Dance Styles in West Oahu.

By Robert Pagdilao, Kalihi:

Dancing is changing for the better in West Oahu and we should review our dance environment on this island. - All couple style dancing went into decline in the 50s & early 60s as dancing apart overtook the general American culture. To stay alive, the studios on the Mainland imported English dancers, who brought with them their impressive competition dance structures, Blackpool traditions and societies dedicated to ballroom dancing.

In Hawaii there were a few that arrived with excellent qualifications in the English style. And they introduced it to a very receptive audience. While town dancers in Honolulu had been influenced by the genius of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, who easily blended open dance styles with ballroom, the English kept their ballroom dancing closed, structured and more disciplined.

"How High The Moon" by Les Paul and Mary Ford

Their idea of Latin dancing was also more structured and did not have the more authentic influence enjoyed by Americans, but it was different and brought an interesting new twist to things. There was some controversy over the styles and the rhythms used, some would call it artificial and unnatural.

Of course the American style of Rumba had also been screwed up with the introduction of the square basic by both Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire. Among the complaints for International was the forcing of the 4-1, 2, 3 in a dance where the music had no corresponding clave, a Cuban motion that is not Cuban and the rigidity of the attitudes.

"Mambo Tropical" By Los Chicos

It played a big part in the disintegration of ballroom dancing on Oahu. The introduction of the "correct" way to ballroom dance plus the addendum of the term "Junk Dancer " applied to those that did not dance the "correct" way. Most of the dance clubs lost almost half of their memberships during the 90s.

Some went completely under while some are still holding on by the skin of their teeth. There are still big changes in the wind. Most will be in and by the West by new blood and a marked preference for social dance. Then it is a toss up between the North Shore and the East Shore. Should be interesting to see. Suburbia is rising and socially, they have always been considered a different cultural class. We should accept that.

Mug Cake

This is such a fun presentation for an individual cake, and a lot easier to make than cupcakes! Kids will love making and eating them. They taste so good!


Mug Cake

Servings: 1 Mug (300ml or 10oz)


Dough:

• 4 tablespoons of wholewheat flour
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 tablespoon of canola oil

Topping:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• granulated chocolate, M&Ms, cereal, raisins, chopped fruits or any other decoration to taste

Using a microwaveable 300ml mug, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and cocoa. Add the egg and stir well using a fork. Lastly, add the milk and oil and stir. Microwave in high power for 2 minutes, turn off the microwave. As soon as the dough lowers, turn it on again for another minute. Repeat it until the dough doesn't lower anymore.
Mix all ingredients for the topping, except the decoration. Microwave it for 30 seconds. Pour the topping over the mug. Decorate.


Source: Based on recipe from receitas.com

Finding Your Resting Channel

The ability to rest is a skill that should be cultivated throughout our lifetime. Wearing many hats (or shoes) can be exhausting. We all need to find ways to replenish our energy level, no matter the circumstances. Can't meditate? What about exercise regularly? Well, you should find your own ways to unload. Here are some helpful tips from Ph.D Rick Hanson:

"Imagine the benefits for you and others if youlisten to the support and wisdom of your dear friend and innermost being. Thencommit to what makes sense to you, in terms of nudging your schedule in a morerestful direction, refusing to add new tasks to your own bucket, taking morebreaks or simply helping your own mind be less busy with chatter, complaintsabout yourself and others or inner struggles. For example:

1. Upon first waking, bring to mind yourfundamental purpose in life, whatever it is, and rest in the felt knowing ofit, in giving yourself over to it, like resting in the warm cradling current ofa great river.

2. At meals, pause for half a minute with yourfood before you start eating.

3. Be aware of that little space between the endof an inhalation and the beginning of an exhalation (or vice versa). From timeto time each day, notice that space and rest into it.

4. When you complete a task, take a break for afew seconds or more before shifting gears to the next one.

5. Promise yourself that you'll take a minute ormore each day to sit quietly and remain present with yourself while doingnothing (this is an essential type of meditation).

6. Have real times each day when you truly"clock out" -- no longer on task or accountable to anyone.

7. Encourage your mind to come to rest at leastoccasionally. Tell yourself you can worry/problem solve/grumble later. Themind/brain is like a muscle, and it needs to stop working sometimes toreplenish and rebuild itself.

