Scrambling for Vinegar

There are days when I long for good home-cooked meals. But sometimes, just thinking about what it entails to prepare a decent meal, from grocery shopping to actual cooking, makes me reconsider. A Chinese take out becomes much more appealing. But not this week. I was in the mood.

I listed down dishes I wanted to prepare for the week. Well, I was referring to just 4 days of the week, from Monday to Thursday. I also need the weekend off, right?

One of the dishes I planned on preparing was requested by the wife -- her mom's version of chicken & pork adobo. The plan was to have the adobo on Wednesday. On Tuesday, it was picadillo with torta. Well, it's actually a variation of the picadillo, prepared as a soup, with sauteed ground beef and Chinese cabbage. The torta was some sort of omelette mixed with the same sauteed ground beef, served as another dish.

My wife suggested that I cook the adobo at the same time I do the picadillo because adobo is always good (if not great) the next day, and the next, and the next. It always is. So, off I went and prepped for both dishes. There was a lot of chopping and slicing and cutting and dicing. Both dishes weren't really hard to prepare. With a bowl of sauteed ground beef set aside for the torta and the rest simmering for the soup, it was on to the adobo.

The version I made required frying the meat after it had been simmering. This makes this adobo quite different from everyone else's because it had that texture. I will share the recipe in a little while. First, let me tell you what happened next.

With the cut chicken and pork belly (the best) in the pot, mixed with tons of minced garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves, I realized I was missing the most important ingredient -- vinegar. The vinegar I use is made of sugarcane. Adobo won't be an adobo without vinegar. I searched all over the place -- the pantry, kitchen cabinets, under the sink, in the garage, my secret storage for emergency supplies. None!!! No vinegar. Not a drop.

As I pondered on my next move, various scenarios played in my head. Either I go to a regular grocery store or an Asian store. Since most grocery stores now carry Asian food and condiments, I rushed to my nearest Safeway. I ran up and down the aisles but found nothing. Time was ticking. I evaluated my next options -- go to another Safeway, call a friend, or head for the Asian store.

I phoned my friend, Lou, because I wanted to ask her if she knew if the Safeway store near her house carried the vinegar I needed. I was also hoping she might have a spare bottle of vinegar lying around. But the call went to voicemail. I had to decide quickly. Rather than taking my chances at another Safeway, I went straight to Marina, an Asian grocer in Warm Springs. With a bottle in hand, off I went to finish my dish. I guess I should have gone straight there instead. I had hoped to "save" some time by going to the closest store, but I ended up wasting more. My bad.

My version of my mother-in-law's adobo is simple. I like mixing chicken and pork. Pork belly to be specific. With the meats in the pot, I added lots of minced (or crushed) garlic (the more, the merrier), diced onions (to add a little sweetness) peppercorns, and bay leaves. I then added 1 part soy sauce (mostly for color and a little saltiness) to 3 parts vinegar. I even added freshly-cracked black pepper for good measure. Lastly, I added 3 parts water. I let this come to a boil, then simmered over medium heat till meats are tender.

The chicken became tender faster, so I had to take it out, while the pork continued to cook. With the pork out and drained, along with the chicken, I fried the meat to create this crisp, firmer texture. Then, I placed the meat back in the pot for a final simmer. The sauce that was created was a mixture of the soy sauce-vinegar reduction, infused with all the spices added, and the natural juices and fat from the chicken and pork. Adobo is best eaten with a plate of hot, steaming white rice. If you want a little saltier taste, you can have fish sauce as a side dipping sauce.

Talking about it makes me hungry.

Meeting Wednesday

Wednesday. Aside from being the middle of the week, it's also the day when I have a regular staff meeting. It's 2 hours long and I'm lucky if we end early. For the most part, we almost always go the distance. The meeting is set smack in the middle of the morning, from 9-11, and it basically eats up half my day. I barely have time to finish my breakfast (whatever it is) before I have to go. And the coffee I have is consumed during the meeting. When I get back and settle down, it's lunch time.

The day changes from bad to worse when there are multiple meetings scheduled, like TODAY. At noon, I had to listen in on an all-hands meeting presented by the company's Chief Information Officer (CIO) regarding the state of IT within the organization, as well as the plans for 2013, and beyond. That lasted for 1.5 hours. Fortunately, I was able to eat my lunch while the call was going on. It all worked out well.

With 30 minutes to spare before the next one, I did what I had to do -- answer nature's call. (Sigh) Then, it was seven floors up for my next meeting with the new VP of HR for the IT group, which I support. It was a demonstration on the use of a compensation system and a discussion of the ongoing performance review process. Immediately after was my third meeting for the day. It was regarding the system set up for a newly-created bargaining unit (aka union) within IT, with me as the SME (subject matter expert) for compensation.

