Accomplishments of My Older Children- Dodie and Dinah

The David B Katague Clan at Ian King's (my oldest grand son)Wedding, November, 2021

Just recently my youngest daughter Ditas Katague's Senior Executive Service( SES) appointment at the Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce had received a lot of publicity as well as numerous congratulatory messages from relatives and friends both here in the US and in the Philippines. 

https://theintellectualmigrants.blogspot.com/2022/05/filipino-americans-in-biden-harris.html

I am one of those friends and relatives that are very proud of her achievements. Needless to say, I have a feeling that my other two living children may feel that I am not proud of their accomplishments. With this article, I am assuring my two other living children, Dodie and Dinah that I am also very proud of their accomplishments even though it is not as popularly publicized in the Internet and social media and no international news coverage.  Here are their biographies from LinkedIN.

Dodie is my oldest son. He was born in the Philippines, but immigrated to the US in 1960. He is accomplished lawyer, writer and actor.  His latest acting work and performances were "Sweat" ( Benecia) and "Fences" (Pittsburg) as follows:

 

Featured performers from “Sweat” by Benicia Old Town Theatre Group are, left to right, Julius Rea, Dodie Katague and Matthew Goff. (Courtesy –Joe Messina Photography) Benicia Old Town Theatre Group presents “Sweat,” weekends April 19-May 11, B.D.E.S. Ahll, 140 West J St., Benicia.  

Dodie as a Patrol officer advising a drug addict in the play, Sweat.

Dodie Katague as Bono presentation of Fences, Pittsburg Community Theatre, February 5-13, 2022.
 

Life's Truth makes the best fiction

Dodie, my oldest son was born in the Philippines, but immigrated to US when he was only 18 months old. He has a law degree from University of California, Davis and had been a successful prosecuting attorney in Northern California for several years. He early retired last year to devote more time writing his 3rd novel.  He is married to his former classmate, Ruth Carver, also a lawyer and they have 3 adult children, Philip, Alix and Marina.   Dodie Katague lived at Cloyne Court Coop from 1977-79 while he attended the University of California, Berkeley.  He graduated in 1981 with a degree in Geography. He graduated from the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law in 1985. Since then, he is a prosecutor in Martinez, California. His first novel Cloyne Court is highly rated by both readers and critics. He is currently working on his second novel, "Rock Star Planet", a Young Adult science fiction adventure. He retired two years ago and have plans of finishing his third novel, "Devil Mountain DA", a fictional account of life in a dysfunctional district attorney's office.  http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=108890
Here's Dinah's Information in Linked In Dinah Katague, CAMS Dinah Katague Compliance Officer, High Risk Member Unit, Technology Credit Union Dinah started her career in BSA/AML in 2011 at Bank of the West. Within three years she was managing a team of 27 contractors to clear the FDIC items of the previous year’s audit. She was instrumental in growing the new department of 5 to 42. In 2017, Dinah joined Umpqua Bank as the CDD/EDD Manager. She managed two departments of EDD Analysts and CDD Specialists. Living in the “heart of cannabis growing country”, Dinah navigated her teams through the intricacies of the current political climate regarding marijuana, hemp and CBD, to become the subject matter experts for the bank. In June of 2020, Dinah joined Technology Credit Union as the Compliance Officer/Manager of the High Risk Member Unit. Her main responsibility is to help create, cultivate, develop, maintain and monitor the marijuana businesses direct and indirect program for the credit union. Dinah has been accused by some of creating a “Dynahsty” where ever she goes and they would be correct!   Here her Statement in LinkIn: "Through the course of my 15+ years’ experience, I’ve enjoyed the chance to manage and motivate teams toward consistent success. Colleagues will tell you I have a deep and intuitive grasp of business and team capabilities, and use this instinctive approach to expertly allocate staff and resources. A focus of my work has been employee engagement: by promoting an engaged and collaborative work culture, I’ve been able to develop staff members and deliver key gains to the bottom line. I also pride myself on adapting readily to new work challenges and environments".Compliance Manager, High Risk Member Unit at Technology Credit Union (Tech CU) Technology Credit Union (Tech CU) California State University-Sacramento

https://hopin.com/explore/speakers/C1Uhs2CcJDmTBk5qWNYJfoQjN 

Meanwhile enjoy this recent photo of Dodie and Ruth from their vacation in Germany and other countries in Europe.

 

Carenna's 2-Year Scholastic Adventure is Over- A Much Needed Vacation in Malta

A couple of days ago Carenna KT obtained her International Baccalaureate(IB) diploma from United World College in Maastrich, Netherlands ending her 2-years scholastic adventure abroad.  Her Mom Ditas attended this event with beaming pride.  

