Happy Thanksgiving!

With Google+, Twitter, Facebook, etc. it seems that I come here to write less often. In either case wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, belated!

This is the first Thanksgiving that I spent with my significant other's family in Ajo, Az. Great food and great company.

We had an array of foods: Turkey, Ham, Red Chile Stew, 2 types of bread stuffing, white beans, 2 types of brown beans, several pumpkin pies, peach pie, dutch apple pie, sugar-free apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake, caramel apple cheesecake, ambrosia salads with and without coconut, fry-bread, couwboy bread, 2 types of yeast bread, rolls, potatoe salad, fresh roasted pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoe with marshmallows, various drinks both alcoholic and non, and with so much I may have forgotten to list some.

So much tempting food however was still able to manage and eat sensibly. Hurrah!

After lunch/dinner we went bowling. My first time ever bowling. Wii bowling does not count. I was terrible. I loved it.

Had a great time away from the city.

Kitchen Equivalent Chart

Kitchen Equivalent Chart

A pinch ..................... 1/8 tsp or less
3 tsp ........................ 1 tbsp
2 tbsp ....................... 1/8 cup
4 tbsp ....................... 1/4 cup
16 tbsp ...................... 1 cup
5 tbsp + 1 tsp ............... 1 cup
4 oz .......................... 1/2 cup
8 oz .......................... 1 cup
16 oz ......................... 1 lb
1 oz .......................... 2 tbsp fat or liquid
1 cup of liquid .............. 1/2 pint
2 cups ....................... 1 pint
2 pints ....................... 1 quart
4 cups of liquid ............. 1 quart
1 quart ...................... 4 cups
4 quarts ..................... 1 gallon
8 quarts ..................... 1 peck (such as apples, pears, etc.)
1 jigger ..................... 1-1/2 fl oz (3tbsp)

Long time...

Well it has been a while since I posted. I have been mostly twittering and facebooking. Of course I always mean to post but then don't.

So since my last post in March, I have continued participating in some volunteer events. I'll hopefully eventually post the what and the when of those.

I found some of my old blog posts from 2006 that I had accidentally deleted from blogger, so I did upload those.

In April, I passed a kidney stone and so since then I have been reading up on the why and taking steps to hopefully not ever get one again. I had one about 10 years ago, however that last time I never caught it when passed and this time I did. So had it sent to labs to be analyzed. Maybe I'll post what the analysis says.

And while on the subject of health, I had a biometric screening a bit after this kidney stone issue and so at the same time am taking steps to be healthier. The goal is to loose the excess weight in a sensible manner with no gimmicky diets of any kind. I have lost 24 pounds so far. I am using myfitnesspal website and app to help keep track. I am still on Livestrong, however that one is more tricky to track on and the app is not free, but they do have some great articles.

As always continuing to get rid of things that are not needed and living every day as it comes. I have been playing around with the title of this blog and changed it a few times. I don't think it is yet what I would like it to be. One day I'll get the best title and then migrate this whole thing to it.

Have a great weekend!

2011 Regional Unity Walk

Participated in the 2011 Regional Unity Walk back on February 5, 2011... Here's a Video...

Sorting it out...

Last Saturday, February 26, 2011 I helped sort close to 10,000 lbs of food in about 3 hours at St. Mary's Food Bank. I was there with a group from work. Here's a photo...

Welcome 2011... !

Welcome 2011...! I'm a little late to this, so here is just a quick hello to this new year.

12 of 12: Not quite, but it's OK

So here we are in a new year, and me trying to catch up to this post that I should have written last year. I have been putting it off and off. The reason for that is because I did not achieve volunteering 12 times out of the year in 2010. I kept thinking back on the year to see where it is that I went wrong. Where were the missed opportunities? When was it that things changed to cause me to not complete what I thought was a simple goal?

So here we are in a new year, and  finally able to say to myself, "It's ok. Just think of all the positive things you were able to do."  Although for my own sanity, I have got to list all the good things I was able to do even if they were not successful and regardless of whether I thought they counted or not.

