Pinoy Influences
When I was a senior in college, I applied for a Watson Grant encompassing art with geomorphological and cultural/social influences on people who live on volcanoes (bulkan) in the Philippines. I find that some of my current interests, such as working on the Philippine Nationality Room Classroom for the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning (see the hypertext-linked website on the sidebar) and presenting on Social and Cultural Influences on Food (see the post earlier today, Pinoy Food), echo some of my interests. I was not awarded the grant back then, but I still continue to appreciate the interesting questions which exist between fields of study/that are interdisciplinary.
Pinoy Piety
My friend from choir, Fred Moleck, asked me yesterday if the Easter processions in Pinoy villages still feature men who are crucified. I answered, yes, it is true, (but not in all villages) and that I believe that their spiritual intention is similar to that of Native Americans who perform the Sun Dance.
The Philippines, being 80-98% Roman Catholic (the number varies depending on the source at which you look), takes its religion seriously. The celebration of Christmas starts at the end of November/beginning of December (the start of Advent), and lasts until January 6th, the celebration of Three Kings. It is the major celebration in the Philippines. Other major celebrations include New Year's Eve; Easter Week and Easter Dawn (Mass); and the town's Saint's Feast Day (Fiesta Day).
Pinoy Food
Today I was a guest speaker for a clinical dietetics class at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitative Sciences. The portion of the class for which I presented a slide show was on the students' chapter on the Social and Cultural Aspects of Southeast Asian food. I presented on Pilipino Food and Cuisine. Valerie Kogut, who teaches the class, and I agreed that some of the opinions expressed in the book were outdated or just incorrect. I spoke about how vinegar- and lemon juice-based fish stews (such as sinigang) have calcium-rich broths which replace milk in Filipino-American (and other SE Asian-American) children's diets.
Mom helped me a lot in some of the cultural and social aspects of Pilipino culture relating to food. I wore my Pinay dress clothes to present to the class. In addition to preparing a Power Point presentation, I brought a few books to share with the class (which were on a short printed resource list for them), some salabat drink mix, and a Singaporan version of that ginger tea in small sachets. The only question I fielded was about "duck eggs with the undeveloped chick inside," otherwise known as balut. Yes, I stated, that food could be found in varied regions of the Philippines. The students were polite and attentive, and I was pleased with the outcome of my talk.
Pretty, pretty fleurs
We have been dining amidst pretty, pretty flowers since Friday night. Since the plant development lab ended last week, there was a surplus of flowers from the teaching laboratories. I carried home a bundle of flowers which included Calla and Easter lilies. The fragrance foretells the Easter story of Resurrection which will happen in a few weeks.
My birthday and Wawa's will be in a few weeks, too. Mine was a Passover/Holy Thursday birth, practically down to the hour, as I was born during NYC rush hour/dinner time. Wawa was born on Holy Wednesday. Since Wawa and I are Irish twins (we are the "same age" for a week) when we were toddlers, we used to celebrate our birthdays together, with one big cake on the coffee table.
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I used to have issues with the Eucharist, given how much Christ suffered (which we heard about in GREAT DETAIL from a physiological point of view when in elementary school); but I've decided to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus rather than dwell upon the suffering. And hey, I have been celebrating every day I'm alive---since I was born over [ahem!] years ago--and the celebration of the Eucharist is a celebration of Holy Thursday!
Edgewood Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, I heard the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra perform in Levy Auditorium at Rodef Shalom Temple. Donna, a fellow alto in choir and a violinist in the ESO, had invited the choir to the performance. She mentioned that Nicole Myers, a cellist, would be accompanying the ESO. I absolutely LOVE good cello playing and was moved by the Bruch piece, Kol Nidrei, Op.47. Valse Triste (Sibelius) was performed, followed by a brief intermission. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No.5 in E minor finished the program. The third movement, the valse, had familiar themes in it, such as the one Tchaikovsky carried with him for a decade from a young Italian boy's melody he heard from a visit to Firenze. Walter Morales directed the ESO, and Levy Auditorium served as a wonderful space for the ESO's performance, with intimate seating and a soaring ceiling. The tapestries of the Ten Commandments in Hebrew and in English graced the back wall of the auditorium.
On the way out the door, I noticed a brochure of "Music at Rodef Shalom," and noted that Joshua and Joanne will be closing the season. They will be performing on a weeknight, but I hope to attend.
First Annual St. Paul Cathedral Fish Fry
Yesterday William, Marissa, Jen F. and I met over the First Annual St. Paul Cathedral Fish Fry. Ed H. and his cadre of university students served us delicious broiled or fried fish, rolls, cole slaw, chips, lemonade, and a wide selection of desserts, both homemade cakes and cookies and Girl Scout cookies(!) Congratulations went all around to Jen regarding her recent engagement to Brian. Midway through our meal, William spotted one of his former students from St. John's College in Santa Fe, John, entering the dining room with his friend, a fellow Pitt grad student. They joined us for dinner and William enjoyed catching up with John.
