Pet Parents Need More Information on Healthier Pet Food

Note: While this is a normally a personal blog, In my professional capacity, I am participating in the sharing of information to several print publications and providing media interviews on behalf of my company about the pet nutrition. I have chosen to also provide this information on my personal blog in support of any public statements I am providing. This is not a paid post, I am sharing this on my own accord.

For the past few months, I've been working closely with my company on a national education campaign around premium quality pet nutrition. In response to what we learned from our survey, we have added at least two nutrition certified associates in every PETCO store to help customers find a premium quality pet food that's best for their dog or cat. In my nearly thirteen years working in the pet industry I have gained a strong working knowledge of dog and cat foods. That's why I've been asked to help spread the news that feeding a better quality food to your pet will make a significant difference in their quality of life. In the coming weeks, you may be seeing or hearing me speak publicly about the benefits of a premium or natural pet food. Check out this news release that was issued yesterday:

Survey Shows 60 Percent of Pet Owners Need Better Information to Choose Healthy Food for Their Pets

PETCO launches national pet nutrition education campaign for consumers, provides in-depth training for pet nutrition experts in every store

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 6, 2009) — Nearly 80 percent of pet parents are confident their pet’s food is healthy and nutritious, but only four in 10 say they understand pet food labels, according to a recent survey commissioned by PETCO, a leading pet specialty retailer. Backing up its pledge that every pet deserves better nutrition and a long, healthy life, PETCO is launching a campaign to educate both consumers and the company’s own associates in an effort to narrow the gap between pet parents’ desire to feed their pets healthy food and their ability to understand and meet their pet’s nutritional needs.
Whether choosing food for themselves, their families or their pets, most Americans pay particular attention to nutritional value.  Eighty-three percent of American pet parents consider the nutritional value of their own food to be critical (31%) or important (52%).  As pets are increasingly treated as members of the family, pet parents show a similar level of interest in choosing the right food for their pets, with 79 percent putting the same critical or important emphasis on their pet’s nutrition.
But despite these good intentions, the survey highlighted a significant disconnect between pet parent confidence in the nutritional value of their pet’s food (78%) and their ability to evaluate pet food value by reading package labels. Only 43 percent of respondents understand how to evaluate the nutritional value of their pet’s food by looking at ingredients; only 41 percent report knowing which ingredients are the most nutritious or which ones to avoid; and only 39 percent know the nutritional difference between basic, premium, natural and organic pet food.
“The human food industry has done a great job educating consumers on how to read labels to select healthy ingredients and steer clear of unhealthy ones,” said Rick Rockhill, Vice President of Merchandise Innovation for PETCO. “We want to arm consumers with the same kind of knowledge to make the best choices for their pets. We’re confident that by providing pet parents with the tools and by staffing our stores with trained nutrition experts, we can increase the number of pets enjoying the health benefits of great nutrition, and living healthier, happier lives with their human companions.”
PETCO provides the largest selection of premium, natural and organic dog and cat foods of any national retailer.  The company is extending that leadership with a full nutrition education campaign that includes:
• In-depth training and certification for at least two staff nutrition experts at every PETCO store;
• Pet Nutrition Workshops for consumers, to be held in all PETCO stores at 2 p.m. on Nov. 14; and
• Providing educational materials and pet nutrition guidance, including a complete Food Finder, to consumers online at PETCO.com/nutritioncenter.
“Many people would be surprised to know that human nutritional needs can be very different from those of our pets,” Rockhill said. “For ourselves, we’ve been trained to look for low-fat, unprocessed foods that provide energy with the right balance of protein and carbohydrates.  But dogs and cats actually get most of their energy from fat and have an easier time digesting foods that have been correctly processed. So instead of looking for food that mirrors human nutrition, pet parents need to understand and reference a different set of guidelines for their pets.”
Pet parents also often mistakenly believe that premium or natural pet foods cost much more than less nutritious food. But while premium formulas sometimes cost more for the same size bag or can of basic food, they are made with higher-quality ingredients and are more nutrient-dense, which allows pets to absorb more of the nutrients they need with less food.
To help pet parents make informed decisions about pet nutrition, PETCO has created the following guidelines on how to choose the right food for your pet:
Recognize that humans, cats and dogs have very different nutritional needs

• Don’t select your pet’s food based on your nutrition needs. Dogs, cats and humans have very different body processes, which create different nutritional needs. For instance, while we’re trained to eat a low-fat diet, dogs and cats get most of their energy from fat, which should account for at least 20 percent of their overall diet.
• Don’t share food among species. Even with the best of intentions, many people make the mistake of feeding their pets food from their own dinner table, making their own pet food, or allowing multiple household pets to share the same food. Make sure your pet’s food is specially formulated to provide the right balance of nutrients for each species’ unique needs.

