I attended my first meeting of the Ventura County Writers Club on Tuesday evening (3-9) at Borders Books in Thousand Oaks and thoroughly enjoyed it. The meeting took place in the coffee shop area and there must have been over forty hopeful writers there to get some book publishing tips and ideas from two guest speakers, literary agent Paul S. Levine, and author Marcia Meier.
Mr. Levine, who is also an entertainment attorney and is based in Venice, talked about “How Book Authors Make Money from Publishers.” I learned so much! Ms. Meier talked about four huge changes that are coming to publishing, which really point out the huge effect that the internet and other ways of electronic communication have had on the industry. One of the changes Ms. Meier predicts is that the major publishing houses will get weaker as smaller presses grow in importance. Another was that multi media support of books will expand, like CDs and DVDs and the possibility of having sound and images incorporated with the worwords in elecronic books, like Amazon’s Kindle. Another message I got from the presentation was the self-publishing of an author’s own works is a possibility.
If you have been writing away in your garret and want to get out and meet other writers, try out this group! Their website is: www.Venturacountywriters.com. Marcia Meier has a book coming out soon, titled Mavigating the Rough Waters of Today’s Publishing World, and her website is: http://www.marciameier.com. Paul S. Levine’s website is: http://www.paulslevine.com/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Book publishing·Ventura County Writers·writing
The two flags were featured in a previous, “Where in the Conejo Is This?” As coincidence would have it, right after I ran it, the flags were taken down, and remained down for most of the on-and-off rain periods we have had the past few months. Well, I happily spotted them again last week! To see for yourself from the 101 Freeway (eastbound only), look left (to the north) between the Lindero Canyon Road Exit and the Reyes Adobe Exit. There usually seems to be a wind blowing so they are easy to see. Every time I see them, I wonder…why two flags instead of one?
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Two flags·Westlake Village
My eldest granddaughter took this photo last fall, from the 101 Freeway in Newbury Park, as we were driving west. I always think of this view, as I approach the grade to drive down to Camarillo, as one of the bookends of the Conejo Valley. The other bookend of the traditional Conejo is Lady Face Mountain in Agoura Hills, which graces the masthead of this blog.
I have been scouting for a better location to take a photo of these mountains (does anyone know if they have a name?), and I think I have found a place on the Borchard Road 101 Freeway Overpass. Stay tuned…I will post that photo as soon as I get it. Next on the to-do photo list is Mount Boney at the National Park in Newbury Park. I love that mountain! I just want to be sure that it is clear and not hazy when I go for that photo.
Post by Janna Orkney
Tags: Newbury Park Mountains
Christina Walsh of the Aerospace Cancer Museum of Education (ACME) just sent out an email this afternoon that the Museum in Chatsworth is closing, due to loss of funding. ACME was dedicated to providing information about the chemical and radiation pollution at Rocketdyne’s Santa Susana Field Lab in Simi Valley, and helping folks get involved with efforts and lobbying to get the site cleaned up. William Bowling was a cofounder of the Museum, along with Christina.
Christina and Bill are inviting you to come to ACME on Sunday, March 28th from 1-5 PM, where, to quote the email, “…you can share in the history, the people, and what we all care so much about - clean-up of the Hill.” ACME’s address is: 23350 Lake Manor Drive, Chatsworth 91311.
Links: http://acmela.org/, http://cleanuprocketdyne.org/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: ACME closing·Rocketydyne SSFL
After reading an article in the Ventura County Star on Friday (3-5) about a class in Mandarin being offered to sixth graders in Camarillo, I just wanted to say that a school district in the Conejo Valley offers classes in this Chinese language, too!
Oak Park High School offers four levels of Mandarin, according to OPUSD board member, Marie Panec. OPUSD recently received a federal grant, and Marie says, “…We hope to offer Chinese in the middle school, so students can get started on it there. The plan is to offer Chinese culture in the elementary schools to pique students’ interest…”
Makes sense to me, with China such a powerhouse in the world today. For the students, knowing Mandarin could be very helpful in the future. I would be interested in knowing if CVUSD and/or LVUSD offer Chinese language classes, too.
(Incidentally, Marie Panec is running in the June Primary to be the Democratic candidate for for Congress in the 24th District, which Elton Gallegly currently holds. Her website is: www.panec4congress.com) To read the Star article by Cheri Carlson: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/05/camarillo-middle-school-offers-chinese-classes/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Mandarin Classes·OPUSD
The Borchard Community Center in Newbury Park hosted the Conejo Rec and Park District’s 23rd Annual Spring Art & Crafts Festival this weekend. Booths filled with crafts were set up inside and outside the center. I had a great time perusing the crafts, from jewelry to wind chimes, and everything in between. Previously, I have bought at the festival, but this time I just strolled and got into the festival spirit.
