Tag Archives: Jessica

May 12, 2007 · 12:02 am

Caboose Moved Today

WP668, our 91-year-old caboose, moved to our backyard today after over a year in storage. We all arrived at 7:30 a.m. to start the job. South Bay Crane & Rigging (408-244-0414, Los Gatos, CA) lifted the 1916 historic railroad car by crane and loaded her onto a truck. At 9 a.m., they drove WP668 three blocks to our house.

The first job was to get the crane into the driveway that runs along our back fence. One of the gateposts and some tree limbs came down but Julie, the crane operator, did make it fit. Then, the crane turned one of the caboose’s truck and wheel sets end for end (we had rolled it in backwards when we moved it out of storage last year). Finally, the crane lifted the 18-ton WP668 body off the lowboy flatbed, over the trees (some more limbs damaged but nothing unexpected), and onto the wheels. Lance, the rigger, went up and over the fence and back to keep the pulling rope stretched in the right direction so that Dennis could direct Julie in how to lower the caboose down with the least damage to surrounding trees. Our friend Chuck Cottam (who designs and installs koi ponds) and my husband John acted as backup riggers. Chuck also wielded the tree saw as needed.

Our neighbors, friends from Sun Microsystems, friends from the Silicon Valley Lines (SVL), and South Bay Historical Railroad Society (SBHRS) model train clubs, and photographers from the Willow Glen Resident newspaper joined our family for the big event. After WP668 was down and secured, we all had a BarBQ lunch, with caboose tours. Some of today’s photos follow. Tomorrow, we replace the fence!

More story and photos are on the WP668 website.

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Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson, John Plocher, and Danek Duvall
News images Used with Permission, Copyright 2007 Silicon Valley Community Newspapers
Updated 3 April 2020

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Filed under Caboose Project and Other Trains, Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as Jessica, John, Paul, San Jose, WP668

March 24, 2007 · 5:34 pm

Singing Competition – CMEA

Today was a big day for Jessica, my 18-year-old daughter. She checked the web site and was happy to find out that Smith College has accepted her application. We have now heard back from 3 of the 9 colleges to which Jessica applied. (University of Rochester also accepted her, MIT alas said no.) We will hear from the remainder by 2 April. It is a long and difficult wait.

Also, John and Jessica and I just got back from the CMEA (California Association for Music Education) Solo & Ensemble Festival at San Jose State Univ., that is: a musical performance competition. Jessica was the last singer today. She sang an aria in Russian from Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Czar’s Bride and was awarded the highest rating of “Superior” along with a Command Performance. The judge said Jessica’s was the only Command Performance he awarded today!

Susan Nace (Harker’s superb music teacher and the director for Cantilena, Harker’s Upper School Women’s Choir) accompanied Jessica on piano. We are very proud of Jessica and continue to be delighted with the excellent music education and support provided by Ms. Nace.

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Filed under Home & Family

Tagged as Jessica, San Jose State University, teaching

February 15, 2007 · 6:14 pm

Interviewing for College at Starbuck’s

My daughter Jessica is now in the last half of her Senior year in High School. All of nine college applications are in. She just finished her final vocal audition last week and recently participated in two of the final three alumni interviews. She is still trying to arrange a time for that last interview.

Except for those at the university admissions offices, I think all of Jessica’s interviews have been held at Starbuck’s coffee shops. A friend of ours who does alumni interviews for his alma mater says that Starbuck’s is sufficiently public that both the interviewer and candidate feel safe; also, there are lots of Starbuck’s shops around and they are usually easy to find. (I am currently re-reading Moby Dick in which the moral but pliable first mate is named Starbuck. The coffee shop chain is named for him.)

We are still getting letters from schools saying they are missing information already sent. For one school, she sent in her musical profile three times before they acknowledged getting it. I suspect that some schools are not as organized as they require their applicants to be.

