This title change is inspired by Kulas (Kyle Jennermann) blog-Becoming Filipino.
WELCOME TO MY SITE AND HAVE A GOOD DAY
Welcome to Las Vegas, Nevada- the Gambling Capital of US and the City that never sleeps! So, what has this city have to do with this site. The answer is none. I just love the photo, I took during our vacation to this city a couple of years ago. In this site, you will find articles from my autobiography, global warming, senior citizens issues, tourism, politics in PI, music appreciation and articles about our current experiences as retirees enjoying the "snow bird" lifestyle between US and the Philippines. Your comments will be highly appreciated. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringement of your copyrights. Cheers!
Today is the 19th Birthday of my youngest grand daughter,
Carenna Katague Thompson who is now a 3rd Generation Filipino American. I
dedicate this article to her.
In
the recent press release of Ditas appointment with the Bureau of Census
published in the magazine Positively.Filipino.com, a reader commented
that the term Filipino-American may not be applicable to Ditas because
she does not have a Philippine Passport or dual Filipino/American
citizenship. The reader commented that American with Filipino descent ( ancestry) is a better term than Filipino-American.
So I did some search and here's what Wikipedia says:
Filipino Americans (Filipino: Mga Pilipinong Amerikano) are Americans of Filipino
ancestry. Filipinos in North America were first documented in the 16th
century and other small settlements beginning in the 18th century. Mass
migration did not begin until after the end of the Spanish–American War at the end of the 19th century, when the Philippines was ceded from Spain to the United States in the Treaty of Paris.
As of 2019, there were 4.2 million Filipinos, or Americans with
Filipino ancestry, in the United States with large communities in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Texas, and the New York metropolitan area. Here's a short history of Filipino-Americans.
The term Filipino American is sometimes shortened to Fil-Am or Pinoy. Another term which has been used is Philippine Americans. The earliest appearance of the term Pinoy (feminine Pinay), was in a 1926 issue of the Filipino Student Bulletin. Some Filipinos believe that the term Pinoy was coined by Filipinos who came to the United States to distinguish themselves from Filipinos living in the Philippines.
Beginning in 2017, started by individuals who identify with the LGBT+
Filipino American population, there is an effort to adopt the term FilipinX;
this new term has faced opposition within the broader overseas Filipino
diaspora, within the Philippines, and in the United States, with some
who are in opposition believing it is an attempt of a "colonial
imposition". For details visit Wikipedia.
In
1960, to fulfill my life's dream, I left my pregnant wife in the
Philippines for graduate studies ( Ph.D) at the University of Illinois
in Chicago for a year.
Below is a recording from BBC radio of how the music affected me along with several other music lovers of the piece. The tape is 27 minutes long and my portion is from 10:52 to 14:39. I felt weird hearing my own voice with undeniably a strong Filipino/Ilongo accent. This recording is a testament to the saying Music is life itself by Louis Armstrong.
“Soul Music: Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez” The CompassBBC World Service
Written by Joaquin Rodrigo in 1939, the Concierto de Aranjuez
is a guitar classic. It was written amid the chaos of the Spanish Civil
War, and in circumstances of poverty and personal tragedy. Soul Music explores how the piece touches and changes people’s lives. The
composer’s daughter Cecilia Rodrigo explains how the blind composer was
inspired by the fountains and gardens of the palace of Aranjuez.
NelĂcio Faria de Sales recounts an unforgettable performance deep inside
one of Brazil’s largest caves, while David B. Katague remembers how the
piece got him through a difficult period of separation from his family
in the Philippines. Guitarist Craig Ogden explains the magic of the
piece for a performer, and actor Simon Callow recalls how hearing the
piece was a formative experience for him during his schooldays, when it
turned rural Berkshire into a piece of Spain. The recording is 27 minutes.
You want to know of some relatives. Visit Geni.com and have Fun!
I
was reading my genealogy on Geni.com the other day. In one of the
entry, was the name Maria Cecilia Peroy. I am not familiar with the
name. I did some search and here's what I learned.
Maria Cecilia Peroy is my (David Katague, Jr.'s) wife's second cousin once removed's husband's second cousin thrice removed!
Geni is an American commercial genealogy and social networking website, founded in 2006 and owned by Israeli private company MyHeritage since November 2012.
As of 2021, MyHeritage has kept its genealogical website separate from
Geni's website, though the Smart Matches™ feature enables matching of
Geni profiles to trees on MyHeritage. As of December 2021, more than 160 million profiles had been created on Geni.
