tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15264426015853950382011-11-23T14:16:27.641-08:00This is just a sampling of random thoughts that occupy my mind from time to time. And an outlet for those thoughts when I'm in the mood to write, because I suddenly think I actually can do that... Read at your own risk, and sorry if I bore you senseless.Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.comBlogger831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-639293673362457952011-06-22T20:21:00.000-07:002011-06-22T20:21:39.354-07:00

Life is full of contradictions - some comical, some ironic, some just cruel. Walking on this path that none of us understands is a challenge from one moment to the next. There's highs, there's lows, and there's the balance of it all. These days, we try to find balance like an acrobat walking on a tight rope. We spent the last few days in Cabo San Lucas, basking in the warm Mexican sun, wading in

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-79567224998206709332011-02-20T21:52:00.000-08:002011-02-20T21:53:06.290-08:00

I'm on a tear... I know, big surprise... why, you ask? I have been wondering about women and friendships and this thing that we share, this womanhood, this "sisterhood". You know, the thing that makes us sit around the circle and talk about everything, share every thought, every feeling, be there to support each other, and so on. And I will start by saying that, by and large, that is exactly what

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-139915388485440772011-01-17T11:35:00.000-08:002011-01-17T11:38:12.050-08:00

When life begins! Or so they say... and I am excited about this - really, I AM! Why else would I tell the world my age, when I can easily shave a few years off and pretend I'm still in my thirties? Nonetheless, this whole turning forty thing has gotten me thinking... they say it's just the beginning of your life - I'm thinking in some respects it's just the beginning... For us women it should

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-54989099215085249722010-12-10T18:49:00.000-08:002011-02-20T20:56:44.865-08:00

Perú is a land of stark contrasts. There is wealth and poverty, culture and ignorance, safety and danger like in most countries. And perhaps these are easier to see here because there are less degrees of each, making the contrasts more marked, more apparent, and harder to ignore. @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-22998864700848231742010-10-03T17:17:00.000-07:002010-10-03T17:17:12.455-07:00

...here we go with a traditional way to end the summer, but not your traditional story. This summer was, by all accounts, an unusual one. June Gloom moved well into July, for the most part depriving us of the sun and the heat we had anticipated, and save for those heat waves in the 90s and beyond, missed. Plans for the beach and pool were sacrificed for more practical activities that didn't

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-62311230262707056662010-07-24T09:54:00.000-07:002010-07-24T09:54:16.619-07:00

...what am I going to do with you? Kati sat on the counter this morning as I rolled cake balls. She likes to just sit there and watch me, and in this case, to grab a little piece of dough when I'm "not looking" and quickly get it in her mouth with a grin that tells the story better than any words ever could. She loves red velvet, and these balls are delicious. "Mommy, are you making cake eggs?"

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-28687259363022027222010-07-11T12:18:00.000-07:002010-07-11T12:18:42.124-07:00

mi pasado... y me doy cuenta de que ya no escribo en castellano como solía hacer antes. Inglés ha reemplazado a mi idioma materno con una facilidad y totalidad asombrante. Observo también la fluidez con la que me expreso en mi nuevo idioma, la misma fluidez con la que pienso y en la que sueño. Y me da un poco de tristeza saber que mis raíces se pierden poco a poco con el tiempo y las

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-76931325663055978482010-05-25T20:44:00.001-07:002010-05-25T20:50:28.208-07:00

Reading done, I was saying good-night when Jim came in and let me know the laundry was on the bed, which got me groaning. After he clarified he was taking care of most of it (grateful, proud wife here), Katarina asked why I was 'crying.' I told her because I had so much to do and no time to do it. I said "I have to fold laundry and put it away."Kat: "I'll do it for you..."Me: "You will? Ok. Go.

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-88093312607522661412010-05-24T21:13:00.000-07:002010-05-24T21:28:19.040-07:00

Those of us with kids know the importance of routines, and in particular, the importance of the bedtime routine. Especially when our little angels find ways to stay up later than they should. After baths and dinners and reading, it's time for bed. No excuses, no ifs, buts or whens. And so it goes. We say goodnight, we kiss, we hug. We walk away ready to take a moment for ourselves -

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-38217767594326047642010-05-03T12:48:00.000-07:002010-05-03T12:52:26.223-07:00

We went out to dinner last Friday. The girls got out of the car, and before I knew it, Katarina's attention was on a used and discarded paper coffee cup. Someone had carelessly thrown it on top of the bushes - which really, really gets to me. People!! Don't litter!!Anyway... Katarina grabbed the cup, which had all my motherly instincts going "No! Cooties!!" She looked at me and said:"Oh, oh...