And when you rest, sink into its pleasures, itsrewards, and sense them sinking into you, like a warm rain falling on thirstyground."

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist andauthor of the bestselling "Buddha'sBrain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom"(in 21 languages). Founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscienceand Contemplative Wisdom and Affiliate of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley

Source: Huffington Post

Perked Up Greens

Bored with the same ol' veggies? Get over your salad boredom with these up-and-coming greens to give you great health benefits and flavor:

Mizuna

One of the mildest mustard greens, mizuna -- often found in mesclun mixes -- is high in immune-boosting vitamin C, folate and iron. It also contains powerful glucosinolates -- antioxidants linked to decreased cancer risk, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet." Cultivated in Japan since ancient times, mizuna brings an exotic, slightly spicy flavor to the table.

Prep tip: Part of mizuna’s allure is its feathery, light appearance -- but its edges dry out easily. To get the freshest bunch, look for crisp green leaves that aren’t wilted.

Mâche

Twenty years ago, San Francisco–based chefs brought mâche (a.k.a. lamb’s lettuce) seeds home from France and introduced its mild, nutty flavor to American restaurant patrons. Now it’s a Whole Foods staple.

A one-cup serving delivers 80 percent of your daily requirement of folate, which helps prevent certain birth defects and keeps your heart healthy. It also packs two grams of filling fiber, four milligrams of iron (needed for forming red blood cells) and more than 250 milligrams of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, Zuckerbrot says.

Prep tip: Rinse mâche briefly to avoid damaging its delicate leaves.

Watercress

In addition to delivering high doses of vitamins A, K (needed for normal blood clotting) and C, watercress contains isothiocyanates -- compounds that boost your body’s natural detoxifying abilities. It may also lower your breast cancer risk and strengthen your bones (one cup has four milligrams of calcium).

Prep tip: Wash this peppery and pungent green carefully and thoroughly, as it tends to be sandy.

Dandelion Greens

Traditionally used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes, these greens keep the gastrointestinal tract running smoothly by promoting the growth of bacteria that aid with digestion; they also act as a mild laxative to relieve bloating and constipation, Zuckerbrot says.

One cup provides more than 100 percent of your daily dose of vitamin A -- crucial for keeping your eyesight strong -- and a whopping 103 milligrams of calcium.

Prep tip: Look for dandelions with smaller, slightly curled leaves because they’re less bitter.

Purslane

It may be considered a pesky weed by many farmers, but this superfood’s a worthy addition to any salad bowl. It is lemony, succulent and crisp -- and packs up to 400 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per serving.

Purslane is also a great source of vitamins A and C, and it contains up to 15 times more of the cancer-fighting antioxidant melatonin than many other fruits and vegetables.

Prep tip: These greens don’t stay perky for long, so maximize freshness by storing them with stems in cold water in the refrigerator.

Source: health.com, thehuffingtonpost

Oink Oink

This week in Art Culinaire, we did something a little different. We had 2 suckling pigs that Chef showed us how to butcher, and then we each chose parts of the pig and researched recipes to prepare out of those parts. We were to use as much of the pig as possible so the waste of the pig would be minimal...basically we used everything but the snout and skull and brains...the cheeks and ears were used.

I chose to prepare ribs. I also knew I wanted to make some crispy pig ears. At work, they prepared crispy pig ears just last weekend, and they were delicious on a Crispy Pork Taco, and I knew others wouldn't be as inclined to take those floppy little bits of pig. We had free range of the storeroom, so we also browsed through there on day 1 to get some ideas of what we had available to use in our dishes.

I love the process of coming up with a new recipe or dish or plate. My brain turns this way and that, running through all the possible variations of items and also the possible preparations. It's like a complicated math problem, except there are no "right" answers. The possibilities are, literally, endless. I had some ideas of what components I wanted to include, but was open to my mind being changed. I had some beautiful asparagus at home that I really wanted to include for height. From there, I headed to The Flavor Bible to see what goes well with asparagus.

Inspiration struck when I had taken a time out from schoolwork to hang out with Marc. All of a sudden I sat straight up with an, "I KNOW!!! Give me my notebook!!!!!" This is one of my favorite things. That "Ah-hah!!!" moment when something comes to you. It's goosebump inducing sometimes. I decided on a potato and leek tart to go on the side with the crispy pig ears on top.

