Hello folks,
When I started this blog, I didn't know if anyone would read it. Today, I still don't know. Well, maybe a few.
It's been a while since I posted anything. It's deliberate. I want to continue, but with a very slight twist. If you haven't already noticed, most of my posts were LONG. Oftentimes, this turned off folks from reading. I don't blame them. I know I would.
So a few months ago, I started a new blog, with pretty much the same flavor -- everyday life. What I hope to do is to make the posts shorter, simpler, and, maybe less narrative. No promises, but I will try.
This will be the last post in the blog. I will continue to keep it up, for posterity sake, as folks say.
I would like to invite you to check out my stories at "It's JJ's Peek" (http://itsjjspeek.wordpress.com/).
Sincerely,
JJ
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
My First Men's Club
For a number of years, and of various circumstances, I have been invited to join the Men's Club of St. Joseph. And in those occasions, I would flatly turn them down and say I wasn't ready. Recently, a fellow SBARA board member and ham, Al (WT6K), who is also an active parishioner at St. Joe, asked me if I have ever attended a Men's Club meeting. I told him that I have been invited many times, and I have turned them down as many times as well.
A couple of weeks ago, at Bell's Suds for Duds event, Chris, another St Joe and Bellarmine dad, asked me the very same question. This time I grinned and said maybe I would. He was one of the many who had tried to bring me into the Men's Club, as far back as 7-8 years ago. I asked him a few questions to satisfy my curiosity, and he responded with confidence and enthusiasm,
The Men's Club of St. Joseph, basically, provides church ministry in the areas of spirituality, service, and fellowship. All the throughout the year, there are various activities and projects that the club is involved in, and they have become regular fixtures in parish-wide functions and events. They meet every first Tuesday evening of the month, over $5 pizzas, $2 beers, and $1 sodas & water. Aside from the regular fellowship, a guest speaker is invited to present on various topics of general interest.
Tuesday came. From work, I made sure everything was all set at home, and that Jake had his dinner ready. Then I headed to the parish hall for the meeting. I didn't hesitate nor had any apprehensions about coming. As a matter of fact, I was excited and was eager to get a glimpse of what a typical Men's Club meeting looked like.
As I entered, I was greeted by familiar faces -- men I knew more intimately and those that I regularly saw at church. For a while, I thought they were more surprised to see me there than were glad that I came. When I arrived, Al was there and he seemed surprised in a good way. It was just recently that he asked me about attending, and now, I was there. When Chris arrived, he sure was happy to see me. All these time, he had been inviting me to come, and after a very long wait, I was finally there. It was a mixture of surprise-to-see-you-here and glad-you-could-make-it.
As a guest, I didn't have to pay for pizza or beer or soda. What perks?!?! There were about 20 or so members at the meeting. And the guest presenter was Dave, a retired Milpitas police commander, who talked about the outsourcing plans of police, fire, and emergency communication services in Milpitas. I knew Dave's wife, Debbie, more than him because she was the more visible and more popular personality within the parish.
As the meeting got underway, I didn't realize that Al was the current club vice-president, and was the incoming president for 2014. On the agenda was the club's election of officers, among others, and I was there to witness this exercise. I was also surprised to find out that Chris was a past president of the club as well. I was the only guest that evening, and I was introduced by another past president, Tom. Once introduced, and as if on cue, Chris stood up and shared with the rest of the members some information about me and what our relationship was.
The presentation was quite interesting but it took longer than expected. The election went on rather quickly and without a hitch, and the rest of the evening's business was completed in rapid succession. By then, it was close to 9pm, and the meeting was adjourned.
I had a pretty good experience as a first-timer, and the members were welcoming. I was glad that I attended. It certainly gave me an idea of what the club is all about. Would I sign up?
Well, it's something I still have to think about.......
