Trying On New Clothes

Birthday Pictures

Summer

It's been a great summer. A time spent with family in different settings. A time enjoying work and feeling productive and as a contributor to something worthwhile.
Summer began with a new job after being at MGM for 5 years+; from there it continued with a great week at Lake Tahoe with family. We stayed at a great mountain home shared by my two sisters in law with husbands, Mother in law Sandy, Olivia, Anthony and the Triplets.
This was made possible by the generosity of Debbie and Bill who rented the home and invited everyone to spend the time there. Fully furnished with all amenities, about the only thing we all had to provide was the food and everyday supplies.
Bill stocked up with lots of great wine and we had some great dinners.
The babies had a blast exploring all parts of the house as well as some of the outside. The entire area turned out to be around a skiing area where during winter you can just ski down into the lodge to catch the lifts. Further up the mountain there is a Ritz Carlton where Melissa and I had a chance to visit.
The trip home was a bit of a hassle because the babies had gotten sick while up there but eventually we made it home.
We returned and immediately Anthony and Olivia were gone again. A. To Southern Cal with his grandparents to go camping and O. To church summer camp.
They are off again to San Francisco to hang out with Debbie right before they go back to school.
Summer is not over though.
Melissa and Anthony get to go to Disneyland in a couple of weeks while I stay behind with the babies. Melissa's mom will be here to help out with the triplets.
There is already talk that Olivia might go back to S.F. With one of the babies while Melissa is gone. We'll see.
Meanwhile, work is continuing for me. Everyday I am more challenged with responsibilities. I had forgotten the stress of having to answer not just to your bosses but to the actual owners of the establishment with all of their own personal quirks and demands. (I first experienced this at The Palms with The Maloofs)
The triplets are growing and developing quickly. Catherine is already forming sentences and picking up words like a sponge.
Very soon their second birthday will be here and Melissa is already planning the celebration. This is of course right after our second anniversary.

Month 1 - Check

Wow!
What a month its been. I had forgotten how hectic a small place can be. Small in the sense that we are in a hotel with about 1400 rooms as opposed to 5K +. Also, our division is much too smaller than any I've seen. Just two days ago, I was the only manager for 4 outlets (Room Service, Cafe, Steak House, Italian). Pretty much just running around putting out fires, luckily no blazes to report.
Staff ask me how I like it so far, not sure what they expect me to say, "I hate it?" Even if I did, it wouldn't be appropriate to say it  to them. However, I am not unhappy at all. I love the fact that I am constantly busy and challenged at every turn and corner. I am not in the restaurants that I am supposed to manage yet, but I have spent a few hours here and there getting to know the staff. So far I've got a lot of work to do in these two restaurants and I am sure once I leave for "better pastures", whoever comes after will have plenty of work to do as well, such is the cycle of the restaurant business.
Clientele is the same no matter where you go. Everyone demands for attention, staff is slightly different (more about this below), for some, change their names and you have the same mixture of personalities. Owners' demands are also the same; take care of the customer no matter what.
A lot (And you can tell this by walking around the casino floor) of the employees are from eras long by-gone. It seems as though time has stood still for some of these people. 10 years in one place, common in most of the casinos in Vegas. 20? or 30? yes. they have been here that long.
Consider that the building itself has been here going back to the 70's? I'm not even sure. You can tell by walking around the inside, hidden, tunnels and hallways in the building that has gone through many trasnformations.

This is what the cafe looks like on the outside with the new transformation that began 3 years ago. This is only one of the many areas that has completely been re-done.
New owners, new money and a new management team of which I am part of.
That is why I like and appreciate the challenge and oportunity presented each and every day.

Its been al lot of hard work over the last month and now its time to relax.


Looking forward to a house by the lake in Tahoe.

Good Bye MGM, Hello New Tropicana

It was fun while it lasted. It had its sad and challenging moments but mostly fun and now its time to move on. Two more shifts at MGM and on to the new gig.
It's about 2 years late but it was inevitable. Once the wheels are set in motion, sometimes not by our own hands but by others or other circumstances and there is not much else to do but go with the flow.

In the meantime I've had the pleassure of reliving my days in Room Service by working in our basement with some fine idividuals as well as a couple of other days at our coffee shop, also full of some great people; some whom I had previously met and others new to me. All of it while negotiating with the new place. Now it's time to say Arrivederci!
My Diego crew decided to go bowling as a last celebration with them since my next two shifts take me well into the morning and this is what resulted.

