger end? I decided to go left, as you normally would when passing a slower moving vehicle. Just as I was about to go around her, she swung herself, and the noodle, around and I kind of rammed into her elbow/the noodle. On accident. Then of course I felt bad, as if she wasn't taking up the entire sidewalk with her noodle AND making moves without giving any warning.

But yesterday was not that day. I swerved around the kids by going into the bushes on the side. I jumped over the dog leashes, did the crip walk (<------ if you don't know what this is, you have to click here and imagine me in my running shorts doing this on the sidewalk) around the coolers and did the limbo under the pool noodles.

I got halfway through my run and my calf was hurting. It had been hurting for several days. In fact, I cut my run short on Sunday and skipped my run on Monday and Tuesday because of it. It was probably karma. When  I reached the turn around point, I was in Capitola, which is a little beach town near Santa Cruz. I decided to take a break and "ice" my calf...in the ocean. So I did. I took off my shoes and waded in. I stood there for about 15 minutes, just enjoying the COLD water, the sun, the waves, and yes, even the families and their pool noodles. Afterward, I sat in the sun and dried off a bit. And saw this.

Just so you know, there were tons of people in the water -- "swimming, surfing and doing other water sports". Tons of kids actually. Not so many parents. Maybe the parents are as sick of their kids this summer as I am. Oh my gosh, I am just kidding! Wow. Don't get all riled up.

How embarrassing; you can see my sock tan line.

Anyway...sitting there, watching the waves, listening to the sound of people enjoying themselves and thinking about things restored my inner peace. I know it sounds kind of hippie-dippy, but really, after a bit of a run and some sun and sand and water (and thinking about all the pool noodles getting eaten by sharks), I was in a much better mood. The second half of my run was much better. EVEN THOUGH I still had to do the crip walk from time to time!

Who needs mood altering drugs? I have exercise and fresh air. Sometimes they just takes a little longer to take effect. 

What do you do when you are in a funk? Why do you think we let certain things get to us? If you don't let things get to you, what's your secret?

The Act of Giving Thanks

When I was a child, my mother made me write Thank You Notes like there was no Tomorrow to anyone who gave me a gift. After every Christmas, Birthday or Random event, I would sit down with my list and write a note to each person saying thank you for each thing that they gave me. I had to write down each thing, because if you wrote a note to my grandmother saying, “thanks for all the gifts” or, “thanks for the doll” when in fact she gave you a doll AND a necklace, you would get a phone call from Grandma saying, “DIDN’T YOU GET THE NECKLACE I SENT?!”

So I got into the habit of writing Thank You notes. I realize many people never were forced required to do this as a child, so they are not in the habit of doing it as an adult. However, I am of the mindset that a thank you, whether it is verbal, emailed or written in the sky with smoke signals, is warranted, no matter what. If someone gives you a gift, if they take the time to think of you, I think it is only fair to do the same by simply thanking them.

However, this does not always happen. I have sent people gifts and never heard from them. No phone call, no email, no smoke signals. They don’t even mention anything the next time I see them. It’s like it didn’t even happen. Where are their manners? Maybe their mother didn’t teach them to write thank you notes, but weren’t they taught to say thank you if someone gives you something? Don’t you learn this when you are a child? Even at the dentist, after he roots around painfully in your mouth, you say thank you when he gives you the lollypop afterwards. Don’t you?

I would like to blame technology and the internet, but in all actuality, shouldn’t this make it EASIER, not harder, to send a simple note, in the form of a text message, a phone call, or an email (or a tweet or a FB post or…)? Now we have more ways, not less, to say thank you. So why isn’t it happening?

I am appreciative to people who say thanks. So, thank you to all of you who are good at saying thank you! And if you are one of those people that sometimes get too busy to say thank you, maybe you should get off Facebook or Twitter for 27 seconds and send your friend/grandmother/sister a text!

It only takes a minute to say thank you. Not only can it really make someone's day, but I also think it is just plain good manners.

Do you write thank you notes? Do you think that when giving a gift the pleasure of just giving it should be enough? Or would you like to be thanked?

Labor of Loathe

Before I get started, let me preface this post with the fact that I have a lot of carpenters and other laborers as family, friends and coworkers. So I know that electricians are people too and can be nice ones at that. I love old carpenters with their mangled hands and their cocky grins (and their dirty jokes). I love a manly man who can build something with his own two hands. I am used to boots and hard hats and beards and bellies and bad words. But I can't stand rudeness.