Understand Your Pet’s Unique Needs 

• Start with your pet’s age, breed, activity level and any special needs. There is always more than one food that may be right for your pet.  To narrow your options, understand the basic needs of your pet’s breed (size, species), life stage (puppy, adult or senior), activity level and any special health needs (overweight, food allergies, joint issues, etc.). 
• Different food categories are designed for specific lifestyles and nutritional needs. Premium foods typically exceed minimum standards to provide complete nutrition and are based on extensive research into the unique nutritional needs of dogs and cats.  You know a food is premium when it contains a balanced mix of easy-to-identify, high-quality proteins, fats and carbohydrates without any added sugars or artificial colors. 

Learn How to Evaluate a Pet Food Label

• Don’t judge a food’s quality by how the package looks. Just because a package is covered with wholesome-looking ingredients doesn’t mean the food inside is nutritious. Read the small print on the ingredient list and nutrition label, instead of depending on illustrations or advertising on the package.
• Look for high-quality proteins. Read the full ingredient list to evaluate all the proteins provided, and don’t assume a meal or by-product meal is less nutritious.  As long as the origin is specifically named (for instance, chicken meal or salmon by-product, rather than meat meal or poultry by-product) the ingredient is a high-quality protein source.
• Use the Guaranteed Analysis. Similar to human food nutrition facts, the guaranteed analysis, a panel included on every pet food package label, will tell you the food’s overall protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber and moisture content. 
• Determine the primary ingredients and protein sources. Ingredients on pet food labels are listed by weight.  Look at the first five to eight ingredients and ensure there is a healthy combination of correctly processed, high-quality, specific protein sources.
• The combination of ingredients is more important than any single ingredient. Food can contain more than one form of the same ingredient, so read the whole label for a healthy balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate sources with natural names you recognize. 

For more information about the PETCO nutrition pledge, to find the best premium food for your pet, or for other details on pet nutrition, visit PETCO.com, or ask a nutrition expert at a PETCO near you.


About PETCO
PETCO is a privately held specialty retailer that provides products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. We operate more than 950 stores in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading pet products and information destination at PETCO.com. Our nonprofit organization, The PETCO Foundation, has raised more than $50 million since its inception in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the foundation, we work with and support more than 6,200 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 200,000 adoptable animals every year.   
Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted on PETCO’s behalf, from Sept. 10-13, 2009, by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC). Telephone interviews were conducted with 1,010 adults in a random sample of U.S. households (one interview per household). ORC weighted the survey results by four demographic characteristics: age, sex, geographic region and race to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population 18 years of age or older. This report is based on a weighted total sample of 527 respondents who have at least one cat or dog in their household. The sampling error associated with a sample size of 527 is no more than plus/minus 4.3 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. This means that if this survey were repeated 100 times with separate samples, the results for individual questions would be within plus/minus 4.3 percentage points in 95 surveys out of 100.

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The Power of Palm Trees

In my view, there are few things that send a clear message to me about relaxation. For example, visualize a hammock. It conjures up images of a nice long comfy snooze on a warm summer day, right? Maybe add a novel in hand, or swinging in the hammock with a Klondike ice cream bar perhaps? But never-the-less, a hammock represents RELAXATION to me. What else is there...well how about a fireplace? For some reason a fireplace mesmerizes me. Something about the gentle flames dancing around merrily that puts me at ease. But above all, the most potent sight for relaxation to me are palm trees. I think it goes back to the first time I saw them in person. It was an early family vacation to the Bahamas. It was magical. The trees were so majestic, swaying in the breeze, tall and proud. Ever since then, whenever I see palm trees I feel relaxed.

Fortunately for me I live in a place where palm trees are everywhere. (perhaps that is one reason why I do love it here). Palm trees greet you at the entrance to the city. They line our streets. Rows of them line my own property at home. I do find them soothing to the eyes.

Just the other day I was in Venice, CA (LA area) and snapped this photo of the palm trees right on the beach boardwalk. This photo was taken right around dusk, looking north. The trees look so cool against the sky, don't they?

Then last night I took this photo while at a party downtown. My camera is not very good, which is why the image is so blurry. (I'm sure the wine had nothing to do with it). Anyway I digress. These trees were quite tall, but I was staring up at them and found them so elegant. And so I present the Power of Palm Trees- to me anyway. The fact that a plant could affect me is such a manner seems unlikely. Although as I think about it, plants do affect people; I suppose that's why there is a demand for fresh flowers, they change moods and make people happy. So whether or not you can get to Palm Springs to enjoy our myriad of palm trees, (or some other warm climate), I hope you enjoy this quick pictorial view of our palm trees here in Southern California. Thanks for stopping by today.