Carenna taking a well deserved nap in the Amsterdam Airport waiting for a Flight to Malta for a 5 day rest and Vacation along with Mom, Ditas. 

From Malta they will fly home to  Sacramento for a summer rest and preparation for their move to the East Coast ( Washington, DC).  Carenna's 2-years scholarship( International Baccalaureate Diploma) experience at United World College* at Maastrich, Netherlands was filled with ups and downs. There were days when she felt like quitting and crying for being lonely and homesick of Sacramento and the familiar surroundings of home. But she persisted and now victorious and triumphant. Again my congratulations. Hopefully she will be ready for another 4 year college scholarships this Fall at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC.  

Carenna and Mom with Kiko Lenio Graduation Party, Netherlands
 

Here's what Ditas wrote her FB page about Carenna's 2-year Adventure in Europe. 

"Two years ago, amidst a pandemic, this then brave 17 year old girl moved 5,500 miles away on a journey to expand her mind and her world view. I am so impressed with the young woman she has become, at 19 she is more worldly and smarter than I was at her age. The IB was challenging but taught her how to think, she is well prepared for the Elliott School of International Affairs at GWU. Nick Thompson is beaming with pride from heaven. #UWCM #GWU #movingtodc"

This summer, I will have a chance for a 2-week personal bonding with her since Ditas and her are planning to stay with me while their home is being prepared and renovated before its conversion to a rental property while Ditas serves her appointment as Associate Director for Communications, Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce in Washington DC. This SES appointment is Ditas dream job and hopefully will be her most rewarding and challenging job before her second and final retirement from public service. I am so proud of Ditas appointment and work ethic. 

Below are some photos of their 5 days vacation in Malta. In Malta they were able to connect with my Facebook friend, Dave Alan Caruana ( originally from the Island) but now a resident of Marinduque.  Again Thank You Dave for welcoming and making sure Ditas and Carenna had a great time in the island. I hope to meet you in person one day.  

 *United World Colleges (UWC) is an international network of schools and educational programmes with the shared aim of "making education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future." The organization was founded on the principles of German educationalist Kurt Hahn in 1962 to promote intercultural understanding.

Today, UWC consists of 18 schools on four continents. Young people from more than 155 countries are selected through a system of national committees and pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma. UWC runs the world’s largest scholarship programme in international secondary education, with over 80% of students selected by UWC national committees to attend one of the colleges receiving financial support. 

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is recognized by many universities worldwide. It was developed in the early-to-mid-1960s in Geneva, Switzerland, by a group of international educators.

 

Dodie's and Ruth Vacation to Europe This Year

Dodie had plan a vacation to Europe two years ago after his retirement as Prosecuting Attorney from Contra Costa County after more than 20 years of service. However because of the pandemic all travels abroad was cut-off. It was only this year that travels restriction was lift off.  Dodie and with spouse Ruth are now in their 3rd week traveling in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Hungary. Their last week will be in London where Dodie will attend a Writing Workshop. The workshop will give him energy to finish his second novel and a head-start on his 3rd novel. His first novel "Cloyne Court" has been published several year ago and had been highly rated by readers and critics. In case you don't follow my blogs, Dodie is my oldest son. He is not only a lawyer, but also a published writer and an actor.  Since a picture is worth more than a thousand words, I say no more. Here are the photos I copied from his Facebook Page. 

Looking at the above pictures makes my isolated life here in California more bearable day by day.
 

 

How to Apply for a Job in the State of California

Last month, I posted on the long and tedious process of a getting a job in the Federal government. In that article I stated that getting a job in the Federal Government above the GS-12 requires patience,and perseverance even if you are qualified for the position. Moreover, unless you are hired under the Expedited Hiring Authority Program, the average time from application to offering ranges from 6 to 18 months. 

In this article, I am listing the steps if you really want to get a job in the State.  The State of California's hiring process can be a little confusing, but the guide( link below) should help you get started. There are a lot of great resources online (like the California Job Blog). The CalHR and CalCareers websites are full of good information about the requirements for positions and the hiring process.

1. Examination
   
2. Eligibility
   
3. Vacancies
   
4. Apply
   
5. Interview
   
6. Clearances
   
7. Notes
   

Before you start the process be aware that it is not easy to get a job in the State of California. The new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that finding a job in California isn't as easy as one might think. According to the BLS data, as reported by 24/7 Wall Street, California stands as the fourth-hardest state in the nation to find full-time work. But the benefits working for the state is worth the wait, if you have the patience and perseverance.

