This past week hasn't been as busy...Jason home
This past week hasn't been as busy...I went to a talk by Natalie Baker-Shirer for the readers of the Radio Information Service, lectored at the Cathedral a couple of times this week. Saturday, after lectoring I went to a tea tasting at the Te Cafe, and attended Annie's (Anna to the rest of the world) eighth birthday party.
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Serving as a lector on Saturday noon is different than for televised Masses during the week--fewer announcements and no music! This Saturday at noon, I served with Carole and Fr. Daniele Vallecorsa on the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
I arrived fashionably late for the tea tasting. They had discussed what is and is not tea, different forms of tea, and different names of tea. We tasted a Dragon Pearl Jasmine tea (quite fragrant!); gyokuro, a green tea reminiscent of alfalfa when steeped; Margaret's Hope Darjeeling (from a garden bought overseas by a Brit, in memory of his daughter, who loved the tea garden); and a Russian Caravan tea (which transported me to a small smoky hut where food is being prepared). I ended the afternoon tea with biscotti and a herbal rooibos caramel tea from South Africa. Absolutely delicious! We passed our teapots around the table, and I tried Thuy's selection of cardamom tea (which picked out the spice from the chai octet of flavors); and Eve's selection of pear rooibos (lovely fruity notes!)
At Anna's garden birthday party dad said the blessing of the food, we partook of the two large tables of food (too plentiful to name!), and, as usual, I was one of the gamemeisters--joined this year by Dean and Myla, as the group of children participating has grown from previous years. We played limbo, parachute, "give me," and pinata, among other games.
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This Sunday was Joyce and Greg's anniversary, with an added gift: Jason is out of the hospital! All our thoughts and prayers have been with him and his family. It must be great for Michael to have his whole family back at home together again. Joyce, Greg, Miranda, and Benny went to visit with Jason and his family Sunday. Miranda's dream/prayer is coming true!
Labels: anniversary, Birthday, lector, read, RIS, tea, thankfulness, Wellesley
Wholey's, Visiting--Fr. Breier, and Bible Study
Barbara, my fellow Pastoral Council member, and I had a delicious lunch of crabby cakes, mushrooms, coleslaw, and mac 'n' cheese. We ate from the hot food menu of Wholey's Fish Market. Mr. Robert Wholey himself greeted us as we found a seat for lunch! Lunch was crisp and very crabby; as opposed to our conversation, which flowed and was friendly.
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After lunch, we visited the hospital where Fr. Breier is recuperating. He looked great for someone who had been through what he had. We stopped by just as CNN was broadcasting the installation of Donald W. Wuerl as the archbishop of Washington DC. Our visit was well-timed--we provided a distraction while he waited for his medicine. We came bearing a card and a singing, dancing flower (we had to turn it off because laughing caused pain). All three of us prayed together, and we took leave after our short visit.
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After an afternoon nap, I had a chance to lead Bible study at the Newman center. There were about a dozen of us at the study tonight of John 4:1-54. Themes from last week's reading of Nicodemus (supernatural/spiritual levels of the passage) continued this week, as Jesus entered discussion of the spiritual realm through material themes such as water, food, agricultural themes, and the healing arts; additionally, differences between Jesus and those he preached/encountered/conducted healing acts upon were obstacles that were overcome as Jesus acted to convert people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and walks of life. Our group got into a discussion of prayer and what an answer to a prayer may be like. We closed the evening with an Our Father, and I had a chance to discuss with Theta her recent trip to Dumaguete whilst munching on mangorind candies!
Choir Party/Last Choir-sung Mass of the Season
Saturday was a great Choir party at Kelly and Mariss M.'s home. We all brought food to share, and soon Mary Louise, Amy, Julie, Anjali, and I were deep in conversation and deeply embedded in the living room sofa, which gently consumed us as we enjoyed our munchies. Everyone gathered in the living room to present Adam with a card and a small token of our appreciation as part of our send-off to him.
After enjoying conversations with various other choir members in the dining room, kitchen, and on the deck, we bid goodbye to the ping-pong players before Amy, Anjali, and I headed off to swing dancing.