-     Donated Hair to Lock of Love
-     PF Chang's
-     Childsplay
-     No Sew Blankets
-     PBS Pledges
-     Supplies 4 Students
-     Mission Sack Meals
-     Snack bags to give at Freeway exits
-     Step Out: Walk to fight Diabetes
-     JDRF: Walk to Cure Diabetes
-     Christmas Tree at Phoenix Children's Hospital
-     Donated food & clothing throughout the year

That's better...

Family Holiday Traditions

We were asked to share some of our winter holiday traditions at work. Here's what I shared:


My Family Holiday Traditions are celebrated at my Grandmother's house in Mexico. Some of the traditional family celebrations for the winter holidays that my family takes part in are:

- Piñatas: Both on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, our family will have piñatas in the shapes of stars. We fill them up with candy and sometimes add some dollar bills. Both kids and adults partake.

- Gift Giving: Gift giving in our family is mainly for the children. Only some adults, aunts mainly, are the ones that may give gifts to their brothers/sisters and are usually handmade items like scarfs, hats, buñuelos, personalized/embroidered items like towels or jars with trinkets in them, etc.

- Loteria: Because we do not do big gift exchanges, on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, we get together and play loteria(Mexican bingo). Some family members will bring wrapped items that vary from chocolates, Avon, house items, etc. Some years we have had just one big loteria day on New Year's Day.

- Corsages: A variety of handmade corsages are made by my mother or one of my aunts and everyone gets to choose theirs on Christmas Eve. Aunts, uncles, children all get one.

- Traveling Canasta: My grandmother started this tradition of filling up a huge basket with snack items from soda, chips, cookies, etc. I couldn't tell you when but definitely before I was born(1980) as we have been doing that for as long as I can remember. She would stuff the basket with as much as could fit in it for Christmas. Then everyone's name is put in a bowl and one person wins the basket. The person that wins the basket on Christmas then refills the basket with new items for New Year's and again the names go in a bowl for a winner. The winner then returns the basket to my grandmother for the following year. My grandmother passed away in 2007, so now the traveling basket is continued by my aunts.

- Posada and Rosary: Christmas Eve is the day my family gets together to celebrate begin the Christmas celebrations. It starts with a praying the rosary and then we do the posada. The men go outside with candles and a sheet with the verses to sing and the women stay inside. We do the different stages starting on one door and ending on the other. Once we are let in then dinner begins. 

- Nativity scene: The nativity scene is finished by the youngest member of the family. The youngest person carries the baby Jesus and everyone gives a kiss to both. Once everyone has done this then the baby Jesus is placed in the Nativity Scene.

- New Year's Eve and Day: On New Year's Eve, our family gets together for a late dinner. When the clock strikes at midnight, we all cheer to each other and drink our Champagne. We also eat 12 grapes, each symbolizing the coming 12 months, and make a wish for each of those months as we eat each grape. After this, we all hug and wish each other a Happy New Year.  

- Dia de Los Reyes: On January 6th we celebrate Dia de los Reyes(Kings Day/Little Christmas), although most of the family is back to their routines, there will be a Rosca de Reyes(a sweet bread) that everyone can come by and get a piece of. A baby Jesus is baked in the bread and whoever gets the piece with the baby is supposed to do a dinner/celebration on el Dia de la Candelaria(Candlemass) which is on February 2nd.

11 of 12: If you can't volunteer...

If you can't volunteer, whatever the reason, you can always donate. Throughout the year there are many opportunities to give back by donating. I personally have donated food and clothing items throughout the year. Now, whether you participate in a food or clothing drive; a blood drive, etc. and regardless of how much you donate, it will make a difference.

Heres's a short list of places that can benefit from your donation:

- St Mary's Food Bank Alliance

- United Food Bank

- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

- American Red Cross

- Arizona Humane Society

- Arizona Animal Welfare League and SPCA



Although I may have volunteered for several events throughout the year, the nearing of the end of it makes me reflect back on what all I have done to give back; and there's always the feeling that I could have done more.

9 and 10 of 12: Christmas Tree at Phoenix Children's Hospital

Ornament Extravaganza!!! That was the title I created for a series of volunteer events at work to create ornaments, leading up to the setting up of a Christmas tree at the Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Several weeks back I received an e-mail from the PCH who was looking for groups or companies to help decorate a number of Christmas trees. The groups would donate the decorations for them and decorate the tree on the first Saturday of December, with a special request, if able, to donate the tree to go along with the decorations, as some of the current trees they have were starting to look old.