The Caregivers(-Janie Paul and Danny Valentino) by Kelly Loudenberg, The Atavist Magazine, #125
Today May 8 is Mother's Day. It would also have been our 65th Wedding Anniversary. It is also the 61st birthday of my oldest daughter. Happy Birthday, Dinah!
I am reposting this article in celebration of the above three events this year. I hope you read it.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
—1 Corinthians 13:4–8
This
is a short story that touched my heart. It is only about a 20-30 minute
read, but I guarantee you will love this story. I have no formal or official permission
to reprint it on my blogs, but I think the story has no copy right. If I
get a complaint about my reprinting it, I will gladly delete it. But
please read it. It will be worth your time. It is a true story that
will touch your heart and soul. Moreover, the writing is fantastic and
the art photos are excellent.
This
is a true story of an imprisoned artist, the couple who saved his life,
and the extraordinary gift he gave in return. Here are two photos in
the article.
The recent appointment of my youngest daughter to an SES appointment recently inspired me to write this article.
Getting a job in the Federal Government specially above the GS 12 level is a long and tedious process. It is even harder to get an SES appointment even if you are highly qualified unless you have personal/professional connection. The applicant must show patience and persistence even if they are highly qualified.
In my case, I was lucky to be hired under the Food and Drug Administration( FDA) Expedited 30-day Authorization program that
was applied for the Review Chemists vacancy in 1990. In general, the
time to get a federal job at the mid-entry level ( GS12-13) varies from 6
to 18 months. I got my Federal job in less than 30 days in 1990.
A Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) is an appointing (hiring) authority that the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) can give to Federal agencies or establish Government-wide for
specific occupational series and grades when a critical hiring need or
severe shortage of candidates exists.
During my time with the FDA, I was lucky to be hired under the FDA 30-day expedited
Hiring authority program, because the job opening was essential and
there is a scarcity of candidates. The offer included full relocation expenses,
but the process and acceptance must occur within 30-days. At that time,
I was not ready to quit from Chevron Chemicals, Richmond, Ca. I needed 3 more months to complete my 5-year service with the company so I could be fully vested with the retirement benefits.
However, at that time I really wanted to work for the Federal
government( for stability and not for the pay), so I did not have any
choice.
The first step I did was to attend a Job Fair in
San Francisco after answering an ad from the Chemical & Engineering
News for Review Chemists (GS 12-13). I made an appointment for a
personal interview at the Fair site. Dr. Tony De Camp( RIP) was
the interviewing officer who was then the Supervisor of the Division of
Anti-Infective Products, Office of New Chemistry, Center of New Drugs
and Evaluation Research in Maryland.
There were more than a dozen
applicants waiting to be interviewed. After waiting for an hour, I had
my turn with Dr. De Camp. The interview lasted only for about 15 minutes
since there were other applicants in the line. As usual after the
interview, I was told that he will let me know as soon as possible. I
went home and waited. After one week of waiting, I got a call from Dr Murray Lumpkin, (see biography at https://semxxi.mit.edu/program/faculty/murray-lumpkin
). Dr Lumpkin was the Director of the Division of Anti-Infective Drug
Products,Center for New Drugs, and was Dr De Camp supervisor. Dr
Lumpkin talked to me about my qualifications and experienced on
pesticide residues and environmental assessments for about 10 minutes.
A
few days later, I received an official letter offering me a job as a
Review Chemist at the GS-13 level. There were instruction where to call
for relocation expenses and other personnel matters etc... and a date
of my official acceptance of the job offer, so that the 30-day expedited
hiring process does not expire. The rest was history. I started as a GS-13 step 4 in 1990 and retired as a GS-14 step 10 in 2002. Note that my 12 years service with FDA was the most challenging, happiest and productive years of
my professional career. I felt needed and grateful from comments from
my supervisor as well as from leaders of a few pharmaceutical companies
that FDA served.
One of the greatest compliment I received was a statement from Dr De Camp telling me that one
the best decision he has done during his leadership at the Division of
Anti-Infective Drug Products was hiring me from the dozen of applicants
during the FDA Job Fair in San Francisco in 1990. This statement was
precipitated when I was able to upgrade and a get a big discount for our
group at the Marriot Hotel in San Francisco during one of the many Chemistry Conventions
and Conferences, Field Trips and Plant Orientation visits that our group attend annually.
For our life in Maryland and my 12 years with the FDA from my autobiography read:
The federal government fills nearly 90,000 jobs each year — not counting the military or US Postal Service.
Many people believe applying for a federal job is a difficult and complicated process, but it is actually very achievable.