A couple of weeks ago, at Bell's Suds for Duds event, Chris, another St Joe and Bellarmine dad, asked me the very same question. This time I grinned and said maybe I would. He was one of the many who had tried to bring me into the Men's Club, as far back as 7-8 years ago. I asked him a few questions to satisfy my curiosity, and he responded with confidence and enthusiasm,
The Men's Club of St. Joseph, basically, provides church ministry in the areas of spirituality, service, and fellowship. All the throughout the year, there are various activities and projects that the club is involved in, and they have become regular fixtures in parish-wide functions and events. They meet every first Tuesday evening of the month, over $5 pizzas, $2 beers, and $1 sodas & water. Aside from the regular fellowship, a guest speaker is invited to present on various topics of general interest.
Tuesday came. From work, I made sure everything was all set at home, and that Jake had his dinner ready. Then I headed to the parish hall for the meeting. I didn't hesitate nor had any apprehensions about coming. As a matter of fact, I was excited and was eager to get a glimpse of what a typical Men's Club meeting looked like.
As I entered, I was greeted by familiar faces -- men I knew more intimately and those that I regularly saw at church. For a while, I thought they were more surprised to see me there than were glad that I came. When I arrived, Al was there and he seemed surprised in a good way. It was just recently that he asked me about attending, and now, I was there. When Chris arrived, he sure was happy to see me. All these time, he had been inviting me to come, and after a very long wait, I was finally there. It was a mixture of surprise-to-see-you-here and glad-you-could-make-it.
As a guest, I didn't have to pay for pizza or beer or soda. What perks?!?! There were about 20 or so members at the meeting. And the guest presenter was Dave, a retired Milpitas police commander, who talked about the outsourcing plans of police, fire, and emergency communication services in Milpitas. I knew Dave's wife, Debbie, more than him because she was the more visible and more popular personality within the parish.
As the meeting got underway, I didn't realize that Al was the current club vice-president, and was the incoming president for 2014. On the agenda was the club's election of officers, among others, and I was there to witness this exercise. I was also surprised to find out that Chris was a past president of the club as well. I was the only guest that evening, and I was introduced by another past president, Tom. Once introduced, and as if on cue, Chris stood up and shared with the rest of the members some information about me and what our relationship was.
The presentation was quite interesting but it took longer than expected. The election went on rather quickly and without a hitch, and the rest of the evening's business was completed in rapid succession. By then, it was close to 9pm, and the meeting was adjourned.
I had a pretty good experience as a first-timer, and the members were welcoming. I was glad that I attended. It certainly gave me an idea of what the club is all about. Would I sign up?
Well, it's something I still have to think about.......
Friday, November 29, 2013
Thanksgiving Day Tradition
One of the biggest and most important event in the US is Thanksgiving Day. It beats any other holiday, including Christmas Day, hands down. For those of us who have adopted this land as our second home away from home, we have adapted to the local practice and tradition. We, too, celebrate Thanksgiving Day, sometimes, in our own way.
For the past few years, we have created our little tradition around Thanksgiving. Since we do not have family close by, this day was celebrated among the three of us, with lunch at Maggiano's in Santana Row. For other folks who would rather go out to eat than cook at home, reservations have to be made well in advance to ensure you of a spot at this popular dining place.
Our day started with a mass at St, Joseph (I read, too). Surprisingly, there weren't too many people. But the ceremony remained solemn -- an opportune time to be thankful for all the blessings received. Right after mass, we headed back home to freshen up a little bit, before heading to Santana Row for the 1:15pm reservation.
Maggiano's was packed, as always, Thanksgiving Day or any other day. We arrived a little bit early hoping that we could get seated sooner. Unfortunately, not. So we waited. After 20 minutes or so, we were ushered to our table. I've learned from past dining experience and brought our own bottle of wine. It was way much cheaper to pay the $15 corkage fee than to pay $65 for a bottle that I could have bought for $20 retail.
If you haven't been to Maggiano's during Thanksgiving, they have a prix-fixe menu, which they serve family style. For starters, they had a variety of bruschetta. Then we had a choice of 2 salads, 2 main entrees, plus 2 side dishes, 2 pastas, and 2 desserts. For the salad, we got the classic ceasar's salad and Maggiano's tossed salad. The main courses were country ham with sweet yam and pan-fried filleted tilapia. The third choice was obviously turkey, but since we were not fans of it, we skipped it altogether. For our pastas, it was rigatoni and spaghetti & meatballs. Our side dishes included a cream of corn and sauteed spinach. And for dessert, it was tiramisu and the ultra rich pumpkin praline cheesecake.