Once I had all my components, I went and found recipes (some from my collection, some from online) to go with my ideas. I had a bbq sauce recipe already, and I pulled the potato leek tart recipe from online. Mashed potatoes and asparagus don't even need recipes, although I caught myself just in time and remembered to peel the potatoes. At home, Marc likes the mashed potatoes with the peels, and I'm so used to leaving them on, I almost forgot to take them off.

Another thing I love is seeing my sketches come to life. What starts as scribbles on paper (and trust me, they are scribbles. As artistic as I can be, I scribble my platings usually since I am the only one that is going to need to "read" them.) translates onto a plate and sometimes it looks exactly as it did in my mind, and sometimes it changes slightly to accommodate variables. This plate came to life wonderfully, in my opinion.

Have you Found a Perfect Lunchbox?

During our search for ideal lunchboxes, we came across Yubo. It has many great features: fun designs, kids can change the faceplates, 100% dishwasher safe, BPA-free, Phthalate-free, made of recyclable plastic, and comes with 3 reusable food containers and a custom-fit ice pack. Is it missing anything?
Check out all designs and faceplates.


Made by Yubo

15 Healthy & Yummy Lunchbox Recipe Ideas

It is lunchbox planning time! We know it is a tough and important task, so here are a few ideas to help you out! All healthy, from experienced moms. You can combine items for complete meals.
Variety is always important, so kids don't get bored!

1. Wholewheat pita, peanut butter and sliced banana pockets.
2. Roasted fruits: try roasting banana in the oven with cinnamon and honey. It makes a great dessert!
3. Veggie Pies: stuff the pie with the kids' favorite veggies. Click here for a delicious pie recipe.
4. Wholewheat tortilla wrap: stuff it with veggies, cheese and ground turkey. Use kids' favorite ingredients!
5. Sliced organic veggies with hummus: raw green bell peppers, carrots, brocoli and a small container with hummus for dipping. Click here for a yummy hummus recipe.
6. Wholewheat bread with cream cheese/brocolli/spinach/garlic spread: Blend cream cheese, boiled broccoli, spinach and a garlic clove to a spread consistency. You can also add boiled carrots to the spread.
7. Cubed sweet potato: microwave the whole potato for 8 minutes, let cool, then cut.
8. Plain yogurt with honey and pieces of fruit.
9. Wholewheat Pretzel with hummus for dipping.
10. Sweet potato sliced and baked in the oven with salt and herbs.
11. Whole wheat waffles with peanut butter, honey or maple syrup.
12. Homemade granola bars are always delicious, and kids will love even more if they help bake them! Click here for a great homemade Fruit and Oat Granola Bar recipe.
13. Mini vegetable pizzas: split wholewheat English muffins and top each half with tomato sauce, cheese, and veggies.
14. Make a wholesome snack by cutting whole wheat pita rounds into wedges, toasting them, and packing with cheese slices. 
15. Peanut butter, banana and raisins sandwich in wholewheat waffles. Click here for step-by-step recipe

Click here for other healthy recipes.

Hawaii Gardenia, 20th Anniversary

For a Saturday, the day went very nicely, I had an extra hour of sleep in the morning and did most of my chores during the day and got ready  for my town trip.

"Attitudes are often more important than intelligence."

I left at 5:30 pm, still daylight but now I realize I should have left at 5:00. It would have given me a half hour longer. Got to the Library on time, but the 13 bus had just passed and I had to wait for the next one. Was at the Ala Wai Golf Course by 7:30 and no trouble at the door.

Got rid of a dance movie, (lottery with the last number in your Social Security) and too late to get a photo of the reception table. Announcements and all coming from the podium. So I resigned myself to try to get the photos I came to get which are of the attendees.

Got a good picture of some West Side people, and I am rushing so

I thought I would skip the names for now. And now, that I see it,

it is better with the names.

The Stars of the Show will be very well photographed by real photographers. And they will share their photos with whomever they wish. I was able to get a photo of Tim and Nieves for the "Good People" of the September Platinum Horseshoe blog.

Ran across my friend Kathy Uehara and she wanted a picture

with her friends. All nice people, I seem to have seen them

as part of our dance group.