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-60809845376580212172010-04-14T20:11:00.000-07:002010-04-14T20:12:03.556-07:00

Larissa is pretty close to finally, finally losing her first tooth...She showed the disgustingly wiggly thing to Jim and made him shiver.Jim: "Ewww!! You know what happens when it comes off, right?"Larissa:"What?"Jim:"The tooth fairy comes..."Larissa: "And she leaves money. One dollar [yay! cheap child!]"Jim: "Not always. Sometimes she leaves bills..."That'd be our luck...

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-37403950739331808212010-04-11T10:10:00.000-07:002010-04-15T23:15:17.611-07:00

We went back, as planned!Now we have more pictures of Tunnel View than you can collectively find on the Internet. We started there, of course. This time the blue sky had a few clouds on it, so that was an obligatory stop.From there, Jim found a sign to a trail going up the mountain to three different stops. The first and closest one was Inspiration Point. 1.2 miles away. Up the hill. We took it

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-21872374500241797502010-04-11T10:04:00.000-07:002010-04-15T23:21:54.593-07:00

Bass Lake from the Way of the Mono Trail" />While at Bass Lake, we decided to take on a short easy hike to learn about the way of the Mono Indians. Larissa wanted to explore the trail and learn about the Indians, and we thought that would be a good way to spend the morning.We took the trail by the lake not sure what to expect. That might have been a good thing. We read about how to tell the

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-59965926307735303682010-04-08T17:44:00.000-07:002010-04-15T09:30:42.002-07:00

What a difference a blue sky makes... While getting snowed-in in Yosemite was an experience we won't forget, getting back to the park has been top of our agenda this week. Yes, the snow (piles and piles of it) was beautiful, but it makes it hard to get around the park with two little ones when you're sinking to your knees in the fresh snow that continues to fall relentlessly.So we went back. We

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-7636854070504213542010-04-06T11:00:00.000-07:002010-04-15T09:33:48.206-07:00

Finally!After years of yearning to visit Yosemite, we are on our way, and we're spending one measly night in the park. Call it our orientation journey, as we are under no illusion that we can do it all in two days, or do real justice to the little we will see.I've been joking that, unless I get attacked by a bear, this trip should be fun. I've also been reading a lot on bear awareness, just in

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-19044828932832803502010-04-06T10:47:00.001-07:002010-04-06T10:59:41.934-07:00

We finally took off on our Spring Break vacation. Expectations were high, starting with my much anticipated break from the sugar fast that had been driving me batty - I thought of sugar, I craved sugar, I dreamed of sugar... in short, I was obsessed with sugar, or the lack thereof.The destination: Bass Lake and Yosemite. The plan: uncharted, for the first time ever. Other than a night in Yosemite

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-25746667282866807632010-03-14T19:59:00.000-07:002010-03-14T20:01:29.739-07:00

Katarina: (burp!)Katarina: (burp! again)Me: "Katita!!"Katarina: "What...? It's necessary!"...Katarina: "What does necessary mean?"

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-58006418424422650312010-03-11T16:47:00.001-08:002010-03-11T16:52:28.729-08:00

Here's Katarina's latest, so that I have a record of it and thus can remind myself of my now 4 year-old's wit. An apology to those who already saw it on Facebook. Here it goes again.Imagine our breakfast table: Katarina, Jim, Larissa and I. We all sit together every morning, since it's the only meal for which we can guarantee we'll all be there.Katarina stopped to look at me and tell me: "mommy,

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-45221601737090207352009-11-26T11:27:00.000-08:002009-11-26T11:45:29.750-08:00

Ever wonder where soap operas get inspiration for their material? I mean, life isn't really that complicated, right? And relationships aren't really that fleeting... or are they?I think I may have found the answer. Where, you wonder? The most logical place, of course: preschool.Katarina came home one day to let me know that Hunter, her pal she hangs around with all over the place, was now

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-1676226936972184442009-08-05T19:31:00.000-07:002009-08-05T19:54:53.208-07:00