When that was over, I just had under an hour to catch up and get any work done. Ridiculous!!! Next thing I knew, I had to get out of there to pick up my boy.

I hate meetings. It's the most unproductive time you can ever spend on. About 20 years ago, I conducted a series of training sessions, for the company I worked for then, on conducting efficient meetings and how they can be time-wasters if you come unprepared. I know of people who just love them, and would gladly set up time to meet, no matter what it is about or even if it can be resolve by a quick phone call. Not me.

So, days like today just doesn't work for me. Boo!!!

A Slice of Ham Radio

The board of directors on my amateur radio club, SBARA (South Bay Amateur Radio Association), of which I am a director, had its first meeting for this new year. In this year's board are three new faces --  the newly-elected vice president and secretary, and the newly-appointed membership chair. Except for the re-elected treasurer, everyone was in attendance.

The board meets every last Monday of the month at local landmark, Mission Coffee, on Washington Blvd, just across the Old Mission San Jose church in Fremont. This place has been a favorite hangout/meeting place of almost everyone in Fremont because of its not-so-bad coffee and light fare, and free WiFi.

Amateur radio being a hobby (an OLD one at that), membership in the board is voluntary. It's comprised of people from various professions and from different walks of life. And some are retired, too. This mix allows for an excellent exchange of ideas between newbies and the more experienced hams (a term used to refer to amateur radio enthusiasts). The younger ones bring a fresh perspective and provide new ideas on how to do things, while the senior members share their valuable experiences, as well as some historical insights.

With a new president, the overall goal for this year, in not so many words, is to increase members and participation. This means the club should be able to come up with activities in as many areas of amateur radio in order to attract new members, and maintain and increase participation from the current crop. There are many (many) facets to this hobby, and each one can  focus on an activity (or activities) that pleases them.

I didn't want to talk about amateur radio on this blog because it becomes messy, too technical, and may be boring to most of you. I just want to give you a little idea about it, but will not go into specifics.

Personally, my interests are in DXing and contesting. In plain english, DXing (where DX is an abbreviation for "distance") is the ability to contact amateur radio stations all over the world, by voice, morse code, or digital. I always get a kick out of hearing someone's voice or see a typed message displayed on my computer (digital) from across the globe. What makes this fete even more amazing is the fact that the "contact" is done wirelessly, using a transmitting/receiving device, called a high frequency (HF) transceiver/radio. Despite the existence of the internet and mobile phones (and all its applications), nothing beats the thrill of a two-way radio communication.

Contesting, on the other hand, is the art of contacting (or talking to) as many amateur radio stations as possible in a given period of time. And that is putting it in lay man's terms. But contesting is complex (if not complicated), and there are hundreds of contests one can participate in all throughout the year, and in different modes (voice, morse code, or digital). I won't even dare talk about it because it will take us forever.

These 2 aspects of amateur radio are what I want to share with our membership. I suggested creating an interest group in these 2 areas because I think there is not enough knowledge about them or even an exposure to such activities. Part of the task would be to do a presentation on these topics, then put it into actual practice via some sort of demonstration, which will take place in June, during an annual activity called Field Day. This event is participated in my hams all over the US.

Probably, at this point, I am beginning to sound Slovac to you, with all these words and terminologies. So I will stop. But I do want to say that this is an old hobby that has adapted to the modern times. In the US, there has been a resurgence in interest in the hobby, with significant growth in the last year to over 700,000 licensed hams.

You should try it. At least, ready about it. Check out the American Radio Relay League (ARRL).

tnx es 73, NW6J
(thanks and best regards, NW6J)

Busy Second Half

The second half of the week was quite busy. It wasn't too packed, and I still managed to get in a little siesta This afternoon.

On Friday, the Fall teams of St. Joseph CYO, which included boys basketball and girls volleyball, had their picture-taking session at School for the Blind. It's an annual activity that CYO puts together to capture those precious sporting moments. What I meant was to capture these players in their fabulous blue and gold uniforms. For the new players, it must be an exciting opportunity. But for those who have done this for the last 6 years or so, the glamour was gone. It had become a routine.

Yesterday was the much-anticipated second game against St. Anne at Chabot College. The game was close all the way, with both teams exchanging leads of no more than 6 points. It went into overtime, and after 3 minutes of play, our boys lost. I really don't want to talk about the details. I am biased. I was disappointed. Hope you understand. A win would have sent us automatically to the Diocese championship, while the rest would have to duke it out for the second championship spot. The lost meant we have to play St. Anne again in a winner-take-all, rubber match, probably on February 9th.

