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Saturday, November 29, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
I love my AVAS, TIAS, SUPREME SISTA'S and all the Wonder Women in my life!!
With my Ava Parriera (in pink), my Tia Madeline (on my mom's side) Vera Faria, and St. Anthony's Supreme President Rosie all hanging out in Modesto at the Brohtherhood of St. Anthony Convention.
Then there is me and my Ava Batita; always flawless and fabulous in Chino, Ca.!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Supreme President’s Reports:
Aug. – The Once Great Group
Sept. – Fly Girls
Oct. – U.P.E.C. Cares
U.P.E.C. Cares
I found time for quiet reflection on a myriad of topics (the U.P.E.C. always being top on the list) here in the relatively sleepy food court at a mall in Newark, Ca. It’s 9:00 am and I am sharing my gingerbread latte and vanilla scone moment with the early morning senior walkers, janitors and a few retail employees who are caffeinating themselves for the workday ahead.
It is Friday, November 14th, 2008 and my Papa has entered the sacred conference room at the Newark-Fremont Hilton for Supreme President Richard J. Castro’s SES Convention, so I took this time to meditate. The protective coverings that drape the carts of specialty vendors are starting to be taken down by their operators; recent high school graduates are pounding lemons into lemonade at the Hot Dog on a Stick, and a handful of “others” are wondering around; the homeless-looking man, the troop of terminally happy handi-capable volunteers and the luminous chair massage guy ($12 for 15 minutes or $42 for 60 minutes; an hour of ancient oriental acupressure right in the middle of the food court; as the recent elections have shown, America is truly an exciting country).
I really just wanted to walk off the extreme tummy ache that I gave myself due to a poor choice in my creative cooking endeavors last night. I ate a whole bunch of things that I knew would not agree with me, but determined to ignore the fact that I can’t eat whatever I want anymore without consequences, I continued to consume food that I knew was not going to work for me, and I’m sure I had many reasons for doing so, but none of them good enough to make my tummy ache seem worth it. I work very hard to live a happy and healthy life, so why would I be so rough on my body? Well, the same is true in business and life; every once in awhile we give up caring; just for a little bit because we think that it won’t matter or we can put off our good intentions and healthy life habits until tomorrow, or the New Year and we can just suffer through the ramifications or let someone else worry about them.
It is amazing how many things we can control and don’t; a lack of discipline or will power perhaps. Why would we continue to do certain things if we know they are not working or that they are unhealthy? Why would we give up even the briefest opportunity to do our very BEST; especially since we have so much to be thankful for?
So what if I have an ache or two? I don’t have brain cancer like my friend Deziree who is 8 years old. So what I chose to make a mess of my dinner? At least I can choose what I eat, unlike starving children or my cousin Megan Silva of Chino who has Crohn’s disease, must stick to a strict diet and often be confined to a bed with a painful catheter while in her early 20’s. So what we might miss a lot of sleep due to our work? I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be able to work with my family – a family that loves me and taught me to love my Portuguese heritage. Though our lack of sleep may frustrate us at times, I think of my late cousin Melissa Diel and her momma, my Madrinha Madeline; what would they give to have one more day together? What would one more sleepless night mean before Melissa’s untimely and tragic hit and run accident at the age of 22?
Almost like magic I feel tremendously well; my tummy no longer aches and I am no longer tired. It’s 10:00 am and the vendor carts are twinkling and chiming with charms and whistles; the security gates have been raised, the shops are open, music is playing and more walkers have joined the parade in the New Park Mall aisles. Still, one can sit back and notice the lost; there they are, the outcasts, and the lonely, sitting and starring off in a corner of the court, like they’ve been there forever just waiting for a friend to show up.
Will you show up? Will you continue to serve humanity for another 100 plus years? Will you preserve the traditions of the past and have the courage to create a sense of newness for the future (“newness”, it evens sounds Portuguese)?!
