Will Miss Ya

To my classmates.  Your blogs were all so great. I really had fun and looked forward every week to reading your postings.   I appreciated everyone's efforts in the writing of their blogs, and knew that you really put in a lot of feeling in your writing.  I felt that I was not alone, and we all have similar struggles in order to get to the finish line.  I loved everything about the class, our professor, and classmates.  You all made it a lot of fun.  I wish you all the very best.
SuZ

Another Blog?

Well, it is so hard to believe this is our last week of class blogging!  This blogging stuff was all new to me.  To have to post something so private out in public was kind of scary to me.  But I hope I kept it simple.  I am not a real techy person, but I was able to find my way around to get the blogging done.  I even changed my background.  (I felt like I was a big girl now blogging, and all. LOL!)

Happy Blogging To All!
SuZ
   

A Family Affair

It’s A Family Affair

        Looking back at all the great times I have experienced, none can top the time we had our son baptized.  We had 102 guests at our home, and it was the first big event I had ever hosted in my whole life!  I was lucky that my family had come into town to be here, since my sister, Linda, was going to be the God Mother.  My husband chose his older brother, Jess, to be the God Father, who lives just minutes from us. 

        It felt like it was a class reunion, as well, since we had invited a lot of our friends.  My husband and I both have big families, and I can literally say that everyone and their uncle was at the event!  My husband’s aunts, uncles and cousins were also there.  On my side of the family were all my cousins, aunts and uncles.  And even my great aunt and grandmother were there, from my father’s side of the family. 

        One of my sister in-laws convinced me to make tamales.  Little did I know that she was not going to be there to help me make them, since she left town at the last minute.  I burned a whole batch of three dozen tamales and the house reeked of burned tamales, and I could not air the house out fast enough.  Even the clothes in the closets caught some of the odor, and I was in a panic.  Fortunately, the remaining batches came out pretty good.  I also made two gallons of salsa, and I thought I wasn’t going to have enough; what did I know?  We also served beans, rice and potato salad, and since I made the potato salad myself, and I could not burn it, it came out pretty good. 

        I had placed umbrella tables in the backyard to accommodate everyone.  With the event being held in August, the weather was perfect. For entertainment my cousin, who owns Peacock Record Bar, DJ’d for us, and my mother in-law wanted a Mariachi Band, so we had them come in for a while, as well.  Everyone ate and danced, and had a great time.  My husband’s friends were so happy, they didn’t leave till 3:00 a.m., and my husband was already in bed asleep.   I, for one, was so happy it had all turned out great!  My son received a lot of beautiful gifts and keepsakes.  We were so blessed to have so many loved ones around us to share this special day for our son. 

Three Special People In My Life

There have been three special people in my life that I have bonded and grown as a person with.  Without these people, I probably would not be who I am today.  They each have shown me a sense of humor, strength and love.  These people are my mother’s three sisters.  My aunties Lupie, Irene and Isabel. 

        My Auntie Isabel was a petite, short-haired woman.  Her hair was always done with actual pin-curls.  She was not heavy when she was young, but became full-bodied with age.  She was always dressed very nice.  Even when she didn’t feel good, she looked great.  My Auntie Isabel was a very structured person and my mother was not.  My Auntie Isabel was also very domestic and showed me how to knit and crochet.  When I was growing up I always admired that all the women in my family was always very done up and always had the lastest in lipstick and nail colors, which I felt was so feminine.  But my Auntie Isabel was an Avon lady and was always wearing the latest in makeup.  Unfortunately, my Auntie found out she had cancer, and even through her tough days, she would still do her hair and makeup.  When I was small she use to babysit my brother and I and would act as our D.J., playing the records and recording us with her camera.  She would even pay us to dance a whole record.  I remember her favorite song was “Pretty Woman,” and to me she will always be the “Pretty Woman” in my life.  My Auntie Isabel passed away seven years ago, just two months after my mother.  I miss them both very much.