My only observation in this game had to do with karma. In the dying minute of the regulation, St. Anne had the ball, and they purposely ran the clock down until it there was only 22 seconds left in the game. Then, they called time out, still with ball possession. This would allow them to control the offense and make the final shot in the dying seconds. If they made it, we would not have enough time to bring the ball down and score a basket. If they missed their attempt, it was fine, and we would go to overtime. And that was exactly what happened.

In overtime, St. Anne managed to get ahead by as much as 4 points before they played the clock (again). It's a legitimate strategy because CYO basketball does not use a shot clock. Any coach will probably do the same. But I believe in karma. In our first game against St. Anne, we played the clock, too. With a 10 point lead, our coach told his players to "run the clock" with 2 minutes left in the game. And as the saying goes, "what goes around, comes around" (aka KARMA). And that is what happened to us yesterday. The same strategy was used against us, and there was nothing we could do but be disappointed. Frankly, I disapproved of the strategy we employed against St. Anne in our first game. It just wasn't right. It didn't feel right. And now, it bit us in the butt, big time!!! I just hope we play a decent game in the last outing, for everyone's sake.

Today was the start of Catholic Schools Week. We attended the 9:00am mass, sponsored by the school, after which, we proceeded to the school to view the students' school work and projects displayed in all the classrooms. The 8th graders went around with their iPads and shared various video clips of school projects and activities they have made using these devices. In the 8th grade classroom, a video about their iPads ran in the background as parents and visitors went around. For younger students, it was an opportunity for them (and their parents) to get a glimpse of what lied ahead for them in the higher grades.

From the school, we drove to Santana Row for a late brunch with our godchildren (and their parents, of course), which was my belated birthday treat to them. It was still my birth month anyway. Next was the much-needed siesta at home.

After 1.5 Years

It finally came. After 1.5 years, here at last.

Today at our weekly staff meeting, my boss brought in 2 boxes of baked goodies from Merritt, one of Oakland's finest bakeries. Any time food is served at our staff meetings it means that there is some sort of celebration. I wasn't aware of any occasion or cause for celebrating. And my birthday was 2 weeks ago. As my boss laid down the treats on the table, she began to say that "this was long overdue", as she started pulling out a long, thin rectangular box. I knew that it was mine.

Finally, after waiting for 1.5 years, my 5-year service award has arrived. In that box was a certificate and a small token -- a pin, recognizing my "5 years of dedicated service".

Over the past year-and-a-half, I quietly sat at a few staff meetings and gatherings as some of my peers and colleagues received their service awards on time, if not a couple of months after. Each time I would ask myself when I would receive mine. As the days past, I get frustrated, then irritated. Why was it taking so long? I've complained numerous times, but nothing.  There was even a time when I just had to make a sarcastic comment to get my feelings across. Then it came to a point that I forgot all about it, and didn't care anymore.

For an award to be effective, the recognition should be quick, if not immediate. Doing so 1.5 years after becomes meaningless. It defeats the purpose.

When I finally got it this morning, I sort of laughed. I wanted to dish out a one-liner, but it wasn't worth it. Frankly, I never thought that I would see this award in this lifetime. I didn't care what the reason was for the delay. To not say anything about it for 1.5 years was just unacceptable. I wasn't after the award or the pin or any other material gesture. What matters the most is the acknowledgement made in a timely manner.

Whatever the next 5 years bring, I hope it won't be late.

Victories and Many Others

I haven't had a chance to sit down and scribble. It's not that there weren't anything interesting, but I guess time just went by so quickly. The week was filled with bits and pieces of almost anything and everything, so it would probably make sense to just do a single post -- about victories and many others.

The biggest victory of the week was probably that of the San Francisco 49ers against the Atlanta Falcons for the NFC Championship. The win earned them a spot at the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens. The game was played on Sunday, and practically everyone, who cared about the 49ers, was glued to their television sets. As much as I wanted to do the same, I couldn't. My son wanted to watch the volleyball games of his female classmates at a tournament at Moreau. Fortunately, one of the participating teams in the tournament brought a TV set and tuned in on the game. I was able to watch parts of the 4th quarter, including the winning touchdown of the 49ers' Frank Gore.

Another victory came from our very own 8A boys basketball team on Saturday. They defeated cellar-dweller Holy Spirit, 52-23, to maintain first place with an 8-1 record. The boys will have their final game of the regular season on Sunday, the 26th, against St. Anne. A win gives the team an automatic seed to the Diocese championship late next month.