Hughson, Los Banos, Dos Palos, Pleasanton, Tulare and Visalia did not forget to show up – they did not leave me sad or alone, but in fact, brought back all the reasons why I love being a lifelong member of this U.P.E.C. family. I was fed. I was loved. I asked only for suggestions and support and was greeted with a truck bed full of shoes and socks for our Join Hands Day Project, radiant Rosaries to bless our journey, personalized, hand-crafted scarves, thoughtful plagues, and generous donations for our charities, plus the coveted Past Supreme President’s license plate frame that was bestowed on me at the classic almond farm barn. Every word, every deed, every gift was presented with detail and CARE.
My family has been warmly received by our membership; my Ava Parriera, my Papa and little sister Mary your State Youth President. Thank you to all those who have opened their arms, their halls, and their homes for me thus far. Tonight I will be attending Council #1, San Leandro’s Thanksgiving Dinner here at the Home Office. Tomorrow I will be representing our beloved organization and our youth at the SES Visitor’s Reception, and next week I am headed to Turlock’s banquet and dance for the Portuguese Education Foundation of Central California and will present them our donation and the final visit for November will be Selma/Fresno.
So the only thing I can ask of my U.P.E.C. family and our administration is that when we are tempted to give into our minor hurts, our small frustrations, our weaknesses; when we come face to face with the “others”, the outcasts, the strangers; when we forget how many people look up to us and trust us to be there and serve with vigor, love, creativity and enthusiasm, I ask that we not forget to CARE; really CARE! Open your eyes, pinch your arm, realize you are alive and well enough to CARE and fortunate enough to have a say in WHAT happens to our family and HOW it happens.
In Earnest Thanksgiving for how much you have CARED for me, and in loving memory this day of Ms. Marie Xavier, Past Grand President of the U.P.P.E.C., wife of deceased Past Supreme President Mr. Tony Xavier, mother of U.P.E.C. Past Princess Ms. Sandy Braun and grandmother of Past State Youth President, Past member of U.P.E.C. Board of Directors and our current U.P.E.C. Supreme Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Eduard Anthony Braun – May the Lord Bless and Keep the beautiful soul of this 92 year old Angel who left this world today, Friday, November 14th, 2008; having lived a life of dedicated service – May she Rest in Peace.
I am, Fraternally Yours,
Natalie M. L. Batista
U.P.E.C. Supreme President 2008 – 2009
Aug. – The Once Great Group
Sept. – Fly Girls
Oct. – U.P.E.C. Cares
U.P.E.C. Cares
I found time for quiet reflection on a myriad of topics (the U.P.E.C. always being top on the list) here in the relatively sleepy food court at a mall in Newark, Ca. It’s 9:00 am and I am sharing my gingerbread latte and vanilla scone moment with the early morning senior walkers, janitors and a few retail employees who are caffeinating themselves for the workday ahead.
It is Friday, November 14th, 2008 and my Papa has entered the sacred conference room at the Newark-Fremont Hilton for Supreme President Richard J. Castro’s SES Convention, so I took this time to meditate. The protective coverings that drape the carts of specialty vendors are starting to be taken down by their operators; recent high school graduates are pounding lemons into lemonade at the Hot Dog on a Stick, and a handful of “others” are wondering around; the homeless-looking man, the troop of terminally happy handi-capable volunteers and the luminous chair massage guy ($12 for 15 minutes or $42 for 60 minutes; an hour of ancient oriental acupressure right in the middle of the food court; as the recent elections have shown, America is truly an exciting country).
I really just wanted to walk off the extreme tummy ache that I gave myself due to a poor choice in my creative cooking endeavors last night. I ate a whole bunch of things that I knew would not agree with me, but determined to ignore the fact that I can’t eat whatever I want anymore without consequences, I continued to consume food that I knew was not going to work for me, and I’m sure I had many reasons for doing so, but none of them good enough to make my tummy ache seem worth it. I work very hard to live a happy and healthy life, so why would I be so rough on my body? Well, the same is true in business and life; every once in awhile we give up caring; just for a little bit because we think that it won’t matter or we can put off our good intentions and healthy life habits until tomorrow, or the New Year and we can just suffer through the ramifications or let someone else worry about them.
