Glad for 6th Grade

There are not many kids who can say they have had the same 6th grade teacher.  This particular teacher has been at all the educational milestones too. This is Christina's high school graduation, and Ron was there at our party for Malaina's graduation from college.  Ron Firmage was a very instrumental piece to the Glad girls childhood.  He really had lots of interests that he shared with the girls.  He really liked insects.  They had to do bug collections and learn the different classifications of insects.  Malaina refused to kill the bugs, so he allowed her to sketch them instead and put a spiral book together that we laminated, we still have it.  He also allowed Jordan and her friend Ashley to read the NSYNC Story, over and over and over as their books of choice.  I was his personal Schoolastic "secretary".  I sent out the book orders, handled the money, and bought books for the class.  Just doing that one chore for him really gave me an appreciation of his dedication to the kids.  It was a lot of work!


He liked to read out loud to the class.  They read some real thrillers of survival by Gary Paulson, and others.  There is a special spirit a good teacher has.  They have to love children, have patience and be devoted to learning.  Unfortunately Ron does not teach anymore. He works at the administrative level now.  The No Child Left Behind act has taken all the fun out of learning and teaching.  No more scuba diving, camping, or trips to Goblin Valley. I think it is a shame that good teachers are leaving teaching because of some silly George Bush law.  But that is another story.

Christina + work = Amazing

Okay, I cannot hold back my bragging rights anymore.  I do not want to post it on Facebook, but I can do it here.

Christina will be graduating here in about 3 weeks.  She has worked so hard during high school to get good grades.  She has received the Presidential Multicultural Scholarship from Southern Utah University.  A four year merit based award.  Yes!  Payoffs at last!

She is graduating with High Honors!  A much deserved reward.  She was involved for several years in sports too.  It was not easy and sometimes the coaches were very difficult, but she stuck with it and gave it her all, and is a much loved teammate to her friends.

Christina earned her Young Womanhood Recognition Award in 9th grade.  She loved working on all the goals. She finished all 6 years at Young Woman's Camp and came to dearly love and be loved by the Stake Leaders.  She and her boyfriend Brandon have become dear friends and respect each other and their values very much.  We love and trust them both to make good decisions.


I think for me, the greatest achievement for Christina is the fact that she is going to be a Seminary Graduate.  Having gone through early morning seminary myself, I know that the only difficulty to getting there is not wanting to get up!  But at PHS, Seminary is held during the day.  The temptations to skip are many!  As, one can imagine, boyfriends, homework, long lunches, 

etc... seem to make it easy to skip Seminary.  She made up lots of days missed because of sickness, etc, and her dedication to Seminary has helped her to grow by leaps and bounds. Our Stake Young Women's president has recommended Christina to be one of 2 youth speakers at graduation, the other coming from the Young Men.  Christina had to be vetted and approved by Stake leaders.  She is the most outstanding woman I have ever met.   Other than her two older sisters, that is.
 

Color me Glad

The Glads are obsessed with all things of India.  Chicken Masala, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Vindaloo.  Ganesha the Elephant god is a personal favorite.  I think he started my obsession with elephants.  But, more on that in another blog.  We love Bollywood, and especially Shahrukh Khan, the worlds most famous movie star (per capita).

We adore India and Indian festivals.  One of the tamer festivals is the Festival of Colors or Holi festival. The "Holi Festival" is a traditional Indian holiday marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It's celebrated with lots of color and lots of music and celebrated in ....wait for it..... wait for it...none other than Spanish Fork, Utah!

Yes, we have a Krishna Temple in Utah County. 

 

Lord Krishna is one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

 I love Indian god art.  I realize it could be quite uncomfortable for many to look at.  It is quite graphic isn't it?  Everything in the art is symbolic.  Malaina could give a very good description of this.  When we lived in Malaysia we studied from the following book as a family about the major religions of the area.  It is really quite fascinating.

My daughter Jordan went to the celebration today with her friends.  Here are some fun photos:

I LUV the above photo.  It is the famous Jordan scowl-smile.  A rare thing to capture on camera.  Is it a smile or a scowl? 

I love all the world  and all it has to offer.  I am happy a part of India is alive and well in Utah County.  Namaste....