So, we're all in this cycle: the economy sucks, the Dow Jones is now the Down Jones (although I hear it's up lately), jobs are less safe than before, some of us are getting pay cuts, the swine flu looms in the horizon, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. Life can be hard, brutal, unexpected in its cruelty. But then, life is, at all times, just beautiful, if you know where to look. So here's my partial

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-73634342719505151632009-07-15T19:31:00.000-07:002009-07-15T19:46:39.317-07:00

For those of you who ever wonder, those of you who never were exposed to the complicated world of filing, those of you who have never come across a filing cabinet or a filing system, and those of you who, like me, find yourselves in the midst of a filing disaster that threatens to intrude in your thoughts when you wake up at 3 a.m. for until the disaster is under control. Please note, this is

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-37966535988739182012009-05-31T05:58:00.000-07:002009-05-31T06:01:22.733-07:00

We were at a little dinner at Katarina's daycare, an end-of-year get together for her classroom, when Larissa spotted one of the pregnant teachers. "Mommy, did Tiffany really want a baby? Or did she just get one?" She asked.Katarina, in all her three-year-old wisdom, replied "She got married to her husband, then she got skinny, then she got fat with her baby."Rock anywhere?

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-7439938302011887962009-05-28T18:56:00.001-07:002009-05-28T21:35:32.760-07:00

The news today announced that the Alameda County board of education has approved the teaching about homosexuality in grades K-5 as part of an attempt to curb bullying. Whether this is a good move or not is not the point of this quick blog. I'd rather focus on the irony of the situation.During the heated campaign around Prop 8 in California, supporters of the proposition used several arguments

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-7072254550326634042009-05-23T06:40:00.000-07:002009-05-23T06:58:44.883-07:00

Most of you know that I talk to my girls in Spanish mostly (lately, English has been creeping in, against my better judgment). From the day they were born, this has been something I've been determined to give to them.My hope? That they will learn the language, of course. I figured eventually they'll take it in school, and one day I'll send them off to grandma for a summer of full immersion.My

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-12611160336497212132009-04-11T16:09:00.000-07:002009-04-11T16:33:49.024-07:00

No, we're not talking hair, at least not right now...I was recently asked what were the high points in my life... Graduating from college? Absolutely. The day I married my husband? Definitely. The births of my two girls? Most certainly. Those are given milestones.I, however, thought about it and after a split second went in the opposite direction - yeah, I know, who would've thought... I looked

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-5375022321502048142009-03-26T14:30:00.000-07:002009-03-26T14:37:55.224-07:00

Katarina and Jim were at a red light next to a police car.Katarina waved, the cop waved back. The light turned green. Jim took off..."Daddy! You can't pass the policeman!"laughs"Daddy, it's not funny!"The policeman passed Jim."Katarina, say good-bye to the policeman! He's passing me!""Yes... I gave him super-powers!"

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-19505646960195804962009-02-15T06:36:00.000-08:002009-02-15T08:16:06.285-08:00

My grandma was 91 when she decided it was time to go this past Friday, February 13. She tried it once, but the doctors brought her back. So she tried it again a few hours later.Her body was done - hell, she'd had a great ride in it. She lived life on her own terms, not always conforming to the rules of society in a time when women were supposed to, and in a country that demanded it.I found out

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-81384265388583145752009-02-12T16:41:00.000-08:002009-02-12T16:49:46.468-08:00

Life has a strange way of pushing us forward, and at the most unexpected moment, pulling us back. Just when we think we've grown beyond the holds of the past, we stumble upon a note, a message, a memory from a time that's long gone by. And we look back at our perfect memories. I find myself looking back right now and wondering about so much. I don't wonder about the what ifs, because there really

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-36208351439492823442009-02-06T21:20:00.001-08:002009-02-07T10:11:04.660-08:00

I was on the phone with our friends Bob and Janice, trying to ease Janice's worries about leaving their new baby at daycare, so I had this conversation with Katarina for Bob and Janice to hear:"Katy, do you like your daycare?""Yes""Do you like your teachers?""Yes""Do you like to go to your daycare and see your teachers?""Yes""And what do you do at the daycare?""I pee my pants"Ugh...

