Epi's wedding was great. I am really proud of Veronica and him for getting through it. It all turned out well and it was one of the better weddings I have attended.
Frank, Edwin, Epi, Veronica
Dan and Irene
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
20 Year Class Reunion
Twenty years pass us by a lot faster than most of us would like to admit.
I still cannot get over the fact that I am going to be 38 years old....soon! I can still recall playing with Star Wars figures with Sammy G. and throwing wet toilet paper on Richard V.'s garage door. There was also the time that Alex Ch. and I rode our bikes to the Citadel......before it was the Citadel.
Ok, so that was a long time ago and my elementary days are far behind me. Except that every day of my life I report to an elementary school and work with children, so it's like I never really left. Hmmmmm.....but is has been a lifetime.
You know this whole reunion thing has made me wax a bit nostalgic. It doesn't help that I ran into Diana S. from Stevenson Junior High School last week. She moved to North Carolina but does consulting work here in Los Angeles. It was a true act of God that I even ran into her....more so that we recognized each other after 23 years. I also ran into Richard V. at LAX when I was dropping my father off at the airport. That was a true coincidence. I had not seen Richard since Lorena Street School and we were great friends. We have since grown up and moved on.
The amazing thing about those two encounters is that these people were truly an important part of my life in many ways. They are a reconnection to my past; an indelible link to my childhood. When I think back on my life I realize that I am truly blessed. I am truly fortunate. I am truly lucky. Life was never easy, but it was always fun. Nothing was ever handed to me, but it was fun taking what I could and running with it every step. Sure I had teachers who believed in me....I also had teachers who were a$$hole$. Well actually, just one. I am sure that to this day Mr. Mitchell (if he is still alive) remembers that an 8th grader was smarter than he. He took great joy in having me believe that I would fail in life. The only problem was this.....I told him that HE was the failure and that he should not live vicariously through his students. After that he stopped with his snide remarks and I earned that A in his Geometry class. Maybe to spite him....maybe to prove to him that I could do it. Maybe I knew all along that I could not and would not fail.
Then there's Ms. Hanson. Oh Ms. Hanson. Words can never say. So I will leave it at that.
At any rate....the Roosevelt High School Class of 1988 - 20 Year Reunion is underway.
Quiet Freaking Cannon; the name itself implies an oxymoron. Just like the kids from Roosevelt. We were not supposed to succeed, but we did. We did and we continue to do so. We are everywhere and we are doing it all. Outsiders would have everyone believe that we are all gangbangers, drug dealers and welfare recipients. Sure we are some of that. But that is not all we are. You can find gangbangers, drug dealers and welfare recipients all over the country, that goes without say. We are also productive citizens of the community, the city, the United States and the world. We had it tough, but we have endured and we continue to do so.
I look forward to getting together with old friends, old acquaintances and old classmates. We're not really old....we're just getting better.
I still cannot get over the fact that I am going to be 38 years old....soon! I can still recall playing with Star Wars figures with Sammy G. and throwing wet toilet paper on Richard V.'s garage door. There was also the time that Alex Ch. and I rode our bikes to the Citadel......before it was the Citadel.
Ok, so that was a long time ago and my elementary days are far behind me. Except that every day of my life I report to an elementary school and work with children, so it's like I never really left. Hmmmmm.....but is has been a lifetime.
You know this whole reunion thing has made me wax a bit nostalgic. It doesn't help that I ran into Diana S. from Stevenson Junior High School last week. She moved to North Carolina but does consulting work here in Los Angeles. It was a true act of God that I even ran into her....more so that we recognized each other after 23 years. I also ran into Richard V. at LAX when I was dropping my father off at the airport. That was a true coincidence. I had not seen Richard since Lorena Street School and we were great friends. We have since grown up and moved on.
The amazing thing about those two encounters is that these people were truly an important part of my life in many ways. They are a reconnection to my past; an indelible link to my childhood. When I think back on my life I realize that I am truly blessed. I am truly fortunate. I am truly lucky. Life was never easy, but it was always fun. Nothing was ever handed to me, but it was fun taking what I could and running with it every step. Sure I had teachers who believed in me....I also had teachers who were a$$hole$. Well actually, just one. I am sure that to this day Mr. Mitchell (if he is still alive) remembers that an 8th grader was smarter than he. He took great joy in having me believe that I would fail in life. The only problem was this.....I told him that HE was the failure and that he should not live vicariously through his students. After that he stopped with his snide remarks and I earned that A in his Geometry class. Maybe to spite him....maybe to prove to him that I could do it. Maybe I knew all along that I could not and would not fail.
Then there's Ms. Hanson. Oh Ms. Hanson. Words can never say. So I will leave it at that.