Karma and the Orange Scarf.

So my mother gave me a shoe box full of beautiful scarves that my grandmother collected throughout her life.  I was very excited to get those.  I am a scarf lover, I love them dearly!!!  But I remember my grandmother always had a scarf.  A classy scarf on her stylish head or around her neck.  She had Vera scarves, and some that she made.   Amongst these scarves was an incredible orange scarf that had no equal. It was orange, blue, green, and oh so classy.  The one shown above does not even compare to it.

Well one night after the opera (wearing grandmas orange scarf),  we went out for a late bite to eat at "Lucky Boy's" in Pasadena.  It was late and the restaurant was full of colorful people.  One such girl walked in and she was wearing the shortest skirt ever, her poor bottom was hanging out.   I thought I would sneak a photo, you know like they do in "Glamour" magazine that they label as "glamour do's and don'ts."  I was so sneaky, but I forgot to turn off the flash.  I took the picture &^%wham@&^ the flash went off right there on her behind!! I wished that a hole had opened in the floor and I could have fallen in. 

In the meantime... I had taken off the orange scarf to avoid getting grease on the scarf! (Look at the food!! It is greasy!!)  I notedly put the scarf on the booth next to me and then said to myself,"don't forget the scarf."  Well after I took the flash photography, and I was so mortified for my behavior, we hurriedly left.  Two days later I realized, I left the scarf sitting there in the booth.  I think Karma had come around to bite me and give me a kick for my bad behavior.  I truly hope the girl with the short dress has the scarf and is taking good care of it.  My behavior was boorish and you deserve it.

Grads are Glad

As difficult as it might be to contemplate this mega movie visionary, and petty tyrant was also a philanthropist to the USC Keck School of Medicine. Not many people have not seen a MGM movie or heard a song by the recording branch of that empire; but, I wonder how many of us have benefited from the people who learned at this school, and have gone on to teach others what they know?

 Well, my daughter and her friends shown here, are a few of the new generation learning at this school.  Right now Malaina and her friends are worrying about their next and final rotations before they pick a specialty to study and attain their Ph.D's.  Come on kids, you have one more day!

 

I find it interesting that at any level of academia, there is a beginner class.  When you are a senior in High School, woman, you are the queen.  You have the best lockers, best parking, a Senior courtyard, etc.  But even in Medical School, there is pecking order.  The Grad School kids are relegated to the window seats and the farthest away parking lots.  The other more advanced students have their seats at better tables and covered parking.

Do you remember the "Friends" episode where Ross and Joey worked at the same museum, but because of their status, they pretended they didn't know each other, or eat at the same table.  Ha!  It is kind of the same thing at the USC Medical School cafeteria.  I got a kick out of that.

Malaina is working at a lab located in the USC School of Pharmacy.  The lab and the Professor of the group are trying to localize hormones and genes in women that cause Alzheimer's.  I am sure there is more to it than that explanation, but I write what I understand.

I am so grateful that my daughter has used her brains to excel in the Medical field.  Thanks to USC for picking a super great girl to give an education to.  Blessedly she is thriving with good friends, and not killing herself too bad yet.  Right now she does not have to do much writing or any publishing, but that is coming.  Malaina is an excellent author, but she tends to procrastinate, I hope she keeps it to herself.  I might stress too much when I eventually hear the anxiety in her voice when she calls home.  Then there might be no Glad sleeping at my house!

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This is a Modest Blog

So one of the bridal stores in the mall held a fashion show.  Christina was asked by her friend Krystina to be one of the models representing Provo High School.  The whole idea was to showcase modest prom dresses.  Just look at the following examples.  Yes, they cover the shoulder and the cleavage.  Yes, they cover the back and the legs.  And yes, they are darling dresses.

 Christina will make a lovely prom date.

My Funny Valentine Gift

Moschino Funny

Moschino Funny
To buy, click the words above.

My husband got on an elevator last Valentine season and smelled a really good smelling lady.  Hmmm should I be worried?  Never!!!  He asked her what scent she was wearing and then went right online and bought me some.(romantic)  I have to say, I have lots of lovely perfumes from Chanel No.5 to Dolce & Gabbana's The One Rose.,  But I love, love, love my Moschino isn't that "Funny"?