CLOSER (MAS CERCA)

Closer

by

Olivia Salinas

Elia de Cortez. She was married to Santiago de Cortez and their daughter was Mariana de Cortez. Thats me. My mom always used to call me Emy, until the day her sweet voice faded to nothing. That was the day I wish she was there to call me Mariana.
Her symptoms began when I was only 3. Her hair was growing thinner, she wasn’t as active as she used to be, and she went to the doctor’s office every other week. I hadn’t known what was going on, of course, but I knew something was happening. Something unusual.
A year went by until her body finally gave up. She had been sleeping and just never woke up the next morning. I was the one who discovered her lifeless body. A 4-year old trying to wake up her mommy to come play with her. April 13, 2000 at 9:47 a.m. was the exact time and date she was gone. Forever.
My whole family knew her as the most caring person who ever lived. “Santa Elia” was her nickname because she was like a saint.
“Elia didn’t ever come across as self-centered”, they would say.
“Elia lit up the room as she walked in” was another, or sometimes, “Your mother never considered herself a priority. Others were her priority”. These were often the answers I received when I asked about her kindness. My mom died from Lukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow. After she left, it was... different. The only memory I really have of her is the way she held me when I was scared or sad. The safety and security she provided was like a mother bird wrapping her wings around her fragile egg. I felt untouchable.
My mother was tall and well-built. My dad claims she looked like a goddess. Now, with that description, I have imagined her in a white toga, long braided hair, and a golden leaf circlet. From pictures, though, she looks like a regular young woman. Though her beauty almost matched that of Athena, the noble war goddess. She had brown eyes with a grey ring circling her iris and feathered black hair. Pure beauty.
According to Madre-Christina, “ y tu madre mucho bien hi ja. Mucho determinacion. That necklace around your neck, mi ja, symbolizes the greatness tu madre passes on to you. You need to realize it,”. My necklace is a circle with Santa Maria on it. It’s a locket, but needs a key in order to open it. I don’t have the key, but now I’m dtermined to find it.
I’ve heard many stories from several family members. They are all about the best of times that my mother had in her short life. Nothing could have prepared me for the story from my Auntie Kellie, though. She’s not really my auntie, but she was a very close friend of my mothers’. Auntie Kellie told me the story of April 17, 1987. The day of the drive-by.
Mom was 17 years old and was a sophmore at Del Condor High School. She, Kellie, and her other best friend at the time, Maria, were walking home from a big track meet at school. The walk home was fairly long but there were a bunch of other students who walked along with them. The three girls were talking about how hot number 46 from the track team team was. Suddenly, a big black Camaro came rolling down the street. The resounding sound of gunshots rang through the air in an explosion of chaos. A torrent of people flooded to escape, clearing out with amazing speed. Shrieks of terror floated about in the ominous sky as bullets met flesh. Maria, Kellie, and Mom were running at this time and went to go hide in the bushes. Maria had been right behind them, but something caused her to freeze. A look of shock and pain covered her face before she fell face down onto the tattered grass. The Camaro was gone by this time and Elia and Kellie ran towards the barely breathing lump of clothing. Turning her over, they had discovered Maria had been shot in the stomach. Kellie ran for help while mom stayed with Maria as her last seconds of life were drifting away. When Maria’s pulse was gone, mom was sprawled on top of her sobbing. Her best friend had just died in her arms. Elia was engulfed with pain.
“Why not me! Why did it have to be Maria! Oh, God, please! Don’t let her go like this! Please! She deserves to live! MARIA!!! Noooooooo......”, were my tortured mothers’ words. Auntie Kellie described that night to be the night Elia was torn to pieces, mentally and emotionally.
“Elia wasn’t the same person after that, she became a totally different person”. I guess mom cherished life more than she had before. She spent the rest of her waking years trying to love to every extent. Nobody saw her as a free-spirited teen after that. She cared so much more for others than herself.
When mom was a little girl her dad left both her and her mother. They had problems within their marriage. More or so her mom had problems with her dad. Her dad was verbally abusive and made her mother feel like trash. Mom’s father wouldn’t take any consideration into what he said to Madre-Christina.
“He made both of our lives miserable. Elia, though, soldiered on through all of the hatred and misery. She took care of me after he left. Hi ja was the strongest, mi corazon. No matter what I asked her to do, her response would always be ‘Si mami, te amo!’”. Mom would always do what was asked of her without hesitation.
About a week or two ago, Papi gave me a box. The box was no bigger than the size of a ring box. He told me to put it to good use. I had no idea what was inside. I left it in my room until I got home that afternoon. The whole day, I thought about it. What could it be? Could it be mom’s engagement ring? Or maybe a special stone from her old house? These questions lingered in my head the whole six hours I was in school.
  Finally, I got home and bolted towards my room. As soon as I got to my room, I went to the little box and held it tenderly in my hands. I opened it and inside was a tiny key. I looked at it and thought ‘What the heck is this for?’ and then it hit me. My locket! I tore it from my neck and put the key inside the lock. It fit perfectly and opened smoothly. Inside were the words Invisible Power. What did that have to do with anything? Why would these words appear inside the locket? These questions were floating in my mind.
I went to Papi to ask if he knew what Invisible Power meant to mom. He said it was her life motto and also happened to the title of her diary. She wrote in it when she was pregnant with me. I asked if he knew where it would be. He said to look for it in his closet. this kind of scared me a little because his closet was a bit messy and I didn’t want to get lost in all of the clutter. I headed for his closet with hope and fear.
I opened the door and started searching. Through all of the searching, I felt like a racoon scavanging for food. I found a shoebox filled receipts, a box with sea shells, and a large container encasing bits and pieces of newspaper articles. All of this, but no diary. I looked up for inspiration and my eyes became set on a medium sized box on a shelf. How could I miss that? I reached up and grabbed it. With such care, I opened it up to reveal the richest of all treasures. The box contained my baby shoes,birth certificate, baby pictures, and a big scrapbook of Mom and Dad’s wedding. At the bottom of these objects, I found Invisible Power.
What did mom think of having a baby? She was ecstatic and so determined for her baby to have the best childhood. She anticipated all of the days I would take my first steps, say my first words, lose my first tooth, and get my first haircut. When it was almost the due date, mom started writing about how many things could go wrong. She sounded so scared and worried. The due date entry wasn’t just writing, it was a poem. It was a poem to me about how she would protect me and love me forever. It also said how she would die someday and not be able to take care of me anymore. She hoped it was when I was much older, but still told me just in case. Mom told me to be strong and carry on. Elia didn’t want me relying on other people to solve my problems. Mom wanted me growing up a strong-willed girl.
Ever since that day that I read her diary, I have felt a strong connection with her. She doesn’t feel gone anymore. Mom is still with me, but closer. Sercana, mucho sercana.