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-21731983819518640572009-02-06T17:25:00.000-08:002009-02-06T17:38:11.473-08:00

and beautiful!I have a dear friend who used to talk about "El Encanto de lo Gris" - or literally translated, the enchantment of gray. I used to think he was crazy, but then I did love his quirkiness.It took me years and a bout of nostalgia to look through his eyes, although at that point I was away from my native Peru. I remember sitting in a hallway at Cypress College looking through a

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-31716928470006150562009-01-22T08:04:00.000-08:002009-01-22T08:16:14.342-08:00

Other than the obvious 22??More weight, less tone...More gray, not as much hair...Some wrinkles, but less acne...My teeth are now straight...More insight, less attitude...More willingness to learn from others...More awareness that I don't know it all...More certainty that I know very little...More urgency to do...Shorter days, weeks, months and years...More wonder, less taken for grantedGreater

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-4356709848929767232009-01-20T11:02:00.000-08:002009-01-20T11:06:54.374-08:00

...for the new First Lady, if I may.Let go of the cardigans (especially the short ones, not flattering) and adopt a jacket-friendly style.Always look at your back in the mirror before leaving the room - surprise, surprise, the things we forget to fix!Stop crossing your arms in public - you are a strong woman, let people see that.DON'T HUNCH!! Stand tall and proud!It's ok to be funky, but now you

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-18985163332605903662009-01-20T09:29:00.001-08:002009-01-20T09:44:46.766-08:00

It's hard to describe the enormity of this moment - harder probably to truly appreciate it without having suffered personally from the extreme prejudice and discrimination black people have lived with for years in this country. Still, what a moment this is. The first black president of the United States has been inaugurated, and the country is watching, more than ever before.Expectations have

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-58692131313274887912009-01-19T16:54:00.000-08:002009-02-07T10:12:03.523-08:00

Katarina is going through the horrible threes - there's the terrible twos, but the threes complete overshadow them, imho.She is now also completely articulate, uncannily clever, and entirely too quick for our own good. And, alas, not a baby anymore!Here's one of our recent conversations right as I was working unsuccessfully to tuck her in for the night.Katarina - Mommy, I don't want to get

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-17676991276234810792008-12-24T13:45:00.000-08:002008-12-24T13:57:10.920-08:00

This season has been unusual for me - somehow going on a cruise during Thanksgiving threw things off. The "official" kickoff of the holiday season was spent on a ship somewhere off the coast of Mexico, eating anything BUT turkey (that's a good thing...) Coming back was a rush of things to do, laundry to wash, school projects to complete, and work to be done.Now it's Christmas Eve, and I'm trying

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-1727256991988410572008-12-08T18:52:00.000-08:002009-01-19T17:14:13.324-08:00

I have spent the last few days in the beautiful city of San Francisco at the annual CASE District VII conference. Too bad that most of the time was spent in the hotel, because I do love San Francisco. But let's get to the point of this blog. These past couple of days I have gotten to know people I work with, to whom I am grateful for the things they've shared with me. One shared the struggle of

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-32188511150356069272008-11-11T08:06:00.000-08:002008-11-11T08:17:44.346-08:00

I often wonder why bad things happen to good people... I suppose bad things happen to bad people too, but perhaps their hearts are so hard they don't get beaten to the ground by it. When your friends and loved ones are down and hurting, and you know the pain is almost unbearable, what do you say? What do you do? How do you help? I sit here wishing for a magic wand that would take away the tears,

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-36812132207254418712008-11-04T08:01:00.000-08:002008-11-04T08:13:01.243-08:00

I'm sitting here typing instead of making the bed, putting the dishes away, and figuring out what to do with (or to) my hair... the significance of the moment requires that I type, even if eloquence might elude me this early.Today is the day... the day Lindsay Renee Rebholz was born, after much expectation, to two beautiful people - my dearest friends Bob and Janice. He is a quick-witted guy who

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-78345230386101882702008-10-28T13:18:00.000-07:002008-10-29T09:35:03.786-07:00

Lately most of the discussion on the propositions up for vote in the November ballot in California has centered on Prop 8 - a yes would amend the California constitution to redefine marriage as a union between a man and a woman only, a no would leave things the way they are.Supporters and opposition are out there giving us all arguments why we should or should not support this proposition. Very

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-30073679042889391152008-10-24T20:57:00.000-07:002008-10-24T20:59:11.992-07:00

During the morning ride to the daycare..."Daddy, let's go to Costco!""Why do you want to go to Costco?""Because they have food there."