        My Auntie Lupie was the quiet one of the family. She was very petite and had short black hair, but her hair was a little fuller.  She had the old-school hair do that required rollers just about every night.  She would even sleep with her rollers. But as quiet as she was, she did have her opinions.  My mother and my Auntie were very close, and we were also close to her husband, my Uncle Frank.  We had a lot of fun times with our get togethers.  Since my Auntie only had one son, my sisters and I were like the daughters they never had.  Growing up my Auntie showed me how to play different board games, and she was really good at Scrabble.  Later, when I was older, I would gift to her different editions of Scrabble and would look forward to playing with her.  I learned a lot from my Auntie when it came to words and their uses within my vocabulary and the placement on the game board, as well. When it came to her sense of humor, she was very witty.  She was always challenging me with an excuse that it was for my own good.  She, too, passed away, a year ago, and that has left a big void in my life, since I always turned to her for questions regarding cooking to shopping, because she knew it all.

        My Auntie Irene was the fun one of the family.  She was kind of tall and slender when I was growing up.  Her hair was long and sometimes short, it all depended upon the fashion and her mood.  She was also the one that would always praise and encourage me to do different things, and to try different jobs.  Her motto was, “You will never know what you are good at if you don’t try something new.”  As far as she was concerned I could do anything I wanted to, and I should do it all.  I was often told that I resembled my aunt a lot, and I felt that was such a compliment, since I thought my auntie was very pretty.  But, when my auntie lost her husband in an accident, she became very sad.  As much as she tried to be happy and go on with her life, the sadness overcame her.  I felt so helpless when she would ask me for help and I would go with her to see different attorneys regarding the lawsuit against the person who caused the death of my uncle. But not even winning her case did that make a difference in her depression.  As much as I knew it wouldn’t, I still continued to push forward.  My auntie’s depression worsened, and this past March she passed away, having suffered  Alzheimer’s and just withered away to nothing.  I will never forget my Auntie and her praises, which I have tried to use as a model with my own daughter and nieces.

I cherish the memories I have of my mother and my aunties.  And I try to share with my daughter and nieces stories of when we use to get together with everyone.  We now are making our own memories, and it is a lot of fun.

"Where's The Beef?" Wood Ranch Review

After reading “Fast Food Nation”  I am convinced that I don’t care “where’s the beef!”  As much as I do not eat beef that much, I am totally turned off.  So, when my in-laws gave me a gift card to Wood Ranch, I was pretty hesitant to use it.  But, nonetheless, my husband wanted to eat dinner there this past weekend.  Obviously, he has not read “Fast Food Nation”, and I have not talked to him about what I have read.  Since I didn’t want to ruin our date night, I agreed to go.  To my surprise, what I found in Wood Ranch ‘s menu,  the bar, and their pricing, was quite a surprise. 

As you are walking up to the front door of Wood Ranch you get smell the delicious aroma of barbecue.  Who can resist?  A look through their extensive menu, and you have a huge variety of different meats: Steak, seafood, chicken, turkey, and burgers.  They also offer a variety of burgers made of turkey, beef and even vegan burgers.  The vegan patties are made of bulgur, corn, squash and seasoning.  The actual sandwich is made with the pattie, lettuce, tomatoe and a Dijon mustard.  The bun, itself, is huge. And you put it all together, and it is a great meal!   The answer to my prayers!  I had the vegan burger and it was delicious!  They also offer different types of salads, pastas and soups.  Their portions are quite generous, as well.

Wood Ranch’s bar menu is also quite extensive, offering a variety of wine and spirits.  Their happy hour has a nice selection of appetizers and special pricing, as well. 

        As for the pricing, they are right up there with the rest of the nice restaurants.  Some plates ran around $9 all the way up to around $25.  Your best bet was to go at lunch time when they serve a slightly different menu, with lower prices. 

All in all, I was very pleased with Wood Ranch.  If I did not want to have a red meat dish, I could choose vegan, salad or a pasta dish.  Their garlic rolls were also great, which is a nice touch to a great dinner, had I not had a vegan burger.  

Mad Cows - Mad People!