-Rick Rockhill

Ripped from the Headlines: Palm Springs is Hot and Cool...

Two interesting articles appeared on today's Desert Sun website.The first is a little mention about how our friend Martha Stewart loves Palm Springs, so we're hot! The second is "news" that our weather is finally starting to cool. Yup, that's news here in the desert. So we're hot and cool at the same time, it would seem. 
We're Hot: 
"Palm Springs just got hotter — under the national spotlight." 
"The desert community is prominently featured in the October issues of Martha Stewart Living and Sunset magazines, and was the topic of Tuesday's episode of “The Martha Stewart Show.”

The episode focused on Stewart's recent weekend visit to Palm Springs, where she was inspired by the city's style, decor and more. Segments included creating a cactus garden, desert fashion from designer Trina Turk and furniture with antiques expert Alan Moss.

Stewart also toured the Kaufmann house, Frey House II and the Elrod house, in addition to taking a trek through Joshua Tree National Park.

Turk, a Palm Springs resident, also makes an appearance in one of two features about the community in Sunset magazine. She serves as a tour guide, taking readers to The Ace Hotel & Swim Club's spa, Koffi, Norma's, Modernway and other sites.

In the other feature, about architectural design, Palm Springs is listed as No. 7 among top design cities. Some of the city's most prominent Mid-century modern architects and landmarks are mentioned."

We're Cool:

"Look for double-digit weather this week"

Coachella Valley temperatures will dip into double digits today and will remain in the mid-90s to upper 90s at least through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. According to Accuweather, the triple digits are over for at least the next two weeks, with high temperatures ranging from 90 to 98 degrees.

"According to the National Weather Service, the valley will only get a short reprieve. The valley should soon begin seeing consistently cooler temperatures. Overnight lows are expected to drop into the 50s."

So it IS possible to be Hot and Cool at the same time!

-Rick Rockhill

A Mean Old Ugly Spider

Check out this mean-old-ugly-spider. I saw him the other day while out walking the kids. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw him, because my arm was swinging and I almost put my hand right into his web. You see, I loathe spiders. I mean really hate them. However that didn't stop me from running to get my camera to snap this photo for you. (What I won't do for this blog). I hope you aren't too grossed out by it. I thought it was a fitting start to the month of October. Yes, Halloween is just 29 days away, so maybe this mean-old-ugly spider is just getting ready for a fright night among ghouls, goblins, witches, vampires and monsters. As long as it doesn't involve me. Happy Friday!

-Rick Rockhill

The Adventures of Sheldon & Duncan: A Zen Moment Together

My blog hasn't had a sense of normalcy for awhile. My regular features like the Sunday Art Review, The Saturday Seven and Philatelic Friday have been on temporary hiatus while I have been majorly busy at work. Those features take a fair amount of planning and work to produce. So I thought it was about time for a fresh installment of The Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan. So here goes. I captured A Zen Moment Together, the two boys relaxing by their favorite Chinese room divider at our beach house. To know Sheldon Gryffindor and Duncan Diggory is to know that they rarely have such a quiet moment together. But last night, these two boys seized the moment to actually sit still and enjoy the cool pleasant breeze. After a long hot weekend in the desert, they recognized the difference in the temperature of San Diego compared to Palm Springs. This past Saturday Duncan had his first groom, turning him into a fine young Poodle. He looks so cute, doesn't he? Anyway I thought I'd capture this Zen Moment with the two boys, as it is indeed a rarity. Other than the 18 hours of sleepy-time, the balance of their days are spent running, jumping, rough-housing, playing fetch and Olympic relay races around the house. Earlier on Sunday, back in Palm Springs they staged their own agility course competition bobbing and weaving in between our long row of palm trees along the west side of our property. I never knew Poodles could run so fast. Anyway it was so nice to see the boys relaxing last night that I just HAD to snap this photo. Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you have a great week.
-Rick Rockhill

Queen Latifah's "Persona" New Album

Queen Latifah's latest album "Persona" debuted a few weeks ago to some mixed reviews. It took me a few times listening to warm up to it, but I've since decided that I like it a lot! Without a doubt, it is a distinctive installment from her other six studio albums. In this collection, Ms. Latifah presents several facets of music. She collaborated with a range of current artists including Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Shawn Stockman, Dre (of Cool&Dre), Marsha Ambrosius, Mary J. Blige & Jadakiss.  The lyrics, vocals, and production validate her versatility across multiple genres, displaying her talent and appreciation for a broad range of music. In fact if you look closely at the cover art, you see Queen Latifah dressed in various fashion styles, representing the intended ecclectic nature of this album. The first few songs are a combination of pop, techno, and electronic dance music, which have fairly broad appeal. The other songs present a soft Hip-Hop and R&B sound, paying tribute to her musical roots.