As in every meal at Maggiano's, there was just way too many food for 3 people. Even if you skipped breakfast or are famished, it was just impossible to finish all the food on the table. And if you did, you can ask for more, at no extra cost. No kidding. With all the leftovers packed and the wine bottle empty, the strong, hot house brew was what we needed. Then, it was time go. The wife was so fixated with the pumpkin cheesecake that she bought a whole cake. And it wasn't cheap. But it's the only time of the year that Maggiano's serves it, so why not.
When we got home, we put away all the food we brought, and took a little siesta. It was one of those days that you didn't care about errands to run or chores to do. It was a perfect time for a nap.
After about a couple of hours, it was time to head off to our godchildren's, as we had been invited for Thanksgiving dinner. Food served were not your traditional Thanksgiving fare. Instead, they were Filipino favorites, which included grilled salmon head, grilled pork belly, mini fish fritters, banana heart (or bud or blossom) cooked in coconut milk, crabs, and fried & grilled eggplant. And desserts were a variety of pumpkin delights, mini fruit tarts, creme puffs, and macaroons. To say we weren't stuffed was lying.
With or without a turkey, it was another day to be thankful for.
Note: Author wishes to acknowledge Yelp for the use of the photographs in this post.
For the past few years, we have created our little tradition around Thanksgiving. Since we do not have family close by, this day was celebrated among the three of us, with lunch at Maggiano's in Santana Row. For other folks who would rather go out to eat than cook at home, reservations have to be made well in advance to ensure you of a spot at this popular dining place.
Our day started with a mass at St, Joseph (I read, too). Surprisingly, there weren't too many people. But the ceremony remained solemn -- an opportune time to be thankful for all the blessings received. Right after mass, we headed back home to freshen up a little bit, before heading to Santana Row for the 1:15pm reservation.
 |
| Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake |
If you haven't been to Maggiano's during Thanksgiving, they have a prix-fixe menu, which they serve family style. For starters, they had a variety of bruschetta. Then we had a choice of 2 salads, 2 main entrees, plus 2 side dishes, 2 pastas, and 2 desserts. For the salad, we got the classic ceasar's salad and Maggiano's tossed salad. The main courses were country ham with sweet yam and pan-fried filleted tilapia. The third choice was obviously turkey, but since we were not fans of it, we skipped it altogether. For our pastas, it was rigatoni and spaghetti & meatballs. Our side dishes included a cream of corn and sauteed spinach. And for dessert, it was tiramisu and the ultra rich pumpkin praline cheesecake.
 |
| Tiramisu |
When we got home, we put away all the food we brought, and took a little siesta. It was one of those days that you didn't care about errands to run or chores to do. It was a perfect time for a nap.
After about a couple of hours, it was time to head off to our godchildren's, as we had been invited for Thanksgiving dinner. Food served were not your traditional Thanksgiving fare. Instead, they were Filipino favorites, which included grilled salmon head, grilled pork belly, mini fish fritters, banana heart (or bud or blossom) cooked in coconut milk, crabs, and fried & grilled eggplant. And desserts were a variety of pumpkin delights, mini fruit tarts, creme puffs, and macaroons. To say we weren't stuffed was lying.
With or without a turkey, it was another day to be thankful for.
Note: Author wishes to acknowledge Yelp for the use of the photographs in this post.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Tech Problems And Some Beer
This Monday was quite a long day. I worked from home because I needed to take care of some home stuff. The day started with my usual drop off of Jake at Nick's for the carpool to Bell. Whether I was off, working from home, or whatever, I still had to take him there by 7am, so sleeping in was never an option.
