Let’s just say it was a pretty interesting day at the facility on Saturday. The day started fine, really. One of the staff had called and asked if someone could work a double and I volunteered to do that which meant that she would take my shift on Sunday. It’s been quite some time since I had a whole weekend day to myself. So, I ended up working from 6:30AM-10PM. The interesting thing about the day was a fire broke out in the oven and some of the residents got more than a little excited and concerned. You see, I had put some chicken in the oven to be baked and when it came out, it was not cooked in the middle and it was pretty close to supper time. My colleague quickly grabbed the pans and put it back into the oven not realizing that under the pans were hot pads. Before we knew it, smoke was coming out of the oven. When I opened the door, there was a mini fire. By this time, some of the residents were getting more than a little anxious and were concerned about the smoke. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and put out the fire but kept the oven door closed as there was bound to be smoke. All the doors and windows were opened so as to not set the fire alarm because that would have been a major pain. Some of the residents were concerned that they would not have dinner. We assured all of them there were more than enough leftovers to go around. I had made goulash that afternoon and there was quite a lot of leftover. What I found interesting is how fast some of the residents panicked or got anxious even though we had everything under control. One resident voiced her concern because the fire alarm did not go off. She was also afraid that the oven was going to explode and kill everyone in the facility. I spoke to her and told her we were trying out very best NOT to set off the smoke alarm because it would have been too much protocol to worry about and reassured her that there was never a time when anything was out of our control. Oven fires do happen and you just roll with the punches and deal with it. My colleague was feeling really down because she felt extremely responsible for starting the fire. I informed her that anyone could have done what she did so she should not feel bad about it. At the end of the day, everyone got fed and after an hour, things were pretty much back to normal. Pretty exciting stuff, eh?!
On Thursday, the young adults came over to my apartment and we had our dinner. Since it’s Lent, I informed everyone that we’ll have a low key meal by having a pot luck. I had some salmon in the freezer that I’ve been dying to cook so it gave me a great opportunity to get that taken care of. Conceptually, I knew what I wanted to do and it all sounded great and it looked great in my head, but execution wise it did not turn out as well as I had hoped. Instead of baking the salmon, I decided to broil it and I guess I did not broil it long enough. Some of the flavors were there but it just was not up to my standard. Those who ate it said it was fine, but I think it could have been much better. That’s the beauty of cooking – you learn from your mistakes and hope you don’t make it again. I also have to say that I was rushing a little to get the salmon prepared so that could have been one of the reasons. All in all, we had enough food to eat and everyone was happy.
The Newman Guys sang on Sunday and there were not as many men as usual, but we sounded just fine. I had to coordinate the coffee and donuts after Mass and helped put the mikes and mike stands away. Needless to say, it was a little busy day for me. I got my haircut after Mass because my hair has been bugging the heck out of me and I’m glad I got that taken care of. The weather was nice enough that I got to wear my sandals when I walked over to the library from my apartment. It was definitely one of the nicer/warmer days before it started to get cold again. Today (Monday), we’re supposed to be getting more snow. A number of people have commented that it’s been a pretty long winter and more and more people just can’t wait for spring to arrive. I keep telling them that spring will be here before we know it. The rest of my Sunday was spent in my apartment watching the television, reading and just relaxing. It was indeed a very quiet and relaxing day for me.
This week, I’ll be going to a play entitled, “Defending the Caveman” which is supposed to be a comedy and on Saturday to a classical concert at the Art Museum. I’ll be a good week. I can already predict it!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
A very quiet week I must say.
It was a very quiet week and really, not a whole lot happened. It so many ways, it was kind of nice to not have anything too much going on. Work at both places was fine and I do have to share that on Saturday, when I was playing Scrabble with one of the residents, I managed to score 403 points. Yeah, pretty amazing, huh?! That score by far is the highest I've ever gotten and may end up being the highest score ever for me. The person I played against was just dumbfounded.
After work on Saturday, I headed over to Ann's place for dinner. Kathy and Don Sargent joined us for dinner. I knew Kathy from my time at Drake and she's a dear friend of Ann's. The five of us had a blast just catching up and chatting with one another. Sunday was very laid back. The residents were very quiet so it made for a very uneventful evening.
Today (Monday), the agency is closed since it's President's Day. I watched a couple of DVDs and will be going out for dinner with Fr. John then we're off to watch the movie, "Kite Runner" based on the best selling book by Khaleed Khomeni. The movie when it first came out had raving reviews and everyone said that it stayed true to the book which was an amazing read. I believe I read it two years ago.
