Rick's Roadshow: Toddling Around Taipei

I'm finally getting around to posting photos from my most recent jaunt to Asia. My career takes me to some far-reaching corners of the world, and I must say I enjoy that aspect of what I do. I was in Taipei to attend the wedding. I was deeply honored to be invited to this particular wedding, and delighted to attend. Long time readers of this blog may recall that I've been to Taiwan many times, and in some cases my trip was wonderfully ordinary. By that I mean that side from the wedding, which was very cool, the time I spent with friends in Taipei was very similar to how I would spend time with close friends here at home. In total I was in Taipei five days, which was the longest consecutive number of days I'd spend in Taipei before. Two days into the visit, I found myself truly enjoying it on a very different level. 

I recall being in the car with my friends, driving around and thinking to myself 'I really enjoy being here and being with these friends'. It was a great realization for me because I caught myself truly living in the moment. For some reason that I cannot explain, I seem to have a spiritual connection to two individuals there. When you consider that both of them speak limited English, some might consider it unusual. I do not question what my spiritual connection is, or why but I know it runs deep, beyond this world. And so I just allow it to be. Even as I write this, I feel the energy of that bond. It is very cool to have such a friendship. Ok enough of me being all spiritual, onto a few photos:
Check out this cool artist who painted my name using the side of his hand- no brushes. It says 'Rick' but artistically looks like Chinese ships in the water with a mountain scape backdrop. I love this!

a local artist writes my name using his hand....

...and soon it turns into traditional Chinese art...

Now look at the finished product below. The way he wrote my name 'Rick' looks like Chinese boats and mountains. Cool huh?

                                                                                                                            

OK, now here are a few random photos from an afternoon out and about in a tourist shopping area. This woman wearing the wacky hat was selling sausages-on-a-stick, and was so much fun. She had a great personality, she made me smile.

Well that's it from Taipei. If you are looking for more photos of Taiwan, check out my prior trips. July 2010 or April 2011

September is National Guide Dog Month- Please Help!

If you didn't know, September is National Guide Dog Month here in the United States. It's a time to honor the incredible canine heroes who provide life-changing independence to their human partners. Having worked in the pet industry now over 15 years, I have met many a guide dog. It wasn't until I got involved with a local Guide Dog school here in Palm Springs that I learned just how incredible guide dog programs can be. First of all, a guide dog is provided to a blind person absolutely free of charge, yet it costs the school over $40,000 and takes two years to train a single guide dog. I was still working at PETCO when Natural Balance first started a guide dog program to raise money for accredited, non-profit guide dog schools across the country. With the help of the PETCO Foundation and PETCO stores, the annual fundraisers have been helping to fund schools to provide more guide dogs to blind Americans.

You may be surprised to learn that every seven minutes someone in America becomes blind or visually impaired. Blindness can affect anyone- young, old, moms, teens, brothers, sisters, even members of our military and veterans who lost their sight during active duty. If you ever see a blind person with a guide dog, take a moment to watch them closely. You'll be fascinated by the trust the person places in their guide dog and how much they can do with their guide dog.

Guide Dogs can be trained for just about any task, to meet the lifestyle needs of the person. These dogs are truly heroes, and represent some of the best in human-canine bonds I've known. 

Guide Dog schools are funded by private donations, companies and ordinary citizens who want to help. That's why my employer, Natural Balance Pet Foods and PETCO have teamed up once again to support National Guide Dog Month. Our goal is to raise $1 million this month, but we need YOU.  
Here's how you can help:

Visit any PETCO store now through September 24th and make a donation at the register in any amount. If you donate $20 or more you'll get this nifty lapel pin in Petco stores. 

Or DONATE ONLINE NOW, at www.petco.com/guidedogs its FAST AND EASY. With any online donation of $20 or more you'll get this free plush guide dog, isn't he cute? Want to hear something cool? Last year a few of us used facebook and Twitter spread the word to our own friends about the online donation option at petco.com/guidedogs and it helped drive online donations a lot. So I'm asking for your help to share this with your own friends, repost and re-tweet the cause and the online donation page.

