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I’m Not Losing My Hair I’m Gaining a Bald Spot By Bob Cox Growing up, my dad was my hero. He was a marine during WWII and he bravely fought the bad guys to ensure our freedom. He stood up for me more times than I could ever count and he was always there when I needed him most, which was all the time. One time when my best friend Vince and I got into another one of our infamously heated debates, I had to finally shut him down by saying that my dad even agreed with what I was saying. When he countered back by saying “Your dad isn’t always right”, I could only shake my head in disbelief and then reply, “Of course he’s always right, he’s my dad”! I wanted to be so much like my dad, I even wished for a brief moment that I could have hair just like his. Fast forward three decades later and the diabolical jeannie that eavesdropped on those weird little thoughts granted that terrible wish! As my head of thick wavy brown hair gave way to the dreaded bald spot taking over the back of my skull, I had far too many moments of feeling distraught over such a plight. Then, I got lucky and met a woman named Diana and she would change my life forever. A few years later, I married that woman, who also was my best friend and soul-mate. Every time I brought up my concerns over going bald, she emphasized that she didn’t care about that and loved me unconditionally. Each time I saw the love in her eyes and knew for certain she meant it. Over time, I realized that while I was losing hair in all the wrong places, I had actually gained something far more valuable than a humongous bald spot that would’ve made my dad proud: freedom from an unhealthy level of vanity. Today, I have less hair than I did since I partied in a soggy diaper during my first birthday but I’ve never been happier. I think that’s because I’ve learned to take a lot more time to celebrate all the good things I’ve gained and a lot less time mourning the things I’ve lost. Maybe the wish I had all those years ago wasn’t such a terrible thing after all. Bob Cox is the founder and publisher of Go For It Magazine. He can be reached by phone at (916) 266-3115. His email address is coxrobert@comcast.net. Go For It Magazine is owned and operated in Rancho Cordova, CA. Copyright © 2016.
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Boldly GO! Expand your horizons by exploring the visionary talents of local and international artists at the 61st Annual BOLD EXPRESSIONS. This show is hosted by Carmichael-based Northern California Arts, Inc. (NCA) and was juried by renowned artist/instructor Stefan Baumann, Public Broadcast System artist of The Grand View. The show is FREE to attend and will be on exhibit at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center from October 4-29, 2016. A Second Saturday Art Walk will be held on October 8th from 5:30-8:30 pm. A closing reception and awards presentation will take place on Saturday, October 29, 2016, 1:00-3:00 pm. Docents are available upon request: call 916-966-8910. The NCA is a dynamic nonprofit art organization in the Sacramento region whose mission is to promote the appreciation of and the participation in the visual arts and to spearhead art education in our community. If you are interested in joining or supporting this organization, contact President Rod Cullum at r.cullum@comcast.net. Visit BobsPocket.com for more details and other upcoming events!
“Rest Stop” by De
nnis Willson
Bold Expressions 2016 October 4-29, 2016 Sacramento Fine Arts Center 5330-B Gibbons Drive, Carmichael, CA 11:00 am - 3:00 pm: Tuesday thru Friday 11:00 am - 5:00 pm: Saturday and Sunday
* Visit BobsPocket.com for Bob’s bio, past blogs, and to learn more about events & organizations.
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Transforming Points of Pain to Pleasure By Chris Barr In its simplest terms, the decision to proceed with a kitchen or bath remodel is always made when the things you just can’t live with anymore outweigh the things you like about your existing home. Granite Transformations specializes in turning those points of pain (or fear) into points of pleasure! Things like this: I hate the grout. Of course you do. It’s hard to keep clean and you worry about it being unsanitary. If you look at grout through a jeweler’s loupe, you can actually see the little creatures squirming around in there! The engineered surfaces of Granite Transformations are completely nonporous, so you can erase this one from your list of things to worry about. There simply aren’t any pores to collect bacteria or mold. I hate looking like I still live in the Eighties. Yes, it’s probably time to change centuries – for your own happiness, and for the statement you’re making to your family and friends. The beautiful engineered surfaces from Granite Transformations are state-of-the-art: functional and gorgeous. Add in a backsplash or accent stripe from one of our exclusive artisan glass collections and suddenly you’ve got a highly functional work of art!
I’m tired of all the maintenance and mess. Your new Granite Transformations surfaces are basically zeromaintenance. You’ll never need to seal them or treat them with anything special, and they clean easily with just soap and water. And while we’re talking about mess, because we’re going to use your existing surface as the sub-top, you won’t have to live through several days of dusty demolition and strangers wandering in and out of your house. We do all the messy work and fabrication at our shop here in Rancho Cordova, rather than inside your home. As we say, done in a day and beautiful for life! I don’t want to buy a product that’s made overseas. While it’s true that many of the advanced surfaces are manufactured in other parts of the world (including the most well-known quartz brands), the Granite Transformations surfaces are produced at our own factory in Sebring, Florida. In fact, all the Granite Transformations franchises around the world are supplied from right here in the USA. And that’s just a quick taste of the many reasons you should consider having Granite Transformations help you update your home. To learn more, get your questions answered and see color samples right in the rooms you’re thinking about working on, call (916) 851-9745 for a completely free Design Consultation.
