NEIGHBORS : Price of Honor : An area resident can be an Outstanding Young Man of America if he buys a book for $29.99.

Congratulations to Michael Parigian. After filling out a simple application, the Ventura resident was selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America. What did he do to deserve such an honor?

“That’s a tough one,” he said. “I wish I had the application in front of me. I don’t remember what I put down.”

Parigian, 30, is one of 28,000 in the country selected by the board of advisers of the Outstanding Young Men of America publication.

Publication? Yes. And if Parigian wants to see his name in the 27th annual edition he must send $29.99 to the organization. That’s right, just $29.99. Unfortunately, it doesn’t slice, dice or chop. Parigian said he has no intention of buying a copy.

Whether Parigian is the only outstanding young man in Ventura County is hard to say. Those on the advisory board have no geographical breakdown of their honorees.

“I’m not sure how many people get it,” Parigian said. “The paper work wasn’t that hard to fill out.”

Parigian joins the likes of “Superman” star Christopher Reeve, golfer Tom Watson and Vice President Dan Quayle. His favorite among his OYMA predecessors? “I kind of like the character of Superman.”

A UPS truck was spotted driving through the gates of the Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura. Which raises a question: Pickup or delivery?

So we missed the ESP Psychic Faire at the Ventura Holiday Inn last Sunday. What do you think we are . . . mind readers?

And anyway, we’re getting strong vibes that this event will be held again next year.

Anyone attending the Police Pistol Combat Match Sunday at Grant Park Pistol Range will no doubt run into Range Master Cliff Cox. Cox, a 48-year-old former Ventura police officer, is focusing his undivided attention on qualifying for the 1992 Olympic shooting team.

Well, maybe his attention is a little divided--there is that wedding thing. Cox, in fact, will probably have to miss his July 22 preliminary tryout match because of the honeymoon trip to Durango, Colo., with wife-to-be Debbie Sparks, whom he will marry on July 14. “If I get back in time, I’ll definitely be there,” he said. If not the next international match will be in August.

Does Cox have trouble balancing the emotion and concentration that both marriage and shooting demand? “I just separate one from the other,” he said. “She’s not jealous.”