The Golden State Warriors won 1 of 3 games they played during the week, and this was against the New Orleans Hornets. They were severely beaten by Lebron and the Miami Heat, and another from the San Antonio Spurs. Continuing with the string of losses, the St. Joe 8th grade girls volleyball team (which we watched at Moreau) won their first game against St. Lawrence O'Toole, but lost the second versus St. Anne, and was eliminated in the tournament.

At work, it's probably our busiest time of the year, as we prepare to implement annual review. This is the time employees find out if they've been naughty or nice in the past year. I conducted training sessions on 4 out of the 5 week days on this process, and there are 3 more this coming week. Although I've done this for the past so many years, the thought of having to do it all over again is just exhausting.

Then, of course, there were the usual chores that needed to be done -- picked up my son after drama practices; took son to basketball practices; and did a quick grocery run. I even had time to attend a school board meeting, and listened to a cutlery (aka knife) demonstration (and ended up buying, too).

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion of the week, I had time to enjoy a little bit. We got invited to a dinner (it was more like a feast) mid week, which was a nice break. Over the weekend, an impromptu potluck (another feast, I must say) was hosted by a dear friend. And later that evening, the mahjong table was rolled out and the karaoke microphone was passed around. All these took place without a single drop of alcohol. Imagine what else would have taken place if there was???

Today, the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Day. POTUS (President of the United States) also took his oath for his second term. And I did laundry -- 4 loads of it. I also swept, vacuumed, polished, and dusted. So did my wife and son. It was a day off, and we put it to good use. Till the next holiday....

OLR's One-Man Machine

On Friday morning, I got an email from our 8A basketball coach informing me of the game schedule for this week, as well as the remainder of the regular season. I really thought that there wouldn't be any game this weekend, at least for 8th graders, because of the scheduled HSPTs at different Catholic high schools in the Bay Area. I was wrong. Somehow, the scheduling gods decided it wasn't too late to send out game schedules the day before.

As soon as I read it, I immediately sent out an email to the team about our Sunday game. It was a good thing we had a 2-day notice. Sigh.

The game was against Our Lady of the Rosary, or shall I say, one player -- their star player. The 12:00 noon game also messed up my scheduled reading at the 11:00am mass. I had to do a little scrambling myself to find a willing replacement at such as short notice. Fortunately, someone volunteered (Thanks, Rebecca).

We were the first game of the day, and it was at Moreau's main gym. I like it when we get to play there because it's spacious and friendly for spectators. We had a little miscue when our assigned scorekeeper did not show up on time. We were given a technical for it. They got 2 free throws off the bat. We were down 2-0 even before the ball was imbounded.

Whenever we play OLR, we basically just play against one player. Everyone else is a supporting cast. This player even acts as on-court coach, yelling out instructions to his teammates, more that their bench coach would. This fellow is big and looks old (I mean, mature) for an 8th grader. I think he even looks older than a high school kid. He had played up all these years, and it's the reason why we're only seeing him this year. He's their star player. Rather, their only player.

I'm surprised the coaching staff has tolerated him all this time. I don't care if he tries to carry the weight of his school on his broad shoulders. It is not the essence of sportsmanship and team play. Certainly, not CYO. He is free to do and say anything he wants. And it appears like his coaches are toothless and have given him their blessings. Obviously, it has gotten to his head (not to mention his father's, too), and the ire of at least a parent of his teammate. Remember the ugly scene that took place at the St. Bede Christmas tournament? It certainly didn't speak well for any of them, much less OLR, as a Catholic school, in general. It was nasty and so ghetto.

After the first half, we were down by as much as 12 points. Despite this (and all the noise and sense of animosity in the air), our boys focused and regrouped. They did what they've done all season long. At the start of the second half, the boys were all over the place. The next thing you knew, they were leading and they never looked back. The parents and friends I invited to watch the game were not disappointed. There was a momentary scare, but, in the end, it was all good.

The win further improved the team's record to 7-1. In the game that followed ours, arch rival St. Anne won over St. Edward, keeping them in second place. With 2 games left, our boys need to win both to assure them on an automatic seed and one of 2 spots in the Oakland Diocese championships.

Day of Reckoning

After months of agonizing, the wait was over. Today was the day my son determined his fate in his young, bare hands. It was the day he took his HSPT at Bell.

As we began to prepare his application to Bellarmine, the anxiety of this day hovered over our heads throughout the holidays. I think we, his parents, were more stressed than he was. The pressure was there, but we only want what's best for him. No second choices. It was Bell or bust.