Showroom: 11367 Trade Center Dr., Rancho Cordova
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The Details of Detailing By Bob Cox Why is it that most businesses look so easy to operate on the customer’s side of the counter and then so difficult when you take just a few steps over to the other side? At least that’s been my experience, from all the part time jobs I held in school, along with a large number of interviews I’ve had with various business owners. Surely there has to be a business out there that’s as simple as it looks, like say car washing and detailing, right? Wrong again! Here’s what I learned about the intricate details of detailing during a recent conversation with Gama Pedroza, Detail Manager for Carmichael Car Wash.
A: Yes, a lot of times people think they will need to repaint their car when it becomes extremely dull and oxidized. As long as the clear coat on the outside isn’t chipping or flaking off, we can usually restore the paint back to its original shape.
Gama Pedroza, the Detail Manager at Carmichael Car Wash is truly a stickler for all the details.
Q: Can you tell us about your detailing services here at Carmichael Car Wash? A: Sure. We offer a variety of detailing packages, including headlight restoration, interior and exterior detailing and hard water spot removal. We even buff out most superficial scratches on your car. We work on all cars, SUV’s, trucks, RV’s and boats. Q: Are you able to help some of your customers avoid the high cost of repainting their vehicles?
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Q: Do the expensive clear coat protective packages offered by new car dealers really last for several years? A: No. Right now they’re selling a gel coating for about $3,000 that’s supposed to prevent scratches and rock chips, but usually that’s not the case. Scratches and rock chips are going to happen, regardless of what product you apply to your car’s exterior.
Q: What do you do to insure the highest quality detail service possible? A: I’m really picky with our detail jobs. Many cars, vans and SUV’s have little hidden areas, so I always start by blowing everything out with a high powered air compressor. The next step is shampooing the carpet and I’m really picky with that as well, because I want to get every little stain out. I use a variety of different products to get out specific spills, like coffee and soda but it usually takes more
than one try to remove them. When it comes to cleaning the seats, the cleaners I use depend on the fabric. Leather seats are very tricky because leather is really sensitive and easy to damage. Q: How long have you been detailing? A: I’ve been detailing professionally for seven years. I learned several new tricks along the way by watching a number of different detailers. I’ve also earned several certificates from Meguiar’s Detail Training Courses. At first I was a little skeptical about detailing because it was a lot of work and studying, but I really love it now. I’ve even studied videos and have practiced on my car at home with all the products we use here at the shop. Q: Are some cars more difficult to detail than others? A: Yes, black cars are the toughest to detail. If you don’t buff them right, you will leave swirl marks around the car. It took me about a year and a half to learn how to professionally buff a black car. With all cars, you have to hold the buffer steady to avoid burning the paint or leaving swirl marks. Q: What’s your most popular detailing package? A: Our most popular is the interior detail package, because people like to thoroughly clean their cars after a number of outdoor summer activities. Another popular package is our headlight restoration, which is guaranteed for life by the manufacturer. We sand each lens down and apply a resin, which hardens and prevents oxidation from coming back. Not everyone can apply it though, because if you spray too much, you will leave permanent drip marks and if you sand too hard, you will leave scratch marks. There are lots of other headlight restoration products on the market, but they only last about three months. Our headlight restoration package is just $69.99 for both headlights and includes a free full service car wash. That’s about the same price as a do-it-yourself headlight kit. Q: Do you have any other popular services? A: Yes, we offer complete hard water spot removal. Once the sun bakes excess water into the paint, they harden and become nasty spots that will stay there for years, no matter how hard you wash or wax your car. We apply a special acid, which removes spots from every surface, including the windows, chrome and paint. I received training for this as well, because if you put too much on, it will damage the paint. After that, you will need to get the car waxed to provide a new protective coating. We charge $79.99 for hard water spot removal and then $25 more for a complete wax. Along with all of these detailing services, we offer a number of full service car washes in addition to our express drive through wash service. Editor’s notes: For more information about Carmichael Car Wash, visit their facility at 6505 Fair Oaks Bl. in Carmichael, CA (Just north of Marconi Ave.). Their phone number is (916) 488-3274 and their website is www.yourcleanride.com.