In general, I wouldn't consider myself a Hip-Hop fan, but there are a few artists whose music I like, including Ms Latifah. The Hip-Hop tracks on this album are enjoyable and offer insights to her views on life. Perhaps because those tracks aren't hard core Hip-Hop that some early fans are mixed in their opinion. I for one, happen to like "Persona". While this album may not be her absolute "career best", I do think it is a worthy addition to my iPod music collection and recommend it to you. The next time I see Queen Latifah in Palm Springs, I'll buy her a martini and congratulate her on another creative contribution to the wonderful world of music.

-Rick Rockhill

Helping Your Pets Live Longer

Today my company's blog posted an article about our Pledge to Premium Pet Nutriton. This is part of a larger goal to educate consumers about why feeding a high quality pet food can really make a difference in the quality of life of a dog or cat. As is the case with people, what you put into your body has an impact on your health and well-being. That’s why choosing a high quality premium or natural food really makes a difference over the life of your pet. Pets lives are too short as it is, so if better nutrition can help my pets live longer and have fewer health problems, I’m there! Last December it was so hard for me when we had to put down my beloved Koshimi, but he lived a long life (16 years), mainly because we always fed him a really good natural food. Which is why I feed Sheldon, Duncan and Owen one of the best quality foods available so they too can live a long life. How do you know if your pet's food is high quality? Well, just read the ingredient panel on the bag.

It should start with high a specific protein, like chicken, lamb, salmon, turkey, duck, venison, etc. Never buy a food that says something generic like “poultry” or “meat”. You should know what kind of specific protein is being used in your pet’s food.


The next ingredients should be things you recognize and understand. Look for other specific proteins, like a fish, egg, pea protein, etc. All good foods also have fat to provide energy. Most have a carbohydrate source such as rice, or potato, etc. Look for other ingredients you recognize such as flaxseed, blueberries, cranberries, tomato, eggs, etc. Most pet foods will also contain some vitamins and minerals toward the end of the ingredient list. Those help ensure it is nutritionally complete and balanced. A really high quality food should never contain any artificial preservatives, colors, flavors or chemicals. There has been lots of controversy around ingredients such as wheat, corn and soy. Unless a vet has diagnosed a specific food allergy, most pets aren’t allergic to wheat corn or soy. Technically those are not bad ingredients, but in my personal opinion I prefer a specific meat or fish protein in the first few ingredients. Anyway, that’s my opinion for those of you interested. If you want to know more, check this out.

Rick's Roadshow: Las Vegas, Revisited.

Last week I was back in Fabulous Las Vegas attending a pet industry trade show. I've been so busy that I've scarcely had time to write much, although I did manage to snap a few photos worth sharing here. This first photo above left is of the Luxor hotel and casino. If you've never been to Vegas, it is the city of lights and sights. On one street you can find all sorts of themes: an Egyptian style pyramid, replicas of a NY city skyline, the Eiffel Tower, St Mark's Square in Venice, and Cesar's Palce (sort of). One night I had a roof top dinner with friends and enjoyed this spectacular view of the famous strip, overlooking the Luxor pyramid. It is quite the sight to see.

The next night was sushi at a hot restaurant called Shibuya, located at the MGM Grand hotel. Regular readers know I like some types of sushi, but when it gets too wierd I stop eating. Lucky for me there were mostly more "normal" types of sushi. They had such interesting presentations in everything they served. Check out these two platters- so colorful and inviting. Too bad some of it was slimy, raw fish, I was really craving a steak.

All in all, it was a fun evening. Later we went out for a quick drink, when I took this photo below. I just like the way the lights blurred.

It seems artsy without being too psychadellic. Anyway that's all for this post. I'm in Boulder, Colorado today so busy as a bee once again. Thanks for stopping by.