We will be happy to be done with waiting to hear back. All of the schools are supposed to give Jessica their acceptance or denial letters by 1 April. One interviewer told her they would say by 15 March. Another school asked her to apply for a binding early admission (she declined). A third college had a professor write her a personal letter about his new program. I think all of this communication means that at least some of Jessica’s applications are well regarded. But I would still like to know for sure. I hate waiting.

We are sending in our 10th week summer Blue Camp Bear’s Lair reservations without knowing whether Jessica will be able to go or if we will have to cut our camping short to move her into a dorm.

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Tagged as Jessica, Lair of the Bear, Melville, University of California

December 23, 2006 · 9:45 am

Last 2 Fruitcakes in Oven

After decorating the Christmas tree, our family held its annual fruitcake assembly and baking party last night. My son Paul mixed pounds and pounds of dates and nuts and candied fruit in a big new gardening bucket I bought for the purpose. After much discussion, raisins and apricots were left out but dried figs were added. We have used the same recipe (from Mrs. Benziger of Knoxville, Tennessee) all of my life but the particular mix each year varies by the taste of the cooks. Everyone wore a tea cosy or Santa hat for the event.

My daughter Jessica and mother chopped and measured and mixed and discussed modifications. We baked one of the cakes in a rose-shaped Bundt pan this year. The tips of the petals are dry but otherwise it worked well. My daughter is brushing honey on the top now to moisten it. There is one big round fruitcake but the other 6 are loaf shaped. The last 2 loaves are in the oven now. They take over an hour to bake and no one wanted to stay up past midnight for two more to cook.

Today we visit the Dickens’ Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Jessica has assembled a costume of sort-of Victorian clothes since she likes to dress up. My mother is looking forward to sitting down with mulled wine and listening to sea chanties and bawdy songs in Mad Sal’s Alehouse. I plan to spend some of my fair time shopping and some listening to the songs or maybe watching a play by Gilbert and Sullivan.

William Kristol at Oberlin College

My daughter Jessi and I are visiting Oberlin College in Ohio today and tomorrow because she will be applying for school here. We were walking around campus tonight getting a feel for things when we happened into the Ronald Reagan Political Lectureship Series presentation by conservative Republican William Kristol. I am not familiar with his work but the posters around campus say he is the founder and editor of The Weekly Standard and served in the administrations of two Republican U.S. Presidents.

There were clearly two sets of posters up around campus about tonight’s talk. One was the large official poster in color, complete with a photo of Ronald Reagan in front of an American flag plus a photo of the speaker. The other posters were black and white photocopies attacking Mr. Kristol. One showed a very nasty photo of a naked torture victim. Another was a list of his goals and political sins from a liberal viewpoint.

Mr. Kristol gave a funny and well considered presentation, bravely leaving more than half of the time available for questions from what seemed to be an overwhelmingly liberal audience. The auditorium was full to overflowing with at least three uniformed security guards well in evidence. Some of the questions were thoughtful and well considered but many were lightweight and reflecting badly on the questioners. Mr. Kristol answered all of them politely and intelligently, sometimes deflecting or reinterpreting aggressive or silly aspects. I was impressed with his sincerity and professionalism even if I don’t
agree with all of his conclusions and views.

Jessi even got to ask a question. She was delighted when the (big and potentially scary) security guard kindly encouraged her and then congratulated her on getting her question answered. Jessi asked Mr. Kristol if he thought the Bush administration would have been stronger in Iraq if Congress had declared war following constitutional requirements rather than declaring a military action. Mr. Kristol complimented the question but said he thought Congress knew what they were voting on politically and the formality would not have made a difference.

All in all, it was an interesting evening and enlightening, if in a disappointing way, on the liberal politics of Oberlin. I plan to look for more from William Kristol as I found his comments thoughtful and surprisingly balanced in their judgements.

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Filed under News & Reviews, Politics

Tagged as Jessica

August 19, 2006 · 10:49 pm

Shito Ryu Karate Black Belt

I just finished sewing on my daughter’s gold JKO (Japan Karate-Do Organization) patch onto her gi (uniform). Jessica earned her Black Belt in Shito Ryu Karate today! She has been studying with Shihan Roberto Alvelais at Pacific Martial Arts for eleven years, since she was six. Our whole family is very proud!