Apart from that, there's really nothing to report from my neck of the woods. We'll see what next week brings for me.
After work on Saturday, I headed over to Ann's place for dinner. Kathy and Don Sargent joined us for dinner. I knew Kathy from my time at Drake and she's a dear friend of Ann's. The five of us had a blast just catching up and chatting with one another. Sunday was very laid back. The residents were very quiet so it made for a very uneventful evening.
Today (Monday), the agency is closed since it's President's Day. I watched a couple of DVDs and will be going out for dinner with Fr. John then we're off to watch the movie, "Kite Runner" based on the best selling book by Khaleed Khomeni. The movie when it first came out had raving reviews and everyone said that it stayed true to the book which was an amazing read. I believe I read it two years ago.
Apart from that, there's really nothing to report from my neck of the woods. We'll see what next week brings for me.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Frederick Chiu.
It kind of slipped my mind that I was to write all of you my weekly note. I had every intention of writing it at the office today but it got a little busy and before I knew it, the day was done. Once I got back to the apartment, I pretty much got comfortable watching a dvd I bought I forgot all about writing. Now that I'm on the computer, it dawned on me that I've not written to all of you. So, sorry for my absent-mindedness.
So, what did the past week hold for me? Well, on Mardi Gras (Tuesday before Ash Wednesday), I went to Miyabi for a nice last hurrah dinner before Lent begins. I figured most places would be more than busy and gathered that a Japanese restaurant would be my safest bet. I guessed right as I was the only customer at the restaurant. I grabbed a seat at the bar and had the chef's choice menu again. Let's just say by far it was the best Japanese food I had, period. The chef recognized me and even calls me his special customer. Heck, I know I've bonded well with him when he offered me sea urchin that came direct from California. I told him the next time I make it to his restaurant, I'll give him a budget to work with and calls in advance a couple of days earlier so he can do the shopping and figure out what he wants to serve me. He liked the idea a lot.
It was snowing pretty hard on Tuesday evening and pretty much entire morning of Wednesday. Joel closed the office on Wednesday which worked out pretty well because there were a couple of stuff I needed to get done. I took the bus to church for Ash Wednesday noon service. There were more people than the usual Ash Wednesday service and I think part of it had to with the fact that Drake's classes started later because of the weather.
Work at the facility was very uneventful over the course of the week and weekend. For the most part, the residents were all respectful towards one another and well behaved. That's the most you can ask from them. On Saturday, after I left the facility, I made it back to my apartment and gave it a good cleaning. You see, a couple of people from the young adults group will be meeting in my apartment once a week over Lent for the Lenten discussion group so I figured it would be a perfect time to clean my apartment. Later that evening, Joel, Kathy and I went to the Art Center for a classical concert by the pianist Frederick Chiu. I've not heard this guy before which is downright amazing because he should definitely be getting more exposure. His playing was immaculate and the three pieces he played prior to the intermission were played with his eyes closed. Yes, his eyes were closed the entire time. After the intermission, he played Beethoven's 5th Symphony on piano - yes, it's the same piece I heard the Boston Symphony play when I went to Boston two years ago. How good is Frederick you might ask? Well, let's just say he could definitely give the Boston Symphony a run for their money. The fact that he played a symphonic piece that was composed for an entire orchestra which was transcibed for a piano was unimaginable and his playing was utterly sublime. I truly was in awe of him. Needless to say if he makes it to DM again, I'll be sure to pay to see him again.
Sunday was a very good day. The 2nd Sunday sang at Mass and most of the time, whenever we get to sing, I'm always inspiried, but what made Mass extra special was the fact that in general, there was a sense of prayerfulness that emanated from the congregation. I made the comment to Fr. Jim and he agreed with me. It helped that the homily was inspiring too. All in all, it was a very good day. I even got to play two games of Scrabble with the residents.
I've nothing going on this weekend except dinner at Ann's. It's been quite some time since I motored to her place and both of us made the same comment today. I will be going to the Broadway play, "Twelve Angry Men" based of the classic movie starring a number of fine actors whose names all escape me now. I have the perfec seat for the performance and it's actually going to be matinee performance. I'll be working half a day on Thursday, take the bus straight from work to the Civic Center with roughly fifteen minutes to spare before the play begins. I'm really looking forward to it.
That's pretty much all the news from me.
