p Page 4 The CATALINA ISLANDER Friday, March 7, 2003
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asked out and about in Catalina
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"cartoon?
Dar Brown is the editor and publisher of The Catalina Islander
If l could do it all again
Aliesa Peterson Jared Meza Felicia Bogard Blent Ezeil
Age 10 Age 3 1/2 Age 9 Age 6
"'Jimmy Neutron.'
one when he turns a really
hot day into a snowy day"
"'Rugrats.' The
reptar ones."
"'Jimmy Neutron' The
one where he shrank his
gmntbr into a little kid"
"'The Kids Next
Door' The one when
they get a pet monkey."
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The The Catalina Islander welcomes letters to the
editor on issues pertaining to the Island. Letters must
be no more than 400 words. Anonymous, third party
or open letters will not be accepted.
All letters must be signed and include printed
name, address and phone number of the author.
Emailed letters will be considered original. The
Catalina Islander wild only publish one letter every
four weeks by an individual writer.
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The deadline is Noon, Tuesday, prior to Friday's
publication and will be published as space permits.
The Catalina Islander reserves the right to edit letters
for grammar and legal requirements, views expressed
in this section do not necessarily represent the views
of The Catalina Islander or its staff.
Letters can be sent to P.O. Box 428, Avalon, Ca
90704, faxed to (310) 510-2882 or emailed to
catislander@catalina ISP.com
Feral animals
Tim Winslow questioned the
Conservancy's removal of feral
animals by hunting, saying it was
"deeply disturbing" especially to
have them "left to rot in the sun"
He states that "killing for the
sake of conservation is definitely
the past for sport as uncon-
scionable. Although as a
biologist it is not pleasant to
kill living things, I support
the need to kill introduced
animals to save the lives of the
species and ecosystems native
(using the biological definition)
to our island.
Wrigley.
During the last three months in
Baja, I have had an opportunity to
discuss the removal of feral
animals on islands such as
Guadalupe and the Galapagos
with Mexican, Ecuadorian and
American conservation biolo-
gists. Their opinions reinforced
Last week someone asked me a question I've heard a thousand times
but it had been a couple of years since I'd been asked. When I started
to think about my answer, I realized that I hadn't really given it so
much thought before. Hey, maybe I really am growing up nah, that
couldn't be it. Maybe it's because, in the last two years, since my morn
died, my perspective on life has changed.
I thought about my mom a lot this past week on the "anniversary of
her life" (which t prefer over the "day she died") and yes, things have
changed. I'ha a better person, the sun shines brighter, the sunsets are
more beautiful, I cherish family and friends more than ever before, I
laugh louder, I cry more peacefully, and I miss my mom terribly.
About five years ago, my morn gave me something Erma Bombeck
had written. It was called "If I Had My Life to Live Over" and it was
something she had written after she found out she was dying from
cancer. It was the exact question that had been posed to me last week.
So I dug deep into my mom's cedar chest to find the piece of paper
it was written on, almost in a panic that I might have lost it. But there it
was, tucked away with many other memories and remembrances my
mom had given to me over the years.
Here's what Erma had to say:
"I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the
earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for a day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it
melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was
stained or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and
worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light the
fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about
his youth.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a
notright" As Vice-President SEER for my own those of the summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
Although I have no issue with the Conserva y 9vmaw these gov rn eat nci respon- F would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried
those who hunt for frod programs and felt they were sibie for rem vlng goats and about grass stains.
stopped hunting nearly 30 years necessary to truly conserve the other introduced animals from
ago for personal ,reasons. I agree "native" species which was the dozens of islands elsewhere in the
with Mr. VCinslow's reference to mission originally defined for the world. As a conservation
the killing of American bison in Conservancy by Philip K. See Letters, page 9
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Report for Monday, Feb.17
through Sunday, Feb. 23
Monday, Feb. 24 - 7 p.m. -
Baywatch Avalon and Rescue
4 responded ,to Avalon
Hospital for a 45 year-old
male who was complaining of
shortness of breath from a
punctured lung. The Avalon
man was reassessed, treated
with a cardiac monitor and
oxygen was continued on
supplemental oxygen. The
patient was transported to
Pebbly Beach where he was
transferred to a Coast Guard
Helicopter and transported to
Harbor.
Thursday, Feb. 27 - 9:15
a.m. - Baywatch Avalon,
Rescue 6 and Patrol 55 res-
ponded to a home in Avalon
for a 78 year-old male found
unconscious. Once rescuers
were on scene, it was deter-
mined the Avalon man had
been pulseless for many hours
and was pronounced dead at
the scene.
Friday, Feb. 28 - 7: 50 a.m.
- Baywatch Avalon and
Rescue 6 responded to Avalon
School for 'an 1 l-year-old
male complaining of back
pain after a fall on the
playground. The Avalon boy
was assessed, treated with
cervical spinal motion
restriction measures and
transported to Avalon Hos-
pital for further evaluation.
2:08 p.m. - Baywatch
Avalon, Rescue 6 and Patrol
55 responded to a business
in Avalon for a 46 year-old
female complaining of chest
pain. The Avalon female was
assessed, treated with an
EKG, an IV was established,
a blood sugar was taken,
medications were admini-
stered and she was trans-
ported to Avalon Hospital for
further evaluation.
Saturday, March 1 - 2:55
p.m. - Baywatch Avalon and
Rescue 6 responded to
Crescent St. for a 43" year-old
female complaining of an
altered level of conscious-
ness. The Arizona woman was
assessed, treated with an
EKG, an IV was established,
blood sugar was measured and
she was transported to Avalon
Hospital for further evaluation.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and
more while watching life.
I would have never bought anything just because it was practical,
wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have
cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing
inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said,
"Later. Now go get washed up for dinner"
There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would have seized every minute
look at it and really see it live it and never give it back."
Erma had the right idea, if only too late. Lucky for all of us, still
living, that we can still "live" and live big. Oh, I don't mean in
monetary things I mean in "living" things.
But if I could do it all over again I would have been a better
person, the sun would have shone brighter, the sunsets would have
been more beautiful, I would have cherished family and friends more
than ever before, I would have laughed louder, I would have cried more
peacefully, and I would have spent more time with my room.
Lucky for me, "if I could" is now and I am. I love you, Mom.
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Report for Monday, Feb. 24
through Sunday, March 2
Wednesday, Feb. 26 - 9:05
p.m. - Baywatch Paramedics
responded to Cherry Valley
for a 70-year-old man who
had fallen from the cliff at
Lion's Head. The patient was
extricated from the waters
edge with the help of camp
staff and treated. The patient
was flown to UCLA by Los
Angeles County Fire Depart-
ment Copter 19.
Thursday, Feb. 27 - 4:02
p.m. - Paramedics responded
to a 41-year-old female com-
plaining of chest pain. The
patient was treated and trans-
ported by Baywatch Isthmus to
Long Point where she was
transferred to Baywatch Avalon
and taken to Avalon Hospital.
Sunday, March 2 - 2:08
p.m. - Isthmus Harbor
Department advised Baywatch
Isthmus of a 27-foot sailboat
with a fouled propeller
drifting toward the rocks off
Big Fisherman's cove. The
vessel, with one person on
board, was towed to a mooring
for kelp disentanglement.
7:00 pm Nightly
9:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by adult who remains in theater.