Before I knew it the time for my leaving had passed and there was no way I could get the E bus that left the terminal at 8:50. So I figured the 9:20 and got time for a couple more photos. I got lucky and met up with people that can make my day, hadn't seen them in quite a while. All from the Wahiawa Dance Club.

 Neo Teocson, Greg and Aida Ancheta, Virgie and Leo Corcino.

Met my long time friends, Stan and Gerri Katayama from Wahiawa and that really made my day. Went out on the Lanai and got another photo.

 

Good People from the West Side.

I then checked the time and I missed the 9:20 bus. This is ticklish now.

But I got another good photo of my good friends from Kapolei.

Now I was really in a jam, trying to get to Ala Moana Center in time to get the #40 which leaves at 10:00. The first bus that came along got me to the Center at 10:10. Too late, so now I must wait another hour. Auwe.

"Tell Me Why" by the Four Aces

That bus was fifteen minutes late and by the time I got on there was standing room only. I got a seat but most were Filipinos and a few Samoans and you can tell how important these people are to the bus line. Terrible.

You can get a good idea of what they mean. "Wow, when I get my car I can forget this stuff." And they sure are not thinking of any rail. The rail is mainly going to screw up the bus system.

For me, it a nice ride listening to the music on my notebook computer and I was home at 1:00 AM, Sunday morning. I just have to be more careful. No one's fault but my own.

Mini Squash Shepherd's Pie

Who doens't like Shepher's Pie? It includes most "comfort food" ingredients!
This one has a little twist to make it less caloric and more nutritiousl Great (easy) recipe for the weekend!


Mini Squash Shepherd's Pie

Servings: 4 portions

• 2 teaspoons extra-virginolive oil
• 1/2cup chopped onion
• 12ounces 93%-lean ground turkey
• 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1tablespoon tomato paste
• 1cup water
• 6ounces baby spinach, chopped
• 3/4teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 24oz cooked winter squash, pureed (or you can use frozen winter squash) 
• 1/3 cup finelyshredded Parmesan cheese

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in turkey, flour and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the turkey is mostly browned, about 3 minutes. Add water, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Place squash in a fine-mesh sieve and gently press on it to extract excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Divide the meat mixture among four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins. Top each with about 1/2 cup of the squash. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.

Broil until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until it is just melted, about 3 minutes more.

Source: based on recipe from Eatingwell.com

RECALL ALERT: Papaya with Salmonella

The federal Food and Drug Administration is banning imports of all papayas grown in Mexico because of widespread and ongoing salmonella contamination, the agency announced Thursday.
More than 15 percent of fresh papayas entering the U.S. from Mexico were contaminated with the foodborne bacteria, an FDA investigation between May 12 and Aug. 18 found. That included papayas from 28 different firms and included all the major papaya-producing regions in Mexico.
Affected papayas were distributed nationwide and to Canada through retail stores and wholesalers.


Source: foodsafety.gov

Sunless Tanning: Safe?

What is your take on sunlesstanning? It has been advertised as a very safe option (compared to tanning bedsand massive sun exposure), but I haven't been able to find any detailed reporton the chemicals behind self tanning. 

The most common formulascontain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient. DHA is not adye, stain or paint, but causes a chemical reaction with the aminoacids in the dead layer on the skin surface, turning it darker. Someproducts use erythrulose combined with DHA. Erythrulose works identicallyto DHA on the skin surface, but develops more slowly. The two chemicals usedtogether may produce a longer lasting sunless tan.

Many self tanners usechemical fragrances which may cause skin allergies or maytrigger asthma. Furthermore, some of them contain parabens. Parabensare preservatives that can affect the endocrine system.

For the 24 hours afterself-tanner (containing high DHA levels, ~5%) is applied, the skin isespecially susceptible to free-radical damage from sunlight, according to a2007 study led by Katinka Jung of the Gematria Test Lab in Berlin. Forty minutes afterthe researchers treated skin samples with high levels of DHA they found thatmore than 180 percent additional free radicals formed during sun exposurecompared with untreated skin.

Sources: various, including wikipedia

Bacteria and Safe Foods: A Guide

I've always been a bit curious about the sanitary benefits of boiling foods. Does it kill all bacteria and make the food safe?

Here is some clarifying information from a New York Times report. "Bacteriathat cause illness inevitably end up on nearly every ingredient we cook with,and even boiling won’t kill all of them.