The search process for federal government jobs can last about 6-18 months, which can be lengthy for many people.
But most find it is worth the effort and the wait — federal
government jobs include healthcare, vacation and sick time, life
insurance, pensions, training, and other benefits.
To be successful, you must apply only for jobs for which you are
truly qualified by using a targeted federal-style resume, and, of
course, you must also be patient.
Federal government jobs are divided into 3 categories:
1. The Competitive Service.
This service is the largest federal service and typically what comes
to mind when people think of government jobs. Jobs for this service are
the focus of the process described below. https://www.federalpay.org/gs/2022
2. The Excepted Service.
This service is for positions outside the “traditional” government
jobs which can include positions in the intelligence agencies or other
authorized agencies.
3. The Senior Executive Service (a.k.a. “SES”)
These are the executive level of our government, just below the top
Presidential appointees. This is the smallest service with only about
8,000 members nationwide. https://www.federalpay.org/ses/level-1
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a major employer which
fills jobs outside of the typical federal process. Access those jobs
through USPS Careers. USPS also offers special consideration for veterans.
Not Popular because it is almost impossible to get jobs in these 2 categories are the PS(
Presidential Service/Appointments-need senate confirmation)and the ES
( Executive Service ( needs white house approval and high level
security clearance).
How Do Federal Salaries Work?
Most federal agencies use the General Schedule (GS) pay system,
but note that there are other pay systems in the government as well. It
can be difficult to tell where you might fit if you are unfamiliar with
the various grades.
In
essence, GS grades 5 to 11 are
considered relatively entry-level level; grade 12 and 13 are mid-level;
and grades 14 and 15 are senior level. Positions in the Senior Executive
Service (SES) are at the executive level. Above the SES are the ES(
Executive Service) and the PS ( Presidential Service). ES requires White
House Approval and PS requires senate confirmation. The higher the
level, the harder it is to get qualified and hired and required
political clout and connection.
There are other two job levels above GS-15. The ST and SL positions. The most common question is:
What's the difference between SES, ST, and SL positions?
Answer:
Scientific and professional (ST) positions include positions classified
above GS-15 that are not SES positions (i.e., do not involve executive
and management responsibilities) and are engaged in research and
development in the physical, biological, medical, or engineering
sciences, or a closely related field.
Senior level (SL) positions include positions that are not SES positions and are classified above GS-15 based on other factors.
In an agency that is not covered by the SES, either an SL or an ST
position may perform duties that involve one or more of the SES
functional criteria.
Instead of focusing on the grades and trying to figure out if you’re
qualified, focus on the experience required (especially the specialized
experience); if you have what the job announcement is asking for, then
you should apply. Let the agency Human Resources (HR) office determine
whether you meet the grade requirements.
If selected, most agencies will start you are the lower end of the
grade’s pay band. However, if you are offered a job, salary is
negotiable but recognize that agencies have many choices of applicants
so they may not be open to your counter salary offer.
On a Final Note: Some jobs required the applicants to have security clearance.
In my case, it was after 2 years that I learned my security clearance
had been granted. Later, I learned DSS had been asking my former and
current neighbors about my personal conduct etc...Here's the process.
Applicants must go through the application phase, which involves
verification of US citizenship, fingerprinting and completion of the
Personnel Security Questionnaire (SF-86).
The Defense Security Service conducts thorough background checks.
Last is the adjudication phase, during which findings from the
investigation are reviewed and evaluated based on 13 factors determined
by the Department of Defense. Examples of these factors include criminal
and personal conduct, substance abuse and any mental disorders.
Clearance is granted or denied when this part of the process has been
completed.
For complete details on security clearances for federal jobs read:
My most current photo taken March 2022. I used to be a good-looking Dude(photo below), but not anymore. But I am still very proud of my aging body.
With
the passing of my youngest son, David E last March 17, I am now living
alone. Moreover, my youngest daughter who currently resides near me ( 30
minutes driving time or less) was recently appointed as Associate
Director for Communications, Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce.
She will be moving to the Washington DC area soon. Here's Ditas message
today from her FB page.
"25
years…And so the next chapter of my life begins. I will miss Sacramento
and the amazing supportive community that has really embraced Carenna
and I after Nick’s passing. My retirement lasted really about a month
lol, but I have enjoyed the last 10 months consulting, traveling and
teaching a lot of meditation and yoga. Carenna and I will be back in
Sacramento for a few weeks in June to officially pack up the house.
Hoping to see some of you before we leave for our new adventure".