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Choir in church Sunday was the last sung Mass by us for the season. Lord Almighty, it's hot in here!--despite the fact that we sang downstairs, in front of the BVM altar of the Cathedral by the east transept entrance. Fr. Tom said the Mass and was appreciative of our music ministry for this season. Mom had my camera, and she took a few snapshots of our group.
Labels: Choir, dance, farewell, music, Pittsburgh, St. Paul Cathedral
Jubilee Kitchen
I was speaking with a fellow passenger on the bus from downtown to Oakland after our group (Cecelia, Yvonne, Jonathan, Jose, Jeff, and I) attended August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean Friday night. We both agreed that the Jubilee Kitchen is a great place.
Saturday morning, I was volunteering with a church group at Jubilee Kitchen. In walked my bus-rider friend. A call-and-response followed:
P: Nuh-Unh!
me: Yeah-Hunh!
P: Nuh-Unh!
me: Yeah-Hunh!
P: Nuh-Unh!
me: Yeah-Hunh!
P (incredulously): I just saw you last night!
me: I know. You were just talking about Jubilee!
P: Yeah, isn't this place great? And look, you work here!
me: It's a small world, isn't it?
P, my bus rider friend, was telling me on the bus that she had been clean and sober for four years. "That's a long time," I said. "Congratulations. That's not easy."
The rules posted on the wall at Jubilee reflect those values:
1. No Alcohol
2. No Smoking
3. No Violence
4. Everyone Must Be
Seated While Eating
Only Staff Behind
The Counter
Gem of the Ocean
Life. Being filled up.
Death. Seeing the City of Bones.
Death-in-Life. Slavery...Freedom...
Sanctuary. A house in the Hill District.
Labor relations. Pittsburgh at the turn of the 20th Century, tainted by post-Civil War American troubles.
August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean is playing at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and is beautifully acted and produced. The actors and actresses plied their craft well, interacted with each other wonderfully, and made a dramatically acted and sung scene of confession fill the theatre and our hearts.
This standing-ovation show is selling the most seats by far of all current Pittsburgh theatre productions. Need I say more?
Huang Xiang--Poetry Play at Garden Party
This Sunday I participated in a poetry play with other poets at the community garden party at the Mattress Factory Museum on the north side of Pittsburgh. I emceed the Poetry Play, explaining the poets, performers, format of the program, and our dress. Huang Xiang, his wife Zhang Ling, Wendy Wu, and myself performed poetry written by Huang Xiang, T'ang Dynasty poets, and myself. The format of the program was poems read first in English, then in the original language in which the poem was written. We wore traditional Chinese and Filipina dress and painted poetry clothing.
The poetry play was in four parts. The first portion was excerpts from Huang Xiang's Eastern spiritual epic: Your Body Revealed and Concealed, with the poet reading excerpts, after either Wendy Wu or I read an English translation of the poem. The second portion of the poetry play were English translations of poems read by myself: Wang Wei's Love Seeds and excerpts from Li He's Horse Poems. The close of the second portion of the poetry play was my performance (by invitation) of my poem for the Philippine Nationality Room at the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. The third portion of the poetry play was Wendy Wu reading translations of excerpts of Huang Xiang's Revived from the Dead, written in 1976. And the final portion of the poetry play was selections from Zhang Ling's written works, read by the author. They included Snow Dreams, an excerpt from her autobiography (Crown of Thorns, Chapter 10) written during the fifth time Huang Xiang was incarcerated, and Silk Cotton Flower.
Wendy's husband Milton videographed the event. We had a chance to see how it turned out after our performances.
I was happy that my parents and William and Marissa were able to attend the event. They enjoyed the poetry play and the opportunity to visit the museum's tables/booths (create-your-own art!). Marissa was particularly taken by the mirrored room installations.
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Afterwards, I went to Julie B's birthday/graduation party near my home. My table consisted mainly of members of St. Paul Cathedral's ministry: Pastoral Council, lectoring, and altar serving. Some of us stayed for a while after dinner, and were treated to deftly choreographed dances on the dance floor by Julie's fellow CAPA graduates.