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: CRPD Spring Art and Crafts Festival
Over a decade ago, my son and daughter-in-law were already living in the Conejo Valley when I decided to move here. My son was helping me look for an apartment to rent that would allow my dog (that was a challenge!), and we were driving around near Los Arboles and Erbes Road in Thousand Oaks.
We drove up to an intersection with a 4-way stop and we stopped. There was another car already stopped in the street that would cross ours. The other driver stayed stopped and did a hand motion for us to go first, which we did. That got my son talking about how shocking it had been to move from L.A.’s frenetic Westside, where everyone wants to go first because they deserve it, to the Conejo Valley. It had made him laugh to see drivers in similar 4-way stops go back and forth, motioning, “You go first,” and the other driver motioning, “No, you go first,” and for this hand dialog to continue for a while!
I don’t know if one of those interactions ever ended with both drivers then running into each other because they finally decided to go at the same time, but I doubt it. Part of the polite interchange seemed to be to accelertate slowly through the intersection, so one or both drivers would have had time to stop.
Anyway, I was very impressed with the politeness of drivers in the Conejo Valley, and it gave me an added incentive to move here.
Posted by Janna Orkney
The big jo
Tags: Conejo Valley·Driver's behavior at stop signs
Or not! It strikes me, that public behavior which only a few short years ago could get a person labeled as “not all there,” is now deemed acceptable behavior.
What I am talking about is seeing someone walking along and talking loudly, as though in conversation, but there is no one else nearby. That is what I observed this afternoon, as I was getting out of my vehicle to go to a local bank in a strip mall. A man, by himself, was walking toward me and talking in an animated way. Of course, I assumed he was talking on a cell phone, as most people would now. So, we have the same observed behavior that over time, people judge in very different ways.
I guess we can still say, however, that the man was ”not all there,” because his focus was not “there” on his immediate surroundings!
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Cell Phone Use
Mark Burley wrote a comment to the previous post, “Extreme Property Rights, or Open Space for All.” I posted it there as a comment, but am posting it here as well, because Mr. Burley talks about zoning and property rights in such a clear way. To quote:
“Why is the argument about protecting property rights bogus? The implication is that restrictions of land use is governmental interference in the enjoyment and use of one’s own property which sounds terrible doesn’t it? Well it’s not about property rights but about the whole concept of zoning. We understand that zoning is in fact a way in which we protect our use and enjoyment of our properties. We have set up zoning so that the use of neighbor’s property will not interfere with our use of our property. Not one of these CAPR members would be happy if a McDonalds or a manufacturing plant was built next door to them in their suburban residential neighborhood. That’s why we as a society chose to have zoning: to protect our property rights and they know it.
The same concept applies whether it residential, commercial, open space or agricultural zoning. We as a community have made choices through local government about what uses are appropriate for that area.”
Post by Janna Orkney, Text by Mark Burley
Tags: CAPR·Zoning
I was very impressed with the discussion among the board of supervisors at their meeting yesterday, about the amendment to the open space zoning law. Four out of five of the Sups talked about fine points in the proposed legislation. My hat is off to Supervisors Bennett, Zaragoza, Long, and Parks. On the other hand, I was surprised that Supervisor Foy used his speaking time to go on and on about property rights. Among other things, he said that property rights were the basis of our democracy. To me, that is one right, but how about freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the right to vote? To just single out property rights as THE basis seems very unbalanced to me.
He also expressed concern that a private college would not be allowed to build a school in open space, even though the county cannot prohibit a state college from being built in open space. This is because state law trumps county law, so if the state wanted to build a college, they could go ahead. But, is that even remotely likely to happen? And since when do Ventura County residents want their open space used in that way? (Incidentally, I so support the one existing college, Thomas Aquinas, by Santa Paula, that is in open space now, but it was built a long time ago.)
I assume that a continuation of this line of thinking and speaking will be happening tonight at a meeting of the extreme group, Citizens Alliance for Property Rights (CAPR) of Ventura County. The guest speaker at CAPR is State Senator Tony Strickland, husband of Audra Strickland who just moved into Supervisor District 2 in order to run against Linda Parks. The meeting is tonight (3-3) at 6 PM at the Thousand Oaks Library. To look at this group’s website, go to: http://vcpropertyrights.net/About_Us.html Take a look at their logo…it says in a ring around the name, “life, liberty, property rights.” Hmmm…I thought it was “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…”
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: CAPR·Ventura County Supervisors