My son needs some form of structure. He isn't a self-starter. He needs prodding. Maybe pushing is a better word. We enrolled him in an HSPT prep class in anticipation of this day. Most of those we spoke with swore by its effectiveness. I hope it worked, too, for him. We also got him 3 books to use for practice. I think he was only able to go through a book and a half.

Like most kids his age (I was the same when I was his age), there was a little cramming. He waited till almost the last minute to pound those books and maximize the resources he had. To his credit, he did do what he was supposed to. I understood. It was difficult to focus. It was the holidays. He was on Christmas vacation. I guess by the last week, he was so tired of hearing us remind him to hit the books and practice. But I sensed that he knew the importance of doing well in the test. This morning, he was still reviewing some math exercises, despite me telling him to rest and relax.

I woke him up after 9:00am, then had him have bagel and milk for breakfast. At around 11, I cooked him a couple of hotdogs and fried eggs, with rice, for an early lunch. His classmate, Nick, arrived and rode with us to Bell. We passed by my son's BFF, Coby, and took him with us as well. By 12:10, we were at Bellarmine. Call time was 12:45, and the exam was to start at 1. My son wanted to be there early so they can relax a little bit. And that's what we did.

We had wanted to say a prayer at the chapel, but it was closed. So we hung around by the quadrangle nearby, as we watched the entrance to O'Donnell Hall get filled with other 8th graders ready to take the same exam. I decided to take a picture of the 3 boys as a little souvenir on this important day. As the call time drew near, we proceeded to the hall, and were met by 4 other classmates and friends. At 12:45pm, the boys slowly walked in.

It was the day of reckoning. And all we wished was for him to do his best.

Meanwhile, the wife and I had a late lunch at Left Bank in Santana Row, then a little shopping. We crossed Stevens Creek to Valley Fair, then came back for some frozen yogurt at Pinkberry. We had 3 hours to kill.

It was close to 4 by the time we reached Bell. Other parents were already milling around waiting for their own children to come out. About 15 minutes past the hour, the boys started coming out, one by one. Those who were assigned on the first floor rooms got out first, while those on the 3rd floor were last. My son was on the second floor. As he stepped out, he looked OK. He said it wasn't bad, but he didn't say it was easy either. But he did say that the prep class helped. It seemed like they had more time allotted per module than it was during his prep class. He managed to answer all the questions, with enough time to spare. I just hope he answered them correctly.

It was a relief now that it was over. And we kept telling the boys that it's more of a relief for their parents than for themselves. Now, it is a matter of waiting. And the stress and tension will build up as the projected release day nears. For Bellarmine, it's March 15. This is the day we'll all know if my son is accepted at Bell or not. If we get a thick envelope in the mail, that's a good sign. A thin envelope is NOT a good thing.

It's strange how roles are now reversed. About 35 years ago, I was taking the same test to get into a Jesuit school in Manila, and my parents were on pins and needles, as we were today. As the old adage goes, history repeats itself.

Good luck, son. I pray that you, and your classmates, make it.

My Birth Day

It was a bit chilly this morning. I woke up like it was any ordinary day. Not a whole lot of expectation. I guess over the years, I have learned to appreciate each day, birthday or not, and be thankful for it. And this day was no different, except that I am 47 years old.

Frankly, I really don't think like I am 47, but maybe younger. Maybe because I don't want to feel old. Who does? Whether we like it or not, it's the body that reminds us we are getting a little older. That we shouldn't ignore.

Anyway, there wasn't much activity at work today, except for a one-hour meeting till noon. After that, I walked to the Cathedral to hear mass. Like any other ordinary day, there were a sprinkling of devotees who hear mass regularly. Mass ended sooner than I expected, so I had to text my peer to come meet me at our building lobby for lunch. We wanted something quite different and narrowed down the selection to an Asian cuisine. It was either Hawker Fare or Vo's. We chose the latter.

The rest of the day was dead, at least for me. I just literally counted the hours. I was so checked out. Earlier in the morning, my son did receive his Student of the Month (for December) award during the morning assembly, along with his BFF, Coby, who got the Blue Ribbon award for academic excellence (also for December). What's funny was that both of them received similar awards 2 years ago in 6th grade.

The night before, we were trying to figure out where to go for dinner today. We zeroed in on Santana Row, but still debated on where. We finally chose a lighter fare because I prepared steak for dinner yesterday, and having red meat on back-to-back days probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. We went for Pizza Antica.