Home again, Home again, jig-a-dee jig
I'm home again after my travels to the San Francisco Bay area. I brought sourdough bread for us to enjoy here in Pittsburgh, as well as a full suitcase of blankets, a Maya wrap, and crib items for William and Marissa. Miranda walked into the gate at school by herself today, and Joyce, Benny and I went to Peets to pick up coffee to share with April, Joyce's friend. This has become their morning ritual. We went shopping afterwards, and Joyce got a pair of maternity jeans for Marissa. I got a money belt/pack for my travels, as well as a shirt to layer in the airplane.
My seatmates were Augie, an MD who is an anatomy and physiology professor at a satellite Kent State campus; and a telecommunications worker. Augie and I had a great discussion about teaching, balancing work and family, and children.
Dad picked me up in the airport--we walked all the way back out to long-term parking because they were waving cars away from short-term parking. Mom had a dinner of kare-kare, perch, rice, corn, and pineapple waiting for me! The sky had threatened rain the whole evening, but without precipitation, save a few drops on the airplane window as we descended onto the runway. Gee, it's great (awesome) to be back home.
Visiting--School Farm and Berkeley
Today was Miranda's birthday celebration at school. Joyce and she had chosen family photographs for a poster they made together to share with Miranda's class. After dropping off Miranda; Joyce, Benny, and I joined Peyma and Nessa in a trip to the school's farm--replete with two sheep, goats, chickens, and a community garden divided by the school classrooms.
Joyce, Benny, and I went home and then she drove me to the California Avenue Station. I took Caltrain to Millbrae, transferred to BART, transferred trains at Embarcadero to a Richmond-bound train and popped out at the Downtown Berkeley station. I called Lloyd and Sheila, and walked to Body Time (originally The Body Shop), where I purchased some fragrance, and then met Sheila and Lloyd at the Campanile tower after a short walkabout West campus of UC Berkeley, including photos near Sather Gate. We had lunch at Adagia on Bancroft Way, with Carrie as our server. It used to be a church library, but was converted into a restaurant. The food was delicious--we had sandwiches with salad or frites; I had the Spanish white anchovy bocadillo and we shared a trio of sorbets, which included blood orange, lime, and watermelon--and we had engaging conversation. All three of us walked to the BART station, where I caught the next San Francisco-bound train.
I disembarked at Embarcadero, and called my friend Rafi, who met me for an "antioxidant" smoothie of blueberries, berries, and tea. I continued on BART after bidding Rafi adieu. and found myself standing in line waiting for the next train next to one of his friends! We chatted, and she informed me that her son is a stand-up comic who makes Pinoy jokes. (Note to self: must share his web site with FAAP members.) Joyce retrieved me from the Palo Alto/Stanford University station, and Greg, Joyce, Miranda, and Benny all had dinner together, with the corn and beans that we purchased locally by the coast yesterday.
I read Benny three good-night stories, and left to type this entry/post.
Visiting--Bicycling theme
This morning Greg, Miranda, Benny, and I biked to Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels for a baker's dozen of bagels + 2 onion bialys. On the way there, we saw classmate Kate; their neighbor Cynthia, who ran faster than we were biking; and on the way back, we saw Benny's classmate Zoe and her grandpere, and we wished her a Bonne Anniversaire, and that we would see her at the party later today.
We left at ~9:10am for a beach at Half Moon Bay and ran into thousands (at least 6737!) cyclists on 92W who are raising money for AIDS by cycling from San Francisco to Los Angeles. We ended up at Pompanio State Beach and enjoyed the marine terraces, cliffs, creek, digging a hole in the sand, eating bagel sandwiches, skipping stones, splashing, predicting the buoyancy of different beach objects, wading in the surf, and taking rocks home--along with sandwiches and the ubiquitous fog ("It's when clouds touch the earth," I explained to Benny and Miranda).
We picked up white sweet corn, and vegetables (including purple string beans!) at a roadside stand before arriving home at about 2:30pm--enough time to get the kids washed up before Benny's departure for his classmate Zoe's party. Joyce, Greg, and Benny went to the party, where Benny blew bubbles, squirted water, and ate a lot of cake. Meanwhile, Miranda and I played with her gifts from her birthday party...making clay sculptures, and bead creations; playing with My Little Pony braiding kit, too.