-Rick Rockhill

Integrity Matters

Integrity: (n) adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. 
synonyms: rectitude, probity, virtue
antonym: dishonesty

Have you ever known someone whose behaviors and actions demonstrate a complete lack of integrity and moral fiber? A controlling person who uses fear to manage others? Someone who leaves a path of destruction daily? An individual devoid of common manners or social graces? How about someone who uses aggressive language and intimidation as standard behavior? I'm sorry to say I know just such a person. As a result of their own actions and personality, I believe this individual will have a trail of negative karma for a very long time. In my view, life is just too short to deal with such negativity, so I choose to limit interaction with such individuals at all costs. Instead, I prefer to spend my time with virtous people with a positive attitude, and a smile on their face. That's my advice to you for the day. If this helps one person this week I'll consider this rant worth the time it took to write and your precious time to read it. Thanks for stopping by.
-Rick Rockhill

Furry Friends are Fun

This morning I was watching the two poodles and cat run around the house like complete maniacs, chasing each other, playing and having an all-around great time together. It made me smile seeing them so happy together.At times it was like a high speed train, just blur of fur whiring past, with the occasional squeal, elongated me-ows and gentle barks as the three of them ran back and forth. Whenever I thought it was getting a bit too rowdy, I’d shout out their names and tell them to calm down. They would slam on the brakes and stare at me as if I were crazy. I could almost hear them say “Aww dad, we’re just playing!”. Just a short while later, the three of them were curled up together asleep, resting in total bliss, content with the companionship of each other. It reminded me how important companionship really is throughout the animal kingdom. Most people, dogs, cats, birds, baboons, whatever- all seek companionship. I can’t imagine our lives without a pet. When things get stressful, there is nothing like a kitty asleep in your lap to calm you down. Or being greeted by a wagging tail by a grateful dog to see you again. The stress just drains right out and makes you feel grounded again.



If you don't have the companionship of a pet today get one. You'll be amazed how much they enrich your life. The shelters have so many dogs and cats that need a good home right now, there are plenty from which to choose to meet your lifestyle and home. So don't be lonely or bored- do what the rest of the animal kingdom does, find a furry friend and snuggle!
-Rick Rockhill

TV Shows of the 1960's

I may have been born in the late 60's but I always liked to watch TVshows from the 60's in syndication. I ran across this video montage of TV shows that started their run durig the 1960's. How many did you watch? Check this out...you may as well have a seat, this runs for seven minutes...


Which shows were among your favorites? C'mon, leave a comment.
-Rick Rockhill

My Fantastic Forties....

Now that I'm well into my early 40's I can honestly say that life is in fact better than my thirties. (Well so far anyway). I feel better than I did then; I try to take care of myself by doing the following: stay out of the sun, get my daily allotment of sleep, keep alcohol to a minimum, avoid too many processed foods, take my barrage of vitamins, and supplements (including fish oil), and eat fresh foods and vegetables. Regular readers know I am an advocate of organic foods, primarily to reduce the amout of pesticides I consume. But more recently, I have been particular about certain types of proteins we eat. For example, I now try to eat wild caught salmon, grass-fed beef, free range eggs and free range organic chicken. I've read that grass-fed beef has as many omega 3's as wild caught salmon and is actually pretty good for you. Who knows for sure. If I had just one piece of advice to someone, I'd say eat less processed foods. Anything pre-made, from a box or fast food. Oh and whatever you do, avoid high fructose corn syrup ("HFCS"). It's bad. I mean really bad. Eat regular sugar before HFCS. Don't get me wrong, from time to time I splurge and eat junk food. But I don't let it be part of my regular routine. Pay attention to what you eat. Read labels. If you can't pronounce it, google it. As the saying goes, your body is a temple. Well now you didn't come here for me to lecture you so I'll stop here. Here's hoping for another 41 years- at least! In fact I hope to live to over 100, like my great grandfather Luigi.
-Rick Rockhill

Dinner at Circa 69 at The Riviera Resort & Spa

Last night we went out to dinner at Circa 69, which is the fine dining restaurant at the ultra hip and glam Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs. I've written about this hotel several times; it is one of my favorite new destinations in town. Back in its heyday, "The Riv", as it was known locally, hosted many great music legends who performed here, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Duke Ellington, Elvis Presley, etc. It was a hangout to the stars to see and be seen. Its multi-million dollar renovation two years ago restored the glamour and made it chic once again. As a local, I've frequented the Riviera numberous times for dinners, cocktails, or parties. These first few photos here of the interior I "borrowed" from the web, but I've taken many photos and posted in other posts here previously.

I've dined at Circa 69 several times previously-the food has always been delicious. Its one fault had been service. One time I pitched a fit, as I was entertaining important business associates and the service was downright dreadful. So last night we thought we'd give it another shot. I had heard they had a new General Manager, so we wanted to give him an opportunity to redeem himself. Much to my delight, the service was excellent! Our server was professional, appropriately speedy and knowledgable about the menu. Circa 69 is back on my "recommend list"! Its been awhile since I've posted a restaurant review, so I'm out of practice.