I've never been to this place, but my wife has. I checked their menu online and it wasn't big. They're suppose to have good pizza, but I didn't know what makes theirs different from any other "artisan" pizza place. They had a few appetizers, pastas and entres, which sounded good. But the only way to know was to try. All I can say is that I need to go back, try it again, and write about it. The pasta dishes we got were so freshly made that I couldn't remember when was the last time I've had anything as fresh or if I've had any, anywhere, period. Really fresh and simple.

Being a school night, we headed home right after dinner, stuffed.

As the end of the day neared, I paused to thank the Lord for the day, and the year that passed. I wished that the coming year would be better, brighter, safer, and more peaceful, not just for my family, but for everyone else.

Salamat.

The Day Before

It's the eve of my birthday, and half the day is gone. I just got out of my weekly 2-hour staff meeting, which I presided. Actually, we take turns running these meetings, and this month is mine.

For the past few days, I have been thinking about little stuff related to my birthday. I normally don't plan anything, except for dinner with the family. I treat my birthday just like any other day. Keeping it low key. If you ask me how old I am, I'll need to do a little mental math because I stopped counting after I hit 25 years.

A family dinner is usually the only planned activity, but I have not even done that yet. I just can't decide on what I want (to eat). I want to try something new or different. Since I don't give it the attention it deserves, we typically end up going to some place we've already been to or somewhere convenient. The way it looks, we're headed in the same direction, unless I do something about it NOW.

Another thing I threw out there was to host a little birthday bash among close friends -- the mafia (a term coined by a school parent/friend of ours referring to the tight group of Filipino school parents/friends) and the "whites" (or everyone else not classified as "mafia"). And since we're talking about a sizable number of families, I thought of having the celebration off limit to kids. Don't know how that's going to work, but I know it has been done in the past. If ever it happens, it won't be this weekend, but probably no sooner than 2 weekends out. At this point, I am still undecided.

At our staff meeting this morning, my boss brought in some bagels to share, plus a little card from the team. It's been a tradition within our group to "celebrate" a birthday with a cake, pastries, and, yes, bagels (and a variety of smears) during staff meetings. And if you're lucky, you may even get treated to lunch by some of your peers. Yup! I've been invited to one.

As far as my calendar goes, I don't have anything major planned at work tomorrow, except for a one hour meeting at 11am. I've blocked off the next hour to hear mass at the Cathedral (of Christ the Light), which is literally just steps from my office. Then, there is the lunch treat from a couple of my peers. In the evening, my son has a basketball practice from 7-8pm, which just messes up any decent dinner plan. If I eventually come up with something, he may have to skip practice. Can't have a late dinner on a school night.

And there's one more thing. Last night, we got a note from my son's school, informing us that he is a recipient of last month's theme award, and that the award will be given tomorrow during the morning school assembly. How cool is that? I do want to attend, but I know I will have problems getting parking at BART if I arrive after 8:00am. I tried to get a single-day parking at the Fremont station just for tomorrow, but none was available. Good thing my wife can make it.

For now, I have a lot of thinking (and deciding) to do, and I don't have a lot of time. SIGH.

Update: Our 8A Game Results

I just want to give an update on our 8A team's game this afternoon against OLG. The team blasted OLG, 42-9. It was a no-contest from tip-off to the final buzzer. The referees had to warn our team against running fast breaks. One basket was even nullified because it was scored off a fast break. They wanted us to make multiple passes before even attempting a shot. That's CYO for you.

This improves our team's record to 6-1. But what's more interesting was that St. Anne lost to Our Lady of the Rosary (OLR) by a just a point in the last 5 seconds of their game, 43-42. Their game was played before ours so I was able to watch the last 5 minutes of it. I was cheering for OLR, and I didn't hide it. We have a vested interest in their defeat, so I will not apologize for that.

With St. Anne's loss, our boys move up to first place, while St. Anne settled for second, with a 5-2 win-loss record. I know St. Anne was hurt with that loss. Back-to-back losses, as a matter of fact. Sad way to start the new year, I suppose. This improves OLR's record to 3-3.

Our team beat OLR during the first outing in November, 48-38. We also beat them at the consolation championship game during the St. Bede Christmas tournament. We know how they play. So when we meet them again in the second round, all we need to do is to be careful and avoid an upset.

For this final season, it couldn't be any better at this point. Let's go Cougars !!!

Back In The Game

In CYO basketball, St. Joseph's nemesis is St. Anne. I think everyone's nemesis is St. Anne. There is something about their teams that irks every other team. It must be the brand of ball they play -- rugged, physical, DIRTY. And I have no qualms saying it because they are. For one, St. Anne doesn't have a school, so its players come the schools around the area. I am not saying Catholic school kids are saints, but from my personal observation, there is a difference. And I will leave it at that. You make your own observations.

