Making History!

Deanna Votes!

Mark and I voted as early as 9:00 am this morning (Nov. 4, 2008 EST). Here are some photos of me entering the Polling Booth of the 49th Electoral District. This is the third time I have voted for a US President (Bush/Gore - Bush/Kerry - McCain/Obama). The polling place is right in our building so it was convenient for us. But there is no truth to the rumor that we can see Russia from our building.

Time for Change!

V-O-T-E

We Remember September 11

June 26, 2008: Fun with Photo Booth!

So there! A Quote from Aldous Huxley

Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities.
- Aldous Huxley

So there!

The Papal Visit in New York & my friend Ron

My dear friend Ron Perez has been preparing to become a priest for over 2 years now. This May, he will be ordained as a priest, the only Filipino priest to be ordained out of 6 for New York this year.

I have gotten used to him focusing on his studies at St. Joseph's Seminary and College called Dunwoodie, the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York; our silence only to be broken by the occasional emails, telephone calls and visits during the Christmas holidays. But we have always kept in touch and when we do reach out to each other, it was effortless to pick up from where we left off.

Mark and I really felt happy for him for his ordination and his first Mass in May 10 & 11, 2008. And now with the Papal Visit that will take place on April 18, 19, and 20, 2008 (http://www.archny.org/papalvisit/), we are all the more proud that he will be the Deacon of the Word during the Pope's Mass in Yankee Stadium.

What is the Deacon of the Word? The most common custom is that one deacon usually reads the Gospel, the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful, the invitation to make the sign of peace, and other interventions such as "The Mass is ended ..." (ref: http://www.ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur98.htm)

Ron asked me to ask everyone to pray for him as he takes on this responsibility this coming weekend. Go Ron, go!

Mark and I really feel blessed and honored that we have a friend like Ron. It is one thing to have a priest for a friend. It’s another thing to have a friend for a priest.

Ron blesses 811 on December 24, 2007

Mark your Calendar for Ron’s Ordination: May 10, 2008

To those who have met Ron and know Ron, you are more than welcome to attend his ordination. Below is a transcript of his invitation:

With praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God,

The Penticostes and Perez Families

request the honour of your presence

at the Ordination of their son and brother

Ronald

to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ

through the imposition of the hands

and

the invocation of the Holy Spirit

by

His Eminence

Edward Cardinal Egan

Archbishop of New York

the morning of Saturday, the tenth of May

in the Year of Our Lord two thousand and eight

at nine o’clock

The Cathedral of Saint Patrick

Fifth Avenue

New York, New York

An Invitation to Rev. Ron’s First Mass

With eternal gratitude to the Lord,

a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving

will be offered

by

Rev. Ronald P. Perez

on the

Solemnity of Pentecost

the afternoon of Sunday, the eleventh of May

in the Year of Our Lord two thousand and eight

at one o’clock

The Cathedral of Saint Patrick

Fifth Avenue

New York, New York

First Blessings will follow after the Mass.

Ron’s quote in the New York Times of April 15, 2008

Here's Ron’s quote as it appeared in the New York Times last April 15, 2008

At 39, Ronald Perez is the oldest candidate for ordination next month. A former paralegal at a Midtown law firm, he moved to New York from Los Angeles 10 years ago to change his life. By the time he decided to become a priest, he had worked at a failed manufacturing company and a dot-com that missed the boom.

His decision to become a priest was gradual, he said, coming after years of involvement in activities at his home parish, St. Patrick's Cathedral. He credited the talks he had with visiting seminarians for nudging him closer to the religious life. Like many other contemporary candidates for the seminary, he started studying philosophy with other prospective priests.

"The door was open, so if it was for you, go on, but if not, leave, no questions asked," he said. "That first year was crucial. It gave me a chance to look back at my life and the world around me. Nothing I could have done as an engineer or a paralegal would give me contentment and happiness. Something was missing. I realized what it was: becoming a priest."

Deacon Ron at Christmas Mass in Saint Patrick's Cathedral

February 2008: Winter Migration to Australia

The Solomon's migratory route for the next three weeks: Sydney-Cairns-Adelaide-Kangaroo Island Adelaide-Melbourne-Sydney

February 2008: Food Shopping on Chinese New Year

People know you went shopping in Chinatown when you walk around New York with those bright orange bags. Here I am picking the best spring bok choy of the season. I found out they have 8 varieties of bok choy - from the Shanghainese to the Pekingnese, and that's not the dog either!

Hhhmmm, that salmon looks HOT. Pretty skeptical about those almost immobile fish. Got any lives ones flopping around?

Clementines at a bargain.

It's the New Year so let's start by clogging our arteries with lechon. Yay!
Repeat after me: I promise to work out tomorrow for two hours, I promise to work out tomorrow for two hours, I promise to work out tomorrow for two hours....

All that food shopping got me really giddy!
Let's whip up a meal now!

January 2008: Geneva, Switzerland and Italy

Mark and I went on a whirlwind trip to Switzerland and Italy for our 13th wedding anniversary and his birthday. I have never been to Italy and it did not disappoint - in art, culture, food, religion and tourists. With exactly 7 days to spend, we took a day trip to Gstaad to marvel at the Swiss Alps, and the small French / German towns that dot the mountains. It is truly a winter wonderland.

The best hotel in Geneva as far as views are concerned - the Fassbinder's Hotel Cornavin. This room has the views of the business district / old town of Geneve.

Taking the Eurostar Italia (the Italian counterpart of France's TGV) to Bologna via Milan.

January 2008: Piazza Maggiorre, Bologna and Ponte Vecchio, Florence

I love Bologna the most and while I had fantasies of living in Florence many years ago (due to the outstanding architecture and engineering of Bruneleschi's Duomo), I was disappointed that it was the proverbial tourist trap. But I like Bologna for its unassuming grace and people. The art was more a part of your life and not just for the tourists.

Deanna at the Piazza Maggiorre in Bologna, Italy.
This was prior to us entering the Church of San Pietro.
The monolithic buildings behind me used to palazzos of the wealthy.
Now they are government buildings or retail shops.

Mark and Deanna pose at the Ponte Vechcio, the bridge
over the Po river. Notice the Tuscan colors of the buildings.

January 2008: Gstaad. Switzerland

If you have fantasies of a Winter wonderland, Gstaad turns it into reality. White is the dominant color. And the villages that dot the mountain scape add a local color that can only be described as "quaint."

We rode the Panoramic train from Montreux to Gstaad. The train has glass windows all over so no one misses out on the view. The mountain scenery is just breath taking.



Unfortunately, we were too taken by the views around us that we missed out on the celebrities milling around the town. I'll take the view anytime, please!

Happy New Year to One and All!