We started out in the "Sidebar Lounge", a sophisticated, hip, cozy room with fun mirrored accents and crystal chandeliers.  I ordered my signature Blue Raspberry Martini. By the way I am happy to report that this shirt I am wearing fits me again. I bought this in Hawaii several years ago; it was made by the locals and I just loved it. I filled it a bit too much for a few years, and now I can wear it again. Ok, back to Circa 69. The dining room is very dimly lit for the ultimate ambience. The servers provide tiny little flashlights that clip onto the menu. I tried to take photos of a few dishes, but my flash was too bright and I was too hungry to fiddle with the settings, so these are a bit washed out. Anyway, here goes:

left: Organic, grass fed filet of beef, with Roquefort crust, short-rib ragout, on a bed of mashed potatoes and asparagus. The top piece was a fancy cut potato crisp.

left: Sea Salt Roasted Organic Chicken, with wild mushrooms, midnight tomatoes, goat cheese dumplings and madiera cream.

left: Red Snapper, served with sauteed shrimp, spanish chorizio, steel-cut oats and piperade sauce. And for desert:

left: Warm  chocolate cake, oozing with warm dark chocolate, servved with sauteed banana on a caramel sauce, with ice cream, garnished with raspberries and fresh mint. Wow it was delish! So Circa 69 redeemed itself and I am pleased to recommend it to anyone visiting Palm Springs. Thanks for reading today.

-Rick Rockhill 

My Psychic Friend Says....

For some reason, last night I was drawn to call to one of my long time psychic friends in LA. She is a profoundly wise person- a true sage of sorts. She is modest about her "gift" and asks for nothing in return. It had been sometime since we last spoke, and she answered with an all-knowing greeting: "I knew you'd be calling sometime this week". I wanted to respond by saying "I bet you say that to everyone", but I thought better of myself. After a bit of small talk she retrieved her deck of tarot cards and directed me to ask one simple question. I did. She shuffled and shuffled her deck, and finally pulled the "Wheel of Fortune " card. Excellent, I thought. This card is all about good, big things: luck and always good fortune. She explained that this card indicates abundance, happiness, and a change that just happens, bringing great joy. I liked that answer and decided to leave it at that. Then, before we hung up, she told me to check my dog's paws. Strangely enough Sheldon had piece of gum stuck in between his paw pads in his hair. Crazy? I don't think so. That's just part of the excitement of having a psychic friend. It was a perfect way to start the weekend, with positive energy and confidence in the future. I wrote this for one reason. I want to share this positive karma with a few blogger friends who need it right now. They shall remain unnamed, but you know who you are.

-Rick Rockhill

Travel Tales, Part III

Note: Travel Tales are true observations witnessed by The Palm Springs Savant while on the road. Truth is, (as they say) stranger than fiction. Read these for yourself:
Yesterday's air travels yet again provided fresh fodder for my budding new series called Travel Tales. The first leg of my journey was an early morning flight from Providence. I boarded quickly and settled in to observe my fellow passengers make their way to their seats. Southwest has the easiest boarding process. Their open seating really speeds things up- not having to squint to find a row or seat number makes things substantially easier for everyone involved. Yet even this apparently proved too difficult for one chap who was confused and befuddled from the moment he stepped onto the plane. It all stemmed from his boarding group number, which was C 10. He seemed to think that he was entitled to seat C, in row 10. Somehow he missed the memo that Southwest was open seating. And somehow he didn't catch the point that he did not have a boarding pass stub indicating a seat number, or that no one else was sitting in assigned seats. Anyway he approached the seat marked 10C and proceeded to shout at a rather scantily clad woman who was already seated in 10C. She was clearly startled when he accused her of being in his seat. After they traded barbs and choice words, she flipped him a double-bird (two hands) and told him she wasn't moving. He responded by turning his backside to her and rather ceremoniously released a long trumpet sound of noxious flatulence in her face, turning his head back long enough to shout one last expletive at her. Unlucky for me, I was a bit closer to all this than I would have preferred. Let's just say the after-effects of his gas-passing hung in the air and lingered for what seemed like the entire flight. It was utterly gross.