 For complete details in how to get a job in the State of California read:

 https://www.cajobblog.com/2020/01/the-complete-guide.html

Personal Experience: In the late 1980's when I was in the process of changing jobs from the private industry, I answered a job vacancy as a Chemist for the Department of Agriculture Research Division, Pesticides Research-my expertise. I made it to the top 3 ranking, and had an interview but did not get the job. This was a blessing otherwise I would have not applied for the FDA job in Washington DC.  

Meanwhile enjoy these two photos from my garden today:

Driftwood Snake

Mini Cactus Garden-Turned your neck for the exercise!

 

The Island of Malta- A Tourist Destination

I have heard of Malta several years ago because of a friend in FaceBook (Dave Alan Caruana) who is from Malta, currently a resident of Marinduque. Dave write comments on my blogs every now and then. Although we have not met in person, I feel I have known him for for a long time. 

I want to know more about Malta since my daughter and grand daughter( Ditas and Carenna) are planning a 5-day visit to this beautiful and historic island this month.  My interest on the island was further heightened when I learned that the mother ( from Long Island, NY) of the housemate of my grand daughter( Alix) was also originally from Malta. 

Ditas and Carenna will be in Malta next week(May 23-28) and have plans to meet with my FB friend Dave Alan Caruana. Thanks Dave Caruana for agreeing to meet with Ditas and Carenna.

Here's a summary from Wikipedia about the Island of Malta. Do not forget to click on the videos. I highly recommend the video on the 10 Amazing Places to see in Malta.

Malta is the largest of the three major islands that constitute the Maltese archipelago. It is sometimes referred to as Valletta( see photo above) for statistical purposes to distinguish the main island from the entire country. Malta is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea directly south of Italy and north of Libya. The island is 27 kilometres (17 mi) long and 14.5 kilometres (9 mi) wide, with a total area of 246 square kilometres (95 sq mi). The capital is Valletta, while the largest locality is Rabat. The island is made up of many small towns, which together form one larger urban zone with a population of 409,259. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields.  

 

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast. It's a nation known for historic sites related to a succession of rulers including the Romans, Moors, Knights of Saint John, French and British. It has numerous fortresses, megalithic temples and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a subterranean complex of halls and burial chambers dating to circa 4000 B.C.

According to the International Living, Malta is the country with the best climate in the world.

Malta is a popular tourist destination, with 1.2 million tourists per year. Three times more tourists visit than there are residents. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island, although over development and the destruction of traditional housing is of growing concern. An increasing number of Maltese now travel abroad on holiday.

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMCCE-gzrSc

In recent years, Malta has advertised itself as a medical tourism destination, and a number of health tourism providers are developing the industry. However, no Maltese hospital has undergone independent international healthcare accreditation. Malta is popular with British medical tourists, pointing Maltese hospitals towards seeking UK-sourced accreditation, such as with the Trent Accreditation Scheme. Dual accreditation with the American-oriented Joint Commission is necessary if hospitals in Malta wish to compete with the Far East and Latin America for medical tourists from the United States. 

Malta is a popular tourist destination and known for its warm climate and breathtaking landscapes that serve as locations for major film productions. The archipelago is home to some of the oldest temples in the world, such as the Megalithic Temples of Malta.  For complete details visit:

https://www.google.com/search?channel=fs&client=ubuntu&q=malta+island

 

 

Compilation of Carenna's Original Songs- Graduation from UWC, Netherlands

Congratulations on Your Graduation from United World College, The Netherlands 

Carenna finished her 2 years scholarship (IB diploma) at the United World College (UWC)  program the other day in Maastricht, Netherlands. Mom Ditas flew to the Netherlands to attend her graduation.

Carenna's graduation gift from her Mom is a 2-week vacation all over Europe including London and the Malta Islands.

My gift to Carenna is this article/blog compiling some of her favorite compositions during her school years here in Sacramento, CA. Here are some of her favorite songs she composed about 4 to 5 years ago today. I am super proud of her singing, writing and high school accomplishments. I am a very, very proud Grand Papa, indeed! 

  

Carenna KT is my youngest grand daughter. She is singer, songwriter, and plays the acoustic guitar. She is a soulful singer who took up guitar after her father lost his battle with cancer when she was 8 yrs old. She will enroll this Fall at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC. 

Again my congratulations on her achievements.