I don't like it when I am jolted awake at 5 a.m. every morning to the sound of slamming doors, loud voices and talking, gunning truck engines and backup beepers. I appreciate that laborers have to get up early and go to work, but I do not appreciate it when they feel the need to wake me up as well. The first door slam may have been an accident. The following 37 slams are just plain rude. The standing in the parking lot next to your running (diesel, smelly, loud) trucks, laughing and talking loudly at...5:27 a.m. is NOT acceptable behavior in a public place, especially one where other people are sleeping. Not only are other people sleeping because it's oh, EARLY in the morning, but they are sleeping becuase...you are standing outside a HOTEL!

This is so rude!!

I would like to say this is the only thing they have done, but it's not. The first day I came to Missouri, I checked into my hotel and there were a bunch of contractors standing right outside the entry door, smoking, drinking beer and...making comments about the good looking ladies. Which apparently to them...was me. I not only could HEAR them talking about me, but I had to pass them to get into the hotel. I had to pass through their smoke and their comments to get to my new "home". I felt uncomfortable.

But this morning I just felt mad. I mean, didn't their parents teach them any MANNERS!? Don't they realize that they are being rude?

But they probably don't. Most people who are doing whatever annoying thing they are doing do not realize their faults. Bad drivers...never THINK they are bad drivers. My grandmother drives 60 on the freeway becuase she is being "safe". Loud talkers never realize that they are being loud. I rode the bus once in some country where an American was yapping on and on about himself, loudly, and I though, GEEZ, someone needs to shut him up, he is the only loud person on this bus!

I am not perfect either. I sit quietly and fume about this annoying loud American, these contractors, or the little only lady going 60 on the freeway, but then I too, sometimes do similar things. We are blind to our own faults. Sometimes, we just need someone to (kindly) tell us that we are being rude. I think many of us would be embarrassed to hear it. I would. I think your kind piece of advice would be the best way of getting me to stop doing whatever rude thing I was doing. Rather than an angry accusation.

So I did not do what I wanted to do and stick my head out of the hotel window and yell, "SHUT THE *$%@ UP!" I think they would have just laughed. Nope, I got up and started my workday early. But if I see those guys in the hallway tonight, I am going to (kindly!!$%$#&) give them a piece of my mind.

What do you think I should do? Have you ever had to deal with rudeness? How did you handle it? What's something that you really think is rude? Do you tell your friends when you think they are being rude? 

Don't forget, I am having a giveaway! Go HERE to enter! 

Getting Over The Hump

Everybody likes new music, right? And everybody likes FREE STUFF! No? Huh, well I do. If you like alternative music, I just found out that Urban Outfitters gives away 5 free songs every Monday (you can still download last Monday's songs) and a full album every couple of months.

HERE is the latest album (25 songs). I already downloaded it to make sure it was legit before suggesting it to anyone else. It is! HERE is the previous album (25 songs). This is a great way to test out new bands!! And I like this music! All you need is iTunes.

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I have a post over at Women Rockin the Road today about 10 Beautiful Places in The World. Above is a sneak peek. You want to go over there and take a look. They are Beautiful. Some you may know, and some may be new to you. You may have a recommendation for me! You can tell me "where to go" either in the comments here or on WRTR!

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Do you have any travel stories? Do you want to write a guest post? Email me if you do! We are looking for writers! 

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Speaking of email, it helps me to respond to your comments if you have yours enabled. I am lazy today so in lieu of doing a tutorial, I will direct you to Kim's site, where she shows you step by step how to do this.

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Next up this week: 

Thursday - Week 3 of 12 Weeks To Better Photos - White Balance

Friday - Fitness Friday - Race Recap and Tips on Carb Loading, Carnival Style

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Now, I have a tiny rant. I am not much of a ranter, so this couldn't be a whole post. If I were Jess or Kim, I would be able to Rock this rant, but I am not. I would be better at making a list about rants, than actually making a rant. Is that what you do to a rant, you make it?

Do you guys comment on people's blogs (a lot sometimes) and never, ever have them respond? Am I the only one who does this? I was just wondering. Because there are a couple blogs where I liked the premise of the blog and I commented a few times a week for a while, and these people never comment on my blog, which I can handle. If you don't like it, I am cool with that. But these people also never even respond with a thanks or a how-do-you-do, not via comments, not via discus, not via email. NADA. And all of a sudden the other day, I thought, wait, WHY am I wasting my time when there are other bloggers and blogs (not to mention IRL folks) who I like better? 

Am I being unreasonable? Do you normally comment multiple times and never, ever, EVER get anything back? If so, do you keep on keeping on or do you drop the person already?