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-32645048234732165042008-10-21T14:15:00.000-07:002008-10-21T14:24:08.240-07:00

1. "Please rsvp"... drives me up the wall and back! Rsvp is the acronym for the French phrase "please respond", therefore, an additional "please" is redundant - and, imho, in poor taste.2. People who think your time is theirs and won't even bother consulting with you to see if you have time for them and their petty tasks... umph!3. Bad use of fashion - where should I start??? If you're built like

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-87187136230694141472008-10-14T20:32:00.000-07:002008-10-14T20:42:07.485-07:00

...when you feel the bite in the wind, the nights get cooler, even though the days continue to be blistering hot. Then, before you know it, the leaves have turned, and the Santa Ana winds have come to blow them all away. The air is dry, which is great for your hair (if you're a woman), and really bad for your nose.If you're lucky, all the winds have blown is the leaves, and the trees are still

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-48251575081639932282008-08-18T12:19:00.000-07:002008-08-18T13:44:34.840-07:00

Think your job stinks??Think again.

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-2912542342019628282008-08-04T16:28:00.000-07:002008-08-04T16:32:43.180-07:00

On my last visit to Nordstrom, my friend and I stopped by the little girls room, and something caught my eye. For the ladies, Nordstrom has a "lounge", for the men, a "restroom".Hmmm... funny how an extra room with a nice couch, pillows and a couple of frames can make us feel special. Great for breastfeeding moms, by the way...I guess we ladies deserve a lounge. After all, we still get paid only,

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-47939747191370993612008-07-24T13:28:00.000-07:002008-07-24T13:44:55.076-07:00

Or, embracing my "hot-headedness". I've decided it's time I do. For years I have known about it (big duh, I know...) A few years ago, I actually got nicknamed the "hothead". And in case you care or wonder, yes, I do fight it and try to suppress it. But it's like a valve. You can try to stop the steam from coming out, but eventually it will!So, in addition to fighting it, I have come to the

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-88135771266962962132008-07-01T21:45:00.000-07:002008-07-01T21:55:21.391-07:00

Yup. I've been skirting the issue. I've been dodging the bullet. I've been happily ignoring the situation. I've been in denial bliss. And I've been complaining of lack of content for this blog. Now I must confess.After years and years of handling cameras, taking pictures, learning about exposure, composition, development, printing, mounting, zone system (my favorite), etc., being trusted with

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-27174973335204884592008-07-01T21:03:00.000-07:002008-07-01T21:21:37.751-07:00

I finally got a Facebook account, after a few invitations from my friends. Then I decided to populate my page, since what's the point of having an empty account. Then I started adding friends... and then I got addicted. Good addicted? Bad addicted? That depends. On the good side, I am finding so many people I haven't heard from since I can't remember when. And I am looking for people from my past

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-87716563351063886392008-06-26T10:00:00.000-07:002008-06-26T10:03:46.712-07:00

"Daddy, tomorrow I want to go eat out."Note: she's 2 years and 9 months.

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-84557314919425592592008-06-25T10:57:00.001-07:002008-06-25T11:02:44.554-07:00

...like today, when I would've rather had my baby (Larissa, almost six) rip out my heart from my chest and step all over it. Instead she freaked out after I dropped her off at soccer camp, and run after me crying "mami, mami!"* not wanting to let me go. Gulp, sigh, and sniff.Guilt is a powerful emotion. The need to hold her and cuddle her and keep her with me for the rest of her life even more so

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-75373311881919371042008-06-15T09:38:00.000-07:002008-06-16T19:13:56.343-07:00

So, last night during a get together with our good friends Gina and James, and Bob and Janice, the topic of the elections and same-sex marriage came up. In trying to find out the reasons for the opposition to the subject, we honed in on the common argument against it: let's protect the sanctity of marriage.First, I'd like to figure out what it is about the sanctity of marriage that the government

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-61042176465099072772008-06-13T10:53:00.000-07:002008-06-13T11:03:44.758-07:00

Also known as "other duties as assigned" - that last line on most job descriptions, the 5% truly is a trap created by employers to make sure that: (1) they can change your job description at will without increasing your salary (heaven forbid!), and (2) you take on any duty whatsoever that can in any way, shape or form be associated with your current job description.Case in point here: my friend

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-10768222066807878342008-06-10T09:59:00.000-07:002008-06-10T10:02:41.790-07:00

I have to step aside from my usual entries just to do a little pat on the back... I just got two entries into the photography contest at the OC Fair!! I figured what the hell, I'll just send them and see. I mean, I like them, but it's so nice to know that others liked them too - enough to allow them into the exhibit hall!As James Brown liked to sing... OW!!! I feel good...

