February 28, 2007

Dear Loved Ones,

Belated Happy Valentine and wishing everyone a meaningful Holy Week season ahead, hope we all fulfill our Christian obligation to make a good Confession before Easter!

To my UST Yahoo Groups who went to Pinas for the Grand Engineering Centennial homecoming, Welcome back to America! I enjoyed the pictures you shared and wished I were with you; hope you enjoyed sightseeing, shopping, etc. Had I been there, I would have treated you to the Tagaytay Highland trip. My classmate Sally and I are members of that Club. Yes, definitely count me in for that 2010 reunion when the ENG70 batch will get the 40th year (Ruby anniversary) Medal, God Willing!

I am back to my Willdan home office since Feb. 20, after completing my project at CSD1, returned to the 30-minute commute from home. I am very thankful for the ‘high-tech GIS experience’, spending the winter months just around the neighborhood, knowing many more people. Would you believe that there were more Asians than ‘white’ employees at CSD1, Filipinos and Vietnamese? I got a bigger cubicle, directly in front of our VP Jeff, just like the arrangement before we moved to this new office. I chided him that I needed a salary raise more than the bigger space, and he assured me that I could expect it on my 1st anniversary on April 3. Moreover, our SVP said that with my good performance at CSD1, I could be recalled to do projects there which I would welcome anytime!

Like in my professorial life, I am happy to meet new people all the time. Because the NU system is a monthly course, I know new sets, at least ten new students every month, bringing their own personalities and backgrounds, sharing with me their individual experiences, thus enriching my life with their new / fresh outlook and allowing me to contribute to their improvement and happiness! It is very satisfying to receive their positive comments and appraisal at the end of each course, which are stored in the database for administrative evaluation/action and faculty performance feedback/ motivation!

More personal Blessings in my ballroom dancing group, I met this young couple, Lance and Yumir Mateo (originally from Paranaque), whose home is just behind our own. They live with their 5 year old daughter and his mother Gloria (in her early 50s) who used to be a caterer, so she is fond of cooking Filipino food. She suggested if I wanted for her to cook during her spare time (she works at Costco), so voila, we now have a weekly ‘caterer’, delivering us goodies like menudo, embotido, fish sinigang, palabok, leche flan, turon, etc. Can you beat these nice amenities! Come to think of it (as Sean said) I had only been preparing spaghetti and chicken adobo ever since (in addition to the ‘to go’ that we often do). Since I have this type II diabetes (from my Mom’s genes), I avoid cooking delicious foods because I am not good at appetite control, as part of my health management. So now, Sean can have his cravings for Flip menu satisfied through Glo’s cooking.

Sean did it again! Recall that at around this time last year, he participated in a Math (Algebra) contest at his school - American River College (ARC), where he placed 2nd and won an IPOD. This year, his teacher Ms. Julie, entered him again, on a higher level, Algebra and Statistics (subjects he had completed). This time, the contest was held at the California State University Sacramento (CSUS) campus auditorium. The contestants were combined students from both schools. Starting with 120 from ARC, the finalists were trimmed to 30 from CSUS and 30 from ARC. The elimination style were both written and oral, with the final round done similar to the ‘GREED” quiz show on TV. At the end of the day, the final result: Sean placed 3rd and won a Play Station II/ DVD player - an advance Birthday Gift for himself (March 25)! He is making a habit of acquiring electronic gadgets by winning in Math contests! Of course, Ms Julie became hyper again, jumping up and down, and told Sean to give a chance to others next time!

With elections coming up in Pinas, let us continue to pray for our country and people. Peace and Joy to You. God Bless us all!!!

Much love and Best Regards!!!
SUSAN BG

FYI: My WILLDAN office phone is: 916- 924-7000 Ext. 1625. For my complete journals, please visit www.sbgerardo.blogspot.com Thank you!