Some Job Training

Some people have thought I have no job training or skills. I'm actually a Certified Reflexologist. This training allows me to practise reflexology as a business, although the field has been somewhat unregulated--not that there's anything wrong with the training! [I appreciate it very much.] What is reflexology? It's a method of working on the feet--something like working pressure points--which has a beneficial effect on the entire body and on specific areas. It's basically a health treatment, in other words, although we don't claim to cure any particular problems. It generally helps to improve the circulation [the particular method I've learned is more potent in this area, in my opinion] and to normalize body functions. It's also a great reliever of stress. The feet contain a larger number of nerve endings than elsewhere in the body.

A pastor who moved to Canada from an island near Africa told me that wherever he had travelled, he saw reflexology books mixed in with books about the occult. Am not sure exactly what the connection might have been? But none of the reflexology that I've studied or experienced has had any direct connection to the occult! There are scientific explanations for reflexology, as far as I can see. Maybe some parts are more clear than others? [They say a pattern of an oak tree is within each acorn. Isn't it possible the pattern of a human body is reflected in the feet? Regardless, the effect on the nerve endings and on the circulation are easily understood, I believe.] Have had some positive discussions with leaders of my church about reflexology. [They were from the North American and/or World Headquarters in about 1997, if I recall.--May still have a copy of a letter or two from them.--I had written to them first, in response to a church magazine article which seemed to be condemning reflexology.--I believe the author didn't have enough information, at the time.] Another point is that in the western world, we depend on western medicine. But Chinese and East Indian medicine are examples of other types of healing/treatment which can also be beneficial. [If I may say, we follow western medicine here because it's what we know the most about. But western medicine isn't necessarily a standard of correctness or effectiveness, in my opinion. We have something to gain from learning about other types of healing.] My mother was a registered massage therapist from the time I was very young; and myself, I believe in what they now call "complementary medicine."--It's not to take the place of our traditional medicine but rather to supplement it.

Will write some more later, if I have time. [Haven't been practising reflexology as a business for a number of reasons....] People are welcome to follow the Link to reflexology in the sidebar.

Private Schools

The movie, Legally Blonde, 2001, told a story about a girl who was from a private girls' school. The private school I went to [for girls and boys] was a Christian one--it wasn't luxurious--not for the most part. But there's a private school for girls in this local area.--It's closer to being like the one in the film, which was shown briefly, if I recall. Will post a new Link today, if people would like to see it. [For the record, am not making any claim that the school posted had any direct connection to the making of the film.]

The Glove Stories

Towards the beginning of the original blog, I've written about some gloves stories,

including about Michael Jackson's one glove which he wore. There have been

glove stories in movies, as well. [Like in The World According to Garp, 1982.]

And I've added a Link in this Waterlily Story II blog to Canadian Rick Hansen's

MAN IN MOTION World Tour.--He had a famous glove which actually went on a

space mission and back recently with an American astronaut in 2007.

What Mom Never Told Us!--Part 3

This entry is continuing from parts 1 and 2, below. It seems the name of my mom's employer was Atelier Irja Palonen. The owner of the business and the designer's name was Irja Palonen [the "j" is pronounced like a "y"]; and "atelier" is a French word which means something like an artist's or design studio/workshop. My mom first took a dressmaking/design course during World War II. [Her parents sent her to the school, which wasn't inexpensive, and there was also a cooking course.] It seems Mrs. Palonen continued her shop and even expanded--buying out another salon--over several more decades after my mom worked there. [By now, this lady would be in her nineties or more, if she's still alive. Am not always sure what the rules about publicity are but have decided to take a chance that there would be no adverse publicity to her by me mentioning her name and business!?] I believe Mrs. Palonen had also been an instructor at the school my mom attended.

Have added a new Link today which explains some history about fashion in Finland. "Atelier Irja Palonen" is mentioned in the text, also.

What Mom Never Told Us!--Part 2

The reason I found out the information mentioned was because I was helping to pack things in my mom's apartment and I found a page from the original magazine which had my mom's pictures in it!

Had been aware my mom took a course and worked at a dressmaker's salon. My mom had also said they sometimes sewed gowns for high-profile people--like movie stars and wives of government officials. Was looking on the Internet and found some further information after finding the magazine clipping. [The National Museum actually showed some gowns throughout 2005.--The show began towards the end of 2004 and continued to the beginning of 2006.--A correction from the previous date mentioned of 2004.]

The magazine involved was similar to the women's magazines in North America--the ones about homemaking, etc. The sewing article specifically had to do with making professional-looking collars.--It really was a how-to article. [My Finnish vocabulary is limited and the page was quite yellowed, by now, over time! There was only one page which my mom had--am not sure if it was the entire article or not?] My mom was more or less modelling everyday clothing--but everyday clothes are also needed in life!

What Mom Never Told Us!

Have just learned--believe it or not--that my mother was featured as a fashion model in a women's magazine in Europe when she was a teen-ager! Her employer, who ran a dressmaking/design salon, wrote an article about sewing for the magazine; and my mom was chosen for 3 photos [another young girl was chosen for a 4th photo]. My mother had taken a dressmaking/design course and then went to work full-time, for a little while, at the salon. [She normally did sewing, that is.] Will have to get some information about publication rights! [It may take a while.] In my opinion, two of my mom's photos were "okay" or so-so; and the third was very nice--and she was a natural! [The magazine was a ladies' magazine in Finland--it's still operating today.]

The fashion in Finland followed Parisian haute couture from about the middle 1800s to the middle 1900s. [There was a display of gowns at the National Museum in Finland in 2004, if I understand correctly.]

It's almost strange that my mom never told my sisters or me about the above--the modelling. Am guessing she didn't think it was important enough!? [It's not that she was deliberately keeping any secrets, for any reason!?--No, I don't think so!?] But I think it was fairly significant!

[By the way, in Finian's Rainbow, 1968 (see first blog) there was a pot of gold under a bridge or underground--near where someone was sitting? And some motivational speakers have said there's a "pot of gold" underneath all of us--it concerns our family and family history--and what's our purpose in life, etc.!? These speakers have indicated it's good for all of us to understand our families and where we came from.... (Don't recall exactly how they explained it--something like that!)]