ANOTHER TURN OF EVENT IN MY LIFE

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

I have retired last year working from a major airline in Chicago in their call center. I am not yet that old, nor am I on the retirement age. But I have seen the writings on the wall, and so I retired early. A week after I have retired, my department was transferred to India and to the Philippines.

I was getting bored at home, doing nothing. I was always at the library, because reading is my passion. Then one day, my eldest son came home and we talked and he told me that I need to go and find another job or any field of work that is not full time. Last summer, I found a job -- working for the mentally handicapped.

It was a very challenging work. We have to go on a very extensive three months training and I made the training. I am now certified to work for the mentally handicapped and my name is now in the list with the (OIG) Office of the Inspector General for the State of Illinois.

Then, I have decided to go further and study the first step in the field of Nursing. So, I took the (CNA) Certified Nursing Assistant class at College of Lake County, in Illinois. I have done the the classroom instructions and now doing my clinical in one of the accredited caring institution of the College.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, I am sharing you some pictures of me and some of my classmates in clinical. We all do the clinical from 5:00 PM till 10:00 PM three times a week. I love it and I find it very challenging. I hope I make it. I will be taking the government exams this 18April, 2009.

Wish me luck.

Sincerely yours,

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

WHY ARE FAMILY GATHERINGS IMPORTANT

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

We just had a wedding in the family from my wife's side. It was a very nice event and it brought relatives from different part of the states including those from Canada. There are also relatives from the Philippines who came just to attend the affair.

The younger ones in the pictures are my nieces and nephews and the rest is self explanatory. After the wedding, we were asking my eldest son when will be his turn, but he just told us he is not yet prepared for it, nor his girlfriend. I did not pursue the conversation of marriage because my wife is already giving me a look.

We did a lot of dancing and eating and drinking, but I don't drink. I am not fond of alcohol, not even beer. My wife is encouraging me to take a beer or two or a glass of wine, but for some reason, I am not interested in those kind of drink or vice. I don't even smoke and it does not bother me looking at people having a grand time of their lives, getting drunk and smoking like chimneys.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, another family gathering was just concluded and we are all talking about when can we see each other again. I guess, when my eldest son decided he wants to get married.

Sincerely yours,

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

A GOOD LADY

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

How do you like the new look of my blog. This was made exclusively for me by my God Daughter. I have already volunteered to be this lady's God father if she gets married, me and my wife will be the sponsors.

Very nice girl, very hard working and one thing that really touched me and my wife about this lady is her heart of gold towards her mother. She has crossed all the hardship in life to the point at times she has forgotten herself and have put her mother ahead of everything in her life.

You wont find anymore loving daughter like her. I kept on telling her at times not to be hard on herself and try to give herself some time to be a part of another person's life who will give her the love that she needed and the care and understanding that she needs in life.

Every time we attend mass, my wife and I always invoke her name. In fact we have enrolled her name in the perpetual adorations and prayers of the Society if the Divine Word (SVD) and the Holy Spirit Sisters. I was once a novice of the SVD and we have a group called PAX, who are former members of the SVD society. We have agape once a month with a mass being said by a priest friend of ours or any SVD priest from the Phils. who come to Chicago for a visit. During the time of remembering people close to our heart, I always mention the name of this God daughter of mine and always pray that she find peace and happines in her life.

I hope my God daughter will find in her heart the Love and Peace that she is looking for.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, be happy also that I have been given a face lift in my blog.

Sincerely Yours,

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

RETURN OF LOST BLOGGER AND THE COMING OF A NEW YEAR

Dear Auntie Pattie Koh,

I have been away for a long time. My computer had a problem, and I was so busy with school and my new job. School is exciting, even at my age. Likewise, at the start, I felt embarrass, because there's only two of us who is of rightful age of being called Dads by our classmates, because I am in the Nursing Program.

Anyway, the school and the Clinical work, plus the work that I do, makes me very busy and accumulates all of my time. Now that it is winter break, my classes starts on 22 of Jan '08, I tried to visit some of the blogs that I like very much and see what they are doing. I have been away for a long time and there are plenty of f progress and developments in the blog world.

My eldest son is so serious with his girlfriend and they are living together but won't marry. Both of them are telling me that they are still young and not yet ready. I jokingly said to my son, I might not see my grand baby from him and he got upset with and said to me that he will not allow me to die.

My youngest son, is still the same. Still a brat and spoiled by his mom. He has his own apartment near his school. My wife and I are now all by ourselves at the house and my dog Bombo.

I hope you had a nice year and more challenging for this 2008.

Sincerely Yours,

IN FRATERNAM MEAM