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-48207128521889081912008-06-09T09:28:00.000-07:002008-06-09T09:33:46.017-07:00

...who the people are who write in those descriptions for movies on TV? Sometimes when I'm channel surfing and wondering what to watch, I read those descriptions and use them as a guide.Granted, they're not much of a guide at all. I think nobody would ever watch TV if they based the decision on those descriptions. Try it! Read them and think about them. They don't work but for the simplest of

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-83596729754548861542008-06-01T21:16:00.000-07:002008-06-01T21:30:40.083-07:00

I'm so emotional right now... (yes, it-is-that-time-of-the-month...) Too many things are going on in my life, and every time I think I was able to somewhat deal with one, there comes another!So, to make a long story short, here's this blog's bottom line: Katarina is moving up to her next classroom. Yeah, big deal, I know... The thing is, as she moves from one classroom to another, I am

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-3356619414165311192008-06-01T18:47:00.000-07:002008-06-01T18:54:56.186-07:00

"Oh, no!! I got in a fight with the Easter Bunny, and I lost!" (never mind that the Easter Bunny came around a while ago...)Couldn't help but snap this picture the other day as I was driving off campus. Her outfit was something between sky blue and light turquoise, her belt screamed eighties in cheery yellow, which matched her shoes, and it kind'a looked cute in a she's-so-young-and-damn-skinny

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-34616052641861521392008-05-17T09:37:00.000-07:002008-06-01T19:08:46.642-07:00

"Daddy, are those your hearing aids?""Yes...""So that you can hear better?"

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-11360264682545294482008-05-11T16:08:00.000-07:002008-05-11T16:12:39.414-07:00

I have decided to add my daughter's entries to this blog. Given that she's only 2 and a half, entirely too smart for my own good, and absolutely funny in her very own way, I find myself needing a record of the things she says that make me wonder what kind of CPU works in her head. So, from now on, you may find yourself staring at one-liners. They'll be under the label "Katarina", and that will be

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-62872458412013242232008-05-04T19:22:00.000-07:002008-05-04T20:57:20.154-07:00

...and to time standing still when it comes to it.What a surprise I had yesterday! I got a call from some guy with an accent, asking if I was Lara Montero (lo and behold! I had forgotten that name...) Finally my brain started clicking, and I figured I should switch to Spanish, since it was clear this was someone from my Peruvian past. I got thrown off by a slight Chilean accent (huh?), and

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-21791421499863060162008-04-21T10:41:00.000-07:002008-04-21T10:52:59.904-07:00

Do we get better with age? Or do we just start to figure out what it is about ourselves we really like?Jim and I were at a work function the other night, and one of his colleagues asked me my age (another woman, who was older, so it's ok). To her, I'm still so young at 37, and she's right if you think about it. We got into a conversation about age, and I realized that, in my late 30s, I'm

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-76738717531347520352008-04-07T19:53:00.000-07:002008-04-07T20:32:06.005-07:00

...and I don't mean Off-Broadway as in not-on-Broadway, nor as an indication of my husband's preference for Off-Broadway shows. Simply said, my darling would just as well turn Broadway off.Case in point: our last trip to the theater for a very good rendition of "The Phantom of the Opera", which by the way, still lives on, and does so with glory! If you know me, you know I just LOVE Phantom. I

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-69179992539991191702008-03-12T09:19:00.000-07:002008-03-12T09:28:26.954-07:00

I wonder how, when and why it happens. When I was growing up, my parents cared for me, worried about me, and tried to steer me through the safest path, the one with the least amount of obstacles, the one that hopefully would lead me to a happy and fulfilled life as an adult. Now I find myself doing the same for my children, and oddly enough worrying about it for my parents.When did I start

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-22245394473595246342008-03-06T12:35:00.000-08:002008-03-12T09:28:44.925-07:00

...and the devastation we saw during the October fires has given way to a carpet of green. As I drive down teh 241 Toll Road heading toward Rancho Santa Margarita, I find myself resisting the urge to pull my car over and soak in the view of the hillside.I know Ireland has the claim to the greenest green, but right now, our hills are intense with it from new growth and rebirth. Here and there you

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-73308988994865852062008-02-08T08:36:00.000-08:002008-03-12T09:29:04.020-07:00