After dinner, William, Marissa, Jen, and I headed to Mom and Dad's for a few rounds of karaoke. While waiting for Jen's bus in front of the Carnegie Museum of Art, we enjoyed an inflated friendly dragon anchored in front of the museum with "stalky eyes."
Learning to Knit
This past Monday I learned how to knit, thanks to Eva in the School of Information Sciences Knit Group. The group consists of loosely-knit individuals, all linked by our affiliation to the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences (SIS) and our varying degrees of fondness for knitting and crocheting: The group is organized by Judy Jablonski. Eva first taught me how to "cast on" (which I kept calling "cast off," as my affinity for Irish ceili dance--especially the Waves of Tory--showed); then how to knit, which made more sense to my wee li'l brane. I likened the process of knitting to locking a Prisoner's Lock, a lock composed of rings and a u-shaped bar which requires an algorithm to open and close. I told Eva about a book, Children's Toys from Around the World; and I recalled how my friend Myron Brooker from Ohio made a prisoner's lock for me. I wonder how Myron and his family are doing today.
Today, the SIS Knit group will meet at lunchtime. Some of the Fast Track students will join us for an hour of knitting. It will be fun to practice knitting and to meet more people. The first meeting I went to on Monday I saw my former professor/instructor Arlene Taylor, who is retired and currently editing a book she authored. She was surprised to hear that I was in the Biosciences department, and curious how I use my organizing and cataloging skills there. I received my highest exam marks in her class, Cataloging, while in SIS grad school.
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Last Monday, after the SIS Knit group, I went to the ongoing Newman discussion group on John Paul II's The Theology of the Body. We've been focussing on Genesis for this semester's discussion. Quite an interesting discussion, focussing much on human relations and the various kinds of love (as discussed by Pope Benedict XXVI in his encyclical, and defined by C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves). Various friends from the Newman Center, the Catholic Alumni Club, and the Cathedral choir are also in regular attendance.
Anti-War Rally
A few minutes ago the Thomas Merton Center-organized Peace/Anti-War Rally passed by Hillman Library, the main library of the University of Pittsburgh. The rally started at Penn and Highland Avenues in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh and was escorted by mounted police. Earlier in the day, when I caught a bus to Squirrel Hill, there was talk of bus route detours, and I saw a large State Trooper truck which probably carried the human resources to ensure that the Peaceful demo remained so.
Taking a bus home, I spoke with a woman (who had marched in the rally) whose grandson had joined the Reserves as a minor. She told me that he was sent to Iraq, only to "spend time sitting on a Humvie with his gun pointed at a bunch of old men and children....Nobody's child should have to spend time doing that...Now he [just] lives in [her] daughter's basement." Many people who return from war are like that. [He may have post traumatic stress disorder.] She is fortunate that he is still alive.
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I went to dinner and dancing with two couples who recently had got engaged--Mike I. and Rebecca, and Jen F. and Brian. Congratulations went out from all corners of the dance floor, and the two couples were radiant. I chatted and danced with friends, and had a chance to meet someone who lives in my neighborhood! A fun time was had by all.
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So, I recall my first-ever visit to the Philippines--with my elementary school-aged cousin Gaby walking around with a "Make Love, Not War" placard on the street he and his parents lived. The theme for this posting seems to be "Make Love, Not War."
Mookie's burial
This afternoon, after recording my show at the radio station, I went directly to William and Marissa's house. There was a neat grave dug by William. I helped him minimally this afternoon, and discussed soil science, archaeaology, pits, digging, the presence of pottery shards in his backyard, and various other items.
Two hours later, Mom and Dad arrived, Mookie's casket was brought inside for Snowball to see, a few words were said, and we all made our way outside with the casket.
Mookie, the last time I saw you I had many words to say. Here are those words, and wishbones for all your wishes to come true forever and ever and ever and ever more. We love you, Mookie!! See you la-ter.
Dinner was Mexican night, with Marissa as head chef. I was honored to be sous chef. We played a rousing few rounds of Celebrity Taboo, with boys against girls--with one of us girls being the swing.
Have a great time in dog Heaven, Mookie. See you la-ter!
end of Spring Break
Today is the last day of my Spring Break. My week was filled with meetings, wishing that the gym were open, and job-hunting for this summer.