Boiling does kill any bacteria active at thetime, including E. coli and salmonella. But a number of survivalistspecies of bacteria are able to form inactive seedlike spores. These dormantspores are commonly found in farmland soils, in dust, on animals andfield-grown vegetables and grains. And the spores can survive boilingtemperatures.

After a food is cooked and its temperature dropsbelow 130 degrees, these spores germinate and begin to grow, multiply andproduce toxins. One such spore-forming bacterium is Clostridium botulinum,which can grow in the oxygen-poor depths of a stockpot, and whose neurotoxincauses botulism.

Once they’ve germinated, bacteria multiplyquickly in nourishing stock. They can double their numbers every 90 minutes atroom temperature, every 15 minutes at body temperature. A single germinatedspore can become 1,000 bacteria in a matter of hours, a billion in a few days.

Any activebacteria are killed by holding food for a minute at 150 degrees or above,and botulism toxin is inactivated by 10 minutes at the boil. But quickly reheating a contaminated food justup to serving temperature won’t destroy its active bacteria and toxins..."

Source: NYTimes

We've Been Featured!

We've just been featured on Too Much Time on My Hands. Check it out!


Thank you Kim for your great review of our site!

The Bacteria Colonies in our Pillows

According to Glamour Magazine, who reported on a study from SleepBetter.org, that looked at pillows and mattress pads from 50 college students around the country and found that they had, on average, "350,000 potential live bacteria colonies and 91,000 potential live yeast and mold colonies. 


And the mattress pads? 2 million potential bacteria colonies and 330,000 yeast and mold colonies."Germ expert, Dr. Lisa Shives, says that for most people, these levels of creepy crawlies is pretty normal, and isn't likely to pose a health risk, but for others it may."Most of these microbes are part of the normal human condition, so if you're 25 and healthy as a horse, then this probably won't affect you," she says. "But for the millions who deal with conditions like chronic sinusitis, allergies or asthma--this is data that they should pay attention to and get rid of their old pillows and mattress pads, anything over one year old."You can also cut down on bacteria and skin cell buildup in your pillow by showering before bed, she adds. 


Personally, I like to put our pillows in the sun for a couple of hours on a weekly basis. In the Winter, I throw them in the drier for about 30 minutes. It doesn't hurt!


Source: Glamour Magazine

Night Club Dancing

There are many variations of dance on the local Night Club floors of Oahu. And there are definite differences in the dancing for the young and for the "not so young." That part most everyone is aware of. And we also should accept that the young are more likely to go for the fad dances.

"People cannot discover new oceans unless

they are willing to lose sight of the shore."

The older dancers, through experience have gone that route, They accept that they will never get into a competition and finally settle down to the most comfortable way of moving to the music of their choice.  Fortunately, that enjoyable set has already been easily learned from the American and International Styles of dance.

Eclectically, they have Waltz, Foxtrot, Rumba, Cha Cha Cha and Swing as the most basic for an evening out on the town. They can add, Line dancing, Tango, Merengue, Mambo, Salsa and even Bachata if the dancers require it. That can be very easily determined by the promoters.

Then there are preferences in the kind of dancing. There are places where a Swing club can have a "swinging" good time and the music will be most appropriate. And other places can have the "Salsa" strain to include Merengue, and Bachata as their preferences too. And a place for Tango?

There is a growing movement on Oahu for the music and dance of the 50s and 60s. which is mostly, Foxtrot and Swing. Those were the days. So now they add a little Walta, and a little Rumba and Cha Cha Cha maybe not da reel teeng but you "can" dance to it.

"Tangerine" by Jimmy Dorsey

Latin dance will take on an added value specially for those bands and DJs that can play "Latin" music that goes with a "Latin" dance. The only fly in the ointment has been the tendency to play something that you  "can" dance Rumba or Cha Cha Cha to it.

It definitely is not the same as you "gotta" dance Rumba or Cha Cha Cha to it. It will take a while to sink in. But the Night Club in West Oahu that can do it, will surely be the berries.

These dances include a wide range of dances originating in Latin America, and the Caribbean. I believe that sooner or later, most of these dances will be taught for the masses under the guise of the American Style on West Oahu. And the nice part is that they do not require an acre of dance floor. Most are spot dances or can be danced in a fairly spot fashion.