Bit by a Scorpion

Not only was last week a rough week because the babies were sick with the flu, it was even worse because Cecilia ended up getting stung by a scorpion. Luckily, if that is any luck, the scorpions that roam around our house are of the "harmless" type according to the "stupid" nurse at the ER. Cecila was the first to get sick and also the first to get better. This all happened last Wednesday when it looked like a great day because everyone was feeling better, including me. I had stayed home from work on Tuesday to help melissa with the babies and ended up getting sick as well. So Wednesday looked like a great day to take them out shopping or just for s stroll at the park. They had just finihsed eating a snack and were having raspberries while we were trying to get shoes and everything else involved in gettiing them ready for an outing. (that in itself is a 15 minute charade) Cecilia was seating on the floor with her raspberry when all of a sudden we heard her scream and begin to cry. I was trying to figure out what happened when Melissa spotted it. Right by Cecilia's feet, tail still up in the air ready to strike again, a small light colored scorpion. I moved her away from it and handed her over to Melissa. I grabbed a basketball which was the nearest heavy thing around and smashed the scorpion with it. We've found them here and there around the house, mostly climbing along the walls or closer to the walls along the floor and when we see them, we kill them. Simple, this time curiousity got the better of Cecilia. So out we go to the ER with the other two babies in tow. Cecilia's reaction was not bad at all, she was whining and crying from time to time. Other times she was just her normal self; smiling and just chilling on the way to the hospital. As she cried, she held and stretched her arm which to me was an indication that the poison was making its way through her blood stream. By the time we got to the hospital it was full blown drama. Obviously she was in pain. It only took a few minutes to check in and get seen by the ER "nurse" who in his wide expertise deduced that Cecilia was crying out of anxiety at being at the hospital with strangers, not because of the pain. His comment was also that the scorpion sting (If not from a bark scorpion)it was more "like a bee sting" and that it would bother her for a few hours and maybe some tylenol would make her feel better. Boy was this guy so wrong! Cecilia twisted and screamed in pain. Nothing would make her happy. Eventually doctors called the poison control center who directed them to prescribe tylenol with codeine for the pain. As time went by she got calmer but with a few bouts of pain in between. By this time Melissa had stayed at hospital while I brought the other two home for their nap. It wasn't 'till Anthony got home that I was able to go back to hospital to get them. For the rest of the day Cecilia was not herself and even into the night she was restless but by the next morning she was back to the happy baby I knew. At least now we know what to do if it happens again. No rushing to the doctor to be diagnosed by a stupid nurse. put ice on the bite, give a nice dose of tylenol (with codeine) if available and lock yourself with them in a room to contain the crying and screaming. I sure hope it never happens again. Oh yeah! Looking for a great pest control person, know anyone?