The incident on my second flight was a dose of pure physical comedy at its finest. Once again, it was during the boarding process. The final group of passengers were making their way down the aisle, in search of any open seat. The flight was full, so there weren't many options available. I spied a guy approaching who was busy multi- tasking like I had never seen. He was talking on the phone with his head tilted to one side, while texting on another wireless device, while holding a Starbucks coffee and pushing his roller bag down the aisle! He approached the row where I was seated and saw an open seat across the other side of the aisle. He lifted his bag up into the overheard bin, still talking non-stop on the phone. He didn't stop to think. He lifted one side of the bag with one hand and "balanced" it with the other hand that held a cup of coffee and his BlackBerry. As he glided the bag into the overhead bin, he turned his coffee hand counter-clockwise, still never pausing his phone conversation. He was completely unaware that he was emptying the contents of his coffee down onto the passenger below, a Southern woman with a big poofy hair-doo wearing a flower on her lapel. It was a sticky mess; coffee dripping from the ovehead storage, all down the seats and into the aisle. The Southern lady with the big fancy hair-doo shrieked in horror and cried out "Sweet Jesus, my perm!" I was just across the aisle and tried to help by tapping the guy on the arm to signal that he was dousing the woman in coffee, but he jerked his hand back which caused a backlash motion sending more coffee in the direction behind him. It all happened so quickly I couldn't react any faster. By this time the Southern Lady was sobbing, her makeup running down her cheeks, from a combination of coffee and tears. It was quite the mess. Lucky for me I escaped any of the coffee splattering which was a good thing because I needed to head to work directly after my flight. The flight attendant made her way over and helped remedy the situation  as best she could. As soon as the plane was above 10,000 feet I whipped out my laptop and documented these two incidents while they were fresh in my mind. Nothing like some new Travel Tales to kick off the week, eh?

After re-reading both of these, I still they are worthy of a Travel Tales installment, don't you agree? At least no one was eating food off the floor this time. There's something to be grateful for anyway. Thanks for stopping by today, I greatly appreciate it.

-Rick Rockhill

It's My Birthday And I'll Fly If I Want To...

Today is September 8th, the 251st day of the year, leaving just 114 days remaining until the end of the year. To the best of my knowledge, it isn't widely acknowledged as a date of particular significance, although I did find a few noteworthy points: to some, it is an important day because it is the birth of the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus). In reviewing Wikipedia, I saw that comedic actors Peter Sellers and Sid Cesar were both born on the 8th of September. The only reason I reflect on this date is to celebrate my birthday. I don't typically care much for birthday parties or the hoop-la, but I'll never pass up a delicious slice of chocolate birthday cake on this date!

Now as you may know, the past few days I've been in Rhode Island visiting family for the long holiday weekend. Last night we took the opportunity to celebrate my birthday while we were all together. My two nieces were thrilled to have an opportunity to have some cake and sing.

Today however, I am flying back to California to return to work. So yes, I'm flying on my birthday and will be back in the office working before the day is out. So while I'd prefer to hang out with my nieces for another day, duty calls and I'm flying back home to Cali. I take back some great memories of a fun weekend together, satisfaction from a long overdue family visit. So, to paraphrase a great oldies song: "It's my birthday and I'll fly if I want to, fly if I want to, fly if I have to. You would fly too if you had to do it too" (work, that is). Hope you have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.

-Rick Rockhill

Happy Labor Day To You....

My visit to Rhode Island has been filled with fun family time. I've been enjoying my two little nieces- having fun outside, telling stories, and playing any number of board games that strike their fancy. Speaking of fancy, apparently a story called Fancy Nancy is all the rage with little girls these days (who knew?). Like most girls, they love dress-up, shoes, accessories and all things pink and purple. They sure are fun to spend time with.  

Yesterday I took my grandmother to visit two of her sisters, neither of whom she has seen in several years. It was great to see the look on their faces as they saw each other again. It was also a treat for me to see my aunts and catch up on all the family gossip. It's tough living 3,000 miles away from family, we were all so close when I was growing up. I sure miss everyone. Today I'll be spending Labor Day with my parents, brother, sister-in-law and the nieces just relaxing outside and savoring our time together. Whatever you do today, I hope you enjoy the day as well.

-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Providence Waterfires

Welcome back to another scintillating edition of Rick's Roadshow: Providence Waterfires. If you have never heard of, or been to the Providence Waterfires, it is an amazing sight to see. The Providence Waterfires are truly an artform- a type of sculpture created by world reknowned artist Barnaby Evans. It features over 100 wood-burning bonfires situated along three rivers in downtown Providence.

The bonfires have a fragrant scent and flicker firelight on the surface of the waters that illuminate the arched bridges. Gondolas and torch-lit vessels travel gently down the river, set against enchanting music that appeals to and engages all the senses of passersby. It evokes wonderful emotions from those who stroll the cobblestone paths of Waterplace Park. Run from private funds and donations, the Waterfires are truly magnificent and distriguish Providence as a jewel of the Northeast United States. (The first two photos are from the Waterfires website, but I took the ones below. I hope you enjoy these photos:

above: the volunteers pass the fire from torch to torch along the Providence River, starting after dusk. Note: Blogger is giving me a hard time formatting the photos and text, so the next few photos won't have any explanation, I'm sorry. I hate this new udate to the blogger software...Grrrrr!

above: looking west, toward the Providence Plance Mall in the distance. You can see the basin of the water place, with the waterfires glowing in the early hour of dusk.

above: three "original" buildings of the Providence financial building skyline.

above: looking due west, along the Providence River. As we stopped here, there was an opera singer giving an improptu performance to the music along the rivers. It was so moving, and gave credence to the fact that Providence is a modern renaissance city.

above: A view East, toward the Citizens Bank building.

above: the waterfires have individual braziers, filled with chopped wood, and are light by special teams on gondolas, coordinated to music that is piped along Water Place Park. Thanks for stopping by Rick's Roadshow: Providence Waterfires.