Fragrance Description: Moschino Funny Perfume by Moschino, A mischievous floral/fruity scent for women composed of top notes of seville orange, pink pepper, red currant; heart notes of jasmine, peony, violet, green tea with a base of amber, cedar, musk. The lighthearted bottle with blue tinted scent adds to the lively experience.

Guys and gals,  be a good Valentine and go get some of this yummy stuff.

I found this fascinating article on fragrance lingo:

Perfume Making - Fragrance Notes And Accord Explained

Author:

Remy Baker
What Are Fragrance Notes?
Perfumes are made up of different fragrance notes that come together in accords to form the aromatic framework of the blend.
For the average person, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact scent structure and content of a fragrance note. This is because each note is usually made up of so many components that it’s impossible for the lay person to work out the content.
The only way to establish the full note structure of a perfume will require you having access to the original formula chemical analysis of the blend.
The perfume notes of fragrances or aroma oils are broken down into three sections. These sections represent the different stages in the life of the perfume; from when it is freshly applied, through its dry down, through to the final evaporation stage.
Top Note
This is the first phase of a perfume\'s life and plays a major part in the first impact the scent makes. It forms a perfume’s initial impression.
This phase uses volatile fragrance materials that are vibrant and diffusive to provide the initial impact of the perfume, which then leads you into the heart of the scent. Common examples are spicy and citrus notes.
In short, they are the notes you smell first when you apply your perfume and the first components of the blend to evaporate.
Middle Note
This is the intermediate phase of a perfume, where the aromatic raw materials with less volatility than the top note produce the bouquet for the body of the fragrance.
Also known as the heart of a perfume, they emerge after the top note, last longer and slow down or mask the emergence of the sometimes overpowering base notes.
They add balance and complexity to blends, helping the perfumer to create beautiful perfumes.
Base Note
These notes are the final part and the most long lasting components of a perfume blend.
They are the fixative ingredients in a fragrance that provide tenacity and keep the top and middle notes from fading too quickly.
When making perfumes it’s important to get this part right because these notes can easily dominate the overall fragrance of the blend.
In a perfume, the base note appear after the evaporation of the top note, it shows itself through the veil of the middle note. Emerging slowly from the heart note, it reveals its full character in the final phase or dry down of the perfume. 

What are Perfume Accords?
These are the combinations of aromatic notes that form the basic structure in perfumes.
Different aromas are blended together to form totally new scents that make up the formula or structure of a perfume.
Think of a perfume accord in comparable terms to different herbs used in cooking. When the herbs are added to other random ingredients, different recipes, flavours and smells are created.
In the composition process of creating perfumes, different scenting additives like aroma chemicals, fragrance oils and essential oils might be used in different combinations to create new odors.
This process of combining perfume accords is the building block of a fragrance.
Perfume making is really interesting and an easy skill to learn.
Making perfumes by combining different accords or fragrance notes is fascinating. You can make your own perfumes or even earn from home by selling your blends.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-business-articles/perfume-making-fragrance-notes-and-accord-explained-1556449.html
About the Author
Remy Baker is a successful perfume maker/entrepreneur. She is the author of Scent2Riches, a perfume making from home guide. The manual shows people how to make perfumes for next to nothing and sell their blends for big bucks, from the comfort of their homes.

If you’ve found this article helpful, find out more here: Work From Home Making Perfume

My Glamour Shot.

My friend Maria posted a really pretty picture of her that she took when she was younger.  I was offically 45 in this shot.  My friend Kanthi said I look like a Chinese movie star!!!  Wow !  

I wish I had done some glamour shots when I was younger.  Advice to friends get it done in your 30's.

  

Glamour shot after a Lancome makeover.

 

 

 

Let me lower the lights.

Two really funny SNL skits, that I found just a tad bit too racy for Facebook, but funny none the less.  People, we really have to know what is happening in the world today, but it is nice to just forget propriety and laugh.
Click on the links below:

G-20 Cold Open 2009



G-20 Cold Open 2010

Are you giggling yet?

A Day in the Life of My Scientist

Malaina needs to use big girl words now that she is an official Ph.D grad student.  Malaina works in the lab of a really famous Dr. , only I can't remember his name.  She is fortunate that she only has two classes, but they are extremely hard!!!  Like in the 700's hard.