“The Meaning Of Mad Cow”

  The last part of the book actually culminates with the worse possible scenario to the story of “fast food.”  The author uses, at the end of the last paragraph, the most perfect words to describe what the fast food industry has become, which is “human arrogance and blind worship of science.”  With all it’s technology and the race for the next quick way to make money, the industry has done everything it possibly could do to make a quick buck, at the expense of those it is serving, the consumer.  The dangers that their employees are exposed to, whether it is the employees at the slaughterhouses or at the fast food restaurants, are so blatantly slave-like. 

Throughout the book, I learned about a whole different world.  From Disney and the treatment of the employees when they decided to strike because they wanted to unionize to the treatment and conditions of the employees at McDonald’s, and the use of young people and unskilled migrant adults.  The fact that the labor laws do not apply to them, is so “UnAmerican.”  I cannot understand how McDonald’s, and other fast food restaurants, have so much pull that this can happen. 

        I feel that McDonald’s is deceitful in naming their kids meals “Happy Meals” when the people that made that meal happen can’t possibly be happy with the way the working hours are, and of course, no benefits.  Fortunately, my daughter is a vegetarian and does not like to get her meals at fast food places.  If anything, she likes the rice bowls at Jack In the Box, but orders it without the chicken. 

        Throughout the whole time I read this book, I wondered if the author was a disgruntled employee.  He really dug deep and got to the nitty gritty of the ugliness of how these founders of these fast food restaurants worked their way through the heart of America and established themselves as “The American Way.”  I am ashamed of them and I feel that they are not worthy of my business.  It has been a long time since I have had a McDonald’s cheeseburger, and I think it will be an even longer time, now, if at all, if I am to frequent the place in the near future.

5 Lies, 1 Truth - Life As A Forensic Investigator

When I had just graduated as a forensic scientist, I was lucky enough to be hired as a Ventura County Forensic Investigator.  Just the thought of it made me feel that maybe I was shooting too high, and should take things a little slower.  I was fascinated with clues and putting them all together in order to solve a crime. 

        While I was attending school I interned at the morgue, and then went on to get a part-time job with the Ventura County Crime Lab.  The stuff that you see there can make you lose your lunch, and I’m not kidding.  My job, actually was to transcribe the lab reports.  But sometimes I would have to go talk to the different doctors if I could not understand their dictation. 

I guess I should be grateful for the work my best friend suggested I try, in order to get my foot in the door.  I am really a transcriber / translator for a group of criminal defense attorneys who I work for as a side job.  But I could not miss this opportunity.  After all, it was an opportunity to get my feet wet. 

        As much as I miss school, I find that each day is so different from the previous one.  When a body comes in that is not identifiable, I feel that it is up to me to find the missing link that will be able to bring this person to life, literally speaking, and get them to their family for closure.  Sometimes, cases are no so easy, and with the backload of work, it is not always a fast process.  But, hey, it’s a job!

Thinking, Thinking, and More Thinking!

Thinking, Thinking, and More Thinking

I am back at school, and cannot believe that I am actually working on the blog for week number nine!  I have met some really nice and interesting people.  And my professor, Ms. Croker, is exactly the kind of teacher I wish my kids will get.  My decision to return to continue my education came after a lot of thought.  I currently have a full time job at a local high school and I also have a part-time job on the weekends with a group of attorneys and investigators.  I was a volunteer at church and at my daughter’s school, and once in a while I was a team mom for one sport of hers, or another.  I wasn't sure how I was going to juggle it all, but I had to try.  And, as much as I like my jobs and my class, I have found that the time I spent volunteering is gone, and I miss it.  My life has changed so much this past year.  My son moved to San Diego to go to college and my daughter started high school.  And with all that going on, we also remodeled our home, so not even that is the same anymore.   