ROMNEY VS OBAMA 2012

This will be the match up come November. The winner will be Obama unless the political machinery, set in place by Republicans many years ago, can manage to once again miscount and switch votes to favor Romney as it happened during Bush vs. Gore in 2000.
Wait a minute, can Republicans manage to thwart the people's choice even if there is a third party candidacy? Probably not if the candidate happens to be Newt Gingrich running as either a tea party candidate or independent. He is the one most likely to continue on his quest for the Presidency, no matter the cost. He will get enough Republicans from the far right that he will split the republican party into two. Remember Perot?
What might re-energizes the Republicans as a party would be a Romney/Santorum candidacy. That way they can have all of their followers in agreement against Obama, which is the main goal, remove Obama at all costs. Then again, picking a VP just to placate a segment of the party has not always worked (McCain-palin) and to an extent (Bush-Quayle).
Obama obviously has not been a Stellar president. He has been rather un-decisive and quick to cow tow to pressure from Republicans. His only saving grace is the disarray that the republicans find themselves in.
Once back in office for a second term he needs to be bold and relentless. He must go down in history not just as the first African American President but also as one who managed to bring back a new era of prosperity for a country full of self doubt and division.

Parking for morons

You have to be a total moron to park on a spot that's clearly not a spot but an actual traffic lane in a parking lot. Even when you get out of the car if you look at the entire length of the parking lot, you ought to realize that your car is not on an approved spot.
Then again, maybe your car broke down right there.

The Barrymore, a Great Fine Dining Experience

Lumiere, the half man half candle from Beauty and The Beast said it better, "if you are stressed, it's fine dining we suggest."
I am not a food critique nor would I ever pretend to be one but if I was, here's my review of The Barrymore.
The quote fit the occasion for Melissa and I were due for a little one on one and since I had to work Valentine's we could not celebrate properly. The occasion presented itself with an invitation to try a fairly new restaurant far off the craziness of the strip but not so far that you needed a passport to get to the destination.
The Barrymore is a throwback to old Vegas. Ornately decorated with plush green oversized booths and movie reels lining the entire ceiling. The food and service fit the room. Rich and luxurious offerings that melt in your mouth. A great starter was the macaroni with lobster along with a generous serving of steamed mussels. A third appetizer was the Tuna tartare topped with creme fraiche. Even before we were sat, we began pour experience with a bottle of Shramsberg Mirabelle. A crisp and flavorful sparkling wine without the high price you might find at any other steak house along the strip. This bubbly was perfect for the flavors in our appetizers. Ever had bacon bread? It is part of the bread basket offering along with a freshly toasted baguette and Parmesan lavosh bread.
Our dining experience was capped by a tasting combination of Rib Eye steak, diver scallop and shrimp. A true surf and turf cooked just perfectly. The steak was a long section of the rib eye seared on both sides and cooked just slightly past rare. The meat was moist tender and full of flavor. The sauce accompanying the steak was made with bone marrow and the standard fare for a steak sauce. Scallops and shrimp were cooked just right without toughening the meat. All this sat over mashed potatoes and asparagus. Dessert was fairly standard with a generous serving of berry gelato and a deconstructed cheesecake so moist that it almost had the consistency of Panna Cotta.
I'll say that I can't wait to go back and try their Rib Eye for two, pethaps with a slab of Foie Gras. Their wine list had choices for every budget which makes it convenient for the wine lovers.
The service was professional and attentive without being intrusive.
The Barrymore, google it

