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!

.

New Beginnings

Here is our daughter at her future Alma Mater , USC.  We spent a whole day looking for apartments for her.  We had several criteria; actually she had several criteria.  No roommates, under 900 dollars, security, and parking!  It seems like this was not such a hard list to fulfill.  Bxxxzz. wrong.  She needed to be at least 1/2 an hour from the Medical Center.  So she chose cites like Los Feliz, Pasadena, Glendale, and maybe...West Hollywood.  All highly in demand for students and all CROWDED.  We found some cute studio apartments in Glendale, but the parking was a nightmare.

So we took ourselves back to The Marriott downtown,  (No easy feat) and with shaking legs took a swim and got ready for a superb night out at Jar, the classy restaurant by that awesome Master Chef Suzanne Tract,  who we didn't meet, but we got to see lots of her!

Here we are really happy after eating our faces off.  Our waiter Jeff is an out of work attorney and he gave Malaina his business card in case she needs to contact him.  It was nice to have him as a resource.  This picture looks like we are drinking booze, but we just had virgin Mojitos and bottled water.  Dinner including tip and valet parking was only 250.00.  Our daughter was worth it.  WTH... it's only money.  lol

We finally found a DARLING studio apartment in Pasadena on our last day there. (So we celebrated our success with lunch at Olvera Street above) The criteria was met! Underground gated parking, secure coded entrance, her own stairway, air conditioning, and all utilities included for just about a hundred less than our house payment! She should be able to afford that since she has a living stipend.  And, the Freeway is easy to get on and off,  she is about 15 miles from the Keck School of Medicine, and best of all, there is a great little market just around the corner where she can buy all her diet cokes!