My
two oldest children are about two to three hours driving and have their
own lives. Luckily I have two friendly neighbors who promise that if I
need anything, they are there for me any time. My nearest relative is
Macrine's neice- Yuka Maeda Chellan and my oldest grandson, Ian King. I
could always call them in case of emergency.
I enjoyed staying in this house. I love both my indoor and outdoor plants. All my life's memorabilia are here such as paintings, photos, antique furniture, books and collectables are all in this house. I will not be able to bring these to the apartment space in an Independent /assisted living facility.
Since I did not renewed my driver's last year, I am dependent on ordering my groceries and food on line.
I only need a driver to doctor's appointment, hair cut and pedicure
needs. I could call the Para transit service for Seniors in our area,
Uber or Lyft. However, my grandson who lives in the area promised that
If I need a haircut again, he could drive me to the barber on his day
off.
It is not fun living alone. My mind is still active (
see the attached article on the Brain of an Elderly Person), but my
body has aches and pains because of the aging process. Below is an
article I received recently for your reading pleasure.
"THE BRAIN OF AN ELDERLY PERSON.
The director of the George Washington University College of Medicine
argues that the brain of an elderly person is much more plastic than is
commonly believed. At this age, the interaction of the right and left
hemispheres of the brain becomes harmonious, which expands our creative
possibilities. That is why among people over 60 you can find many
personalities who have just started their creative activities.
Of
course, the brain is no longer as fast as it was in youth. However, it
wins in flexibility. That is why, with age, we are more likely to make
the right decisions and are less exposed to negative emotions. The peak
of human intellectual activity occurs at about 70 years old, when the
brain begins to work at full strength.
Over time, the amount of myelin in the brain increases, a substance
that facilitates the rapid passage of signals between neurons. Due to
this, intellectual abilities are increased by 300% compared to the
average.
And
the peak of active production of this substance falls on 60-80 years of
age. Also interesting is the fact that after 60 years, a person can use
2 hemispheres at the same time. This allows you to solve much more
complex problems.
Professor Monchi Uri from the University of Montreal believes that the
brain of an elderly person chooses the least energy-intensive path,
cutting unnecessary and leaving only the right options for solving the
problem.
A
study was conducted in which different age groups took part. Young
people were confused a lot when passing the tests, while those over 60
made the right decisions.
Now let's look at the features of the brain at the age of 60-80. They
are really rosy".
FEATURES OF THE BRAIN OF AN ELDERLY PERSON.
1. The neurons of the brain do not die off, as everyone around them
says. Connections between them simply disappear if a person does not
engage in mental work.
2.
Absent-mindedness and forgetfulness appear due to an overabundance of
information. Therefore, you do not need to focus your whole life on
unnecessary trifles.
3. Beginning at the age of 60, a person, when making decisions, uses
not one hemisphere at the same time, like young people, but both.
4. Conclusion: if a person leads a healthy lifestyle, moves, has a
feasible physical activity and has full mental activity, intellectual
abilities DO NOT decrease with age, but only GROW, reaching a peak by
the age of 80-90 years.
So don't be afraid of old age. Strive to develop intellectually. Learn
new crafts, make music, learn to play musical instruments, paint
pictures! Dance! Take an interest in life, meet and communicate with
friends, make plans for the future, travel as best you can. Don't forget
to go to shops, cafes, concerts. Do not lock yourself alone - it is
destructive for any person. Live with the thought: all the good things
are still ahead of me!
Information!
A large study in the United States found that:
The most productive age of a person is from 60 to 70 years;
The 2nd most productive human stage is the age from 70 to 80 years old;
3rd most productive stage - 50 and 60 years old.
Before that, the person has not yet reached his peak.
The average age of the Nobel Prize laureates is 62;
The average age of the presidents of the 100 largest companies in the world is 63 years;
The average age of pastors in the 100 largest churches in the United States is 71;
The average age of dads is 76 years.
This confirms that a person's best and most productive years are between 60 and 80 years of age.
This study was published by a team of doctors and psychologists in the NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.
They found that at 60 you reach the peak of your emotional and mental potential, and this continues until you are 80.
Therefore, if you are 60, 70 or 80 years old, you are at the best level of your life.
* SOURCE: New England Journal of Medicine *.
Pass on this information to your family and friends aged 60, 70 and 80 so that they will be proud of their age “
Meanwhile
enjoy these photos of indoor plants that Ditas gave me as part of her
cleaning up in preparation for her move to the East Coast soon.
The Pandemic of Loneliness from the New York Times