16 months and counting

The babies have turned 16 (months) and they are a force to reckon with. They are all walking at this point and talking up a storm. They are the only ones that can understand what each is saying though we can make up and understand some of the words they are saying, particularly with Catherine.Each one has already taken on their own personality with Catherine bieng the ring leader and boss of them all. Charlie does not put up with Catherine's "abuse" and does stick up for herself. cecilia is the more docile and sweet of all three. I have to admit that they are indeed a handful.Financially it is gettig hard with all manner of savings about gone. Of course spending about $800.00 worth of grocieries in about a month does not help. Last year $400.00 alone was for formula for each month. On top of that you have doctor's visits with small co-pays that add up slowly. Thankfully, Melissa might be going back to work this year at her Dad's construction business so that should help out a little.Big Kids are also proving ot be a challenge but I guess it comes with age. Both are slacking off with some of their classes and assignments at school which doesn't make anyone happy, much less them when their privileges get taken away (X-Box, Iphones, Games, extra activities with friends, etc.)Emotionally, multiples take a toll on everyone. We spend less time with the big kids, we spend les time with each other (Melissa and I), so by the time babies are asleep, we are sometimes just exhausted from the day's work. Of course this is more evident with Melissa since she is with all ofthem day in and day out.I do not blame her when she gets mad at any of us because we forget to do something which could have made her day easier. We deserve her wrath.It is a joy to watch the babies at play or just interacting with each other. They bring a lot of happines to all of us. It starts during the morning when they wake up and most of the time, they will have a welcoming smile as you walk into their room. Every expenditure has been worth it. Every waking hour has been worth it. Long nights are pretty much a thing of the past and I know they are still going to change and improve.
It's all good.

Christmas Again

Christmas is very stressing. There's gifts to buy. People to see. Places to go. Lots of money spent. Do we really know why? I remember a time when all that mattered was to be clOse to and around the people u cared for. Yes, there were presents; simple affordable that were given out of love rather than obligation. At times nowadays it feels like an obligation because of the number of people you give stuff to. I wish there was a way of showing your appreciation and thankfulness without spending an arm and a leg. Christmas doesn't stop being Christmas no matter what you spend or who you are with. Christmas is what you make of it. Christmas is as meaningful as you make it. Your kids and family are Christmas. Everything ls is pocket change.

Random Thoughts on the state of our country, our world and Herman Cain

What a year this has been. At the end of last year, both Cecilia and Charlie were still at the hospital with Charlie not getting out till February. Then home with brand new babies, a whole new experience all together.
It's been a crazy ride and it gets even crazier. Have you been following politics lately?
Our current crop of candidates (Republican) are a complete mess. At this point it is their contest to lose. Obama is a lame duck who doesn't even remember if he is a Democrat or still a Senator from Illinois, maybe right now he actually wishes he was from Indonesia and not a US Citizen,(sorry birthers).
It is unfortunate that our first black president was saddled with such challenges as the wars and the economic crash, all brought on by previous administrations (read-Bush)
It reminds me of the time I was in 5th Grade at boarding school. On a weekend when I decided to stay at school rather than go home, a few kids were playing with marbles close to the swimming pool and one of them (marble) went into the water. I was close enough to them where the teacher who was "babysitting" us thought that I had tossed the marble in the water.
As the marble slowly rolled towards the diving pool, he "asked" me to go and retrieve it. I did not know how to swim at the time and sure enough, clothes shoes, and all, he made me jump into the diving pool (from the middle diving board) to "retrieve" the marble.
I came close to drowning that two of his good swimmers had to go in and help me out of the water.
Obama is in almost the same situation. Someone else tossed in two wars and a mess into wall street, he comes along wanting to be the president with only 4 years in which to fix it all and ends up almost drowning. Right now he is just coasting to re-election thanks to the bunch of crazies on the Republican side.
Once Romney gets his shit together, he might be the only one viable enough candidate to beat Obama, unless some skeleton in a dark closet appears (quite possible).
Bachman will never be the first woman president.
Cain will never be the second black president or ever be a president at all. he might have had a better chance if he was a democrat. Democrats forgive indiscretions, Republicans pounce on them if they are Democrats, otherwise they squirm and make no comments until they are ready to resign.
I started this post days before Cain decided to "suspend" his candidacy.
Here's whats next for him.
Divorce from his wife. Continue running for some office unless. He is probably going to expect to be nominated as secretary of state for whomever wins the Presidency. (Fat chance)

THANKS FOR.......