I know that my future is getting closer and closer, and I am excited about finishing school and going onto a new career as a high school counselor, but I have found myself consumed with “thinking!”  I don’t know about the rest of the class, but when I least expect it I am thinking about the next blog or my next comment on a classmate’s blog, or thinking of the topic of the week for our essays.   I feel that sometimes I cannot think of “fun.”  As much as I look forward to class and getting through the next assignment, I miss “fun.”  But, there is no time!  And when I happen to come across something fun with the family, I feel guilty.  I end up taking my notes or books with me and read or write my notes, just to feel accomplished, if only for a few hours.    I have become so paranoid, that I even wake up thinking, “Did I hit all the points on my essay?”  “I need to look at the assignment, because I am sure I missed something.” 

With the holidays coming up, I feel that I won’t have time to think about Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas, since this class does not finish until the week of Christmas, and I feel sad and kind of left out of the “fun.”  I try not to pout, but that’s how I feel.  I know I sound silly, but I have come to realize that my priorities are changing, as my determination increases.  I am trying to enjoy this journey, but I have found that it is a lonely one, with all this thinking.

Marriage: Live Together Before Or After The Wedding?

My opinion of people living together before marriage has changed so much.  I use to believe, or maybe even convinced, due to my culture and faith, that you get married to the person of your dreams and you live happily ever after.  There was not to be a “trial run” at all, or you would be struck by lightening!  Back when I was growing up, my parents, aunts, even my friends, all followed the golden rule and all got married and did not live for a while before the wedding.  I even had friends that would talk about other people that were living together and with children out of wedlock, and that was scandalous. 

After seeing so many marriages go through such an adjustment during the first few years of their marriage, I am convinced that everyone back in the day was wrong.  As much as I feel that it is best to get to know your future spouse as much as you can and date for a long time, you never really know a person until you are a part of each other’s lives.  You need to know what their culture dictates as far as their practices during religious holidays, and the expectations of each other’s families during these holidays. 

I was lucky in that my husband’s family and my family both celebrate all the holidays, and they are all a lot of fun.  But not all families are like that.  I dated my husband for six and a half years.  During that time we learned about each other, as well as our cultures and faith.  Our families are religious, and practice the Catholic faith.  It is challenging to coordinate when and where we will be sharing our special days with our families, but we have managed, and would not have it any other way. 

I am sure that getting married is a part of a person growing up, and making the adjustments and compromises that we all do for the sake of our spouse.  But, sometimes, it seems that these people that get married so young, and then divorce because they grew apart is so sad.  Maybe they should have shared a residence first.  I know of a couple that are dating, but they are living together, with no “special benefits” because they are saving themselves for their honeymoon.  Now, that’s love and commitment! <B

SuZ

1 Bark, 2 Barks, 3 Barks, Falllll!

  

I was eight years old.  My family and I were on our summer vacation in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico.  I was the first born grandchild on my dad’s side of the family, and we were visiting my uncle and aunt.  They had invited us to stay at their house.  The houses in their neighborhood were all connected, and my uncle’s house was a tri-level home, and their roof was connected to the neighbors’ roofs. Up on the 3^rd level was where the laundry room was, as well as the roof access, known as the “azotea.”  My uncle’s neighbor had their dog house up there, and they had a white Chihuahua dog, who liked to bark at me, as soon as it would hear my voice, as I would go upstairs.  Twice this dog tried to chase me, but I had yelled so hard that it scared the owner, so the owner had put the dog inside whenever they knew we were going to be upstairs. 

On this particular day, my mother and I were going upstairs to get our laundry, because we had to start packing.  We were going to go visit some more relatives in Mexico City and my mom had asked me to help her with the packing of all our suitcases.  I didn’t want to go up to the laundry room because of the neighbor’s dog, but being the eldest, it was my duty to help my mom out.  I also was to help her with my brother and sisters suitcases, since they were a lot younger than I was.  I was happy to leave my uncle’s house, because at our next stop I had cousins that I was going to meet for the first time. 

As we were going upstairs, the first thing I hear is the neighbor’s dog barking.  I had

taken with me some cookies to throw to the dog, hoping that it would be occupied with the cookie and not bark at me; maybe even like me a little so as not to continue to scare me.  When I reached the top of the roof I dropped a cookie and I bent down to pick it up quickly, because I did not want the dog to get it before I could bribe her.  As I was getting up I looked to see where my mom was and the dog crossed over to my uncle’s roof.  At that same moment my mom warned me not to get so close to the sun room that was about a yard away from me.  If I fell into it, I would be flying down 3 floors!    