Malaina works in an amazing time for scientific advancement.  She tried several times to explain it to me, but I only got the gist.

I like how Malaina has to use her special id to use the elevator and get into buildings.  It is super top secret.

Malaina is growing e-coli bacteria, very hush-hush.

Malaina wears a white lab coat and everything!  She uses those tools like they do on CSI.

And here is Malaina's corner of  the lab.  They gave her a small desk with a real computer of her very own to use!  I love that.  They care about my girl.

She told me not to touch anything or I would get cancer.  I did not touch!!!

Sponges and Chop Houses and a Fox

So tonight Malaina and I went to the Arroyo Chop House  in Pasadena tonight.  It is L.A. Dine Out weekend, and I was impressed to make a reservation at the only restaurant in all of L.A. that serves Prime USDA beef.  All participating restaurants have to have a 44 dollar menu.  Oh boy, we picked the right place to go.  We had the most incredible steak we had EVER tasted; not a single piece of gristle, fork tender, and cooked to perfection.  I have to say, the chocolate souffle' was so wonderful, and large, that it was enough to share.  So Malaina had two desserts, cheesecake and my souffle'.  We will be back Arroyo people!

It was also Pasadena Art Night Out.  There were many locations of local and regional art to peruse.  Malaina was cranky tonight, but she went along with my plan anyway.  We began at the Art Center of Graphic Design in the beautiful hillside of Pasadena.  There was a brilliant display of art in the graphic sense.  Items that could be marketed for sale, and new ways to look at everyday products.  For example, there was a great idea for reusable packaging. It was dishwasher friendly and completely "green".  Why hasn't anybody invented that before?  However there was one piece of art Malaina and I couldn't quite understand.  It was a household sponge, laser cut into the exact replication of a female vulva.  Hmm..  as we thought about this sponge all night long we wondered what the creator was thinking.  Was there some correlation between the sponge and the female genitalia, that he was trying to connect?  Did he think the sponge was a cleaning product that needed to clean up the dirty state of the human psyche?  Did the sponge and it's human shape represent that a woman's place is in the kitchen/laundry room? Or did the artist resent women and their ability to "soak up like a sponge " the life juices of creativity out of his  everyday existence ?

And thus we ended the day watching the "Fantastic Mr. Fox".  The way Malaina drove home down the hillside after the sponge incident, we were lucky we didn't kill any foxes along the way.

Fantasy Land

So we had an eventful summer, filled with mad characters!

(Where else but Vegas?)

It may look like he is copping a feel, but it was only fantasy baby, yeah!

Here we are at the LanDesk company picnic at Lagoon. Double dating with Tiny and Brandon.

Christina turned 18 a few days into September.  She got lots of goodies from Malaina.

 

I felt it was important for Christina to have a special piece of jewelry to remind her of number 18.

Christina needs to know all her dreams can come true, and she is indeed a princess.  I fell in love with this Cinderella coach at a shop in Disneyland.  The wheels even turn!!

Cure for What Ails Ye.

I found this "Arthritis Remedy"  in a cookbook that belonged to my husbands great grandmother.
 Circa 1945-50?

 I hope this helps you somehow.  Love and be happy.

Dave and Cindy and the U-Haul

If you do nothing else with this blog today, please watch the video I have linked above.  

It is so typical of Dave's and my relationship. We have just eaten Mexican food and we need the tums that Malaina has packed away, in the back of the U-haul.  We locate them and Dave trouble getting the sliding door down.  He is fighting and cussing trying to put the trailer door down.  I  suggest he move one piece of a box that is sticking out and say, "I think all you need to do is move this piece of box."  He says sarcastically,  "Oh is that all I Need to DO?",  See for yourself.

We got lots of honks and thumbs up by people who passed us on the way to California with this sign on our tail.

Her apartment is so cute.  She has cute Ikea furniture and, rugs etc.  I love the private stairway and her cute wall hanging that we got in Cambodia.  The view of the courtyard shows her door over her shoulder.  Her apartment is the back of the building on the upstairs.  It was hard to say good bye, but she is an adult and she deserves all the best.  Good for you Malaina!