Another Thanksgiving to celebrate. Pies are cooked, veggies are clean chopped and prepped. Turkeys have been defrosting for the last couple of days. Oh Yeah! I forgot to mention that the babies finally slept all night long. Catherine whined and cried for a little bit, which woke me up at 4:00 AM. I prepared her a bottle, which is still sitting by her crib, let the dog out and I was not able to go back to sleep. So here I am. Facing another Thanksgiving holiday. We have always celebrated Thanksgiving in San Francisco at Bill and Debbie's. The last couple of years it's changed because of work schedule (mine) and the arrival of the triplets. This year we made the decision that we would start our own tradition and have Thanksgiving diner at home. We invited Melissa's parents and my brother Max and his family will be here as well. There is much to be thankfull for. To begin with, I am thankfull that our babies are healthy. Catherine is walking and talking while Cecilia and Charlie are not far behind. olivia and Anthony are turning into little adults. Soon they will graduate into full blown teenagers. They are great kids with much promise and have the support and love of their extended family. I am thankfull for that. Melissa and I have had some challenging days brought on by the pressure of raising triplets. It is not easy to stay home and day in and day out deal with three very active babies though she has stuck to her routine and schedule with them which has made it somewhat easier on her. We try and make time for each other and that is where it gets rough. My schedule at work continues to be crazy with the long weekends so by the time Saturday arrives, I am useless at home and i'm not myslef till Monday rolls around. I am thankfull I still have a job in a town and industry that has been hit hard by the economic situation, where people's hours and salaries have been cut jsut in order to keep a pay check coming. There is also much to gripe about but today is not the day. I am thankfull for the friends in my life that have remained constant and for those who left good memories of past Thanksgivings. Now, to enjoy some good food and great company.

New Experiences

One Year Olds

It's been rough, challening, sometimes depressing and at times it seems hopeless. Now you look at the entire past year and it's all been worth it. Their smiles, their little sounds and cooing. Their looks of amazement at everything around them.
Their fight and struggle to grow and stay healthy from the time they were little embrios. Now a year later, its been all worth it. I would not do anything diferently. When we found out that Melissa was pregnant, there was no doubt or hesitation that we were having a baby (at the time). Once we found out that they were multiples, even then, there were no hesitations.
Now that they are turning a year old we could not be happier at the big event so we are going to celebrate in The Happiest Place on Earth. Disneyland!
the whole family is headed there with our big kids in tow. So they'll miss a couple of days of school. It will also be nice because we did not do anything with them during their summer vacation, (though they did plenty).
I got one more day at work which should be fairly quick and then off for a week. it will be good to clear my mind if at least from work related crap.
We'll be posting updates daily on Facebook.
Toodles!

My Life History in Chapters for my children

This list is for my children.
I know I cannot condense may years into one post, so I will try my best to do it in several posts. It isn't easy to remember every little aspect of some one's life particularly when that someone is 46 years old. But as we remember things and or dig into the past, we will fill many chapters.
Starting with

CHAPTER ONE
My childhood was spent in Mexico City from when I was about 5 or ever since I can remember. During that time, I remember the first few places that we lived right after my parents emigrated to The Capital from the State of Oaxaca. I had already done first grade back in San Miguel (Do you know how many towns and or villages are named San Miguel in the entire country of Mexico?) Google it.
So when I arrived in Mexico City I started second grade at an elementary school named "Heroes de Zacapoaxtla" in COlonia Moctezuma Segunda Seccion. Third grade was also in that same school, though if I remember well, I had to repeat second grade for some reason. Perhaps because Spanish was not my first language, but rather Zapotec. Interesting how history repeats itself with so many migrants coming from Mexico with their kids into the U.S. Of course neither speaks English so when they start school at an American school, they are at a disadvantage because of the difference in language.
There will be more about these early years in subsequent chapters. In the meantime, enjoy these tidbits of my first 15 years of memories(some not so memorable).