           

The sun room was where my aunt’s Jacuzzi room was, and it measured about 12x12 of open air space.  You could see from the first floor to the rooms surrounding the sun room whose walls were French doors all around.  You could see the entrance to the house, the living room and the patio, and of course it was 3 stories tall.  There was nothing covering this space from the roof top.  It was just a big opening. 

           

I remember I looked towards where my mom’s voice was coming from, and I saw her standing with a rope in her hand, and I could not understand why she was holding it.  Then, all of a sudden the look on her face made me turn around.  All I can remember is hearing my mom’s scream!  I know I tried to hold onto the floor, but my fingers slipped.  I remember feeling the burn on my arms as I scraped my way down the wall.  I also remember hearing my dad’s voice asking me to answer him.  “Susie! Susie!  Are you okay?  Susie, what happened?  Susie, answer me!”  Next thing I remember is I was in a hospital, and I wanted to get out of bed. 

I know I probably panicked when I saw my mom’s face, because that’s how much

I am afraid of dogs.  I should have just ran to my mom; she had a rope in her hand and probably could have shooed away the dog.  But, no, I probably wanted to throw the cookie to the dog, hoping it would stop barking at me. 

Once I had woken up I remember seeing my uncle who had come to visit me that night.  He told me I had been in a coma for 2 days.  All I knew was that I wanted to get out of bed by myself, but I was not allowed to.  I felt terrible that I had ruined our vacation. I even had two big black eyes and a huge bruise on my forehead.  My uncle had always wanted what was best for me, and being his first niece, I was his favorite.  He kept telling me how he would rather have the pain than see me go through this.  But not all the pain I was feeling compared to my guilt when my uncle showed me the gun he had used to put the little dog out of its misery; I felt so awful.  Why couldn’t I just be like my siblings and get along with dogs?  I cried all night, just thinking of that poor little dog.  My uncle told the neighbor that the dog bit me, but I knew it wasn’t true.  And the worse part was that the dog had just had puppies, and maybe that’s why it was being so protective.  Now, there were some orphan puppies, and I was to blame! 

I have two dogs of my own, but I continue to be afraid of dogs.  To this day, even when my own dogs are barking their heads off, I know they are only doing it because they are doing their job and protecting our home.  I have a better understanding of a dog’s perspective and their feelings towards strangers.  If I know that a dog has had a litter, I make it a point not to visit.  A life lesson learned.    

TEXTING

 

A new communication tool that is only a few clicks away, "texting."  I like to text when wanting to give a quick message soliciting a “yes” or “no” answer.  But, for some, this is not the case.  I have friends that like to hold conversations as if it is a ping-pong game, going back and forth, back and forth.  But, really, there is no winner in this texting at length “game.” 

My husband feels that if you just want an answer, call and get it over with, instead of waiting.  But, he doesn’t understand that sometimes you can’t pick up the phone and do that.  Maybe the person on the other end is unavailable to speak on the phone.  I understand these situations, and can appreciate a quick text to them or from them, as long as it is short and sweet. 

When it comes to gossip, there is nothing like a live conversation.  But in the event that you can’t take the time to really get in deep to a conversation, and you are just bursting at the seams to get this juicy bit of information out, then a quick “summary” by text should suffice, until you can get into a live gossip-swapping session!  Not that I practice this very often, but on occasion, it has happened.

Susan Robles

Reality Television

REALITY TELEVISION

Watching reality T.V. in my home is done on a daily basis.  It does not matter if it’s “The Kardashian’s,” “Jersey Shore,” “Real World,” “Hoarding: Buried Alive,”  “Toddlers & Tiaras,” “Dance Moms,”  “Jerseylicious,” “Cake Boss,” and don’t forget “The Amazing Race,” it will be watched in one of our televisions by any member in my family, or all of them, at once.  I, myself, do not have the time for any of it, like my family does. 