"Begin The Beguine" by Artie Shaw

Known for its sensual hip action and sexy flair, Latin dance is gaining popularity on dance floors everywhere. Movies about Latin dancing, ones that portray the beauty of the art of Latin dancing, seem to be favorites among dancers and non-dancers alike.

Besides being a staple in the ballroom, many Latin dances are also being taken to country-western dance floors, though the music is lacking that certain sound. Learning Latin dances is fairly easy, as most of the dances are made up of the same basic foot steps. And the big secret is not to push it, just let the body go as it wishes.

Vintage Paper Flowers

This weekend I came across an awesome blog: Too Much Time on My Hands. Kim creates amazing crafts, and posts super easy tutorials. Check out the Vintage Paper Flowers. Gorgeous! 

Click here to access the tutorial. And follow her blog for other super creative ideas!

Who do I dance with?

By Michelle Makaipo, Manoa

In Social dancing the man's role is very different than the lady's role. However no one in Universal dancing owns anyone else. Each person can and will speak for themselves.

"God has not called us to see through each other,

but to see each other through."

The man asks politely and must be careful of who he asks. The woman can accept or decline politely. She has the additional option of giving a reason for the decline but it is not absolutely necessary. If she declines and then accepts another man, then she has conveyed her reason adequately and the man should never bother her again.

For that same reason, a man must never ask a woman who is with another man, whatever the relationship. Unless he is good friends with both. If the man is dancing with someone else it gives you the opportunity to ask. With these few rules, the man can enjoy a nice evening dancing.

"I'll Never Fall In Love Again" by Dionne Warwick

Today it is theoretically fine for a woman to ask a man for a dance. In practice, few women take full advantage of this. Except with men they are on a very friendly basis.

But it seems a little unreasonable to hear a woman who has asked no one all evening to dance, complain that she has had few dances. If some women are happy to ask, and others not so confident, then those that lose out will be the shy.

To make it easier for ladies who are uneasy about asking, those men who are asked should be gracious about accepting. Always appear to be glad to be asked. By and large, it is bad form to refuse a request for a dance.

People should be happy to dance with anyone once in an evening. Similarly, if you ask a person to dance, then discover that your partner is not enjoying the partnership, or is much better than you are, then it is a bit much to keep asking again. Each dancer has only so much time and energy in an evening for dancing, and at a dance of any great size, there will be more partners present than can be danced with more than once.

Dangers of Triclosan in Consumer Products

The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the safety of triclosan in hand soaps, a chemical that was created more than 40 years ago as a surgical scrub for hospitals. Triclosan is now in a range of consumer products, including soaps like Dial, kitchen cutting boards and even a best-selling toothpaste, Colgate Total. It is so prevalent that a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the chemical present in the urine of 75 percent of Americans over the age of 5.
Several studies have shown that triclosan may alter hormone regulation in laboratory animals or cause antibiotic resistance, and some consumer groups and members of Congress want it banned in antiseptic products like hand soap. The F.D.A. has already said that soap with triclosan is no more effective than washing with ordinary soap and water, a finding that manufacturers dispute.
The F.D.A. was to announce the results of its review several months ago, but now says the timing is uncertain and unlikely until next year. The Environmental Protection Agency is also looking into the safety of triclosan.


Source: nytimes.com

Week 6

This week I was only able to attend class on Thursday (see previous post). I made Bananas Foster with spiced walnuts and tostones. I was not the only one in the class that wasn't enamored with the recipe that we were given. We decided to sort of follow the basic compilation of elements for the plate, but we definitely changed quite a bit of it.

I decided to make my "French Cakes" instead of the basic French Toast that the recipe called for. French Cakes are my own creation of a very egg-y pancake batter spiked with Saigon Cinnamon that the bread is dipped into instead of just the egg and milk mixture that French Toast usually calls for. This means my batter contains flour and baking powder and puffs up a little bit when cooked. We were using French Bread instead of regular bread for this recipe, so I cut it into squares and dipped it in the batter and cooked it off.

I also made my own spiced walnuts, loosely following the recipe for spiced pecans we make at work, but altering it a little because I like a little more of a cinnamon sugary texture to the outside of my spiced nuts. *insert joke here*

I made several shapes of tostones (fried plantains). I small diced some, made some "french fry" shaped pieces, and also made some long, thin pieces. These all gave a nice crunchy, salty element to the plate.