 After bringing up this event as a volunteer opportunity to my work group, and with budget to spend before the end of the year, I was given the green light to make the arrangements to participate. In addition to this event, we decided to create an on-site volunteer event tied to this. So up came the 'Ornament Extravaganza' to create handmade ornaments that would adorn the tree.

With the help of a few people I was able to get everything needed for the on-site volunteer event; from the  supplies to sending out communications in addition to getting the needed conference room booked and secured for three days. And so, from November 30th to December 2nd, we handcrafted, from kits, some of the ornaments for the tree.


On Saturday, December 4, 2010, a team of volunteers from work got together to help setup one of the many Christmas trees that are set up around the Phoenix Children's' Hospital. It was a great turnout and we had a great time decorating the tree.

Here's Some more photos:

8 of 12: JDRF Walk To Cure diabetes

Last Saturday, October 30, 2010 I helped out at the 2010 JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes that was held at the Tempe Town Lake.  I got to help sell tickets for a raffle they were doing. It was a huge event, lots of people and companies, great turnout.







***2026-08-20 Update: Added link to the short video created for this event.

7 of 12: Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes

This past Saturday, September 25, 2010 I helped out at the Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes event. This was a two part event as there was a rally for the event on the Thursday of the previous week. In that rally some of the volunteers had the opportunity to meet, share their story/reason for volunteering, and go through the assigned responsibilities for the day of the event. I was assigned to the Food & Beverage tent.

On the day of the event, I arrived at around 6:30am, signed in, and headed to the Food & Beverage tent. Responsibilities for this included, pre-walk food and beverage set up, prepare food, set up cold drink area, keep supplies replenished, post-walk food and beverage set up, and cleaning the food area after the event.

And almost as quickly as it began it seemed to end. It was a fun event. Check out the Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes website for event dates,  volunteer opportunities, how to donate, etc.

6 of 12: Mission Sack Meals

This past month, mid-August or so, we had a volunteer event at work to prepare 400 sack lunch meals that were donated to the Phoenix Rescue Mission. I had but only a few minutes to help out, however in those 15-20 minutes, I helped put together maybe 70 or so sandwiches to be included in the sacks. Bonus was that I encouraged at least 2 people to go with me to help. It truly only takes a few minutes to make a difference.

Pizza Hut Dine-In

I grew up in small town in Texas where we had 2 dine in Pizza-Huts. They were always great. I even had one of my b-day parties at one of them as it had an arcade section in it. I think it was my 12th or 13th year b-day. Pizza and arcade games, what else could a young guy want at that age right.

Anyways, I am much older now of course and although prefer to support the local Pizza places, I still on occasion order from Pizza hut and the likes. I had not seen a dine-in Pizza hut in Phoenix in the longest time. So when I drove by this one, I made note to stop by in the next time the mood for Pizza would strike.  So visited this dine-in Pizza hut yesterday.

Although our waitress was nice, she wiped off our table from whoever ate before us with just a wet paper towel, rather than with something that would sanitize the table. The crumbs she wiped off went onto the carpet/floor and left them there. There were only 2 other parties at the time, yet the all the remaining booths hadn't been cleaned and the menus were sticky.

The restroom was a bit unkept, by this I mean there was urine left from whoever used it prior and a dirty toilet brush with no holder towards one corner. I did like the self shutting off faucets, they save on water, however I would prefer if both the faucets and soap dispenser were on sensors.

It is clear that this dine in is in need of repairs as the booth seats were deeply torn, almost like they had been slashed open.

On the bright bright side the pizza that we ordered was good, hopefully the kitchen does a better job cleaning.

If you want to know the location of the Pizza Hut that this speaks to, look over to my yelp review of this.

5 of 12: Supplies 4 Students

This past Friday, I got off work early so I could go help Communities in Schools Arizona sort and stuff backpacks. We did not get to the stuffing as the supplies got stuck in the freeway because there was an accident. So our volunteering time was reduced however, we did get a whole lot of sorting done.