So, what did the past week hold for me? Well, on Mardi Gras (Tuesday before Ash Wednesday), I went to Miyabi for a nice last hurrah dinner before Lent begins. I figured most places would be more than busy and gathered that a Japanese restaurant would be my safest bet. I guessed right as I was the only customer at the restaurant. I grabbed a seat at the bar and had the chef's choice menu again. Let's just say by far it was the best Japanese food I had, period. The chef recognized me and even calls me his special customer. Heck, I know I've bonded well with him when he offered me sea urchin that came direct from California. I told him the next time I make it to his restaurant, I'll give him a budget to work with and calls in advance a couple of days earlier so he can do the shopping and figure out what he wants to serve me. He liked the idea a lot.
It was snowing pretty hard on Tuesday evening and pretty much entire morning of Wednesday. Joel closed the office on Wednesday which worked out pretty well because there were a couple of stuff I needed to get done. I took the bus to church for Ash Wednesday noon service. There were more people than the usual Ash Wednesday service and I think part of it had to with the fact that Drake's classes started later because of the weather.
Work at the facility was very uneventful over the course of the week and weekend. For the most part, the residents were all respectful towards one another and well behaved. That's the most you can ask from them. On Saturday, after I left the facility, I made it back to my apartment and gave it a good cleaning. You see, a couple of people from the young adults group will be meeting in my apartment once a week over Lent for the Lenten discussion group so I figured it would be a perfect time to clean my apartment. Later that evening, Joel, Kathy and I went to the Art Center for a classical concert by the pianist Frederick Chiu. I've not heard this guy before which is downright amazing because he should definitely be getting more exposure. His playing was immaculate and the three pieces he played prior to the intermission were played with his eyes closed. Yes, his eyes were closed the entire time. After the intermission, he played Beethoven's 5th Symphony on piano - yes, it's the same piece I heard the Boston Symphony play when I went to Boston two years ago. How good is Frederick you might ask? Well, let's just say he could definitely give the Boston Symphony a run for their money. The fact that he played a symphonic piece that was composed for an entire orchestra which was transcibed for a piano was unimaginable and his playing was utterly sublime. I truly was in awe of him. Needless to say if he makes it to DM again, I'll be sure to pay to see him again.
Sunday was a very good day. The 2nd Sunday sang at Mass and most of the time, whenever we get to sing, I'm always inspiried, but what made Mass extra special was the fact that in general, there was a sense of prayerfulness that emanated from the congregation. I made the comment to Fr. Jim and he agreed with me. It helped that the homily was inspiring too. All in all, it was a very good day. I even got to play two games of Scrabble with the residents.
I've nothing going on this weekend except dinner at Ann's. It's been quite some time since I motored to her place and both of us made the same comment today. I will be going to the Broadway play, "Twelve Angry Men" based of the classic movie starring a number of fine actors whose names all escape me now. I have the perfec seat for the performance and it's actually going to be matinee performance. I'll be working half a day on Thursday, take the bus straight from work to the Civic Center with roughly fifteen minutes to spare before the play begins. I'm really looking forward to it.
That's pretty much all the news from me.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Midori and Dim Sum.
I figured the subject line would grab your attention! Well, on Thursday, Joel and I trooped up to Ames for the Natalie McMaster concert and boy oh boy did she get the audience all excited. The first half of her performance was not as good as the second. She does an amazing job with the fiddle and needless to say she is one talented artist. Joel called her music progressive Celtic and it was good. I personally preferred the slower numbers, but overall it was a fun and foot tapping concert. During her encore performance, she encouraged people to join her up on the stage and there were a number of teenagers who did some impromptu Irish Dancing. Everyone had a blast.
Saturday was the grand Midori concert. She had a week long residency in DM where she taught a couple of Master classes and gave a number of talks. John had downloaded the songs that will be performed that evening so I listened to it prior to the concert. The one piece that I was not looking forward to was Shostakovich. Whenever I think of Shostakovich, the image of a dark depressed composer and for me most of his music reflects that. Lo and behold, his Violin Concerto was what Midori was going to perform. The other orchestral pieces were fine, and they were performed prior to the intermission. After the intermission, I just braced myself to what was coming. Believe it or not, it took me not more than five minutes to be sucked in by Midori’s playing style. I was glued to her, and never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that I would actually like the piece. A lot of it had to do with Midori. Her playing was impeccable and you can’t help but be drawn into her music. I was mesmerized beyond comprehension the entire time she was playing and before I knew it, the concert ended. She earned a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience and it would have been nice to have her perform an encore piece, but that was not the case. It’s not the least surprising to see this former child prodigy reach the point where she is in the classical world right now. I’m blessed to have been able to be present at her performance. I highly doubt I’ll ever see any other performer play the way she did.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802030371
So, that was Midori. How about Dim Sum? Where does that come into play? Well, click on the link below and find out! http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080117/ENT02/801170348/-1/
My favorite Chinese Restaurant in DM is not serving Dim Sum. Yay! I was really wishing, hoping and praying that the chef would serve Dim Sum and as the article in the paper said, the restaurant is now doing it. So, I got up earlier than usual on Sunday and trooped over to the restaurant to myself some Dim Sum. In fact, I got myself so excited about it that I was dreaming of Dim Sum the night before. Alas, when I arrived at the restaurant at around 8:15AM, it was all dark. I guess they only open later in the morning/day and serve it at a specific time. What I should have done was to call the restaurant to verify the time they do serve Dim Sum. Oh well. I left very disappointed and ended up having breakfast at a diner which was fine, but Dim Sum would have been much better. There will be other times, I’m sure of it. I just have to be a little patient, that’s all.