Below are some photos from Jessica’s black belt test today. The 2 hour test included her demonstrating individual elements (stances, punches, blocks), entire series of elements (kata), and then sparring with another brown belt (kumite). Prior to today, Jessica had to take referee training, write an essay, and take a series of shorter tests. After the sparring, she answered questions about the history of karate and the Shito Ryu style. In some of the photos, you can see Rob and the other black belts in the Pacific Martial Arts dojo sitting in a line. Rob was the sole judge but the other black belts (some of whom come from other karate styles) came to lend Rob and Jessica their support and encouragement.

In a blog entry called “Sigma belts & Karate belts” from June 2005, I wrote about the similarities and differences between Six Sigma and karate. Jessica’s preparations and today’s big test strongly reminded me of what I went through for my own Sigma certification here at Sun.

After the test, Rob said a few proud words as Jessica’s teacher and presented her with the actual black belt which he had been wearing. Then, it was time for family pictures and a celebration lunch.

Rob presenting Jessica with her black belt:

Rob and Jessica:

Jessica and her Grandparents:

Jessica and her new gold JKO gi patch:

Jessica and Grandpa Wade:

Immigration Reform March Today

Many of us from the San Francisco Bay Area Episcopal churches marched today to support immigration reform. I picked up my 17-year-old daughter Jessica after school and we joined the march here in San Jose.

It was hot but fun: the Mercury News said there were 100,000 people. It was hard to tell from the middle of things but it was very crowded along most of the five mile route. Everyone seemed energetic and cheerful. There were groups providing music along the way – some electronic, some live, some on the sides and some marching with us – even a group in Aztec-style full feather headdresses who danced the entire route. Lots of families with little kids marched (many of the kids were either in strollers or flopped over a parental shoulder asleep after the first few blocks).

The most common clothing was a white t-shirt with some slogan. Most people had flags – mostly American but some from Mexico, Central or South America – or signs. Jessica and I walked the whole way (from the corner of Story and King to Guadalupe Park downtown) and never saw anyone we knew but we had a good time anyway. We kept looking for the group of Episcopal clergy but we never found them. We were told
to look for their banner saying “Honor the Contributions” and we could only find one saying “Honor our Contributors” so we walked with that group for a while.

As the Convener of DIEM (the Department of Intercultural Evangelism and Mission) for our diocese of El Camino Real, I support ECR’s Peace and Justice Commission and the Standing Committee in formally promoting immigration reform (with a focus on legislation and policy changes).

The text that Peace and Justice drafted is such a wonderful mix of parliamentary procedure and deep belief, it is interesting to read. It starts off…

WHEREAS we have promised in our Baptismal covenant to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves; to strive for justice and peace among all people; and to respect the dignity of every human being;
WHEREAS Christ calls us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, tend to the sick, and visit the imprisoned;
WHEREAS our Scriptures reflect a profound empathy with the plight of exiles, teaching us that it is right to love foreigners, and to give them food and clothing ; that when strangers live with us in our land, we must not mistreat them or oppress them; and we must love them as we love ourselves; …

Jessica came home with some good basic lessons in the realities of free speech in the form of a public march:

Stay with your group, no matter what
Wear comfortable shoes and socks
Bring water and small snacks
Wear a hat

She also said that she had never seen so many Hispanic people she did not know. Jessica said that after 3 hours of walking, she feels a strong physical commitment to the Hispanic community and the immigration debate.

I hope that both the new diocesan immigration reform policy and today’s march will help bring about much-needed change in how our country treats its most recent immigrants.

My feet hurt.

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Filed under Church, News & Reviews

Tagged as Episcopal church, Jessica, Mexico, San Jose

Tag Archives: Jessica

Caboose Moved Today

Singing Competition – CMEA

Interviewing for College at Starbuck’s

Last 2 Fruitcakes in Oven

William Kristol at Oberlin College

Shito Ryu Karate Black Belt

Immigration Reform March Today

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