You can charge me for being biased, but I am telling you the truth. For the past 7 years that I have been involved in CYO sports, that includes basketball, volleyball, cross country, and track & field, in various capacities as a coach, team parent, and just plain ol' dad, I can vouch for the integrity, good manners, and excellent behavior of all St. Joe teams, whether or not the players come from the school or elsewhere. And the parents and coaches, as well, are a testament to this. I invite you to come and watch a game, and see for yourself.

I heard lots of horror stories about how St. Anne coaches run their respective programs. It shows in how they play and how they conduct themselves on court. You can see it, too, in their parents, fans, and supporters. It's probably this bad boy image and do-anything-to-get-the-job-done attitude that gives them this notoriety. It's nothing to brag about. I do think it's something to be shameful of, especially for a "Catholic" team.

I don't mean to bash St. Anne, but they brought it upon themselves. Enough said.

On Saturday, our 8A SJS boys had their first meeting with St. Anne for this season. It was our first game of the new year as well. Venue was the unusually cold Newark Junior High School gym. You had to bundle up or run the risk of hypothermia. I guess the gym fees don't cover heating.

Every St. Joe-St. Anne game is always spirited. And this one was no exception. Fans were split -- St. Anne on the right, and St. Joe on the left of the bleachers. I personally invited some school families and friends to watch the game so our side had more cheerers than normal.

The first half of the first quarter was close. Fans on both sides were so energized as they cheered every exchange of baskets. But St. Anne slowly pulled away towards the end of the first quarter and all of the second. The rabid St. Anne fans became noisier and louder. They were just so thrilled. Despite the deficit, we cheered our players on and gave them encouraging words to do their best. St. Anne led by as much as 12 points. By the end of the first half, they had a double-digit advantage.

Second half of the game was a different story. The St. Joe boys regrouped and did what they do best. They executed the plays, moved with more cohesion, and defended better. They slowly crept up and narrowed down the lead. The fast transition of play caught St. Anne off guard. The next thing they knew, they were now down and scrambling desperately to catch up. The shoe was on the other foot. St. Joe's led by as much as 12 points.

In the 4th quarter, St. Anne was struggling. They didn't know what hit them. They couldn't penetrate the tight zone defense, and none of their outside shots went it. As a matter of fact, they had difficulty getting off any shot because of the swarming defense put up by our boys. In the dying minutes, the team held on to the ball and moved it around till the final buzzer sounded. Final score was 50-41, St. Joe.

It was a sweet victory, not just for the team, but for the whole school as well. A win against St. Anne is a win by everyone.

The win gives us a tie with St. Anne in the standings. However, the point differential gives St. Anne the edge. This differential will be used to determine first place in the division, which automatically seeds the team to the Diocese championships. So, aside from every win, the margin of victory matters a whole lot.

Our boys play again tomorrow, Sunday, against OLG. With 3 more games in the season, each one is crucial, especially for those vying for an automatic seed. We have gone through the grind of a division playoff series to claim the second spot in the Diocese championship last year, and in past years. We know the routine, and it's tough. An automatic seed would be a wonderful gift for this final year.

Congratulations, boys. Excellent game. Go Cougars !!!

First Week of the New Year

My first week (or shall I say, half week) back at work was uneventful. Like most, I wished for an extra day off to recover from vacation fatigue. Although I didn't go on any trip this holiday, I just felt I needed one more day to recoup. Being off for a week and a half can be taxing.

The workweek started on January 2nd, Wednesday. We had our regular 2-hour staff meeting, but there was really no agenda since there was nothing much to talk about. Most of the day was spent catching up on emails and tying up loose ends. The highlight of the day was the Warriors game at Oracle Arena. Most were still on holiday mode. Traffic was very light almost everywhere, and BART parking was aplenty. You had the train all to yourself.

My son was still on Christmas vacation from school, so he spent the remainder of the week preparing for his HSPT this Saturday. Since the public schools were also on vacation, there were no official basketball practices scheduled. His team will have 2 games this weekend, so his coach decided to hold a practice on Thursday at one of the public elementary school's outdoor basketball court, in 52F weather. That evening, I had a pastoral parish council meeting that I missed because of a prior commitment.

And today, Friday, well, I didn't even count it as a workday. There was hardly anyone, anywhere. In the past few years, I've noticed that fewer people are actually coming in to work on Fridays because traffic is lighter. There are more parking spaces available almost anywhere, trains and buses are half-filled, and even restaurants are less crowded. It's either people are telecommuting more or work every other Fridays. The next less busy workday is Monday. Surprisingly, everyone seems to come in to the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the busiest days. Then, it begins to taper off on Thursdays.