 

A New Discovery on Food Delivery Service- Shef.com

 

Photo Credit: Speedyrecipe.com- Guinisa  Na Mungo ( Sauteed Mung Beans) with dried shrimps and spinach
 

Ditas send me the link on this food delivery service today. This service has a  Filipino cook ( Albert), but you can order any kind of dishes from cooks all over the world. 

For my first order, I ordered a monggo dish ( I have not tasted this dish for quite a while) with dried shrimps, a filipino fruit salad and a cassava cake at a total cost of $35 plus 10% tip. I got a $10 discount being my first order and free shipping because it was more than $25. Expected delivery one week from today.  I am looking forward for the delivery. For other dishes read the site below:

https://blog.shef.com/our-story

Other Pinoy dishes available to order are: adobo, menudo, paksiw, pancit and a dozen more common Pinoy Dishes. This is my first time to order. My favorite Food Delivery Services are DoorDash and Caviar. 

Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of my mini cacti garden in my back patio.

Just turned your head counter clockwise. I am doing this on purpose so you can exercise your neck muscles!! Ha! Ha!!

 

 

I am Planting Again Ampalaya and Okra This Year

My Ampalaya Last Summer

This year I ordered a purple (red) okra seeds on line. I have still seeds from my regular okra( green) that I saved last summer. Red Okra is an example of an edible ornamental.

If this is your first time to grow ampalaya read this site. Have Fun Gardening: 

https://dengarden.com/gardening/How-to-Plant-Harvest-and-Cook-Ampalaya-or-Bitter-Gourd

How To Grow Okra From Seeds
 

This year I plan on planting the Red Okra Variety. I have ordered seeds from Beyond Organic Seeds.

 

My First Okra Harvest Last Year- Must be harvested young and crunchy. My simplest recipe is just sauteed in olive oil the slice okra with onions, and shrimp paste with a trace of vinegar. 

  

What does red burgundy okra taste like?

Red okra are torpedo shaped and two to five inches long. Offering a unique flavor and texture, the fresh taste is somewhere between eggplant and asparagus. When cooked, however, the red color disappears and the pods turn green.

Here are my favorite recipes for ampalaya and Okra.

https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2014/08/bitter-melon-amplalaya-with-shrimps.html

https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2019/09/an-easy-recipe-for-baked-okra.html 

Remember, He/She that Gardens rule the World.

 

The Lunar Eclipse Last Night- May 15, 2022

The Moon from my Front Porch taken Mid Night-May 15, 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — All eyes are on the forecast for later tonight as a total lunar eclipse will be visible Sunday night.

According to NASA, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible starting at 9:15 p.m. By 10:20 p.m., a full lunar eclipse will be visible and remain visible until 11:54 p.m. The partial lunar eclipse ends at 1:20 a.m.

The lunar eclipse will be visible anywhere the moon is visible. Because lunar eclipses occur during the full moon phase, the moon will generally be visible starting around sunset.

That means most viewers on the east coast will see the lunar eclipse in its entirety while those on the west coast will be able to see the lunar eclipse in progress.

The next total lunar eclipse will be in November, which will be visible throughout most of the U.S. The next lunar eclipse after that won’t be until March 2025.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth gets directly in between the Sun and moon. The shadow will make the moon appear blood red during totality.  Here's a live blog of the eclipse from indianaexpress.com

https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/lunar-eclipse-2022-live-updates-pictures-visibility-livestream-7919256/

Photo Credit: CNN.com

 

 

Growing Up Filipino and American in the United States

The 4 D's- Dodie, Dinah, David E(RIP) and Ditas growing up as Filipino and American

On my previous posting, I wrote about Filipino Americans or Americans with Filipino descent or ancestry. I received a few comments and it reminded me that my 4 children who are second generation Filipino Americans have experiences during their formative years that may be similar/identical.

The following two videos ( Matt Agustin and Aireen Arellano) reminded me of my 4 children ( now adults) and their similar experiences or perhaps some identical experiences discussed in the videos growing up Filipino and American in the 1970's-1980's here in Northern California. Here are the 2 videos. Enjoy!    

The above video( Matt Agustin) reminds me of why I immigrated to the US in 1960 and possibly how my children may have similar experiences growing up Filipino and American here in the US.

  https://youtu.be/fGeKOPXmG_Y

One of the benefits in the video is about growing up with both culture. Matt Agustin explained it very well. Like me, Agustin parents came to the US for graduate studies. He grow up with not too many Filipinos around just like my children. This is a must read for Ditas, Dinah and Dodie. Here's another video, that I can identify. A must viewed for second generation Filipino-Americans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=854O5JEr76Q

Meanwhile enjoy these photos of the moonlight and solar lights, I took last night from my front porch and front yard.