This actually happened to me in real life. I used to send out a bunch (I mean A BUNCH) of handmade Christmas cards every year. They would take me FOREVER to make. And I would write a note on the inside of each one and I would HAND address the envelope (and I do believe, lick the stamp!) And then I wouldn't hear back from people at all. Not a phone call, not an email, not a text, not a letter. NADA. Even the next time they saw me, there was no, "hey, thanks for the card" or "hey thanks for thinking of me". NOTHING. So lately I have been keeping track (yes, I am anal) of who says thank you, who gives something (even just an acknowledgement) back! Screw this giveth and not recieveth. I can only giveth so much to people who are "too busy" for a simple "thank you". Especially when I am busy too and I took time out of my busy day to think of them, to do something for them, to interact with them!

I know I don't always respond to every one, and I don't always respond right away, but I try to respond as much as possible, which I hope means that I am not missing someone completely!

What do you guys think? I know everyone is busy. Should I chalk it up to that? Or are these people just plain rude?

(whoa, okay, not such a "tiny" rant after all)

**whew, I do feel better though**

Normal is as Normal Does

Fellow blogger Nora mentioned that this blog was talking about what it is like to be "Normal". She mentioned how she some of the things on the list pertain to her and some don't. The same applies to me. However, personally, I think this guy has watched Fight Club too many times. He treats "normal" as if it were a disease. He says that "normal" is people who, "work jobs that they don’t like in order to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t care about."

Hello? Tyler Durden already said this, and I quote -- "Generations have been working in jobs they hate, just so they can buy shit they don't really need."


We all feel it. The rat race. The necessity of working to get things that we want. Or sometimes things that we think we should have, or our kids should have. Or that we should want. So what? 

I spend all my hard earned money on travel. I haven't "settled down" and "had kids" and done what "normal" people do. So what? On the other hand I have too many pairs of shoes. I work so I can eat overpriced food and buy yet another book that I don't need or a sweater that will last me for one season. Does it make me happy? Yes! Do I NEED it? No. Of course not. 

Really, what do we actually NEED? Food, shelter, warm clothing and love. So I have a new list for you. Normal people eat. Normal people try to keep dry. Normal people wear socks. And Normal people want hugs. What's wrong with being normal? 


He is very negative about being "normal". I guess he sees normal as working all the time trying to make money so you don't have time to commit to friends. Also, some of the things he says are "normal", I am not sure I agree with. He says things like how normal people are divorced, have their kids in day care, don't take care of their health and watch 4 hours of TV a day...but he says nothing of positive "normal" activities". The title of his article is "normal sucks".

Normal doesn't suck. Normal people are you and me. Normal is family and friends and yes, being busy trying to make money so we can afford to visit them. Normal is a mixture of work and vacations. Normal is trials and tribulations and successes. Normal is a mixture of happy and sad. Normal is not perfect. Normal is only what WE make it.

So let's make normal a good thing!


(by the way, when I googled "Tyler Durden", I got this: Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her home in Camden, north London. What? Sorry Amy! RIP)

Ewww, Wetness

Oh the horror. Have you ever lived in a really humid place? I mean, a REALLY humid place. Okay, so you have. Now, think about living there without air conditioning. Or a dryer. Or a car. With mold everywhere. And rain all the time. Now we are getting somewhere. You might understand what it is like in India right now.

I thought New Orleans is bad in the summer time. It rains every day. The temperature is in the 90s and the humidity is also in the 90s. However, I think in India the humidity is in…the 190s! Everything is wet. Everything. The bed is wet; my backpack is wet; any book you read - you guessed it - wet. I am afraid to take anything out of the double wrapped plastic bagging system I have developed. I don’t want to use my iPod or my camera or write in my journal. What if they get wet?

You take a shower, get out, dry yourself and hang up the towel. The next day, my hair is STILL wet, the towel is STILL wet. You never dry. It is so gross. To top it off, it rains every day AND it is hot. We came to the beach to relax but the water is warm and you never really get dry and if you get your clothes (or even your bathing suit) wet THEY never dry so you have to carry them around wet all the time. All our clothes smell moldy, probably because they ARE. There is no end to this insanity.

So, we are going north. We thought it would be a good idea to go where everyone said it was so nice - Goa (south of Mumbai). So we went to Goa. But its too wet and the water is actually dirty, sandy and warm. So we are going north (towards the Himalayas). We have not decided where yet, but I think the desert or the mountains. Anywhere where your feet don’t feel damp all the time and where your blanket on your bed feels dry. I can deal with heat but the wetness is driving me crazy.

Editors note:  I wrote the above a few days ago. Yesterday I found MOLD on my backpack. I am completely grossed out. I was never really a fan of Air Conditioning, but I may have to join the club after all. If only to be dry. I am totally disgusted.