Our goal is to raise $1 million this September so we have our work cut out for us. Won't you help? Even a small donation from everyone you know can make a difference.
Check out this video from our spokespersons from CSI: Miami, Omar Miller and Eva LaRue and our founder Dick Van Patten:
  

"CSI: Miami" Stars Eva LaRue and Omar Miller Join Natural Balance Pet Foods®, PETCO Stores for National Guide Dog Month in September

The following Press Release was issued today to officially announce details about National Guide Dog Month:

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Eva LaRue and Omar Miller, stars of TV's "CSI: Miami" are teaming with Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods, PETCO (TM) and independent pet stores to celebrate National Guide Dog Month in September and raise money and awareness for guide dog organizations across the country.

"We want people to realize that this is more than just a fundraiser for a good cause," said Miller. "This is really about empowering the visually impaired with the life-changing gift of a guide dog. Guide dogs and training are provided at no cost to qualified applicants who are blind or visually impaired. With 10 million visually impaired people in the U.S., the demand for guide dogs continues to grow."

"Every seven minutes someone in America becomes blind or visually impaired," said LaRue. "Guide dogs are heroes, providing safe mobility, loving companionship and restoring confidence to their handlers."

Throughout September, pet parents can visit any of PETCO's more than 1,100 locations nationwide, as well as select Independent Retailers of Natural Balance to help support National Guide Dog Month. PETCO shoppers can make donations at the register or online at www.petco.com/guidedogs . 

All proceeds from these National Guide Dog Month activities will be donated to participating guide dog training facilities nationwide, a list of which is available at http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/programs/NatGDMonth2011.html

SOURCE Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.

Everything is Back to Normal Again...

Well my most recent mysterious world travels are complete...for now anyway. I'm happy to be back home in Palm Springs with Sheldon and Duncan. (Owen is inside staring out the window at his brothers, but that's fine with him). One of my favorite routines everyday is to watch the sunrise from my patio with a nice cup of freshly brewed cawfee, with the poodles at my side, of course. It brings so much joy to me. Plus, it is so peaceful to watch the sun's rays on the San Jacinto Mountains, it a perfect place to meditate. 

Over the next few days I'll begin sharing a few photos from my travels. I'm being more cautious than years past because I know from my web tracking software there are a few people who follow this blog that "may not have pure hearts", shall we say. Nothing sinister, but I think you get my drift. That's why I've been quiet on the blog of late. So enough of that let's get ready for some new installments of Rick's Roadshow! See you soon...

I've Been on a Long Mysterious Trip...

I've been away traveling the world for a long time, at various undisclosed locations. When its all done, I'll post some photos, but not for a bit longer. I thought I would share this one photo as a hint for one of the places I've been. More to come....

TV's 'Dallas' is Set to Return to Airways on TNT

I came across an article on USA.Today.com about the 80's TV drama Dallas coming back on the air in a new series on TNT this summer. For all of us who watched Dallas faithfully every Friday night for 13 years, this is great news for sure! You can get more information directly from the special TNT website. Incidentally, Linda Gray is a lovely woman and a fantastic actress. Keep an eye out for more interesting things on TV from Ms Gray.
Also, here is another article from the BBC about the new Dallas: Click here.

For those of you interested, here is the exact article from USA.Today.com:

from USAToday.com, By CLIFF LIPSON

J.R. Ewing and company are officially headed back to the small screen now that cable network TNT has greenlit the revamp of the epic primetime soap Dallas, which aired from 1978 to 1991. Fans can see an exclusive preview of the new show during the season premieres of The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles on Monday night, starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Series originals Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy will return to reprise their roles as dueling brothers J.R. and Bobby. Actress Linda Gray will also return as Sue Ellen. Newcomers to the cast include Jordana Brewster (Fast and Furious franchise), Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives) and Brenda Strong (Desperate Housewives).
 

"It is incredibly exciting to see both new and familiar characters in the hands of a dream cast," says network exec Michael Wright. "We couldn't be more pleased with how Dallas has come together."

The network has ordered 10 episodes and will premiere the new Dallas next summer. For now, fans can check out news about the show and get behind-the-scenes looks at the production by checking out the new website TNT launched today.

Angels vs Dodgers Legends & Celebrity Benefit for ALS

Yesterday I had the pleasure of volunteering to support an event to benefit the Local ALS Chapter, which works tirelessly to provide support to people with Lou Gehrig's Disease. If you are not familiar with ALS, its one of the bad ones to be diagnosed with, but fortunately there are great organizations like the Golden West Chapter.