Then we had the flambeed bananas. I chose to make a separate caramel sauce in addition to the sauce that comes with flambeed bananas. I wanted to garnish the plate with the thick caramel, and then use the banana sauce on top of the French cakes.

I took a piece of banana and hollowed out the top with a melon baller. I added bacardi 151 and lit it just before "service" so it added a cool element to the presentation. The blue flame doesn't show up well in photos, though. I plated two versions, a large and a small. On the big plated version, I also bruleed the outside of the banana for a crunchy factor.

I LOVE how these came out. I like the small plate better, I think, just because it's a little more sophisticated.

Choices

It seems I am having to choose more and more between family and my grade. It seems every time I turn around, I'm having to choose. The stress level around here is off the charts. Marc is working literally almost every waking moment. I am either working, doing homework, housework, trying to spend quality time with the kids, or at school literally almost every waking moment. Neither of us have a second to ourselves, much less together, just to RELAX. Four more months. Four. More. Months.

This week, I got a card in the mail letting me know who Harmony's teacher is and that orientation was Friday at 1:45. Marc let me know he had to work. I had to make a choice. Class or meeting Harmony's teacher and making sure Harmony knew where her class was and getting her ready for school to start Monday. Family won out. I have now missed THREE classes this quarter, and AI just cracked down and they are no longer offering make up labs. Each class missed is approximately half of a letter grade. So I am down to a mid B. So much for my 4.0GPA. This is very hurtful to me. I've busted my ass and worked so hard to get and keep that 4.0 and now it's gone. I kind of flipped out the other night with Marc. Not ON Marc, just near him. He had just informed me that he had to work Friday and I started to try to convince him that he indeed did NOT have to work Friday, but after about two sentences I realized the effort was futile. I know he didn't WANT to work Friday. I know he would much RATHER be with the kids. So I stopped. He asked me not to be mad at him. That's when I flipped out.

I told him I am not mad at HIM. I'm mad at the situation. I'm mad that we are both SO BUSY ALL the time. I'm mad that this quarter should be the easiest and most fun quarter and it isn't. I'm mad that I've worked so hard for my 4.0 and it's GONE. I'm mad that the kids are with sitters so much. I'm mad about so much more, but it just goes on and on and on. I finished venting and crying and we just sat there. Then I felt better. We are together. We are working together to make things better for our family, it's just really hard right now. We will make it through, though, and in the big scheme of things, these months will be but a blip.

These lyrics have kind of been my theme since the beginning, but now more than ever. Please ignore the fact that it's Miley Cyrus. haha

"The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb"

Shaping Up

Now that Club Dancer blog is coming of age, it has developed its own preferences. This has of course been determined mostly by the parties that have been included out.

"A handful of common sense is worth an armload of learning."

We have Al Franz Studio, well known throughout the years, with regular group and private lessons. Their one social is an Argentine Tango once a week. We could use more news for the good of the readers (first) the good of the participants, the Studio and this blog. The only ones that lose are those that have chosen to be included out.

"Sh-Boom, (Life Could Be Dream)" by the Chordettes

Then we have Dream To Dance Studio, also well known throughout the years. With a greater diversity  of users. We have Debby's classes, and rentals to other diverse dance groups, which makes for a very interesting mix. Then the socials which amounts to weekly Salsa on Saturdays and Sundays. They could take a big part of the blog.

Included had been some ballroom dancing on Saturdays. This seems to be a very nice venue for a lot of the "extra" women at the regular dance socials. But due to lack of interest they may be cancelled. We shall see if we can still help in that department.

"Nights In White Satin" by Moody Blues

Coming up on the back stretch  is Arthur Murray. They seem to be with it, we just have try to understand each other a little better. I would sure like to include them on a regular basis. Again it is the same benefits. For the the readers (first) then for the members of Arthur Murray, then for the studio and finally for this blog.

With those three we could run the stats to over 67 average hits per day which equals 2000 per month. That is some doing on this little Island.

First the kokua comes first, then we try to get the information contributors with information of possible interest to the readers. Flyer type emails help but not da reel teeng. The real deal is communication that sounds like it is for the reader, not just for the entire public and to "who it may concern." With time those three studios will know the  difference.