This evening, we had reservations at Oasis Grille, a Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Pleasanton. The appetizer sampler and the sauces were amazing, but I wasn't too happy with my entre. I will have to come back, try something else, and tell you more about it. Overall, it wasn't bad.

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday. I greeted her today (the 5th in Manila) over the phone , and I just wished she heard and understood me. I miss her and surely want to see her. Hopefully, soon.

This weekend will be quite busy. My son has a crucial basketball game on Saturday against arch rival St. Anne, and another on Sunday against OLG. His classmates' girl's volleyball team also has a game on Saturday, and we might watch.

This Sunday also ends the Christmas season with the Feast of the Three Kings. This means that the Christmas tree and all the decorations must come down. Now, I have to figure out how to cut that darn tree in half and drag it out on the curb to be picked up by Tuesday. I just hope I have enough will power to do it. In the meantime, I'll make the most of the weekend.

I am (not) looking forward to the "real" start of the workweek next week when everything goes back to crazy normal.

Have a great 2013 !!!

(Author acknowledges Wikipedia for the photograph used.)

Home of the Warriors

Basketball is one sport I love to watch, especially live. Back in the days, I watched a lot of collegiate and professional games in the Philippines. Whenever his schedule would  permit, my father would take me to the Araneta Coliseum, even of weekday nights, to watch the local pros in action. He would purchase our tickets from a couple of his "regular" scalpers, and we would always have good seats.

Back, here, the NBA games have never been so popular as it is today. With the reliable veterans and rising superstars from the collegiate leagues spread out in different teams, the NBA has seen a tremendous growth in the last few years. As a result, watching a live game has become more expensive and is beginning to get out reach for the avid fan. And if you want to see the Lakers or Celtics play, you'd have to cough up a little more (probably, much more).

The Golden State Warriors is my team, and the pride of the Bay Area. Since their last playoff appearance 6 years ago, the Warriors has had a so-so performance, until this season. Currently, they are in second place in the Pacific division behind the LA Clippers. Whenever, we have an opportunity, we love to drive up to Oracle Arena to watch our Warriors do their thing. On Wednesday, we did just that.

Sometime during the holiday, my employer, Kaiser Permanente (a big supporter of the Warriors), sent out an email announcing discounted tickets to 4 Warriors games scheduled around the holidays. Not to pass up on a good deal, I checked the website and took note of where I wanted to be at. I set my eyes on a Sixers game on December 28th -- 4 tickets at the Lower Level. The procrastinator in me caused me dearly. The next day, all Lower Level tickets were sold out, and the next best game available was the Clippers on January 2nd. Of course, it also cost 50% more.

For fear of missing out again, I clicked on "Buy Now", and purchased 4. The extra ticket was for my son's BFF (also an avid Warrior fan). He was available for the Sixers game, but wasn't sure if he was for the Clippers. Better to have it than not. As it turned out, he wasn't available because his family had visitors from out of town that week, so I had a spare ticket. We invited my son's other friend (and classmate) instead.

Since there was so much demand for these tickets, the website didn't allow me to choose my seats. All it did was to determine what section I wanted, get my order and payment, and it would choose the "best" seats for me. I did get a confirmation on my order, but didn't tell me anything more. All I wished was that we had decent seats and that we sat together.

On game day, we arrives early to get our tickets from Will Call. Parking wasn't a problem, and we had enough time to grab a bite to eat before the game started. The seats we got weren't bad, for the money I paid. That night was "Warriors Whiteout" night. Each fan was given a white t-shirt to wear during the game. If you didn't, your face will be displayed on the large screen atop center court, with the phrase "put your white shirt on". Also taped on each seat was a small white Warriors cardboard banner.

The experience of watching an NBA game at a coliseum is truly amazing. Nothing beats the energy and excitement of the fans after every basket. The thunderous applause and cheers for a well-executed play, or even the "oohs" and "aahs" of a missed jumper seemed like a synchronized reaction. It was fun to people-watch, too. And the noise it quite pleasant to the ear. As the Warriors continued to clobber the Clippers throughout the game, the intensity was relentless. At the final buzzer, the home team received a well-deserve standing ovation from a very appreciative Warrior crowd.

We all enjoyed the game, despite the blowout. Like any fan, we bought our share of souvenirs, and promised to get some more online. We look forward to watching a few more games, especially if the Warriors go on to the playoffs. Fingers crossed. It's going to be pricey, but, it'll surely be fun.

Let's Go Warriors !!!