-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Chicago- Final Day

Rick's Roadshow isn't especially exciting today, but I thought I'd write a quick post to let you know how much I've enjoyed being back in Chicago. The majority of my trip was spent on the south side of Chicago attending business meetings, but last night I went downtown for dinner at the famous Shaw's Crab House. This is the only photo I took all evening- it is of course the Chicago Theatre marquis, taken from within my taxi cab on State Street. Anyway back to Shaw's. It's the sort of place that people go for all kinds of fresh shellfish, oysters and sushi. It has a fun, comfortable atmosphere and offers delicious food. Since I am allergic to shell fish, I grazed on some calimari and had a nice salad. For my entree I went with a blue cheese encrusted filet, which was cooked to perfection. We had a dessert sampler, of which I had exactly one fork-full since I was so full. It was a fun evening, but I didn't stay out late as I had an early flight to catch to Providence, where Rick's Roadshow will continue. I'm taking today off work as a "personal day" so my travels will hopefully yield some fun photos to share. Hope you have a great Friday too!

-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Chicago- Fannie May Pilgrimage

More from Rick's Roadshow: Chicago. The weather in Chicago today was quite perfect! The sun was shining and it was so pleasant to be out and about. I had booked myself in meetings virtually all day, but I had a short window in the early morning to make my faithful pilgrimage to the local Fannie May Candy Shop. Whenever I am back "home" in Chicago I make a trip to a Fannie May store- it's almost a religious experience for me. Anyway, as it turned out they had a huge sale on, so naturally I stocked up on some essentials, such as Colonial Assortments, Dark Vanilla Buttercreams,  Marshmallow with walnuts drenched in chocolate, some white chocolate for my brother, and some 70% dark chocolate squares for John. The kiddies will get some milk chocolate crayons and gummy fruit slices! Let's just say they will all be glad to see me this weekend! It was worth the trip, and I sure am happy now. Today I'm in meetings all day long, so don't expect much from me!

-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Chicago

Rick's Roadshow continues from Chicago, Illinois. I left Orlando amid heavy downpours mixed with loud thunder and scary lightning bolts crashing everywhere. I seriously wondered if our plane would be able to take off, but the pilot wasn't even phased. I arrived in Chicago quite late, to somewhat chilly temperatures (60's) but compared to the crazyhot humid weather in Orlando, Chicago felt cold to me. In fact once in my hotel room I cranked up the heat! I seriously doubt I'll have much to report from Chicago, as I'm completely tied up in meetings and won't get out at all. But rest assured- if I do, you'll find out right here. Hope you have a great Wednesday, I know I will.

-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Orlando in August, Day 2

Welcome back to Rick's Roadshow: Orlando in August, Day 2. After spending Sunday exploring the Gaylord Palms Resort, Monday brought work obligations that needed tending to. As this is a personal blog, I rarely write about work, so I shall skip over what I did- but suffice to say I worked! I did have a few moments to snap these photos, once again within the Gaylord Palms property. For those of you unfamilar with this resort, they have live, lush tropical gardens inside the biodome of the hotel. Palm trees, tropical foliage, flowers, rocks, ponds, flowing rivers and waterfalls too. But perhaps the most captivating  attraction is "Gator Springs". Yep, you guessed it. Gator as in alligators. And so I present, photos from Gator Springs, direct from the Gaylord Palms in Orlando:

above: The Gator Springs sign post welcomes visitors to the exhibit.

above: As you gaze through the cascading waterfalls, you get a sense of what awaits...

above: a deeper look within the Springs reveals a rock island in the center of the water...it seems like the surface of the rock is moving...

above: at closer examination you see the myriad of baby alligators!

above: I zoomed in a bit. There are turtles lounging among the alligators- who knew anything could get along with an alligator?

above: This one baby alligator swam up to me to say hi...or was it to see if he could get a bite? Either way I wasn't about to find out. I kept my distance and hurried on my way to my next meeting. That was just about the right amount of exposure to Gator Springs that I wanted for a lifetime, thank you very much! Well that's all for today's installment. I'm in Orlando all day today, and then fly out to Chicago late tonight, so Rick's Roadshow continues....

-Rick Rockhill