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By Dr. Beth Blakely Chronic inflammation is now a mass epidemic. I should know, as it’s one of the things that I’m seeing that’s impacting the lives of more and more of my patients. A number of factors are driving this growing trend, including aging, diet, environment and stress. Chronic inflammation is nothing to be trifled with as it can lead to a number of serious health consequences down the road. It’s bad for our digestive system, our joints, our heart and our arteries, just to name a few. What are the most common symptoms of chronic inflammation? Oftentimes, people have no idea that they are experiencing chronic inflammatory issues. Some people will have pain, which may be a sign that they have inflammation but many people have digestive inflammation for years and never know it. In other cases, people have digestive issues that they’re aware of and some may perceive inflammation as joint pain or back pain. Why? Because an inflamed gut can cause a variety of neurological problems. Over 20 plus years of medical research bears this out. Dr. David Pernutter, an M.D. and Neurologist document’s this in his recent book Brain Maker. There are just so many things that can set off chronic inflammation but a common culprit is a diet that’s high in inflammation. Inflammatory foods can cause serious problems,
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especially when consumed frequently over a number of years. The foods that cause the highest levels of inflammation include dairy products, beef, foods high in trans-fats, fried foods and sugar. You want to stick to a natural diet that’s mostly based on fruits and vegetables, lean meats like chicken and fish, healthy fats, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. These foods are easier to digest and they don’t trigger the inflammatory response in our body the way unhealthy foods do. Our body reacts to it by creating this inflammation and can trigger an immune response. If you go to the doctor with complaints, chances are good that your doctor will either issue you a prescription or an over-the-counter anti inflammatory medicine for inflammation. If this happens to you and you’re not content to merely cover up your symptoms, stop in and see us. I’ve researched the market extensively and have found a few extremely effective and affordable supplements that treat the root cause, without all the nasty side effects. Editor’s notes: Dr. Beth Blakely is a chiropractor that specializes in holistic health care practices. She can be reached at (916) 944-1444.
Turn Your Phone Into a Water Resistant Beast! By Alika Salazar For those of you that have been the unfortunate victims of water damaged phones, I bring you good news! We recently invested in a new machine that makes mobile phones water resistant. This machine applies a thin layer called a nano-coating over the whole phone and it protects the entire device. This does not mean you can make your phone your new scuba buddy but it can help you protect it from water damage. With this technology, if you accidently drop your phone in water and get it out quickly enough, there’s a very good chance that your phone will not be damaged. With untreated phones, those kinds of incidents almost always result in water damage, which can lead to costly repairs or replacement. This technology is now available for all mobile phones and down the road we plan to do ipads too. The nano-coating of each little ball that’s applied to the phone is about ten times smaller than the width of a human hair. It’s so small
it doesn’t affect anything, so you can still charge your phone and do everything else as you normally would, except of course dial it (I’m kidding)! It takes about 5 minutes to apply the nanocoating protective seal and around 30 minutes to dry. So, you could drop it off at the start of your lunch break, enjoy a tasty meal and then pick it up on your way back to work. The price to do all this is just $59, which is a lot less expensive and way more convenient than a repair and roughly 10% of the cost of buying a new phone! Editor’s notes: Alika Salazar is the owner of iParts Phone Repairs. He can be reached at (916) 936-9316.
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Car Tech Talk When the Rubber Meets the Road By Dave Trux Now that you’ve just read the title, you may have already correcting me by thinking “Dave, you got the old idiom all wrong. It’s not “When the rubber meets the road, it’s “Where the rubber meets the road”! This old saying of course defines the most crucial point of any event, the real moment of truth. For example, let’s say you have the most beautiful vintage car in the world but kept it in the garage all summer and then finally decide to take it up to Lake Tahoe during the holiday season for a joyful weekend adventure. That event would refer to where the rubber meets the road. At the same time, especially in this example, it’s also important to note when the event actually happens, because there’s also another important old saying to pay attention to: Timing is everything! As we fall back into autumn, the leaves on the trees aren’t the only things that are changing. The weather overall can change in an instant in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada’s. It can go from sunny and pleasant one minute to wet and wild the next. With that being said, whether you’re taking your classic vintage vehicle or the family sedan up into the mountains for a well deserved weekend retreat, be sure that you’re ready for anything and everything that old man winter throws at you. We encourage you to check the condition of your wiper blades, belts, hoses and all fluids, especially your coolant.
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Coolant condition is critical, which is why we strongly recommend regular coolant flushes. Under freezing conditions, expansion occurs and that expansion creates pressure, which can blow any number of coolant pipes or hoses. The engine block also has freeze plugs and under expansion, those plugs are designed to pop off to prevent catastrophic engine damage. If this happens, then all the fluid will drain out, along with your dreams of the perfect getaway as you wait along the side of the highway in a freezing blizzard for AAA to come save the day! Of course, this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the actual rubber that separates your family from the wet, icy or snow covered asphalt that’s also known as Highway 50. With that said, be sure to carefully inspect the condition of your tires and don’t forget to pack your tire chains. While you’re at it, you might want to test fit them in your driveway at home before you go up. If you wait until the highway signs read “Snow chains required” and the men in the ski coats wave you to side of the road, you may end up getting soaked in more ways than you could imagine! Editor’s notes: Dave Trux is the owner of Valley Motorwerks. He can be reached at his shop, which is located at 11403 White Rock Road in Rancho Cordova, CA. His phone number is (916) 636-9526 and his website is www.vmwerks.com.
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