This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and it marks the beginning of Lent. Yes, Lent is definitely early this year. I’ll be leading a small Lenten group discussion that consist of a number of young adults from St. Kate’s. It’s a small intimate group of us and we should have a pretty good discussion. The books are schedule to arrive this week which pretty much means that we’ll only be able to meet the week after. On Friday, the Rite of Election will take place at the Cathedral and I’ll be present with the candidates for RCIA from the parish. It should be a neat experience for all of them. I had informed my supervisor that I’ll be leaving earlier because of the Rite and she approved it. Joel, Kathy and I will be going to the Frederick Chiu classical concert at the Art Center. He’s a world renowned pianist and he’s really popular in DM. That should be another really good concert and I’m definitely looking forward to it too.
That’s all the news from me for the week.
Saturday was the grand Midori concert. She had a week long residency in DM where she taught a couple of Master classes and gave a number of talks. John had downloaded the songs that will be performed that evening so I listened to it prior to the concert. The one piece that I was not looking forward to was Shostakovich. Whenever I think of Shostakovich, the image of a dark depressed composer and for me most of his music reflects that. Lo and behold, his Violin Concerto was what Midori was going to perform. The other orchestral pieces were fine, and they were performed prior to the intermission. After the intermission, I just braced myself to what was coming. Believe it or not, it took me not more than five minutes to be sucked in by Midori’s playing style. I was glued to her, and never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that I would actually like the piece. A lot of it had to do with Midori. Her playing was impeccable and you can’t help but be drawn into her music. I was mesmerized beyond comprehension the entire time she was playing and before I knew it, the concert ended. She earned a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience and it would have been nice to have her perform an encore piece, but that was not the case. It’s not the least surprising to see this former child prodigy reach the point where she is in the classical world right now. I’m blessed to have been able to be present at her performance. I highly doubt I’ll ever see any other performer play the way she did.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802030371
So, that was Midori. How about Dim Sum? Where does that come into play? Well, click on the link below and find out! http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080117/ENT02/801170348/-1/
My favorite Chinese Restaurant in DM is not serving Dim Sum. Yay! I was really wishing, hoping and praying that the chef would serve Dim Sum and as the article in the paper said, the restaurant is now doing it. So, I got up earlier than usual on Sunday and trooped over to the restaurant to myself some Dim Sum. In fact, I got myself so excited about it that I was dreaming of Dim Sum the night before. Alas, when I arrived at the restaurant at around 8:15AM, it was all dark. I guess they only open later in the morning/day and serve it at a specific time. What I should have done was to call the restaurant to verify the time they do serve Dim Sum. Oh well. I left very disappointed and ended up having breakfast at a diner which was fine, but Dim Sum would have been much better. There will be other times, I’m sure of it. I just have to be a little patient, that’s all.
This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and it marks the beginning of Lent. Yes, Lent is definitely early this year. I’ll be leading a small Lenten group discussion that consist of a number of young adults from St. Kate’s. It’s a small intimate group of us and we should have a pretty good discussion. The books are schedule to arrive this week which pretty much means that we’ll only be able to meet the week after. On Friday, the Rite of Election will take place at the Cathedral and I’ll be present with the candidates for RCIA from the parish. It should be a neat experience for all of them. I had informed my supervisor that I’ll be leaving earlier because of the Rite and she approved it. Joel, Kathy and I will be going to the Frederick Chiu classical concert at the Art Center. He’s a world renowned pianist and he’s really popular in DM. That should be another really good concert and I’m definitely looking forward to it too.
That’s all the news from me for the week.
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