Wednesday, I stopped into the Mac Store and talked about possible CPUs with Joe W, my friend and my favorite Mac Store associate. I met up with Vickie D there, and we gathered boxes for her moving as well as relaxed over peppermint hot cocoa and spiced cider. Afterwards, we heard a talk on one of the murals of Sacred Heart Church, prepared and delivered by a coordinator of their restoration. The murals appear to be on a fresco or ground limestone base, with paint applied onto the prepared surface. Some of the paint appears to be leaf. We were informed that the restoration involved watercolor paints.
Thursday afternoon, I taped my second Common Cents show for the Radio Information Service. Terry was the sound engineer, and we bantered for sound check. Thursday evening was choir practice, with much of practice devoted to music for the Lenten season.
Saturday, William, Marissa, and I went to Kaufmann's at South Hills Village. It is one of the Kaufmann's stores that is closing. We each bought some clothes, and proceeded to the food court for lunch. The evening was devoted to volunteering at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater's boutique and other fundraising ("Say it with Music") efforts. Many people are aghast that the PBT is performing without live music. "Say it with Music" is a fundraising effort to bring the musicians back.
While volunteering, I met another volunteer whose first name is the same as my surname; Matt and Summer, who relieved us from boutique duties; Keith, a bassoonist from the PBT orchestra; and ran into Chia-Pih and Julienne after the program. I was pleased to congratulate Julienne on her Fulbright award--she'll be in South Korea next year.
Today, Sunday, Russ sang with the basses while on Spring break from Yale; and Connor, a ten-year-old organist was in the loft observing, too.
The end of this week has had cooperative weather in line with Spring--it has been in the 50-60+Fahrenheit recently. This leads up to the ground thawing and being ready for William and Marissa to bury Mookie in their backyard.
"I love to ride my bicycle!"
This week, Miranda learned how to ride her bicycle. Joyce and Greg used a technique that they found out about on the Web, which indicates that cycling is a combination of balance and pedaling. So Miranda learned first how to balance, then how to pedal AND balance at the same time. Quite exciting. Joyce and I compared this method to how Dad taught us how to ride our bikes, which was with our training wheels; then subsequently sans training wheels, with Dad holding the bike seat and his running alongside while we pedaled like the wind. I remember shouting to Dad from my red bicycle, who was no longer running alongside my bike, but was waving at me as I pedaled down Bohl Drive. So Miranda was so proud to have learned how to ride a bike. Her little brother Benny is learning how to trike.
I actually think Joyce might have accidentally called ME when she might have meant to call William or Mom and Dad, who were trying to reach her after dinner at my house this weekend.
They came, they saw, they had fun!
my email message to Joyce follows:
On 2/27/06, I wrote:
Dear JO and Greck and Miranda and Benny--
I'm so glad that you all could come to Pittsburgh for Lolo's SURPRISE party
and stay for the week. I hope you liked making cupcakes with Grandma,
coloring and playing with the balloons at the party. Auntie King Kong,
Brian, Tio Wawa, Auntie Marissa, Uncle Bernie, and Aunt Jane were so happy
to see you and spend time with you, too. Seeing Caroline again was so much
fun, and you had your picture taken with her, too. Lolo and Lola loved your
visit as much as Grandma and Grandpa. Lolo and Lola love your new picture
in their living room. Maybe the next time you visit Caroline will have a
new bunsu.
Karaoke was so much fun!
I hope you liked the view from the choir loft, Miranda (everything is so
small [downstairs]!); as well as hearing Auntie Mimi's choir sing, Chris play the
trumpet, the choir play the handbells, and watching Adam play the organ.
Also meeting Winston, who had the same jersey as Benny--but bigger ("He's
only two and a half, so he's probably smaller than both of us.").
Thanks for coming to visit!
Love,
Auntie Mimi
~~Joyce wrote back~~
[not] to mention our trip up the incline and seeing 3 different kinds of penguins at the zoo! (Gentu, king & rockhopper!) Plus we enjoyed walking to Shadyside to shop and visiting Tio Wawa at his office. We certainly miss you all,
Joyce.
On Tuesday, there was construction in the street, with subsequent water gushing. Greg and Benny watched the cars and bicycles navigate through the newly-formed ephemeral stream at Fifth and Craig Streets. Throughout the week, Joyce played the piano while Benny and Miranda joined in. Thursday, after choir practice we celebrated Louis's 80th birthday. It is an honor to have him in our choir. Friday, we went for Japanese food on McKnight Road. Joyce was teaching some of us how to use chopsticks. Saturday, I took some photos of "The Gates of Pittsburgh;" and graded while Joyce, Greg, Miranda, and Benny went to the zoo. Afterwards, we enjoyed hanging out and eating animal crackers. Sunday there was karaoke before Church and candle-lighting afterwards by Joyce and the children. Joyce and Miranda sat in the choir loft with Auntie Mimi and the choir. Fr. Mike said the Mass and the homily echoed some of the issues that the Theology of the Body group has discussed.