Work-wise, I had a 2-hour Webex meeting from 9-11am. I was all set to call in to the meeting when suddenly I had difficulty logging in to the Webex link. After numerous tries, no luck. I've had success in the past, from home, but not this time. Then, I realized that I had a tech refresh a couple of days prior, which included the replacement of my laptop. As in all tech refreshes, not everything (file, applications, software, settings, etc) is transferred over despite the promises made by IT. I guess that included my Webex link.
One of the attendees to this meeting had already called me and was asking if I would be calling in. I explained my situation and hoped to catch up. After numerous conversations and attempted fixes with IT, I managed to figure things out on my own. I was able to regain my Webex access and call in to the meeting. Unfortunately, I was almost an hour late. Better late than never.
Bell had an early dismissal today, so I left to pick up the boys. Once everyone was dropped off, Jake and I had lunch before we went back home.
Later in the evening, Bell's Dad's Club hosted "Suds for Duds". It was their way of kicking off the school's winter clothing drive. For this event, all we needed was to register and pay $20, plus a donation(s) of gently used winter clothing. If you have already given away all your unwanted warm clothing, you can still attend the event, but you'd have to pony up a few more dollars in lieu of a material donation.
For $20, I thought that it was a pretty darn good deal. For this amount, you could literally drink all the beer you could. No one was counting. There was also an endless supply of chips/salsa, trail mix, and other appetizers. Dinner was bratwurst and roll, with all the fixings. And again, you can stuff yourself with all the brats you want. In addition, you also received a "Suds for Duds" beer glass as souvenir.
This was the first time to attend and I thought it was quite successful. What added to the fun event was the broadcast of 49ers-Redskins football game on 2 large screens. Somehow, it made the ice-cold beer taste even better.
About a week prior, Chris J, one of the St, Joe dads who has 2 boys at Bell, emailed the rest of the SJ dads about coming to this event because of the experience he had last year. Unfortunately, I guess most had prior commitments and didn't come. I contacted Chris J later in the afternoon, and he and I carpooled to Bell.
It was a fun night. I don't mind doing it again next year. I hope the rest can come along as well.
Work-wise, I had a 2-hour Webex meeting from 9-11am. I was all set to call in to the meeting when suddenly I had difficulty logging in to the Webex link. After numerous tries, no luck. I've had success in the past, from home, but not this time. Then, I realized that I had a tech refresh a couple of days prior, which included the replacement of my laptop. As in all tech refreshes, not everything (file, applications, software, settings, etc) is transferred over despite the promises made by IT. I guess that included my Webex link.
One of the attendees to this meeting had already called me and was asking if I would be calling in. I explained my situation and hoped to catch up. After numerous conversations and attempted fixes with IT, I managed to figure things out on my own. I was able to regain my Webex access and call in to the meeting. Unfortunately, I was almost an hour late. Better late than never.
Bell had an early dismissal today, so I left to pick up the boys. Once everyone was dropped off, Jake and I had lunch before we went back home.
Later in the evening, Bell's Dad's Club hosted "Suds for Duds". It was their way of kicking off the school's winter clothing drive. For this event, all we needed was to register and pay $20, plus a donation(s) of gently used winter clothing. If you have already given away all your unwanted warm clothing, you can still attend the event, but you'd have to pony up a few more dollars in lieu of a material donation.For $20, I thought that it was a pretty darn good deal. For this amount, you could literally drink all the beer you could. No one was counting. There was also an endless supply of chips/salsa, trail mix, and other appetizers. Dinner was bratwurst and roll, with all the fixings. And again, you can stuff yourself with all the brats you want. In addition, you also received a "Suds for Duds" beer glass as souvenir.
This was the first time to attend and I thought it was quite successful. What added to the fun event was the broadcast of 49ers-Redskins football game on 2 large screens. Somehow, it made the ice-cold beer taste even better.
About a week prior, Chris J, one of the St, Joe dads who has 2 boys at Bell, emailed the rest of the SJ dads about coming to this event because of the experience he had last year. Unfortunately, I guess most had prior commitments and didn't come. I contacted Chris J later in the afternoon, and he and I carpooled to Bell.
It was a fun night. I don't mind doing it again next year. I hope the rest can come along as well.
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