I think we're on the clear now. We've gone through the western calendar New Year, and now we've turned the page on the Chinese one for good measure. And why does that matter, you ask? Because I refuse to concede that the New Year can start the way mine did, and instead prefer to think that I got a new chance for a better year once the Year of the Rat rolled in.Let's start at the end of 2007...It

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-86481738639477748182007-12-07T16:59:00.001-08:002007-12-16T15:40:53.994-08:00

I will admit that I'm not a Vegas person. Most of the people I know look forward to any opportunity for a Vegas escapade, and the way Las Vegas is advertised as of late, who can blame them? After all, what goes in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Or almost...I just came back from my annual professional conference. This year it was CASE District VII in Las Vegas. I do have to confess that the location did

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-89801807769286486622007-12-02T23:44:00.000-08:002007-12-07T16:59:35.604-08:00

So, most of you who know me also know I am all about the food - and this includes eating it, enjoying it, savoring it, admiring it when it's someone else's work, and also buying it, chopping it and cooking it myself, so I can complete the cycle just outlined above and call it my work. Among the things on my mental to-do-list (you know, to do before I die...) is taking some cooking classes, the

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-57411870230519930702007-10-28T20:22:00.000-07:002007-11-05T20:17:58.859-08:00

It's been quite a week in Southern California. One week ago today the Santiago Fire broke out, courtesy of some lunatic for whom a $250K reward has been established - that's the latest figure. It was bad enough to know that a fire was close to Irvine and potentially threatening several homes, including the homes of people we know. It was worse when the fire started moving South, courtesy of our

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-14479705778722297292007-10-19T09:25:00.000-07:002007-11-05T20:13:38.613-08:00

I am incensed at the increased desensitization in this society. Granted, capitalism is one of the things that have made this country what it is, what makes it flourish, and what makes the American dream a possibility. So are the Constitution and the checks and balances the forefathers so wisely provided for.However, the fact that socialist thought is looked at as some kind of evil, is one of this

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-24046259765556383782007-10-08T14:55:00.000-07:002007-10-09T09:59:35.453-07:00

For the last 5.75 years I have worked at the Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at UC Irvine. My job involves fund-raising, alumni relations, corporate relations, and a bit of everything else - notice that most job descriptions include 5% duties "as assigned"... all in an environment where technology changes daily.The very cool thing about working here, other than the flexible and

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-34767404781562773482007-09-27T16:37:00.000-07:002007-10-02T08:56:34.827-07:00

I just had a thought - if Democracy is "government by the people", as it is derived from the greek demos, people, and kratia, meaning rule/government, why is it that Idiocracy is a synonym of Idiosyncrasy? Blame it on the English language. But I digress yet again.I wanted to postulate that I have been living in an Idiocracy for the last three and a half years, as in "rule by an idiot", but

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-30757063875088732502007-09-25T12:18:00.000-07:002007-10-02T08:54:32.572-07:00

I have been dreading the approach of the girls' birthdays for some time. Not so much because they are getting older, but because this year they were getting a joint party, and we know that means a lot of work. Thankfully, most of the mini-guests were siblings in one of the girls' classrooms, which contained the numbers on the obligatory set of parents that come when you celebrate small kids'

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-87391880481804559822007-09-20T12:38:00.000-07:002007-10-02T08:58:22.509-07:00

Actually, and off she went. Larissa, my five year-old baby, started school on Monday. Now, that's a brutal reality check for parents, if there ever was one.In a mixed emotional state of excitement, apprehension and sadness, I prepared her uniform for her first day at school at Serra Catholic. I got her dressed in her navy blue skorts, white polo shirt, forest green socks and black Mary Jane shoes

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-32083096427859279522007-09-14T13:18:00.001-07:002007-09-25T16:00:09.349-07:00

I'm having a bit of a problem today. I'm on post-birthday-celebration letdown, after celebrating Larissa's fifth birthday on Sept. 11. I'll take a tangent here for just a second and say that it was a really fun day once she stopped whining.We went to Disneyland and did a whole bunch of stuff, and she got to ride on Splash Mountain for the first time. Loved it too. In fact, she went three times

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-30319632194423332372007-09-12T22:00:00.000-07:002007-10-08T14:31:22.532-07:00

We had planned to visit the Old Lahaina Lua'u grounds for Ho'omana'o on Wednesday, but we got moved to Friday, so this was to be the beginning of our good-bye to the island. We arrived for a program full of education on Hawaiian culture, history and traditions. And I lost my heart to this land and these people, after days of it teetering on the edge of the cliff.Ho'omana'o starts with the chant

