This week on:
Through the eyes of Jim Damian:
11:59:59 AM
Accelerated down Q street until Log Cabin Florist was in sight. Hammered the wheel right onto 19th street and gunned all 415 horses into the BMOA lot.
12:00 PM
Slid sideways into a parking spot. Exited my car and sprinted for the main entrance.
12:01 PM
Saw Mike Willis’ Vespa stationed very poorly in a (non) parking spot. Wondered if this was legal and made a mental note to consider asking Chief Martin about this. Just because Willis coordinates the Spoke doesn’t mean he can get away with this sort of reckless behavior that puts us all at risk.
12:02 PM
Sprinted into the museum, found my badge hiding in the wrong place (of course) and displayed it to our greeter, Michelle Chantry. Michelle is training in the sport of triathlon and she also has a new job at Western Valve. Her check-in skills were on point she was vibrant, energetic and awesome.
12:10 PM
Found a seat behind enemy lines (aka the BACK of the room). I normally sit in the front. But this week I ended up in the back. It’s different back there. My tablemates were Kathy Abernathy, Jim Baldwin, Shawn Kennemer, and Ray Karpe. I tried all lunch to make them laugh. It didn’t happen.
12:11 PM
Went to the buffet line and was delighted to see the exact same food that we see every week. I wonder if Hodel’s gets an award for the broccoli salad’s 99 years of perfect attendance.
12:12 PM
I had berry cobbler for dessert. I started thinking about the time I sat by Rogers Brandon. He didn’t do cobbler when I sat by him. He brought his own orange for dessert and peeled it with a knife before he ate it. I honestly thought that was the coolest move ever. I’m going to do that sometime.
12:15 PM
Steve Sanders reported to me that his leg is 80%. He said it with the confidence of a guy whose leg is 110%. I liked that.
12:20 PM
I personally delivered an invocation that left believers and non-believers alike in a state of evolved, transcendent Nirvana.
12:21 PM
The amazing Jim Baldwin, retiring from BARC in December, led us in song. Shawn Kennemer is taking his role at the BARC helm….but does he have the chops to take Jim’s role at the Rotary mic? Time will tell….
12:23 PM
Roving mics were dutifully handled by Steve Illingworth and Kurt Wingate.
12:24 PM
President Ray announced that longtime Rotarian Dave Price had recently passed away and we spent a quiet moment thinking of Mr. Price (and, if I’m being honest, of my own mortality.)
We also learned that Mr. Jon Van Boening recently received an honorary Doctorate. We will now call him Dr. Van Boening. Very cool.
Jeff Green announced that he and his wife Lisa are retiring to Las Vegas, Nevada and that this was his last meeting.
Between Jeff Green’s news, Mr. Price’s passing and Jimmy B’s retirement… I was not loving a couple of our good news announcements.
12:30 PM
Mike McCoy, Rylan Rozell and Jerene Battisti all received Paul Harris fellow recognition. Rylan mentioned that he’s doing a half Ironman in Canada this summer. I thought that was pretty cool. He, Michelle Chantry and Jeff Gutierrez have all gotten the bug.
12:30 PM
Kristen Beall sat at the head table and introduced our speaker: Dianne Hoover, Director of Recreation and Parks for the City of Bakersfield.
Director Hoover gave an awesome presentation about the parks in Bakersfield. We learned that Bakersfield has an impressive assortment of city-owned recreational properties:
- 59 parks
- 32 miles of bike path
- 165 streetscapes
- 4 pools
- 10 spray parks
- 2 community centers
- 2 skate parks
- 1 inline hockey court
- 3 sport parks
- Numerous basketball, tennis and disc golf facilities
Most Rotarians present ignored this awesome list and, instead, sort of complained that the city doesn’t have enough pools.
I wanted to ask Director Hoover if she watches the show “Parks and Recreation” with Amy Poehler. However, the inquiry was superseded by an epic exchange between Director Hoover and downtown boss Mike Willis:
Parking Guru Willis:
Director Hoover, we have a bunch of brick planters downtown that are empty and barren. These look awful. Can your department help?
Director Hoover:
Thank you! We are actually fixing those next week! Thanks for asking. This one is solved!
Parking Guru Willis:
OK. That’s nice. You’ve given me what I’ve asked for. But let me ask you again: These planters look awful. What can the city do about them?
Director Hoover:
Ummmm… We are fixing them next week.
Parking Guru Willis:
As I was saying…there are these brick planters downtown that look awful…..
12:58 PM
Meeting adjourned. I immediately called and reported Mike Willis and his scooter to BPD, KC Sheriff and FBI.