At any rate....the Roosevelt High School Class of 1988 - 20 Year Reunion is underway.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Quiet Cannon
Quiet Freaking Cannon; the name itself implies an oxymoron. Just like the kids from Roosevelt. We were not supposed to succeed, but we did. We did and we continue to do so. We are everywhere and we are doing it all. Outsiders would have everyone believe that we are all gangbangers, drug dealers and welfare recipients. Sure we are some of that. But that is not all we are. You can find gangbangers, drug dealers and welfare recipients all over the country, that goes without say. We are also productive citizens of the community, the city, the United States and the world. We had it tough, but we have endured and we continue to do so.
I look forward to getting together with old friends, old acquaintances and old classmates. We're not really old....we're just getting better.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Arizona
At the end of February, beginning of March this year we went to Arizona to see Dez play in her softball tournament. We had a great time and observed some neat sites. It wasn't too much of a sightseeing trip as we spent most of our time watching her play softball. The team did not fare too well, but we were able to hang out with her and her friends and that's always nice.
Here's some Arizona scenery.
Dez playing softball
The fans
Whale Watching
Went whale watching with Vicki, Norma and Chris today. We had a good time even though we all got a bit sick......except for Norma -- oddly enough.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Mexico 2004
This was an awesome trip for the Serrato men. Tata, Chris and I had a great time traveling all over Mexico. We saw the ruins at Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Cobá, Tulum, El Tajin (Veracruz). We met some awesome relatives in Mexico City and ended our trip of four weeks with a visit to Degollado.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Legg Lake
Walked the lake with my new camera today. Lot's of people out there today. Lot's of dogs and poop too. Why don't people take care of cleaning up their dog's business? Do I really need to step in that? NO I don't!!
I really like my new camera......I still have a way to go with my photography skills, but I am just taking these pictures for my own enjoyment.
Putting the Professional back into Professional Development
Long day.....Short story.
Professional development doesn't just happen. Or at least it shouldn't just happen. PD needs to be well thought out, planned out and rolled out. Fail to plan......plan to fail.
Today was a long day, but a good day. I need to feel reinvigorated. I think I might be on my way to reinvigoration (is that a word?....probably only in my head) and that's good. The only problem is that the level of work that I put in will now be multiplied exponentially. That could be good or bad depending on how you look at it, but either way I think it will be good for me!
Professional development doesn't just happen. Or at least it shouldn't just happen. PD needs to be well thought out, planned out and rolled out. Fail to plan......plan to fail.
Today was a long day, but a good day. I need to feel reinvigorated. I think I might be on my way to reinvigoration (is that a word?....probably only in my head) and that's good. The only problem is that the level of work that I put in will now be multiplied exponentially. That could be good or bad depending on how you look at it, but either way I think it will be good for me!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Stir Crazy
Ok, I get the whole "you're sick and you need to rest" bit, but after 5 days I am going crazy. I mean there is only so much TV to be watched and so much Internet to browse. I don't even know what to tell you except that I am going a bit crazy. Not crazy enough to start missing work and all that, but crazy enough to start thinking of going to a movie by myself!! That would be something that I have never done....well maybe once, but not really. Not that it's bad or anything, but I'm just not enough of a movie fan to plunk down ten hard earned dollars to watch a movie, so even less inclined am I to do it alone.
One thing I have discovered is that TV sucks as well. I mean there are hundreds of channels and all I can do is channel surf all day. IN between I read random people's blogs and have a good laugh. It appears that there is absolutely no protocol for blogging and that people blog about all things inane, lame and asinine. So here I am.....joining the fray.
I think I should get up and have some breakfast or something.
One thing I have discovered is that TV sucks as well. I mean there are hundreds of channels and all I can do is channel surf all day. IN between I read random people's blogs and have a good laugh. It appears that there is absolutely no protocol for blogging and that people blog about all things inane, lame and asinine. So here I am.....joining the fray.
I think I should get up and have some breakfast or something.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Snake
High school seems like a million years ago, but I just got off the phone (after a three hour +) conversation with a very dear friend of mine from elementary, junior high, high school and college. WOW!! A flood of memories came back to us and we laughed and talked as if 15 years had not flown by. AMAZING.....what is it about those childhood friends that we just can't forget but very rarely make that effort to connect with? Why do we not touch base with them more often? As I was talking to the Snake (her actual high school nickname) I started realizing that maybe we stay away from childhood friends because we sadly know that life will never be that innocent and carefree again and that we know we will miss it more if we dare to connect with these friends and reminisce. Hmmm, something to think about.
We really were a unique and great group of friends. I still miss and love these people dearly and they are certainly quite an integral part of the man I have become. I think I will make a greater effort to connect with these people and include them in my life. They were important then and they are important now!