The majority of these shows are so pretentious, that I feel that maybe my daughter will think it’s an attitude that is acceptable.  But, to my surprise, my daughter will sit and watch it, and then make comments that I agree with.  I will ask her what is it about reality t.v. that she likes, and she will just say it’s different and sometimes funny, and that it can’t possibly be for real!  Whew!  What a relief. 

Reality television could easily be used as a “Do Not Do This At Home” kind of a warning, and actually should be.  The way some people behave in front of the camera and the exhibitions of their own sexuality is so disrespectful.  I have heard people in public try to emulate some of the people on these shows, and all I can think is, “What makes you think this is cool being someone other than yourself?”  I would hope that society just sees these productions / shows as entertainment, and nothing else.  Yes, the people in the reality shows are for real, but not everyone’s life ends up like that, so scandalous. 

Then, again, there are the reality shows that show the mental disorders of people that are hoarders.  Maybe this reality show will help some people understand that they have a problem when they do not want to get rid of their belongings that are actually trash.  The saying, “Some peoples trash are other peoples’ treasures” does not apply here.  This show is so extreme, that it is hard to understand how some people actually have an obsession with their possessions to a point to where they are harming their own health, and harming their relationships with their loved ones / friends who are trying to reason with these people that do not see what is going on around them. 

Then we have the “Amazing Race” that is such an inspiration to so many people that I know.  I actually have some friends that put themselves on a workout regimen to try to be ready to compete if they were to be chosen as contestants.  The “Amazing Race” takes place in so many interesting places and there are so many interesting tasks that are asked of the contestants, and they willingly take on these challenges.  I know, personally, I could not even dream of being part of that show, but I do enjoy watching the different groups compete for the top prize. 

As much as I do not approve of a lot of these reality shows, I know for a fact that there are people that behave and exhibit themselves out in public, as do those people on these scandalous shows.  I feel that the morals and values I have tried to instill in my kids will help in their decisions to differentiate between good behavior and bad behavior.  I trust that these shows will not be much of an influence in their lives.  If only there could be a reality show on real and nice  people that do not throw trash on the sidewalk and are courteous out on the road.  I can only wish.  

SuZ

Fast Food Impact

Fast Food Impact                                                                                     

Since I can remember, the almighty hamburger has been the most fastest food I can think of when it comes to “getting a quick bite to eat.”  I remember, as a child, my brother getting frantic as we would drive by “Tasty’s” hamburger place on 5^th Street and Ventura Road, because he wanted his treat.  My dad didn’t understand what my brother was saying when he would all of a sudden say, “hangoober fies – hangoober fies!” as we would drive by "Tasty’s,” but my mother and I did, and we would just giggle.  Going to get a hamburger was only a week-day thing in my family, and it only involved my mother, brother, and myself, and some times my grandmother.  My dad, since he would work all week, was never a part of our “ritual,” which would happen right after school or after a doctor’s appointment for my grandmother.  When we got older, and my dad had a little more time, it would be a big treat on the weekend to go to Foster’s (now Winn’s) or A&W, the place on Pleasant Valley Road, where they had car hops and they would put our trays of food on our car windows, and serve us our rootbeer floats in huge mugs that were too heavy to carry with just one hand!  I can recall the Papa burger and the Mama burger, and of course we always had to order according to the titles!  Good Times!  Not until I was older did my mom take us to McDonald’s.  But, since my mom was very picky and the hamburgers at McDonald’s were not made to order, we really didn’t get to go there much.  At Tasty’s or at Winn’s my mom could call ahead and order her “plain” cheeseburger, and know that it would be just what she ordered, just “plain.”  Now, as a mom, I look back at my habits with my oldest son, who is now 21 years old.  He loved the Happy Meals from McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., and Wendy’s.  And it was so easy to go through the Drive-thru and order his “happiness” instantly. 