Yesterday's event was a softball game at Angels stadium between former Angels and Dodgers, legends of baseball and celebrities of TV and film as well. My company, Natural Balance helped organize the event and was on site to help add some fun the day. Our tents were set up giving out free samples and some really cool reusable tote bags to everyone attending the game that day. Angel Stadium is a really great ball park. Its clean, well designed and has great seats too! Anyway, to add to the fun we brought along Tillman, the world famous skateboarding bulldog who arrived in his rock-star style tour bus. He hopped on his skateboard and did his stuff along the main entrance of Angel stadium to cheers and applause of the crowd.

posters asked people to watch the ALS benefit

There was a regularly scheduled Angels/Dodgers game at 5:00 pm, then the ALS benefit softball game followed immediately afterward. Last year's benefit was at Pepperdine University, which was a much smaller venue. This year it was great to be at an official MLB stadium with a huge crowd to watch.

soon it was time to go inside for the big game...

I helped put field banners up- It was awesome to be on the field

We put up sponsor banners for Natural Balance and PETCO

...Then Jose Canseco hit a few home runs

There were a lot of people who remained after the regular game to watch the ALS benefit softball game. During the game, team members and announcers asked people to TEXT 'FIGHTALS' to 25383 on their phones to donate $10. You can still do that if you want to help now. It will be much appreciated. Whether or not you personally know someone affected by ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease, the facts are staggering. According to their website, the mission of the Golden West Chapter is "To lead the fight to cure and treat ALS through global, cutting-edge research, and to empower people with Lou Gehrig's Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support".
If you would like to make a donation to support ALS research and patients, donate online here.

I've Discovered Downton Abbey

For as long as I can recall, I've considered myself a bit of an Anglophile. (Our friends at Wikipedia define Anglophile as someone who is fond of English Culture). At any rate, I am one. I've long been a fan of Masterpiece Theatre, the venerable PBS series that has featured the best of the best television programming, in my humble opinion. That series alone makes the dreadful fundraising drives worth the torture. For some unknown reason, I've not watched much television at all- never mind Masterpiece Theatre. Well anyway, I stumbled on a British drama series called 'Downton Abbey'. It is a magnificent British period piece storyline, so if you love that sort of thing, run-don't walk to download it from iTunes.

I won't even try to tell the entire story, or give away the plot, but in short Downton Abbey follows the lives of two groups of people; the fictitious Earl and Countess of Grantham and their aristocratic Crawley family, as well as their household servants and staff. It is broadly similar to the old 'Upstairs, Downstairs' series. The story kicks off with news of the Titanic sinking, and its impact to the family. The rest, my gentle reader, you will need to watch to find out. Suffice to say, it would certainly not make this blog if the Palm Springs Savant didn't feel it was up to scratch!

If you are looking for a nice story to watch, download Downton Abbey season one. Make yourself a nice batch of tea and settle in for a really great series.
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Florence, Italy

I've only recently returned from Florence, Italy- known to the Italians as Firenze. The capital of Tuscany, Florence is an important historical Renaissance city, with incredible architecture right from the Middle Ages that will blow your mind. A center of Medieval life in Europe, today Florence remains a major tourist attraction. Take this replica of Michelangelo's
famous statue of David. Even the replica outside the museum draws the fascination of millions each year.
From the moment I arrived, I fell in love with Florence. It is a destination that truly lives up to-and in my opinion exceeds one's expectations. Italians are generally friendly to tourists and make you feel welcome. It is so nice to be in a country where locals appreciate your presence. I should mention that there are zillions of tourists in Florence. Too many really, but nevertheless it exudes beauty and charm on every corner.

For those of you who are art-history buffs, there is no better place to visit. Statue galore, museums, and eye-popping paintings will leave even the casual admirer in awe.

Florence has a natural beauty to it. The city's muted earth tones are easy on the eyes and visually stimulating. Punctuated by the River Arno, you only need to close your eyes to imagine what life during in the Renaissance was like for this fair city.
And now, a little picture show for you:

an artist was painting the scene, I like this photo!

 

have you ever seen such beauty?

Cute little sidewalk restaurants abound...

vineyards on a hillside...sigh.

taking a moment to soak it all in. Ah Florence, such beauty!