When they returned from the party, we went out to eat Japanese food. We had three different nigiri rolls, bento box meals, and teriyaki meals.
At the end of dinner Miranda said to Joyce, "Mom, I don't want Auntie Mimi to leave."
"I have to leave, Miranda, I have to go to work."
"You're not going to stay in a hotel, are you?"
"No, I'm not, Miranda."
"Good."
After returning to their home after dinner, we viewed the pictures and movies from the past few days, and Benny went to bed. Miranda and Joyce are selecting pictures for the birthday display at Miranda's school tomorrow.
Visiting--Miranda's Sixth Birthday Party
Yesterday was Miranda's sixth birthday. Joyce had made beautiful invitations to Miranda's Narnia party, and everyone had RSVP'ed. There were fifteen children, including siblings: All her girl classmates were there, as well as her best friend's younger brother, Michael with his abuela; Peyma's girls Tjasa and Nessa were there, too. We started the party off by making jewelled goblets, then Joyce read the Narnia tale. We went to the playground (passing a statue of Aslan along the way) and played for a while before the games of wardrobe relay, Narnia tag, and the treasure hunt. Joyce had written the poems for the treasure hunt. Then we headed home for a lunch of homemade croissants, punch, and berries before the chocolate Narnia castle cake by Joyce and Heike's snow-covered yellow cake. Emily, a rising soph at Pali, assisted during the party. Miranda opened presents from all of us, including my gifts of a necklace-making kit of vari-colored beads including alphabet beads, First Bible Stories, and a handmade brightly colored card of a castle.
I went to Mass at St. Albert the Great (patron saint of scientists) parish, where Monsignor Eugene Boyle is celebrating his sixtieth anniversary of joining the priesthood. I congratulated him for his service after he had said Mass.
Visiting--Preparing for Miranda's Sixth Birthday
Today Miranda just woke up and I wished her a happy birthday, then sang to her a Happy Birthday. Then she told me her happy, awesome dream. I told her that most dreams are merely your brain's thoughts at night, but hers was like a prayer.
Yesterday was a day of preparation for Miranda's birthday. Joyce and I dropped Miranda off at school and ran some errands, visited April M. and some of her family, dropped Benny off at school (where we met up with Parva and saw the family mentioned in an earlier post), went for breakfast at Goldilocks (longsilog at bangsilog), then bought party supplies at Costco for Miranda's party. We ran to the grocery store, visited the library, then it was time to pick Benny up at school. We returned home with time for Joyce to frost Miranda's Narnia castle cake, and Benny and I to play. Soon it was time to pick up Miranda at school, after which we read and watched a Dora DVD. Time for a nap, more preparations for Miranda's birthday. Greg returned from work (Yeah, it's Friday!) and a gaggle of us went to a Mexican restaurant on El Camino Real for some homemade food. After I had a snack, Kim L.N. stopped by to pick me up for dinner at her house with her family. Kim, Alfred, and Hannah welcomed me into their home for a homemade dinner of orange chicken, tofu with asparagus, and brown rice, with sparkling fruit soda. After dinner, I heard the story of how Kim and Alfred met and the birth of Hannah. We ate fruit salad while poring over Hannah's pictures. Kim and I went to replenish my supply of disposable cameras, and we discussed the difficulties of balancing children and career/employment.
Visiting--Miranda's School, the Place to Meet
I'm trying to stay on East Coast time (EDT) so that I'll have no problems readjusting when returning after my trip. So, thus, the early morning postings.
Yesterday, Joyce, Benny, and I dropped off Miranda at school. I met her teacher, Lisa, and Miranda toured me around her classroom, where I got a sense of the class's reading ladder, and saw the two-student reading nook. Before class started, Miranda and I went to the yard and she demonstrated her elan on three sets of monkey bars--the rings, traditional monkey bars, and the slider. Joyce and Greg noted earlier that she has "monkey bar hands."