First Visit of John Paul II to Mexico City - I saw him from a distance.
Also spent an entire night in the basilica as a boy scout controlling and directing traffic inside the church (December 12-big day)
Disco Music - Disco Inferno anyone?
Mom and Dad splitting in 1976 - Many chapters will be written about this.
Queen Concert in the City of Puebla (Why not Mexico City?)
Kiss at Azteca Stadium
Star Wars, Jaws, Saturday Night Fever, Grease.
Dressing up as Kiss (Peter Criss) for Halloween.
After Disco came: Duran Duran, Culture Club and many more. Disco was dead.
MTV arrived - Cindy Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - one of the first videos shown? - Video Killed the Radio Star, 99 Red Balloons.
Panasonic Boom box!
Later on Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Arrival of Cd's death of cassettes.
Sony Walkman
Jordache and Sergio Valente designer Jeans.
Dallas and Dynasty - never got into them - 6 Million Dollar Man (Lee Majors) yes. cool show.
Left/Communist Vs. US Supported governments in Central America.
Election of Ronald Reagan - at time it was feared that he would get us into a war with the Soviet Union - What? You don't know what the Soviet Union was?
My oldest sister gave me the saddest news upon returning from a vacation in the mountains (John Lennon had been shot)
I remember riding Trolleys in Mexico City. The kind they still ride in New Orleans.
Overthrow of Somoza in Nicaragua and arrival of Sandinistas in power - This after a widely viewed clip of a reporter being shot by a government soldier. Public opinion turned against US support for government in Nicaragua and that ensured the success of the Sandinistas.
Arrival of Gorbachev in power in Soviet Union and subsequent collapse of Union (Lech Walesa- Poland - also a catalyst force in the collapse of Soviets)
Fall of Berlin Wall.
Lost my appendix in 1985
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
Don't remember the first Shuttle launch, but do remember the explosion of the Challenger. sitting in my Aunt's couch and watching my cousins play (Jairo and Leslie)
First American friends - Mary Beattie, Vicky Basil, David Ewards - Weekends in Palm Springs.
Trip Across country - 4 weeks of driving in a 280Z (Mary's)
Checkers Hotel/Thomas Keller
Moved to South Pasadena
Went to Pasadena City College (Go Lancers)
Met your Mom.
Moved to Pasadena
Adopted Charlie (Cat)

More to come

"You Must Have Your Hands Full"

No matter who they are: family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, they all say the same thing when we mention we have triplets.
"You must have your hands full"
I'm definitely beginning to hate the phrase. Then it is followed by "Are you getting any sleep"?
Quite observant people, I Think to myself. Indeed, I am not getting enough sleep. Working weekends at the club prepared me for my now irregular sleeping pattern. Late into bed; waiting for Cecilia to wake up at 1:00AM before she goes down for the rest of the night, then an hour later to have Charlie wake up 'cause she is hungry. After she goes down, then if I am lucky, Catherine will sleep till 7:00AM, otherwise, 5:30 it is. So it is 1 hour of sleep, then 3, then up for the rest of the day 'till work beckons. Sometimes I can sneak a short nap before getting ready for work.
No i don/t have my hands full. If anyone has her hands full is my wife. In addition to caring for the babies, she has to contend with our teens along with the household duties that she has to deal with. She has more than full hands.
Throw in all the emotional feelings of abandonment each time I go to work, the dissapontment of having those close to her not be as helpful as they made it out to be and you have a very unhappy person. Yes, she has her hands full and when people point it out, it is rather annoying.

Charlie The 17 Year Old Cat

I had to put my cat to sleep. She was a wonderful cat. (I didn't know what else to post about Charlie) I think it was such an emotional moment that I did not want to relive it.
Post from June 18. This year
Charlie She was 16 years old when she passed.

MILESTONES

12,12 Cecilia
11.15 Charlie
13.8 Catherine

That is their current weight. Charlie can hold her bottle with both hands, take the bottle out and then put it back in. Catherine should be crawling anytime and is also sprouting a tooth. Cecilia is mellow and sweet. Not too much concern for wanting to hold her own bottle or roll around. All three have very strong necks and can hold their own while being held up. All three are eating solids (pureed) that Melissa prepares at home. They were baptized with their "aunties and uncles" as their Godparents.
They are all doing excellent, including their older siblings who finish the school year today and looking forward to their Summer vacations. Anthony unfortunately will have to attend Summer school.
Melissa and I happy as clams (How does anyone know about Clam happiness?)
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