From there we flesh it out with their preferences in nIght clubs and social dance clubs. It could be a "contendah. We're getting there!

Making Happiness a Habit Through Mindfulness

Susan Greenland, the author of The Mindful Child, wrote this amazing article to The Huffington Post. Although the concepts are somewhat intuitive, they are profound, and very worth reading. Enjoy!

Click here to buy the book

"What if happiness was a habit that we could teach children? We can. Qualities that lead away from happiness (strong negative emotions) and qualities that lead toward happiness (ethical actions) are all rooted in habits developed in the past. Mindfulness helps children and teens recognize the habits that lead to happiness and break the ones that don't.

Habits are easy to make, hard to break and everybody has them. Some habits are physical (cracking knuckles and twirling hair), some are verbal (using certain words or phrases) and some are psychological (worrying, daydreaming, judging and over-analyzing). By repeating a habit we reinforce the brain circuits associated with it and make the habit stronger. The stronger the habit, the stronger the neural pathways, and the stronger the effort and determination required to break it. If teenagers check their Facebook pages first thing in the morning, every morning, checking Facebook will soon become their default, automatic response to waking up. If they hike or meditate first thing in the morning, every morning, hiking or meditating will soon become their default, automatic response to waking up. The more a habit is repeated the stronger it becomes and the more likely it is to become a person's automatic response to a specific experience.

There is a well-established, evidence-based curriculum that uses mindfulness to develop life-skills that make people happy. It rest on three universal qualities attention, balance and compassion. Countless parents and educators, who have tried this curriculum themselves, are now passionate about teaching mindfulness to youth. They form the basis of an emerging grassroots movement to bring mindfulness to education.

Mindfulness is a refined process of attention that allows children to see the world through a lens of attention, balance and compassion. When children learn to look at the world with attention, balance and compassion they soon learn to be in the world with attention, balance and compassion.

Making compassion a habit.

To make compassion a habit all kids need to do is promise that everything they do will be kind and compassionate and keep that promise. Sound easy? Anyone who has ever taken a vow, and then tried to keep it, knows that saying you'll speak and act in a certain way is easier said than done. The best way to keep a promise is to make it a habit and that's where mindfulness can help. Mindfulness is the mental quality by which children and teens remember to check-in with themselves throughout the day and make sure they are on track. Mindfulness helps kids remember their intention to be kind and compassionate and notice if they're acting and speaking in accordance with it. We don't expect children to be perfect, any more than we expect perfection of ourselves, but using mindfulness to notice when they swerve off track and away from their intention allows them to correct their course.

Making concentration a habit.

Concentrating on one thing and nothing else is a crucial skill in school. Students who have the capacity to direct their attention toward what they're studying, and keep it there, have an obvious advantage over those who are easily distracted. To develop concentration, and make it a habit, students use mindfulness to periodically check-in and make sure they are still paying attention to their chosen object. "Has my mind wandered or become dull?" "Am I paying attention to my homework, or am I thinking about the past or future? " "Am I alert or have I faded into a sleepy state of mind?"

Making balance a habit.

Once children and teens use mindfulness to develop compassion by remembering to check-in to make sure they're actions are aligned with their intentions, and refine their attention by checking-in to make sure they're paying attention to their chosen object, they are ready to use mindfulness to develop emotional balance. The strong and stable faculty of attention that children and teens develop practicing concentration becomes more refined when they use it to see what's happening in, to and around them clearly even when what's happening is emotionally upsetting or charged. Like developing attention and compassion, when developing balance students check-in periodically and notice what they're attending to. Mindfulness in developing emotional balance goes deeper by developing discernment a powerful quality of wisdom through which children and teens notice, among other things, patterns and habits of action and speech.

Hope motivates change.

I've worked with parents around the world and they have one thing in common: Parents want to be happy and they want their children to be happy. They're worried that the current educational system doesn't teach the life skills necessary to solve the myriad problems their children will surely inherit. Many parents feel hopeless. When they learn that mindfulness training is -- an evidenced based curriculum; with a long, reliable track record; universal in its approach; and taught in a secular way -- they feel hopeful again. Hope motivates change and explains the growing, grassroots social-action movement for mindful education."

Susan Kaiser Greenland, author of The Mindful Child and former corporate attorney, developed the Inner Kids program for children, teens and their families and teaches worldwide.