Signing off I remain then, now and forever,
Tumbleweed (my actual nickname)
We really were a unique and great group of friends. I still miss and love these people dearly and they are certainly quite an integral part of the man I have become. I think I will make a greater effort to connect with these people and include them in my life. They were important then and they are important now!
Signing off I remain then, now and forever,
Tumbleweed (my actual nickname)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Kids
OK, so I love the thought of having kids, but then I think about all that I would have to sacrifice and I usually end up thinking that while the notion of having kids is nice I am not ready for the reality of child rearing. Does it help that I deal with the worst behaved children at my work site? Not really. So today I had a really good time hosting the Rivas boys. They are a lot of fun and provide us with some extremely unintentional humor; some is intentional, but not usually.
So I had a great time with them over playing Wii and Monopoly. FYI - Monopoly is not the greatest game to play with a 5 and a 4 year old.
More later.
So I had a great time with them over playing Wii and Monopoly. FYI - Monopoly is not the greatest game to play with a 5 and a 4 year old.
More later.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
To be green
You know I didn't used to think that I needed to be all that green, but the more I think about it, the more we should all be a bit more green. I mean I don't think I will ever drive a car powered by old McDonald's fry grease, but I certainly think that I can make a difference in my own life and for those around me. So I do what I need to do.....energy efficient lights, recycling, turn off the water when I brush my teeth, no showering when I am sick, etc. I'll never drive a biofuel car, but I certainly won't the water run while I brush my teeth. Not enough of an effort maybe, but a lot more than most people I tell you.
Speaking of being green, with envy that is....I always comment to people that as a group us Mexicans are a collaborative group of haters, but over the last few days I learned a little bit about myself. You see, I was browsing the net and I cam across three people from my childhood. I was genuinely proud of all them for all they had accomplished; envious at first, but then genuinely happy and proud of them. I also talked to another friend and she really helped me put things in perspective. I was talking to her about how I felt that life was just passing me by and how I felt that I was not accomplishing as much as others with whom I had grown up. She made me realize that we are all doing our own thing.
Speaking of being green, with envy that is....I always comment to people that as a group us Mexicans are a collaborative group of haters, but over the last few days I learned a little bit about myself. You see, I was browsing the net and I cam across three people from my childhood. I was genuinely proud of all them for all they had accomplished; envious at first, but then genuinely happy and proud of them. I also talked to another friend and she really helped me put things in perspective. I was talking to her about how I felt that life was just passing me by and how I felt that I was not accomplishing as much as others with whom I had grown up. She made me realize that we are all doing our own thing.
Tomorrow
OK, so off I went to take some pictures.....too cold out there and then I had a coughing fit that almost knocked me out. I did, however, have the best intentions.....sounds like the story of my life. I don't think a well intended person has ever had as much impact as a determined person. I need to get myself and my priorities in order and get to cracking.
Tomorrow is another day and I will seize it first thing in the morning. I will be up and at 'em at an ungodly hour and will drag my carcass out of bed and hit the road on a trip of one.....a trip of self discovery, motivation and determination.
T - O - M - O - R - R - O - W!
Frank
Tomorrow is another day and I will seize it first thing in the morning. I will be up and at 'em at an ungodly hour and will drag my carcass out of bed and hit the road on a trip of one.....a trip of self discovery, motivation and determination.
T - O - M - O - R - R - O - W!
Frank
Yes or no?
Ok, so I have been spending a lot of time online and I have been doing a lot of thinking. I often go through these moments of malaise and try to figure life out. I guess I should be honest with myself and realize that life is not to be figured out. Do we spend so much time trying to figure life out that we end up not enjoying life? I often think that I could be doing so much and then I stop and think that I should be grateful that I can spend a lazy day at home and do nothing....this does nothing to make me feel productive, but should I feel good because at least I have this luxury?
Hmmmm.....OK, so my problem is this -- Either I spend all day doing a million things and then feeling like I got nothing done or I do nothing and then lament that very fact. Hmm, sounds like I'm full of crap and making up excuses. Why didn't I take my camera for a trip today and take pictures of the city like I had planned? Oh I know, because I have freaking bronchitis and I feel like crap!
I think I'll take some night time pictures tonight. Just for fun.....bronchial passages de damned!
Frank
Hmmmm.....OK, so my problem is this -- Either I spend all day doing a million things and then feeling like I got nothing done or I do nothing and then lament that very fact. Hmm, sounds like I'm full of crap and making up excuses. Why didn't I take my camera for a trip today and take pictures of the city like I had planned? Oh I know, because I have freaking bronchitis and I feel like crap!
I think I'll take some night time pictures tonight. Just for fun.....bronchial passages de damned!
Frank
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