It is amazing how many things we can control and don’t; a lack of discipline or will power perhaps. Why would we continue to do certain things if we know they are not working or that they are unhealthy? Why would we give up even the briefest opportunity to do our very BEST; especially since we have so much to be thankful for?
So what if I have an ache or two? I don’t have brain cancer like my friend Deziree who is 8 years old. So what I chose to make a mess of my dinner? At least I can choose what I eat, unlike starving children or my cousin Megan Silva of Chino who has Crohn’s disease, must stick to a strict diet and often be confined to a bed with a painful catheter while in her early 20’s. So what we might miss a lot of sleep due to our work? I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be able to work with my family – a family that loves me and taught me to love my Portuguese heritage. Though our lack of sleep may frustrate us at times, I think of my late cousin Melissa Diel and her momma, my Madrinha Madeline; what would they give to have one more day together? What would one more sleepless night mean before Melissa’s untimely and tragic hit and run accident at the age of 22?
Almost like magic I feel tremendously well; my tummy no longer aches and I am no longer tired. It’s 10:00 am and the vendor carts are twinkling and chiming with charms and whistles; the security gates have been raised, the shops are open, music is playing and more walkers have joined the parade in the New Park Mall aisles. Still, one can sit back and notice the lost; there they are, the outcasts, and the lonely, sitting and starring off in a corner of the court, like they’ve been there forever just waiting for a friend to show up.
Will you show up? Will you continue to serve humanity for another 100 plus years? Will you preserve the traditions of the past and have the courage to create a sense of newness for the future (“newness”, it evens sounds Portuguese)?!
Hughson, Los Banos, Dos Palos, Pleasanton, Tulare and Visalia did not forget to show up – they did not leave me sad or alone, but in fact, brought back all the reasons why I love being a lifelong member of this U.P.E.C. family. I was fed. I was loved. I asked only for suggestions and support and was greeted with a truck bed full of shoes and socks for our Join Hands Day Project, radiant Rosaries to bless our journey, personalized, hand-crafted scarves, thoughtful plagues, and generous donations for our charities, plus the coveted Past Supreme President’s license plate frame that was bestowed on me at the classic almond farm barn. Every word, every deed, every gift was presented with detail and CARE.
My family has been warmly received by our membership; my Ava Parriera, my Papa and little sister Mary your State Youth President. Thank you to all those who have opened their arms, their halls, and their homes for me thus far. Tonight I will be attending Council #1, San Leandro’s Thanksgiving Dinner here at the Home Office. Tomorrow I will be representing our beloved organization and our youth at the SES Visitor’s Reception, and next week I am headed to Turlock’s banquet and dance for the Portuguese Education Foundation of Central California and will present them our donation and the final visit for November will be Selma/Fresno.
So the only thing I can ask of my U.P.E.C. family and our administration is that when we are tempted to give into our minor hurts, our small frustrations, our weaknesses; when we come face to face with the “others”, the outcasts, the strangers; when we forget how many people look up to us and trust us to be there and serve with vigor, love, creativity and enthusiasm, I ask that we not forget to CARE; really CARE! Open your eyes, pinch your arm, realize you are alive and well enough to CARE and fortunate enough to have a say in WHAT happens to our family and HOW it happens.
In Earnest Thanksgiving for how much you have CARED for me, and in loving memory this day of Ms. Marie Xavier, Past Grand President of the U.P.P.E.C., wife of deceased Past Supreme President Mr. Tony Xavier, mother of U.P.E.C. Past Princess Ms. Sandy Braun and grandmother of Past State Youth President, Past member of U.P.E.C. Board of Directors and our current U.P.E.C. Supreme Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Eduard Anthony Braun – May the Lord Bless and Keep the beautiful soul of this 92 year old Angel who left this world today, Friday, November 14th, 2008; having lived a life of dedicated service – May she Rest in Peace.
I am, Fraternally Yours,
Natalie M. L. Batista
U.P.E.C. Supreme President 2008 – 2009
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