Fortunately, my son is very slender, and works out daily, and has not had a weight problem as a result of his fast food treats.  Actually, when we would have dinner, he always had a full salad along with his meal.  My daughter, on the other hand, is a vegetarian, since birth, and so I could not go through the drive-thru unless it was for fries only.  So, my habits changed.  At the same time, the notion of “fast food” was becoming more and more evident that it was not a part of a well-balanced diet.  And, now that I am older, and have to watch what I eat, I rarely go get a hamburger.  It has probably been several years since I have had a hamburger at a fast food place.  The only thing that I have purchased has been the oatmeals at Starbucks and McDonald’s, if at all.  I also like the teas at Starbucks, if you can consider it a fast-food place.  I sometimes will get the protein plate at Starbucks for my daughter, since it has a hard-boiled egg, cheese, grapes and crackers.  She does enjoy the yogurt parfait at McDonald’s, but that’s not very often.  It was so easy to pick up her French toast sticks before a morning softball game at Burger King, but now it has lost it’s appeal.  The way McDonald’s markets itself to families with children and offers birthday party hosting and it has these humungous play yards for the kids, is really a “glitter” show and they should really focus on nutrition, which sometimes it seems like they are trying to do so.  All-in-all, my son enjoyed his McDonald’s Happy Meal prizes and Carl’s Jr.’s Halloween pails where they would provide the meal and a prize during the Halloween season.  Someone should come up with “Organic Land” or something.  Now, that would be a good concept!

SuZ

Past, Present Future 082711

Susan Robles

Eng 101 Comp

Ms. G. Croker

August 27, 2011

PAST

My name is Susan Robles.  I was born and raised in Oxnard, California, except for the three (3) years that I attended school in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, when I was in high school.  I grew up as the eldest in my family which consisted of three (3) sisters and a brother, my dad and my mother, who passed away seven (7) years ago.  I also enjoyed the company of the family pet, which usually was either a poodle or a husky / German Shepard breed.  I have worked at St. John’s Hospital as a records clerk doing the birth certificates, which made my job fun and interesting. I have worked as the business manager of a television station that was based in Ventura for eleven (11) years.  When the television station moved to West Los Angeles I continued to work for them from home, which was a challenge, since I would go to the office once a week, and work via fax and phone from home.  After my mom passed away, I was blessed with a job where I began working with different attorneys interpreting and transcribing for them, which allowed me to be able to work at home and be available for my children when they were little.  Once my kids were a little older I decided it was time to get a real job where I could have benefits and retirement, since I was not getting any younger.  I would hear other people talk about retirement and I felt that it was my time to be serious about this subject.  So, I got a real job. 

PRESENT

I am married and I have two (2) children.  My husband is a building inspector for the City of Oxnard.  My son has just earned his AA at Ventura College and has moved to San Diego to continue his education.  My daughter is a freshman at Santa Clara High School and plays travel softball and also has made the varsity volleyball team at Santa Clara High.  I work at Channel Islands High School as one of the Administrative Site Secretaries and handle the Special Programs Budgets.  I also assist with the Master Schedule, as well as discipline and testing.  I really like working at the high school since it is in my community and I went there as a freshman.  There are a lot of alumni teachers, as well, and their spirit is contagious, which makes it a fun place to work.  The school district is very generous with the paid holidays, and we have breaks that we enjoy after a hard day’s work.  I now understand why we need those holidays, since working at the high school is very fast-paced and you need a mind-vacation here and there. There is a lot of traffic in our office with students, teachers, parents, and staff issues, which makes the day go by fast.  I also continue to work with different criminal defense attorneys and investigators as their interpreter and transcriber, on an as-needed basis. Each case, of course, is very unique and some times interesting. 

FUTURE

I have returned to school in order to continue with my education.  My goal is to become a high school counselor.  Hopefully, I can get a job at Channel Islands High School, where I was originally inspired.  I have interpreted for the counselors and have realized that this is something that I can see myself doing.  I realize that this is not all the counselors do, since I do witness their duties on a daily basis.  But, nonetheless, I feel I would be a good counselor.  I know the road ahead of me is long and hard, but I am willing to go the distance. 

Susan Robles