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-74776962279793075692007-09-12T21:13:00.000-07:002007-09-12T22:54:25.609-07:00

Day five started a bit later than the rest. We didn't take too long to adjust to Maui time (heck, we pretty much adjusted by day two), and it took us even less to give a shot at sleeping in a bit. Gina, James and the kids returned to California that morning, which meant alone time at the pool and beach and two inherited bottles of Rum - who can complain with the latter part of the deal?We also

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-38052962874244483192007-09-10T22:54:00.001-07:002007-09-15T13:05:23.385-07:00

I must confess that my memory is getting the events mixed between one day and another. I will, however, attempt to get things straight and give a somewhat faithful account of day four, assuming anybody is still interested at this point.Day four started much like the others - yes, with food. LOL. We spent the morning at the beach and pool and had lunch at the resort's restaurant. I enjoyed a Piña

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-41259557645830853562007-09-10T22:33:00.000-07:002007-09-12T22:54:25.609-07:00

Ah... the joys of going on vacation. No schedules, no demands, no rushing, no worrying... unless, of course, you either are me or are traveling with me, in which case you are worried, very worried, about what I'll dish out next...However, as the picture to the left proves, naps were an option. Jim and Katarina had a chance to catch up on some yummy sleeping later on day three, after a day full of

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-44248881525802097482007-09-10T22:16:00.000-07:002007-09-12T22:46:46.129-07:00

(Disclaimer: I do know Hope is sideways, but I haven't been able to figure out how to post vertical pictures... so deal with it. She's too cute to leave out.)So we've established that our first day was full of happenings that turned out in our favor, and that after several hours in transit we happily ended up sipping some fru-fru umbrella drink (well, Jim actually had a manly beer), watching the

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-26749904143365152282007-09-10T13:04:00.000-07:002007-09-15T13:20:24.265-07:00

What a wonderful place we visited... our week in Maui was purely magical, as usual, save the cries and whines from the keiki, who also made it different in a good way. Discovering Maui through the eyes of our children was an experience in itself, and now we can add them to the many memories we have of this island paradise.Shall we start at the beginning?Saturday, September 1, 2007We're packed,

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-16275175580153500792007-08-28T16:37:00.000-07:002007-08-28T16:39:33.598-07:00

...yeah... in four days I'll have forgotten all about the Lemon in the first place, while I enjoy the warm sun, the rich air, and the brilliant turquoise of the Hawaiian waters. Four days, and counting...

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-3558132752283250242007-08-28T16:22:00.001-07:002007-09-12T22:56:02.050-07:00

No, not the Apple MacBook - the Lemon MacBook. At least that's what I think I got. Don't think I'm not tech savvy just yet... granted, the machine does have an Apple icon on it, so that would lead me -and any sane person who's following the current technology gadget revolution of all products that start with "i"- to believe that it's actually an Apple Macintosh product. But no, my friend. I must

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-57278507769170305582007-08-25T08:38:00.000-07:002007-09-25T16:02:04.690-07:00

As we get closer to our much anticipated trip to beautiful Maui, I start counting the days. Today, we're down to seven before we board our plane and set off to paradise. Excited? Yes, you could say I'm excited. And that wouldn't begging to cover it!I have been sunbathing for the past couple of months in anticipation of this moment... ok, partially, for those of you who really know me. I mean,

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-8903388248959190272007-08-07T08:19:00.000-07:002007-09-12T22:56:57.794-07:00

So, Jim is finally back from his company trip to Chicago... a trip I should've been on as well, but that's a whole other Oprah... and since I am bitter, we'll just have to skip it.He was gone from Thursday to Monday, which sounds like a long time, and then sounds like an even longer time if you are a mom with two little rascals, swim lessons to go to, work meetings, a new boss... and a FULL

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526442601585395038.post-64904723277328796472007-07-22T19:23:00.000-07:002007-09-12T22:56:20.906-07:00

It's become the standard joke to the point where it's just not funny anymore... but I'm serious (75% at least)... does anyone out there want a Cocker Spaniel? She's almost four years old, and really a good dog, except she's high maintenance and needs attention - more than we can give her, since we also have two small children. And considering the kids, my husband and I all require a lot of

Lara Farhadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15264769987392756406noreply@blogger.com0