After, Joyce, Benny, and I stopped by to pick up coffee for the grandma of Miranda's friend. We stopped by his house, visited with some of his family, and inquired about how he is doing. We have all been praying for the quick recovery of her friend.
While Joyce was away to prepare for Miranda's party, Christine and her two sons William and Andrew came over to play with Benny. After a few moments of learning about sharing, the boys played beautifully together.
Joyce returned in time for lunch, then we stopped by to pick up Miranda at school. We arrived ~20 minutes early, to beat the parking rush. We were watching Benny play in the front playground (where we had seen the Palo Alto environmental services man empty the dumpster earlier that day), when a woman called out "Grace? Grace..." and I turned around to find Kim L. N., my friend from chemistry graduate school at UC Berkeley! It has been years since we have seen each other, and she was visibly pregnant ("this is my second," she informed me). We went to wait for her daughter Hannah and my niece Miranda. We exchanged contact information and agreed to stay in touch. Miranda gave me her backpack and her handmade flour dough necklace to wear while she and Benny played on the playground.
Back at home, we had honey ice and played on the patio while Joyce prepared for the party. Then it was time for naptime, and we watched a Sesame Street DVD (What's the Name of that Song?) while the children waited for Greg to return from work. The DVD features skits with the Muppets and celebrities.
Kirsten, my friend and thesis mate from Wellesley soon arrived for our dinner out together. We went for sushi near the Stanford Bookstore, which was absolutely delicious and the restaurant featured a drinking game which looked like a male-bonding ritual, which involved sake + beer. We had edamame, an unagi combo roll, yellowtail and spicy tuna sashimi, and rice. We had a chance to catch up with each other, and headed to get gelati right around the corner from the Stanford theatre (with the mighty Wurlitzer!) After picking up some pad Thai for Joyce (which met practically all the allergy criteria), we headed back to take pics of us by their flowers before Keeks departed for home.
Well, it's about 4:30 in the morning here on the West Coast, making it a pre-dawn, pre-bird song posting. Back to bed for me!
Visiting Joyce's Family in Palo Alto 2006
Yesterday I took a direct USAirways flight to SFO. My seat partners were a faculty member from UCBerkeley and an elected Pennsylvania state official, Bob Casey, Jr.. My brother-in-law Greg picked me up from the airport (spotted by my bright poncho) and we went to Benny's school, where Joyce was volunteering for the day. I met Teacher Judy, Benny's instructor. I joined Benny in linking magnet trains, and we were soon joined by at least half a dozen other children.
Greg and I later had a discussion about how playing with the children in Benny's class almost always results in becoming a celebrity for the day...being surrounded by children immediately, like a magnet. I think it's the way children welcome a newcomer, and wonder if they do the same for one of their own age.
We went to Miranda's school, where Benny and Miranda greeted each other by twirling around the same pole at school--until untug! Miranda hit her head on the concrete. Tears and a relay race to the office for ice ensued, followed by naptime at their home, which I haven't visited until yesterday. After naptime, Joyce gave me a tour of her house, we picked strawberries from their backyard, and we hung the wind chime she and Miranda had made earlier. Miranda and I read for a while, then we played and read books with Benny before Greg returned from work.
Dinner was pot roast, rice, and green beans with a walk to the ice cream store after dinner. Miranda and I read three fairy stories before bedtime, sang the "Goodnight" Song, then said our regular prayers, where our sole intention was for Miranda's best friend Jason and his family.
Greg and I chatted as he prepared their lunches for tomorrow, and Joyce returned with a report about the Preschool Family Meeting. It was a full day, ending around 9pm Pacific time (PDT).
So, I've been up for about an hour, since before dawn today (~5am). The house is quiet, the birds then began singing: First a single bird, then presently joined by various bird songs.
I realize what I miss from the Bay Area from our day: I saw at Miranda's school a large crow; and in their neighborhood there are yards filled with jasmine (my favorite flower from the UC Berkeley campus), with a similar scent as sampaguita. I also noticed the eucalyptus gently changing color as we drove along the freeway and on the main thoroughfares of Palo Alto. What a pleasant welcome by the flora and fauna of the San Francisco Bay area for my first day this visit!
